Conversation #2 & Interview Fiction Story Baseline due & Portfolio

Last class we read about tips to make conversation more effective. This morning, take 2 minutes to share your notes/memory about what you learned about having a conversation with your neighbor(s). I will randomly call on 3 groups to share out at the end of two minutes. Be prepared!

Then, find the person in the room who shares your number and begin a conversation with that person beginning with the word or idea on your index card. You will have five minutes to talk to one another. After your conversation, please continue to work on your short story project. See previous posts if lost.

Short story rubric (repeated):

Project Rubric:

9-10: story is imaginative, clever, well written, grammatically sound (almost completely free of proofreading, mechanical or spelling errors), story uses effective dialogue and effective description, story has an interesting theme, character is based on original peer interview in some clever and creative way. Story is turned in on time and fits in the 3-5 page range, properly formatted. Story has a clever and creative title. 

8: story is mostly well written, with some gaps or weaknesses, but nothing that makes reading the story laborious or difficult. Story is mostly grammatically sound (some errors) but nothing that gets in the way of comprehension. Story has some dialogue and description, but work is not as compelling as scores of 9-10. Character is based on original peer interview in some way. Story is turned in on time and fits in the 2-5 page range, properly formatted. Story has a title. 

7: story is completed, turned in on time, but lacks the imagination and creativity of scores of 8-10. Some moments of storytelling, but story may need more plot development, conflict, character development, or attention to detail and specifics. Story might have dialogue or description, but this is relatively uninteresting, or weakly presented by the author. Character is dubiously based on details from an interview or original source, but this is not clear, or the character is too similar to the source material as to be mistaken for the peer interviewed. Story may be late (missed deadline), and is on the shorter less developed side between 1.5-2 pages in length. Work may have formatting errors. Story has a title. 

5-6: story is as 7 above, but may be very late, or there are so many grammar and development or writing problems that makes comprehension difficult for a typical reader. Work is carelessly or hastily done. Student spent more time off-task in the lab than working on this project. Story lacks a title. 

0: story or project not turned in.

Your short story projects are due today. When you have completed your short story, give it a title (you should always name your babies), PROOFREAD and correct grammar or mistakes, make sure you have the proper MLA heading and PRINT your work. After printing, please put your story in your portfolio and turn your portfolio in to my "inbox" on my desk.

What is the portfolio?:

This year, you will be gathering together the writing you have completed into a portfolio. The portfolio is collected and graded as part of your mid-term and final exam for your 9th grade classes. More info about the portfolio will be forthcoming.

For now, put your story draft in your portfolio, put your name on the tab, and turn in for credit at the END of class.

If you finish early, please work on your grammar at FunBrain (parts of speech game) and/or reading Montana 1948. There is homework for this class for Monday, so you may also work on that. Our next writing assignment will be speech writing.

HOMEWORK: Please read the chapter: "The Process of Communication" and answer the 10 review questions at the back of the packet. This assignment is due Monday, September 23.

If you did not yet complete chapter one: "How Communication Affects Your Life" you MUST turn this homework in by Monday for credit. You will not receive "The Process of Communication" chapter until you complete "How Communication Affects Your Life"--you are, however, required to complete all these chapters before our unit test at the end of the marking period, and any missed assignments will be treated as "0's" in the gradebook. Likely, this will allow you to fail the marking period. Please complete the homework and projects for this course. You will not be passing to 10th grade if you fail your 9th grade arts classes.