12/15 Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah One and All

So this is the last day of school for me before the break, as you know. I awaken bright and early tomorrow to go to the hospital (or to the "horse-pistol" as someone in my family once nicknamed it) to have my shoulder operated on. They get to go in with an arthroscope and clear out some scar tissue from an accident last summer and (if I'm lucky) an old cyst that isn't doing any harm right now but you never know. And then...I get to be on monster pain killers for quite a while and I get to sit in a ridiculously uncomfortable chair connected to a machine that manipulates my shoulder to make sure the scar tissue does not reform.

Why do companies that make things like that have to make them so uncomfortable?


Anyway, I hope that all of you have utterly awesome holidays.

CW:

Yes, you did it. (But where oh where is Haley????)

And now a word from our sponsor:

(Oh yes, that would be me.)

OFFSCREEN VOICE:     Feeling depressed and empty now that your portfolio is finished?

CW SENIOR:                   Now that you mention it...

OV:                                   Well don't worry. Topham Enterprises has a cure for Port-Portfolio Blues.

CW SENIOR:                   Oh Boy! Tell me all about it!

OV:                                   I thought you'd never ask! Just look here:

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 iswide 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!

****Another presentation site is prezi.com, a fun site to create unusual presentations with: sort of an "I'm sick of PowerPoint" kind of site.

So…have fun!

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

Want an example or two?

Try: Johanna's web page, or Heather's blog, orLilly's blog, or Betsy's blog, or Sarah's blog. I cannot link you to things other than blogs, sadly, but they are definitely possible and have been done. I hope some of your will try some! 

E3H: No, there is not homework over break. (But see below.)

E2CP: No, there is no homework over break (as long as you have finished reading the book). (But see below.)


THIS IS "BELOW":
WORD OF THE DAY*:       EXTRA CREDIT


* We have been doing "Word of the Day" now for about a month, and we have a lot of words. We will be having a vocab assessment (read that "quiz/test") soon (when we get back), so it behooves you to get a handle on these words for yourselves. I'm going to provide a bit of incentive.


Over break, if you desire, you may create an extra credit creative presentation based on the vocabulary words.


Here are a couple of examples using basic Powerpoint: This one uses a stuffed bunny to illustrate words. And this one uses movies. Sick of PowerPoint? Try prezi.com; a PowerPoint-alternative. And then there is one that made use of rap and movement here. Don't do something BORING. Have fun if you're going to do this and make sure we'll have fun watching it! 


And BTW: I know there are some websites that make certain kind of word-oriented projects very easy, like plug and play; you might want to avoid those if you want actual credit.)


Meanwhile...



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










And for equal time:

(If it looks small to you, that's a Hulu thing. Sorry.)

Happy Holidays, Everyone!