Open Writing Prompt #1

One day, Balthasar Snorkelfuss, Harold Carmichael, and Bethany Kerfuffel were eating their snacks in Room 4 at Break.  They were the only ones in the room.  Harold was eating his peanut butter and pickle sandwich when he bit into something hard.  He opened up his sandwich and discovered what looked like a computer chip located underneath a pickle.  He examined it and it was indeed a computer chip!  He thought he heard a faint sound emanating from the chip.  He put the chip up to his ear.  He heard voices.  And one of them sounded like Mr. Gacek!

“Yes…everything is going perfectly according to my plan.  The mind-control drug has been successfully added to the NOVA water supply.  Everyone who has consumed water from the water fountains today will be susceptible to the plan by Closing this afternoon…Yes, I definitely saw Mr. Jeff drink from the fountain today.  Now we just need to make sure Mo drinks some of that water by Closing…”

Friday Open Writing Calendar

• 9/6 Introduction
• 9/20 Class #2
• 9/27 Class #3
• 10/4 Class #4
• 10/18 Class #5
• 11/1 Class #6
• 11/8 Peer Editing
• 11/15 Class #8
• 11/22 Publication Day (one-trimester-long pieces only)

Open Writing 2013-2014

In Open Writing you have the opportunity to craft a piece of writing on a subject of your choice.  Your piece of writing may take the form of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry.  Your writing must be original; you may not write fan-fiction or re-tell the story of another book, movie, TV show, or video game.

The first thing you must decide regards the length of your piece.  You decide if you want to work on a piece for one trimester, two trimesters, or three trimesters.  If you choose to write a one-trimester-long piece, you will publish your piece at the end of the trimester.  If you choose a two-trimester-long piece you will need to take Open Writing again in the Winter and you will publish after the Winter Trimester.  If you choose a three-trimester-long piece you will need to take Open Writing all three trimesters and you will publish at the end of the year.  Everyone will publish their work this year in Open Writing.  Publishing only means you will be sharing your work with other NOVA students.  No one outside of NOVA will read your work (unless you yourself make it available to people outside NOVA—which you are welcome to do).

If you only plan on taking Open Writing one trimester, you need to plan a very short piece.  Plan something you can finish by the end of the trimester. 

You may work this year on works already in progress, but the above publication guidelines still apply.  Just because we “publish” a work at NOVA doesn’t mean a work is necessarily in its final form.

You are welcome to work on your Open Writing piece outside of Open Writing.  However, no work outside the enrichment class is required.

Before you start working on your Open Writing piece, you need to write a proposal to Mr. Gacek.  Please use 1.5 line spacing and size 13 font.  Include a proper heading and title.
 

Open Writing Proposal

Trimester Length:_______________

Genre: ____________________

Characters: Write a short paragraph describing the characters in your story.

Setting: Write a short paragraph describing the setting of your story.

Plot: Write a short paragraph describing what will happen in your story.

Inspiration/Influences: Write a short paragraph describing your inspiration for writing this story and any other works or factors which might have pushed you in this direction.

Once you get your Proposal checked by Mr. Gacek, you may start writing!

If you would like to create a piece of non-fiction or poetry write a paragraph regarding what you would like to write.

"The Surprise"

Your first writing assignment for Language Arts is a 2-3 page anecdote about a “surprise.”  The anecdote will be narrated by you (that means you will write in the First Person).  The anecdote should be based on something you remember well.  However, if you don’t remember the details exactly, you can invent them, so long as they sound plausible.  Remember, this is not a fantasy story; however, sometimes “truth is stranger than fiction.”  Mr. Gacek does not want you to have any help from home with the writing of this anecdote.  However, feel free to talk to parents or others about your ideas in terms of what to write about, or if you need help remembering a particular detail.  The actual writing, however, needs to be done entirely by you.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Typed (if you do not have access at home to a computer, please bring in a note from home to that effect and submit a handwritten paper)
• 1.5 line spacing (Remove Space After Paragraph)
• Appropriate font (size 13)
• Heading
• Title
• 2-3 Pages in Length (This will require some planning on your part.  Your idea must be big enough that you can write at least two pages, but not so big that it needs more than three.)
• Dialogue must be included in the anecdote
• First Person Narration
• Anecdote must reveal a “surprise”

Brainstorming #1: Before you start writing, you need to come up with an idea about something to write about.  On a blank sheet of paper, divide the paper into 3 rows and 3 columns.  In the first column, think up 3 possible writing topics and place a separate idea in each row.  In the second column, record the biggest advantage you can think of for writing about that topic (you can use a phrase instead of a complete sentence for this).  In the third column, record the biggest disadvantage you can think of for writing about this topic.  After you’ve filled in all nine boxes, you need to choose a topic.  Use your highlighter to highlight this idea.

