Monday, February 25, 2013

Ø  Writing Lesson #1:  Avoid clichés!

Ø  Writing Lesson #2:  Using Precise Words

Ø  Writing Lesson #3:  Vocabulary Variety

Ø  Writing Lesson #4:  Connotation versus Denotation

Ø  Writing Lesson #5:  Advice for Revising and Editing Poetry

Ø  Writing Lesson #6:  Writing and Editing Dialogue

Ø  Writing Lesson #7:  Paragraphing

Ø  Writing Lesson #8:  Making Strong Titles

Ø  Writing Lesson #9:  Showing, Not Just Telling

o   Diction

o   Literal versus Figurative Language

o   Imagery

Ø  Writing Lesson #10:  Creating Strong Line Breaks

Welcome to Creative Writing! 

Monday, February 25^th, 2013

Fifteen-ish days remain for class.

Free Write #7      (10 minutes)

1.      Write for ten minutes in any format, over any topic.

2.     Use page 11, if you need help getting ideas.

3.     If you run out of steam on one idea, draw a line, and start a new one.

4.     Keep writing constantly—do not sit and think (or space off, but tell yourself you’re thinking). 

5.     Start @ 

Writing Lesson #10:  Creating Strong Line Breaks

Ø  Endline (page 42)—the word at the end of the line

Ø  Making Line Breaks

1.      Read the directions; then I’ll model how to work with partners to complete the assignment.

2.     Take ten minutes with partners to break the poems into lines, then talk about how and why.  Use the list on the bottom of page 43 to help you identify WHY you are breaking the lines as you are.

3.     Get back together as a class to chat about the hows and whys, after we looked at the authors' original breaks.

4.     Start @

Writing Assignment:  Prompt Word Poem (page 20)

Ø  Analysis--look at the model for this assignment (Lauren Carter; green sheet), and look at the words she had to use (yellow sheet).

Ø  Please put your name on the top of the paper.  (Each partner needs to show his/her own work on the green sheet for a daily grade.)

Ø Do all the following with your partner:

a.     Highlight on the green sheet the fifteen words she used from the class list (yellow sheet).  She had 27 to choose from; she only used 15—required.

b.    Put a BOX around VERBS that put an image in your mind (at least five).

c.     Underline the last word of each line.  Talk with your partner about the kinds of word Lauren chose to end each line with.  (Make a generalization, based on what you see on the green sheet.)

d.    Circle four separate instances of alliteration (similar sounds at the beginning of words).  Your pairs of alliterative words need to be within the same stanza.

e.     Discuss with your partner what effect the stanzas have on how you read the poem.

2.     At the end of worktime, we’ll discuss your analysis.

Ø Starting Your Own Prompt Word Poem

1.      The words are in our class folder.  Are there any you need me to define?

2.     Workshop Time = 15 minutes today to familiarize yourself with the words, get an image or a conflict, and start typing

3.     Due:  Thursday w/rubric (You will have 15-20 minutes in class both Tuesday and Wednesday for work time as well.)