1. Warm-up 2.3 When sharing a personal story from your own life, what do you feel are the best ways to go about this, to provoke emotion and interest or sympathy in the minds of your readers? Please have out: Cask of Amontillado Study Guide This I Believe (TIB) worksheets: Values & Important Moments

2. What is Narrative Writing? Narrative writing is specific and focused. Narrative writing is specific and focused. It is not just writing random facts about your life and hoping they come out okay. It is not just writing random facts about your life and hoping they come out okay. It follows a specific plot chart, focuses on a single time (or time period of your life) and shows that you learned something through it and became the better for it. It follows a specific plot chart, focuses on a single time (or time period of your life) and shows that you learned something through it and became the better for it.

3. What is Memoir Writing? Memoir writing is also specific and focused Also not random facts May or may not follow a plot chart Provides commentary on an object, person, place, event, or idea, and how that thing helped shape one’s identity or beliefs, whether in a moment, or over a longer course of time Shows how you, the writer, have become stronger in your mind

4. Personal Essay: Notes When writing a personal essay, write with: Precision : making things exact, accurate, well- defined Precision : making things exact, accurate, well- defined Details : comprehensive, in depth, thorough Details : comprehensive, in depth, thorough Sensory details: utilizing sight, sound, touch, taste or smell Sensory details: utilizing sight, sound, touch, taste or smell Vividness: vibrant, colorful, dramatic, bright Vividness: vibrant, colorful, dramatic, bright

5. Vivid Writing (activity, next page in your notebook) I will assign you a letter, A or B. I will assign you a letter, A or B. Based on your letter, you will do one of the following: Based on your letter, you will do one of the following: Write the most amazing paragraph ever! 7+ sentences, using as much description as you possibly can. Write the most amazing paragraph ever! 7+ sentences, using as much description as you possibly can. Write the most boring paragraph ever of what you are about to see. Do not use precision, details, sensory details, or vivid descriptions. Write the most boring paragraph ever of what you are about to see. Do not use precision, details, sensory details, or vivid descriptions.

6. Vivid Writing We will walk outside and silently write what we see about the grass area in front of us. We will walk outside and silently write what we see about the grass area in front of us. A’s: Describing with precision, detail, sensory details, and vivid words. A’s: Describing with precision, detail, sensory details, and vivid words. B: making it boring. B: making it boring.

7. What else does a personal essay have? An engaging attention grabber An engaging attention grabber A plot chart (more or less defined) A plot chart (more or less defined) Plot : main storyline, what is occurring Plot : main storyline, what is occurring Characters : actors part in the story Characters : actors part in the story Setting : location and situation Setting : location and situation Climax : pinnacle of the action Climax : pinnacle of the action Ending : conclusion of the story  goes along with… Ending : conclusion of the story  goes along with… Lesson learned (theme!) Lesson learned (theme!)

8. What else does a personal essay have? Commentary: Explore the person, place, thing, idea, or event that shaped you into the person that you are today. Spend 1-2 paragraphs explaining the deeper significance. Commentary: Explore the person, place, thing, idea, or event that shaped you into the person that you are today. Spend 1-2 paragraphs explaining the deeper significance.

9. Dialogue A strong personal essay will also have dialogue. A strong personal essay will also have dialogue.

10. How to Correctly Use Dialogue in Your Writing (

11. What is dialogue? Dialogue is a direct quotation – a person’s exact words. Ex: Dominic’s mom said, “I’m so proud of your grades.”

12. Capitalizing Dialogue Dialogue usually starts with a capital letter. Dialogue usually starts with a capital letter. Ex: Michael blurted, in the middle of class, “We are going to win the game against Argonaut this Friday!” Ex: Michael blurted, in the middle of class, “We are going to win the game against Argonaut this Friday!” When an expression identifying the speaker interrupts the dialogue, the second part of the dialogue begins with a lower case letter. When an expression identifying the speaker interrupts the dialogue, the second part of the dialogue begins with a lower case letter. Ex: “Where,” asked Mrs. Dewey, “are my keys?” Ex: “Where,” asked Mrs. Dewey, “are my keys?”

13. Periods in Dialogue Only put a period inside the ending quotation marks if it is the end of the sentence – no words can follow it. Only put a period inside the ending quotation marks if it is the end of the sentence – no words can follow it. Ex: Mikko told Brooke, “The Giants are waaaay better than the Dodgers.” BAD Example: “No way. The Dodgers are awesome.” Brooke replied. (can’t put a period inside the quote because words come after it)

14. Comma instead of a period If the dialogue is a statement and you can’t use a period inside the quotations because it isn’t the end of the sentence, use a comma instead. If the dialogue is a statement and you can’t use a period inside the quotations because it isn’t the end of the sentence, use a comma instead. Ex: “Lorde is awesome,” Rosie said. Ex: “Lorde is awesome,” Rosie said.

15. Question and Exclamation Marks Question marks and exclamations can go inside the quotation marks – even if it isn’t the end of the sentence. Question marks and exclamations can go inside the quotation marks – even if it isn’t the end of the sentence. Ex: Tres was terrified when Addie creeped up on him, and he exclaimed, “Oh my golly gee willikers!” Ex: Tres was terrified when Addie creeped up on him, and he exclaimed, “Oh my golly gee willikers!” Ex: “Do you know how I broke my arm?” Levi asked. Ex: “Do you know how I broke my arm?” Levi asked.

16. Dialogue Between Two People When two people are talking to each other, you have to start a new paragraph in between their dialogue. When two people are talking to each other, you have to start a new paragraph in between their dialogue. Ex: Brennan asked Mrs. Dewey, “Is my essay long enough?” “Yes, if you followed the sentence requirements I gave,” she replied. “Yes, if you followed the sentence requirements I gave,” she replied.

17. Your Turn! You will pass silent notes to each other for the next five. However, you must write in dialogue form, and must keep your conversations appropriate. Be ready to share. For example: “Did you go to homecoming?” asked Hope. Kalena replied, “Naah. I had a sleepover instead!” “Awesome!” said Hope. “How late did you stay up?”...

18. Reminders!! If I have not checked every homework piece, I will continue to do so during our reading time on Thursday. If I have not checked every homework piece, I will continue to do so during our reading time on Thursday. Cask of Amontillado study guides Cask of Amontillado study guides “This I Believe” worksheets: Values and Important Moments “This I Believe” worksheets: Values and Important Moments