most wonderful time of the year?

Hi everyone!

It's vacation!!!

I don't know about you, but nothing says "vacation" to me like leaving school at 5:30 with two overflowing suitcases full of portfolios weighing me down and dragging them to my car, knowing that over the next two weeks I will not only be grading most of the, but also looking at essays that other students will be emailing me!

Yay!

(I think this is why, when asked for the Faces Board downstairs what I look forward to about Christmas Break, my immediate and emphatic answer was, "Summer Break!")

Actually, I'm kidding--sort of.  I do have all of that stuff to do, of course, and I may get some of it done, but the coolest thing about any vacation is that it is a vacation.  And I'm feeling that already!  Let's see...my brain tells me there was something I was supposed to do today...it seems to me I was supposed to post something for you guys...

Oh!  Right!  A new video!



No?  That wasn't it?

Well, then. I guess it must have been the whole

Final Exam Practice   thingie.

So, all right.  The prompt, such as it is, is this:

Write an essay that explores an important idea suggested by this story. 
That idea may relate to a character or characters in the story, a dominant theme that emerges from it, or literary techniques the author uses to convey its central concepts. You may also use a combination of these approaches if you prefer.

Before you begin writing, plan your essay using any strategies you have found helpful—brainstorming, outlining, free writing, webbing, etc. 

Focus your essay on a strong thesis statement; use mapping statements, mapping points, or some other clear plan to establish the paper’s organization; and prove your 
arguments with solid textual support.

Remember, this essay is an exploration of ideas, not a plot summary.


For sophomores, read The Card.  For juniors, read Dear Jack.

Also, E3H-ers: I will be organizing the chapter 2 boards either tonight or tomorrow.  Check back here for further info!

And don't forget that Capstone Project!


E2CP-ers:  Do the Final Exam practice thingie by Christmas and work on a new WW piece for Jan 3.  :-)

And all of you CW folks looking for a greater understanding of the final project for your class?

The assignment:  Examine pieces from each of your high school years. Find work from each of the Writing Workshop experiences you have had and trace your growth as a writer through this fall.

• What have you learned?
• What have been the greatest catalysts of that growth?
• With what do you continue to struggle?
• Where will your future focuses be?

Quote from your own work. Liberally sprinkle this with bits and pieces of you. Finally, put it together in a micro-portfolio (no need for anything fancy this time) that illustrates your personal writing journey over the last four years.

You may do a mini-portfolio, but I’d actually prefer that you do this in a completely different format. Try something you’ve never tried before. Make a DVD* or CD-ROM. Make a web-site** or blog***.You are creative people: be creative! The rules are that you must explore your career in writing as noted above, but the format is wide open.

* Lots of programs make this easy. I’m a Mac girl myself, so I use iMovie. Easy as pie.

** Mac has one for this too: iWeb. I imagine Vista has one, but I don’t know that universe.

*** Here’s a super-simple option and it’s universal: use Google! If you create a free account on Google, they will guide you through the creation of a blog, provide templates, and publish it for you!

So…have fun!

This is due when we get back, so we can share them in class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. (I won’t be here on Friday due to Theatre Fest.)

Want an example or two (or four)? Here are some blogs from last year (besides Betsy's that I showed you in class).  I can't show you the videos or magazines, but I can show you these.  :-)

Emma and Julia    Johanna    Heather    Lilly   

Now, do not watch this if you care about having Christmas movies spoiled.  You have been warned: