Homeless Project

Homeless Creative Writing 

Time will be allotted for work on Friday, March 4.  There will  be no class time after that.  If students wish to come in during lunch, the classroom will be open twice on designated days (TBD).

Objectives:

Ø  to show evidence of proper punctuation in dialogue

Ø  To infuse writing with a strong character and sense of voice

Ø  To write a vignette-- A short piece showing considerable skill, especially such a composition designed with little or no plot or larger narrative structure. Often vignettes are descriptive or evocative in their nature. ...

Task:

Ø  Your task is to write a piece inspired by Charles Bukowski’s

poems “Flophouse” and “The Laughing Heart”

Ø  Have a friend or parent help you edit and read your story aloud to ensure that your dialogue is punctuated properly.

Format:

Ø  1.5 spaced

Ø  Typed or neatly handwritten

Ø  At least one page vignette

Ø  Include at least five exchanges of dialogue

Story Elements to Consider:

Ø  Why are they homeless?

Ø  What kind of a life do they have?

Ø  Will their conflict be resolved?

Ø  Will there be an antagonist?

Ø  Is the material appropriate for school?

Ø  Does the protagonist hide their life from friends and family?

Protagonist:  Feel free to develop your own, fiddle with the generator (http://selfpublishingteam.com/chargen/ya/), or research a real person and share your version of their story.

**Rubric on the reverse side**

**A two-point deduction will be taken if the paper is turned in without a rubric.**

Name:___________________________________________

	Loud and Clear! (A)	Speak up! (B-C)	Are you mute? (D)
Voice: The homeless character created is given life, description, depth,  credibility, and interactions with people.	ü  Has personality and shows how the character thinks and feels. ü  The tone fits the purpose and audience. ü  The writing is lively, expressive, and engaging. ü  The author cares about the topic and audience, and it shines through in the writing.	ü  Has some personality, but it is hard to identify the writer. ü  The tone is apparent in some parts of the writing. ü  The author does more telling than showing feeling. ü  The author cares most of the time about the topic and audience.	ü  The writing contains little or no personality. ü  There is no evidence of tone in the writing. ü  The author tells about feeling without showing it. ü  The author does not seem to care about the topic or the audience
Dialogue This includes every comma, quotation, end mark, capital letter, paragraph, and indent.	Few errors: 0-    3 errors	Several errors: 4-8 errors	Numerous errors: 9+ errors Did not include dialogue.

 

Punctuating Dialogue

1.  Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation--a person's exact words.  A direct quote begins with a capital letter.
                   "I was only foolin, George.  I don't want no ketchup."

2.     A direct quotation is set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma if the speaker is announcing it (incomplete sentence).
          “Yeah, they get mean.  They get so they don’t wanna talk to nobody,” Slim said.

          

3.     If a quotation appears at the beginning of a sentence, a comma follows it before quotation marks. 
      "Ain't a thing in my pocket," Lennie said cleverly.

4.    If a quotation falls at the end of a sentence, a comma comes before it, before quotation marks. 
            Lennie droned to himself softly, "I ain't gonna say a thing.  I ain't gonna say a thing."

5.   If a quoted sentence is interrupted, a comma follows the first part and comes before the second part.

           “Lennie,” George began, “is a big fella but he don’t mean no harm.”

6.   If a sentence introduces the speaker and is complete, use a period.

              Lennie giggled happily.  "I didn't forget that, you bet."
       George held out his hand.  "Come on, give it to me."

7.   A period or a comma is always placed inside the closing quotation marks.
        “I was only foolin, George.  I don't want no ketchup."

           "Ain't a thing in my pocket," Lennie said cleverly.

8.     A question mark, ellipses (…), or an exclamation point is placed inside the closing quotation marks when the quotation itself is a question or exclamation.  Otherwise, the question mark or exclamation point is placed outside.
          "What'd you take outta that pocket?"

9.    When you write dialogue, begin a new paragraph each time you change speakers. Indent.
   "Sure I can, George.  Hide in the brush till you come."
   "But you aint' gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won't let you tend no rabbits."

10.                       Use single quotation marks to enclose a quotation within a quotation.
   “Says here ‘positively eliminates scourges.’ What kinda bedding you giving us anyway?”

Homeless? DID I HOOK YOU?

So... when one nonchalantly mentions I lived in a homeless shelter a person may do a double-take.

Did you?

Want more details? 

I didn't choose this homelessness on a whim.  Earlier in the year you learned about the African genocide.  It's not just other places that have a large population of their population struggling to survive.  It all works into the humanity theme of the year. 

So here's the story.  Stories. 

