Writing is Wonderful!
Digital Writing takes us FURTHER with the written word! Let's go there NOW!
YOUNG WRITERS PROGRAM - HERE
COPYRIGHT BASICS - LINK HERE
BLOGGING FOR OUR CLASS - HERE
An online writing tool for ideas to organize your thoughts and words:
http://www.writingfun.com/writingfun2010.html
Check here for writing assignments.
Descriptive
You will write about a "summer fun" memory. This can be from this past summer
or a few summers ago. Nothing imaginary here - we want to read about the real
stuff, the fun something, the cool place from summer. This needs to be based
on FACTS. Make it realistic - and the less fiction, the more believable it
will be!
Audience: We will start in class by talking about how you as an
author can "write your readers into that memory" so that they almost feel as
if they were there too! Who are your readers? Your classmates, other grades,
all the teachers, your whole learning community here! You have a large
audience who wants to think of summer as fall weather starts cooling us off
this week.
Graphic Organizer: Back to those details....make five boxes and
label each one of your senses. Jot key words or phrases that describe what you
felt/touched, smelled, saw, heard, and tasted. Close your eyes and try to
remember. If you have a photo or two, that would be helpful. Fill in those
sensory details! Add a circle with a phrase or two that gives a general sense
of what this memory is about. This is meant to be a 'snapshot' full of
imagery, help readers to be in that precise moment ...
Rough Draft: Now you have material for the body of your
description. How to organize the info? Spatially as you see it, logically by
some grouping, sequentially as you experience it, chronologically as you
experienced it, sky to ground, by degrees....a multitude of possibilities but
hope those got you rolling!
Write and/or type your rough draft body to begin with. Then complete your
TYPED rough draft that you will use for peer review and to earn points.
Introduction: This is easier to write AFTER your have written
the body. Here is your chance to make a big first impression! You need to
captivate your audience, grab your readers' attention, pique their curiosity!
Ask them a question, make an interesting point of comparison, use related
humor, use a contrasting point, find an interesting related fact.....there are
endless possibilities! Why was this a great moment in summer?
Conclusion: What will you always remember? What would be a
fabuloous imaginary next event? Is there a humorous comment? What pulls it all
together and leaves the reader satisfied?
Scoring:
100 points possible:
10 - graphic organizer
25 - typed rough draft with suggestions from peers, your improvements also
15 - three peer reviews worth 5 points each
50 - final paper
Graphic Organizer Due: Wed Sept.
evidence of rough draft started due:
on Fri Sept.
typed
rough draft due: Mon Sept.
Share and get peer review signatures:
Mon
Final
due: Wed
Stapled behind the final include:
typed rough draft with 3 peer reviews, graphic organizer
We hope to share these
online.
America & Me Essay
CONTEST
My Personal Hero:
State Farm Website
link HERE
Questions
to Ponder – Thoughts to Think About…
Pick someone you know personally:
Who lives their life in such a way
that you look up to him or her?
Do you know someone who has overcome a big challenge in their
life?
Do you know someone who has put
great effort into helping someone else?
Do you know someone who you hope to be like some day?
Do you know someone who on a day
to day basis always, consistently helps someone? It does not require a huge
special effort, but perhaps a regular everyday effort?
How has this person lived their life? Specifically, what have
they done? Do you have a special situation, event, action you can describe?
Are there any comments, quotes, or
sayings that this person uses regularly or used one time that is/are
significant? Tell us.
Are there any comments or common quotes people often say about
how great this person is? Tell us.
Is there a particular event that
he or she may someday help you with? Describe this.
What qualities describe this person? What does this person do
that exhibits these qualities? Show us.
Permission slips - Due
Oct 10, 2012
Explanation & Graphic Organizer - In
Class - FRI 10/5/2012
Word Bank 20 due
Wednesday 10/10/2012
Rough Ideas, Notes in Graphic Organizer - Due
MON 10/15/2012
Typed Rough Draft - Due
MON 10/22/2012 (peer reviews in-class, 2 required)
Final - Due MON
10/29/2012 Word Count written at bottom of last page
of final.
******Check your rules booklet for heading
requirements!!!*****
We will make the heading changes in class on
Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.
