In preparation for the writing of your short story, we reviewed the elements of plot.  In your notebook, titled Plot Roller Coaster, draw the plot roller coaster (from Nanowrimo) and label the parts.  Then, look at Marriage is a Private Affair and identify which parts of the story go with which parts of the plot roller coaster.

DEADLINES:  5pm today---Anything from Marriage is a Private Affair
                         Midnight, Oct.1---Anything from The Bracelet
                         Midnight, Oct.15---Final draft of your short story

Also, in your notebook, under the title Quick Write #2, write for 5 minutes without stopping.  First, write about anything that comes into your head, then move into what happened this weekend.  The idea is to keep the pen moving, even if you have to write nonsense; eventually, a cognizant thought will break through.

Sorry I missed writing a blog entry for Friday; I'm making up for it with a Saturday blog.  On Friday I announced that I unfroze the assignment that was sent to your email through Doctopus.  You can now open it (it is titled Summary and Response for Marriage is a Private Affair) and make corrections or at least finish it.  I will close it again on Monday, 9/30.

Continuing with the concept of symbolism and how it is used in writing, please click on this link and write a short response to The Bracelet.  The due date is Friday, 9/27.

We are covering the concept of SYMBOLISM; what is it, and how does an author use symbolism to express an idea?  We discussed the symbolism found in the poem The Road Not Taken (link here).

Here is our new story!  Click on this link to read The Bracelet.  As you read, answer the imbedded questions AND annotate for conflict, character, time shift, and imagery.  This assignment will be due on Thursday, 9/26.

Time for a new story and some new VOCABULARY!  Here is the link; just follow the directions.  This is due Tuesday, 9/24.

Also, we talked about imagery and how our 5 senses (sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing) can be used to add interest to our writing.  To help access the 5 senses, create a 5 senses chart in your notebook.  See me for the details. 

Lastly, in your notebook, under the title of IMAGERY, copy the following paragraph, then circle the words that create an image in your mind and identify what sense (sight, taste, touch, smell, hearing) is being mentally stimulated. 

                                                                   IMAGERY
          He leaped upon the rail and balanced himself there, to get greater elevation; his pipe, striking a rope, was knocked from his mouth.  He lunged for it; a short, hoarse cry came from his lips as he realized he had reached too far and had lost his balance.  The cry was pinched off short as the blood-warm waters of the Caribbean Sea closed over his head.
     

I did some thinking about the past couple of weeks, and I made the following realizations:
1. We've been having problems with the Netbooks
2. There hasn't been an Advisory period 

Because of these realizations, I made today "Catch Up" day, a day for you to make up any work you missed or needed to improve for whatever reason.  If you reworked something, make sure you have the word REVISION at the beginning of your title; that way, I will know that I need to reopen work that you've sent me.

Have a fun weekend!

Let's take some time to think about dialogue.  At the beginning of class, you wrote some dialogue in your notebook that showed conflict between two characters; now let's see if you can improve on what you wrote.  How do you do that?  Fortunately, there's some good advice out there.  Let's read what the famous author, Stephen King, has to say about writing good dialogue (begin at the top of page 24 and read through to page 128).  After reading his advice, look at the dialogue you wrote and see what changes you can make (think about what King said about adverbs).  You'll need to see me for the Stephen King handout.

HOMEWORK: Find some dialogue in your IRB that show conflict between characters and copy that dialogue (in correct dialogue form) in to your notebook.  Circle the words that show the reader what the characters are feeling or the characters' personality.

Today we learned that conflict is crucial to character growth.  Your assignment is to pick a character from Marriage is a Private Affair and write about how that character grows through the conflict that s/he experiences.  Here is a planning template to help you organize your thoughts.  The due date for sharing this assignment with me is Monday, Sept.23.  Give it the title Conflict Creates Growth.

Today is the due date for your annotations for Marriage is Private Affair.  You are annotating for types of conflicts and characterizations.

Also, we read an article called The Art of Conflict and, in your notebook, wrote a short paragraph answering the question "Why Should Characters Struggle?"  Here is the link to the article and here is the link to the short paragraph template. 

Why Should Characters Struggle?

In the article, The Art of Conflict, Dan Barden writes about why characters should struggle.  He states, “__________________.” (Barden pg#)  This is important because ____________________.  To prove his point, Barden gives the example of _____________________________ .(Barden pg#)  In conclusion,__________________________.

Today we shared notes about the different kinds of conflict in Marriage is a Private Affair. Also, we watched the cartoon Fast and Furyous (you can find this on Youtube) and discussed conflict and subplot.  We connected the idea of subplot to the realization that there is a subplot in Marriage is a Private Affair, writing in your notebook why this subplot is in the story.

