Week 13 Journals

Monday 11/29: If your short story was made into a movie, who would be the stars? Why?

Week 12 Journals

Monday 11/22: When you write something creative, how do you come up with your ideas? What inspires you?

Tuesday 11/23: Write about winter using sensory details.

Wednesday 11/24: What are you thankful for?

Show, Don't Tell

SHOW, DON’T TELL—use strong verbs and sensory details to paint a picture
(and avoid clichés)

EXAMPLE: I felt sick.
-My stomach gurgled
-My breathing turned raspy
-Every breath rattled in my chest

Try to come up with ways to SHOW the following information:

He was my closest friend.

She was surprised.

I was nervous.

The soup was delicious.

The sunset was beautiful.

Week 11 Journals

Monday 11/15: Practice "show, don't tell"--write your responses

Tuesday 11/16: What do you like best about your memoir? What would you like to work on today?

Wednesday 11/17: If your life were a TV show or movie, what would it be called? Which actor/actress would play you (and why)?

Thursday 11/18: Describe one of your favorite book, movie, or TV characters. What makes this character appealing to you?

Friday 11/19: Describe the character you created. How did you come up with the idea? Is the character anything like you?

Week 10 Journals

Monday 11/8: Do you use Facebook or some other social networking website? If so, what aspects of your identity do you choose to display? What do you think your profile says about you?

Tuesday 11/9: What do you want to write about for your memoir? Why?

Wednesday 11/10: In 10 years, what you do you think you’ll remember about your life now? How do you think you’ll look back on your high school years?

Thursday 11/11: Read and respond to a few of the 6-word memoirs in the book I Can't Keep My Own Secrets.

Friday 11/12: Talk about the experience of writing your memoir. How did you know what to write about? Was it easy or hard to write? How did you make the story come alive?

Week 9 Journals

Monday 11/1: Use sensory details to describe your favorite candy.

Tuesday 11/2: What do you think makes your life interesting and unique?

Wednesday 11/3: Complete these sentences--
I will always remember...
I will always remember...
I will always remember...
I will always remember...
I will always remember...
I will always remember...

Thursday 11/4: Write about yourself in the third person

Friday 11/5: Write your 6-word memoir!--or at least some possibilities...

Week 8 Journals

Monday 10/25: What did you do over the long weekend?

Tuesday 10/26: Respond to the poem “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins. What do you infer about his approach to reading and teaching poetry? What do his students want to do with poetry?

Wednesday 10/27: No journal--short class

Thursday 10/28: How do you feel about reading your poem aloud tomorrow? Have you ever read your work aloud before? Have you ever attended a poetry reading?

Friday: No journal--Poetry Reading!