Stapled behind the final, include: typed rough draft with peer
reviews, graphic organizer, word bank
Making the mini-documentary: THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS, STOP AND SAVE YOUR PROJECT JUST IN CASE PHOTOSTORY OR iMOVIE CLOSES
SUDDENLY. IT CAN HAPPEN IN ANY SOFTWARE AT ANY TIME FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Using PHOTOSTORY:
You will need photos to use that closely reflect or tie-in with
the ideas, locations and/or people you speak about as you read your America &
Me hero essay.
Time yourself reading your essay slowly yet with enthusiasm.
Divide the time by about 5 to 7 seconds. That is a ROUGH idea
of about how many photographs you will need. You may find you can use a photo
twice.
Plan to "pan" across you photos so that the main focus is
slowly revealed.
Plan simple transitions that do not leave the viewer with any
blank screen or you can choose to simply do not use transitions.
Music needs to reflect the content and respect your hero
deserves.
Using the "Create Music" option is the best source of music for
this project.
A. Plan on an opening screen with the title of
your paper and your author name (YOU).
The person's name may have to be reworded to be
just a first name or initial and Mr. or Mrs. to respect their identities.
B. To overcome the problems with recording in
Photostory, record your voice reading the paper using Audacity. You need to
practice several times before recording. After the first attempt at recording,
listen to yourself and help one other person by listening to him or her. Help
eachother by suggesting where more variation is needed - slower vs faster
pace, raised or lowered voice, higher vs lower pitch, variable pitch or
monotone. Experiment with ideas until you arrive at the point where you can
achieve the optimum audio recording that pays due respect to your hero.
C. Focus on honoring this individual, focus on
calling attention to the good created and or contributed to making this world
a better place because of the generous, thoughtful, heroic actions of this one
person.
D. After recording in audacity, save that file
in a ______________ format on the hard drive in an easy to locate place such
as the "My Music" folder.
Then open Photostory and inport the audio file
as a music file.
Click on the first photo used as the title
slide, click on create music, make your selections, click on slide transitons
options and let that slide play for a minimum of 7 seconds.
Click on the first slide where you want your
voice to play, select the audio file with your voice and make transition
choices, saving all throughout the process as the software allows. Click on
the last slide, choose 'create music', make selections and add a few extra
seconds then save.
Click on PREVIEW at this point to see how it
looks.
Go back and make changes as needed.
Use the timing to align the audio with the
photos.
E. Save the project in an easy to find location
on the hard drive.
Save it in the format for playing back on your
computer.
Make sure you can go on the hard drive and
locate this movie - wmv - for playing on Windows Media Player.
USING iMOVIE
- BRIEF TUTORIAL - HERE
MYSTERY WRITING
Evidence is needed to prove who the suspect is!
Does each suspect have an alibi?
What is a red herring?
Think of your solution and work backwards from
there...what clues will lead to your solution? Who are the suspects?
Who is the REAL culprit?
How will you thrill, challenge and entertain
readers?
1. Reread sections of The Westing Game by Ellen
Raskin
2. Think of the central solution for your own
mystery. The game CLUE can be a starting point to get you thinking. Was it the
maid in the dining room with a candlestick?
3. You will need a graphic organizer with your
path of clues, seven (7) at a minimum, a red herring and the final solution.
Numbers or arrows point us on your path towards the final solution.
4. Now take a minute to look at this simple
scenario. Read about THE CASE OF THE RUINED ROSES and see how the process of
elimination helped the super sleuths figure out who was the guilty one. HERE
5. Now think about your characters. Who is your
main character? This cannot be the guilty one. This character needs to be a
keen observer and the protagonist. Look at Characterization details for this
individual.
6. Now who is the guilty one? You'll need a
pretty detailed set of characterization traits and details for this one and
the few other suspects.
7. Is your evidence logical? Do align clues so
that only the final guilty one fits the crime?
8. How much time will transpire between crime
comitted and guilty party is determined?
9. How will you reveal your seven clues and lead
readers to the final solution?
10. Where does your red herring fit in?
11. What is your setting? How does it affect your
plot? your characters?
12. Do you need a web of details to rough it all
together?
13. What is your opening line for your novel? How
will readers walk into your story? What will draw them in?
14. What are the events surrounding the revealing
of each clue?
15. How will you pull it all together in the
resolution?
