Complete Late Projects; Trevor Noah Stand Up

Please use the first 15 minutes or so in class to work on any late projects and upload your humorous essay draft. If you have your holiday gift writing to your "secret" santa, please prepare that (remember to give your secret santa your writing!)

After our writing time, please enjoy the comedy of Trevor Noah. As you watch, examine his performance and compare/contrast that with Ellen Degeneres and other comedians you might know.

• Trevor Noah stand up comedy
• Trevor Noah stand up comedy #2

HOMEWORK: None. Enjoy your holiday! Be safe and rest.

Comedy Writing: Day 2; Comic Devices/Techniques for Writers; Steve Martin's Essays

Period 3: Writing Time!

Write a humorous speech/essay.

Try using these techniques:

• The rule of three
• Incongruity (surprise the reader by writing something unexpected or illogical--when combined with the rule of three the incongruous example/statement comes as the third in the series! Ex. apples, oranges, and baby anacondas)
• hyperbole (exaggeration--anything can be made ridiculous by exaggerating it)
• understatement (stating something serious or important as a common or non-important subject)
• overstatement (the opposite of understatement: giving importance to subjects that are not important: ex. Death is nothing to be scared of (understatement); what you should be scared of is insurance salesmen! (overstatement). 
• Puns & wit (puns are word plays, usually using a word that SOUNDS like another word with a different meaning, or use the alternate, less used definition of a word to make a joke: ex. Dolphins swim in schools. Quite frankly I hear they don't pass algebra because they see no porpoise in it. (pun); Wit is clever word play: Goldfish periodically swim in schools--I don't know how they manage to sit still in chemistry class though!) (wit: the idea that schools of fish swim combined with the idea that we don't swim in school, we attend it--or that gold fish might take a chemistry class where gold is one of the basic elements on the periodic table.)
• Innuendo (an attached meaning to a phrase or word that is stated innocently, but that has a rude or political or attached meaning that is implied, usually sexual in nature). From City of Bones: “The rat, huddled in the hollow of her palms, squeaked glumly. Delighted, she hugged him to her chest. “Oh poor baby,” she crooned, almost as if he really were a pet. “Poor Simon, it’ll be fine, I promise--”
  “I wouldn’t feel too sorry for him,” Jace said. “That’s probably the closest he’s ever gotten to second base.”
• Irony. Irony comes in 3 types: situational, dramatic, and verbal (which we know better as sarcasm). See today's handout for more details!

Use the techniques and tips from this class and last class and what you learned from reading Degeneres' or Lawson's work. Try to emulate or copy Degeneres' style if you can. Your topic or (set) does not have to be about anything too serious--in fact, the more common or ordinary the topic, often the better you can poke fun at it...although, you may wish to tackle a serious topic. When comedians write about serious topics in a scathing or satirical or truthful way, they often create Black Comedy or Dark Comedy.

IMPORTANT: It's important not to alienate and offend your audience in your comedy--instead, try to discuss the topics and observations that we all can relate to. 

It's funny because it's true.

No ideas? Check here for 414 prompts.

Use the rest of period 3 to write your draft. Honor writing time! Avoid conversations and distractions from your peers and instead--I know, it's a weird idea--write.

Period 4ish: 

Around 10:00 we will stop writing to read the short essays by Steve Martin from the book "Pure Drivel". Steve Martin is another famous comedian, known for his plays, movies, and physical prop comedy.

With time remaining, you can aim to complete your comic essay/speech (and upload to our Google classroom--see homework) or read the 2nd essay and write jokes and humor in your journal or as extra credit (check that list of 414 prompts for ideas!)

Or if you finish early, take a look at this video advice about writing comedy & Kevin Hart's 3 Secrets to Hilarious Storytelling (video)

HOMEWORK: If you did not complete your draft today in class, please complete it and submit your draft by the end of tonight: 11:59 p.m. If you missed any link or video today, please check it out! You'll be amazed at what you can learn!

Ellen Degeneres: Here and Now; Comic Essay

Ellen Degeneres: Here and Now (Conclusion)

After viewing Degeneres' performance, take a moment to reflect on her performance style:

• Did she hook your attention? If not, why not? If so, how?
• Did she keep your attention? If not, why not? If so, how?
• Did she entertain? What topics or chunks in her set did you most enjoy?

Now, try writing a humorous speech/essay. Use the techniques and tips from last class and what you learned from reading Degeneres work. Try to emulate or copy her style if you can. Your topic or (set) does not have to be about anything too serious--in fact, the more common or ordinary the topic, often the better you can poke fun at it...although, you may wish to tackle a serious topic. When comedians write about serious topics in a scathing or satirical or truthful way, they often create Black Comedy or Dark Comedy. It's important not to alienate and offend your audience in your comedy--instead, try to discuss the topics and observations that we all can relate to. 

It's funny because it's true.

No ideas? Check here for 414 prompts.

HOMEWORK: None. Work on your humorous essay.

OPTION: Secret Santa's Writing Workshop! If you would like, place your name in the "box" and draw a name. Write that person a "personalized" short story, poem, play sketch, or article/essay/non-fiction, comic strip, etc. for the holidays! We'll deliver our gifts on Friday, Dec. 20 before Winter Break! This is extra credit; if you don't want to participate, you don't have to. Don't put your name in the box and don't draw a name from the box!

Ellen Degeneres; Here and Now (2015)

Today, we'll start our class by reading one of the essays in the packet, then we'll take a break by watching the stand-up comedy of Ellen Degeneres.

What you need to know about writing stand up comedy: Believe it or not, comics (and writing comedy) can lead to a successful writing career.

Earning a livable salary through comedy is not easy. On average a typical professional comedian makes about 30,000/year--but this can be less, of course, or much, much more. Popular comedians like Ellen Degeneres can make around 75 million/year or more and many comedians you could probably name make a very good living from their writing and performance skills. 

Of course, money is not the only form of reward. Comedians perform because they love what they do. Or the prestige of a respected gig. Or simply to get better. As with any freelance job, their work requires resourcefulness, determination and creativity. Being funny is essential, but a few accounting skills don’t hurt. Also, who writes their material? They do.
What if you wanted to be a comedian when you grow up? Or out? Here are a few tips from the professionals:

Develop a Writing Habit

A stand-up comedian's job is as much about writing as it is performing. You need to be disciplined in your writing, dedicating a few hours every day to sitting at a desk and writing jokes. Good comedy takes practice.

To kickstart your joke-writing process, come up with a topic and write down as many jokes, funny lines or one-liners as you can think of. You’ll likely use only one or two of them, but you need to write a lot in order to find the true comedic gold. Don’t be scared if your first draft doesn’t want to make you laugh out loud or if you don’t find your own writing funny. Learn how to be patient with yourself, and keep at it.

Stand-up gets better as it becomes more personal—that comics who make fun of themselves and lay themselves bare to the audience are often the strongest performers. The same is true of comedic writers.

To kick off your writing process, sit down and make the following lists:

• Everything that makes you mad
• Everything you think is wrong with yourself
• Everything you think is wrong with the world
• Things you wish you could change about your personality
• Things you wish you could change about your body.

Let's take 5 minutes and try this now (use your journal to record your ideas/brainstorming)!

Add this to your daily writing habit; spend time each day making a new list in your journal, then develop a few items on your list into jokes.

When you’re learning how to write stand-up, it helps to watch or listen to some of your favorite comedians’ stand-up and pay attention to how they tell their jokes. How do they set up ideas, and how are those ideas transformed into punchlines?

Next, some comedy performance vocab.

SET: Your collection of jokes, with a beginning/middle/end. It’s everything you plan to say onstage. It's very much like writing a speech. Because, well, it is.

BIT: An individual joke or small cluster of jokes on the same topic.

CHUNK: Several BITS that all revolve around the same larger topic.

(So, a SET contains CHUNKS, and CHUNKS contain BITS that are made up of JOKES. Or, JOKES make up BITS and BITS make up CHUNKS and CHUNKS make a SET!)

The format of a short set might look like this:

• OPENER: The comedian starts with something that introduces him/her personally to the audience, especially if there is something visual about you that stands out, e.g. unusual hair color, super bushy eyebrows, a parrot on your shoulder, etc. Acknowledge it right off the bat and the audience will forget about it and pay attention to YOU.
• CHUNK 1: Topic 1. It's good for this to be something personal, too. Let the audience get to know you! Your chunk should include your first BIT (funny), then your second BIT (funnier), and finally, your third BIT (funniest)--comedy often comes in threes!
• CHUNK 2: Topic 2: No need to segue between chunks. You can just start a new topic.
• BIT (funny), BIT (funnier), BIT (funniest), then...
• CHUNK 3: Topic 3: It's sometimes good to connect back to an earlier topic to create continuity. This can be related to an earlier topic…or not! Either way, your 3rd CHUNK should include: BIT 1 (funny), BIT 2 (funnier), BIT 3 (funniest). 
• CLOSER: Could really be chunk or bit 4, but a callback, or just a killer joke you know ALWAYS works.
• Bonus: using an outline like this can also help you memorize the order of your jokes because they will make internal sense to you as the performer...

As we watch Ellen Degeneres' set, take note of how she skillfully performs her jokes (bits/chunks/sets!)

If we have time left, please continue reading her essays on your own. See below.

HOMEWORK: None. If you haven't read Ellen Degeneres' essays please do so. You will be attempting to write a humorous essay next class (Friday). Start getting some ideas!

Proust Questionnaire Essay; Ellen Degeneres (Day 2)

Period 3: (10 minutes)

This morning, please choose any essay from Ellen Degeneres from the handout we did not read together in class (ex. "Family") and identify any of the 21 pieces of advice I gave you about non-fiction and explain how the essay follows this advice. Be specific and use the TEXT to support your answer for full credit. Place your analysis in the COMMENT section below.

WRITING TASK - The Proust Questionnaire Essay Draft: Write today by either A.) brainstorming and outlining ideas that answer the question you chose, or... B.) start right off with your essay and try to write until you get stuck. When you get stuck (and you will) either... 1.) brainstorm and outline ideas or details that answer the question you chose, or ... 2.) choose another topic from the questionnaire, create a transition between the two questions, and start again writing to answer your next selected question.

When writing comedy, it is okay to digress and move on to another topic--this is often a technique called INCONGRUITY (which means your digression does not logically follow or continue your idea) Once a pattern or expectation is recognized by a reader/listener, breaking this pattern makes us laugh. Usually, however, non-fiction essays focus on ONE topic at a time. Whichever path you choose, be aware when you are digressing and use it to entertain your reader. If you can keep your focus, that's great too!

In GRAMMAR we can indicate digressions by using the em-dash.

Try writing for 20 minutes without stopping or bothering others or getting distracted. If and when you get stuck, try the instructions above. Unstick yourself and keep writing your non-fiction "essay". After 20 minutes, check your goals and start again for another 20 minutes of writing.

At the end of the first period, TURN IN THE DRAFT. Challenge yourself: if you normally can only write a paragraph or two in 20 minutes, try writing at least 3 fully developed paragraphs. If you can normally write half a page or one full page, try to increase this number. Give yourself a goal as a writer and see if that helps you create.

Complete the "exit" ticket evaluating your writing time today. (See handout!) I'm collecting this for credit at the end of period 1.

During period 4, we'll take a look at a few more essays and possibly begin watching a performance by Ellen Degeneres' stand up comedy.

HOMEWORK: Complete the 2nd packet (or first) of Ellen Degeneres' essays. Make sure you have turned in your Proust Questionnaire draft to our Google Classroom.

Non-fiction; The Proust Questionnaire Essay; Ellen Degeneres: Seriously...I'm Kidding

Fundamentally, the goal of any writer is to hook our attention, keep our attention, and entertain us. Sometimes we forget that our writing is not just boring drudge work that we write for a grade, but it is to entertain or please readers. If anything, you should at least write to entertain YOU!

Non-fiction is often a stumbling block for young writers. We generally prefer fiction over non-fiction. Maybe non-fiction feels too personal or too embarrassing, or we just don't want to write about ourselves and our own experiences or reflect on our own lives. But non-fiction sells better than fiction does. So it might be useful for us to learn how to write it better. But first, let's look at some tips today that may change how we think about and write non-fiction.

After learning about how to improve our non-fiction writing, let's choose a topic from the Proust Questionnaire. Use the advice I gave you during your writing time today. Select at least 1 tip to try. If that tip doesn't work for you, try a different one.

WRITING TASK - The Proust Questionnaire Essay Draft: Start your writing today by either A.) brainstorming and outlining ideas that answer the question you chose, or... B.) start right off with your essay and try to write until you get stuck. When you get stuck (and you will) either... 1.) brainstorm and outline ideas or details that answer the question you chose, or ... 2.) choose another topic from the questionnaire, create a transition between the two questions, and start again writing to answer your next selected question.

When writing comedy, it is okay to digress and move on to another topic--this is often a technique called INCONGRUITY (which means your digression does not logically follow or continue your idea) Once a pattern or expectation is recognized by a reader/listener, breaking this pattern makes us laugh. Usually, however, non-fiction essays focus on ONE topic at a time. Whichever path you choose, be aware when you are digressing and use it to entertain your reader. If you can keep your focus, that's great too!

In GRAMMAR we can indicate digressions by using the em-dash.

Try writing for 20 minutes without stopping or bothering others or getting distracted. If and when you get stuck, try the instructions above. Unstick yourself and keep writing your non-fiction "essay".

At the end of 20 minutes, find a stopping or ending point for your draft. DO NOT TURN IN THE DRAFT YET. Challenge yourself: if you normally can only write a paragraph or two in 20 minutes, try writing at least 3 fully developed paragraphs. If you can normally write half a page or one full page, try to increase this number. Give yourself a goal as a writer and see if that helps you create.

Complete the "exit" ticket evaluating your writing time today. (See handout!) I'm collecting this for credit at the end of class today.

As a model for non-fiction, let's take a look at some of Ellen Degeneres' writing. As we read, look for examples of the non-fiction techniques I covered in class. Your packet includes stories/essays/non-fiction from Degeneres' book Seriously, I'm Kidding. We'll read/watch more of her work next class.

HOMEWORK: Complete your reading of the essays by Ellen Degeneres and work on your Proust Questionnaire essay draft you started in class. Please type it up if you wrote the draft in your journal. Remember to be entertaining!

Extemp Speech; Creative Non-Fiction Tips; Jenny Lawson

Period 3:

TASK: Short extemporaneous (off the cuff) speech exercise:

Choose one of these 10 topics or create a topic of your own on which to speak. Here are some examples. Feel free to make up your own if you have a different or better idea.

1. How is social media [narrow the type] uniting the world? How is social media ruining the world? [pick one side and defend it]
2. Why is having a pet [specify the type: dog, cat, goldfish, snake, horse, badger, etc.] better than having a brother/sister/parent/friend/grandparent/neighbor [pick one]?
3. The best kind of food in your opinion is... And explain why.
4. My wish for humanity is ________. And explain why.
5. Why we should be vegan/vegetarian/carnivores [pick one]. And explain why.
6. The best movie/video game/novel/tv series of all time will always be... And explain why.
7. If I were an animal/object, I'd want to be... And explain why.
8. How is money/religion/technology [pick one] the root of all evil in our society? How is money/religion/technology [pick one] the only thing we should be concerned about in our society? [pick one side and defend your position]
9. If I won the lottery I would: ____ And explain why.
10. What advice would I give to my parents before I was born? What advice would I give to them now?

Choose one topic. Review the video for tips on what you might include or how you might "write" and prepare your speech, then take 5 minutes to write your speech and deliver it to the class!

How to write a speech in 5 minutes (2 min.)

Period 4:

Next, let's take a look at some short essays by Jenny Lawson as models for our next assignment.

As we read, try to notice if the author did any of these things to make her work more interesting and creative or enjoyable for a reader...

21 Tips and Tricks of the Trade -- How to Write Better Non-Fiction (and Fiction)

• Often the most powerful stories are about your family and the childhood moments that shaped your life.
• You don’t need to build up tension and waste the reader's time by padding or delaying the subject matter of your story. Instead, surprise the reader by telling it like it is. Be truthful as you see it. 
• Don't try to impress. Try to tell a story!
• You can use real documents and quotes from your family and friends. It makes it so much more personal and relatable. But if you can't remember the exact wording or what happened, make up the detail--but aim for the truth.
• Reflect and make a point about the human condition. You can start off with this theme in mind and then go away from it. At the end of the essay, you may come back to the first theme to close the circuit.
• Using poetic language is totally acceptable, as long as it improves the story.
• Style comes from your unique personality and the perception of the world. It takes time to develop it.
• Never try to tell it all. “All” can never be put into language. Take a part of it and tell it the best you possibly can.
• Avoid cliché. Try to infuse new life into your writing. Cliches are old hats. Don't wear them.
• Write about you. Paint a picture of your former self. What did that person believe in? In what kind of world did he or she live in? Write about you before you became you now.
• “The day that turned your life around” is a good theme you may use in a story. Memories of a special day are filled with emotions. Strong emotions often create strong writing.
• Use cultural references, slang if necessary, and allusions to create a context for your story.
• Create brilliant, yet short descriptions of characters.
• Don’t be afraid to share your intimate experiences. Write boldly. The reader wants a bold writer.
• Intertwine a personal journey with philosophical musings. Reflect on your subject. Write about beliefs and meaning, not just recorded events. 
• By voicing your anxieties, you can heal the anxieties of the reader. In that way, you say: “I’m just like you.”
• Admit your flaws to make your persona more relatable.
• Don’t worry about what people might think. The more you expose, the more powerful the writing. 
• You come from a rich cultural heritage. You can share it with people who never heard about it. You are more exciting and interesting than you think you are. 
• Never forget about your identity. It is precious. It is a part of who you are. 
• Show rather than tell. Paint the scene/picture with words. Don't forget to establish your setting. Describe.

