AGENDA:
Work on independent projects.
Set up book sale!
Prepare for Coffeehouse tomorrow night! 7 PM
Monday, April 30, 2018
Thursday, April 26, 2018
30/30 poetry prompts/Poem in Your Pocket Day
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/anthology/poem-your-pocket-day-2018
30 Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month _______________________________________________ 1. Grab the closest book. Go to page 29. Write down 10 words that catch your eye. Use 7 of words in a poem. For extra credit, have 4 of them appear at the end of a line. 2. Write about a poem about a superhero coming to your house and confronting you about something. Somewhere in the poem, you have to state what your superpower is. 3. Write a poem that is really a love letter to an old flame. To make sure it’s doesn’t slip into sappy, make sure one or more of these words are in the poem: dung beetle, politician, nuclear, exoskeleton, oceanography, pompadour, toilet. 4. Make a list of seven words that have the same vowel sounds (like bee, treat, pepperoni, eagle) and use them in a repetitive way throughout a poem. 5. Write a poem about a weird fact or several odd facts that you know. 6. Write a poem in two sections about two completely different things. Have the title link both items today in a surprising way. 7. Find a favorite recipe. Now write a poem inspired or in the style of that recipe about a family secret—yours or someone else’s. 8. Turn your paper so that it’s in the landscape position. Write a poem about God or the universe or the horizon of the ocean with longer lines and see what happens. 9. Write a poem to your favorite letter of the alphabet. 10. Write a seven-line poem about one of the 7 Sins that only contains seven words in each of the lines. 11. Write a poem that begins with the last thing you can remember someone saying to you today or yesterday. See if you can use that line two or three times. 12. Turn on the radio to any channel. Write a poem inspired by the first thing you hear (lyrics to a song, a commercial, etc.) 13. Run around your house and grab 5 items that all begin with the same letter. Write a poem as an ode to one of these items or that includes these items. 14. Think of the nicest thing someone ever said to you. Write a poem about a rainy day and something flooding. End the poem with the good thing someone said. 15. Write a poem that describes the wallpaper on your computer or the image on the last postcard you received. Writing Prompts by Kelli Russell Agodon – www.agodon.com 16. Make a list of ten images of things you have seen in the last 24 hours. Use all of them in a poem. 17. Write a poem that includes these words: bamboozled, bloodlust, bibliography. Have the title include one of these words: contradiction, constellation, cranberry. 18. Write a poem about something small that is only 5 lines long. 19. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. If the sounds are peaceful, write a poem with a violent word as the title. If the sounds are loud, write a poem with a kind word as the title. 20. Remove your shoes. Write a poem that celebrates your feet. 21. Write a poem with the opposite hand that you write with or if you type your poems on the computer, use only one hand to type. 22. Write a poem that only had five syllables in each line. Give the poem a long title. 23. Write a poem where the last word of the first line begins with the first letter of your name, and the last word of the second line begins with the second letter of your name until you have spelled out your first and/or your last name. 24. Write a poem that has the word “love” hidden in it somewhere. You cannot use the word “love” by itself, it must be hidden (such as in the word “glove” or in two words like “halo venom”). 25. Write a poem where a literary figure shows up and tells you something and/or gives you something. 26. Write a poem to your future self, but do not say it is to your future self, address the poem to a president or rockstar. 27. Write a poem made of ten metaphors. 28. Make a list of your favorite words today. Write a poem that uses 90% of the words you wrote down. 29. Write a poem about a skyscraper. Now, rewrite the poem with the last line being your first. 30. Write a poem giving thanks to a poet or to writing a poem a day. Use a line from one of the poems you wrote this month to either begin or end it.
30 Writing Prompts for National Poetry Month _______________________________________________ 1. Grab the closest book. Go to page 29. Write down 10 words that catch your eye. Use 7 of words in a poem. For extra credit, have 4 of them appear at the end of a line. 2. Write about a poem about a superhero coming to your house and confronting you about something. Somewhere in the poem, you have to state what your superpower is. 3. Write a poem that is really a love letter to an old flame. To make sure it’s doesn’t slip into sappy, make sure one or more of these words are in the poem: dung beetle, politician, nuclear, exoskeleton, oceanography, pompadour, toilet. 4. Make a list of seven words that have the same vowel sounds (like bee, treat, pepperoni, eagle) and use them in a repetitive way throughout a poem. 5. Write a poem about a weird fact or several odd facts that you know. 6. Write a poem in two sections about two completely different things. Have the title link both items today in a surprising way. 7. Find a favorite recipe. Now write a poem inspired or in the style of that recipe about a family secret—yours or someone else’s. 8. Turn your paper so that it’s in the landscape position. Write a poem about God or the universe or the horizon of the ocean with longer lines and see what happens. 9. Write a poem to your favorite letter of the alphabet. 10. Write a seven-line poem about one of the 7 Sins that only contains seven words in each of the lines. 11. Write a poem that begins with the last thing you can remember someone saying to you today or yesterday. See if you can use that line two or three times. 12. Turn on the radio to any channel. Write a poem inspired by the first thing you hear (lyrics to a song, a commercial, etc.) 13. Run around your house and grab 5 items that all begin with the same letter. Write a poem as an ode to one of these items or that includes these items. 14. Think of the nicest thing someone ever said to you. Write a poem about a rainy day and something flooding. End the poem with the good thing someone said. 15. Write a poem that describes the wallpaper on your computer or the image on the last postcard you received. Writing Prompts by Kelli Russell Agodon – www.agodon.com 16. Make a list of ten images of things you have seen in the last 24 hours. Use all of them in a poem. 17. Write a poem that includes these words: bamboozled, bloodlust, bibliography. Have the title include one of these words: contradiction, constellation, cranberry. 18. Write a poem about something small that is only 5 lines long. 19. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. If the sounds are peaceful, write a poem with a violent word as the title. If the sounds are loud, write a poem with a kind word as the title. 20. Remove your shoes. Write a poem that celebrates your feet. 21. Write a poem with the opposite hand that you write with or if you type your poems on the computer, use only one hand to type. 22. Write a poem that only had five syllables in each line. Give the poem a long title. 23. Write a poem where the last word of the first line begins with the first letter of your name, and the last word of the second line begins with the second letter of your name until you have spelled out your first and/or your last name. 24. Write a poem that has the word “love” hidden in it somewhere. You cannot use the word “love” by itself, it must be hidden (such as in the word “glove” or in two words like “halo venom”). 25. Write a poem where a literary figure shows up and tells you something and/or gives you something. 26. Write a poem to your future self, but do not say it is to your future self, address the poem to a president or rockstar. 27. Write a poem made of ten metaphors. 28. Make a list of your favorite words today. Write a poem that uses 90% of the words you wrote down. 29. Write a poem about a skyscraper. Now, rewrite the poem with the last line being your first. 30. Write a poem giving thanks to a poet or to writing a poem a day. Use a line from one of the poems you wrote this month to either begin or end it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Work on "Motif" Project
AGENDA:
"Motif" Project for The Hours will give you 25 points on your independent project.
Here are some other ideas:
"Motif" Project for The Hours will give you 25 points on your independent project.
Here are some other ideas:
MultiGenres--What Will You Use?
