1/25/11
Theme: Who am I? Reflecting on ourselves
Learning Goal:
-Use memories to inspire original writing (fiction and nonfiction).
-Build writing fluency through guided and open freewriting
Brainstorm technique: Memory Chain
Writing technique: Expansion
1/25/12
Due now: Objects in house (1pg) Weekly Write page count total= 2pgs
***if you have to leave for the senior meeting, make sure to check the blog msdeleonenglish.blogspot.com for all the activities and HW for today***
Do now: (1/3-1/2 pg)
1. Choose an object from last night’s homework or an object you have with you
2. When you look at/ remember this object, what does it remind you of?
When was the last time you used this object?
When did you get it? How did you come upon owning it? Does it trigger any memories?
Brainstorming Technique: Memory Chain
A memory chain is a brainstorming technique meant to generate a bunch of possible ideas for stories, poems, memoirs, etc. The point is to work quickly, get the mind going, and create (like a list) general ideas that you can explore further through expansion. When doing a memory chain, don’t worry about depth or whether something is a “good” idea or not. Like freewriting and listing, focus on quantity for now, not quality, generate ideas don’t analyze them YET…
Demonstrate memory chain
1. Take 5 min to do a memory chain, work quickly and try to create at least 10 links
Choose something in your memory chain that repeated (common topic or image)or something that stood out or interested you
Writing Technique: Expansion
Guided freewrite and using your senses
Have you ever heard the saying “it’s the tip of the iceberg”
In writing, anything has the ability to be “the tip of the iceberg.” There is always the possibility that there is more hiding underneath the surface.
For this next exercise, look back at what you came up with in your memory chain, do any memories jump out at you? if not, try picking one at random or having a friend pick one for you, then try out the exercise below
We’re going to look under the surface of the memory, and add details (for continuing students, we did something similar before).
We’re going to do a guided freewrite, meaning you’re not going to censor or overanalyze but you will be writing on a focused topic. I will walk you through this first one…
2. Take the memory you chose and answer the following questions as best you can. Write at least two full sentences for each one.
A. Why does it stand out?
B. Is this a happy memory, sad memory, funny memory? What’s the mood or tone of this memory?
C. Who’s involved? Who are the kEY characters
D. Where were you?
E. What happened?
F. What resulted?
Now we’re going to dig even deeper under the surface, think of this like clicking a link on a page to get more info.
Choose ONE of your answers from the questions above and “click that link”. The focus now is not on the facts of the story but the sensory details, the stuff that makes the story come alive.
When possible go past abstract adjectives and come up with something CONCRETE, for example instead of “My aunt was odd” you might say, “My aunt was always a mystery, there were some things people just didn’t know about her, like why she limped and what happened to her husband, and why no one could ever ask her about life before she moved to Hayward…”
Depending on which question you chose to expand, you can use the expansion questions below (the part after the “à”)
A. Why does it stand out? àHow is it different from other memories? What details do you remember most clearly? See F and G
B. Is this a happy memory, sad memory, funny memory? What’s the mood or tone of this memory? -> what makes it sad/ happy funny?
C. Who’s involved? Who are the kEY characters? à Describe the characters? How does he/she look like? Act like? What does he/she say? How does he/she sound? smell? What’s unique about him/her?
D. Where were you? à inside or outside? What’s the weather like? Night or day? A new place or somewhere you go often? Use your senses.
E. What happened? àGive me the play by play version, not just the highlights, focus on the key moments, the moments that changed things
F. What resulted?--> What happened right after? What happened later? What are some long-lasting consequences? Did you learn anything? Lose anything? Did it change you in any way?
HW: Put it all together (1 page)
Take the details you generated about your memory and write a clear and engaging piece that’s at LEAST a paragraph in which you include your details
