Connecting the Anecdotes

Use this trick to connect from one anecdote to another:

This second example mixes the order a little, but the approach is the same...

In hindsight, I realize that I had been profoundly jealous of Mina that day. Unapologetically, I was envious of all of the perfect things about my sister, and I was jealous of her exceedingly amazing talent and genuine kindness  I just thought that if she was going to be the perfect kind and forgiving one, I ought to be the tough one who doesn’t really care. Arguing never gets you anywhere, but neither does sitting around and doing nothing.  In retrospect, I now understand that jealousy is an angry thing.  Jealousy made me angry, bitter, and selfish.  Whereas Mina was kind, selfless, and basically perfect.  Just a few months after the football incident, I truly experienced one of my  most jealous and selfish days. My father and I had decided to watch our favorite TV shows, Battlestar Galactica, without Mina.

Editing for Figurative and Sensory Language: Try these approaches:

H/W

Writing Class
FINAL draft for memoir is due MONDAY. You need a digital copy with at least one (max. x2) images inserted. In class, we will add a videoed QR code and change the file to a .pdf. You will need you headphones for Monday's class.

Can you answer...How should the final piece be presented? .....

Reading Class
How are you studying for Tuesday's Word Study assessment? Look at Jen's visual association vocabulary image - Or are you just using flashcards?

Do not forget to look at previous blog posts to know what is coming next week.

Reducing Stress

Make a copy of this file.  2nd Qtr Book Club and Partner Talks. It should be saved in your Reading Workshop files under Book Clubs and Partner Talks.

What words and phrases from your Book Club discussions can you begin to start using in everyday life? Challenge yourself to learn and use this vocabulary

Tomorrow:
Do not forget a PRINTED completed DRAFT of your final memoir piece
You will need to hand in your cover page with QR code embedded  also.  Make sure you understand how to do this before leaving school today

Next Week
Mon: Final Memoir Due.  You can bring food in to share to celebrate ending this unit!
Tue: WordStudy Unit 2 Assessment (What do you need to do differently this time?)
Fishbowl -Partner talks (one or two groups per class have volunteered to be fishbowled)
Wed: Grammar: Opening and Delayed Adjective (This will be a computerized multiple choice)
Your grammar booklet on adjectives and adverbs ESPECIALLY THE BACK PAGE is very useful study tool. 


How do you deal with your STRESS?

Can you now FOLLOW these lessons to lead a SUCCESSFUL life?


Tomorrow, you will be hearing from an inspirational speaker, Salva Dut, whose life was written about in the outstanding novel by Linda Sue Park - A Long Walk to Remember. Listen VERY carefully to the message.

Memoir: Progress Report

I am finding it difficult to add feedback to many of your memoirs as so many of you do not seem to have your memoirs close to being finished. This is an important grade, make sure you are not leaving your work to the last minute! Below are two sample paragraphs from Teagan's work. The first is an example of setting 'background' using the 'status quo' technique - She used this very effectively as an opening for her entire paper.

 I have never really been the person to trust people with new things. I always try to think of the negatives and what could go wrong. I get this idea in my head that I shouldn’t do something; that it will be too hard or too dangerous. Over the past few years, people have told me I need to try new things. After a while I started to believe them and to realize they had a point. These are the moments I remember as clearly as if took place yesterday.

The second piece is an example of  the type of 'reflection - learning - change'  that could come at the end of an anecdote.

 If you asked me two years ago to do something like ski down a black run, I would never have done it. I would have been stubborn and started rattling off anything dangerous that could happen. I would have banished the idea from my head before the idea even got there. Before, I was totally content with staying in my comfort zone. Now? Now I do things I would usually never consider. Now I expand my horizons. Now I am not pessimistic and worried. Now I do not let negative parts of things hold me back from being adventurous.

This is another example of reflection on an anecdote, this time from Isabella.

In a way, I guess I enjoyed the feeling because I just started to laugh and sing out of no where. I could tell that my mother wasn’t exactly thrilled that I had in a way “cleaned the toilet” when I had only cleaned the cover. But it was more than that, I felt so free (almost), even though I was cleaning a toilet, I still felt as if it was my decision and I had this sense of freedom. Shock, was all I could read when I saw my mothers face. I stopped cold once I had finished examining, I hated disappointing my mother. “What are you doing?!” I told her I was cleaning the toilet, but it was all Lidi’s fault. Lidi was my best imaginary friend, we did everything together, but somehow in the end I was always the one bossing her about...she didn’t mind. My mother looked at me seriously, sighed, and chuckled as she added “Have Fun!” I was confused in a way but grateful in how my mother would let me continue my “moment of happiness”. Sweat was dripping down my head but I couldn’t care less I was as a three year old having the time of my life! Puzzled, there was still this pit that I could feel in the bottom of my stomach. To this day I still can’t figure out what it was, maybe it was guilt, maybe it was shame, or maybe it was even just simply my knowledge of what I had done wasn’t controlled by someone else. It was controlled by a big girl. Me.

Many of you will start to see 'voice' feedback on your papers. Go to this website kaizena.com and follow the instructions to give the app permission to be added to your google drive. Doing so makes it easier for me to email you your voice feedback.

Hope these examples help!

What have you been complaining about recently?

Smile...you've no idea how good you have it!

Editing and Redrafting

Use this file link for suggestions on how to edit and redraft some of  the scenes in your memoirs.

Use this file link to organize your edits and redrafts. You must 'drop' this file for me to see

Do you have a slow motion moment in your paper?


Next Week
Be prepared for book clubs by:

• Coming with a discussion topic/question
• Coming with a claim about the character(s)
• Coming with what you believe are the themes of your novel

Your final memory paper will be a .pdf version that includes some images. (I'll show you out to do this next week.) Be thinking about what images ( 2 or 3) you would like to use in your final paper.  You do not necessarily need to use  photos; you can get an image of the web that is symbolic or representative of your message. e.g. a mountain showing resilience You will need these images on Monday 22nd Oct.  (this is now the final submission date.)

Is there anything you would like me to say to your parents about you at conferences?

Have a great break!

Who holds your heart?

Digital Reading Response

Your written reading response is due tomorrow. Mentor is below:

Your digital reading response is due NEXT THURSDAY. Your finished product will be a printed image of your book cover (or any image that represents your story) with the video QR code embedded. It will look something like this.

Use this video to help you with put your digital reading response together.

Step 1: Make sure you make a video recording of your reading response

Step 2: The website you need is here: http://www.qrcode-monkey.com/ (this site allows you to put image of yourself in the QR code!)

Step 3: Follow the advice in the video. 

If you know how to do this without using the video feel free to use what every software you know.

You are graded on your spoke delivery of your reading response.  Bring your writing to life with effective expression and intonation.

You are also graded on your ability to follow 'multi-step directions.' Your ability to persevere and  show resilience if confused and solve your problem is also being assessed.

What is Love? This video is actually a great way to emphasize the difference between 'telling' an idea and 'showing' one!