Notice: Before testing day on October 9, you need to make sure your computer is supporting bluebook. The following instructions will talk you through how to make sure your computer is ready for October 9.
October 7/8
Here it is, the last day of our poetry unit.
You should focus on two things today:
1) If you have not completed your project--complete and submit
2) If you are missing any of our formative poetry assignments (check StudentVUE), you have until the end of the day to turn them in. They become permanent zeroes in the gradebook thereafter.
October 6
Your Poetry Book Project is due, and you are getting today to finish what you need to.
If you plan on submitting the project electronically, turnitin is still having issues within our district, but we have found a workaround so that you can still submit.
In your Google Doc or Slides click on "file." Click on "download." Choose PDF.
Next step: in turnitin, head to your assignment and click "open." Scroll down and then click on "browse files." On the top left of the box that opens, click on "recent." Your PDF should appear. If not, please call me over.
October 2/3
We get our last poet for the unit, and for that we head to Graham's home of Scotland to spend a bit of time with Robert Burns.
The remainder of today's class is yours in order to work on your poetry book project--remember, it is due on Monday.
Also, a reminder that all the formative activities will no longer be accepted for credit after October 7/8. Once you have completed the project, I would take some time to complete missing formative activities (all those poems I wanted you to write) to help add some buffer to your grade.
September 30/October 1
Our penultimate poet bio will be for Joy Harjo. We will also have a Post-It activity connected to one of her poems.
That will move us into a Music and Words activity. This activity will need to be turned in before you leave class today.
The remainder of today's time is yours to work on your Poetry Book Project--remember, it is due by next Monday.
September 29
Today is all about finding the two poems from other poets you need for your poetry project. Your job is to find your two poems, get them typed up, and write your paragraph explanations. Happy hunting.
September 25/26
First up today, a rhyming activity to get your minds focused on those rhyming lines.
We follow that up with a Quick Discussion on Free Verse poetry. The main thing you will need to remember is that free verse basically has no rules. So, as long as you are not following the rules of our other poetic styles, you will probably be heading in the proper direction.
You will then get introduced to Pacific Northwest poet Sherman Alexie. This will lead to your final new poem assignment (see below).
Poetry Assignment: Heritage Poems
Due Date: Monday, September 29
Assignment: You need to create two poems, a minimum of eight (8) lines each, in which you incorporate aspects of your heritage. One poem needs to have an identifiable rhyme scheme. The second poem should be in free verse.
The remainder of today's class is yours to work on either daily work or your project.
September 23/24
The first part of class has up making sure you all have a turnitin.com account and know how to submit an assignment on the site.
From there, we travel to Spain to look a the work of Federico Garcia Lorca.
To help with your project, you will received some notes on Stanzas. The last slide of the notes contains your assignment, which is due by Thursday/Friday, September 25/26.
September 22
It's time to head south of the border....way south to take a look at Pablo Neruda. We will also use on of Neruda's poems as part of our discussion involving your last pass-along poem.
Here it is! Your Poetry Project. Make sure you understand what is required of you for the project. All projects are due by Monday, October 6.
September 18/19
The first half of today is dedicated to a Elements of Poetry Review Worksheet. You can either work on this independently or with a partner. You should turn this in before you leave the classroom today.
The second half of the class has you completing our second Pass-Along poem. I will be collecting this one, as it is connected to a conversation we will have next Monday.
September 16/17
Time to talk of our next poetry style and that is the sonnet. After getting an introduction to the sonnet, we will engage in a Sonnets in the Round classroom activity.
After the activity, we will take a look at the most famous sonnet scribe of all time--William Shakespeare.
To end the day, you will get your next poetry assignment
Poetry Assignment: Sonnet
Due Date: Monday, September 22
Assignment: You need to write one sonnet. You can use any of the three styles that you were introduced to. You need to have the accurate line and syllable count, and include the proper rhyme scheme for your chosen style.
September 15
Today, you are getting introduced to something called a Pass-Along Poem. Once we have completed this in-class activity, I will explain how it can become a tool for your own writing.
September 11/12
We will begin by completing the Elements of Poetry Part II.
From there, you will get notes for our first poetic forms: Haiku and Tanka. We will also take a quick look at two masters of the genre. The top dog himself is Basho. Next in line would be Buson.