HOMEWORK: None. If we didn't finish reading Jenny Lawson's essays, please do so. If you are inspired, write your own non-fiction or write in your journal.

Clybourne Park/Raisin in the Sun Project Draft Due!; Extemp Speeches & Non-fiction: Jenny Lawson

Please turn in and submit your Clybourne Park/Raisin in the Sun Project draft. See previous posts for details about the project.

Let's take about 5-10 minutes to respond to this question/task: After reading these plays, post a COMMENT in the COMMENT section of this blog about what you learned about writing plays by reading these two play scripts. Please be specific (examples are great!) for full credit.

Please drop off your play scripts on the table. I'll take these down to the library for you.

Our next unit will cover speeches and non-fiction.

Today, let's start with a couple short motivational videos, then a short speech exercise. After this, we will read some personal essays by Jenny Lawson. As you watch the videos below, please take notes in your journal on anything you think is important or relates to you as a beginning writer. We'll check to see what the class thought right after viewing.

• How to Cure Writer's Block (4 min)
• How to Motivate Yourself to Write Every Day
• Being a Professional Writer (3 min)

NEW TASK: Short extemporaneous (off the cuff) speech exercise:

Choose one of these 10 topics or create a topic of your own on which to speak. Here are some examples. Feel free to make up your own if you have a different or better idea.

1. How is social media [narrow the type] uniting the world? How is social media ruining the world? [pick one side and defend it]
2. Why is having a pet [specify the type: dog, cat, goldfish, snake, horse, badger, etc.] better than having a brother/sister/parent/friend/grandparent/neighbor [pick one]?
3. The best kind of food in your opinion is... And explain why.
4. My wish for humanity is ________. And explain why.
5. Why we should be vegan/vegetarian/carnivores [pick one]. And explain why.
6. The best movie/video game/novel/tv series of all time will always be... And explain why.
7. If I were an animal/object, I'd want to be... And explain why.
8. How is money/religion/technology [pick one] the root of all evil in our society? How is money/religion/technology [pick one] the only thing we should be concerned about in our society? [pick one side and defend your position]
9. If I won the lottery I would: ____ And explain why.
10. What advice would I give to my parents before I was born? What advice would I give to them now?

Choose one topic. Review the video for tips on what you might include or how you might "write" and prepare your speech, then take 5 minutes to write your speech and deliver it to the class!

How to write a speech in 5 minutes (2 min.)

Next, let's take a look at some short essays by Jenny Lawson as models for our next assignment.

As we read, try to notice if the author did any of these things to make her work more interesting and creative or enjoyable for a reader...

21 Tips and Tricks of the Trade -- How to Write Better Non-Fiction (and Fiction)

• Often the most powerful stories are about your family and the childhood moments that shaped your life.
• You don’t need to build up tension and waste the reader's time by padding or delaying the subject matter of your story. Instead, surprise the reader by telling it like it is. Be truthful as you see it. 
• Don't try to impress. Try to tell a story!
• You can use real documents and quotes from your family and friends. It makes it so much more personal and relatable. But if you can't remember the exact wording or what happened, make up the detail--but aim for the truth.
• Reflect and make a point about the human condition. You can start off with this theme in mind and then go away from it. At the end of the essay, you may come back to the first theme to close the circuit.
• Using poetic language is totally acceptable, as long as it improves the story.
• Style comes from your unique personality and the perception of the world. It takes time to develop it.
• Never try to tell it all. “All” can never be put into language. Take a part of it and tell it the best you possibly can.
• Avoid cliché. Try to infuse new life into your writing. Cliches are old hats. Don't wear them.
• Write about you. Paint a picture of your former self. What did that person believe in? In what kind of world did he or she live in? Write about you before you became you now.
• “The day that turned your life around” is a good theme you may use in a story. Memories of a special day are filled with emotions. Strong emotions often create strong writing.
• Use cultural references, slang if necessary, and allusions to create a context for your story.
• Create brilliant, yet short descriptions of characters.
• Don’t be afraid to share your intimate experiences. Write boldly. The reader wants a bold writer.
• Intertwine a personal journey with philosophical musings. Reflect on your subject. Write about beliefs and meaning, not just recorded events. 
• By voicing your anxieties, you can heal the anxieties of the reader. In that way, you say: “I’m just like you.”
• Admit your flaws to make your persona more relatable.
• Don’t worry about what people might think. The more you expose, the more powerful the writing. 
• You come from a rich cultural heritage. You can share it with people who never heard about it. You are more exciting and interesting than you think you are. 
• Never forget about your identity. It is precious. It is a part of who you are. 
• Show rather than tell. Paint the scene/picture with words. Don't forget to establish your setting. Describe.

HOMEWORK: None. If we didn't finish reading Jenny Lawson's essays, please do so over break. If you are inspired write your own non-fiction or write in your journal.

Happy Thanksgiving! Get some rest!

Congratulations! Coffeehouse Responses Due! Script Workshop; Raisin in the Sun/Clybourne Park Project

Congratulations on surviving your coffeehouse performance!

Good job! We heard lots of encouraging comments from the other grades about your performances. Some senior parents came up to us afterward and praised your skills, your voices, and your courage. Thank you for making the evening a successful one.

I hope you now see (and can reflect on) your progress as public speakers, writers, and performers.

Period 3:

Today, I'd like to go back to reading/sharing. Let's return to our scripts (both the sketch & the short play draft) and share our work.

In your groups please read at least 1 of the 2 scripts from each author (given time, you can read both if your author wants them read). Read the scripts out loud. It's important that the playwright hear their words out loud! Feel free to give advice or comments to each other after reading. You will be given participation credit for engaging in this activity. Please close your Chromebooks and attend to the printed scripts during this activity.

Group 1

• Tashiana, Jahna, Anthony, Elani, Janiyajames, Fardowsa, Roxy 

Group 2

• Aricelis, Eniyah, Kyla, Kanene, Jade, Gabrielle, Shaolin

Enjoy!

Period 4:

After your reading workshop, please use the time given to you to work on your Clybourne Park/Raisin in the Sun project (see previous instructions).

Your project draft is due Tuesday, Nov. 26. Please complete it on your own time this weekend if you did not complete it during our writing time today.

HOMEWORK: Your project draft is due Tuesday, Nov. 26. Please complete it on your own time this weekend if you did not complete it during our writing time today. Upload your draft to our Google Classroom.

Coffeehouse Rehearsal; Coffeehouse

Today we will be practicing for our coffeehouse readings tonight.

Please be here on Wednesday by 6:45. Dress appropriately. Invite friends/family/loved ones.

Let's go to the Ensemble Theater and practice.

HOMEWORK: None. If you did not complete reading Clybourne Park, please do so. Work on your project (see instructions below--this will be due soon!) Practice and prepare for your coffeehouse.

