1. Monday, September 27, 2010 Silent Focus
If you had to choose between 1) Killing one person to save the lives of 5 others or 2) doing nothing, even though you knew that five people would die right before your eyes if you did nothing—what would you do? What would be the right thing to do? Write for 5 minutes, and if possible, try to argue both sides of the debate.

2. Writing ML # 2- Good writers use the elements of fiction in their writing
Dialogue- helps the reader understand the characters. Use real language and make each character sound distinct.
Blocking- think of these as stage directions. It tells where the characters are and what they are doing. The blocking sets the scene. Mama sat down on the unmade bed. She rubbed her hands nervously on her bathrobe.
Interior Monologue- shows us what the character is thinking and feeling while the dialogue and action are happening.

3. Setting Description- Where is the story taking place
Setting Description- Where is the story taking place? Use 5 senses (imagery/sensory) language to help your reader see what’s happening.
Character Description- what do they look like? What are they wearing? What are their habits? Their background?
Figurative Language- especially
metaphors and similes, make comparisons between the known and the unexplored- His teeth were like a weasel’s, sharp and pointed. (Simile) and
personification (gives human qualities to non-humans-The moon wept at the end of each month (Personification)

4. Childhood Narrative Assignment
Choose one of your memories from pre-writing to expand into a narrative essay.
You must use at least 1 example of each of the elements of fiction, with the exception of figurative language, in which case you will need 2 examples.
It should also include a Truism (theme or lesson) and
It should include an example of Ba-Da-Bing! (I walked, I saw, I thought to myself…)
It should be no less than 5 paragraphs. (With all of these elements, and telling your full memory in detail, this shouldn’t be a problem)
Rough draft is due Thursday, September 30

5. Extra Credit Opportunity!
Bring in a new box of facial tissue or a container of hand sanitizer ALONG with a piece of writing attached to earn up to 40 pts. of extra credit!
Your writing could be a poem, want ad, song lyrics, comic strip, mini-research paper on the origins of kleenex or hand sanitizer, short story, or other genre of writing, but it needs to fit on the container and already be attached!
You can bring in no more than 2 (20 pts. each)
These are due next Friday (October 8) or earlier.

6. Homework/ Closing
Work on your childhood narrative! Having a rough draft on Thursday is worth 30 points!
Book Reports are due by Oct. 8!
Log on to Townsend Press to do the Subject Verb Agreement exercises.
Extra Credit due by Oct 8!

7. Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Silent Focus
Read, She Thinks I Don’t Know
Write: What is this poem about? What are some of the elements of fiction that this author uses in the poem? Borrow a line and write your own poem or journal entry.

8. Reading ML # 5- Good readers analyze the main character (protagonist) of a story by paying careful attention to the details in the story.
To find out a lot about the protagonist you should look for:
sensory/ imagery (5 senses) language that describes that person physically.
what the character says and thinks.
what the character does (their actions)
The character’s motivation (why are they doing and saying and thinking what they are? What is their goal? What are they afraid of?)
The environmental (setting) factors that may affect the character. (For example, how might the society in which the character lives change the way they think and act?)
What does the author want you to think of the character? Why would the author portray this character this way?

9. Childhood Narrative Assignment
Choose one of your memories from pre-writing to expand into a narrative essay.
You must use at least 1 example of each of the elements of fiction, with the exception of figurative language, in which case you will need 2 examples.
It should also include a Truism (theme or lesson) and
It should include an example of Ba-Da-Bing! (I walked, I saw, I thought to myself…)
It should be no less than 5 paragraphs. (With all of these elements, and telling your full memory in detail, this shouldn’t be a problem)
Rough draft is due Thursday, September 30

10. Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Silent Focus
Read, She Thinks I Don’t Know
Write: What is this poem about? What are some of the elements of fiction that this author uses in the poem? Borrow a line and write your own poem or journal entry.

11. Agenda Word Power Session 5 Practice
Conventions ML #3 Subject-Verb Agreement Practice (9th Grade)- Test (11th Grade)
Reading ML # 5 (9th Grade only)
Reading ML #6
Read aloud- Elements of Fiction/ Protagonist Analysis
Closing/ Homework- Extra Credit Opportunity

12. Reading ML # 6-Good readers realize that the setting is almost an additional character in the story.
They make note of the details of time and place and how the setting changes or affects the main character and the events in the story.
Should be able to describe the setting of the story including the time period, place and the important “happenings” within that setting
Tone and/or mood are also part of the setting. Good readers pay attention to language authors use to create a certain tone or mood.

13. Extra Credit Opportunity!
Bring in a new box of facial tissue or a container of hand sanitizer ALONG with a piece of writing attached to earn up to 40 pts. of extra credit!
Your writing could be a poem, want ad, song lyrics, comic strip, mini-research paper on the origins of kleenex or hand sanitizer, short story, or other genre of writing, but it needs to fit on the container and already be attached!
You can bring in no more than 2 (20 pts. each)
These are due next Friday (October 8) or earlier.

14. Homework/ Closing
Work on your childhood narrative! Having a rough draft on Thursday is worth 30 points! (Monday for 9th Grade)
Book Reports are due by Oct. 8!
Log on to Townsend Press to do the Subject Verb Agreement exercises. (Subject Verb Agreement Test Thursday- 9th Grade)
Extra Credit due by Oct 8!