16. What will you name your bestseller?
LINKS:
Fiction Teachers - How to Write a
Minimystery - LINK
National Novel Writing Month - LINK
Lemony Snicket's Pep Talk - LINK
How to Write a Mystery - LINK
How to Write a Mystery (be careful
of content, it changes...) LINK
Mystery Writers of America (adult
audience) - LINK
DUE DATES:
* Solution - W 10/24/2012
* Clues Solution Graphic Organizer
- F 10/26/2012
* Main Character Sketch Form - W
10/30/2012
* Guilty Suspect Character Sketch
Form - F 11/2/2012
* Other Suspects Character Sketch
Forms - M 11/5/2012
* Setting Details, time frame,
opening paragraph, use of hyperbole and a simile and a metaphor
due - W 11/7/2012
* You need to have dialogue
and conflict included with in your mystery by TH 11/8/2012
* Your writing that includes the
revealing of at least the first three (3) clues should be completed by - F
11/9/2012
* Your writing that reveals the
next three clues, red herring should typically be included at this point. Also
needed are one instance of foreshadowing and one flashback. - M
11/12/2012
* Ask for your "Share Buddy" to
make comments on three specific areas that you feel are confusing,
underdeveloped, need something added, or you need an interesting detail idea.
Highlight this spot with RED LETTERING
and a comment inserted with your questions. - Respond to the person who is
reading your mystery. To be completed by W 11/14/2012
* Each author will complete a plot
analysis chart of your assigned Share Buddy author. Begin today, F
11/16/2012 and DUE TUESDAY November 20, 2012. The purpose of this
process is to help authors see how their story structure is shaping up from
a reader's point of view.
* Do you have a TITLE? DUE
Monday November 26, 2012
* FINAL Mystery DUE Monday 11/26/2012
* Read your assigned classmates
mystery, make at least 5 kind suggestions using "comments". Next make 5 kind
compliments using "comments". We all need a little help and cheering for
working sooooo hard on our mysteries!!!!- begin on M 11/26 /2012, COMPLETED
by the end of computer class, Wed Nov 28, 2012.
Compare and Contrast
Composition - MOVIES
Writing: Compare and Contrast
Essay
Two Movies of the Same Genre
Basic written elements required in essay:
Paragraph 1 – Introduction:
What is the purpose of this essay?
Attention grabbing first sentence, introduce genre, movie
titles, explain
why you chose this genre and movie titles. Describe the
reason for your comparison.
For example: You really enjoy comedy and your favorite film
comedy is movie A. Movie A is so good that using movie B as a comparison, you
will explain what elements (parts) make a comedy really good. (Note that these
are simplistic sentences and need to be more sophisticated.
BODY includes Paragraph 2, 3, 4 and possibly 5.
-------The body leads the reader to the conclusion.
Paragraph 2 –
Compare and contrast: Plot, setting, theme, movie introduction, main conflict.
Describe how they are the same or different. Discuss the qualities that make
these so good or good examples of what not to do. This may require two
paragraphs.
Paragraph 3 –
Compare and contrast: Main characters and actors that play them. Use evidence
such as lines of dialogue or describe actions performed that make these actors
fit the characters. Or simply focus on how the screen writers chose to have
the characters speak and/or move. Perhaps the screenwriters chose the perfect
or worst possible setting for a scene. Compare with what we can infer or what
was left out.
Paragraph 4 - Compare and
contrast: How does the dialogue (script or conversations or actors lines) help
or hurt the movie? Other possibilities: special effects, wardrobe/costumes,
set, sound effects
Possible Paragraph 5 - Awards this move earned - explain why (or why
not) the film deserved this status.
You might have more than 3 paragraphs in the body of the
essay in order to more effectively explain your comparison and contrast.
Paragraph 5 - Conclusion
Draw together all the points of comparison you have
presented.
Example: Tom Hanks’ animated acting and comedic timing combined with
hilarious dialogue perfectly blend all the critical elements of the perfect
comedy.
Sentence Structure: Simplistic
sentence example: The movie was scary.
Sophisticated sentence example: The horrifying scene with mummies in
the foggy cemetery left my spine tingling in terror.
Titles of Two Movies & Word Banks Due - Tu
Graphic Organizer of Points of Comparison
and details Due - Thursday Jan 19
Typed Rough draft Due - (we will share
papers for peer reviews) Tuesday,
January 24,
Written Peer Reviews Due
Wed Jan 25,
Typed "Perfect" Final Due - Mon
Jan 30,
Eighth
Grade SHORT Essay Contest
From Creative
Communications –
(You can access their website HERE
)
What
makes a good essay? (according to Creative Communications...)
