Thursday, December 9, 2010
It's "GO" Time!
Okay everyone! Your rough draft is due when you walk into class on Monday! Your final draft will be due at the end of Monday. Today, focus on writing your paper. If, by the end of class, you have finished 4+ pages, print them out and get ready to bring them on Monday. If you'd like to work on your paper at home, make sure you make arrangements to have it in your hands first thing Monday to get those points. Remember: the most important parts are the conflice and the major turning point. Good luck! Have fun! I will see you Monday.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Online Article for Wednesday December 1st
Hello everyone. My son is sick. Here are the plans for your day! Please find an online magazine, newspaper, news source of some kind.(omaha.com, cnn.com, Sports Center, etc.) Type five intriguing titles to five articles that you find on the top of your Word document. Using only ONE of the titles, create a two page story from it. This needs to be inspired simply by the title. No other information is needed. This should be double spaced, about two pages, and full of creativity, voice, with a focus on the unexpected. Focus on suspense and try your luck with symbolism. Here's an example of the beginning of a story from the article title:
Ancient Shadow Boxes Tell More than One Story:
"I was sure this was the lock to which Mark was referring before he passed on. His parched, cracked lips had whispered, "Lock 12". I knew what I had to do. I owed it to Mark to try the key he sacrificed his life for in the lock, but I had also heard the seemingly harmless shadow boxes were known explode at the first sign of tampering due to the extreme paranoia of the government at this point in what was turning into World War III. What was in this box behind the trinkets could finally prove that the 7th Swiss Prime Minister who hid behind a veil of neutrality, was actually to blame for all of the blood shed in the Americas. As I dug the key out of my pocket, I noticed the dried blood covered the number. I scraped it off and jammed the key into the lock. As I began to turn the key, unnatural shivers began to crawl up my right arm."
Let the titles guide you. Please DON'T PANIC about the lack of instructions or detail to this assignment. Do not limit yourself by details. When you are finished, turn this in to the "Handins" folder or print it. When you are done, go to the "handouts" and find your journal topic listed under "Journal". You may type this journal or write it in your actual journal. Have fun with the names, but really try your best to finish these two things IN class. You are excellent, and I will see you Friday. Those of you leaving on your trip on Thursday, have fun! I'll catch up with you next week.
Ancient Shadow Boxes Tell More than One Story:
"I was sure this was the lock to which Mark was referring before he passed on. His parched, cracked lips had whispered, "Lock 12". I knew what I had to do. I owed it to Mark to try the key he sacrificed his life for in the lock, but I had also heard the seemingly harmless shadow boxes were known explode at the first sign of tampering due to the extreme paranoia of the government at this point in what was turning into World War III. What was in this box behind the trinkets could finally prove that the 7th Swiss Prime Minister who hid behind a veil of neutrality, was actually to blame for all of the blood shed in the Americas. As I dug the key out of my pocket, I noticed the dried blood covered the number. I scraped it off and jammed the key into the lock. As I began to turn the key, unnatural shivers began to crawl up my right arm."
Let the titles guide you. Please DON'T PANIC about the lack of instructions or detail to this assignment. Do not limit yourself by details. When you are finished, turn this in to the "Handins" folder or print it. When you are done, go to the "handouts" and find your journal topic listed under "Journal". You may type this journal or write it in your actual journal. Have fun with the names, but really try your best to finish these two things IN class. You are excellent, and I will see you Friday. Those of you leaving on your trip on Thursday, have fun! I'll catch up with you next week.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Please Read the Following Information
Symbolism in Literature
The symbols that make their way into novels don’t have to be traditional, well-recognized ones. Like allusions, they can be obvious or very subtle. For example, the fussy, delicate fine china cup and saucer that is regularly used as Grandma’s special cup may come to represent that person. If it gets broken later in the novel, it could mean that Grandma’s time is up.
That same cup and saucer, appearing on the breakfast table every morning, could represent a marriage of many years; a chip or crack could appear in it with the passage of time but it remains in service. The day Martha hears that George has been unfaithful to her, she drops the cup in disbelief or throws it at the wall , depending on her temperament.
When an item is mentioned rather regularly throughout a novel, especially a personal item belonging to one of the principal characters, the reader must ask what it might symbolize.
Incorporating Symbolic Meaning in Creative Writing
In writing a novel, it is unlikely that the writer will sit, pen poised, and say, “Now, what symbol will I devise for John’s love or Mary’s determination?”
