Week of 12/11/12

12/13/12

Goal: Wrap Up.

First Step: Housekeeping. Disclaimer

Go to Infinite Campus. See if you have any "blanks" or "M" grades. Then, on a piece of paper, everybody answer the following questions (even if you've already told me these things.)

1. Do you have any missing poems (old work)?

2. If you turned them in, where are they? (Edmodo, your blog, your portfolio?

3. Is your 6-week paper missing? If you turned it in, where is it?

4. Of the 8 blog posts, do you have anything missing or blank?

5. If you turned it in, where is it?

6. What is your blog URL?

7. Is it posted correctly on Edmodo?

8. Did you turn in your portfolio (Wix site)?

9. What is your Website URL? 

10. Where did you post  the URL?

11. Give me your paper copy for the final packet.

12. Did you submit to Muse on Edmodo?

Now, Carl Sandburg:







________________________________________
12/11/12


Goal: Wrap-up, portfolios, etc. A couple are done. Check these out!

First Step: Muse Submission: Muse needs submissions. Submit to Muse. Everyone pick your favorite piece and post it on Edmodo. This is for credit.

HW: Duh. Portfolios due Thursday.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (NPR Story)

Today: Wrap up Portfolios.

Another note: I need a hard copy of a piece of writing by Thursday (for the final reading)

Week of 12/4/12

12/6/12

Goal: Introduce websites. Submit short stories. 

First Step: Muse Submission: Muse needs submissions. Submit to Muse. Everyone pick your favorite piece and post it. 

Start building your Wix website. 

Friend's website
________________________________________
12/4/12

Goal: Introduce the concept of the final project. Workshop at least one piece. Work. Meet with Spare if you didn't last week. 

HW: Complete Character-Based Short Story is due Thursday. 

First Step: "Portfolio" Final

Next: Workshop protocol:

Share your blog address with at least three other people. Track down three other people's blog addresses. 

Respond by commenting on one post per blog. When you respond, do the following: 

1. Point out one moment where the author could use more specific description (show don't tell). Tell them how they might rewrite.
2. Suggest one detail that would make the character or storyline more interesting.
3. Point out one grammar, usage, or spelling mistake.

Example: (Who wants to volunteer?)

When you finish, use these comments to improve your short story for Thursday. If your story is done, work on your website. Remember: Wix.com is a good option. 

Week of 11/27/12

11/29/12

Goal: Housekeeping. Time is getting short.

First Step: H.W. due. Anyone have a playlist piece to read? 

Announcement: There will be a final portfolio due (on the last day of class if you want feedback, at the final if you don't). Details to come on Tuesday, but know that you will be required to compile your poetry and fiction writing and include a reflection about the class. 

Next Step: Catch-up day. 

My goal is to check in with all of you today. If you are behind in class, this is a great day to catch up. If you are caught up completely, work on your character-based story. Make sure to include the following.

There is no minimum length, but the story needs to be long enough that we believe in the characters and the conflicts. Strong theme and/or tone is also essential. Above all, none of you are ordinary in here, so don't write ordinary work!!!


1. Character/s
2. Setting
3. Goal, conflict or problem
4. Major events (4 or 5)
5. Ending/Resolution
6. Theme

HW: Your complete story is due next Thursday
11/27/12

Goal: Another angle on your character...

First Step: Ms. LeClaire's rules of memoir club and 6-word short stories: 

1. The first rule of memoir club is that you don't talk about memoir club.
2. The second rule: Be fearlessly honest in your writing.
3. The third rule: Trust your instincts.
4. The fourth rule: Dedicate yourself to revising your essay to work on your craft.

6-word memoir: Ernest Hemingway was once prodded to compose a complete story in six words. His answer has been said to be his best prose ever. Some people say he did it to settle a bar bet. Others say it was a personal challenge directed at other famous authors. The death of an infant in his family was thought to be the inspiration. The story? "For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Examples: 

• Hilary Clinton: From Ill., met Bill, iron will.
• Rip Riley: No wife. No kids. No problems
• After Harvard, had baby with crackhead
• Found true love, married someone else.
• He seemed so sweet. At first.
• Thought I'd be special by now.

