Your Children's Story- beginning (planning)

Now that you have explored some Children's Literature, it should be clear that deeper things are embedded in the meaning of the work.

So, it is time to take the next step in creating a work such as this- a children's story.

There are a number of different ways to begin.  Whichever way you choose, send what you complete this period to me in an e mail.

Here are the possible beginnings of your idea(s)/ creative work:
1. Decide on what underlying theme your story will discuss through the subtle use of a story.
2. Create a cartoon character or characters, through written description of course, and a setting (environment) that children will respond to.

After you have completed one or both of the approaches above, create a plot plan in the format of a list, so that you are able to begin writing the story from beginning to end.

Remember, send anything and everything you create to me in an email, either as an attachment or copy and pasted in the body of the e mail.

Have fun!

Children's Literature Project- Step 1

Ultimately, we will write our own children's story!!!


Project Explanation:
Our first step, however, is to analyze some "classics" of Childrens' Literature.  The meaning of the story goes much deeper than what simply happens in the story itself.  Childrens' stories are intended to explain deeper and more mature ideas in a simple way- through a story with characters and an environment they are likely to respond to.

Instructions:
From the list of children's books below, choose two to research on the internet.  After you have found the information,  write your findings into an e mail to me.  For each of the books you research, include the following information:

1. a plot summary of the story- in your own words, not copied and pasted from a website or other electronic media.

2.  an analysis of the story; what interpretations have other people come up with- what does the text really mean?

3.  explain at least one of the characters in the story; what do they look like and what is their personality?

4.  include work cited information on all of the internet sources you use.

List of Texts:
Where the Wild Things Are
The Legend of the Lorax or any other Dr. Seuss 
The Giving Tree
Love You Forever

This information in an e mail should be sent to me by the end of this period.

Creative Work from Journal Writing- Homework

Write either a poem or a narration from one, two, three or all journal entries, from this week, and include any visual that might enhance the meaning of your work.

The work must be in the form of a poem or follow the rules of narration that we explored earlier in this course.

This work should be completed and sent to my e mail by next class.  Have fun!!!

FINAL pROJECT= 1/3 of your grade for this course= Your Portfolio for the whole course

Criteria for Final Portfolio:
1. Previous Portfolio Work- included in your original creation of your portfolio: six different works with visual images included in typed word file. 20%
2. Addition of the following works to the original portfolio: 60%
                a. a sample of your drama project with a summary of your drama
                b. your creative piece written about a current event
                c. revision of the "identity" poem
                d. a sample of your best work from the No Country for Old Men movie project
3.  All work must be typed and titled into one complete word file that you will send to me as an e mail attachment. (I will not accept this project if it is not submitted to me in this way)
4. A Visual must accompany each of the 10 pieces in your word file final portfolio. 20%

This portfolio is due by class time on May 15th.

Poem

Establish a deeper meaning that you will express about one of the movie’s points about American culture and/ or history.  You should use the responses from your movie questions (“historical/ cultural backdrop”): this poem should discuss the movie’s historical and/or cultural issues, using details and references to the movie itself.  You might comment on the monsters that war and/ modern culture has created or even the nature of fate.  There are, of course, other things to discuss in the context of this movie; so, if you have other ideas for your poem, run them by me.

This assignment must consist of at least 90 words, refer to the movie and have an identifiable point. Your work may either be e-mailed to me, as an attachment, or written and turned in on paper.  This assignment is factored into your quarterly grade as:

1.       a classwork grade

        and

2.    1/3 of a project grade. 

Description- No Country for Old Men

Option 1-choose one of the characters from the movie to describe their physical appearance, personality/ character qualities and their actions in one of the scenes of the movie.  You must capture the body language of the character you choose to make the connection between personality and physical details.

Option 2- describe the appearance of one of the scenes through physical details: “paint” a picture of this scene by describing space, light color, shapes and sizes of the objects present in the a room or landscape from the movie.  The characters’ presence in the scene is a minor concern in the overall composition of the visual/ audio expression you ultimately create.

Either of these options must consist of at least 100 words and fulfill the criteria explained in the option you choose.   Your work may either be e-mailed to me, as an attachment, or written and turned in on paper.  This assignment is factored into your quarterly grade as:

1.       a classwork grade

        and

2.    1/3 of a project grade. 

No Country for Old Men- Narration

After watching the Cohen brother’s film, apply creative writing principles and skills explored and exercised earlier in the course: writing narration, description and poetry.

A.      Narration -

Option 1-tell the story of the movie as a whole from the point of view of one of the characters that you analyzed in the movie questions (“writerly perspective”).  In the first person perspective, decide on what sequence of events the character would explain their actions and thoughts throughout the drama. Create the tale as that character would tell it.

Option 2- from the 3^rd person point of view, tell the story of one or two of the scenes from the movie.  Clearly express the sequence of events in the scene(s), identifying each character and the actions and reactions they had in the scene(s) of your choosing.

Either of these options must consist of at least 100 words and fulfill the criteria explained in the option you choose.   Your work may either be e-mailed to me, as an attachment, or written and turned in on paper.  This assignment is factored into your quarterly grade as:

1.       a classwork grade

        and

2.    1/3 of a project grade.