week of 1/29/13

1/31/13

Hello Creative Writing/Poetry. I can't be there today--sick kid again. I know!

Work hard and get creative. Follow these directions:

First, read, watch, and listen to some examples of the "Art of" poem that is one of your assignment options.

1. Watch and Read "The Art of Drowning" by Billy Collins. (If sound is not working on the laptops, watch it together on the big screen.)

• Watch "The Art of Drowning" on youtube (link)

• "The Art of Drowning" (text) (link)

2. Now read and listen to "The Art of Disappearing."

"The Art of Disappearing" by Naomi Shihab Nye. (link to read and listen)

3. Now check out the "Narrative Portrait" Assignment"

Narrative Portrait Poem (link)

4. Okay, now you're ready to start the homework. Make sure to post it on your blog when you're done.

Homework: (Due next Tuesday):

Option One: "The Art of___________________"

Steps:

1. Fill in the blank with something you're an expert at. 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.)

2. Poem should contain at least ten pieces of advice to someone who would want to learn the art of _________________."

Option 2: Narrative Portrait Assignment (see above)

5. If you are done and bored, go check out some poems on this site: http://movingpoems.com

If you find any good ones, let me know!

(Some will be blocked, but some won't!)



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1/29/13

Goal: Review Imagery. Continue to write about our experience.

First Step: Anyone care to share a poem?

IB 5: On Becoming Closer Readers.

Moving Poems (Flames by Billy Collins)

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

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.)

Week of 1/15/13

1/17/13

Goal: Continue to forget the rules and write for enjoyment (see quote below)

HW: Write an Awesomely Bad Poem and post to the blog.

First Step: Write from a photograph:

Option 1: What is this person trying to forget?

Option 2: What is this person trying to remember?

Option 3: DYT

Bad Poetry: Intro:

week of 1/8/13

Day 2: (1/10/12)

Goal: Pick up where we left off with thinking, feeling, believing, knowing. 

HW: Inner Poet for Tuesday. Post it on your blog. (See below or click here)

First Step: 

Groups of five or six (assigned by me).

Each group gets two sheets of paper. Assign a note taker. 

1. Create a list of many common traits or qualities that members of the group have in common. Avoid writing things that are immediately obvious (e.g. don’t write down something like “everyone has hair” or “we are all wearing clothes”). The goal is for everyone to dig deeper than the superficial. This is "Creative" writing, not "Uninspired" Writing.

2. Share lists. 

3. Assign a new note taker. On a second sheet of paper, record Unique traits and qualities; that is, items that only apply to one person in the group. Find at least two unique qualities and strengths per person. Again, strive for qualities and strengths beyond the superficial and past the obvious things anyone can readily see.

4. Everyone share an individual trait.

5. Debrief

Next Step: How did Edmodo and the blogs go? If you blew it off, please do this. After today, favorite song explanations will need to go in the "Late Work Drop Box"


Okay: Back to Poetry Intro:

• Belief, Thought, Knowledge, Feeling, Action ppt. (Attached)

So...Good poetry expresses a feeling. Easy, right? No. Very difficult, but so potentially satisfying. See ee cummings again.

HW: Inner Poet: You have them. (Due Thursday) (This is a link to the assignment!)

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Welcome!

Day One:

Goal: Get Settled. Introduce a topic or two.

First Step: 
On a note card, write your name and then answer the following questions. 
1. When you become wildly wealthy, what will you name your yacht?
2. What's an item you own that you should probably throw away but won't.
3. In general, are you a better talker or a better listener?
4. What's your guilty pleasure? Keep it school appropriate.



Two URLs you'll need for this class. (I am a computer-y teacher):

1. www.edmodo.com: Your constant feed to this class.

2. http://ahscreative.blogspot.com: Daily Agendas - feeds to Edmodo


1st Assignments (for Thursday, doing them in this order is easiest)

1. Make a new blog on blogger and give it a clever title the alludes to your name. Example: "Joey's Slow Jams" or "Kaitlyn Kicks it Old-School"

2. Log into our Edmodo group using the code  v9bjmu

3. Under the assignment marked "Post Your Blogger Address Here," click on "Turn in" and post your blogger address. It should end in .blogspot.com, for example "joeysslowjams.blogspot.com"

4. Post on the feed in Edmodo that asks about a favorite song by clicking the reply button (The thought bubble with the "plus" sign).

Okay, let's get going and see what we can get done...

• Why am I here? Why are you here? Because everyone can love writing and can do it well! Because writing saves people! Because creative writing is not to be feared! 

e.e. cummings on feeling