Wednesday / Thursday 5-6 January

In class we finished reviewing tests on Act I and II of Macbeth.

Mr. Zartler lectured on the chain of being.

As a class we reviewed passages where the chain of being informed and enriched the metaphors.

HOMEWORK:
In 2.i and in 3.iv Macbeth sees a "bloody dagger" and the "gory locks" of Banquo's ghost. After reviewing the scenes and considering how you see Macbeth as a person write a 1-4 paragraph (rough) essay explain whether if you were directing a production of Macbeth you would create the scene so that the audience sees the dagger and / or the ghost or not. Explain why you make this choice. Due Monday.

Friday is Memoir day. By the end of class each writer should be committed to a topic.

Tuesday, 4 January, 2010 MEMOIR DAY

MEMOIR DEADLINE: 21 January, 2011 -- 1,000 words!

Periods 3&4 are invited to read at Broadway Books on the 19th of January, if they have finished their piece and worked with Karen to perfect it! All are invited to come hear their peers read!

Memoir: A story about oneself; some aspect of memory; non-fiction; that features CHANGE (a shift); writing from a place of emotion

We read a piece "Static" by last year Grant Senior Nellie Papsdorf. We listened for details of sensory details. For example ..... mother walking in; the smell of Marlboro's; smoke the color of sidewalks on different days;

We paid special attention to the way the story shows that the narrator (Nellie) changed. (America has a myth of "coming of age" stories that imply that one day we grow up. But, really, it is more honest to recognize that becoming an adult is the result of a series of (often subtle) shifts.

We began to shift from writing to a prompt towards writing that is more focused on showing something (e.g. the shifting towards adulthood). "Static" is a finished piece of writing. It is the result not only of responding to a prompt, but careful and focused revision.

The prompt today was to focus on a time when there was a shift in your life.

What contributes to change:
People come and go (pets are people, too)
you move
you are tortured at school
you realize you have a gift / you realize that you don't

The next three weeks: By Friday the 7th you need to know your subject. Soft deadline is January 14th. A "soft" deadline is an internal deadline. That is you need to have a rough draft, one that you have typed and printed a copy of for class.

We will be adding a "Memoir Day" next week. We will work on memoir on Wednesday / Thursday in addition to next Tuesday and Friday.

Another thing that was discussed today was tone. Some people are naturally funny. Not everyone is funny. People who focus on being funny are really SERIOUS about being funny. Don't push yourself to be funny if it doesn't come naturally (seriously) to you.

Monday, 3 January

Today we reviewed due dates:
Macbeth Act III due Wednesday the 5th Macbeth Act IV due Wednesday the 12th Macbeth Act V due Wednesday the 19th. An essay on Macbeth is due on the date of your final 3rd Period: 27th; 4th and 5th Period: 28th; 7th Period: the 28th. The first twenty papers turned in on the 25th will receive a few points extra credit.

Memoir is due Friday, 21 January.

We worked in four groups to complete practice tests on Act I and Act II. Completing assigned study items is HOMEWORK!

Happy New Year!

Here is the Pelican that I had the "encouter" with.

Tuesday, 14 December

Memoir Day!

Holiday based writing prompt.

Creative Writing is based in emotion. The best writing elicits emotion in the reader. So in any drama there are two (2) sets of emotion going on. The reader's AND the writer's. The cliche, "It was a dark and stormy night" is not a weather report, it's a statement about mood. A good example is when a character in a horror movie goes back into the house to rescue their cat: they are thinking, "I've got to save my lovely kitty," the movie viewer is thinking, "Do that and die stupid!"

Prompt: 12/24 4:30 pm. You haven't gotten gifts for the people on your list yet. Everyone is going to use this as the prompt for their writing today.

There is a burning barn. Describe it from the point of view of a boy who has just lost his father. AND Describe it from the point of view of someone who has just won the lottery. (Two VERY different POVs).

Everyone will get from Karen an emotional state to use for the above prompt. You will use this emotional point of view. YOU CAN'T EVER SAY IT; you must SHOW it in your writing.

Note: Any Lord of the Flies room projects still in the room Thursday afternoon may be recycled. Claim your materials before then please.

Monday, 13 December

In class we studied I.vi. We identified irony (Duncan not realizing the doom that awaits him in Inverness.)

We considered what sort of King Duncan was, and viewed at least one video version of the play.

1st period also viewed another version and compared the portrayal of Duncan in the two. 1st period looked at I.vii and considered how how much influence Lady Macbeth has on her husband.

Friday, 10 December

Students are scheduled for a counseling lesson in Computer Lab Room #16.

Have a great weekend!