Week #16 - Welcome Back! Hello (class of) 2014!

Hello Seniors!

Welcome to your graduation year!  I am very excited for you and for us to continue exploring new territories with our writing.  This is a reflective and pivotal time in your lives.  Embrace our activities, assignments, discussions, and time together.  It is all about YOU!

Our semester ends in just a few weeks.  We will be using our time to read a few selections merely to note what stylistic choices we are seeing authors use - we are MUCH more in tune with this since we have been learning and trying lots of techniques ourselves.  We will also read for multiple purposes - not just style, but choice, decision, and content.  Pay attention - you just might learn something!

New this week will also be our "Letter to Self Activity" - this was covered in class on Tues. 1/7.  You will have a draft (partial) with you for our first WRG of the year...this Friday.  You must have a workable draft in order to receive credit. No work - no credit.  The final copy is due on the day of your Final. Be honest and put in some sincere effort...at the end of the day - this assignment is FOR YOU.

Extra Credit Opportunities
* Lyrical Exchange - 8:30 on Tues nights at Queen Bees in N. Park.  Perform a poem at LE - watch your grade sore - this is the ultimate proof of confidence and growth and voice as a writer!
* Poetry Club on Wednesdays - attend, share, perform

Office Hours are on Wednesday 1/8 - after school. There are lots of F's and D's in our class..I am concerned...are you?  If you have Portfolio questions...please come by.

Monday/Tues
* Sacred Writing Time
* George Carlin - "Something to Ponder" - read and annotate
* Analysis/Reflection
* Socratic Seminar (20 points)

Wednesday/Thursday - Please note classes will be taught by Mr. Turner periods 1,2,3
* "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" - short story
* We will continue to read for multiple purposes - style, choice, content, connections - you must be in class to participate in the activities and discussions. 

Friday - we will skip Authors Chair and Inspirational Texts ( we will resume these next week)
* WRG - you must be present in order to get credit
* LTS draft due - workcheck
* Portfolio discussions/share/edit/revise

Please remember to have the FAFSA worksheet/info ready to go for our day with Gear Up this upcoming Monday. No matter what you are choosing to do once you graduate - this is a great opportunity to get your paperwork in order so you can get some financial assistance for the future!

Portfolio contents will be available VERY soon - there will be a new blog entry with specific assignments - essentially your Table of Contents.  In the meantime - begin gathering your best writing and work from the semester.  Start thinking about how you will arrange your pieces so it really indicates your sincere growth, understanding, and maturity as a writer.  You will want to have evidence of style and choice that is unique to YOU!.

All the best in 2014.  Work hard. Play hard. Write On!

Samakosky
Turner