Writing Project Descriptions
Below are the writing project directions. You must write a five paragraph essay for each unless noted otherwise.
After turning in a rough draft, please continue on in the class.
If you have a Gmail account, I would prefer that you send your essays to me that way rather than using Odyssey Writer.
After turning in a rough draft, please continue on in the class.
If you have a Gmail account, I would prefer that you send your essays to me that way rather than using Odyssey Writer.
Plot and Setting Project Directions
In all stories, plot and setting go hand in hand. The location in which a story takes place has an undeniable influence on what can and cannot take place in that story. For example, a story about a lone cowboy trying to catch and break a wild horse could not take place in downtown New York City. A story like that would have to take place somewhere rural, and most likely, somewhere out west, like Texas or Kansas.
But setting is not just about location. It is also about time period. Going back to that cowboy example, a story like that would likely take place in the late 1800's. It could not, however, take place in the early 1400's, because Europeans had not arrived in North America yet and there were no horses.
For this project, you will be doing a writing assignment. Select three of the readings from this folder. Evaluate in what ways the plot and the setting are connected; how does the setting of the story affect the events that happen in the story. Your essay will be in the five paragraph essay format. It must have an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. The introduction must explain how the setting affects the plot of a story generally (for this you won't need specific story examples. From there, each body paragraph should be committed to a specific story of the three you chose. And finally, in the conclusion, you will give a summary of setting's affect on plot.
But setting is not just about location. It is also about time period. Going back to that cowboy example, a story like that would likely take place in the late 1800's. It could not, however, take place in the early 1400's, because Europeans had not arrived in North America yet and there were no horses.
For this project, you will be doing a writing assignment. Select three of the readings from this folder. Evaluate in what ways the plot and the setting are connected; how does the setting of the story affect the events that happen in the story. Your essay will be in the five paragraph essay format. It must have an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. The introduction must explain how the setting affects the plot of a story generally (for this you won't need specific story examples. From there, each body paragraph should be committed to a specific story of the three you chose. And finally, in the conclusion, you will give a summary of setting's affect on plot.
Character Project Directions
All stories have a characters. Whether the story has one, two, ten, or a hundred, it does not matter. From the characters come the story. Their personalities, choices, and life experiences ultimately shape the events of the story.
For this assignment, you will have two options.
FIRST choice:
Write a short story, either real or fictional. Your story must have the story format, structured with an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The story must have a conflict and center on a dynamic, round character. If you are unclear as to what a dynamic or round character is, speak with Austin for a refresher. I'm purposely leaving this assignment fairly open ended. You are being given a great deal of freedom, so let your imagination run wild. Please keep the stories school appropriate. If you have a great idea but worry it might be crossing the line, feel free to talk to Austin and I'm sure something can be worked out.
The assignment itself must be at least 2 pages long in Google Docs (Double spaced, 12 point font, Ariel or Times New Roman) You are encouraged to do more, and the more your write, the better your grade will likely be.
SECOND choice:
You will be creating a story like above, but instead of being written, you will be making a video blog. You will create a five part video story about a character of your creation. This will be structured exactly like any story; introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. It must have a conflict and center on a dynamic, round character.
Your story must come in at least five parts. Each part must be at least 3 minutes long, and altogether have a minimum of 15 minutes of content. To turn this in, you can either post this on YouTube and send me the link, or simply get me the digital file for the video. You must provide your own recording equipment. You can use your own phone, your school iPad, a camera, or the webcam of any computer.
For this assignment, you will have two options.
FIRST choice:
Write a short story, either real or fictional. Your story must have the story format, structured with an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The story must have a conflict and center on a dynamic, round character. If you are unclear as to what a dynamic or round character is, speak with Austin for a refresher. I'm purposely leaving this assignment fairly open ended. You are being given a great deal of freedom, so let your imagination run wild. Please keep the stories school appropriate. If you have a great idea but worry it might be crossing the line, feel free to talk to Austin and I'm sure something can be worked out.
The assignment itself must be at least 2 pages long in Google Docs (Double spaced, 12 point font, Ariel or Times New Roman) You are encouraged to do more, and the more your write, the better your grade will likely be.
SECOND choice:
You will be creating a story like above, but instead of being written, you will be making a video blog. You will create a five part video story about a character of your creation. This will be structured exactly like any story; introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. It must have a conflict and center on a dynamic, round character.
Your story must come in at least five parts. Each part must be at least 3 minutes long, and altogether have a minimum of 15 minutes of content. To turn this in, you can either post this on YouTube and send me the link, or simply get me the digital file for the video. You must provide your own recording equipment. You can use your own phone, your school iPad, a camera, or the webcam of any computer.
Theme and Conflict Project
For this assignment, you're going to be comparing two stories in terms of their overall theme and a type of conflict which occurs in the story.