1998/1999:
Bowery Mission.  NYC.  This shelter actually only has beds for men.  My group (all teens from the northern NJ) actually stayed in the shelter, but on our own floor.  Our accommodations were the same as the guys downstairs: mattresses slung on the floor with only a few inches between them to walk to your own.  We had all sorts of jobs: cleaning, cooking, prepping, organizing, or building.  I opted to build shelves in the basement.  What I DIDN'T opt for were cockroaches the size of a pencil...and not one of those worked-to-tip-and-chewed-on pencils.  I bet those cockroaches spent their entire miserable lives in that basement--- cans, boxes, breads, produce, and seasoning were piled LITERALLY floor to ceiling.  A cockroach would have a happy feast there day in and day out.  I bet if people knew what was going on in that basement, they'd have opted for a different meal--I know I sure did.  Our task was to make that basement more sanitary---wall to wall shelving units.  Work boots were a must  because of the construction dangers.  Although, I must admit, I was more happy to have a thick sole to stomp on scurrying cockroaches.  OH! That CRUNCH.  Ick.  Ever cooked for two hundred people?  Not an easy task.  Ever eaten dinner with two hundred people?  That's where I'll put my money.  Sitting and chatting over dinner was the best part of the weekend.  I met so many interesting people and learned many interesting stories.  My favorite was a group of guys that were actually earning their room and board by cooking and managing the kitchen.  After their kitchen duties, they would sing and write music.  There's no price for seeing the release that singing is and can bring.

More to come...
3 weeks in Yakima, WA
3 weeks in Denver, CO

"There Will Come Soft Rains" Text and Task Rotation

Text of "There Will Come Soft Rains"

There Will Come Soft Rains

pgs. 215-220

(to be completed for class work)

Mastery Between pages 215 and 220, you will find four “Words to Own” on the bottom of the pages.  1.   Define each of them. 2.   Which words are nouns? 3.   Which words are adjectives?	Understanding Personification is a figure of speech in which an object or animal is spoken of as if it had human qualities.  Ø Find four examples of personification in the text. Ø Recopy the entire sentence, underlining the human trait and circling the object being personified.  Example:  The fumes from the factory punched and pinched at my lungs.
Interpersonal Is the day near when “housework” will mean “work done by a house”?  In what ways does your house “work” for you already?	Self-Expressive Imagine that you are given the task of selling this neat house (before it destroys itself).  Using the template directly (or recreating a similar one), create a sign advertising this house.  Include: Ø a creative hook that will draw the reader into the advertisement Ø a list of helpful features Ø a picture of one of those features Ø a technological “contact” mode

Technology of Today and Tomorrow

I watched "Cinderella," "Aladdin," and "Beauty and the Beast" as a kid.  Kids today are watching movies about robots and the environment.  Take a peek (in case you haven't seen this amazing movie).

Think computers are smarter than humans?  Check this out.

Puzzles that computers can't solve? 

Do you tell your parents that you pay attention and take good notes in class?  With $150, they could actually monitor all that using one simple pen.

Ever used a tablet computer?  This is the newest version... but it's already three years old!

Sure that the iPhone is what you want?  Droid is upping the competition.

Creative Writing and Journalism

If you are interested in either of those course electives, your request must be made tomorrow, February 24.  After that date, I will no longer be able to recommend you.  Email me or see me tomorrow. 

"Smart" by Shel Silverstein (cartoon created by JO)

Websites and Poet Portrait Info

http://www.poetry.com/browse-by-tag/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poems/
 http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/

Your Poet Portrait must have:

1. poet's name
2. poet's picture
3. name of poem you are reading
4. names of published books of poetry
5. brief biography

Poetry Coffeehouse

Poetry Coffeehouse

Words mean more than what is set down on paper.  It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning. *Maya Angelou

Objectives:

ü  Select poems that lend themselves to being read aloud and/or performed

ü  Practice performance

ü  Present poetry reading to the class

ü  Use a rubric to rate performance

Poetry Requirements:

ü  Must cover appropriate material

ü  14+ lines (can be comprised of multiple poems)

Poetry Presentation:

ü  On the day of the coffeehouse, you must bring a “folder” containing your Poet Portrait (see template) and the poem.   A sample was provided in class for you to use as a guide.

Today:

Pick a few books and explore the options of topic, style, rhythm, and rhyme.  Once you find you like, recopy it so that you can practice.  The books are signed out to Miss Drosdick and Mr. Tatgenhorst for class room use only.

Tuesday:

Coffeehouse Poetry Reading! 

**Note: You will have today to find your poems and begin practicing.  We will not be spending Monday working on it because we will be going over the quarterly and “Mrs. Flowers” assessment.  Please use your time accordingly.**

**Your Poet Portrait will be counted as a grade, as will your reading.  Rubric to be provided.**

"Mrs. Flowers" tomorrow

The quiz tomorrow will  be 15 MC and 2 OE.
Use RAQE.

Review RAQE--
R=
A=
Q=
E=

DACH and RAQE!

Students,

I am in need of posters or pretty letters for the writing techniques of DACH and RAQE.  I wish I had the artistic skills to make them look awesome, but I don't. :(  It will be hung on the wall so the letters need to be big enough to see from across the room.  I'd appreciate help in this matter.  You may work in my room during a lunch period if you'd like to.

Thank you!

Xtranormal Video Projects

Can't wait to see what you came up with! 

Post your video web addresses here.

One Shot- New Ending
One Shot- Francis asks Nicole Out
Francis in War
One Shot- Francis and Nicole at the Laurier's Drugstore

PROJECTS

Projects will still be due on Friday but at the end of the period.

You would've had three school days and two days at home this week to get it done anyway.  We'll just use class time Thursday and Friday instead of Tuesday and Wednesday.