It is far more likely that one will emerge. The subconscious mind is an amazing hidey-hole: it will inspire the writer to throw something on the page that he or she will later realize works well as a symbol. This is hardly surprising, given that Freud and Jung consider our subconscious minds to be metaphysical black holes where shadows, symbols, and universal mythic beasties lurk.
The Value of Symbolism for Writers
When crafting a novel, the novelist takes the initial bright idea and draws up a one-sentence plot statement. From that, the writer can draw out an underlying theme (such as jealousy or crime doesn’t pay) which will then underpin the plot and subplots and create a sense of unity for the story. By assigning symbols for certain human qualities, and incorporating allusions to classical works that reflect the theme, the writer can enhance the theme and further weave elements of the story together.
Sometimes, the writer might need to go back in a second or subsequent draft and alter the plot to insert more references to the symbols that have emerged, strengthen their meaning and draw attention to them subtly. Is that cheating? No, it is just one more aspect of the writer’s craft.
The symbols that make their way into novels don’t have to be traditional, well-recognized ones. Like allusions, they can be obvious or very subtle. For example, the fussy, delicate fine china cup and saucer that is regularly used as Grandma’s special cup may come to represent that person. If it gets broken later in the novel, it could mean that Grandma’s time is up.
That same cup and saucer, appearing on the breakfast table every morning, could represent a marriage of many years; a chip or crack could appear in it with the passage of time but it remains in service. The day Martha hears that George has been unfaithful to her, she drops the cup in disbelief or throws it at the wall , depending on her temperament.
When an item is mentioned rather regularly throughout a novel, especially a personal item belonging to one of the principal characters, the reader must ask what it might symbolize.
Incorporating Symbolic Meaning in Creative Writing
In writing a novel, it is unlikely that the writer will sit, pen poised, and say, “Now, what symbol will I devise for John’s love or Mary’s determination?”
It is far more likely that one will emerge. The subconscious mind is an amazing hidey-hole: it will inspire the writer to throw something on the page that he or she will later realize works well as a symbol. This is hardly surprising, given that Freud and Jung consider our subconscious minds to be metaphysical black holes where shadows, symbols, and universal mythic beasties lurk.
The Value of Symbolism for Writers
When crafting a novel, the novelist takes the initial bright idea and draws up a one-sentence plot statement. From that, the writer can draw out an underlying theme (such as jealousy or crime doesn’t pay) which will then underpin the plot and subplots and create a sense of unity for the story. By assigning symbols for certain human qualities, and incorporating allusions to classical works that reflect the theme, the writer can enhance the theme and further weave elements of the story together.
Sometimes, the writer might need to go back in a second or subsequent draft and alter the plot to insert more references to the symbols that have emerged, strengthen their meaning and draw attention to them subtly. Is that cheating? No, it is just one more aspect of the writer’s craft.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Poetry Portfolio
Poetry Project
Name: ____________________________________________ Due Date: A-day, Thursday, November 17th, B-days, Friday, November 18th.
As a culmination of our Poetry Unit, you will create a Poetry Portfolio. You will choose 12 formats and some you may want to use more than once. You will then compile these poetry pages into a portfolio.
Requirements:
• Each poem must have a unique title. There will be 12 of them!
• You may use seven poems previously submitted
• Choose a poetic theme for your portfolio. Each poem must have that theme incorporated in some way. **See my example**
• The “format” of each poem must be listed on the poetry page somewhere.
• The portfolio must have a creative cover, with the title of your collection on it. (Wordle is appropriate)
• If Wordle is not your creative style, you must have a title page that symbolizes your poetry, your theme, and you. See me if Wordle is not your choice.
• The portfolio must be bound in some way neatly. This is a FINAL collection of your best work. Anything submitted messily will be graded as such.
• Each poem must be on its own page.
• Poems must be 15 lines or longer unless it is a form poem like the Ghazal. If you choose to make a Haikus, then you have to put five on a page to make the 15 line limit.
• You will have ample time in class to work on this project if you use your time wisely. You will be presenting your favorite poem that you have created on our open mic poetry party day. Please star this one so I know it’s the one. Also, practice reading it aloud as you will have to read the ENTIRE poem that day.
• Every day this portfolio is late will be 10% off. It starts as 100 points.
• After you reuse seven previously submitted poems, you may write all others in any form you choose. I have a list of forms in the handouts; you may use the poetry text, Internet, free form of your choice, etc. These are your artistic decisions.
