Writing tip: "a lot" and the impact of silence

Today we discussed how the words "a lot" are two separate words .  Many students are writing it as a single word, "a lot".  We also discussed how, really, it is a rather informal way to say "much" or "many."  "A lot" then is a property on which you build a house -- it should be a phrase that you avoid in your formal writing.

So, in your formal writing, try using 'many' or 'much' instead of 'a lot'.

We went over some of your answers from last day.
-Rylan Bokis drew green cats, while John Echlin was throwing pens and being awesome.
-We read Tuesdays with Morrie, Tuesdays with Morrie should be read to pg.80 by next class
-The class had 30 minutes to finish the black out spoken word poem and or black out poem
-Class note, we learned that if you take the "o" out of Damon's name it would spell "damn!!!!!!!"

Morrie classwork and poetry

Quiet reading today.
Students should be up to p. 60
Students completed the following handout as well as working on their blackout poetry or spoken word poetry assignment.

TWM, informal writing, poetry assignment

Today students read up to at least p. 30 of Tuesdays with Morrie.  We answered three discussion questions during a walk outside.  We watched the first ten minutes of this video on Youtube which shows Ted Koppel interviewing Morrie Schwarz  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LOdPzZW_aQ&list=PLyWjY9TW3W59J00VyCRD7Pou15J1oJe1e

I read some example of the entrance slip assignments from last day (where students wrote about either friendship, loss, expectations, or role models).  Time was spent discussing the difference between formal, literary writing and more informal, personal writing.

Then students were given a poem assignment:
Either create a Blackout Poem using the old books I have in class OR try to emulate Shane Koyczan's style and write a spoken word poem.

This poem will not be due until next Tuesday.

Here's an example of a Blackout Poem

Pre writing and Tuesdays with Morrie

Today students were given a 15 minute, timed writing assignment.
Also, we discussed what non-fiction writing is and we began our new novel Tuesdays with Morrie. We read to p.13.
Here's the timed writing assignment:

Test has been marked. Grades have been updated!