That leads us to your haiku/tanka assignment. If the weather permits, we will take a little time outside to begin working on your assignment. You assignment is due Monday 15 September.
September 9/10
Let's finish up with Lawson Fusao Inada today by watching What It Means to Be Free. In this video, Lawson will talk through the history that helped to bring some of his poems to life. You will have a worksheet to fill out as we watch the video--that worksheet will be a guide to our post-video discussion.
From there, we start getting into some real poetry lingo. That's right, it's time for notes on the elements I would like you to focus on during this unit. I have the notes broken into two slideshows. Thus we have Elements of Poetry Part I and Elements of Poetry Part II. Make sure you get down the terms, definitions, and examples (if you need them). Remember, you can use your notes any time you want/need to.
If any time remains in our class, you can use it to work on your personal experience poems, remember, they are due by your next class.
September 8
Today you are going to be introduced to our next poet. This time it is Lawson Fusao Inada. During our next class, we will be watching a video in which he talks us through poems he wrote about his experience with the Japanese American Internment camps during WWII.
The remainder of your time today should be focused on beginning to work on your first assignment. Remember, the ideas for the poems in this assignment should come from experiences you have had (big, little, important or not).
Poetry Assignment : Personal Experience Poems
Due Date: A Day - Thursday, September 11 B Day - Friday, September 12
You need to write two poems, a minimum of twelve (12) lines each, which relate some experience that you have had. Refer to Stafford and Inada examples for what has worked in the past.
These poems need to be handwritten.
September 4/5
Today starts off with something that seems like it won't make sense, but I promise, it will. The annual Graham Sports Question. This will entail some student participation--be prepared.
Up next, we will take a quick look at our first poet, Oregon's own William Stafford. We will then watch the video William Stafford: The Life of the Poem. You will have a worksheet to fill out as we watch the video, and you will use the worksheet to assist with a discussion after the video.
September 3
Welcome to Creative Writing I. If you need to know about anything we are working on in class, this is your place. This page will contain all assignment and project information. Also, if you need to look at the syllabus, you can find it here.
With that said, today is all about introductions, which means that not much is happening yet. I'll save the cool stuff for tomorrow.
Please remember to get a notebook for our class as soon as you can.
October 7/8
Here it is, the last day of our poetry unit.
You should focus on two things today:
1) If you have not completed your project--complete and submit
2) If you are missing any of our formative poetry assignments (check StudentVUE), you have until the end of the day to turn them in. They become permanent zeroes in the gradebook thereafter.
October 6
Your Poetry Book Project is due, and you are getting today to finish what you need to.
If you plan on submitting the project electronically, turnitin is still having issues within our district, but we have found a workaround so that you can still submit.
In your Google Doc or Slides click on "file." Click on "download." Choose PDF.
Next step: in turnitin, head to your assignment and click "open." Scroll down and then click on "browse files." On the top left of the box that opens, click on "recent." Your PDF should appear. If not, please call me over.
October 2/3
We get our last poet for the unit, and for that we head to Graham's home of Scotland to spend a bit of time with Robert Burns.
The remainder of today's class is yours in order to work on your poetry book project--remember, it is due on Monday.
Also, a reminder that all the formative activities will no longer be accepted for credit after October 7/8. Once you have completed the project, I would take some time to complete missing formative activities (all those poems I wanted you to write) to help add some buffer to your grade.
September 30/October 1
Our penultimate poet bio will be for Joy Harjo. We will also have a Post-It activity connected to one of her poems.
That will move us into a Music and Words activity. This activity will need to be turned in before you leave class today.
The remainder of today's time is yours to work on your Poetry Book Project--remember, it is due by next Monday.
September 29
Today is all about finding the two poems from other poets you need for your poetry project. Your job is to find your two poems, get them typed up, and write your paragraph explanations. Happy hunting.
September 25/26
First up today, a rhyming activity to get your minds focused on those rhyming lines.
We follow that up with a Quick Discussion on Free Verse poetry. The main thing you will need to remember is that free verse basically has no rules. So, as long as you are not following the rules of our other poetic styles, you will probably be heading in the proper direction.
You will then get introduced to Pacific Northwest poet Sherman Alexie. This will lead to your final new poem assignment (see below).
