December 3-7

December 3-7

Monday:
Peer edit Memoir (Snapshot piece)

Revise portfolio

Tuesday:

Share Memoir pieces

Continue editing

Potrfolio

Wednesday:

Continue from Tuesday

Friday:

Finalize memoir

November 26-30

Monday:
Review Grammatical Nominalization
Discuss showing, not telling
Do activity in groups

Read examples of Memoir

Tuesday:
Childhood Photo:
Write childhood experience triggered by photo
Remember show, don't tell and use concise sentences
May be used as part of your memoir
Share in small groups

Wednesday:
Complete memoir work
Prepare for peer editing

Friday:
Peer edit memoir
Revise for portfolio

November 5-9

Creative Writing

Monday
Continue Documentaries
Experiment with i-movie

Tuesday
Begin videotaping
for Documentary

Wednesday
Continue taping

Friday
Download

Week of September 24-28,  2012

Monday, September 24:
Lab - Work on polishing beginning
Turn in Plot Sheet

Tuesday:
Character Interviews
Print out Beginning

Wednesday: 
Peer Edits on Beginnings - Post to blog
Turn in first couple of pages

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

Thursday: Open Conferences from 11:00-1:00 and 4:00-7:00

Friday: Open Conferences from 10:00-1:00

September 17-21 The Basics of Plot

Monday:
Finalize Personal Essays

Tuesday:
What is Story?
"A story is a narrative of consequential events involving worthy human characters who change as a result of those events." —James N. Frey

Worksheet on Basics of Plot due Friday, September 21.

Protagonist's inner and outer conflict:
i.e. duty vs fear, love vs guilt, ambition vs conscience

What is the core conflict of the story?
Man against nature, man against man, man against society

Understanding the crucible: That bond or structure that keeps your characters in conflict with one another. It must be powerful enough to keep them their until the conflict is resolved.

Premise: What is the point of your story? The core, the heart, or the center of your story.
Remember Character + Conflict = Conclusion.
i.e. Greed leads to fulfillment, Love leads to death, Love leads to happiness.

Identify the genre for your story: Science fiction, fantasy, fiction, historical fiction, memoir, etc.

Wednesday:
Comment on at least two different blogs from this class. Make sure you can access every blog on Ms. Boochever's blog list. 2-3 voice poems should be posted.

Character development: Interview a character in your story. Write down the questions and the answers. Make your character squirm. When you are finished, pretend you are interviewing another student's character. You may use the questions and answers you have developed.

Make copies of the first couple of pages of your story as it stands so far.

Friday:
In peer groupings, share your answers to the questions on Basics of Plot.
Change groups.
Peer edit the first couple of pages of your story with a new group. Someone you haven't worked with yet.

Week of September 10-14 

Revised Syllabus

Personal Essays/Elements of Writing - Beginnings

Monday, September 10
Review New Syllabus
Review 6-Traits Writing
Peer edit personal essays using 6-Traits rubric
Revise

Tuesday:
Genres in creative writing: Essays, historical fiction, science fiction, memoir, fiction, plays, poetry.
Elements of Writing: #1) Beginnings
Read examples together and take Cornell Notes
Question: What methods did author use to grab the reader's attention?
Refer to 6 Traits of Writing
Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin, p. 276
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey p. 8
Write a great beginning for your own short story or chapter from novel
Share

Wednesday:
Dialogue
How is dialogue used?
Conventions of dialogue
Read examples of good and bad dialogue
How to Write a Dam Good Novel by James N. Frey
Write dialogue that reveals character.
Share

Friday:
Final revisions on Personal Essays in lab
Update blogs and post essay and 2-voice poems

New Syllabus

Course Description:

This one-semester course will explore the elements of good writing through the Six Trait Assessment Model. (See below for text.)  The six traits we will refer to are:  ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.  We will learn to distinguish between different genre’s including, non-fiction: personal essay, memoir, historical fiction, science fiction, fiction, short story, plays, and poetry. Elements to be studied include: characterization, dialogue, premise, viewpoint, pacing, plot, and poetic forms. Attention to basic conventions; i.e. grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. will be inherent in all writing. Specific readings (handouts by me) will be used for modeling and analysis.

