Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

A is for Always

April 2nd 2011 12:52
For 26 days in April (minus Sundays) I will be posting a blog for each letter of the alphabet.
"Sylvie's word of the day"
I am all for challenges, so when this was dangled in front of me in my writers group, I grabbed it.

Hundreds of people signed up, literally 1037 people. Go ahead, Sign up here, if you dare.

This mini adventure is fairly mundane, but with 1000 bloggers jumping in, stalking each other, chatting away everyday, something good is bound to happen.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Always is my word of the day, in honor of ALWAYS learning. Life is too ....oh wait, I'll just quote Henry Miller, he said it best.....


"develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music, the world is simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." ~Henry Miller

28
Vote
   


Stepping into my first creative beginning writing class of the year was an eye opener. I quickly realized only two of the 12 students could write more than their own names.

A few quick revisions to my plans and we ended up having a fantastic year together. They progressed in both their story telling and writing skills by year end...thankfully. That class was a challenge...high energy, high creativity, high drama, little writing, yet lots of learning.

Creative Writing Lesson PlansStory Starters


Throughout the lesson time, I emphasize the elements of a story, beginning, middle, end and the elements, setting, characters and plot. By years end they were all fluent in those terms. Repetition is key!
Another beginning of the year activity, was to bring out a wide variety of magazines and let the kids tear out interesting settings and character possibilities. We set these in two big piles on the main table. Towards the end of the class, and in order to get help quickly cleaning up, I'd let the cleanest table go first picking out a setting and a character to tell an impromptu story.

a couple of reliable sources for interesting magazines...

* library book sales

* ask your neighbors, I discovered a retired couple down the street had been singlehandly keeping publishers clearing house in the money all these years. They had such a wide variety..which is also why many of my posted ideas include the sentence...bring out a variety of magazines....

* set a box out at school, church, your parents church...with a sign requesting magazines. This works well and also tends to bring out the surprising and obscure.magazines.

Throughout the lesson time, I emphasize the elements of a story, beginning, middle, end and the elements, setting, characters and plot. By years end they were all fluent in those terms. Repetition is key!

creative writing, beginning writing, elementary writing

119
Vote
   


Moderated by Sylvie Branch
Copyright © 2012 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]