Raisin/Clybourne Park Project; Coffeehouse Practice

WRITING TASK: Choose 1 of the following writing tasks to complete for your project:

1. Choose a character from A Raisin in the Sun and have that character meet a character from Clybourne Park. For example, Travis is only 10 in 1959. If he met someone from Clybourne Park today, he would be 70 years old--a lifetime of experiences... Write the scene of their meeting (in fiction or playscript form). 
2. Beneatha doesn't make up her mind to marry Asagai and move to Africa at the end of A Raisin in the Sun. While it might be assumed she does, we don't know for sure within the context of the play. Write Beneatha's story (in play, monologue, or fiction form). If she goes to Africa--what does she find, how does she deal with the different culture--one more primitive and restrictive towards women than she might like, for instance. Or, perhaps, she decides not to marry Asagai and does end up marrying George instead...tell her story from her perspective--or from the POV of another character (from Mrs. Johnson's gossipy tone, for example, or from Ruth or Mama's voice.) Your choice.
3. What if Albert (from Clybourne Park) met Walter Lee Younger (from a Raisin in the Sun)--how would they interact? What conversations might they have? Write that conversation using details and evidence from the play. (Your writing might be a script or a fiction story). 
4. Choose 3-5 characters from either A Raisin in the Sun or Clybourne Park and write a poem from each chosen character's perspective. Remember to use details from the text to help you, and don't forget to use similes and metaphors like in Langston Hughes's poem that inspired all this in the first place...!
5. Write a scene or story that doesn't exist, but could have existed if it wasn't edited out or cut from the original play A Raisin in the Sun or Clybourne Park. Write your own scene or story based on what you know about these characters. Ex. write the scene between Ruth and the woman doctor who conducts abortions (from Act 1 of A Raisin in the Sun) or write the scene between Lindner and Bev or Russ from Clybourne Park that we only hear about second hand. Or write the story/scene of the Younger Family moving into the house in Clybourne Park--are they going to be welcomed by the neighborhood? What might happen to them?
6. If you have a better idea, you may choose your own option based on the plays Clybourne Park and A Raisin in the Sun.

Whichever option you choose, your writing should be about 3-5 pages in length (it can be more...but it will be due in next week (Friday, Nov. 22 most likely...) The assignment will be due BEFORE Thanksgiving Break! You will be working on this assignment mostly on your own time due to the coffeehouse rehearsals.

Today we will be practicing for our coffeehouse readings on Wednesday at 7:00. Take out your pieces. Do as I instruct to prepare these pieces for your readings.

Please be here on Wednesday by 6:45.

Let's go to the Ensemble Theater and practice.

HOMEWORK: None. If you did not complete reading Clybourne Park, please do so. Work on your project (see instructions above). Practice and prepare for your coffeehouse.

A Raisin in the Sun: day 3 (Conclusion); Raisin/Clybourne Park Project

Today, we will complete our viewing of A Raisin in the Sun. When we are done, please look through your portfolio and select a piece or two or three that you will be likely to perform at the coffeehouse next week. On Monday we will be working exclusively to prepare you for your performance.

Also, I will be introducing you to a project as well. You may have noticed that Clybourne Park (Act 2), takes place in 2009 (the play was written in 2011). 2009 is significant because it is 50 years in the future. The Civil Rights Movement, if it was a person, has grown up, had children and is planning to retire...Can we retire the advances made by the Civil Rights Movement, or is our country now more backward than it was back in 1959? Take a look at a few of these linked articles as food for thought:

• Civil Rights: How Far Have We Come (article)
• America Has a Race Problem 
• Civil Rights - 1969 vs. Now (Youtube)
• How the Unrest of the 60s Compares with Today (article)
• Schools are More Segregated Today Than in the Late 60's (article)

WRITING TASK: Choose 1 of the following writing tasks to complete for your project:

1. Choose a character from A Raisin in the Sun and have that character meet a character from Clybourne Park. For example, Travis is only 10 in 1959. If he met someone from Clybourne Park today, he would be 70 years old--a lifetime of experiences... Write the scene of their meeting (in fiction or playscript form). 
2. Beneatha doesn't make up her mind to marry Asagai and move to Africa at the end of A Raisin in the Sun. While it might be assumed she does, we don't know for sure within the context of the play. Write Beneatha's story (in play, monologue, or fiction form). If she goes to Africa--what does she find, how does she deal with the different culture--one more primitive and restrictive towards women than she might like, for instance. Or, perhaps, she decides not to marry Asagai and does end up marrying George instead...tell her story from her perspective--or from the POV of another character (from Mrs. Johnson's gossipy tone, for example, or from Ruth or Mama's voice.) Your choice.
3. What if Albert (from Clybourne Park) met Walter Lee Younger (from a Raisin in the Sun)--how would they interact? What conversations might they have? Write that conversation using details and evidence from the play. (Your writing might be a script or a fiction story). 
4. Choose 3-5 characters from either A Raisin in the Sun or Clybourne Park and write a poem from each chosen character's perspective. Remember to use details from the text to help you, and don't forget to use similes and metaphors like in Langston Hughes's poem that inspired all this in the first place...!
5. Write a scene or story that doesn't exist, but could have existed if it wasn't edited out or cut from the original play A Raisin in the Sun or Clybourne Park. Write your own scene or story based on what you know about these characters. Ex. write the scene between Ruth and the woman doctor who conducts abortions (from Act 1 of A Raisin in the Sun) or write the scene between Lindner and Bev or Russ from Clybourne Park that we only hear about second hand. Or write the story/scene of the Younger Family moving into the house in Clybourne Park--are they going to be welcomed by the neighborhood? What might happen to them?
6. If you have a better idea, you may choose your own option based on the plays Clybourne Park and A Raisin in the Sun.

Whichever option you choose, your writing should be about 3-5 pages in length (it can be more...but it will be due in next week (Friday, Nov. 22 most likely...) The assignment will be due BEFORE Thanksgiving Break! You will be working on this assignment mostly on your own time due to the coffeehouse rehearsals.

REMINDER: Our Coffeehouse Performance is November 20 (next Wednesday!) Look through your portfolio and select a story, vignette, essay (non-fiction) or poem that you would like to share with the world. Pick something you're proud of--not something too short that you don't care about or that doesn't reflect your genius or creative spirit.

HOMEWORK: None. Choose your coffeehouse selections by Monday! You may get started on your Raisin/Clybourne Park Project. If you didn't finish reading Clybourne Park, please do so this weekend!

A Raisin in the Sun: (Film) Day 2

This morning, please take a couple minutes to answer one or both of the following bullet points about the play Clybourne Park, act 1:

• How is this play so far different in style and tone from A Raisin in the Sun? Which is better? Why?
• Which characters are most interesting to you in this play's act? Why? Pick at least one character and consider how this character compares or contrasts with one of the characters in A Raisin in the Sun.

Remember to put your name in your post so I can give you credit for your response!

Then, we'll go back to our film viewing. 

HOMEWORK: Please read Act 2 of Clybourne Park. Bring your books back with you to our next class for a writing assignment based on it. 

REMINDER: Our Coffeehouse Performance is November 20 (next Wednesday!) Look through your portfolio and select a story, vignette, essay (non-fiction) or poem that you would like to share with the world. Pick something you're proud of--not something too short that you don't care about or that doesn't reflect your genius or creative spirit.

Journals Due; A Raisin in the Sun Quiz; Clybourne Park; A Raisin in the Sun Film

Your journals are due today. Please make sure your name is in your journal and please place them in the "inbox" today. I'll try to get these back to you no later than tomorrow.

As promised, we will take a quiz on A Raisin in the Sun. When we complete the quiz, you may sign out a copy of Clybourne Park (our next reading) and begin reading it (see homework!)

When all quizzes are turned in, we will begin screening the film A Raisin in the Sun (1961), directed by Daniel Petrie, starring Sidney Poitier (Walter-Lee), Claudia McNeil (Mama), and Ruby Dee as Ruth. Poitier was a pioneering black actor (and later director) that influenced many young African American actors/actresses who came after him. Both Claudia McNeil and Sidney Poitier were nominated for Best Actor/Actress for their roles in the film. Lorraine Hansberry wrote the screenplay.

Let's take a look.

HOMEWORK: Please read Act 1 of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris. Bring your books back with you to our next class.

End of Marking Period; Play Script Draft Due!

Finish reading A Raisin in the Sun. and continue your play scripts. They are due today.

Also, your journals will be due next class (Nov. 7), so please use the time today in class to complete any missing work, your journal, and prepare your play script draft.

HOMEWORK: Journals are due next class. Please bring them to class. Complete A Raisin in the Sun--there will be a quiz on the play on Thursday.

A Raisin in the Sun: Day 7; Play Script Project: Day 4

Today, let's aim to finish our reading of A Raisin in the Sun. With time remaining, please continue to write your play scripts. 

HOMEWORK: If we don't finish reading the play A Raisin in the Sun, please complete it as homework. You may work on your play script. Your draft is due Nov. 4 (Monday) Also, your journals will be due next week (Nov. 7), so please consider writing in your journal this weekend!

Happy Halloween!