The Challenge? Create a story about your character in just 6 words… Often, the inferences are much more powerful than what we beat readers over the head with. You might come up with more than one; try humor, seriousness, sarcasm, student-you, home-you, past-you, current-you…

John Updike - A & P: The topic no one wants to talk about in school.

• What do we know about Sammie that he doesn't know about himself?
• Does Sammie do the right thing? Why or why not

HW: Mix Tape/Playlist. Write one for your character. 

week of 11/13/12

11/15/12

Goal: "Flesh out" our characters more.

First Step: Say congratulations to Charlie, Jackie, and Gabe! We are so proud of you!

Intro: What Time O'Brien does with a character.

Next: Character Mapping:

1. Review the character you've been developing for two or three classes now.
2. On a note card, come up with one adjective to describe your overall impression of the character. Use your phones for a thesaurus if you need to.
3. Now, map your character as depicted on the board!

HW:

Come in after break with two possible plans for a plot. Include the following in two brief outlines:

1. Character/s
2. Setting
3. Goal, conflict or problem
4. Major events (4 or 5)
5. Ending/Resolution
6. Theme



11/13/12

Tuesday:

First Step: Slam is tonight. Who wants extra credit????

Warm-up:

More with your character:

Pair-Share on your character.

Writing time: more with your character

Choose four and write from your character's point of view. Try to get a well-developed paragraph for each:

1. When are you most content?
2. Are you an expert at anything?
3. What do you believe in?
4. Speak about darkness
5. Describe your vision of the future.
6. What do want to be remembered for?
7. Do you have theories about things?

HW: Finish this assignment for Thursday and post on your blog.

Week of 11/6

11/8/12

Goal: Build a more developed character--a new one!

First Step: Any more slam poems? 

More on characterization.

Thought: Character-driven fiction is more sophisticated than plot/formula-driven fiction.

Complete this sentence: 

Sentence 1. (Name) is (age).

Example: "Bob is 14."

Note. You must write from the persepctive of the opposite gender, and the person may not be a teenager. 0-10 and >20 is okay.

Sentence 2: He/she (verb) (object) today. 

Example: "He stole a car today. "

Then, free write the rest in 3rd person. Probably best to do it on your blog, or at least in google docs so you can post it.

HW: On your blog, describe this character's face and body in as much detail as you can. Then, have the character describe his or her own face and body in 1st person. Post both pieces.

11/6/12

Goal: Plug the poetry slam, which is one week from today!

First step: Posters. Where should they go for maximum impact?

Also: "After I was Thrown in the River..." Anything stick with you from last week?

Writing and sharing topics (choose one)

From the perspective of one of the characters you've already created, create a performance (slam) piece using one of the following topics:

If you prefer to write from your own perspective, that's fine. 

1. Write a sarcastic love letter to something/someone you hate. No real names, please.
2. What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and you had wings?
3. What lies in the basement of your mother's heart?
4. Describe yourself from your pet's perspective. 
5. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs prompt: What would the world look like if it were made up of your favorite things? For example, what would the rain, trees, grass, etc. be made of?
5. How do you medicate a heartbreak?
6. DYT

Let's write these on paper so we can get up and perform them.

HW: Post your slam poem to your blog. 

Week of 10/30/12

11/1/12

Goal: Continue work on characterization

First Step: Phil Kaye

Persona: How different can you be? How far can you get from autobiography?

