Today students worked on writing a new ending for a piece and brainstorming ideas for dividing the pieces within their memoir.
- Endings. Students learned about 5 classic endings: The circle (ending where you began), the Ah-ha! (the reflection on what you learned), A feeling (wallowing in a feeling the memory brings up), Drawstring (“And that’s how it happened”), and the Surprise ending (the twist!). Download this worksheet to see all Endings and Shaping Ideas. Students also shared their own frustrations with writing endings.
- Writing a new ending. Students spent 5-10 minutes rewriting an ending they did not think worked. We shared some endings to hear the before and after of applying these techniques.
- Shaping and Dividing the Text. We discussed options for chapter breaks (including chapter titles, numbered chapters, white space, asterisks, or symbols to separate sections) and explored the idea of using a triptych format. A triptych is a three-part visual, originally a form of early religious painting. In a triptych, students can place side-by-side three different memoir pieces that relate in some way. Then the reader can solve for herself what the connection between the pieces is. We also examined a few examples of triptych writing.
HW: Revise one more ending using the techniques discussed in class. If you didn’t revise in class, you need to revise two endings. Full rough draft due on Friday. Honors: 8-10 pages, typed (transfer students: 6-8 pages, typed). Standard: 5 pages, typed (transfer students: 3 pages, typed). Students will meet with Writing Groups on Friday to get peer feedback on their pieces.
Tomorrow Ms. Middleton, the 9th grade guidance counselor will be coming in to speak to students during class.
ALEXA GARVOILLE 