A Raisin in the Sun: Day 6; Play Script Project: Day 3

Continue writing your short play. See the following for some tips/advice about writing plays:

• Top Tips from Playwrights
• How to Write a Play - 5 Tips
• Overcoming the Blank Page Syndrome (breaking writer's block!)

Rules for your Play Project:

1. Try to limit your cast to five characters or fewer. You will need at LEAST two.
2. Create a cast list with a brief description of each character (see cast list in your Raisin in the Sun play scripts).
3. Describe a vivid setting for your play. Keep your play in one setting: a kitchen, a living room, a house like A Raisin in the Sun, a porch, etc. Base your setting on a place that you know well--although you can fictionalize this setting. Add details that are made up! See the set description at the beginning of the play A Raisin in the Sun for a model. You may use the setting you described in your journal if you'd like--or create a new one.
4. Begin writing your scene once you have completed all steps before this one. 
5. Your play should be written as a script. For now, you can use the form used in A Raisin in the Sun. We will not use this form for long, as it is not the proper format for writers, but for now, it'll get us started.
6. Your play should be between 5 - 10 pages in length (excluding your cast list and set description--see #4 & #5.) Include a title and number your pages in a header or footer. 
7. Do NOT double space your play scripts. It is okay to skip a single line (one hard return) between lines. Names should be typed in upper case. Stage/acting directions should be written in parenthesis. You do not have to italicize stage directions unless you really want to

Your play drafts will be due Monday, Nov. 4.

At 10:00 we will continue reading Act 2, Scene 2 & 3 of A Raisin in the Sun.

HOMEWORK: None. You may work on your play script. Your draft is due Nov. 4 (next week!) Also, your journals will be due next week, so please consider writing in your journal this week!

A Raisin in the Sun, Day 5; Short Play Project: Day 2

A Raisin in the Sun: Act 2. When we complete Act 2, we will begin writing our own plays.

Begin writing a short play.

1. Start off by trying to recall a dramatic moment that you experienced (or that someone you know experienced--a family member, a neighbor, a friend, etc.)--recall who was involved and maybe what was said and by whom. What was the outcome? Jot down a list of details or make a mind-map of the details you can recall in your journal.
2. Fictionalize the details. Change the names or genders or ages of the real people involved and create a fictional cast list of at least 3 characters. You can combine people you know. If you have 2 sisters, combine them into one personality. If you have 3 old wives, combine them into one grandmother. If you have 200 friends, combine them into 2 friends. You get the picture.
3. Try to limit your cast to five characters or fewer. You will need at LEAST two.
4. Create a cast list with a brief description of each character (see cast list in your Raisin in the Sun play scripts).
5. Describe a vivid setting for your play. Keep your play in one setting: a kitchen, a living room, a house like A Raisin in the Sun, a porch, etc. Base your setting on a place that you know well--although you can fictionalize this setting. Add details that are made up! See the set description at the beginning of the play A Raisin in the Sun for a model. You may use the setting you described in your journal if you'd like--or create a new one.
6. Begin writing your scene once you have completed all 6 steps before this one. 
7. Your play should be written as a script. For now, you can use the form used in A Raisin in the Sun. We will not use this form for long, as it is not the proper format for writers, but for now, it'll get us started.
8. Your play should be between 5 - 10 pages in length (excluding your cast list and set description--see #4 & #5.) Include a title and number your pages in a header or footer. 
9. Do NOT double space your play scripts. It is okay to skip a single line (one hard return) between lines. Names should be typed in upper case. Stage/acting directions should be written in parenthesis. You do not have to italicize stage directions unless you really want to.

A Raisin in the Sun, Day 4; Play Brainstrorming; Short Play Project

Today we will continue reading Act 1 and Act 2 of A Raisin in the Sun.

Last class, I asked you to write a description of a setting in your journal. Take that out for a moment and let's add to it.

All plays/films need characters in a setting involved in a conflict of some sort. The formula might look like this:

Character + Setting + Conflict = Situation

A playwright's job is to complicate a situation. This is the root of all plays/films.

A. List potential characters in your journal.
B. List potential settings in your journal (you started this last class! Add to your list)
C. List potential conflicts that humans often face.
D. Write a premise. A 1-sentence summary of your situation. This play will be about:

• An African American family (characters) living in the Southside of Chicago in 1959 in a small run-down tenement (setting) having to decide how to spend their insurance money (conflict).

After you have a situation, think of ways you can COMPLICATE the problem/situation.

Begin writing a short play in which your protagonist remembers a difficult event in his/her early life growing up. 

1. Start off by trying to recall a dramatic moment that you experienced (or that someone you know experienced--a family member, a neighbor, a friend, etc.)--recall who was involved and maybe what was said and by whom. What was the outcome? Jot down a list of details or make a mind-map of the details you can recall in your journal.
2. Fictionalize the details. Change the names or genders or ages of the real people involved and create a fictional cast list of at least 3 characters. You can combine people you know. If you have 2 sisters, combine them into one personality. If you have 3 old wives, combine them into one grandmother. If you have 200 friends, combine them into 2 friends. You get the picture.
3. Try to limit your cast to five characters or fewer. You will need at LEAST two.
4. Create a cast list with a brief description of each character (see cast list in your Raisin in the Sun play scripts).
5. Describe a vivid setting for your play. Keep your play in one setting: a kitchen, a living room, a house like A Raisin in the Sun, a porch, etc. Base your setting on a place that you know well--although you can fictionalize this setting. Add details that are made up! See the set description at the beginning of the play A Raisin in the Sun for a model. You may use the setting you described in your journal if you'd like--or create a new one.
6. Begin writing your scene once you have completed all 6 steps before this one. 
7. Your play should be written as a script. For now, you can use the form used in A Raisin in the Sun. We will not use this form for long, as it is not the proper format for writers, but for now, it'll get us started.
8. Your play should be between 5 - 10 pages in length (excluding your cast list and set description--see #4 & #5.) Include a title and number your pages in a header or footer. 
9. Do NOT double space your play scripts. It is okay to skip a single line (one hard return) between lines. Names should be typed in upper case. Stage/acting directions should be written in parenthesis. You do not have to italicize stage directions unless you really want to.

A Raisin in the Sun: Day 3

Today, we will read the rest of scene 1 (and possibly 2 or 3 of Act 1 or more) of this play. Please select a role to play to practice reading expressively out loud.

HOMEWORK: None.

A Raisin in the Sun: Day 2

Today, we will read scene 1 (and possibly 2 or more) of this play. Please select a role to play to practice reading expressively out loud.

HOMEWORK: None.

Extra Credit: Please join us for the creative writing department's Reader's Theater production of Pipeline by Dominque Morriseau. Here's a little clip of the Atlanta version.

Sketch Writing (Play Draft Due); A Raisin in the Sun: Day 1

During period 3 please complete the following tasks:

1. Work on completing your baseline play project: the sketch. Try to conclude your script if you have not already done so. Turn in (submit) for credit.

2. Research Lorraine Hansberry at this link (read the article). Be able to explain what important impact she had on American literature. What did she accomplish in her short lifetime? Take notes in your journal.

3. Please read this poem by Langston Hughes: Harlem. Hansberry is using Hughes' poem as an allusion for the title of her work. As you read the play, consider why she decided to do this.

4. Research the setting of A Raisin in the Sun. The south side of Chicago in 1959. Something important happened just a year or two before Hansberry wrote her play. Look here to find out what:
1957.

Please continue to research and find information about this time period. Some questions to help guide your research are:

• What were the social, economic, political and educational expectations and opportunities for African Americans at this time?
• What advances had been made in civil rights?
• What significant changes will occur in America during the years between 1950's and 1965?

Some links to help you:

Images of the civil rights movement
Images of “the children’s crusade" of the civil rights movement
Timeline of the civil rights movement

Period 4: We'll pick up the play from the library and begin reading it.

HOMEWORK: None. Please bring your play scripts back to our next class.

Sketch Writing (Baseline Script)

Today, after a few examples, please use your class time to write a sketch of your own.

Types of Sketches

To help you get going here are a few tried and tested comedy formats for sketches.