Schedule:

August/September: Personal Essay. This I Believe.

Learn to recognize various genres in the creative writing venue: Essays, historical fiction, science fiction, memoir, fiction, plays, poetry.

October: Learn to recognize the elements of writing in short assignments, including characterization, dialogue, premise, viewpoint, pacing, plot, and poetic forms, as they relate to student’s individual projects. Appropriate readings will be provided.

November: Apply elements above to final piece of writing; i.e. short story, first three chapters of novel. Final piece will be posted on student-created personal blog.

December: Poetic forms: Folk Ballad, Haiku, Limerick, Sonnet, Sestina

Materials to Bring to Class:

Bring daily:

• 3-ring binder with dividers: Current Work; Vocabulary; Graded Work; Procedures
• journal: a composition book or dedicated spiral notebook
• planner
• notebook paper
• pens—blue or black ink only
• texts/handouts as assigned

We will write in our journals regularly to a variety of prompts that will inspire us to utilize the writing elements studied. The guidelines for journaling include filling the time, filling the page, and writing beyond the point where we think we have nothing left to say.

Proper Format for Papers:

We will use MLA (Modern Language Association) format for headings, essays and documentation of research sources. Completed work may be typed or handwritten neatly in blue or black ink.

Heading—in upper left-hand corner of the paper:

            Student’s first and last name

            Instructor’s name: Ms. Boochever

            Class name: Honors/American Literature

            Date: 

In-Class/Out-of-Class Assigned Work: Most of the writing will be done in-class, however; some will be assigned to be done outside of class. It is extremely important that you keep up with the assignments. We have a limited amount of time to cover a lot of material. We can't possibly do it all in-class. If you get behind, it will be difficult to catch up. STAY ON TOP OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS, and engage in the class discussions, and your reward will be a fun and interesting class AND a good grade.

Alaska State Standards

English/Language Arts

This course will be taught to district standards which are available for review using the Juneau School District website under the District Information: Core Content Standards menu item: http://www.jsd.k12.ak.us

Assessment:

Peer editing will be utilized along with one-on-one-conferencing with instructor. Students will create a ‘blog’ that will serve as a sharing venue. Please note that grades are cumulative throughout the semester, per Juneau School District Board of Education Policy (#5420R).

For grading purposes, assessments will be based on the 6-Traits Writing Rubric with corresponding points assigned to each trait.

A = 90%-100%

B = 80% - 89%

C = 70% - 79%

B = 80% - 89%

C = 70% - 79%

D = 60% - 69%

F = 0% - 59%

“INC” = Incomplete

Assignment categories are weighted: Every assignment serves a significant and specific purpose. While the point value of a homework assignment or activity may seem negligible, the practice is essential to develop skills.

40% - Unit assessments, including final writing projects, essays, writing process activities.

35% - Homework, in-class skills practice

25% - Participation, notes, presentations and cooperative learning activities (peer editing).

Week of September 4 - 7 + Monday, September 10

Tuesday:
Writing Lab
Post Two-Voice Poem
Link to Mother Blog
Read from Lesson 2B Cool Quotes for Teens, Coaching Quotes, Woodenisms, and Things I've Learned. Copy your favorite five in your notebook.

Create your own personal belief statement and write on strip of paper.
Begin your own "This I Believe" personal essay.

Wednesday:
Complete "This I Believe" personal essay and peer edit.

Friday:
Type final draft in computer lab


Monday:
Share Personal Essays 30 points

Week of August 27-31


Monday: Welcome our guest Heather Kroll. Create your own blog-space.


Tuesday:
Share interviews with small group and the class.

Finish group 3-paragraph essay evaluation. The third paragraph should be done individually.


Wednesday:
 Read from Lesson 2B Cool Quotes for Teens, Coaching Quotes, Woodenisms, and Things I've Learned. Copy your favorite five in your notebook. Then select the 'Belief Statement' that best  represents you and the way you lead your life. Write about it and explain why you chose that particular one. Write the statement on a strip of construction paper to be displayed in the classroom/hall.


Friday:
Dialectical Journal (DJ)
Read the personal essay, The Making of Poems by Gregory Orr.  DJ it.


Notebook check