WRITING PROJECTS
Challenge 1 --What We Keep
Reflection
This project opened a lot of new windows for me to look through. It opened my mind to new ideas I have never even thought of before. Watching the TED talk video, I couldn’t help but stay focused through the entire thing! It was so fascinating to me. The thought has never even crossed my mind to just walk up to a stranger and spark up a random conversation. Even thinking about doing that is completely terrifying. However, her reasoning behind doing it is just so cool. In this project, it was so neat to be able to just talk with a random person I have never talked to before, to hear their story, and to look at things through their perspective.
Moving forward from this, I won’t be as afraid to have that conversation with a random person I meet. I won’t be completely terrified to ask them questions because it is super fascinating to be able to hear things from a different viewpoint. Specifically for this project, it was cool to see throughout everyone’s projects, even the eighth graders, that everyone around the world holds onto something that is important to them. Whether it is something super small, or something super big, everyone has those one or two things that they would give up anything for.
Be Your Own Detective
I have always had this really odd interest in all things design. Graphic design, interior design, industrial design, I just was never creative enough to explore these ideas further. I would always try and be super creative and binge-watch Youtube videos on how to decorate my room to make it the most aesthetically pleasing as possible, but it would always end up looking unorganized and messy. All the creative genes went straight to my brother, leaving absolutely none for me. He ended up graduating from University of Illinois at Chicago with a major in graphic design. He killed it! That is why I chose him to interview for this project. He is beyond obsessed with graphic design and photography.
Reflecting on this project, I found the TED talk video super interesting. I used to always correlate the ideas of joy and happiness as the same thing, but after watching the video, I received really good insight on the difference of the two. While interviewing Graeme, my brother, we talked about his hobbies and what he does to make him happy. He explained to me that biking and being around his family and his girlfriend were things that made him genuinely happy. I then recapped the TED talk to him, and we talked about the things that bring us joy. He then told me that something that brings him joy is taking the perfect picture or making a perfect design of something.
Due to the discoveries I have made during this project, I am interested in picking up photography as a new hobby of mine. I think it would help bring me joy in times of need and it is a small, simple hobby to pick up on my own.
SE2R Feedback
Natalie Bierbaum
Hi Natalie!
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For your "What We Keep" Challenge, you identified the bullet shell casing from cross country as something important that you keep for yourself, and you also met Jeanette who cherishes a yellow mug that reminds her of her grandmother. You thoroughly explained what running means to you and why the shell casing is so important. You also explained why the mug was significant to Jeanette and vividly described the relationship Jeanette had with her grandmother.
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In reflecting upon where you could develop these ideas further, including more pictures may be a little helpful! A picture of you running in a meet, or after winning sectionals, along with perhaps pictures of Jeanette with her grandmother before she passed away. One more small suggestion may be to go into a little more detail about your soccer career and maybe include a story describing how it felt to win sectionals or maybe briefly describe why running is so important to you. Your project overall was organized very nicely, and your reflection was written very well. These changes that I have mentioned are only suggestions and you don't have to change anything if you are confident in where your project stands! Reflecting on my own experiences, I encourage you to include as much detail and description in your writing as possible so that your reader can really understand and visualize what it is you are describing. If you ever have any questions or would like for me to look over any revisions you have made, feel free to always reach out to me! Great Job!!
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Ms. Boland
Harley Hodel
Hi Harley!
For your "What We Keep" Challenge, you identified the lamp that you and your grandmother reworked as your special keepsake. You also identified your stranger's item as a cross necklace containing the ashes of your stranger's father. You did a wonderful job including pictures of the items as well as giving a very detailed story regarding the process it took to rework the lamp and you also explained why that experience was so special to you.
In reflecting on where you could further develop your project, I may suggest that you further introduce your stranger. Who are they? Where did you meet them? In effort to help the reader more deeply connect with the stranger, you could also include a story describing a time they may have experienced with their father. Did they have any interesting family traditions together? One last suggestion I will make to you is to look back on the reflection questions and truly reflect on them. Think about what you have learned from this process. What are our teachers trying to get us to understand by completing this project? You do not have to make these changes if you don't feel they are necessary but reflecting on my own past experiences, it would always help me to include as much detail as possible (maybe even too much detail sometimes!). If you ever have any questions for me or would like me to look over any changes you may have made to your project, feel free to reach out any time! Great job!
