Small Moments

We have been talking about how even "small moments" can make entertaining ideas to write about for short writing pieces. They can also be important to add balance to a longer work. So, as your read your book, look for some "small moments" that the author incorporates into his/her writing. Answer the following questions:

1. List some of the specific "small moments" the author writes about.

2. Why do you think the author chose these moments to use?

3. What would happen if the author left all of these moments out of their writing?

Got Voice?

We have been exploring the idea of VOICE in writing lately. How exactly does the author in your book go about creating strong voice in his/her writing? Remember, good voice is:
-having your own style, tone, and flavor

-how the writer connects with the reader

-when the piece reaches out and "pulls in" the reader

Explain how your author does this!

Oh, Those Wonderful Words

We have been talking a lot about word choice lately, and how it can make your writing much more effective. As you are reading today, look for specific examples of how the author uses his/her words effectively. Today's blog response has two parts:

1. Tell what is effective about the author's word choice. Specifically! For example... uses strong verbs, uses unexpected but appropriate words, is not over the top, but not too boring either, uses detailed sentences without stacked modifiers, etc.

2. Give an example of a specific sentence in which the author uses a strong verb instead of a weaker one, or where the text is made colorful by word choice.

Great Expectations, technologically speaking that is...

With the new 1-to-1 laptops set to roll out next August, it is a very exciting time for learning at Valley. Here are a few questions for you to respond to about the new technology access coming your way:
1) What do you think is going to be the most beneficial part about having your own laptop for the school year?
2) How do you think it will affect your writing?
3) What software/program do you think you will use the most?
4) Are there any downloads/installations that you would like to see on all student laptops -- Office for Mac, GoogleEarth, etc. will be on them, what else do you need?
Please answer all!

"Pay It Forward"

We have been recently focusing on the serial reciprocity concept in the movie "Pay It Forward" and several folk tales from various geographic regions. Think about something you might do to "pay it forward" in some way in the next week or two before school is out. It does not have to be "something big" like it is in the movie, but simply something that helps someone else without expecting anything in return. Tell us about it and how you would specifically go about doing it.

Let's Review...

Write a review of the most recent book you have completed. Use the following as guidelines:

Be honest: Give your review personality and remember that people want to know what you REALLY think.

Be detailed: Tell us exactly what you liked or didn't. Was it a story you couldn't put down? Were the characters just like people you know? What made it special or not so special?

Be accurate: Be sure to get the title, author, and character names right, plus double-check your spelling and grammar. Nobody wants to read something that doesn't make sense or has the wrong information.

The Not-so-bad Guy

We mostly relate to the protagonist in a book, but it is usually a different story when it comes to the antagonist. We like to imagine ourselves as the "good guy", but think of an example where you could also relate to the "bad guy"? Good writers give even the antagonist some redeeming characteristics to make them seem more real and believable. After all, in real life, the good guy and the bad guy are not always clearly defined. Tell about an antagonist that you can relate to.