A Brief List of Genres:
- Journal Entries
- Personal Letter
- Greeting Card
- Schedule/Things to Do List
- Inner Monologue Representing Internal Conflicts
- Classified or Personal Ads
- Personal Essay or Philosophical Questions
- Top Ten List/Glossary or Dictionary
- Poetry
- Song Lyrics
- Autobiographical Essay
- Contest Entry Application
- Business Letter or Correspondence/Persuasive or Advocacy Letter
- Biographical Summary
- Critique of a Published Source
- Speech or Debate
- Historical Times Context Essay
- Textbook Article
- Science Article or Report/Business Article or Report
- Lesson Plan
- Encyclopedia Article
- Short Scene from a Play with Notes for Stage Directions
- Short Scene from a Movie with Notes for Camera Shots
- Dialogue of a Conversation among Two or More People
- Short Story
- Adventure Magazine Story
- Ghost Story
- Myth, Tall Tale, or Fairy Tale
- Talk Show Interview or Panel
- Recipe and Description of Traditional Holiday Events
- Classroom Discussion
- Character Analysis or Case Study
- Comedy Routine or Parody
- Liner Notes
- Picture book
- Chart or Diagram with Explanation and Analysis
- Brochure or Newsletter
- Time Line or Chain of Events
- Map with Explanation and Analysis
- Magazine or TV Advertisement or Infomercial
- Restaurant Description and Menu
- Travel Brochure Description
- How-To or Directions Booklet
- Receipts, Applications, Deeds, Budgets or Other Documents
- Wedding, Graduation or Special Event Invitation
- Birth Certificate
- Local News Report
- Pop-Up book
- Review and Poster for a Movie, Book, or TV Program
- Board Game or Trivial Pursuit with Answers and Rules
- Comic Strip or Graphic Novel excerpt
- Power Point Presentation
- Informational Video
- Web Site
- Future News Story
- Letter to the Editor
- Newspaper or Magazine Feature/Human Interest Story
- Obituary, Eulogy or Tribute
- News Program Story or Announcement
- Tabloid Article
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
THE HOURS "Motif" Story
AGENDA:
Work on THE HOURS Motif story---DUE MONDAY---
Contemporary Writers 4th Quarter project introduction
Work on THE HOURS Motif story---DUE MONDAY---
Contemporary Writers 4th Quarter project introduction
Friday, April 13, 2018
Hours quiz
AGENDA:
Quiz--THE HOURS--
Post a blog response to these questions:
13. What does the possibility of death represent to the various characters? Which of them loves the idea of death, as others love life? What makes some of the characters decide to die, others to live? What personality traits separate the "survivors" from the suicides?
16. Why has Cunningham chosen The Hours for the title of his novel (aside from the fact that it was Woolf’s working title for Mrs. Dalloway)? In what ways is the title appropriate, descriptive? What do hours mean to Richard? To Laura? To Clarissa?
Continue to work on your MOTIF story/poetry cycle/drama.
Quiz--THE HOURS--
Post a blog response to these questions:
13. What does the possibility of death represent to the various characters? Which of them loves the idea of death, as others love life? What makes some of the characters decide to die, others to live? What personality traits separate the "survivors" from the suicides?
16. Why has Cunningham chosen The Hours for the title of his novel (aside from the fact that it was Woolf’s working title for Mrs. Dalloway)? In what ways is the title appropriate, descriptive? What do hours mean to Richard? To Laura? To Clarissa?
Continue to work on your MOTIF story/poetry cycle/drama.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
End of marking period
AGENDA:
Post an answer to the following questions:
7. The Hours is very much concerned with creativity and the nature of the creative act, and each of its protagonists is absorbed in a particular act of creation. For Virginia and Richard, the object is their writing; for Clarissa Vaughan (and Clarissa Dalloway), it is a party; for Laura Brown, it is another party, or, more generally, "This kitchen, this birthday cake, this conversation. This revived world" [p. 106]. What does the novel tell us about the creative process? How does each character revise and improve his or her creation during the course of the story?
8. How might Richard’s childhood experiences have made him the adult he eventually becomes? In what ways has he been wounded, disturbed?
9. Each of the three principal women is acutely conscious of her inner self or soul, slightly separate from the "self" seen by the world. Clarissa’s "determined, abiding fascination is what she thinks of as her soul" [p. 12]; Virginia "can feel it inside her, an all but indescribable second self, or rather a parallel, purer self. If she were religious, she would call it the soul . . . It is an inner faculty that recognizes the animating mysteries of the world because it is made of the same substance" [pp. 34-35]. Which characters keep these inner selves ruthlessly separate from their outer ones? Why?
Finish incomplete work for marking period,
View The Hours
Post an answer to the following questions:
7. The Hours is very much concerned with creativity and the nature of the creative act, and each of its protagonists is absorbed in a particular act of creation. For Virginia and Richard, the object is their writing; for Clarissa Vaughan (and Clarissa Dalloway), it is a party; for Laura Brown, it is another party, or, more generally, "This kitchen, this birthday cake, this conversation. This revived world" [p. 106]. What does the novel tell us about the creative process? How does each character revise and improve his or her creation during the course of the story?
