Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014

Welcome to Creative Writing!

Happy Wednesday, April 2^nd—2^nd Block = 1:05-2:10

Housekeeping

·      Please sign in.

·      Please restart your computers now, then set them aside (off your desk somewhere).

Writing Experiment #3--Earliest Memory Paragraph(s)

1.      Get out a sheet of notebook paper and something to write with.

2.     Write “WE#3—Earliest Memory” at the top.

3.     Model:  I’m going to tell you my Earliest Memory.  As I share it with you, pay attention to the details I am using. 

4.     Write down details (a word or a phrase) that have to do with the five senses.

a.    Sight  (colors, visual details)

b.    Smell  (scents, odors, fragrances, stenches)

c.    Taste 

d.    Touch  (textures)

e.    Sound  (not “the sound of”,  but actual sounds)

Bathtime

            My brother and I are in the black tub.  He sits at the back of the tub, splashing, and I sit at the front of the tub, running my hands under the water flowing from the silver faucet.   I reach up, and I turn one of the silver knobs all the way to the right.  I clamber out of the tub, and stand dripping on the black furry bathmat.  Steam begins to rise off the water, floating up towards the white ceiling.  The black and white wall tiles start to sweat.

            I turn to look at my brother.  The water is up to his belly, and he holds his arms up and out in front of him, out of the water.  His arms are like skinny white pencils, thin as they are.  Then I see pink; his skin is pink on his chest, and his skin is pink on his neck, and his whole face is turning pink.  He opens his mouth, and he hollers.

            Mom rushes into the bathroom, scoops him out of the tub and wraps him in a black towel. Bathtime is over.

Prepping to Write the Earliest Memory Paragraph

1.      Now you brainstorm some of your earliest memories.  Just make a list.  (1:21-1:23)

a.     I lost my favorite kite

b.    I cut my head open on a furniture tie

c.     First time holding puppy

d.    Took my mom’s rotary cutter and sliced my finger open

e.    First time to babysitter’s house

f.      RAGBRAI at my house, touching hot grill

g.    Sister changed my diaper on the dinging room table; hiding behind couch

h.    Girls scared me with a teddy bear, really bad

i.      My first bike wreck

j.      Getting a dog after my other one passed away

k.     Received a prized teddy bear

l.      Girl pulled my ski mask down on me, then attacked me

m.  Racecar bed, jumping off spoiler

n.    Found a starving cat I got to keep

o.    Exploring creek and saw twenty deer

Visualizing Pre-Write                       (five minutes?)

·      Fill out the sheet with concrete details from the five senses.

Partner Pair-Share (started 1:41)

1.      Tell your partner your story—use the visualizing sheet for help.

2.     Listener, make comments, and ask questions.  Something you say or ask might HELP THE WRITER flesh-out the story.

3.     Listen to your partner’s story.

4.    Make comment and ask questions to them. 

Typing Your First Draft, and Revising to Second

1.      Now, create a new google doc, and type a paragraph or two about your earliest memory (ten-ish minutes) Started:

2.     Please doublespace, since this is prose (not a poem).

3.     Follow the directions below exactly. 

4.     Type these questions at the bottom of your piece.

a.     What colors can I add?  EXAMPLE OF HOW YOUR ANSWER SHOULD LOOK:  I could add the color lavender when I talk about my mom’s shirt.

b.    What textures did I feel?

c.     What sounds did I hear?

d.    What’s my overall feeling about this memory?

e.     Did I learn something from it?

f.      Do I like remembering it?

5.     Ask yourself these questions, type your answers under each question.

6.     After you type your six answers, go back to your paragraph(s), and add any details you need to, based on your answers (2nd draft).    (ten-ish minutes)