Brainstorming #2: When you’re telling your anecdote, you’re going to want to tell a story.  Before you reveal the surprise you need to provide the reader with context.  You need to explain who the characters are in your story, where the story takes place, and what activities are taking place prior to the revealing of the surprise.  Some of this background detail can be provided through dialogue; the rest needs to be revealed by the narrator.

On the backside of the piece of paper, place your idea in the center of the circle and draw a circle around it.  Divide the space around the circle into 3 sections.  Label one section CHARACTERS, one section SETTING, and the last section ACTIONS. 

CHARACTERS: Place the names of characters which appear in the anecdote in that space and draw circles around the names.  Draw at least two spokes pointing outward from each name and record a descriptive detail about the character on each spoke.  Details should be words or short phrases.  Details can relate to age, appearance, personality, or relation to narrator.

SETTING: Record the specific place where the anecdote transpires in this space and circle that word or phrase.  Record words or short phrases which describe the setting on spokes pointing outward from that circle.

ACTIONS: In this space, record activities, events, or occurrences which occur over the course of your anecdote.  Record at least three things which happen in your story, including the revealing of your surprise.  Circle each separate action.  Then number each action in the order in which it is introduced in the anecdote.

After you complete your brainstorming, you are ready to write.  You will include description of characters, the setting, and events in your anecdote.  Don’t forget to include dialogue.  Have fun!

Mon, Sept. 9  Brainstorming #1 due

Tues, Sept. 10  Brainstorming #2 due

Wed, Sept. 11 First Page of Assignment due (hard copy due in class)

Mon, Sept. 16 Finished Assignment due (hard copy due in class)

Possible Arenas in Which You Might Encounter Surprises:

• Sports
• School
• Family/Relatives
• Holidays
• Vacations
• Hobbies/Activities
• Chores/Errands
• Friends
• Moving

The surprise should be related to something you experienced or witnessed.  Do not re-tell a surprise from a book, movie, or TV show.

The narrator does not have to be the person experiencing the surprise.  The narrator can describe someone else being surprised.

Geography Quiz Schedule: Trimester 1

Wed, Sept. 11 Continents & Oceans (Plate 1)

Fri, Sept. 20 Western United States (Plate 11)

Fri, Sept. 27 Northern Africa (Plate 39)

Fri, Oct. 4 Northcentral United States (Plate 10)

Fri, Oct. 18 Western Africa (Plate 40)

Fri, Nov. 1 Northeastern United States (Plate 7)

Fri, Nov. 8 Eastern Africa (Plate 42)

Fri, Nov. 15 Southeastern United States (Plate 8)

Fri, Nov. 22 Cumulative Review (Not Graded)

Mon, Nov. 25 TRIMESTER 1 FINAL

Welcome, Parents!

GO SOUNDERS!

Current Issue Advocacy Letter

Your final assignment in Geography this year will be to write a formal letter advocating for a position related either to the issue you researched or to an issue presented by a classmate.

Your letter should follow the business letter format explained in The Write Source.

After you decide on the issue you will advocate on behalf of, you need to choose a recipient for your letter.  You may choose to write to someone in a position to act upon your issue or you may choose to write to someone in a position to bring awareness to your issue.  You may write to politicians, advocacy groups, media outlets, or individual activists.

Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself.  Explain who you are, your age, and where you attend school.  Then describe your Geography class and the nature of the Geography Project you have been working on for the last few months.  Finally, explain that you have been studying a particular world issue.

Paragraph 2: Explain what you know about the issue you are advocating on behalf of.  Use concrete detail in your explanation so that your explanation is complete and thorough.  Keep your explanation to one paragraph, however.  No need to go overboard with detail.