Dave Eggers: "After I was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned"

Eggers Prompts:

1. Write about something you do that makes you "in love with all this" (127)

2. Write about the "squirrels" in your life (131).

3. Write about a scar (like Victoria's - pp. 135 and 136).

4. Write about a "Franklin" moment (136 & 138).

5. Who are the "cranky" people in your life (140). Why are they like this?

6. DYT

List: What are the 2 characters that you are least like? (Make a list with a partner). Come up brief descriptions using these traits:

Physical Description
Personality
Relationships
Speech/(how they talk)
Actions
Motivations
Conflict
Capacity for change

more description of these elements of character at the below link.

http://msansbach.edublogs.org/the-study-of-english/8-elements-of-character/

HW: None! 

10/30/12: 

Sub Day: Blog sharing. Begin work on your character conflict post.

week of 10/23/12

10/25/12

Goal: Look at the effects of dialogue on character development. 

First Step: Any character sketches to look at first?

Now, let's try the exercise we were going to do on Tuesday before the computers got crazy.

HW (for next Tuesday): Dialogue Sketch. Two characters. Allow them to be characterized predominately through dialogue. Think about the below characteristics of effective dialogue.

10/23/12

Goal: Revisit Character Sketches, talk about dialogue.

First Step: Grab a laptop. Make sure everyone has a blog. There are still some to set up. Post your blog address on Edmodo. 

I want you to post fiction on your blog so it is easier for me to read. 

HW For Thursday:

Post the following on your blog:

1. Character sketch (already done). More than a list. Using the answers to your questions, pretend that you're writing a description of a character for a novel or story.


Example of Dialogue:

A Clean Well-Lighted Place


Listening for Dialogue:

Watch for how Hemingway does the following: 

The following tips come from "Top 8 Tips for writing dialogue"

1. Really listening to speech: notice how people basically communicate. Do they have to explain a lot, or is much understood? Do they talk in complete sentences or fragments? How does rhythm come into play in everyday speech? Also pay attention to how little it takes for you to understand what they're talking about.

2.  Not exactly like real speech: Alfred Hitchcock said that a good story was "life, with the dull parts taken out." This very much applies to dialogue. A transcription of a conversation would be completely boring to read. Edit out the filler words and unessential dialogue

3. Not too much info!  It should not be obvious to the reader that they're being fed important facts. Let the story unfold naturally. You don't have to tell the reader everything up front

4. Break it up with action. Remind your reader that your characters are physical human beings by grounding their dialogue in the physical world. Physical details help break the monotony of dialogue.

5. Don't overdo the dialogue tags. Veering too much beyond "he said/she said" only draws attention to the tags — and you want the reader's attention centered on your brilliant dialogue, not your ability to think of synonyms for "said."

6-8: Read widely, avoid stereotypes, and punctuate properly. 

week of 10/16/12

10/16/12 (only class this week)

Goal: Do something besides poetry!

Announcement: Come see Jovan for extra credit! Today!

First Step: Character Sketch Intro.

Character Sketch Questions.

HW (Start now): Invent a character. Go to Edmodo and open up the list of questions posted there. Begin to form your character by answering at least 20 of the questions.

For next class, post a character sketch of at least 250 words on Edmodo. It can be longer if you need it to.

Week of 10/9/12

10/11/12

Goal: Wrap up papers. 

Any more honest poems to share?

First Step: First Afghan female rapper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gwi7SNiTx0 (Youtube)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/female-rapper-history-afghanistan-article-1.1178182 (Article)

Next: Find a partner. go through the paper and help each other improve. I will come around to answer questions and check drafts. With any remaining time that you have, begin completing you paper. 

HW: Turn in a polished copy of your paper on Tuesday!


10/9/12

Goal: One more great poem, continue working on paper.

First Step: Rudy Francisco Poem. Just listen.

Template is on Edmodo. Make a copy or print it. Freewrite time. 

Share some of them. 

If time: Work on papers as I check to see who has done the intro/outline.

HW: Paper Due one week from today (mostly because I don't want them over the weekend! :). 

week of 10/2/12

10/4/12

Goal: Consider the connections between Man on Wire and unit themes. Synthesize ideas from the first 6 weeks. Begin drafting an essay.

