HW from 10/10/13

Due on Tuesday, 10/15/13

1. Using the paper I wrote about my grandmother as a model, write a character description.  The person must be real (someone you actually know) and the character must be human (in other words, don't describe an animal). Your character sketch should tell us about the person utilizing both description and dialogue.  Be sure to include each of the seven ways we've discussed to enhance description and to correctly punctuate your dialogue.

 

NOTE:  The format for the paper is as follows: 
- double-spaced word processing document
- standard 1-inch margins
- 12-point font (Arial or Times New Roman)
- standard 5-space indentations for paragraphs
- do not skip an extra line between paragraphs
- a header with your name, the date, and the title "Character Sketch" in the right-hand corner
- a footer with a page number in the middle of the bottom of the page
- at least two full pages, typed according to the above parameters

Have them ready to turn in at the beginning of class!  You will turn in (stapled in this order, bottom to top): your rough draft(s)--proofread and signed by you and by two others, one of which is a parent; in the middle, your final, corrected draft; and on top, your grading rubric, with the information at the bottom of the sheet filled out.  Do not fold your papers "hot dog bun" style.

2.  Print the compiled list of attributions/"said replacements" that I emailed to you and place it in your notebook in the "class notes" section.

3.  Read the article "Idioms Abound--We Are Bound to Hear Them" by clicking on the link.   Send me an email listing at least ten idioms she mentions in the article, identifying both one that you've never heard before and one that you've personally used.

4.  I will be offering a make-up quiz on Tuesday at 11:30 for those of you who made a C or lower on our last quiz.  I will average the two grades together for your final grade. Please let me know if you're planning to come so I'll know how many students to expect. 

5.  Review daily the material from our writing and grammar lessons in class so that you can more easily learn and memorize (as we go along) the different things we are studying.  Be ready for a quiz anytime on all that we've learned so far.

Also (daily):

+ Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Thursday, October 31, 2013.

------- OPENING* (Bible verse and prayer):

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

HW from 10/8/13

Due on Thursday, 10/10/13

1. Type up the list of "said replacements" you came up with in class yesterday.  Type one word per line.  Add as many of you can think of (at least 50).  When you are finished typing the list, alphabetize it by selecting all and then telling the computer to alphabetize it.  (In Office 7 this is in Home-->Paragraph-->Sort A-Z.)  Then turn the document into as many columns as you need to to get it all on one page.  (In Office 7 this is in Page Layout-->Page Setup-->Columns.)

2.  Complete the handout "Using Strong Nouns and Verbs" which Mrs. Penick gave you yesterday.

3.  Review daily the material from our writing and grammar lessons in class so that you can more easily learn and memorize (as we go along) the different things we are studying.  Be ready for a quiz anytime on all that we've learned so far.

Also (daily):

+ Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Thursday, October 31, 2013.

------- OPENING* (Bible verse and prayer):

For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

* For the opening on your day, choose a Bible verse that is meaningful to you.  Copy it onto a piece of paper, then write a paragraph or two explaining why that verse is meaningful to you.  You do not need to write out your prayer, although you may if you would prefer.  You will turn this paper in on the day you do the opening.

HW from 10/3/13

Due on Tuesday, 10/8/13

1.  Locate a good, descriptive description of a place (in print, such as from a book or magazine) and make a copy of it.  If you didn't turn one in today in class, you must email it to me before Monday, 10/7.  (You may scan it in and email it as an attachment or just type it out in a Word document and attach that. Either way, be sure to give an attribution--where it is from and who wrote it.)

2.  Re-read the character description I wrote about my grandmother.  Find all the examples you can of each of the seven ways we've learned to enhance description.  You may divide your papers into sections and give as many examples as you can in each of the seven sections.  When identifying figurative language, specifically tell which kind it is for each example. 

3.  Decide on the person you would like to write your character description about.  (It must be a real person you know.)  In one column, brainstorm a list of physical characteristics you might like to include; in another column, brainstorm character traits of that person you would like to include. 

4.  Review daily the material from our writing and grammar lessons in class so that you can more easily learn and memorize (as we go along) the different things we are studying.  Be ready for a quiz anytime on all that we've learned so far.

Also (daily):

+ Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Thursday, October 31, 2013.

------- OPENING* (Bible verse and prayer):

For Tu, 10/8: Jenae F. (CWA); Sam M. (CWB)
For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

* For the opening on your day, choose a Bible verse that is meaningful to you.  Copy it onto a piece of paper, then write a paragraph or two explaining why that verse is meaningful to you.  You do not need to write out your prayer, although you may if you would prefer.  You will turn this paper in on the day you do the opening. 

HW from 10/1/13

Due on Thursday, 10/3/13

1.  Carefully read pages 81-84 in your Writer's Inc book.

2.  Locate a good, descriptive description of a place (in print, such as from a book or magazine) and make a copy of it.  You may turn it in tomorrow in class or you may take more time and email it to me.  If you don't turn it in on 10/3, you must email it to me before Monday, 10/7.  (Please note that you will have other homework over the weekend, too, which will be assigned tomorrow.  Do not procrastinate unnecessarily!)

3.  Review daily the material from our writing and grammar lessons in class so that you can more easily learn and memorize (as we go along) the different things we are studying.  Be ready for a quiz anytime on all that we've learned so far.

Also (daily):

+ Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Thursday, October 31, 2013.

------- OPENING* (Bible verse and prayer):

For Th, 10/3: Rachel S. (CWA);  Heidi L. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/8: Jenae F. (CWA); Sam M. (CWB)
For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

* For the opening on your day, choose a Bible verse that is meaningful to you.  Copy it onto a piece of paper, then write a paragraph or two explaining why that verse is meaningful to you.  You do not need to write out your prayer, although you may if you would prefer.  You will turn this paper in on the day you do the opening. 

HW from 9/26/13

Due on Tuesday, 10/1/13

1.  Be sure you have completed the reading and definitions in your Writer's Inc book that were due on Thursday, 9/26. 

2.  Your September reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Tuesday, 10/1.  

3.  Your "descriptive setting" paper is due on Tuesday, 10/1.  You will write a descriptive paper about a favorite place.  Do not tell a story, although you may insert yourself in the description if you wish.  Remember, be descriptive (don't give a "weather report") without being flowery (don't overdo it and make it silly).  Also, be sure to incorporate at least one example of good figurative language in your description. 

Please observe the following parameters:

* Length: at least 300 words, but no more than 500 words
* Format: 1-inch margins, double-spaced, no extra lines, 12-point Times New a Roman or Arial font
* Header (on top right of each page, single-spaced): your full name, date due, and paper title [descriptive setting]
* Footer (on bottom center of each page): page number
* Two drafts: The  first one must be proofread by you, a parent, and one other person (get signatures).  The second one should be the corrected one.  Staple the two drafts together, with the beautiful copy on top.  Do not fold your papers.

NOTE: If you have any questions about how to do any of these things in your word processor, check with your parents or an older sibling or friend.  If you still need help, feel free to call me. 

4.  Learn and memorize (as we go along) the different types of figurative language we're studying.  There are five of them, three that are good to use in creative writing (simile, metaphor, personification) and two that we want to avoid in creative writing (hyperbole, idiom).

Also (daily):

* Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, next Tuesday, October 1, 2013.

------- OPENING (Bible verse and prayer):

For Tu, 10/1: Heston A. (CWA); Cameron K. (CWB)
For Th, 10/3: Rachel S. (CWA);  Heidi L. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/8: Jenae F. (CWA); Sam M. (CWB)
For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

HW from 9/24/13

Due on Thursday, 9/26/13

1.  Read the following sections in your Writer's Inc book: pp.3-4, 7-8, 87-88, 95-98.

2.  In the "Writing Techniques" and "Writing Terms" sections of your Writer's Inc book (pp.136-140), look up the following terms and write the definitions: simile, metaphor, personification, sensory details, figurative language, hyperbole, exaggeration, idiom.

3.  Learn and memorize (as we go along) the different types of figurative language we're studying.  There are five of them, three that are good to use in creative writing (simile, metaphor, personification) and two we want to avoid in creative writing (hyperbole, idiom).

Also (daily):

* Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, next Tuesday, October 1, 2013.

------- OPENING (Bible verse and prayer):

For Tu, 9/24: Mrs. S.
For Th, 9/26: Mrs. S.

For Tu, 10/1: Heston A. (CWA); Cameron K. (CWB)
For Th, 10/3: Rachel S. (CWA);  Heidi L. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/8: Jenae F. (CWA); Sam M. (CWB)
For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)

For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Elizabeth D. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)

HW from 9/19/13

Due on Tuesday, 9/24/13

1.  If you didn't, finish your writer's notebook entry. You are giving three good examples each of simile, metaphor, and personification. Make up good, descriptive sentences. Do not use hyperbole or idiom. 

2.  Remember to bring your writer's notebook back to class on Tuesday if you took it home to finish!

3.  Think of the place you'd like to write your descriptive paper about. Make a chart of five sections, listing one of your five senses at the top of each section. Write three good, descriptive sentences about your place under each section--look, smell, taste, sound, feel.  (This will be fifteen sentences total.)

NOTE: You may organize your sheets of paper however you would like, as long as I can easily read which sentences go with which sense.  Not also that "taste" is challenging for some places.  Do your best to come up with something if you can.  I will not count off if your place does not lend itself to a lot of description in the area of "taste."

4.  Be sure you understand, know, and can list and explain those ways we talked about enhancing description in your writing.  So far, we've discussed all seven listed in the Topics of Study in the left sidebar of the Creative Writing homepage (Quarter 1).

5.  Learn and memorize (as we go along) the different types of figurative language we're studying.  There are five of them, three that are good to use in creative writing (simile, metaphor, personification) and two we want to avoid in creative writing (hyperbole, idiom).  

6.  Memorize the five senses using the following exact words in this exact order:
look
smell
taste
sound
feel

Also (daily):

* Read your (approved) book for pleasure 30 minutes daily.  Mark it on your reading log as you go along.  The current reading log is due, signed by a parent, on Tuesday, October 1, 2013.

------- OPENING (Bible verse and prayer):

For Tu, 9/24: Mrs. S.
For Th, 9/26: Mrs. S.

For Tu, 10/1: Heston A. (CWA); Cameron K. (CWB)
For Th, 10/3: Rachel S. (CWA);  Heidi L. (CWB)


For Tu, 10/8: Jenae F. (CWA); Ethan M. (CWB)
For Th, 10/10: Olivia C. (CWA);  Claire D. (CWB)


For Tu, 10/15: David P. (CWA); Evan P. (CWB)
For Th, 10/17: Sam M. (CWA);  Baylee W. (CWB)