Up Warm-ups/Pre-writing

Start a new Doc in your Foundations Folder.  Call it "Up Warm-ups/Pre-Writing.  We will stop the Movie from time to time and you will write.

9/3:  If you were his sibling, friend or therapist What would your advice be to Carl?

9/5 After reading the screenplay and watching the opening again, make a list of things you didn't notice the first time.  Also make a list of what seems important.

9/9 Intention and Obstacle

Write about what each character wants and what gets in their way.  

Carl

Russel 

Dug

Kevin

Charles Munz

You could write about Ellie or any other characters too

What is the first intention / obstacle? When does the scene (conflict) begin? 

What is the internal intention? What are the external obstacles? 

Does the tension mount as the intention/obstacles ramp up?

How do you think they can resolve their respective problems?

8/23  Warm-up

Start a story with this line: “Where were you last night?" 

            -Who said this? Why?

            -To whom was it addressed?

            -What is the answer?

8/22 Warm-up

Take an Idea from your Piece #1 Pre-Writing Sheet.

8/20 Dare Warm-up

Write/tell a story entitled "The Dare." (Fiction or Non-Fiction)

    -Things to decide: 

            Who dared whom? 

            What was the dare?

            What was the outcome?

            Show the setting

            Use active verbs and dialogue to show the main scenes

Choice Piece Warm-up #1

Choose one of the following for an essay topic:

• • How to Waste Quality Class Time

  • You can "download" various new skills into your brain, but you can choose ONLY three. 

  • Three Things I Cannot Live Without

Choice Piece Warm-up #2

Choose one of the following

Have two characters in separate settings on a collision course to meet. 

• What will happen when they meet?

• Why is their meeting significant?

• Who are they? Do they know each other?

Start a story with this line: As soon as I walked in the door, I knew I would be staying.

• Who’s narrating?

• Why won’t s/he stay?

• Where was s/he? What was happening?

Start a story with your main character defending her/himself.

• What does s/he have to defend? to whom?

Start a story with dialogue between two characters with a secret. (But don’t reveal the secret right away).

• What are their secrets?

• From whom are they hiding it?

8/30 Warm-up 

What are a few things you would like to change and why?:

Think......home, school, Boulder, the United States, the world.

8/23 Warm-up #4

Choose a title from the nominations page and write a warm up using that title.

After writing, read the story.  

Foundations Story Warm-up 8/24 (Warm-up #1)

Think of a story from your life, this summer, or even just something for the first days of school. It could be:

• • something exciting you did

  • something dramatic that happened

  • something hilarious that happened

  • something meaningful

  • a memorable encounter you had with someone

  • something annoying

  • something hopeful

Remember - personal stories have SETTINGS, CHARACTERS, A PLOT, THEMES, and they have an ORDER.

Now take turns and TELL this story to your partner.

Finally, start to WRITE your story.

• First Day Writing Questions  (About you and writing & Summer Writing)

9/6 Warm up #5

Make two lists: Things that need to change and things that shouldn't change that others want to. (think about NVHS, Boulder, CO, USA, World)

Pick a topic from one of your lists and write about it

8/25

Warm-up #4 

Do a warm-up from your Piece #1 Pre-Writing Worksheet.

Use the Piece #1 Pre-Writing Worksheet, brainstorm ideas for each category and write some of the stories in your notebook.

8/23 Warm Up #3

Start a story with this line:    As soon as I walked in the door, I knew I would be staying.  (or I would not be staying)

            -Who’s narrating?

            -Why will/won’t s/he stay?

            -Where was s/he? What was happening?

Allegory Warm-up

• Extension "Blind ones and the Elephant"

• Choice piece Warm-up:

  • Write you own allegory or write an analysis of either story

Choice Piece Warm-Up #2

(Expository)

Complete any 3 of the of the following. Spend 20 minutes on each.

• Describe a favorite place you have visited. Before you begin writing, think about the location of your favorite place. Think about when and why you like to visit this place. Think about the benefits of visiting this place.

• What do you think is the most significant invention ever made and why do you think so.

• You are an astronaut on a peaceful, exploratory mission to Planet Zorbog. As a representative from Earth, you are to present three gifts from our planet. What items will you take? Write a proposal to the sponsors of your mission explaining why you think these will make excellent tokens.

• Choose a book or TV show that that you have enjoyed. You are to write an essay telling the reader why you enjoyed it.

• Cell phones are both a boon and a bane for high school students. On the one hand, it puts you in touch with the world, on the other, it discourages real face-to-face interaction. Explore both the pros and cons of mobile phone usage among teenagers.

• What is your favorite retail business (Starbucks, McDonalds, Cheeba Hut, etc.)? Describe to a layman how this business was started, what products it sells, how it makes money, and what are its best qualities.

• Your class is making a box to be seen in 2096. Explain the things you put in that box and why.

• If you had a time machine and could go to any time in the past or future, where would you go? Explain why you chose that particular time.happiness? Now, write an essay explaining what will make life good and meaningful for you.  

Try six word stories:

Here are some examples

                or

Try a Six Word Memoirs

Influential People Exercise:

Follow these steps:

1) Make a list of at least five people who have influenced you--either positively or negatively.

2) Jot down notes behind each name. Think of thing unique to these people: clothing, habits, gestures, favorite sayings, beliefs, actions and anything else unique about them.

3) Pick a partner and tell him/her about this person who influenced you. (5-7 min.)

4) Make more notes about this influential person. Try to make sense of the notes. Order them; group them, or make an idea web.

5) From your notes, write a story (or essay) with this person (or this person's ideas) as a central character (or theme).

Choice Piece Warm-up #1

Choose one of the following

Have two characters in separate settings on a collision course to meet.

• What will happen when they meet?

• Why is their meeting significant?

• Who are they? Do they know each other?

Start a story with this line: As soon as I walked in the door, I knew I would be staying.

• Who’s narrating?

• Why won’t s/he stay?

• Where was s/he? What was happening?

Start a story with your main character defending her/himself.

• What does s/he have to defend? to whom?

Start a story with dialogue between two characters with a secret. (But don’t reveal the secret right away).

• What are their secrets?

• From whom are they hiding it?

Fisher King Warm-up #2

• Make and argument for Jack playing the role of the Fisher King and Parry that of the fool.

Fisher King Warm-up #1

• Plot Point #1

• The next scene is three years later. How will we find Jack?

Food Warm-up

For this warm up, we'd like you to try and fill 10 full minutes with writing--just keep your pen or pencil moving. We want you to practice describing in detail, so choose one of the following

Describe where you eat in your home--be specific and use lots of sensory details that paint a picture in the reader’s mind

Describe a meal you had recently, and use lots of adjectives and sensory details that paint a picture in the reader’s mind (color, smell, taste, texture, etc.

Describe the atmosphere (the “vibe”) of a restaurant you have been to a lot and try to make it like the reader has been there without even being there

Warm-up #3

Yesterday we talked about the elements of a story, you started a story and turned it in as a warm-up. We bet that story has CHARACTERS. Characters have what we call "attributes" which are inner traits. Good writers also paint a picture in the reader's mind of what a character looks like - their physical description, how they speak, etc.

For this warm-up, we'd like you to pick a character from the story you started and write about their inner and outer traits. The reader should be able to form an image of your character by reading what you wrote.

8/29

Write a warm up for the following picture

click here to see what some other people wrote for this pic

Short Fiction Index

https://sites.google.com/a/bvsd.org/pfouts-index/short-fiction/online-writing--micro-fiction-index

8/27 Piece #1 Pre-Writing (Warm ups # 4 & 5)

Make sure you fill the categories on the Piece #1 Pre-Writing sheet you should have received in class.  If you need one, you can print it from the bottom of the page.  After you brainstorm possible topics.  Pick the two with the most potential and complete two warm ups.

8/27

Picture warm ups.  I found some pictures some of them might lead you to a story.  You can find the links below:

8/26 Warm Up #2

Title: "The time I learned to _________________________."

        Tell the story of learning to do something that mattered to you.  What did you have to overcome? How did you do it?  

8/26 Warm Up #3

Start a story with this line:    As soon as I walked in the door, I knew I would be staying.  (or I would not be staying)

            -Who’s narrating?

            -Why will/won’t s/he stay?

            -Where was s/he? What was happening?