Choose two stories from stories in this folder, or one from this folder and one from the Plot and Setting folder. Both stories must share a common form of conflict, one of the ones which you learned about in this folder.
For this writing assignment, you're going to write about each story addresses and utilizes that conflict. I want you to look primarily for differences in how the stories use that form of conflict.
Your essay must respond to these three questions:
Before you start your essay YOU MUST CONFERENCE WITH ME. If you are at school now, come find me and we’ll talk. If it is after school, you send me an e-mail or text ([email protected] or (517) 667-8468 ), and request a day and time. If it is during my after-hours times (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM), we can talk then.
Conferencing is not optional. If you choose to start your essay without conferencing, your rough draft will be rejected and given back to you, and at that point we would conference. I do conferences to help students find a good, viable topic, and to help you fully understand what you will be doing and answer any questions you may have.
Choose two stories from stories in this folder, or one from this folder and one from the Plot and Setting folder. Both stories must share a common form of conflict, one of the ones which you learned about in this folder.
For this writing assignment, you're going to write about each story addresses and utilizes that conflict. I want you to look primarily for differences in how the stories use that form of conflict.
Your essay must respond to these three questions:
- Define and describe your chosen conflict to identify. What are the characteristics of that type of conflict?
- In what ways do the two stories you chose address the form of conflict similarly? So, if both stories are using Man vs. Man, in what way(s) is that conflict being used similarly?
- In what ways is that conflict different in the two stories? How do they utilize your chosen conflict in a way that is not like the other story?
Before you start your essay YOU MUST CONFERENCE WITH ME. If you are at school now, come find me and we’ll talk. If it is after school, you send me an e-mail or text ([email protected] or (517) 667-8468 ), and request a day and time. If it is during my after-hours times (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM), we can talk then.
Conferencing is not optional. If you choose to start your essay without conferencing, your rough draft will be rejected and given back to you, and at that point we would conference. I do conferences to help students find a good, viable topic, and to help you fully understand what you will be doing and answer any questions you may have.
Narrator and Voice Project
In this folder, we focused on varying types of narration. In your reading, you were exposed to the different types such as first person, third person omniscient, third person limited omniscient
For this project, you're going to be writing a reflective story about your life. Reflective essays, as you should recall from your folder, are stories written after an event happens in the author's life. That event has some meaning or significance; they gained or lost something from that experience and it had a profound effect on their life.
Reflective pieces are either positive or negative. Maybe you had an experience in your life in which you were incredibly nervous to speak in front of a group, but after doing so you gained a new found confidence in public speaking. Maybe you lost an important person in your life and it caused you some real struggles that you may still be dealing with. Either way, there was something you took away from this experience. In your reflective story, you're going to tell about the event, the effect it had on you, and why it affected you that way.
For this assignment, you are going to write three different pieces.
FIRST PIECE:
You are going to write a reflective story using a third person narration. The story must explain the event that happened in detail, identify the change/lesson it caused in you, and explain how that event had that effect. This response will be at least one page in length in Google Docs.
SECOND PIECE:
You're going to write a reflective story using first person narration. Your story must be the same as the one in your third person narration. This response will be at least one page in length in Google Docs.
THIRD PIECE:
Lastly, you are going to write a two paragraph reflection on your writing, comparing the two and answering the following questions.
For this project, you're going to be writing a reflective story about your life. Reflective essays, as you should recall from your folder, are stories written after an event happens in the author's life. That event has some meaning or significance; they gained or lost something from that experience and it had a profound effect on their life.
Reflective pieces are either positive or negative. Maybe you had an experience in your life in which you were incredibly nervous to speak in front of a group, but after doing so you gained a new found confidence in public speaking. Maybe you lost an important person in your life and it caused you some real struggles that you may still be dealing with. Either way, there was something you took away from this experience. In your reflective story, you're going to tell about the event, the effect it had on you, and why it affected you that way.
For this assignment, you are going to write three different pieces.
FIRST PIECE:
You are going to write a reflective story using a third person narration. The story must explain the event that happened in detail, identify the change/lesson it caused in you, and explain how that event had that effect. This response will be at least one page in length in Google Docs.
SECOND PIECE:
You're going to write a reflective story using first person narration. Your story must be the same as the one in your third person narration. This response will be at least one page in length in Google Docs.
THIRD PIECE:
Lastly, you are going to write a two paragraph reflection on your writing, comparing the two and answering the following questions.
- In comparing the two stories you have written, which perspective, first or third, do you feel makes for a more enjoyable and effectively told story?
- Why do you feel that that perspective was a better choice for your story?
- What literature genre do you think would be better if you were to use the perspective that you did not think was better for your story?
- Why do you think that that perspective would be a better choice for your story?