Creative Writing: Class Work for 2-26

1. Access “The Plot Sickens” document posted to our Edline page. Read the document and reflect on a) the author’s criticisms of young contemporary writers and b) how your free-write either substantiates, or deviates from, her claim. 

2. Submit your final free-write as a new post to your blog. Below your free-write, offer a paragraph reflection in response to the prompt:  how does your free-write product either substantiate or deviate from the author’s claim regarding the tendencies and flaws of young writers? Include quotes from the Edline piece to assert that you've read and thought carefully. Please title the post: “The Plot Sickens: Free-write & Reflection.” 

3. Please use the remainder of your time to link your peers to your blog if you have not yet done so. Then, visit your peers’ blogs and offer feedback (via comment) to their Self-Deprecation pieces. 

HW: be sure that today’s submission is posted to your blog for grading.

Film as Literature Class Work: 2-26

1. Log into Edline and visit our class page. Read the file: “Keough’s Oz.” As a comment to this post (click “comments” below, identify and explain 3 potential movie selections that you would be able to use for this project. Be sure to sign your comment.

2. Then, begin our collaborative work for a Shared Google document (linked here). As I mentioned, we are going to build a Glossary of Film Terminology. Type your name next to a letter of the alphabet and get started- browse the web for existing glossaries to draw from, and input terms and definitions that you feel are relevant to our course. If you exhaust the options for a particular letter, begin a new one. Keep it going.

Homework: Begin Throwback Assignment (due Tuesday, March 10): students will revisit and re-watch a childhood film and complete a reflective analysis in the style of Keough.

Advanced Creative Writing: COW Work

Before you develop your own “This I Believe” statement, peruse and listen to existing testimonials here. Use the “explore” tab to search for 5 intriguing statements. For each statement, note the following:

1. author/speaker

2. crux or “thesis” of statement

3. 3 observations regarding style, delivery, structure, or other storytelling elements

4. your attitude in relation to the speaker’s

Once you have completed this step, begin constructing and refining your own statement.


Visit “The Moth” site. Select and listen to 3 stories. For each story, note the following:

1. speaker and title

2. theme of the story

3. 3 observations regarding style, delivery, structure, or other storytelling elements

4. your attitude in relation to the speaker’s story

5. a score (based on our rubric)

Then, click here to learn some storytelling tips. Once you have completed this step, begin constructing and refining your own story.