All I want for Christmas…

As in the theme song for today, we are thinking beyond material items.  We are looking at gifts that are timeless.  Gifts of writing fall into this timeless and priceless category.  Use this site for brainstorming ideas for gifts of writing.

It must have been old Santa

Harry Connick Jr.’s song It must have been old Santa is really a narrative lyrical poem because it tells a story. As we quickly reviewed tips for proofreading spelling and updated our personal spelling lists, the main focus was our short story revisions. Thus, the theme song for today was fitting due to it’s story like nature. For fun, you should read the lyrics on the link below.
Monday Vote Results: By the students who voted yesterday, 3 separate assessments won. Test Friday on characters. It will be 2 parts. One will be a selection with multiple choice questions concerning character development, and the other part will be the student using the main character from the book he or she is reading. The student will identify the type of character and explain 3 ways the author developed the character, exactly like Monday’s blog. Students are strongly encouraged to respond to Monday’s blog multiple times reading what other students wrote and making comments as well as strengthening his or her own response. This is an interactive way to study and prepare for Friday’s assessment.

It must have been old Santa lyrics link

Share love for some Characters

Our theme song, “Share Love” by Boys II Men, reminds us of the importance of sharing our love for one another during this holiday time as well as always.  It was appropriate for our theme song because we shared information and reviewed character types and ways to develop characters during Gab Slab today.  Let’s continue reviewing….

• Pick a character from your book, identify the type (may fall into 2 or more catagories), tell us why the character fits the type (s)
• Select 3 ways the author developed the character using the list from Ways to Develop Characters found in the Writing section of your handbook, explain why it is that way
• Vote on whether you prefer 3 separate literary assessments covering Characters, Plot and Conflict, Setting and Theme or if you would just like to have one covering those items.  If we do three, you will have one each week starting this week.  If we do one, it will be on December 16.  Either way, we will study by using prompts like this one on the blog.  Make your vote clear

Good Luck!  I will try to post a comment later in the evening.

Hot N Cold Power Planning Writing Adventure

You’re hot then you’re cold…. getting into our characters!  How did you like the Power Planning Writing Adventure today?  Did starting with the characters from your novels help you understand how to make your own character come to life?  Did you find Ways to Develop Characters helpful?   Be sure to review Short Fiction Components Review from class today.  Remember, as you revise, you need to implement a narrative lead, components of the short story, and develop a strong main character.  Peer conference forms are in my room if you need assistance.  By next Friday, you should have 3 drafts: draft 1 from 10-31, draft 2 from 11-6, and draft 3 (which should have the narrative lead and so forth) by Friday 11-14.  I plan to give you the entire period on Thursday, 11-13 for in class revision time.  However, you need to work on it each school night using the steps from the main page of the blog.  Do you understand the expectations?  If not, where do you need clarification?

Main Character Questionaire

Opposites attract… our theme song included opposite characteristics of a particular couple.  Since we are focusing on character traits, I felt it was appropriate to help you get into character.  Tonight, I want you to select 3 questions from the Main Character Questionaire.  Answer them using the main character from the book you are reading… this is different than what we used in class where the character came from our own stories.  I think digging information on the main character from the book you are reading will help you realize the importance of knowing this information about your own main character from your story.   Good luck!

Short Story Structure…Come Together

Wow, we went over a lot today.  Of course, most of it, you have heard before today’s lesson.  Do you have any comments about your Gab Slab: Bad Fiction vs. Good Fiction?  Any questions about short story structure or narrative leads? 

Come together…. as our theme song indicates we need to come together with our PBS expectations, but we also need to bring our short stories together with the lessons we are learning.  I would like for you to review your short story and the short story structure checklists.  Does your story meet all of the expectations of short story structure?  If so, are there any parts you can enhance?  If so, what?  If not, what is missing?  Do you need help with implementing it into your story?  How is your lead?  What kind of lead did you use?   Can you tell?  How could you improve your lead?

Take the challenge: type your lead in the comments section and have others give you feedback.  Use one of the types of narrative leads from class.

Plot dish

First, please be sure to read the one hour writing clarification on the main page.  Post comments or questions about one hour writing there.

Plot dish…. I’m Everyday People….  I thought this theme song went well with our PBS reminders of our learning community as well as the way Telah unites all of the tribal people to defeat the evil four legged demons (which are really slave traders riding horses)

What did you think about the lesson?  Did the clips help you understand the plot?  Are you struggling with any areas of the plot?  Post comments and questions about our lesson on plot here.

I put a spell on you…

And now you’re mine!  My spell consisted of Deal-A-Discussion.  This is our first go round with this type of learning.  How did it go?  What needs to be improved?  What worked, what didn’t?   What did you like/dislike about the discussion?  If you could change anything about the lesson, what would it be and why?

Those of you who got to participate in small group instruction… what did you think?  Did you find it helpful?  Would you make any adjustments?  If so, what and why?

All of you, make sure you re-check the conflict posted comments.  Some have questions from peers they need to answer and some did not complete the blog assignment last evening.  Check it out.

Finally, Happy Birthday Mr. B!  I can’t wait to see your costume tomorrow!

Nightmare on My Street

Beware….bed time stories arise in Mrs. L’s core classes….  Post your ideas, questions, comments here.  Take the challenge and flesh out our class story.  Check out the contest details at the link below.

http://www.scholastic.com/bedtimestories/

You can also re-watch the trailer from this link as well.  May the force be with you!

Conflict

Let’s do the TIME WARP again…  using your book you are currently reading or a TV program you watched last night or tonight, identify a conflict.  Tell whether it is internal or external, and what type within that category.  Why?  Be sure to name the book or program so others will know what you are referring to in your conflict example.

10-29-08 Read the comments, post a comment on someone else’s comment about conflict, dig deeper, ask questions, if something is not clear, ask