Poetry Assignment: Heritage Poems
Due Date: Monday, September 29
Assignment: You need to create two poems, a minimum of eight (8) lines each, in which you incorporate aspects of your heritage. One poem needs to have an identifiable rhyme scheme. The second poem should be in free verse.
The remainder of today's class is yours to work on either daily work or your project.
September 23/24
The first part of class has up making sure you all have a turnitin.com account and know how to submit an assignment on the site.
From there, we travel to Spain to look a the work of Federico Garcia Lorca.
To help with your project, you will received some notes on Stanzas. The last slide of the notes contains your assignment, which is due by Thursday/Friday, September 25/26.
September 22
It's time to head south of the border....way south to take a look at Pablo Neruda. We will also use on of Neruda's poems as part of our discussion involving your last pass-along poem.
Here it is! Your Poetry Project. Make sure you understand what is required of you for the project. All projects are due by Monday, October 6.
September 18/19
The first half of today is dedicated to a Elements of Poetry Review Worksheet. You can either work on this independently or with a partner. You should turn this in before you leave the classroom today.
The second half of the class has you completing our second Pass-Along poem. I will be collecting this one, as it is connected to a conversation we will have next Monday.
September 16/17
Time to talk of our next poetry style and that is the sonnet. After getting an introduction to the sonnet, we will engage in a Sonnets in the Round classroom activity.
After the activity, we will take a look at the most famous sonnet scribe of all time--William Shakespeare.
To end the day, you will get your next poetry assignment
Poetry Assignment: Sonnet
Due Date: Monday, September 22
Assignment: You need to write one sonnet. You can use any of the three styles that you were introduced to. You need to have the accurate line and syllable count, and include the proper rhyme scheme for your chosen style.
September 15
Today, you are getting introduced to something called a Pass-Along Poem. Once we have completed this in-class activity, I will explain how it can become a tool for your own writing.
September 11/12
We will begin by completing the Elements of Poetry Part II.
From there, you will get notes for our first poetic forms: Haiku and Tanka. We will also take a quick look at two masters of the genre. The top dog himself is Basho. Next in line would be Buson.
That leads us to your haiku/tanka assignment. If the weather permits, we will take a little time outside to begin working on your assignment. You assignment is due Monday 15 September.
September 9/10
Let's finish up with Lawson Fusao Inada today by watching What It Means to Be Free. In this video, Lawson will talk through the history that helped to bring some of his poems to life. You will have a worksheet to fill out as we watch the video--that worksheet will be a guide to our post-video discussion.
From there, we start getting into some real poetry lingo. That's right, it's time for notes on the elements I would like you to focus on during this unit. I have the notes broken into two slideshows. Thus we have Elements of Poetry Part I and Elements of Poetry Part II. Make sure you get down the terms, definitions, and examples (if you need them). Remember, you can use your notes any time you want/need to.
If any time remains in our class, you can use it to work on your personal experience poems, remember, they are due by your next class.
September 8
Today you are going to be introduced to our next poet. This time it is Lawson Fusao Inada. During our next class, we will be watching a video in which he talks us through poems he wrote about his experience with the Japanese American Internment camps during WWII.
The remainder of your time today should be focused on beginning to work on your first assignment. Remember, the ideas for the poems in this assignment should come from experiences you have had (big, little, important or not).
Poetry Assignment : Personal Experience Poems
Due Date: A Day - Thursday, September 11 B Day - Friday, September 12
You need to write two poems, a minimum of twelve (12) lines each, which relate some experience that you have had. Refer to Stafford and Inada examples for what has worked in the past.
These poems need to be handwritten.
September 4/5
Today starts off with something that seems like it won't make sense, but I promise, it will. The annual Graham Sports Question. This will entail some student participation--be prepared.
Up next, we will take a quick look at our first poet, Oregon's own William Stafford. We will then watch the video William Stafford: The Life of the Poem. You will have a worksheet to fill out as we watch the video, and you will use the worksheet to assist with a discussion after the video.
September 3
Welcome to Creative Writing I. If you need to know about anything we are working on in class, this is your place. This page will contain all assignment and project information. Also, if you need to look at the syllabus, you can find it here.
With that said, today is all about introductions, which means that not much is happening yet. I'll save the cool stuff for tomorrow.
Please remember to get a notebook for our class as soon as you can.