Paragraph 3: Explain what you think should be done regarding the issue.  Your ideas should be practical and possible.  Be clear and reasonable in your explanation.  You want to convey the serious nature of your advocacy.  

Here are some organizations which come to my mind to which you could address your advocacy letters: The Olympian, The New York Times, State Senator Karen Fraser (D-Olympia), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Secretary of State John Kerry, President Barack Obama, Amnesty International, Gates Foundation, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.  There might be an organization specific to your issue to wish you would like to write.  You will need to look up the address to which you write.

Due Thursday, May 30, 2013.

Reading Log #16

Final Reading Log of the year!

Please record all reading (minimum of 4 hours).

Due Thursday, May 30.  On this day bring all previous reading logs (which should be archived in your journal).  Be prepared to reflect on your entire year in reading.

Quiz Bowl Questions #5

5 questions total:

• 1 history
• 1 geography
• 1 science
• 2 pot pourri

Quiz Bowl rules apply to these questions.

Due Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Open Writing Submission Due Date

I will be compiling work from Open Writing classes this year into books.  Any pieces which were worked on this year in Open Writing are eligible.  Pieces should be edited and proofread, but they do not have to be finished works.  They may be works in progress.  Please create a simple title page with the piece’s title and your name for each work.  [Please delete any previous headings you may have created for your works.]  Submissions may be any page length.

The due date is Friday, May 17.

I will be binding the books of student work on the following day (Saturday), so the due date is definitely firm. 

Please submit a hard copy of your work to Mr. Gacek.  DO NOT STAPLE YOUR SUBMISSION.  Please use a paper clip in the upper left hand corner of your submission.  If you are unable to get a hard copy to Mr. Gacek you may e-mail him your submission at jgacek@novaschool.org.

Open Writing students are not required to submit work this year, particularly if students have only had the class during the third trimester.  However, students who have had Open Writing all year are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to submit a piece.

Students who took Open Writing in the first or second trimesters but are not currently taking the class may submit works they worked on earlier in the year.

Students in Open Writing and Open Reading will have the opportunity to read the books during their classes after May 17.

You may e-mail me with questions.

I look forward to seeing all the great work completed this year in Open Writing!

Look! We're on TV!

The episode of "Oregon Field Guide" featuring the sixth grade class aired on PBS tonight!  Not only is the episode very informative, but it shows some great footage of us.  Cool!

Watch Wolf Haven International on PBS. See more from Oregon Field Guide.

Final Geo Quiz: World Capitals

Canada: Ottawa
Russia: Moscow
Australia: Canberra
Germany: Berlin
Japan: Tokyo
China: Beijing
India: New Delhi
Brazil: Brasilia
South Africa: Pretoria (also Cape Town, Bloemfontein)
Italy: Rome
France: Paris
Spain: Madrid
Indonesia: Jakarta
Argentina: Buenos Aires
Nigeria: Abuja
Pakistan: Islamabad
Iran: Tehran
Cuba: Havana

Egypt: Cairo
Syria: Damascus

Quiz Date: May 24, 2013

Current Issue Outline

Now that you have finished taking notes on your current issue, you need to arrange these notes in the order that you need for your presentation.  You have accumulated notes from a variety of sources.  You now need to arrange these notes into a presentation with a beginning, middle, and end.

If you took notes on things which are actually NOT RELEVANT to your presentation, then DO NOT include them in your outling.

You need to put your notes on your issue into a logical order for your presentation.  Your current issue will cover at least 10 slides.  Each presentation will have the following order:

1. Introduction to Issue
2. Historical background of issue
3. Current state of issue
4. Future outlook for issue
5. Personal stance on issue
6. Conclusion

Within each of the headings, you can create sub-headings.  For example, if you have 3 Historical Background slides, you can give each slide a separate sub-heading.  However, you do not need to use sub-headings.  You can use only headings if you prefer.

Outlines should be typed.  This way you can move notes around in your outline to create the presentation that works best for you.

Due Wednesday, May 8.

Story Proposals

You will write two story proposals: one for a Mystery Story featuring your detective from your Detective Dossier and a second for a Science Fiction Story featuring the setting you described in your Science Fiction Setting.

