Day 178!

Happy last day of real class!

Today we will spend some time reviewing for your test Friday!

We'll start the day by working on this STUDY GUIDE. You can work with partners or small groups to complete this. Use the resources from yesterday to help you fill it out.

You can also use the Questions your classmates came up with to help you study!

With whatever time is remaining, we will play some review baseball!

Day 177!

Happy Tuesday!  I hope you enjoyed your long weekend!

Today, we will begin reviewing for our quiz/test on Friday! Below I have listed topics that we have covered this semester. With a partner, create 8 challenging test questions (with answers) that cover a variety of the topics below.  Think about the different activities we did, the notes you took, and the discussions we had in order to guide your questions. 

• Sensory Details
• Figurative Language See Types Here
• Elements of a short story
• Characters (see posters below) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• Character Sketch See Presentation Here
• Voice
• Dialogue Punctuating Dialogue Purpose of Dialogue
• Plot layers

Day 175!

THURSDAY.

Today, IF you are done with your revisions and your reflection, I would like you to start on the introduction to your partner's project. This is meant to be a forward to your book- it should introduce the basics of the author's writing style, and should sell the book to the readers.

In 2-3 paragraphs, be sure you cover the following:

• Include a brief summary of the works included
• Provide a brief introduction to some of the characters
• Highlight the common themes of the stories included
• Discuss the strengths of the writer's style
• Make your readers want to read

Here is the example from my book: 

"   A chimney sweep, a magic ring, and a little girl who aspires to be a princess ninja: all these and more exist in harmony within the mind of Bailey Loebig and are recorded here in a collection of four enchanting stories. Within Bailey's fiction, which ranges from haunting to purely entertaining, we learn that all things are not as they appear. The charming voice of a child reveals a dark truth from the past, and a little bit of musical magic is discovered by a young woman who suddenly finds herself thrust into the real world of adulthood. 

     In these pages, you will meet Emmalina, a budding musical prodigy whose adventure might cause you to reconsider what you have learned about Mozart. You will also encounter a retired chimney sweep, but not the sort that fans of a certain movie-musical might expect, and you'll enter the mind of an excited young trick-or-treater about to experience Halloween in the dark for the first time. 

    It is Bailey's matter-of-fact humor that will stick with readers long after the covers of this collection are closed. Through her subtle wit, the lines between the realistic and the magical blur, and the innocence of children and the fears and trials of adults meld together, helping us find the child within us and uncover magic in our own lives." 

Day 173!

Happy Tuesday!

Today will be another work day for your final projects. If you have already finished, that is great! Once you have finished working on your stories, please add the following to your books.

1. A title page to insert at the beginning of your book.
2. A reflection that answers the questions below to the end of your book.

Reflection Questions:

How did you feel about the revision process? What did you gain from the experience? What challenges did you face? How did you use your peers’ feedback to guide your decision making when it came to your revisions? Overall, what grade do you feel you deserve on this project and why?

Your final product will be evaluated based on the following "I Can" statements: 

• I can create fully-developed original short fiction pieces that include all elements of fiction.
• I can identify and utilize figurative language and sensory details in my short stories.
• I can identify the difference between various types of point of view and use them in my writing.
• I can develop strong primary and secondary characters in my short fiction stories.
• I can strategically use dialogue in my short fiction stories to control pace, build character, and create conflict.
• I can build inter-connected plot layers in my short fiction stories.
• I can use my peers' feedback to guide my decision making process when making revisions.
• I can identify what works well and what does not in my own writings as well as in others’.
• I can analyze peer feedback to decide which skills I need to work on.
• I can make significant revisions to writing based on peer feedback.

Day 171!

Happy Friday!

Remember, your first story should be revised by today! Today, you will have time to continue work on your next stories!

Please email me if you have any questions!

Day 169!

Happy Wednesday! I'm sorry you will miss me today! :)

Today, you will begin your revisions on your portfolio stories! But FIRST, take a look at these two versions of a story that I wrote. Pay attention to the changes I made based on suggestions that my classmates gave during workshop. These are the types of revisions I am looking for in your stories.

Your first story should be done by the start of class on Friday. Seniors, your stories should be complete by the start of class next Wednesday!

Dry Season-Rough Draft

Dry Season-Revision 1

Day 157!

Happy Friday!

Today you will start peer editing on your FINAL short stories! Cole F, Olivia, Clay, and Alex are up as our workshop authors this time. Please begin by sharing your stories as "Can View Only" with the entire class (and with me). You'll want them to be on "Can View Only" so that no one can steal your comments!

Please make a copy of the Peer Editing Forms and begin reading the stories. You may also print these forms out if you prefer.

I expect that you will get at least one full story read and edited during class. You will have Monday to work, and will start the workshop on Tuesday. So, PLEASE be using your time wisely!

Have a good weekend!