HW (see below) 

First Step: Read the following poem and respond to the questions below it. 

WHEN I MET MY MUSE

(Definition of muse: A guiding spirit; a source of inspiration.)


I glanced at her and took my glasses
off — they were still singing. They buzzed
like a locust on the coffee table and then
ceased. Her voice belled forth, and the
sunlight bent. I felt the ceiling arch, and
knew that nails up there took a new grip
on whatever they touched. “I am your own
way of looking at things,” she said. “When
you allow me to live with you, every
glance at the world around you will be
a sort of salvation.” And I took her hand.
~ William Stafford (1914-1993)

1. Why is the muse female?
2. Why are the glasses singing and buzzing?
3. Why does the ceiling arch?

Brief Discussion

6-week assignment: Hand out and explain. Assignment and rubric.

Look at my example of the assignment.

Edmodo Small Groups: Quick Intro.

Task: 
1. Find your group on the lefthand side of the page. It's the name of the poet right under the poetry tab.
2. On your own, choose one "class event" from the list. On your small group page, write down a connection between that event and a theme in Man on Wire.

Example:
Taylor Mali's poem on conviction relates to Man on Wire because Mali says, "You must speak with conviction" and Philipe says that you must "live your life on a tightrope." These ideas are related because they are both about living the life YOU want to live.

3. Once everyone has posted, meet with your small group. Work together to put together an intro paragraph that pulls together at least a couple of these connections. Post your paragraph on the main page.


HW: Complete your intro paragraph and outline for your 6-week paper. (Similar to my example).







10/2/12

Goal: Finish "Man on Wire"

First Step: What are some connections you've already seen between Philipe and the poetry class so far.

Watch the last 40  minutes of Man on Wire. 
Questions:

There is no 'why.'" Why does Philipe say 

this?


Why are his friends so emotional?



The cop is moved by the scene to the point 

of getting out of character. Why?

week of 9/25

Week of 9/25/12

Day 2 (Thursday):

Goal: Begin "Man on Wire"

First Step: Get a lap top. There will be a back channel discussion during the movie. This means that you should post at least three times during the hour. You can ask a question, respond to a question, make a point, respond to a point, express confusion, clarify a point, etc. Just make sure that you post three times, and don't be anywhere on the internet besides our Edmodo page.

HW (For Tuesday): Go back through our class notes. (On Edmodo: just scroll through). Find one aspect of class (poem, lesson, or homework assignment) that you think relates to a theme or themes in the movie. Do a short comparative write-up (paragraph) and turn in on Edmodo.

Day 1 (Tuesday): 

Goal: Continue to discuss what it means to have conviction.

First Step: O Me, O Life!

Conviction: Who has it? 

Look at reactions to Taylor Mali and Sarah Kay.

Share some poems. 

6-week assignment. "Man on Wire"

6-week Review Paper with the movie Man on Wire:


For the rest of today and Thursday, we’ll watch the movie “Man on Wire.” As a six-week culminating assignment, you are going to write an essay based on the movie of about 300-400 words (which means about a page or two, typed, double-spaced, normal-sized font and margins). Here’s your prompt:


Is Philip Petit a poet? Why or why not? This question sounds simple. It is not.

In answering this question, you must address specific topics that we've covered in class. The more specific you are with examples, and the more interestingly and sophisticatedly you compare our class work to ideas and events in the movie, the better you’ll do. 


HW: Catch up on work. There are too many of you who need to do so.

week of 9/17/12

week of 9/17/12

9/20/12

Goals: Share some of our work. Begin to consider the "poetic" mindset. In other words, besides writing poems, what makes a poet?

• First Step: Get your computer out and go to http://www.visuwords.com/  

Creative Laptops
Poetry Laptops

• Play with Visu-words by plugging in the central theme of your "Sweet Like a Crow" poem to see what words it comes up with. What's the most surprising word that is associated with your theme?Quick discussion.

