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.