Music as Inspiration--Assignment #9

Play that Song

Turn on music that you love. Listen carefully.

1. How does the song make you feel?

Tap into the emotions the song conjures up. Consider the mood that the song sets. With a focus on that feeling—joy, sadness, triumph, love, regret, whatever it is—write a piece that also conveys the same emotion.

2. What do the lyrics make you think about?

Sometimes the lyrics will tell a story; try to expand on that story by writing it in prose form. Or perhaps the song gives you a portrait of a character; use that description and fill in the blanks to create your own scene. Or finally, the lyrics may take you back to a time in your past; mine that memory for inspiration and write about your own experience.

3. What kind of story would use this song as a soundtrack?

Imagine the story you are about to write will be made into a movie (we can dream, right?) and this song will be on the soundtrack. Use the song to dream up a movie-worthy plot point or to envision a new setting or character.

What type of music inspires you? Is there a specific song that really moves you?

Book of qualities Assignment #8

Link to Ruth Gendler's blog and website:

www.ruthgendler.com/

Examples:

https://mseffie.com/assignments/book_of_qualities/Qualities.html

 New Writing Project:  Assignment #8

The Qualities

Create two "quality" personifications similar to the ones that Ruth Gendler has written.

Select an emotion and give it the qualities of a human being--personification!  How does this emotion act, "feel", live?  Who are friends of this emotion?  What does this emotion look like physically (if he or she were a person)?  Use vivid DESCRIPTION to PERSONIFY this emotion.

Those of you who would like to can also draw a picture of your "character" and we will try to publish a class book of "The Qualities" at the end of the marking period

Assignment #7 Ekphrastic Poetry

Ekphrastic Poetry

AGENDA:

EQ: What is ekphrastic poetry?

Ekphrasis is writing about any art form, but in its modern usage, ekphrasis generally refers to poetry that reflects on visual art, and most often painting. In my classroom, I often choose one or two artists for an in-depth study. Once my students are experts about the artists, they each choose a meaningful piece of work to inspire a poem. 

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2016/04/ekphrasis-poetry-about-art
http://americanart.si.edu/education/pdf/Ekphrastic_Poetry_Lesson.pdf

http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/classicscene.html

The Red Wheelbarrow

William Carlos Williams, 1883 - 1963

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

ACTIVITY:

Students select a postcard or find artwork on the internet.  Write a poem describing or inspired by the artwork.

Assignment #6: Photos As Writing Prompt

Assignment #6

AGENDA:

Let's use photography prompts for writing a short story.

Find a photograph you like and write a story using character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme!

Websites that have interesting photography prompts.

Go to http://writingfix.com/classroom_tools/picture_prompts.htm

https://writeshop.com/creative-writing-photo-prompts-imagination/

http://seduc.csdecou.qc.ca/sec-anglais/files/2014/10/101-Picture-Prompts-to-Spark-Super-Writing.pdf

EXTRA CREDIT:

https://www.writingforward.com/writing-prompts/creative-writing-prompts/25-creative-writing-prompts

Assignment 3, 4, 5 Where I'm From Poem and Video

Where I'm From/ George Ella Lyon

AGENDA:

1. Review:
Assignment #1---MLA Heading on paper, 12 pt. Times Roman font  Heart Map or Writing Prompt
Assignment #2--From your list, write about one of your SPECIFIC Heart Map ideas (at least one page double-spaced)
Print out Assignments 1 and 2 today and put in your folder


2. Begin working on "Where I'm From" poems which we will turn into a movies next week with Moviemaker by adding images and music.

FILL OUT THE TEMPLATE!

Look over Examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG3iP08HKZA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ0bHaFsPx8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVryvxLTIyU 

2. Show video of original poem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdnHl_yW1dQ 

3. HANDOUT: Where I'm From template--Write your own "Where I'm From" poem in a Word or Google Doc using the model and the template

First Week Writing Prompts

AGENDA:

1. Finish working on your heart map

2. Choose something from your heart map to write about or choose something from the list below

1 pg.

12 pt. font. double-spaced, Times New Roman

Use header as follows:

Your name

Ms. Gamzon

CW7

Date

3. First Week Writing Prompts

Here are some questions to help you with your descriptive writing.

1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)

2. Tell me something that made you laugh today.

3. If you could choose, who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?)

4. Where is the coolest place at the school?

5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.)

6. If I called your teacher tonight, what would she tell me about you?

7. How did you help somebody today?

8. How did somebody help you today?

9. Tell me one thing that you learned today.

10. When were you the happiest today?

11. When were you bored today?

12. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed someone up, who would you want them to take?

14. Tell me something good that happened today.

15. What word did your teacher say most today?

16. What do you think you should do/learn more of at school?

17. What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?

18. Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to?

20. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny?

21. What was your favorite part of lunch?

22. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you do?