S(no)w school

Happy snow days! I haven’t seen an updated finals schedule yet but we will plan to work on your books all class on Wednesday instead of doing a final blog post. I might need to hang on to them over break to grade but we will see. It will be okay! Right? Be safe.

Final Project: Altered Book Portfolio

Here is the link to the Altered Book Final Portfolio Project assignment sheet and the scoring guide for your reference.  The books are due at the beginning of class Wednesday, 18 December.  Make something you love and that you will enjoy stumbling upon one day down the road...

XOXO

This is... Photo Writing

Happy French Girl and Her Cat, 1959

I'd like you to do a New Post on your own blog with some writing about one of your own photos inspired by Katy Barber's "Photograph 1969." I'll leave it up to you to decide whether you'd like to arrange your words as a poem or a short piece of prose. I'll be looking for a vivid description of what we can actually see in the photo, followed by that "twist" we discussed in class, where you intimate or imply what else is "in" the photo...an understanding, an observation, a hint at something that came later, a bigger idea at play...something more. Please include the photo in your post. 

If you don't have a photo of your own or find that too personal, find a striking or interesting photo that speaks to you on the internet or in a magazine or use one we looked at in class and write about it in this same way instead.  Here are some historic photos you could use, and here are some heartwarming ones.  

Photograph 1969 by Katy Barber

This is my mother

lifting her hair long

like a low whistle

off her neck

These are her fingers

caught in the tangles

of brown and gold caught in

silver earrings

This is my father

reaching through the lens

to touch the edge

of a new family

to touch her opening belly

under her full dress

This is existing

before I exist

This is me growing up

against their lives

him watching for a sharp

breath from her looking out

onto the border of birth

this is bumping us into three

Photo Hunt

In a New Post on your blog, please share at least 10 of the photos you took during our Photo Hunt. Add a caption of at least 25 words to go with each photo, and include a clever #hashtag with each caption.  You can decide whether to label or otherwise indicate which photo on the list each was supposed to be.

At the end of your post, include a quote that suggests something about paying attention or writers noticing everything or the power of photographs.

Music and Writing

Option 1:

Create a New Post of at least 500 words on your own blog with the word "music" somewhere in the title and use the questions below (or ideas of your own) as prompts. 

• When you listen to music, what feelings/emotions does it evoke?
• What is your favorite song? Why? Is it connected to a certain time, event, or place?
• How has your taste in music changed over the years?
• Why do you gravitate towards certain types of music? Why do think you dislike certain types of music? (influences, history, parents)
• Do your friends listen to the same styles of music as you? What do you think this means?
• Without music, the world would be….
• Without music, my life would be…
• I admire the music of ___________, because he/she/they___________________...
• One event I connect to music, is the time when……..
• Is there any style of music that should not be tolerated? Why?
• Does music have the power to heal? How do you know?
• Music has the ability to change the mood of movies, television shows, and other performances. How?
• Is music poetry? What are some of the more “poetic” lyrics you can think of?
• What does music do for you that nothing else can?
• Would you ever want to sing or be a musician professionally?

Option 2: (you only need to do one or the other, not both)

Write a new piece of 500 words inspired by MUSIC...maybe a new song or a narrative connected to a memory, fiction inspired
by the lyrics of a song...anything!

Add images to your post to make it visually interesting...

Thanks! Hope you have a great day!

Soundtrack of (your) life

Using Google Slides, you will create a presentation that identifies at least 6 songs that you feel tell the story of your life or capture some of the key themes you live or have lived by.

Your first slide should include: a CREATIVE title for your soundtrack, cover art that you have created or found that captures the feeling of your soundtrack, and your name.

The following slides should include: 1 song per slide, the artist,  2 lyrics that are especially meaningful or connected to you from each song, 100-150 words explaining why you selected that song.

Your final slide should provide a 250+ word message to listeners you would include in the liner notes of your soundtrack. What would you want your listeners to be inspired to do, think, know, figure out, remember, etc. after listening to your soundtrack?

Example #1:  AE

Example #2:  DD

Example #3:  JC

Example #4:  OS

Sign up to present your soundtrack to the class on Friday or Monday if you hope to earn all the points.

Copy and paste the SHAREABLE LINK as a COMMENT on this post (hit enter/return after so that the link is live). Be sure the link is functioning. If you choose to forfeit the points for presenting, you still need to link to your slides below. Use the SCORING GUIDE to check that you’ve included all necessary elements.

It's the weekend!

Children's Book due Monday at the end of class.  Be sure to fill out the Student Score column of your blue scoring guide.

Journal due next Friday with 15 new, full pages.

Extra credit opportunity:  Donate up to 5 of these items for Shoeboxes for Soldiers.  10 points per item with a max of 50 points possible.

SHOEBOXES FOR SOLDIERS Items needed:

tan t-shirts, flip-flops, white or army green socks, hats, gloves, lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, contact lens saline solution, band-aids, surgical tape, gauze, Tylenol, Tums, allergy/cold medicine, Gold Bond foot powder,baby wipes, sunblock, chapstick, deodorant, razors (male/female), eye drops, Icy Hot, Qtips, tampons, beef jerky, dried fruit, Pop Tarts, hard candy, mixed nuts, granola bars, Fruit Rollups, ramen noodles, tuna in a pouch, gum, mints, bottled water drink mix, hand warmers, AA and AAA batteries, board games, handheld games, console games, puzzle books, puzzles, CDs, DVDs, pens, paper, deck of cards, duct tape, electrical tape, super glue

Childrens' Story Draf Peer Review

TODAY:  

Print 2 copies of your children's story draft, double-spaced and easy to read.

