September
10
ELA A10: Sept 10 Narrative Essay Writing Assignment (short story)…
- Students were told yesterday they’ll have to test their story-writing abilities with the next assignment. We’ve looked at elements of literature, all the aspects of a story that need to be considered, so putting that knowledge into application should be the natural next step.
- To focus on this aspect of stories, though, and challenging them to focus on each element, rather than just start with pencil on paper and see where the story may lead, they were given story planning sheets today with boxes for each of the aspects they need to ‘Plan’. Yes, like planning for another type of essay, planning is important for story writing as well!
- We talked through a lot of possibilities, and through those discussions we came up with some really strong points:
- Riley did a great job of coming up with great storylines he’s seen in movies that are similar, like the idea of some alien nation or mutation taking over civilization. I asked them to consider, then, how the movie Shaun of the Dead is very similar in plot or theme (man’s basic struggle to survive) but the tone of the stories are completely different (many are serious and meant to be ominous, while Shaun of the Dead is written with a quirky sort of tone). Because the tone was differs, the sorts of events acceptable in one story does not necessarily fit in another.
- We also talked a lot about creating suspenseful stories, by adding parts to the stories that may seem to be leading to a major plot point but ends up being a distraction for the reader.
- As well, we looked at our plot outline still on the whiteboard from “The Death Trap” and talked about the reality that the falling action for that story is quite long. Students can play with their resolutions and, if done purposefully and carefully, can have quite an abrupt end.
- We talked about the little-known-fact that many movie DVDs have “alternate endings” in their Special Features sections. Even someone as accomplished as M. Night Shamalon who’s created wonderful, suspenseful stories, likely has a hundred or so story ideas he began, or developed, that never really satisfied the way his others did. Even for the great writers, they write but may not succeed in expressing the potential idea they hold inside.
- Today was mostly a thinking class, but I asked the students to really spend some time considering their story ideas after class and throughout the day. Coming up with the idea is the most difficult part. Putting it to paper comes much easier once you find your inspiration! That’s what we’ll start with tomorrow.