• A-day: In order to pull this off, you will need to create about two poems per day. You can do this. This is ALL you will be working on today, Tuesday, and Thursday. It is due by the END of the period Thursday.
• B-day: In order to pull this off, you will need to create about two poems per day. You can do this. This is ALL you will be working on today, Wednesday, and Friday. It is due by the END of the period Friday
Name: ____________________________________________ Due Date: A-day, Thursday, November 17th, B-days, Friday, November 18th.
As a culmination of our Poetry Unit, you will create a Poetry Portfolio. You will choose 12 formats and some you may want to use more than once. You will then compile these poetry pages into a portfolio.
Requirements:
• Each poem must have a unique title. There will be 12 of them!
• You may use seven poems previously submitted
• Choose a poetic theme for your portfolio. Each poem must have that theme incorporated in some way. **See my example**
• The “format” of each poem must be listed on the poetry page somewhere.
• The portfolio must have a creative cover, with the title of your collection on it. (Wordle is appropriate)
• If Wordle is not your creative style, you must have a title page that symbolizes your poetry, your theme, and you. See me if Wordle is not your choice.
• The portfolio must be bound in some way neatly. This is a FINAL collection of your best work. Anything submitted messily will be graded as such.
• Each poem must be on its own page.
• Poems must be 15 lines or longer unless it is a form poem like the Ghazal. If you choose to make a Haikus, then you have to put five on a page to make the 15 line limit.
• You will have ample time in class to work on this project if you use your time wisely. You will be presenting your favorite poem that you have created on our open mic poetry party day. Please star this one so I know it’s the one. Also, practice reading it aloud as you will have to read the ENTIRE poem that day.
• Every day this portfolio is late will be 10% off. It starts as 100 points.
• After you reuse seven previously submitted poems, you may write all others in any form you choose. I have a list of forms in the handouts; you may use the poetry text, Internet, free form of your choice, etc. These are your artistic decisions.
• A-day: In order to pull this off, you will need to create about two poems per day. You can do this. This is ALL you will be working on today, Tuesday, and Thursday. It is due by the END of the period Thursday.
• B-day: In order to pull this off, you will need to create about two poems per day. You can do this. This is ALL you will be working on today, Wednesday, and Friday. It is due by the END of the period Friday
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Truce/Conflict Poem Requirements
Guidelines
·24+ lines
·Discuss Conflict AND Truce or Resolution
·Use enjambment when appropriate
·May or may not rhyme
·24+ lines
·Discuss Conflict AND Truce or Resolution
·Use enjambment when appropriate
·May or may not rhyme
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Poetry From Art
Assignment: Choose one of the pictures to create a poem. In your poem, you should have at least six stanzas with four lines in each stanza. You must include enough instances of alliteration, assonance, or consonance to be significant. Your poem should be in free verse. In it, the readers should be able to tell the point-of-view, the mood, the setting, etc. Be clear and be consistent. Have fun. Remember, this is what YOU see in the picture. It's your interpretation. Sometimes it's easier to copy and paste the picture you are viewing to a word document.
When you are finished, you need to create a one page journal entry. In it, you need to vent about situations, events, people in your life that are stressful to you. This assignment will help you for Monday. MAKE SURE you turn in all outstanding poetry. It is very hard to get caught up if you fall behind in poetry. You are fantastic. Have fun.
Monday, October 25, 2010
So This Is...
Assignment #3:
Create a six-eight stanza poem entitled: So This is ___________. Finish that statement with Nebraska, Omaha or Millard. In this poem, your feelings about this place must be obvious. In Kooser's Nebraska, he describes a rural area and the sights from a car on a gravel road. Be clear in your work from where you are viewing "your" Nebraska/Omaha/MSHS. What do you see? Who do you see? What do you like? What don't you care for? Name your sights, sounds, touch, etc. In addition, play with personification. Have at least two examples of this in your poem. Prepare to turn this in on Wednesday.
Create a six-eight stanza poem entitled: So This is ___________. Finish that statement with Nebraska, Omaha or Millard. In this poem, your feelings about this place must be obvious. In Kooser's Nebraska, he describes a rural area and the sights from a car on a gravel road. Be clear in your work from where you are viewing "your" Nebraska/Omaha/MSHS. What do you see? Who do you see? What do you like? What don't you care for? Name your sights, sounds, touch, etc. In addition, play with personification. Have at least two examples of this in your poem. Prepare to turn this in on Wednesday.
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