Now that the library is open, everyone has access to working computers.  So, here are the due dates for past assignments: Annotation of Marriage is a Private Affair for conflicts and characterization is due Tuesday, 9/17.  Vocabulary for Marriage is a Private Affair is due Wednesday, 9/18.  The summary and response for Marriage is a Private Affair is due Friday, 9/20.  Also, there will be a notebook check on Friday, 9/20.  Here is what I will be looking for in your notebook: advice to students, true/false statements, planner scavenger hunt, rules quiz, Making Meanings, and the answer to why should characters struggle?

Hello!   HW is to finish anything you haven't had a chance to do so far.

Also, please take a moment to complete the following form. 

Happy Friday the 13th!

Hello Scholars,

I'm trying something new here in creating the link I told you about in class today.  If this works, you'll see the link; if it doesn't, we'll work on it in class tomorrow.

Continue reading and annotating Marriage is a Private Affair; you're annotating for types of conflict and character clues (descriptive adjectives, actions, dialogue, etc.).  If you finish annotating, continue with "Making Meanings" at the end of the story.  Put your answers in your notebook.

Scroll to yesterday's entry.  Click on "open this link" and you should find the vocabulary work for the short story Marriage is a Private Affair.  In order to work on this page, you need to copy and paste it as a Googledoc.  Follow the directions; however, you won't be able to circle the meaning of the bolded word--instead, highlight your answer. Don't share the assignment with me at this time; wait until Friday, as then I will show you how I want you send work to me.  Since you are in Googledocs, your work will be automatically saved.  Have a good evening!

Today we finished the Planner Scavenger Hunt and the Rules Quiz. Keep both in your notebook for a notebook check.  Make sure you have an Independent Reading Book tomorrow, or you will receive a lunch detention.

Hello students!  Today we will begin our Narrative Fiction Unit.  Sometimes, a story will have some words with which you might have some difficulty.  To help you with those words, do the VOCAB assignment for Marriage is a Private Affair; so open this link and get busy!

Now that you've mastered those words, I want you to read this story .  As you read, annotate for conflict(s) and characterization.

Sorry; as you can see, I wasn't able to get the scavenger hunt on my blog, so you'll get a few minutes at the beginning of class to complete that assignment.  

Remember to bring your Independent Reading Book (IRB) on Monday.

For those of you who haven't turned in the Netbook Agreement, have that to turn in to me on Monday.

Congratulations to all; we made it through the first week!  Have a great weekend!

If you haven't done so already, turn in your Netbook Agreement handout and find an Independent Reading Book to bring to class. 

We're getting our textbooks in the library tomorrow, so remember to have your school I.D. or your planner AND your class schedule.

In groups, we gave advice on how to be successful in school; that advice was written down in your notebook, so copy it from someone if you don't have it.  Label it ADVICE.  We also talked about consequences for not following the rules; 1st time is a warning, 2nd time is lunch detention, 3rd time is a phone call home, and the 4th time is a referral.  The exception to this list of consequences is the electronic device policy: 1st time is a warning, 2nd time is the collection of the phone to be given to the office and returned to your parent or guardian; if you refuse to give me your electronic device, you get a referral for defiance. 

We began the 6 Word Memoir.  Create a saying or slogan that illustrates something about you.  Examples: "Every day is a new experience."  "Argghh!  A pirate's life for me!"  Write your 6 Word Memoir creatively on a strip of construction paper.  Due date: 9/5

WELCOME BACK! 

There is a lot of information to absorb on the first day of class.  First, make sure you have the following internet addresses in your planner: jbgardham@gmail.com   and  
 jbgardhamsblog-o-rama.blogspot.com/

Also, we went over the syllabus and netbook agreement handouts; get these from the podium if you don't have them.  The classroom rules were discussed and we made a name tent.  To make a name tent, do the following: fold a regular sheet of paper in half by width; in the middle of the half-sheet, write your first name, big and bold; in the upper left-hand corner, write an adjective that describes you; in the upper right-hand corner, write something you like to do in your spare time; in the lower left-hand corner, write a future goal; and in the lower right-hand corner, write your favorite or least favorite subject.

The HW is to find and write down a college-level word that describes you.  I will collect that word at the door as you enter class.

Lastly, we did an exit slip answering the following questions: Which classroom rule will be easy for you to follow?  Which classroom rule will be difficult for you to follow?

CONGRATULATIONS! WE GOT THROUGH DAY 1!  WHOOP WHOOP!