1) Escalation: A funny idea starts small and gets bigger and bigger, ending in chaos of ridiculous proportions.
2) Lists: Sketches in which the bulk of the dialogue is a long list of funny items. The best example of this is "Cheese Shop" in Monty Python. (See handout from last class!)
3) Mad Man, Sane Man (opposites): This format speaks for itself--one character is sane, the other (or others) not so much. But don't go for obvious settings.
4) Dangerous Situations: For example, sketch set on a flight deck of an aircraft or during a disaster.
5) Funny Words: Sketches which use the sound of language itself to be funny. For example, use of the words "blobby" or "wobble"; Names can be funny if you want people to think of your work as comedy or humorous. Some names are just funny: Aloysious Butterbean is a funnier name than Tom Johnson or man or nurse.
6) Old and New: Getting a laugh from putting something modern in a historical setting (Or, vice versa) Example: Abraham Lincoln using a cigarette lighter shaped like a handgun. Benjamin Franklin inventing the fidget spinner, Alexander the Great using a cell phone, Jesus dining at the Cheesecake Factory, etc.
7) Big and Small. Getting humor from large differences in scale. For example, a pig trying to make love to an elephant (South Park). Generally, a comic pairing of opposites also creates humor: fat & thin, tall and short, hairy and bald, smart and stupid, etc.
8) Parody. Poking fun at a well-known book, TV show, or film.

• Watch sample "famous" sketches from a variety of TV shows/performances (some may not be suitable due to language or situations, watch at your own risk):
• The Dentist (Tim Conway from the Carol Burnett show)
• Pink Tights & Plenty of Props (Rowan Atkinson)
• Roll Call (Rowan Atkinson)
• Substitute Teacher (Key & Peele)
• Nazi Sketch (Mitchell & Webb)
• Mister Robinson's Neighborhood (SNL)
• Avengers v. Game of Thrones Family Feud (SNL)
• Goddesses of Creation (SNL)
• Barbie Instagram (SNL)
• Evil Boss (SNL)
• Homey D. Clown (In Living Color)
• Polite War The Whitest Kids You Know
• Hard Day The Kids in the Hall

Sketch Writing:

1) Brainstorm and then choose a setting. Avoid common set-ups. Think original. Only set the sketch in one location!
2) If you're trying to sell your material [or enter a contest], don't put in anything expensive like a helicopter [or car]. Most TV shows [or theaters] are on a tight budget.
3) Three [or four] characters is more than enough for a short sketch. Don't write for a big cast. Avoid crowd scenes where the actors do not speak.
4) Think about what is happening visually as well as the words you use to communicate an idea. Be specific! A speckled trout wearing a fake mustache is funnier or more vivid in the audience's mind than a fish. As you describe your characters or the situation, consider well-chosen words to describe the scene visually.
5. Write your sketch draft (baseline script). A good length for a sketch is between 3-6 pages. Skip a line between each speaker in a script.

If you need inspiration, watch any of the sketches above as models/examples* (please use headphones...)

HOMEWORK: If you did not complete your script in class today, please complete as homework. Turn in your draft of a sketch by Tuesday, Oct. 15 to our Google Classroom.

Fiction Reading; Introduction to the Sketch

Period 3:

Choose one of your short story drafts to read out loud to the class. 

Remember Good speakers...

• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly and loudly
• Use gestures
• Have energy
• Change tone
• Perform with sincerity

After volunteers, we'll pick randomly.

Period 4:

Today, let's read a few sketches (short, short plays). See handout, then we'll see the original sketches and compare our performances with theirs.

• Marty Feldman: The Bookseller Sketch
• The Cheese Shop Sketch: Monty Python's Flying Circus
• The Dead Parrot Sketch: Monty Python's Flying Circus
• Self Defense Against Fruit Sketch: Monty Python's Flying Circus
• The Headmaster Sketch: Rowan Atkinson

Types of Sketches

To help you get going, here's a few tried and tested comedy formats for sketches.

1) Escalation: Funny idea starts small and gets bigger and bigger, ending in chaos of ridiculous proportions.
2) Lists: Sketches in which the bulk of the dialogue is a long list of funny items. The best example of this is "Cheese Shop" in Monty Python. (You can find all the Python sketches at www.planetcomedy.force9.co.uk/bookstore.html.)
3) Mad Man, Sane Man (opposites): This format speaks for itself, but don't go for obvious settings.
4) Dangerous Situations: For example, a sketch set on a flight deck of aircraft.
5) Funny Words: Sketches which use the sound of language itself to be funny. For example, use of the words "blobby" or "wobble"; Names can be funny if you want people to think of your work as comedy or humorous. Some names are just funny: Aloysious Butterbean is a funnier name than Tom Johnson or man.
6) Old and New: Getting a laugh from putting something modern in a historical setting (Or, vice versa) Example: Abraham Lincoln using a cigarette lighter shaped like a handgun. Benjamin Franklin inventing the fidget spinner, Alexander the Great using a cell phone, Jesus dining at the Cheesecake Factory, etc.
7) Big and Small. Getting humor from large differences in scale. For example, a pig trying to make love to an elephant (an example from South Park).

HOMEWORK: None.

Class Notes Exercise (short story #3)

If you completed your "Hit Man" story draft, please submit that to our Google Classroom today. 

If you did not complete your draft, you may turn it in late (with a reduction in the score) during this marking period.

EXTRA CREDIT: If you'd like to use "Popular Mechanics" as a model, you may write an extra credit story draft and include it in your draft docs for Thursday (see below). The prompt: take a Biblical or mythological story and retell it for a modern/contemporary reader/audience. Here are some ideas you can use for Bible stories...or myths. The extra credit may be completed at any time during this marking period to count as extra writing credit.

Period 3:

Short Story Exercise #3: Read "Class Notes".

1. Select a class (this one or another...see handout) and for each member of the class, make up a story about what will happen to that person 10 or 20 or even 50 years after graduation from high school. Keep the year consistent. High school reunion of 10, 20, or 50 years!
2. Where are these people now? What happened to them? [please change the names of your friends and classmates so as not to upset anyone...but you can hint at who you are writing about with creative details if you must...). 
3. Write the draft. Your TONE of this draft should be as if you are the class president who sends out an update about the graduating class of 2023. It is largely objective and positive, but, of course, you may exaggerate and surprise us with the futures of your classmates. Each classmate should be included with anywhere from 1 to 5 sentences about where are they now? Have fun!

Period 4: (about 10:15)

Choose one of your short story drafts to read out loud to the class. 

Remember: Good speakers...

• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly and loudly
• Use gestures
• Have energy
• Change tone
• Perform with sincerity

After volunteers, we'll pick randomly. Those performers who do not read today will read next class!

HOMEWORK: None. If you did not complete your Class Notes draft (or any other drafts we have been assigned so far) please complete these drafts and turn in.

So far we have written:

1. The Who's Writing This Non-Fiction Draft
2. The Baseline Non-Fiction Draft
3. The Baseline Poetry Draft (Ars Poetica)
4. Various poem drafts from writing exercises (including the dice poem exercise and various prompts)
5. The 500 Word Short Story Draft
6. The Hit Man Style Story Draft
7. The Class Notes Style Story Draft (complete as homework if you did not complete it during class!)
8. EXTRA CREDIT: various poem drafts from prompts (see blog posts for ideas!)
9. EXTRA CREDIT: The Popular Mechanics Style Story, based on a myth or Bible story
10. Drafts for Ms. Gamzon...

Short Story Writing: Popular Mechanics; The Hit Man; Class Notes exercises

Today, we will read the short stories "Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver, "The Hit Man" by T.C. Boyle and "Class Notes".

To help understand the first story, let's take a look on the internet for "King Solomon and the Baby". Take 5 minutes to find and read that story. Then let's read Carver's version.

A short story does not have to be long to be powerful, as you can see. If you'd like to use "Popular Mechanics" as a model, you may write an extra credit story draft and include it in your draft docs for Thursday (see below). The prompt: take a Biblical or mythological story and retell it for a modern/contemporary reader/audience. Here are some ideas you can use for Bible stories...or myths.

After reading, let's take a look at "The Hit Man". T.C. Boyle tells the entire story of his character from early childhood to death. Stories that cover the entire life of a character are often called "EPIC". You'll note how each "episode" of the protagonist's life is given a subtitle (or chapter title). Try this technique yourself...

1. In your journal, create a character and name this person. His/her name will be your title.
2. Jot down a list of important and non-important details or events from this character's life in your journal. Include "early years", important life events (like marriage or buying a first house), non-important life events (like going to the dentist or buying soap), and characteristics or important quirks for your character (like allergies, poor eyesight, personality flaws, etc.), finally, include actions the character does (like baking a cake or playing softball, etc.)
3. Include how the character dies or where the person is at the end of their life (you do not actually have to have your character die!)
4. From this longer list, pick about 10 or so items from your list and order them from "Early years" to "Death or the end of useful life"
5. Then for each item, give the section an interesting/intriguing title. Write a sentence or up to a few paragraphs for each section detailing what happens.