Aside
from topics such as drugs, sex or violence, there are no wrong topics. We
don’t want any essays that deal with topics that promote illegal activities or
are morally offensive. Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges
will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized.
Make
sure the essay uses the first lines to introduce the topic. Follow this by
reasons that the topic is important and end with a closing statement that
leaves the reader in agreement with the essay. Have the students state their
personal views in an organized statement.
How
should an Essay be Organized?
Opening
Once you have a topic, work
on the opening paragraph and introduction. Rather than "My essay is on…. " Be
more creative. How can you draw the reader in and then introduce the topic?
Support
Support the opening
statement with examples that prove your point. Are there experiences that
would show the reader why the topic is important? Try not to start every
sentence with "I". Use a variety of words.
Closing
This often makes reference
to the attention getting device that was used in the opening. The students can
also make a statement concerning each of the ideas that were presented to
support their essay. The end goal is for the reader to understand the writer's
position on the subject.
Choosing
a Title
Titles
are important. Be creative to make sure each title is unique among the
other entries.
Be
sure that your essay is not over 250 words. Articles such as
“a” or “the” are not counted. If you count all
words, an essay can be 300 words long.
If
you mail your essay, the essay should have the required student information on
the top of the paper. Name, grade, {home address (optional)}, school name,
school address and teacher’s name. Be sure each address includes the city,
state and zip code. This required information will be followed by the title
and then the essay. Typed is preferred.
Good
luck in the contest.
From
Mrs. Sochacki –
Rough Draft Due –
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 TYPED with WORD COUNT
FINAL Due - Monday,
October 22, 3012
TYPED TYPED TYPED –
12 point font, Times New Roman font, one inch margins all 4 sides,
single spaced line spacing - (they will not accept double spaced),
black ink or font color
Must include at the top of the paper – use this as a checklist:
Your Name - First name Last name
Grade – Eighth Grade
{home address (optional)},
school name – ABVM Catholic School
school address –
6393 Belmont
Belmont MI 49306
teacher’s name – Mrs. Sochacki
LENT WRITING - A Saint's
Perspective
A
Saint’s
Perspective
It is present day.
·
God has called upon you to again be your saint for “his will to be done
on earth”.
·
You are living as your chosen saint in the present time. You will use
your information on your “Worksheet
for the Story of Your Saint” to write a first person point of
view narrative of how you go about your vocation – in the present. This will
be from your chosen saint’s perspective. You take on the role of your saint.
You will use “I” or “me” to communicate with the first person perspective.
·
Refer to the three
impressive events of your original experience on earth to give your
audience a perspective on who you are.
o
Example: “In the past, I …. did these three things to
follow God’s call……..”
·
Refer to your primary virtues
to give your audience a perspective about who you are.
o
Example: “My life is guided by my focus on the virtues of ……list
and describe how you apply the three virtues….”
·
Refer to the ways you are most
like Jesus – and apply this to your life now. Here you transition
into how you will be fulfilling God’s will now on earth. Who needs your help?
If God were placing you in an area most in need of your help based on your
virtues, your past impressive good deeds or accomplishments – where would God
put you NOW?
·
Think of a geographic location and the type of people located there
that most need your kind of help. You may need to do a little research here.
Use worthy news sources for information regarding major conflicts, social
problems, religious persecution, problems with lack of faith, constant human
rights violations, or strife regarding one of the precepts of Catholic Social
Justice teachings. Think about the current events in Social Studies.
o
Example: “I imagine God wants me to work with the
_______________________ of _____________________ because of my primary
virtues. Like Jesus, I have in the past and now will ________________ .
·
Use the ways this saint
showed love for others to compare the past with how you will do the
same now for _____(location/issue)___________ for the people of your current
location now.
·
You will explain how you, as your saint,
will live your daily life in the present day helping the
___(people)________________________ of ___(location)____________________.
·
Refer to the five
(5) key events of your saint’s life story. Now use parallel
thinking and predict how you plan to replicate similar help while again living
on earth helping _____(people)________ of ____(location)__________.
o
Example: “When I was a small child in France in 1750, I saw an
angel. She revealed to me a simple truth that has always guided me. It was ….
