Updates

Quote: "Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." --Bill Gates

Bibliography extension: Due Tuesday, March 4th

Both "Cathedral" and "To Room 19" should be finished by Friday (Monday for Mock Trial Team)

Characterization questions due Monday.

Many people still need to complete synopsis/elements of fiction for the YA/Juv book--was due today!

Last day in the lab

Excessive and unnecessary talking in the lab will result in negative points towards this project. You may or may not be notified when these points are attributed. Conversely, quiet and diligent work will be rewarded with positive points towards your project.

Quiz on the second short fiction ("Cathedral" or "To Room 19") Friday.
YA or Juv fiction reading must be completed by tomorrow. Don't forget to return the book!

Bibliography due Friday--

• Check the assignment to see how many sources are required
• It must be in proper MLA format.
• Use your MLA handouts from English class, or see me for a handbook to borrow.

Characterization questions (About the story you're going to write), due Monday--

1. How old is the main character (Remember, the readers age 9-13 must be able to relate to this character)?
2. What gender is the main character? What does he look like? (Give detailed physical description)
3. What are her personality traits? What does she like to do, hate to do, etc?
4. What personal difficulties does he have? For example, does he have trouble waiting, cheating, lying?
5. How do her friends see her? What would they say about her if asked to describe her?
6. What major mistakes has he made in the past? (Remember, he is a child still, so this mistake will seem less important to an adult)
7. Who is her mentor? Why?
8. What historical event is taking place during his childhood and early adolescence? How does it impact his life? (The character does not necessarily have to be "in" the conflict--it may indirectly affect him)
9. What is the conflict of the story? (What problem is she directly involved in?) How is this problem affecting her?
10. How does his past mistake(s) help him make decisions about this new conflict?

In the Lab TODAY

First, take the reading comprehension quiz over either "Cathedral" or "To Room Nineteen."

• Go to www.classmarker.com
• Login with the information Ms. Miller gave you.
• Take the appropriate quiz.
• Then log off.
• No looking at the person next to you!
• No talking!

When you're finished, continue working on your Historical Fiction Project. Today you should

• Finalize the place and time you're writing about.
• Begin to study, in depth, the major historical events during the time.

Historical Fiction

Today in the lab, you're going to determine the time and place of your setting.
Specifically, you must

• Choose a decade between 1800-1970
• Choose a town, city, or specific area in any of the fifty states

As you work, you'll need to take notes on various aspects of the time and place you're writing in. Such as

• Major historical events taking place in the decade
• Information about people's daily lives in the decade (Were there telephones? Were women citizens?
• Sub-cultures--a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.
• How particular people in the decade and place behaved--Were women able to vote? Was it normal for a child to defy a parent?
• The geographic information about the town/city your characters will live in
• The way people in this time and place earned money

Use the links below to help you get started. Be sure all sites you use are reliable and collect bibliographic information as you work. All sites must be cited.

TIME
Animated Atlas --Timeline by Animated Atlas
American History Timeline--Smithsonian
American Memory Timeline--Library of Congress

PLACE
Fifty States--Information about each state
Interactive Map--Brief information on states
50 States--Unbelievably long list of links to information in each state

Remember: We have Britannica Online and other useful sources avaliable!

HW: Begin reading either "Cathedral" or "To Room Nineteen"

Historical Fiction Project

Historical Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction

Assignment Objective:
To write an original piece of short fiction aimed at an audience ages 9-13, set during a historically significant event, which explores a coming of age situation and models a wise decision made or lesson learned.

Requirements:
a Read a published model of YA or Juvenile Historical Fiction
o Complete the book by Thursday, 2/28
o Create a list of all of the Elements of Fiction for the story
o Write a book review of the book, including a short synopsis—1 pg or less typed
a Research the decade you’re assigned
o At least 1 print source
o At least 2 reliable internet sources (.org, .gov, .edu)
o At least 1 online database source
a Create a bibliography
o MLA format
o Include model story
a A 10-15 page young adult/juvenile historical short fiction which:
o Includes a historical event
o Includes a main character who experiences a rite of passage*
o Includes all of the elements of fiction

Please note: Your character’s rite of passage does not have to be directly connected to the historical event. In fact, the historical event could be in the background of the play, or the source of the main conflict in your play. These decisions are up to you as a writer.

Due Monday

Read both "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver and "To Room 119" by Doris Lessing. For each identify the Characters, Conflict, Setting, Plot, Theme and Point of View.

St. Valentine's Day

First, finish the Publishing activity. Print and turn in today (tomorrow, at the latest).

Then, in honor of the day, read the history of Valentine's day and some of the greatest love poems ever written. Then write one of your own--due Monday.


I will collect Journals next week. Check previous blog entries to find missed quotes. This week, we've only had one quote,

Tuesday:
"Few people even scratch the surface, much less exhaust the contemplation of their own experience."--Randolph Bourne

Short Research Project--Publication

The links below are to my PSM Intranet Page for Creative Writing. You will not be able to reach them outside of PSM.

Complete the short research project "Publishing Options for Creative Writers"
Due Monday, 2/18
In class today, you should be able to complete apx half of this assignment

CW intranet homepage:
http://intranet.psm.k12.il.us:2003/Teachers/millers/creative%20writing/Creative%20Writing.htm