Poetry Workshop

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• brainstorm

• Create a chapbook of poetry inspired by your research and journal writing. 

Agenda Items

• Author's Commentary

Assignments

• Chapbook - create an 8-page chapbook of poetry, flash nonfiction, or flash fiction centered around a topic, event, issue, concept, question, or theme

  1. See New Ways to Workshop: A Reading List to Inspire Literary Innovation by Rachel May and Krys Malcolm Belc - discusses the idea of using a chapbook concept to commit to writing poems around a single topic, idea, question, or theme, for the entire semester.  Also includes a list of chapbooks that can be used as mentor texts for such an exploration.

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Discussion Questions

Readings

Resources

Reflection Questions

Poetry Writing Workshop Discussion Board 

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Share your poem and author's commentary on the discussion board.

• Give positive, specific, and constructive feedback to at least two classmates. 

Agenda Items

• Mental Health Check-in

• Meditation

• Poetry workshop discussion board posting & feedback

Assignments

• Poetry Writing Workshop Discussion Board 

  1. Write a post that includes the title of your poem, a link to it, and one paragraph of author’s commentary.

     • Be sure to change sharing settings and make your poem viewable by anyone with the link!

     • What inspired you to write this story, poem or essay?

     • What was your writing process like?

     • Include a sentence about the author (you).

  2. Give specific positive feedback on a classmate’s poem. 

     • What words, phrases, sentences stood out to you?

     • What did you notice in the author’s writing?

     • What do you like about their writing?

     • What does it make you think of? What does it make you wonder?

     • What questions do you have for the author?

     • Be specific, thoughtful and your detailed in your response.

     • Before posting your response, review your writing and correct errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling and grammar

This discussion counts as a major grade: 50% for your creative writing + author's commentary and 50% for your feedback to another writer.

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Research: Writing Commentary on Your Chapbook

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write an essay explaining the information and ideas that inspired your creative piece.

  • your inspirations and your thought process

  • the events and/or concepts that 

  • your critical question

• Write using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling and grammar.

• Cite sources of information using MLA or APA format.

Agenda Items

• Writing Workshop: Drafting

Assignments

• Chapbook - create an 8-page chapbook of poetry, flash nonfiction, or flash fiction centered around a topic, event, issue, concept, question, or theme

  1. See New Ways to Workshop: A Reading List to Inspire Literary Innovation by Rachel May and Krys Malcolm Belc - discusses the idea of using a chapbook concept to commit to writing poems around a single topic, idea, question, or theme, for the entire semester.  Also includes a list of chapbooks that can be used as mentor texts for such an exploration.

• Blog Post - nonfiction essay about the topic, event, issue, question or theme that you chose to write about - rubric focuses on thesis, structure, line of reasoning, details, lead, conventions (grammar, capitalization, punctuation and spelling)

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Discussion Questions

Readings

Resources

Reflection Questions

Exploring Themes in Creative Writing

Monday November 28

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write a personal goal for the week.

• Write a paragraph describing the themes and motifs you are exploring in your creative writing. 

Agenda Items

• Personal Goal

• Exploring Themes in Your Writing

• Parris Foundation Presentation

Assignments

• Personal Goal

• Theme Description

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Literary Techniques & Word Choice

Tuesday November 29

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Identify and discuss word choice, connotation, nuance and parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) in a poem.  

• Examine and discuss the use of vivid word choice, imagery, metaphor, personification and allusion in a poem.

• Discuss strategies for improving word choice in your writing. 

• Discuss structure and form in poetry.

• Finish drafting a poem, essay or story that uses imagery, details, and at least three other literary techniques.

Agenda Items

• Form in poetry - open vs. closed forms

Assignments

• Creative Writing Draft

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Creative Writing Workshop

Thursday December 1

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Brainstorm ideas for names for our literary magazine.

• Share your creative writing with a partner and give positive, specific, and constructive feedback to one another. 

• Revise your poem, short story, or essay to add details and improve word choice.

• Use a thesaurus to improve word choice in your writing.

• Label and explain examples of imagery, vivid word choice and figurative language (metaphors, similes and personification) in your writing.

• Write a title for your piece.

• Write author’s commentary explaining your inspiration and writing process for your piece.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing - Theme(s) in your writing 

• Sharing & Feedback

• Revise & Edit:

  • Details & Word Choice - making your writing more effective

  • Capitalization, Punctuation, Grammar & Spelling

• Author's Commentary

• Annotating Your Writing

Assignments

• Creative Writing Draft

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Preparing for Publication

Friday December 2

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Vote on a name for our literary magazine.

• Editing: Proofread and correct errors in capitalization, punctuation, grammar and spelling.

• Write author’s commentary explaining your inspiration and writing process for your piece.

• Submit your writing for publication.

Agenda Items

• Annotating Your Writing

• Submit Your Writing for Publication 

Assignments

• Literary Magazine Submission Form

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Literary Magazine Production

Tuesday December 6

• Prepare writing submissions for publication in our class literary magazine.

• Collaborate with your production team to review, typeset, or edit writing submissions or design webpages for the literary magazine.

Agenda Items

• Literary Magazine Production

Assignments

• Literary Magazine Production

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Portfolio Review & Reflection

Thursday December 8 & Friday December 9

• Add items to your portfolio that represent what you have learned and accomplished so far in English class.

• Organize your files by ensuring that the file name reflects the title and/or type of piece.

• Reflect on the writing process and the experience of publishing our writing. 

• Reflect on your experience in English class this semester, noting successes and literary skills and knowledge gained, favorite activities and assignments, challenges, themes, questions, growth, and future opportunities.

• Write using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and transition phrases.

Agenda Items

• Portfolio Organization

• Portfolio Reflection

Assignments

• Portfolio Checklist

• Portfolio Reflection Essay

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Portfolio Review & Literary Magazine

Monday December 12 - Friday December 16

• Reflect on your experience in English class this semester, noting successes and literary skills and knowledge gained, favorite activities and assignments, challenges, themes, questions, growth, and future opportunities.

  • Write using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and transition phrases.

• Discuss your fall portfolio and reflection with Ms. Ntoso.

• Return  books that you borrowed from the classroom or school library.

• Sign-up to bring a treat for our end-of-semester class celebration during the final exam.

• Collaborate with your production team to review, typeset, or edit writing submissions or design webpages for the literary magazine.

• Give specific positive constructive feedback on one another’s writing.

Agenda Items

• Individual Portfolio Conferences

• Class Celebration Sign-up

• Book Return

• Literary Magazine Production

• Literary Magazine Feedback

Assignments

• Portfolio Organization & Reflection

• Literary Magazine Feedback

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