​Ms. Boland
Flash Fiction
Drake the Dragon
CRASH! BANG! WHOOSH! It was 1:52 in the morning and all I remember was getting awoken by Drake, the dragon, crashing through the window, into my room, on the eighth story of my castle. The prince came running into my room, “I thought he was locked up!” I cried. The prince started chasing him all over but couldn’t catch him. After darting around the room for what felt like a lifetime, the prince finally got ahold of the dragon and tackled him straight to the ground. The prince turned to me, “I thought we agreed we were going to TRIPLE check if he was locked up at night so we could AVOID THIS?” he screamed loudly. Giggling, I replied, “I mean… it is kind of funny. Kind of nostalgic, you know?”. Very angrily, the prince scooped up the dragon and stomped downstairs where he put Drake back into his cage.
Investigation Mixtape
In my opinion, I think this challenge has been the most interesting to me so far. Along with researching design for the last challenge, I also investigated the idea of kindness because that is always something my mom was very passionate about. While researching ‘kindness’, I was primarily focusing on three main ideas: Why is kindness important, what does kindness look like, and how is kindness demonstrated. I was excited to be able to continue my research for these ideas in this challenge and I was amazed at the things people thought of.
Every person that I interviewed, or asked this question to, had such a different look on what the question was asking, resulting in very different answers and perspectives. Some people gave me answers that I had never even thought of before. I think understanding the different perspectives on a given topic really helps you open up your thinking. If you continue to stay closed minded, your opinion is always the only opinion you think is valid. You also cannot have a civil argument on certain subjects if you do not listen to the other persons viewpoint, you just end up making false claims and accusations toward the other person.
This challenge impacts my thinking moving forward because it really opened my mind to the fact that people can look at something completely different than you. This challenge has really made me realize that my opinion is not the only opinion and it is useful to hear other people out.
Mini-Lesson
Scattergories
PREPARATION...
The game that my students will be playing is Scattergories. Before class, I will make sure I have enough games in order for each group to play. The class period before we play the game, I will take about 10 minutes at the end of class to explain the game to them. I will teach them the basics on how to play and the object of the game. I will also type up and print out a more basic instructions sheet for each group that goes over the main points of the game for reference if they need it so they do not have to go back and look over the full instructions sheet. Along with the instruction sheet, I will type up my own “category” card listing the different parts of speech. Before my students come into the classroom, I will move the desks into groups of 5 and place a game and instructions sheet at each desk to save time once the class period has started. As the students walk into the classroom, I will ask them to start lining up on the wall in the alphabetical order of their first name so that it is easy to assign them to groups when the period has started.
What I Was Thinking...
Scattergories is a game designed around creativity and imagination. When designing this mini-lesson, I wanted to come up with a way to teach my students how to expand their word choice and help develop their knowledge on the different parts of speech as well as teach them a different way to brainstorm ideas for their writing.
Along with playing the game and learning about the parts of speech in a different way, I would also use my students’ responses to the game for future lessons. For example, after the students finish playing the game, I would ask them to then use one of their lists of words to write a story that must contain each of the words they came up with from one round of the game. Doing this, the students would further develop their sense of creativity and be able to play around with a more creative writing style since there are no boundaries to this writing.
As students start to finish, I will let them move onto playing the game as written, how it is supposed to be played.
Script...
The class period before gameplay day…
“Okay class, for the last ten or so minutes of the period I want to talk to you about the game we will be playing tomorrow. We are going to be playing a game called Scattergories, has anyone played it before?”
Allow time for students to respond. Assuming someone has played it before…
“That’s awesome! You guys can help me lead then! So today I just wanted to go over the rules and how to play the game so we save time tomorrow and we can go straight into playing at the beginning of class. Is that okay?”
