A speaker and author are almost never the same. Be careful of that word "almost" I just wrote. Usually the author is not the speaker of his or her poem, so we don't refer to the speaker as the author ever. Err on the side of caution and assume that the speaker is separate from the author. It is important when demonstrating your understanding of the poem.
Why is it that we so often want the author to also be the speaker? Do we want to assume that every speaker of every poem is a poet? Then why would a poet write poems -- shouldn't they just give speeches?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Animated Poems!
Click here for a podcast of poems that you can listen to and think about using for your animated poem.
Listen and choose some that you like. Have at least 3 choices for next Monday.
Listen and choose some that you like. Have at least 3 choices for next Monday.
Poetry
What feelings do you feel and what things does your body do when you hear the word poetry?
What do you already know about poetry? Tell all!
What do you already know about poetry? Tell all!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Poetry
We start the Poetry Unit on Wednesday! (YAY!) But first I want to share some ideas that this professor at MIT has. I will show you some video clips of his tomorrow and we will discuss what he has to say.
I was wondering though...what do you think these two terms might mean: "The Illusion of Choice" and/or "Manufacturing Consent"?
These are 2 things we will talk about tomorrow, but what do you think they mean?
I was wondering though...what do you think these two terms might mean: "The Illusion of Choice" and/or "Manufacturing Consent"?
These are 2 things we will talk about tomorrow, but what do you think they mean?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Vary those Sentences!
Why is sentence variety so important?
Sentence variety is important because it is important. It is important so you don't always say the same thing over and over. Sentence variety is important so you don't sound like a broken record. It is boring if you use the same beginnings to sentences and the same sentence structure every time you write. People will just be waiting for that sentence that says something a little different and adds a little zest to your writing. See!
The paragraph above is an example of BAD sentence variety. This is why we should improve that part of our writing - otherwise, what we write becomes mush.
Here are some links to get you thinking! (and writing varied sentences)
And here!
Sentence variety is important because it is important. It is important so you don't always say the same thing over and over. Sentence variety is important so you don't sound like a broken record. It is boring if you use the same beginnings to sentences and the same sentence structure every time you write. People will just be waiting for that sentence that says something a little different and adds a little zest to your writing. See!
The paragraph above is an example of BAD sentence variety. This is why we should improve that part of our writing - otherwise, what we write becomes mush.
Here are some links to get you thinking! (and writing varied sentences)
And here!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thesis and Structure
Click here for a PDF about writing thesis statements. This may give you an idea about how to revise the one in your essay if you think it is weak.
Click here for a web site about organization. You can also try this link for a web site on outlining your essay. This will help you to switch where your paragraphs are or where you think they should be. You may even want to move around the sentences in your paragraphs so that they make more sense or flow more smoothly. Think of an outline as a map for your structure.
Click here for a web site about organization. You can also try this link for a web site on outlining your essay. This will help you to switch where your paragraphs are or where you think they should be. You may even want to move around the sentences in your paragraphs so that they make more sense or flow more smoothly. Think of an outline as a map for your structure.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Essay Writing - Exam Week
Let's get to essay writing! Today we are discussing some fine points of essay writing before I send you all to do it tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will be writing the entire period, refining and reworking your ideas INDEPENDENTLY.
After tomorrow's class, then we can rework what you have written and improve the writing for the final draft.
A few tips:
- Make sure you understand what the question is asking - read it through and reread it so that you answer it properly. There is nothing worse than writing an entire essay answering the question in the wrong way.
- Take your time. Even though sometimes we want to write everything all at once, take your time and really think about how you want to construct your idea. Don't take too much time though because then you will find it is the end of the period and you have nothing written. What ever you have at the end of the period on Tuesday is what you can work with from that point on, so make sure it is something substantial.
- Think. Think. Think. (as Pooh Bear says) Make sure you construct a good idea about what you are writing. Don't write what I expect, write about things that are "surprising" to you or that you think I will find interesting. Don't tell me what I know, tell me what you think.
- Most of all - do your best! That is all you can do, right? Your best may not be a five, but hopefully it is not a 1, but whatever it is, just do it!
After tomorrow's class, then we can rework what you have written and improve the writing for the final draft.
A few tips:
- Make sure you understand what the question is asking - read it through and reread it so that you answer it properly. There is nothing worse than writing an entire essay answering the question in the wrong way.
- Take your time. Even though sometimes we want to write everything all at once, take your time and really think about how you want to construct your idea. Don't take too much time though because then you will find it is the end of the period and you have nothing written. What ever you have at the end of the period on Tuesday is what you can work with from that point on, so make sure it is something substantial.
- Think. Think. Think. (as Pooh Bear says) Make sure you construct a good idea about what you are writing. Don't write what I expect, write about things that are "surprising" to you or that you think I will find interesting. Don't tell me what I know, tell me what you think.
- Most of all - do your best! That is all you can do, right? Your best may not be a five, but hopefully it is not a 1, but whatever it is, just do it!
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