Each proposal needs 2 elements: The synopsis and the outline.  The synopsis should be 5-10 sentences in length.  It should provide an overview of the story.  It must include information about the characters, plot, and setting.  The synopsis is a summary paragraph.

The outline should list 5-10 events from the story in chronological order.  Each event must be one sentence in length.  The outline does not need to cover all the events in the story.  Also, some elements from the outline might change as you write the actual story.

Finally, you need to write about your inspirations for each story idea.  What books, movies, or television influenced your ideas for your stories?  Be honest.

Once you have completed both proposals, you will choose the one you like best and you will write that story.  However, save the second proposal, as you may decide to write that story in the future in Open Writing.

Coming up with story ideas is challenging.  You will need to do some brainstorming.  Be creative.  The more thought you put into the planning stage, the easier you will find writing the actual story.

Current Issue Research

How does a particular cultural, economic, political, or environmental issue within a particular country resonate locally and globally?

Research must contain at least 3 articles from different sources and containing different information.

I.  Notetaking:

• Locate at least 2 different main ideas per article
• Use bullet points for each line of notes under main idea headings
• Include bibliographic information
• Notes must be in pencil
• Articles must be printed

Citations must include: author, article title, source, date.

Sample citation:

Gacek, Jason.  "Sounders Defeat Timbers."  Olympia Times.  27 June 2013.

Science Fiction Setting Description

Describe the time and place of a potential science fiction setting.  How is this setting different from the present?

Include in your description:

• place characteristics
• location
• technology
• time

Length should be about 3/4 of a page, typed, 1.5-line-spaced.  Illustrate the bottom of the place with color.

Due May 6, 2013.

Science Fiction Independent Reading Project

Please answer all questions in complete paragraphs.  Typed, 1.5-line spacing, size 13 font.

0.  State the title, author and star rating (0-5) for your SFIRP book.

1.  Describe the setting of the book.  Where and when does the book begin?  Describe what one would see in this place.  How would this place differ from a similar setting set in the present day?  What technology would one find in this place?  Does the action in the story move to different locations?  Explain.

2.  What is the goal the protagonist must attain in this story?  How must the protagonist attain the goal?  Is the protagonist successful?

3.  Is there an underlying message the author is attempting to communicate with this book?  Explain.

4.  What did you think of the book?  Explain why you liked or did not like this book.

Due Wednesday, May 1.

Reading Log #15

Minimum 4 hours of reading.  Due Tuesday, April 30.

Reflection Questions:

1.      What was your favorite book of the past three weeks?  Explain what you enjoyed about this book.

2.     Where and when did you read during Conference Week?  Did you have enough time for reading?

The Giver Questions

Please type using size 13 font and 1.5 line Spacing.  Each question should be answered with a complete paragraph.

1.      Name three rules or regulations in the society of Jonas’ world which are different than rules or regulations in our society.  Explain these differences.

2.     Who is “the Giver?”  What is the job he must perform?

3.      Describe what happens at the end of The Giver.  Were you satisfied with the ending of the book?  Explain your answer.
 

Due Monday, April 22.

Country Project Presentation

You will design a PowerPoint Presentation to be delivered to your Geography class.  Your project will first contain an overview of the history, geography, and culture of your country.  Later in the trimester, you will choose a contemporary issue of importance to your country to research in depth.

Country Overview: 20 slides total:

1.  Title Slide: Country Name and Your Name.

2.  Map Slide.

3.  Flag Slide.

4.  Overview Facts: 6-10 important facts: capital, population rank, area rank, etc.  The UpFront Magazine World Index is a good source for these facts.

5-9.  History: 5 slides total. One image per slide.  3-5 facts per slide.

3 overview slides: Must cover ancient times to the present.

2 spotlight slides.  Choose one event, historical period, or important figure to spotlight.

10-15.  Geography: 6 slides total.  One image per slide.  3-5 facts per slide.

Terrain/Landscape Overview: 2 slides 

Climate Overview: 1 slide.

City Overview: 1 slide.

City Destination Spotlight: 1 slide.

Physical Feature Spotlight: 1 slide.

16-20. Culture: 5 slides total.  One image per slide.  3-5 facts per slide.

Language Overview

Religion Overview

Customs Overview

           Food Spotlight

           Pop Culture Spotlight