WEEK 16 AGENDA: DECEMBER 17-21

Foci: Semicolons & Colons/ Anticipating S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders

Notes:
*Remember to bring new or almost new clothes, gifts and toys for the Wind River Reservation Christmas Drive by December 18
*Have a wonderful winter break! School resumes on January 2nd!
*Homebase - SS gifts and Christmas party on Friday! Remember to wear your Christmas Costume for the contest!

NO HOMEWORK THIS WEEK OR OVER BREAK. ALL MISSING WORK DUE BY FRIDAY.

MONDAY:
WNB #11: Student Prompt
More practice with Homophones
Update Reading Log in WNB and share current book topics and themes

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY: Semicolons and Colons
Practice and Grammar Derby

THURSDAY:
*Review Short Story comments & reflect on what you did well and what you would like to improve on in your next big piece of writing.
*File writing from Q2: TTT 2 & 3, Short Story
*Interactive Writing - Punctuating Dialogue Review and Practice

FRIDAY
*WNB #12: What are the biggest issues facing teens right now? How can you positively and effectively cope with these pressing problems?
*Guided Fishbowl Discussion

WEEK 15 AGENDA: DECEMBER 10-14

Foci: Mood and Symbolism, Short Story Terminology Review

Notes:
*Winter Break is from December 22nd-January 1st
*Please enjoy photos of kids from frozen tableaux activity in post below.
*Please bring unwrapped gifts, toys, and clothing for the Wind River Reservation Project.

Homework:
*If you haven't spent your hour outside of class on your story, do so before Monday. Stories are due at the end of class on Monday.
*There will be a short story unit test on Friday in completion of our unit. This is an 8th Grade Standard - Literary Terminology.

*Homework for this week is:

1) Spend 1 hour outside of class studying independently or cooperatively with peers for this test.

2) Homophone Worksheet

MONDAY: Finish editing short story. All stories due by the end of class. Remember to use the story checklist, your grading rubric, and title helpers as you finish up.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY:
Share stories in Base Groups & do Daybook pp. 78-86 cooperatively

FRIDAY: BRING SSR BOOK TO CLASS!
*Homophone Worksheet due
*SHORT STORY UNIT TEST!!!!

Story Publication Opportunities:

Writing Conference Contest
http://www.writingconference.com/contest.htm
Deadline is January 8th, 2008.

Teen Ink Contest
http://teenink.com/Contests/
Contest is ongoing.

MINI-PHOTO GALLERY FROM FROZEN TABLEAUX

WEEK 13 & 14 AGENDA: NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 6

Foci: Drafting Short Stories, Peer Editing, and Understanding Theme

Notes: We will be typing our stories in class this week and next week. If students want to transfer their pieces from home to school, flash drives and email are excellent tools.

NO SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 7 - TEACHER INSERVICE.


STAY TUNED FOR PHOTOS FROM OUR FROZEN TABLEAUX ACTIVITY - Please contact me if you DO NOT WANT your child pictured on this blog.

Homework: Daybook 55-59 due on Friday

Recent WNB's:

WNB #8 - Draft Setting and Conflict
WNB#9 - Short Story Chronology Mapping and Element Lists

MONDAY AND TUESDAY:
Mini-lessons: Point of View, Titles & Story Leads

SHORT STORY ASSIGNMENT LOGISTICS

Things to think about as you write your story:

o What stories stuck out for you that you read in preparation for this? What made them good and memorable?
o What kind of mood do you want to create in your piece?
o Who will be your narrator?
o Will they employ 1st person, 3rd person limited, or 3rd person omniscient technique?
o What does your protagonist want?
o What central conflict will your character face? What complications will occur along the way?
o Who or what stands in the way?
o What order will you sequence your events? Do you need to start at the beginning or not?
o Will your characters be dynamic or static?
o What literary techniques will you use – e.g. personification, irony, dramatic irony, hyperbole, understatement, foreshadowing, suspense, symbolism?
o What tone will you employ as an author?

TIMELINE:
Typing days in class: November 26, 27, 28, 30, 3, 4. 5, 6

Other:
Individual Conferencing throughout process
Peer Editing - November 29
Base Group Sharing – December 10 & 11

ROUGH DRAFT DUE NOVEMBER 30
2 COPIES OF FINAL DRAFT DUE DECEMBER 6

FORMAT:
You need a title, header and footer
Double space, 12-point, Arial font
2-7 pages in length (unless you chose TTT3 Exemption option)

GRADING:
Your piece will be graded according to the rubric distributed, which is based on the 6 Traits for Writing.

WEEK 12 AGENDA: NOVEMBER 19&20

Foci: Structure of a short story and story leads

Notes:
Thanksgiving Break begins on Wednesday, November 21. NO SCHOOL WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY. Have a great holiday!!!

Homework:
TTT#3 due on Monday. Students who plan to exceed 7 pages on their short story are exempt from this piece.

No homework over break. Students are welcome to begin typing their short stories. We will begin typing in school after break.

Things to think about as you continue drafting your story:
Who will be your narrator? Will they employ 1st person, 3rd person limited, or 3rd person omniscient technique? What does your protagonist want? What central conflict will your character face? Who or what stands in the way?

MONDAY
TTT#3 due
Read "A Path through the Cemetery" by Leonard Q. Ross
Do reflection questions in base groups
Plan tableaux

TUESDAY
Tableaux scenes
Story Leads

WEEK 11 AGENDA: NOVEMBER 12-16

Foci: Sci Fi and Characterization

Notes:
Odds Bodkin at JHHS Tuesday 9-10
Homework Help on Monday of this week, not Tuesday

Homework:
TTT #2 due on Monday, November 12
TTT #3 due on Monday, November 19

We will be starting to plan and draft our short stories this week. Length is 2-7 pages. If you want to exceed this length, your option is to do so, as well as read one extra story, and be exempted from TTT #3.

MONDAY:
TTT #2 due
Finish Main Character Questionnaires
SPEED MEETING EXERCISE - Getting to know characters
Draft Opposing Characters

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY:
Introduction to Si-Fi
Story time: "There Will Come Soft Rains" - Ray Bradbury
BASE: Review Short Story Terminology

THURSDAY
WNB #8: Design Setting and Conflict
Plot Map Stories
Story Leads

FRIDAY
WNB #9: Student Prompt
Paper in the Middle: Short Story Terms Review Game

WEEK 10 AGENDA: NOVEMBER 5-9

Foci: Short Stories and Punctuating Dialogue

Notes:
NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY
BOOK TALKS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY
CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 3-7
NO HOMEWORK HELP THIS TUESDAY BECAUSE OF CONFERENCES

Homework:
Tic Tac Toe #2 due on Monday, November 12

MONDAY AND TUESDAY:
Book Talks and Punctuating Dialogue

WEDNESDAY
Organize Binders
New Base Groups
Daybook 49-52

THURSDAY:
WNB #9
Read TTT #2 story in class