Put 1 copy of your story in the basket on Mrs. Fraser's desk.

Trade 1 copy with a friend.

Carefully read over your friend's story and mark:

• misspelled words
• punctuation problems
• extra, unneeded words or sentences
• logic problems
• inconsistencies--names, places, chronology, etc.
• places where more detail could be added
• at least 3 smiley faces on parts you like

Discuss with your friend.

Get your own story back and decide which changes to incorporate.

Begin work on your book cover?

Field Trip Opportunity

If you want to attend, please fill out the paperwork and return to Mrs. Fraser by Monday...

Ozarks Writing Project: 

2019 High School Writing Conference

• Friday, December 6, 2019
• 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Missouri State University Campus

The conference begins in Plaster Student Union Theater with an opening session with South African champion surfer and writer Shaun Tomson.  Students will then participate in two interactive writing working workshops.

Cost: $50 per student--includes lunch, MSU notebook and pen, bag, and swag.  This cost will be covered by the KHS ELA Department for students attending: therefore, only sign up if you WILL DEFINITELY show up.

2019 Schedule

Check-in: 8:15-8:45

Opening session in Plaster Student Union:8:45-10:30

Session One: 10:50-11:50

Lunch in Blair Shannon: 12:00-1:00 

Session Two: 1:05-2:05

Reflection and Dismissal: 2:05-2:15

What past participants said... 

"A perfect balance of fun, work, and inspiration." 

"I liked being on campus and sitting in classrooms." 

"I appreciated the open atmosphere and the freedom to write." 

More detailed instructions regarding the day’s schedule, parking, lunch, etc., as well as a permission slip, will be distributed to students the week of the event. 

Children's Story Deadlines

Today: Please finish and turn in your children's book story board for 40 points.

For class tomorrow: Please print TWO copies of your children's story draft, one for a classmate to offer feedback on and one for Mrs. Fraser to do so.  You'll also get a rubric for this project tomorrow, and one element worth points will be the peer review. 

Your finished children's book will be due on Monday, 18 November.  Thanks!

Tell us a story!

Everything childhood-related we've done so far (including this post) needs to be finished by the end of class Wednesday, 6 November to count for points--so we can be ready to put our books together.    

Please draft a children's story (300-500 words?) in the next few days, maybe first in your journal and then in a New Post on your blog.  You'll need your story to be finished and proofread by the middle of next week so we can put together our children's books. 

Give your story a great title and think about how your book will be illustrated (kids' stories are often all about the pictures!)

Children's stories aren't usually all that long, but because of their brevity, each line and word needs to count.  Try to make strong and effective word choices and eliminate any unnecessary rambling.  

Also, decide on an age group to target with your story and keep that in mind as you craft your piece. What would a kid that age know, want to know, think about, be scared of, find funny, etc.?  (I'm planning to send your books to my friend's 3rd grade class at Portland Elementary for the kids to review).

You may want your story to rhyme--seems like many kids' books do--but it's certainly not required. Your story could be funny or serious, silly or sentimental...

You are welcome to write about whatever you want, but there are a number of ideas for stories at this website if you're looking for inspiration, or maybe you could try the brainstorming process explained on this website.

I personally like the feel of Mac Barnett's work.  Check out his blog and ever-growing collection of children's titles. I also love his TedTalk.

If you'd like to use Book Creator to make your book our class code is 5QJRBCH. You are welcome to create a comic book on this site if you'd rather.

You could also use Storybird or StoryJumper (Password: fraserfras).

Remember the librarians posted their presentation to the Library page on Canvas for you to consult for ideas and tips.  

Or maybe consider these activities from Children's Book Writer:

Select one character, one character trait, one setting, one problem, and one magical element from the lists below and write a 200-250 word scene or story. To complete the exercise, eliminate the magical element and rewrite the scene/story. What had to change? Does the magical element make your main character, and the story he tells, any stronger?

Main Character (select one from list or create your own)

Cassandra

Joey

Lizard

Ardvark

Gollup

Character Trait (select one)

Shy

Curious

Loud

Slippery

Sad

Setting (select one)

Cruise ship

Hot air balloon

Zoo

School playground

Beach

Problem (select one)

Forgot lunch

Lost

Make a new friend

Bullied

Cold

Save the planet

Magical element (select one)

Skateboard

Bubble

Jumprope

Elephant

Dollar bill

...........................................................................................................

Select a beginning, a main character, and a moral to convey. Imagine yourself telling your tale to a rapt group of children... Keep interest high by using active verbs and phrases, use conflict to create tension, and try lots of dialogue. To complete the exercise, read it aloud!

Beginning:

My friends! Gather around, close to me. We are about to embark on a strange journey...

Once upon a time, in a land nearly forgotten...

I'm as old as the trees, as old as the stars in the night sky. Only I am old enough to remember what happened a long time ago...

Long ago and far away...

Character:

The Bovine King

Quiet Leopard

The Boy in the Moon

Two Sisters 

The Dancing Rabbit in the Moon

The Lonely Princess

Warty Frog

Moral or Lesson to be Learned:

Always practice kindness

A good deed can make a difference

Only you can control your attitude.

Sometimes things are not as they appear to be.

Don't be afraid to challenge authority