“So, when you get assigned into your groups tomorrow, I will also assign you to a group of desks where the game will already be set up with a set of instructions in case you have questions while you play and a category card that is going to look a little bit different. When you sit down, you will need to make sure everyone has the category cards, a folder, and the sheet of paper where you write your answers down.”
Use one of the board games as an example and physically show the class what I am talking about. Then use the overhead doc camera to show the kids how to play while I am explaining it. I will ask for a volunteer to help me demonstrate it. “Betty” in my script.
“Betty will start by reseting the timer and roll the dice to determine which letter we will be using for the first round. You will then use the special category card I have come up with for this lesson, not the provided category cards. Once each player is ready, Betty will start the timer and everyone will start to write down one word starting with the letter on the dice for each of the different parts of speech I have provided on the special category card. You will have until the timer runs out to complete each of the parts of speech.”
“Once the round is over, Betty and I will each take turns sharing what word we had for each part of speech. If one of the other group members has the same word as you, you cross the word off of your list. If your word is unique to everyone else’s, you get a point. You will do this for each of the different parts of speech and then total up the points for that round.”
“YA different group member will reset the timer and roll the dice for a new letter. You will repeat this process for the second and third round using the same parts of speech category card and the player with the most points after all three rounds wins.”
“Does anyone have any questions?”
Use this time to answer any questions the students may have, stop when there are 2 minutes left in class.
“Okay, we are running out of time. If you still have more questions or are confused on what is going on, please write your question down and drop it in the question bin. I will finish answering your questions and clarify this more tomorrow at the beginning of class. I hope you have a great day. Feel free to pack up but please don’t leave until the bell rings!”
The next day
As students are walking in…
“Good morning! As you guys start to walk in, don’t sit in your normal seat, I want you to line up in alphabetical order of your first name!”
Once the bell has rung and all students are in the classroom…
“Hello everyone! Please make sure you are lined up against the wall in alphabetical order so I can put you guys into your groups. Once you guys are in your groups and at your table, please sit there and do not touch the game or its materials until I have told you to do so.”
I will then go down the line separating the students into groups of 5 assigning them to a group of desks. (A group or two may have more or less depending on the number of students in the class but that is okay). Once everyone has sat down at their desks, I would go over the questions that were left in the question bin but for the sake of the script I will assume there were no questions in the question bin.
“Alright, after looking in the question bin, there were no questions left in there at the end of class yesterday. Does anyone have any questions or need me to clarify anything before we start playing the game? I have left a simplified instructions sheet with each group in case you have questions while you get started.”
“Since there are no questions, feel free to get started. I will be walking around the room helping each group as necessary. Please be appropriate and thoughtful in your answers as we will be using the words on your lists for another activity later.”
From here I will let them get started on playing. I will let them play for about 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes…
“Everyone please pause if you are not in the middle of a round and if you are keep going until the timer runs out and put your pencils down.”
Once everyone is ready…
“Okay, when you are finished with all three rounds of your game and have determined a winner, You may use the provided category cards in the box and keep playing the game how it is supposed to be played until everyone is done. Does anyone have any questions? Thank you, you may keep playing!”
I will let them continue playing and I will keep walking around the classroom helping when needed.
When there are 15 minutes left in class…
“Alright PAUSE, pencils down, even if you are in the middle of a round, stop the timer!”
“I would like for each of you to take out your writing notebooks. For the next 10 minutes of class, I would like for you to write a short story about a topic of your choosing. However, you must pick one of the lists of words that you created and incorporate each of those words into your story. Does anyone have any questions? Get started!”
I will then be walking around the room cleaning up the games while they write and answering any questions they may have while I am walking around.
With 5 minutes left in class…
“Alright class, there are 5 minutes left. Would anyone like to share the story they were able to write? It’s okay if it isn’t finished.”
Allow time for any students to read their stories.
“Okay everyone, I will give you the first 5-10 minutes of class tomorrow to continue developing your story so PLEASE do not lose your word lists. After that, I will give more of you time to share your stories if you would like. Thank you all for being so wonderful today, I hope you have a great rest of your day!”