And it will again help me today as I help (people) of (location)
in their struggle to overcome (issue). In the past I helped the people
of France stand up for themselves. Today I will…….”
·
Conclude this part of your paper with your hopeful outcome for the
people of your location regarding your chosen issue or problem.
·
Closing
- The last paragraph will describe how you look forward to going back
home to heaven after your mission/assignment is complete on earth. Here you
will use your imagination to describe how a saint is welcomed into heaven
after completing a difficult even grueling mission on earth. Please keep
reverence, faithfulness and respect for the lives of saints when depicting
your imagination about how this might transpire. A paragraph will be long
enough to depict this transformation from earth to heaven.
Due
Dates
Worksheet
for the Story of Your Saint – due Wednesday Feb 29, 2012
Graphic
Organizer – will be started during class on Thursday, March 1
Word
Bank – including transition words, content specific vocabulary,
verbs
Will be started during class on Friday, March 2
Rough
Draft – DUE Thursday, March 8
Peer
Reviews – each student will review two (2) other student’s narrative’s
to be completed during class time on Thursday, March 8.
Self
Evaluation – to be completed during class on Monday, March 12
Final
Draft – Friday, March 16 – Typed, one inch margins on all four
sides,
13 point font, a ‘clean-lined’ font such as Times
New Roman, Bookman Old Style, Arial,
Helvetica, Garamond
or Tahoma.
If you email it to me, use the gmail address. If you share it via Google docs,
use this Gmail address. If you say you did email or share the document and it
does not come through by the morning it is due (8:30am at the latest), I
cannot hunt it down. You need to make sure you know what and how to
successfully deliver electronic data. If not, then plan to bring in your own
hard copy of the document. High school is just around the corner.
Part One - HERE
Part Two - HERE
Part Three - HERE
Organized - HERE
Word Bank - HERE
You might find that this "Organized" idea explains how to go
about making a graphic organizer or an outline for those who prefer that type
of format.
Argumentative Writing
8th
Grade Argumentative Writing
Pick a topic to explore. Research the concept by using a search engine to find
articles from reliable sources. Discuss your ideas with friends to solidify
your thinking on the concept.
Create a graphic organizer with brief notes about your ideas and how you plan
to justify your ideas.
Begin writing your rough draft. Use Google Drive and share it with my school
gmail account. Please LABEL it LastnameArgumentativeEssayFebruary
Relevant evidence and logical reasoning - types of evidence and reasoning used
to persuade are found here -
Purdue Online Writing Lab - Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/04/
Due
dates:
Topic – Friday, Feb 22, 2013
Graphic Organizer – Tuesday, March 5
2013 CHANGED
Rough Draft – Tuesday, March 12, 2013
CHANGED
Persuasive Strategies -
www.readwritethink.org/files/.../persuasive_strategies.pps
1. Do you have three relevant pieces of evidence that use logical reasoning to
support your perspective or claim?
2. Does your introduction clearly state your chosen topic and your perspective
on the chosen topic? Does your introduction allude to the three areas of
evidence you will present? Does your introduction capture the attention of
your reader?
3. Does your conclusion bring all of your evidence together? Does it align
with the message you are trying to convey? Do you have a "call to action" that
motivates readers?
"Writing Conclusions" found HERE -
http://home.earthlink.net/~khatzi/essay/concl.htm
Share your ideas with fellow writers to assist with clear and logical thinking.
FINAL – Friday, March 15, 2013 CHANGED
TOPICS -
A. Should school be a mix of online and in school learning opportunities?
Explain and justify your answer using relevant evidence and logical reasoning.
B. When should drivers training begin? When should students get their license?
Explain and justify your answer
using relevant evidence and logical reasoning.
C. Do school uniforms help eliminate socioeconomic conflicts within the school
setting? How and why or why not?
Explain and justify your answer
using relevant evidence and logical reasoning.
D. Across the USA, school systems are changing the school calendar. The school
year is twelve months with various combinations of four weeks on and two weeks
off or other cycles. The school day varies also. What would be the best
scenario for the calendar and school day for middle school students? How and
why?
Explain and justify your answer.
Technical Writing
You will write the instructions needed to instruct someone on how to do
something in a sport or art in which you are involved. Explanation given
Rough Technical Writing due -
Typed Rough Due -
Final Typed Technical Writing due
Demonstrations - As we can fit them in our schedule.