Call this the "Hit Man" story on your heading. Write the draft.

Short Story #3: Read "Class Notes". Select a class (this one or another...) and for each member of the class, make up a story about what will happen to that person 10 or 20 years after graduation from high school. Where are these people now? What happened to them? [please change the names of your friends and classmates so as not to upset anyone...but you can hint at who you are writing about if you must...). Write the draft.

HOMEWORK: These short story exercises should be developed and turned in at the end of the week (by midclass Thursday) as a Google Classroom assignment. We will be choosing and reading one of your short story drafts 2nd part of Thursday's class.

Short Stories; The 500 Word Short Story: Day 2

Please return to read your short stories this morning. As you read, notice the format and how each author uses dialogue, setting, description, language, sentences, a hook, plot elements, and conclusions. You should read and complete a total of 3 short stories (2 from last class, or finish them...and one from the list today). You may read a 4th for extra credit during period 3.

For each short story identify:

• POV (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person POV)
• Identify the speaker/protagonist
• Identify the conflict/antagonist
• Identify the setting
• Identify the theme or message of the story. We might also call this the premise. What is the story about?
• How does the title help make meaning or help focus the reader's attention?

Read THREE short stories from the site (2 from last class or from your homework, since some of you refused to read last class) and an extra one. All are due today by the end of 3rd period. Use your time to read SILENTLY and answer the questions on the handout form. Record the titles and authors along with your answers on the handout to turn in for credit at the end of period 3 today. 

Then, if you did not already do so, take about 3 minutes to comment in the COMMENT section below: 

In the COMMENT section below, please leave me a comment about your favorite genre of fiction. Explain in a couple sentences why you like to read that genre or that style of fiction. What do you get out of the experience?

Period 4:

Whether you are done or not, please turn in your short story analysis handout sheets. Even if they are incomplete!

Please move on to our next assignment: The 500 Word Short Story draft. See the handout to help you. Use the handout to write a 500-word short story. Here are the rules:

• The genre and style of your short story are completely up to you.
• Your story should have a beginning, middle, and end.
• Your story should have a title.
• Consider what we learned about short stories and include some of that. See the instructions and advice on the handout as well to help you.
• Your story should have an MLA formatted heading. Call it the 500 Word Short Story Draft #1.
• Yes. Your 500-word short story should be only 500 words. Not 400, not 1,000, not 16,004, not 26, but 500 words. You may find it easier to write your short story then cut it back to 500 words by cutting out any unnecessary plots, details, or hum-drum or boring use of language. 
• You may adjust your story's title to INCLUDE or REDUCE your word count to 500. To help you, a 500-word short story is about 1 full-page, single-spaced (or 2 if double spaced). To check the exact # to make sure it is 500 words, use the TOOL menu, select WORD COUNT in your Google Docs. 
• This is an EXERCISE. It is not a statement about your ability to write, or a measure of your artistic or personal worth. It will count as your baseline fiction draft for me.

HOMEWORK: If for some reason you did not complete the 500-Word Short Story draft today in class during our writing time, please finish it and turn the draft in by next class (turn your work in to our Google Classroom).

Short Stories; An Introduction to the 500 Word Short Story Draft: Day 1

Short stories:

Take a look at our introduction to short stories from Shmoop and How to Read Short Stories. Note any vocabulary that seems important concerning the short story in your journal.

Students often ask: "How long should my story be?" instead of realizing that any story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. This sort of open-ended question really has no answer. How long should a story be? Well, traditionally, short stories are shorter than novels. That's a good place to begin.

Short stories are shorter than novels and are usually not as complex or involved. Short stories were originally meant to be read in one sitting. As our culture has sped ahead, and we don't have much free time, short stories have become as short as a sentence or two and as long as the traditional short stories, fewer than 20,000 words. A short novel is about 50,000 words. Most publishers want novels that are anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 words or more.

Usually, a short story focuses on only one event or incident. It usually has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time. Most writing students start off writing short stories because they are manageable. But the form is tricky and hard to perfect. Many authors spend their whole lives learning the craft of writing short fiction.

Longer short stories usually contain elements of dramatic structure: exposition (the introduction of setting, situation and main characters); complication (the event that introduces the conflict); rising action (development of the conflict), crisis (the decisive moment for the protagonist and her commitment to a course of action); climax (the point of highest tension and the point the protagonist faces her antagonist); resolution (the point when the conflict is resolved); and a sense of enlightenment, epiphany, or moral.

Short stories may or may not follow this pattern. Some do not follow patterns at all. Modern short stories only occasionally have an exposition. An abrupt beginning, with the story starting in the middle of the action (in media res) is more standard or typical.

Usually, all short stories have a turning point and climax, but endings may be sudden or what is called "open"--leaving the story incomplete. As with all art forms, short stories will vary by author.

Let's read a couple (2) short stories this morning. As you read, notice the format and how each author uses dialogue, setting, description, language, sentences, a hook, plot elements, and conclusions. For each short story identify:

• POV (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person POV)
• Identify the speaker/protagonist
• Identify the conflict/antagonist
• Identify the setting
• Identify the theme or message of the story. We might also call this the premise. What is the story about?
• How does the title help make meaning or help focus the reader's attention?

Read two short stories today from the site. Record the titles and authors along with your answers on the handout to turn in for credit at the end of class today. 

Writing Time:

In the COMMENT section below, please leave me a comment about your favorite genre of fiction. Explain in a couple sentences why you like to read that genre or that style of fiction. What do you get out of the experience?

For those you who finish early, please move on to our next assignment: The 500 Word Short Story draft. See the handout to help you. We will continue to work on this draft next class. It is NOT due today.

HOMEWORK: None. If you are missing any assignments, please complete them and turn them in.

Poetry Performance; Short Stories: An Introduction

All poetry was meant to be sung or performed, let's take a look at some contemporary examples that sort of cross the genres a bit. As you watch/listen to the performance, note in your journal what you noticed about the performance and how the poet grabbed your attention. How, for example, was the performance effective in your opinion?

Derrick Brown: "A Finger, Two Dots, Then Me"
Sarah Kay: "Table Games"
Billy Collins: Two Poems About What Dogs Think (Tedx)

Now it's your turn to perform. Take a look at all the poem drafts you've written this past week. Hopefully, you have a few options. If you only wrote 1 poem, you're stuck with it. Otherwise, pick a poem you wrote that you would like to "perform" for the class.

1. Read and rehearse your poem with a partner. Every student should work with another person/peer.
2. Give suggestions and help each other perform better. Consider the tips we talked about with our speeches. Give each other some feedback:

• Are you pleasing your audience? Can we hear you? Can we understand you? Are you holding our attention? Are you too unfocused and confusing? Have you put energy into your performance or delivery? Are you boring? Are you making occasional eye-contact with your audience?
• Are you matching your TONE of voice to the TONE of your poem?
• Are you sincerely trying? [Avoid just going through the motions--an audience can tell that a performer just doesn't care or would rather be doing anything other than speaking...why should we listen to a person like this?]
• Are you reaching the goals you set out for yourself? 

When time is called, please deliver your poem to the whole class.

Remember: Good speakers...

• Make eye contact
• Speak clearly and loudly
• Use gestures
• Have energy
• Change tone
• Perform with sincerity

After our performances, we will move into our baseline fiction assignment.

Short stories:

Take a look at our introduction to short stories from Shmoop and How to Read Short Stories. Note any vocabulary that seems important concerning the short story.

Students often ask: "How long should my story be?" instead of realizing that any story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. This sort of open-ended question really has no answer. How long should a story be? Well, traditionally, short stories are shorter than novels. That's a good place to begin.

Short stories are shorter than novels and are usually not as complex or involved. Short stories were originally meant to be read in one sitting. As our culture has sped ahead, and we don't have much free time, short stories have become as short as a sentence or two and as long as the traditional short stories, fewer than 20,000 words. A short novel is about 50,000 words. Most publishers want novels that are anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 words or more.

Usually, a short story focuses on only one event or incident. It usually has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time. Most writing students start off writing short stories because they are manageable. But the form is tricky and hard to perfect. Many authors spend their whole lives learning the craft of writing short fiction.

Longer short stories usually contain elements of dramatic structure: exposition (the introduction of setting, situation and main characters); complication (the event that introduces the conflict); rising action (development of the conflict), crisis (the decisive moment for the protagonist and her commitment to a course of action); climax (the point of highest tension and the point the protagonist faces her antagonist); resolution (the point when the conflict is resolved); and a sense of enlightenment, epiphany, or moral.

