Creative Writing 4/28 – 5/2

Monday 4/28

1. Journal: Here’s the story of the nicest thing I’ve ever done for somebody else.

2. Wordsmith Workshop – Creative Writing to the rescue!

a. Wordsmith would love to put out another issue and they need some writing for it – creative writing!

b. Choose one of the following to finish and turn in by the end of the period:

1) 25 – 50 lines of poetry.

2) A 250 – 500 word short story – kind of like a Microfiction; cannot be one of your old microfictions.

3) A 250 – 300 word satire of anything you wish. (for the daring!)

4) A 250 – 300 word descriptive essay.

5) A 250 – 300 word monologue. (very cool)

c. Consider using today’s journal or any other journal as a starting point. Those are great ways to have ready made drafts you can perfect with some revision.

d. At the end of the period, fill out a Wordsmith submission form and turn in your work.

3. Reminders

a. Be sure to bring all six Microfictions with you tomorrow, especially your contest entry with its RRD.

b. Just Sandwiches Presentations are Wednesday.

4. SPECIAL NOTE: For your Microfiction Contest Entry – Do NOT put your name on it.

Tuesday 4/29

1. Journal: Here’s the story of the nicest thing anyone ever did for me.

2. Microfiction Final Contest

a. Write the number of your Contest Entry at the top of your Microfiction if you haven’t already. Your name should NOT be on it.

b. Turn in your Microfiction by type – groups will be formed to match the number of entries in each category.

c. Each person should have a blank sheet of paper. Read each Microfiction you are given, taking a couple notes on each.

d. When done, discuss the pieces and then vote.

e. Winners are announced at the end of the process.

f. Winners will get a free day off from class – or 2% of total grade Extra Credit at the end of the nine weeks. (Teacher decides which day off.)

g. Turn in all six Microfictions, in order.

3. Reminder: Just Sandwiches Presentations are tomorrow.

Wednesday 4/30

1. Journal: Just Sandwiches Journal #4: How do you select or judge restaurants: What are your criteria and how do you measure them? Then, tell of you favorite restaurants and what makes them so good.

2. Creativity Workshop: Just Sandwiches Presentation

a. Groups set up their restaurant in various areas of the room; choose someone to present.

b. Get grade sheets.

c. All other members circulate to each restaurant and fill out grade sheets.

d. Turn in grade sheets when done.

e. Assign sandwich to be eaten tomorrow in class – we’ll choose the criteria for eating together.

Thursday 5/1

1. Journal: after eating of the sandwiches

2. Turn in all Just Sandwiches drafting work.

3. Creativity Workshop: Just Sandwiches Eating

a. Groups each get to eat their sandwich for the class.

b. Just Sandwiches Journal #5: In your mind, whose sandwich was the best?  worst?  End this journal by describing your own sandwich eating experience using at least FIVE sentences and THREE senses.

c. Share journals as time allows.

4. Return contest Microfiction.

Friday 5/2

1. Journal: Take your Microfiction #3 or your four page dialogue exercise and turn it into a 20 line poem. You may add or subtract things as you see fit. (15 minutes)

2. Writer’s Workshop – Double Voiced poetry

a. Read sample Double Voiced poetry from the Columbine incident.

b. The double voice poem has the advantage of examining two points of view at the exact same time – often of equal merit – in order to highlight a contrast or created a balanced conflict.

c. So, Double Voiced poetry is when you present two contrasting points of view simultaneously, juxtaposing them in order to highlight the contrast and make your reader think. There are many ways to do this: one voice could be in regular font and the other voice could be in italics; they could be set side-by-side by columns (this works well in emphasizing the duality of the two points of view). What is important is synchronicity – all things present in the present moment. Have the voices synchronize at least one line.

d. Play around with this idea with a couple of conflicting issues. Your approach can be serious (a terrorist and an average American citizen for example) or even funny (a dumb argument you had with your brother last week for instance).

e. I’ll be checking for progress and use of work time today. We might even share a few by the end of the class.