TRS Creative Writing

In class, we have discussed the fact that connotation is the language of poetry. In essence, that means that each poem has its own personal meaning, both to the poet and to the reader. Sometimes, when all goes well, those meanings intersect, and the reader finds a poem he can relate to almost as much as if he wrote it himself.

Your mission today is to find two poems whose connotations you can understand, appreciate, and enjoy. Below you will find the links to several web sites where you can search for poetry. When you find your poems, copy and paste them into Word and print out a copy for yourself. (You will need them in class tomorrow.)

Next, post a comment to my blog that tells me which two poems you chose and why you chose them. Think about what the poem says and how it relates to your life. Does it touch your emotions? Does it amuse you in some way? What images does the poet use that clarify the subject or mood of the poem? Does the poem use any “musical language” that is appealing to the ear? You can address any or all of these things in your comment, which should be at least 100 words. And please… remember to proofread before you post.

Here are some links to explore as you search for your poem:

 http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

http://www.lovepoemsandquotes.com/LovePoems.html

http://teenink.com/Poetry/

http://www.silentwords.com/

http://www.bartleby.com/verse/
 

Greetings, fellow poets! Your mission today is to post the poem you wrote for homework about one of your classes. Remember to use concrete sensory images, strong verbs, and to avoid cliches. Once you have posted your poem, peruse the poems written by your classmates (feel free to finish this at home so that you see the full array of poems from both classes). Post a blog about TWO of the poems that you read, commenting on what you like or how you can relate to them. You will receive two grades for this assignment; one for your poem and one for your comments. Be sure that you publish both blogs on this site for full credit.

What the heck, Edublogs??? My profile appears to have a typo (“form” for “from”) but when I go to the admin page, the word is spelled correctly. I tried to retype the word and resubmit the profile, but it still reads incorrectly. I am not happy about this. I was wondering, oh diligent students, if the mistake appears on your computers as well. Please leave me a comment and let me know.

 Happy New Year to all. We are coming down the Blogging Home Stretch and all of you should have at least six posts on your blogs by now. The end of the quarter approaches. Why not do a Happy New Year post? Some resolutions always make for good reading later on in the year. I resolve to grade some papers today!

The following people are the current members of the BLOGGING HONOR ROLL. These dedicated bloggers have something to say and have posted regularly this marking period. Your assignment today is to check out at least three of these bloggers, read what they have to say and leave them a quality comment. Then post a brief comment to my blog telling me whose blogs you commented. (Your comment to me can be very short…its only purpose is to lead me to your comments to others, and will not count as a grade of its own.)

Who knows, maybe I’ll tabulate who gets the most comments and create the BLOGGING HIGH HONOR ROLL!!!!

Happy Blogging!

 The Honor Roll – Period 3: Brett, Samana

The Honor Roll – Period 7: Alex, Emily1, Emily2, Lindsey, Megan, Paula, Tom

It’s time for you to find out whether Santa thinks you’ve been naughty or nice this year. In order to obtain a bit of blogging extra credit, click on the link below, then type in your FIRST NAME ONLY and take the short quiz to find out what Santa says about you. Once you have the verdict, copy and paste it into a comment to this blog and then elaborate on how Santa’s verdict applies to your life this year.

Once again, your response should be posted to THIS BLOG as a comment. Try to make your explanation at least 100 words, but feel free to elaborate at length, as this extra credit post may gain you up to 10 extra points. (If you choose not to take advantage of this opportunity, you deserve coal in your stocking!)

Here’s hoping you’re not on the “Naughty List”!!

 http://www.christmassantaclaus.com/naughty_nice.asp

In your last post to this blog, you wrote about why you really enjoyed a particular movie. Many of you used excellent detail and examples to explain your choice vividly. Now it’s time to check out your classmates’ reviews.

1. Browse through the posts from the last assignment: Establishing Your Voice: Movies.

2. Find at least three people who wrote about movies that sound good and leave them a comment that tells them why their post caught your attention. (Remember, you will be graded on the content and quality of your comments!)

3. Post a comment to this blog telling me which three people you commented and why. Remember, this is a 25 point comment, so make your reasons specific… and proofread.

Who knows? If you find some good picks, you might even rent a video this weekend!

This month we will begin looking at some plays and movies as we try our hand at a bit of writing for the stage and screen. You have probably seen many movies that you have enjoyed, perhaps even ones you can almost recite from memory! For today’s blog, consider a movie you have seen that has made a big impact on you. Don’t worry if you think the movie is silly or weird. The important thing here is to start thinking about what makes you enjoy a particular movie.
In at least 100 words, answer some or all of the following questions about the movie: What characters in the movie do you like the most and why? Do you like them because of the way they talk or the way they deal with a particular situation? What do you like about the plot of the movie? Did it make you laugh or cry? Did it remind you of events or people in your own life? Have you seen this movie more than once? If so, what caused you to see it again? Can you remember where you were and who you were with when you saw it for the first time? Did your companions enjoy the movie as much as you did? Would you recommend this movie to a friend? To a stranger? Reflect on these ideas as you formulate a comment that communicates your feelings about the movie to others. Remember to use correct spelling, capitalization and punctuation.

In your last post to this blog, you wrote about why you really enjoyed a particular book. Many of you used excellent detail and examples to explain your choice vividly. Now it’s time to assess your classmates’ persuasive abilities.

1. Browse through the posts from the last assignment: Establishing Your Voice: Books.
2. Find three people who read books that sound interesting and leave them a comment that tells them why you thought their post was persuasive.
3. Post a comment to this blog telling me which three people you commented and why.

Hey… you might even want to pick up a book before the long weekend next week!

In our class on Tuesday, we talked about books that were so engrossing that they made you forget where you were. A good writer hooks a reader and sometimes just refuses to let go. Think about a book you have read that grabbed your attention and didn’t let go. It can be a book you read recently or one from long ago. In about 100 words (that’s a nice meaty paragraph), tell the class about that book and why you enjoyed it so much. As you write your paragraph, try to hook the interest of your classmates so that some of them might want to read this book as well.
Remember to check for good grammar skills before you post your blog!

As an extra-credit opportunity, you may post a poem, story, or any other piece of Creative Writing that celebrates Be Kind to Arachnids Week. You must post this writing by no later than Sunday, October 28 and can receive up to 10 extra credit points on your blog grade this quarter, depending on the quality of the post. Post your work right here as a comment to this post so that everyone can see it easily and enjoy your spirit and creativity.

To inspire you, here is a little ditty I composed in my journal last year:

The night was still in Spider Town
And Daddy Longlegs wore a frown.
“I wonder why,” thought Dad aloud
“Arachnids don’t attract a crowd.
We kill mosquitoes, flies, and bugs,
But no one seems to give us hugs.”
Then suddenly, from up the street
He heard the sound of marching feet
And round the bend came quite a crowd
Whose singing was so very loud.
The spider song they all did sing
And each one wore a spider ring.
They all cheered Daddy, and his frown
Just disappeared… turned upside down!
So when you see a spider, sing!
You’ll make it smile, and earn a ring!!!!