• Let's share some poems. (DYT, DET, Applaud the poet not the poem, first responders)

• The poetic mentality. What do these words mean to you? Conviction, Feeling, Belief, Voice.

• Let's watch some different examples of conviction. Blog your gut responses to each. If your blog is not yet set up, shame on you, but use a piece of paper. 

• Taylor Mali, Sarah Kay, Jovan Mays 

HW (For Tuesday, 9/25): Conviction Poem: 

Requirements: 
1. Start with one of the following lines

• You're indignant...
• It embarrasses you, this...
• You can embrace...
• A battered sign bleeds...
• At first touch it may certainly...
• So you say you're ninety-nine percent...

2. Write a poem of at least 20 lines that shows conviction (a firm belief).

9/18/12

Goals: Vent a little. :) Create a blog. Complete Grid poems.

First Step: (After assembly): Go over schedule for the day.

--Create blog on blogger.

--Freewrite on your blog (if it works).

Option 1: Something that irritates you.

Option 2: Something you love.

Option 3: Something you're anticipating with excitement.

Option 4: Something you're dreading.

Share.

With remaining time: Work on grid poems.

1. Pass grid among 4 people. Improve images.

2. On computers. Begin typing your poem.

HW (for Thursday, 9/20):

1. Create Blog on blogger and send me the link.

2. Finish Grid poem. Must be submitted on Edmodo by Thursday. Please "turn in" as a document.

Week of 9/10/12

9/13/12


Goal: Explore how metaphors and similes are built.

1st step: Write down a great adjective on one card and a great noun on the other. Keep it appropriate.

Note on Edmodo: A (very) few of you are having issues. There are glitches on occasion with Edmodo, but they are always temporary--if you can get on the internet, you should be able to get on it. If you are having problems day in and day out, it's likely your computer. You'll have to figure out a way to work around it, i.e. getting the assignment at school and working on it. You can always email me assignments if you're having problems turning work in on Edmodo. If you have more serious internet access issues, see me.

"Sweet Like a Crow" Reading and Reactions.

Sweet Like a Crow Lucidchart and Poem

• Go find a quote on the internet or come up with one on your own.

• Make a Lucid chart that breaks down your quote into themes. 

Step one: Use Google Chrome to get on the internet. Google Lucidchart or go to http://www.lucidchart.com

Step two: Make a flow chart on lucid chart that contains your quote, a major theme, five minor themes, and 20 GOOD images.

Step three: Turn your lucid chart into a poem that resembles "Sweet Like a Crow," with a title, an epigraph, and at least 20 separate images.




https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/edit#4422-4908-5050eac6-985e-7db90ad2361f?template=331&parent_id=&branch=f688b36d-5164-4f33-880d-3409a4e3771c

HW: Type your poem and submit it. Attach to Edmodo as a document. Please don't just cut/paste.




9/11/12

Goal: Begin to explore figurative language.

1st Step: Get a computer and post a gut-level response on Edmodo to the "Falling Man" clip. 

2nd Step. Go read some of the posts. Find one with which you connect and write a response.

3rd step: Short reading.

Falling Man - You Tube

HW: Read Sweet Like a Crow by Michael Ondaatje, print it, and do and "IB 5":

1. Write down 2 or 3 literal statements about the poem.
2. Ask one essential question about the poem.
3. Write down your interpretation of one of the images (what you think one of the image means on a "deeper" level).
4. Descrobe the "central tension" of the text. (might be irony--anything that seems out of the ordinary or makes you think.)
5. Make a central assertion about the entire poem. What do you think the author is trying to say?

Falling Man - You Tube
Sweet Like a Crow by Michael Ondaatje

week of 9/4/12

9/4/12

Goal: Write authentically about experience.

First Step--Freewrite (choose one):

Option 1: An awkward moment with a pet
Option 2: What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and were 10 years younger.