Short Story
-
Stories written by you for your SPECIAL friend with that SPECIAL friend as the
main character.
Interviewing SPECIAL Friends: Begin thinking about exposition, theme, plot,
conflict, climax, resolution.
Short stories really focus on one main character and very few minor characters.
Rough Draft due end of class W
Typed Rough Draft Due W- Class peer reviews
Final Typed Story Due M
Dedication on PAGE ONE:
"This book is dedicated to _____." (your PS friend)
"This story was created by his/her special eighth grade friend in April 2011."
Add a special reading comment: "Reading Rocks!" OR "READ just for the FUN of
it!" OR "A book is a gift you get to open over and over again!"
LAST PAGE:
(Please give a brief background on both you and your PS SPECIAL friend.)
(You)'s favorite author/book is ________________.
He/She will attend _________ High School in the fall of 20___.
He/She hopes to be a ___________ . OR She/He plans to study ______ in college.
(PS name) enjoys ____________.
Her/His favorite color is __________.
His/Her favorite animal is __________.
Add closing wish such as: "May everyone who reads this book have a smile on
his or her face!"
RESEARCH REPERTOIRE
Beginning Explanation - Monday Apr
You choose the topic - Anything relating to American History from the Native
Americans to the present.
Students will need 4x6 (larger) index cards for taking notes OR USE THEIR
ONLINE ACCOUNTS.
1. Choose a topic that you are curious about or fascinated with because you
will focus on this project for several weeks!
Topics chosen by: Wed April
2. Research materials (minimum one book) from libraries and various printed
pages from qualified websites selected brought to class for: Fri
Apr
3. INDEX CARD (LARGE 4X6 SIZE) DUE WITH NOTES AND RESOURCE INFO ON Friday
May
4. Outlining taught on date Friday May
6. Outline due by: date Friday May
Will review writing introductions, conclusions, transitions, organization,
PRESENTATION, CRITICAL DETAILS AND POINT OF VIEW AND BIAS.
7. EVIDENCE of Research Report Rough Draft must be shown during in-class
writing time on DATE May
8. Rough Draft due AND SHARED by: DATE
May
9. Final REPERTOIRE including
resources page due AND SHARED by:
beginning Mon May
and no
later than May
USE YOUR STUDENT PLANNER WISELY!!!
THIS
I BELIEVE
Listen and Look
The links below take
you to the web page with the essay and the audio recording of the author who
wrote the essay.
NOTICE - these
essays are centerd on one area of passionate belief. they are NOT a list of
beliefs. They are essays of deep thought. You are at this extraordinary moment
in life about to take a giant leap into freedom and responsibility and
challenge. What will you hold dear to your soul? what or who will guide you?
What is your personal goal in life, through life, for life? Think deeply,
write passionately. You will not share this with the class unless you want to
share your thoughts.
Past ghosts ... here
Crisis, hospice,
homelessness, survival and neighbors ... here
Muhammad
Ali - here
The
guts to keep going on . . . here
Label your document LastnameThis
I Believe
You will write your rough draft,
jot ideas
or write sentences
or write words.
Start somewhere.
Rough
DUE Monday, May 13, 2013
Minimum 350 words and a maximum of 500 words.
You
must
THINK
deeply.
FINAL
DUE Thursday, May 16, 2013.
http://thisibelieve.org/guidelines/
Source Document
This
I Believe Essay-Writing Guidelines
This
is your own statement of personal belief.
This
is challenging—it requires such intimacy that no one else can do it for you.
To
guide you through this process, here are some suggestions:
Tell
a story:
Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of
your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think
of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that
no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can
even be funny—but it should be
real.
Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the
shaping of your beliefs.
Be
brief:
Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. That’s about three minutes
when read aloud at your natural pace.
Name
your belief:
If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about
belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core
belief, because three minutes is a very short time.
Be
positive:
Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not
what you don’t believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial “we.” Make
your essay about you; speak in the first person.
Be
personal:
Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend
you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and
simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your
belief and the way you speak.
In
introducing the original series, host Edward R. Murrow said, “Never has the
need for personal philosophies of this kind been so urgent.” The need is as
great now as it was 50 years ago. God awaits your private thoughts.
Poetry interactive and SCARY!
http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/raven/
The Poetry of SPORTS - a
sample