Short stories may or may not follow this pattern. Some do not follow patterns at all. Modern short stories only occasionally have an exposition. An abrupt beginning, with the story starting in the middle of the action (in media res) is more standard or typical.

Usually, all short stories have a turning point and climax, but endings may be sudden or what is called "open"--leaving the story incomplete. As with all art forms, short stories will vary by author.

Let's read a couple short stories this morning. As we read, notice the format and how each author uses dialogue, setting, description, language, sentences, a hook, plot elements, and conclusions. For each short story identify:

• POV (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person POV)
• Identify the speaker/protagonist
• Identify the conflict/antagonist
• Identify the setting
• Identify the theme or message of the story. We might also call this the premise. What is the story about?
• How does the title help make meaning or help focus the reader's attention?

Try to read two short stories today from the site. Record the titles and authors along with your answers on the handout to turn in for credit at the end of class today. [If we're not done with this assignment, I will collect what you have and hand your work back to you next time to finish...]

Writing Time:

In the COMMENT section below, please leave me a comment about your favorite genre of fiction. Explain in a couple sentences why you like to read that genre or that style of fiction. What do you get out of the experience?

HOMEWORK: None. If you are missing any assignments, please complete them and turn them in.

Poetry Writing: Day 2

Poems can be a reflection--almost like a memoir or personal essay. Watch these performances of spoken word poetry and notice how the speakers reflect on their lives, but also speak powerful truth that reminds us, as listeners, of something we need to hear or may have forgotten...

Button Poetry #1
Button Poetry #2
Button Poetry #3

Poems should have a structure. They look different sitting on a page. They are not written like prose is written. They are special. However, they should be written using punctuation. Paragraphs in poems are called stanzas. When we change the topic or scene, we can start a new stanza. 

Poems are written using line breaks. Line breaks are important--because they mean something in a poem. A long line slows the pace of your poem. A short line speeds up the pace of your poem.

Structure: Dice poem exercise... Get ready to write. Follow these rules:

• Select a subject from your journal list. Or, since you're going to use dice, choose one of these themes: chance or fate, gambling, randomness, something unpredictable, games, probability, etc.
• Select 2 dice from the pile.
• Roll both dice to determine the # of lines for your poem.
• As you write each line, roll both dice to determine the number of words in each line of the poem.
• Write that poem in your journal for participation credit.

Take 10 minutes to do this. If you like your drafts from your journal, type up your work and print the file next door. Turn it in to me to read and I'll place the draft in your writing portfolio.

If you finish early, watch this video about advice writing poetry and jot down advice you want to remember in your journal (this is participation credit for your journal--and you may learn something!) Please use headphones, if you have them:

• What Makes a Poem (5 min.)

Poem Drafts for your Journal (write as many drafts as you can in your journal. You may repeat prompts as you'd like...)

Poem starters - Write a poem about:

• No one knows about... (use this opening line to write a poem that involves something or several things that someone doesn't know about you--or the speaker/narrator of the poem...)
• Three wishes (perhaps one wish per stanza; what would you wish for and why? Past wishes, wishes that came true, etc.) 
• Traveling to a special place or writing about going to a special place you visited when you were younger or in trouble, etc.
• Getting a haircut or writing about your first haircut experience; write about your first operation or visit to the hospital, etc.
• A scientific fact (real or invented) that fascinates you [Use scientific vocabulary to describe ordinary human activities, etc.]
• An insect that got into your home or an insect that you studied or observed in a particular place/time
• The sound of a specific language (a time you heard a new word or a different language)
• Death (the time you first became aware of death or mortality or loss)
• The number 3 (or your favorite #)
• The ocean (recall your first visit there, or use the ocean as a symbol for conflict in a human life)
• Missing someone 
• Something that makes you angry
• The ups and downs of love
• The view out of your window or your backyard or a room in your house
• City lights at night (lights in the morning or during a quiet rainstorm or snowfall)
• A particular work of art (ekphrastic poetry—find a picture and describe it or how you feel viewing it)
• Having a superpower (If I could…; or I’ll be…, etc.)
• Being in an airplane or on a train or on horseback or a bike (flying or riding for the first time)
• Playing a sport
• A shadow
• A person transformed into an animal or object (You are a…; describe a person as an animal or object, etc.)

HOMEWORK: Complete your poem drafts. Choose one to share with us next class. Otherwise, none.

Poetry Day; Reading & Writing Poems

Let's start off class today reading some poems to inspire us to write our own poetry. 

Literally, or denotatively, a poem is a piece of writing, often having figurative language and lines, that suggest rhythm and a visual image. We use figurative language when our writing goes beyond the "actual meanings of words (denotation) so that the reader gains new insights into the objects or subjects" in our draft.

Poems should utilize imagery (an appeal to the senses by using a metaphor, simile, assonance/consonance, alliteration, symbol, personification, onomatopoeia, specific nouns/active verbs, figurative language); poems do not need to rhyme. They should create a specific picture or image in the mind of the reader or listener. Usually, there is a turning point or volta near the end of the poem (or the last line)--usually to surprise the reader. 

All poem drafts should have a meaning, a theme. There are 4 themes found in poems (sometimes more than one of these 4 themes is found in a single poem!)

Poems are always about:

• Human life
• Death 
• Nature
• Love

POEM TASK #2: In your journal make a list of subject matter that you might write a poem about. Get a good list going. Then select one of your ideas and turn it into a poem draft. Take 5-10 minutes to complete your draft. Try to write relatively quickly, but focus on a single IMAGE or impression or emotion you are trying to describe. Consider the 4 different themes. For PART 2 of the draft, rewrite the same poem, but focus on one of the different themes. Consider how this changes a poem.

Poems should have a structure. They look different sitting on a page. They are not written like prose is written. They are special. However, they should be written using punctuation. Paragraphs in poems are called stanzas. When we change the topic or scene, we can start a new stanza. 

Poems are written using line breaks. Line breaks are important--because they mean something in a poem. A long line slows the pace of your poem. A short line speeds up the pace of your poem.

Structure: Dice poem exercise... Get ready to write. Follow these rules:

• Select a subject from your journal list. Or, since you're going to use dice, choose one of these themes: chance or fate, gambling, randomness, something unpredictable, games, probability, etc.
• Select 2 dice from the pile.
• Roll both dice to determine the # of lines for your poem.
• As you write each line, roll both dice to determine the number of words in each line of the poem.
• Write that poem in your journal for participation credit.

Take 10 minutes to do this. If you like your drafts from your journal, type up your work and print the file next door. Turn it in to me to read and I'll place the draft in your writing portfolio.

If you finish early, watch this video about advice writing poetry and jot down advice you want to remember in your journal (this is participation credit for your journal--and you may learn something!) Please use headphones, if you have them:

• What Makes a Poem (5 min.)

Poem Drafts for your Journal (write as many drafts as you can in your journal. You may repeat prompts as you'd like...)

Poem starters - Write a poem about:

• No one knows about... (use this opening line to write a poem that involves something or several things that someone doesn't know about you--or the speaker/narrator of the poem...)
• Three wishes (perhaps one wish per stanza; what would you wish for and why? Past wishes, wishes that came true, etc.) 
• Traveling to a special place or writing about going to a special place you visited when you were younger or in trouble, etc.
• Getting a haircut or writing about your first haircut experience; write about your first operation or visit to the hospital, etc.
• A scientific fact (real or invented) that fascinates you [Use scientific vocabulary to describe ordinary human activities, etc.]
• An insect that got into your home or an insect that you studied or observed in a particular place/time
• The sound of a specific language (a time you heard a new word or a different language)
• Death (the time you first became aware of death or mortality or loss)
• The number 3 (or your favorite #)
• The ocean (recall your first visit there, or use the ocean as a symbol for conflict in a human life)
• Missing someone 
• Something that makes you angry
• The ups and downs of love
• The view out of your window or your backyard or a room in your house
• City lights at night (lights in the morning or during a quiet rainstorm or snowfall)
• A particular work of art (ekphrastic poetry—find a picture and describe it or how you feel viewing it)
• Having a superpower (If I could…; or I’ll be…, etc.)
• Being in an airplane or on a train or on horseback or a bike (flying or riding for the first time)
• Playing a sport
• A shadow
• A person transformed into an animal or object (You are a…; describe a person as an animal or object, etc.)

HOMEWORK: Write poems. no homework. By now, you should have several pages written in your journal. If you did not complete these assignments, please do so for homework and turn them in late. [Late penalty applies]. Feel free to continue to write in your journal. Each page you write gains you more credit.