Read some color poems: DYT/DET, responders

Weighing The Dog by Billy Collins

On Turning Ten by Billy Collins

Homework: Narrative Portrait Poem. Note you must submit this on Edmodo. Come see me if you are having problems.

________________________________________

9/6/12

Goal: Continue to write about our experience.

First Step Freewrite: Think of something you do really, really well. Something you know you're an expert at. Describe how you do it.

IB 5: On Becoming Closer Readers.

Moving Poems (on Edmodo)

 

In Malcolm Gladwell's essay "Outliers," he claims that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Just for the sake of argument, let's see if I should be an expert at teaching, at least based on my contracted hours as high school teacher.

7 hours per day x 180 days = 1,260 hours per year.

1,260 h.p.y. x 11.5 years= 15,750 hours. I should be an expert. In fact I become one 3.5 years ago! (and no one even told me. Dang it!)

Pick whatever skill you want, but realize that your topic does not have to be something that would impress your teacher. For example, if you are an expert liar, you might want to discuss lying. Good at listening? Ignoring? Faking paying attention? Being someone you're not? Being yourself? Running? Cooking? Taking care of little kids? Making lasagna? Eating lasagna? (Anything goes.)

Homework: (Due next Tuesday):

"The Art of___________________"
Steps:
1. Fill in the blank.
2. Give at least ten pieces of advice to someone who would want to learn the art of _________________."

Link to an example poem:

"The Art of Disappearing" by Naomi Shihab Nye.

"The Art of Drowning" by Billly Collins is another good one.

8/30/12

Thursday, 8/30

Goal: Begin to consider how color effects tone/mood in poetry.

First Step: Notecard--If you could have one condiment dispensed from your navel, what would you choose?

Bad Poems: DYT/DET, responders, cheering, etc. (A few for the sake of fun.)

Color quiz: How much do you know? (If you've done this in art class, keep it to yourself. :)

Home Depot Paint chip exercise.

HW: Write a poem based on your inventory. Include as many words for the color as you can, from the basic boring name to the strange Home Depot name. Include at least two other forms of imagery besides color: olfactory (smell), auditory (sound), kinesthetic (movement), and tactile (touch). Mark these images by highlighting or underlining them.

Back-to-School Night

Creative Writing

Alex Spare
720-219-6154 (cell)
aspare@lps.k12.co.us
Ask your student about signing up for our Edmodo page as a parent. (They need to give you a code.)

Course Goals:

• Break down the fear of poetry and creative writing!
• Help students develop sophistication and conviction in their writing voices.
• Teach students to read fiction, poetry, and drama with a critical eye.
• Develop public speaking and discussion skills.
• Expose students to a variety of liteary forms and genres.

August 28th, 2012

It is difficult

to get the news from poems

yet men die miserably every day

for lack

of what is found there

--WCW

If you like spoken-word poetry (Daniel Beaty, Rudy Francisco), check this guy out. You will meet him later this semester.

 http://www.jovanmays.com/

Day 3: 

Goal: Set some guidelines for sharing work in class.

First Step: Read the Billy Collins poem "Introduction to Poetry" and respond.

Homework is due. A word about workshopping in here:
1. Introducing people by name. What it means.
2. First Responders. It's about specific praise, mostly.
3. Reading: Do it whenever you want to! As much as you want to! Or wait and don't do it! I will let you guys know if I want to move on, and I will let people know if I really want them to take a risk and read. 
4. The rest of the audience. It is our responsibility to maintain a safe, supportive environment for everyone in here. 
5. Jovan Mays: DYT and DET. 

If time...

Bad Poetry: 

"All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling." --Oscar Wilde

1. Look at powerpoint (below).
2. Write your own.
3. Share/Stare/Scare

HW: Type your bad poem (at least 20 lines) and submit for Thursday.)

My blog is now feeding to the Edmodo page. This will be better because all lesson plans will pop up automatically. Also, you or your parents can subscribe to my blog and see everything you need to see, without opening a google presentation. Enjoy!