8. How might Richard’s childhood experiences have made him the adult he eventually becomes? In what ways has he been wounded, disturbed?
9. Each of the three principal women is acutely conscious of her inner self or soul, slightly separate from the "self" seen by the world. Clarissa’s "determined, abiding fascination is what she thinks of as her soul" [p. 12]; Virginia "can feel it inside her, an all but indescribable second self, or rather a parallel, purer self. If she were religious, she would call it the soul . . . It is an inner faculty that recognizes the animating mysteries of the world because it is made of the same substance" [pp. 34-35]. Which characters keep these inner selves ruthlessly separate from their outer ones? Why?
Finish incomplete work for marking period,
View The Hours
Monday, April 9, 2018
THE HOURS/End of marking period
AGENDA:
Watch movie.
Answer discussion questions on blog:;
3. Cunningham plays with the notions of sanity and insanity, recognizing that there might be only a very fine line between the two states. What does the novel imply about the nature of insanity? Might it in fact be a heightened sanity, or at least a heightened sense of awareness? Would you classify Richard as insane? How does his mental state compare with that of Virginia? Of Laura as a young wife? Of Septimus Smith in Mrs. Dalloway? Does insanity (or the received idea of insanity) appear to be connected with creative gifts?
4. Virginia and Laura are both, in a sense, prisoners of their eras and societies, and both long for freedom from this imprisonment. Clarissa Vaughan, on the other hand, apparently enjoys every liberty: freedom to be a lesbian, to come and go and live as she likes. Yet she has ended up, in spite of her unusual way of life, as a fairly conventional wife and mother. What might this fact indicate about the nature of society and the restrictions it imposes? Does the author imply that character, to a certain extent, is destiny?
5. Each of the novel’s three principal women, even the relatively prosaic and down-to-earth Clarissa, occasionally feels a sense of detachment, of playing a role. Laura feels as if she is "about to go onstage and perform in a play for which she is not appropriately dressed, and for which she has not adequately rehearsed" [p. 43]. Clarissa is filled with "a sense of dislocation. This is not her kitchen at all. This is the kitchen of an acquaintance, pretty enough but not her taste, full of foreign smells" [p. 91]. Is this feeling in fact a universal one? Is role-playing an essential part of living in the world, and of behaving "sanely"? Which of the characters refuses to act a role, and what price does he/she pay for this refusal?
Begin working on your HOURS MOTIF story.
HMWK: Finish reading the book for FRIDAY. Prepare for quiz.
Watch movie.
Answer discussion questions on blog:;
3. Cunningham plays with the notions of sanity and insanity, recognizing that there might be only a very fine line between the two states. What does the novel imply about the nature of insanity? Might it in fact be a heightened sanity, or at least a heightened sense of awareness? Would you classify Richard as insane? How does his mental state compare with that of Virginia? Of Laura as a young wife? Of Septimus Smith in Mrs. Dalloway? Does insanity (or the received idea of insanity) appear to be connected with creative gifts?
4. Virginia and Laura are both, in a sense, prisoners of their eras and societies, and both long for freedom from this imprisonment. Clarissa Vaughan, on the other hand, apparently enjoys every liberty: freedom to be a lesbian, to come and go and live as she likes. Yet she has ended up, in spite of her unusual way of life, as a fairly conventional wife and mother. What might this fact indicate about the nature of society and the restrictions it imposes? Does the author imply that character, to a certain extent, is destiny?
5. Each of the novel’s three principal women, even the relatively prosaic and down-to-earth Clarissa, occasionally feels a sense of detachment, of playing a role. Laura feels as if she is "about to go onstage and perform in a play for which she is not appropriately dressed, and for which she has not adequately rehearsed" [p. 43]. Clarissa is filled with "a sense of dislocation. This is not her kitchen at all. This is the kitchen of an acquaintance, pretty enough but not her taste, full of foreign smells" [p. 91]. Is this feeling in fact a universal one? Is role-playing an essential part of living in the world, and of behaving "sanely"? Which of the characters refuses to act a role, and what price does he/she pay for this refusal?
Begin working on your HOURS MOTIF story.
HMWK: Finish reading the book for FRIDAY. Prepare for quiz.
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