Creative Writing: "Picture Perfect" Sample Images

Advanced Creative Writing: Feedback for Seniors

Underclassmen: please offer feedback to senior presenters regarding their body of work from the semester and their final examination presentations.

Advanced Creative Writing: Prompt List Development

I'm working on developing an "ultimate" list of creative writing prompts. Today, I'd like your help and input for this. Please develop and post at least 3 unique creative writing prompts here. Then, peruse the internet for 3 worthy writing prompts and post them separately.

F Block Seniors: Rhetorical Distillation Article

Click here. 

Film as Literature: Dystopian Unit (Part 1)

1. V says that "people should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." How do you feel about this statement? Why do you feel this way?

2. Click here to read an article exploring the popularity of the Guy Fawkes mask. In what ways does the mask reflect its historical origins? In what ways has it taken on new meaning or connotation?

3. Which dystopia do you find more plausible? Defend your position.

4. How do the two films' aesthetics differ? Which film is more successful aesthetically? Defend your position.

5. What does each film say about the writers'  and filmmakers' attitude(s) toward the direction of our society? What fears are represented in each film?

Creative Writing & Advanced Creative Writing: Preparation for Final Examination

Objectives: Students will develop and share a portfolio of their work from this semester. Process: Select a medium through which your work is best showcased (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.). Then, build a reflective showcase of your work. You should also devote time to revision and polishing. Include excerpts, pertinent images, and reflective contextualization. Be sure to include (and read) samples- strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement (drafts are useful for this). Your showcase should be balanced- expose the breadth of your work but take time to explore particular items in depth. Your presentation should last at least 10 minutes and must be accessible/displayable in class on the due date. Assessment: The ubiquitous creative writing rubric will be used to assess the quality of your writing as a whole.

Creative Writing: Irony (Eggers)

1. After reading the first Chapter of What is the What, identify 3 excerpts from narration or dialogue that contain irony. For each selection, compose a statement that defends your observation of the irony within.

Seniors: Class Poem

Seniors- submit your class poem here! Your teachers will select the best poem, and that poet gets to read his or her work at graduation!

AP Seniors: "This I Believe" & "The Moth"

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.

Film as Literature: "Killings" and "In The Bedroom"

Please respond to the following short answer questions:

1. First, refine and post your answers to the SMARTboard ("Killings") questions from Tuesday.

2. Which character differs most from story-to-film? How so? Defend your claim.

3. In order to generate a complete film, the screenwriter and filmmakers needed to expand or inflate the short story, which is relatively concise. How did they manage this expansion? Would you have handled it the same way? Explain.