High School of Teaching

English/ Ms. Selip

Monday March 15th, 2010

FOCUS: Strengthening our story writing skills

SHARING: Volunteer Share R.A.F.T (Role. Audience.

Format. Topic)

REVIEW: 1. List Characteristics of a Good Story

2. How to develop a strong main character?
3. Steps to writing an effective story

WHATS THE SCENARIO: What is theme/ setting/ plot/ conflict?

For each scenario pick out the theme, setting, plot, and
conflict.
o Why is it important to have these parts incorporated into a
strong story?
o How would the story be different if it were missing one of
these parts?

HOMEWORK: Skit Proposal

You’re a playwright who is trying to get your script turned
into a movie. Create a proposal to present to the class as to
why they should invest their money to help produce your
production.
Steps:
1. Come up with the basis of your play that you want to
present. (You can use previous writing to jump start
your thoughts ie: R.A.F.T or your “outsider” writing from
Thursday’s class)
2. Write a ONE paragraph introduction. Your intro should
capture the audiences’ attention, clearly portray the
theme of your skit, and why you are so passionate
about turning the skit into a movie.
3. After your one paragraph do a character sketch of your
main character. (A character sketch is just the
skeleton/outline of who you see the character as and
where you see he/she going in the story) In the
character sketch you should list the character’s
 likes/dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, faults, problems…
etc and whatever other information you think gives a
good view at who you are trying to build/create.
4. Be Prepared to go through a 1-2 minute question and
answer session from the audience.

High School of Teaching

English/ Ms. Selip
Tuesday March 16th, 2010

FOCUS: Building Organizational Skills: Looking ahead what do I

have to do?

WRITING: 1. What are the Key Components/skills to being

organized?
2. Which of these components am I missing or need to
work on?

SHARING: Volunteer Share of organizational skills.

TENTATITVE ASSIGNMENT DEADLINES:
Skit/Movie Scene: March 23rd
Presentations: March 23rd & March 24th
Second Draft of Memoir:
Final Draft of Memoir: April 8th
Research Paper: May 6th

SKIT PROPOSAL: Presentation of Skit Proposals.

As a respectful audience you are to be taking notes so you
can ask questions/offer feedback at the end of each
proposal.
Create a chart:
What did I hear: What questions or comments did
that create?
 March/April 2010
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

12 13

3 15 16 17 18 19 20

10 22 23 24 25 26 27

17 29 30 31 1 2 3

24 5 6 7 8 MEMOIR 9 10
DUE
CATEGOR 4 3 2 1
IES
Memoir is well Memoir is well Memoir contains Memoir is
written and is written with 1-2 many sequence difficult to
sequenced errors in errors making it understand
Organizati chronologically. sequence. slightly difficult to and does not
on Student writing Writing follows understand. Does follow genre
follows genre style most elements of not possess many style or any
elements and all the genre style characteristics. characteristic
characteristics. and s.
characteristics.
There is one clear, Student writing Main idea is The main
well-focused topic contains some somewhat clear idea is not
Content supported by usage of creative but there is a clear. There
detailed language. Main need for more is a
information. idea is clear but supporting seemingly
Significance of the supporting information. random
memory and information is Student writing collection of
persuasion or general. Meets has little creative information.
anecdotal story page language. Does Does not
dominates essay. requirements. not meet page meet page
Meets page requirements. requirements
requirements. .
Support Relevant, telling, Supporting Supporting details Supporting
quality details give details and and information details and
the reader information are are relevant, but information
important relevant, but one several key issues are typically
information that key issue or or portions of the unclear or
goes beyond the portion of the storyline are not related to
obvious or storyline is unsupported. the topic.
predictable. unsupported. Attempts “show Does not
Effortlessly Incorporates don’t tell” theory. incorporate
incorporates “show “show don’t tell” “show don’t
don’t tell” theory theory for many tell” theory.
for all descriptions. descriptions.
Voice/ The writer seems to The writer seems to T he writer relates The writer has
Tone be writing from be drawing on some of his own not tried to
knowledge or knowledge or knowledge or transform the
experience. The experience, but experience, but it information in a
author has taken the there is some lack adds nothing to the personal way.
ideas and made them of ownership of the discussion of the
"his own." topic. topic.

Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes
errors in grammar, errors in grammar, errors in grammar, more than 4
punctuation or spelling punctuation, or punctuation or errors in
that distract the reader spelling that distract spelling that distract grammar,
Grammar from the content. the reader from the the reader from the punctuation or
/ content. content. spelling that
Punctuati distract the
on reader from the
content.