Our next exploration is with the short story “Grateful”. Prior to reading the story, we wrote about our own hopes and concerns and then, once we listened to the story, we wrote down Jenny’s hopes and worries. Using a venn diagram, we were able to identify any similarities we have with Jenny, knowing full well that, in the story, she is older and no longer alive (depressing really).
Next we talked about the messages in the story – there are no right answers though arguably there are some stronger messages communicated by the author than others.
We worked on our paragraph communicating the most important message, focussing on sentence variety, transitions and EVIDENCE for the point being made.
To infer is to read between the lines. It involves taking what you experience (see, read, hear), add in your background knowledge and thinking, and draw conclusions about what is happening or has happened. It might not be right. We make sense of the world by inferring. In reading, authors often give clues that lead us to make assumptions or guesses about what is going on in the story… and sometimes we are wrong.
Good readers infer. Let’s dive into inference by looking at short conversations and answering “where are these people?”, what are they talking about?” and “what do you think will happen next?”. Then, let’s dive into inference by looking at pictures, paying close attention to details and inferences. Finally, let’s look at Blueberry Muffins and consider the inferences we make to help make the story make sense.
Missed class? Please look at this photo and create a two column chart identifying details (on the left side) and inferences (on the right side). Then write a paragraph explaining the inferences you made. Ensure you use transition words and because clauses and think PEE.
Okay. Today we’re moving on to week 2. Remember, this is fun. There are no wrong answers. Write what matters.
“This week we’re paying attention to the audible.
Your hearing can detect subtle clues. You use it every day without thinking about it – the sound of a bird tells you when it’s time to wake up. The sound of a person’s voice gives you clues about how they’re feeling (even when their words don’t match). From the sound of it alone, you can tell if there’s something wrong with your car, or if the air conditioner is working. Sound also tells you about pleasure – think of a cat purring.
Sound is invisible and powerful. This week, pay attention to all the sound waves around you. How can sound affect a story?
When you write, let yourself go on the page. Try not to cross anything out, make corrections, or edit your work. If your handwriting is messy, let it be messy. If you’ve made spelling mistakes, let yourself make those spelling mistakes.
You want to leave judgment behind when you do these exercises, and go forward with the spirit of curiously and experimentation.
Remember to have FUN!
WARM-UP
Take five minutes to write down everything you can hear right now.
In your notebook, make a list of every sound you can hear in the room. Don’t limit the listening to external – listen to the inside of your body too.
Pay attention: even your own breathing makes a sound.
TRY THIS
Look at the three photos below.
This week in your writing, describe what you hear in detail.
Don’t limit this sense to the images below – use these as starting points, and then imagine the scene.
What does it sound like?
NOW TRY THIS:
You can write for the point of view (POV) of the character who is pictured below, or you can write in a different POV and describe how that character responses to the sense of sound.
The POV will organize the way your scene is described. For instance, if you write a scene from a child’s POV, some information and language will be different than if you wrote the same scene from a teen’s point of view.
MAKE SURE YOU:
Pay attention to detail and go slow. Try not to think everything up!
In your scene:
what do the characters hear
what’s coming from behind
are there sounds coming from inside, outside, above, or beneath?
THINK ABOUT
Use all your senses when writing your scenes – and this week, really pay attention to what is audible, what it sounds like, what can be heard/not heard.
Oh la la. You can do a lot with a short short story.
Using this story, we are exploring character traits, how to determine who the protagonist is, what figurative and literal mean, the power of inference, our own bias when we read, and more.
We’ve read the story and done a few class activities and today we are going to be writing a paragraph to a prompt.
You don’t really need to know the backstory – though you’re welcome to ask if you’d like to – that led me to Sarah Selecky. I’ve been following her career since I met her in Pemberton years ago. She is talented and funny. That’s all I will say. Oh, and she wrote a book of short stories I loved (and should re-read).
Now, I follow her for writing prompts and for inspiration – not that I have written a single thing – for my classes. You, lucky ones, will be fortunate enough to dive into a project called “Six Weeks, Six Senses”. You are going to love it.
She writes: “for each weekly assignment, I encourage you to write by hand, in a notebook. I know this may be frustrating at first, because you want to write quickly, to keep up with your thoughts, and the pen slows you down. Yes – I know it does.
During these six weeks, slow is okay. Slow is actually good. When you make marks on a page, you’re activating the right side of your brain – the side that processes images and pictures (not concepts). This is what you want in your scenes. When you’re writing a scene, you’re an artist, not a stenographer.”
This is your first assignment:
Look at the three photos below.
Describe what you see in detail.
Don’t limit it to the pictures themselves – instead, use these as starting points, and then close your eyes and imagine your scene.
What is visible?
CharacterPivotal objectSetting
Now try this:
You can write in the point of view (POV) of the character who is pictured above or you can write in a different POV and describe how that character sees this person.
The point of view will organize the way your scene is described. For instance, if you write a scene from a child’s point of view, some information and language will be different than if you wrote the same scene from a teen’s point of view.
Make sure you:
Take time and go slow. the whole point of this writing is to get out of your head.
After reading your work in the packet that you submitted for assessment yesterday, it appears we need a greater understanding of Controlling Idea.
Here is my effort to help you…. a Youtube video and a handout for your collection of “things to keep and refer to for the rest of my life”.
Controlling ideas help to narrow a topic and guide the writer to stay focused on their writing. The finished piece is a clearer and tighter piece of writing.
Please refer to the handout you received in class. The questions will help guide your thinking and will make viewing the film more targetted and purposeful.
Remember: look at the rubric you received (a gift from me to you) to help guide your writing toward polished pieces that you post for others to read. You can access the rubric through the English 11 page as well.
Today we completed a quick write to the topic: How do people live in a world of tradition and sustain traditions while living in the world of the present? These were submitted will be in your yellow folders. Check out the feedback.
We also watched Indian. We discussed it briefly, and will watch it again with some guiding questions to consider. The film says a lot without saying much at all. Watching with purpose may make it easier to digest next time.
Finally, we worked on the TWO discussions that have been posted to date on the TIGed website. You can access it here: https://www.tigweb.org/tiged/?npc
