Less than ONE Day till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
What will happen in the beginning of your novel?

Beginnings
Word Counts

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THREE days till NaNoWriMo!!

Do Now:
Describe a setting where your protagonist has been spending a lot of time.  Be specific, include lots of details, maybe even throw in some figurative language.

Lets read about setting.

Writing partners: What can you tell about the character from the description of the setting?
Plot Review: Share your plan for the plot of your novel with your partner.
Check yourself and each other. Is the climax really the most important and exciting moment in your novel?
HOMEWORK: Write an entry in your Writer's Notebook to describe a setting where your antagonist spends a lot of time.

Time for a pep talk:

FOUR days till NaNoWriMo

Do Now:
Explain what you learned (or already knew) from the reading you did last night about plot. What are your thoughts so far about the plot of your novel?

Plotting
Plot Generator
36 Plot Ideas

FIVE days till NaNoWriMo

Do Now:
Describe the character you have created (your protagonist) and the conflict he or she has with one or more antagonists.

Trying on writing partners:  I'm going to give you a chance to meet and talk with several writing partners in a moment. Make sure you know the names of the people you speak with. (Write them down on your index card.) Tell each one about your characters and conflicts. Listen to the advice they give you and the questions they ask you.

Visit NaNoWriMo to create an account or update word count goals.
Give me your NaNoWriMo user name if you have not already done this.

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Homework: Read about plot. I'm not kidding. You need to read this.

SIX days till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
Write an entry in your writer's notebook about a time when you really wanted something, but had a hard time getting it. Go into detail about what made it hard to acquire and how you handled the situation.

Answer 1 question for Cole.

Also today
Creating Conflict
Trying on a writing partner
Updating word count goals

sHomework: Complete "Creating Conflict" sheet.

SEVEN days till NaNoWriMo!

Do Now:
Take this Quick Quiz about On The Bridge.

Also open your writer's notebook:
Good Novel / Bad Novel
Workshop Partner
Author Bios

Homework: Complete the character questionnaire. Read!  (If you aren't at school you can print your own character questionaire here.)

What is a novel anyway?

Do Now:
What is a novel?

During class today you answered questions about your mentor novel and then wrote a book talk about it. You presented that book talk to several partners. 

Homework: Reading, "On The Bridge" I will know if you didn't read it. Make sure you know what happens to Seth's jacket. And if you don't know why he makes that choice read it again.

What is NaNoWriMo anyway?

Do Now:  (Answer in your Writer's Notebook)

                What does it mean to be creative?

 If you did not get to this yesterday:

1. Sign up for NaNoWriMo.  Visit their site and look for the sign up link on the upper right side. Write down your user name and password.
2. Give me your NaNoWriMo information. I will collect your user name to track your progress. You can give me your password too IF you think you might loose it or forget it.

 Your questions and some facts:

• You will learn about a new element of novel/fiction-writing during each class period.
• You may not officially start writing the novel until November 1, and must stop on November 30.
• You can set your own word-count goals.
• Quantity is better than quality until editing begins in December.

Now I have some questions for you:

??Inner Editor??

Homework:  Bring in your FAVORITE novel. (Not picture book.) This should be a book you read and loved. It could also be a novel that a parent or teacher read to you that you loved.

Catch Up Day

Good morning,


We will begin with presentations and then have a workshop day.

Workshop day priorities list.

1. Complete the writing you started in class yesterday. (I know many of you finished yesterday.)
2. Make final formatting adjustments to make sure your memoir is in MLA style.
3. Update your status on Goodreads. I am expecting you to read at least 2-3 books a month.
4. Sign up for NaNoWriMo.  Visit their site and look for the sign up link on the upper right side. Write down your user name and password.
5. Give me your NaNoWriMo information. I will collect your user name to track your progress. You can give me your password too IF you think you might loose it or forget it.
6. Read

Memoirs due tomorrow

Good morning,

After a few presentations today you will return to your writing groups.  Take your rubric with you.

Also today I will give you a very very small print out of your grade and assignments in our class. Please show this to your parent(s) and return it signed (by your parent) to me.

Your memoir should be finished before class tomorrow.  I expect it to be formatted correctly in MLA style, including a heading, appropriate title format, etc.  For guidance on style formatting please visit the Perdue Online Writing Lab page.

I will begin grading memoirs on Wednesday. You may continue to make minor revisions to your document until I grade it. (You can revise it after I grade it, but I may or may not be willing to re-grade it.) it will likely take me 5-7 days to grade all memoirs.

Writing Groups

Good morning,

Yesterday I told you about the protocol for writing groups. Please review the Writing Group Procedures.

Drag your memoir to your group folder.  I'll send you to your groups in a moment.
Put your name on the rubric I gave you. THINK about how your memoir might score, but DO NOT mark the rubric yet.

Homework: Work on the revision of your memoir based on the advice and comments of your writing group. Memoirs need to be finished on Tuesday 10/18/11!

Writing Mentor?

Good morning,

You have a bit more time to finish your draft today.
Are you interested in having an external writing mentor?
If you are fill out the Writing Mentor Request Form

Memoir Drafting

Good morning, Your draft of your memoir is due tomorrow. After our presentations you will have time to work on that.
Your draft must be shared with me in Google Docs. You can write on paper and then type it in or just write it in Google docs. Create a new document. Call it period# name Memoir, (ie. 3 Bob memoir or 4 Jane memoir)

Open House

Open House 2011 on Prezi

Process Prompt

Good morning,

Today I will give you the process prompt. We will have more presentations. Then you will have some productive time to work on one or more of the following:

1. Finish the memoir reading activity from this week
2. Meet with your presentation partner (if you chose option 2)
3. Complete work in your Writer's Notebook
4. Begin drafting your memoir
5. Update your Goodreads status
6. Read

You will have a draft of your memoir due next Tuesday, 10/11/11. Your draft must be shared with me in Google Docs. You can write on paper and then type it in or just write it in Google docs. Create a new document. Call it period# name Memoir,  (ie. 3 Bob memoir or 4 Jane memoir)

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Rolling

Good morning,

Today we will continue with presentations, then continue with your memoir reading groups and then, (insert drum roll here) I will give you the prompt for your memoir process piece.

Don't forget to remind your parents about Open House Thursday night. There is a meeting for freshmen parents in the Performing Arts Center (PAC-center quad) at 5:00, classroom visits from 6-8. Make sure your parents have your schedule with room numbers! Remind them to allow extra time to park and walk to campus.

Memoir Reading Activity

Do Now: Describe your process for preparing to make a presentation in class. What do you do to create your presentation? How do you practice? Use specific examples from a previous presentation you have done in school.

Good morning,
We are going to begin each day this week with two presentations. You will be included in the assessment of these presentations. Please be honest and fair in your assessment. You will score the presentations using this form: Oral Presentation Rubric. All appropriate comments will be shared with the presenter.

A little group work:

1. Your group will be assigned one of the memoirs linked below. Each number links to a memoir.
2. You will also find a new document shared with you in Google Docs called, Copy of Memoir Reading Activity. 
3. One member of your group should remove the "copy of" and add your period number and names. 
4. Assign roles within your group, see Memoir Reading Activity.
5. Then read the memoir assigned to your group and work together to complete the Memoir Reading Activity.

Memoir Links: 1,   2,   3,   4,   5,    6,    7,  Note: All of these memoirs are "view only" documents. You can't write on them or change them. You CAN and SHOULD make your own copy of the memoir for your annotation. (File... Make a copy...)

4th period we need to complete your forms for Open House, (Thursday night!)