Beginnings

Hello Class!
It's time to start thinking of how you are going to begin your novel.

1) Read about the different ways that you can begin a novel in your NaNoWriMo Student Workbook on page 51.
2) Instead of completing the activity in your workbook (we've been having some technical issues with the workbooks) I have created an identical document in Google Drive. So, open your Google Drive and go into the shared folder (English 1, 2 (View Only)). There, you will find a document entitled "Beginnings." 
3) Open the document, make a copy and rename it (period lastname Beginnings);
3) Complete the assignment and share it with me (jdavenportplhs@gmail.com).

Signing up for NaNoWriMo!!!

Happy Tuesday!
Today we are going to set up our accounts for NaNoWriMo. Please follow the steps below to do that:

1.  Determine a word count goal for your novel by clicking HERE to view teacher recommendations.
2. Then, visit the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program page by clicking HERE.
3. Select "Sign In"  in the upper right corner.
4. VERY IMPORTANT - For your User Name, please use your period, last name and first name initial. For example, if I was a student in period 1, my user name would be 1davenportj.
5. Complete the rest of the sign up info - make sure you select the correct grade level (high school) and Young Writer (not Educator) for the account type.
•  Please make sure to WRITE DOWN your log-in and password info. I will NOT have access to this information and will NOT be able to help you if you forget them.
6. Once you account has been created - go to "Edit Novel Info" and enter your word count goal. You can also enter other information about your novel.
7. On the left hand menu, you should see "Virtual Classroom," and below that "Join a Classroom." Select "Join a Classroom," and then search for "Ms. D's Wordbusters."  When it shows up in the bottom window select it and click "Join."
8. Finally, feel free to browse the website and enter in your own personal info under "Edit Author Info."

Homework Reminder

Hi Class,
Just wanted to remind you of a few things: 
1) If you are behind on the pre-writing assignments, please complete them ASAP. See the previous post for details - there were five assignments due as of last Friday.
2) If you did NOT finish the dialogue assignment in class today - please complete that tonight for homework. Remember to share it with me when you are done (jdavenportplhs@gmail.com).
3) Your first book review for your independent reading books is due on Friday! See the sample book review and the assignment directions in the English 1, 2 (View Only) folder in your Google drive.

Happy Monday!

Catching Up

OK Guys,
We've had a lot to do this week. All of the following assignments SHOULD be completed:
1) Character Questionnaire: shared in Google Drive
2) Creating Conflict: also shared in Google Drive
3) Plot Map: pg. 28 in your NaNoWriMo Student Workbook or see me for a hard copy
4) Settings that Reinforce Characters :pg. 30 - 33 in your NaNoWriMo Student Workbook; Read the introduction and example on pg. 30 then scroll down to pg. 32. You only need to create settings for your protagonist, antagonist and at least one supporting character. The formatting of the workbook is messed up for this section, so you will probably want to just hand-write it in your notebook.


If any of these assignments are NOT completed - please work on them during class today and complete the Reviewing Plot assignment (below) for homework. Yes, HOMEWORK! You MUST have these assignments completed before you can move on!!!

If you have completed all of the above assignments, follow the directions below: 
1) Go into your Google Drive
2) Open the folder that I shared with you entitled, "English 1, 2 (View Only)
3) Open the document titled "Plot"
4) Copy and paste the contents of the document into a new Google Doc (Create - document);
5) Rename this new document: period yourlastname Plot
6) Read the directions and complete the assignment. You will want to use your plot outline to help you complete this assignment.
7) Once completed, share with me (jdavenportplhs@gmail.com).

The Plot assignment is due on MONDAY - if you do not finish it in class it it HOMEWORK this weekend.

Have a fun weekend!

Outlining Your Plot

Hey Guys,

Remember when we discussed good/bad novels? Everyone agreed that a good novel usually has an exciting plot (or story).  Today we are going to talk about how to outline the plots of your novels.

• We will start by reading a section of the NaNoWriMo Student Workbook entitled, "Outlining Your Plot." 
• Click on the link above, and save the document onto your desktop or into your "My Documents" folder. 
• Once it is saved, you should be able to type directly into the document. DO NOT upload the document into Google Drive yet.  We will be using this workbook for a number of assignments.
• Please read pages 19 - 23 in your NaNoWriMo Workbook.Stop when you finish the section on Rising Action
• Before you start outlining the plot of your novel - we are going to practice by outlining the plots to your class novels. Please wait for instructions from Ms. Davenport.

HOMEWORK - Begin mapping the plot of your own novel, focusing for now on the set-up, inciting incident and rising action. Complete these sections of the plot map on pg. 28 of your Student Workbook.

Reminders for the Weekend

Hey Guys,
A couple if reminders for the weekend.
1) Remember that redo's for the Short Answer portion of your Unit Test are due on Tuesday!!! I'm generously giving you one more day. Your welcome : )
2) If you did not complete your Article of the Week summary/reflection in class - it is due on Monday - NO EXCUSES!
3) I am hoping that many of you still have your class novels - if so, please bring them to class on Monday.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Creating Conflict

Hey All,
Please complete the following tasks in class today.

1) Finish your Character Questionnaires. After you are done the questionnaire in Word, you should save the information THEN drag/drop the file into your Google Drive. After you have moved the file into Google Drive, make sure to share the document with me (jdavenportplhs@gmail.com).

2) Once you are finished with your Character Questionnaire, you will be moving on to create the main conflict in your novel. Please take the following steps to do that:

• Take out your English notebook and review your class notes on conflict.
• Open your Google Drive and go into the folder I shared with you, "English 1, 2 (View Only)."
• In that folder, you will find a document entitled "Creating_Conflict."
• To type directly on the form, you must go to “file,” then “download.” A copy should open in Microsoft Word. 
• Save the Word document as: period lastname conflict
• Once the document has been saved onto your desktop you should be able to type directly onto the form. 
• Complete the questions about the conflict in your novel.
• When you are done, hit "SAVE." Only then should you drag the file into your Google Drive and share the document with me. (jdavenportplhs@gmail.com)

Both of these tasks need to be completed by Friday.  We will NOT be working on the computers in class tomorrow as we will be reading the Article of the Week.  SO, whatever you do not finish in class today, is HOMEWORK.

Keep Working...

Hey Guys,
Please complete the following tasks today in class:

1) I want your Google Drive to be properly organized before we start NaNoWriMo.

• Go back to your Google Drive
• Create a new folder in "My Drive" entitled, English 1-2
• Drag your NaNoWriMo document  and Character Questionnaire into this folder.
• The NaNoWriMo document should be blank, and that's OK.
• Please double check that you named your documents in the following way: period lastname assignment
• For example, if I was in period one, my document would be titled 1 Davenport NaNoWriMo or 1 Davenport Questionnaire
• PLEASE USE THIS EXACT FORMATTING - Variations like P.1 Davenport NanoWriMo or 1 J. Davenport NaNoWriMo are not acceptable. Rename your docs if necessary.
• Remember to share both documents with me. My Gmail address is: jdavenportplhs@gmail.com
• When you share PLEASE uncheck the email notification - I don't need two dozen emails jamming up my inbox : )

2)  If you started the Character Questionnaire yesterday, it should hopefully, be saved in your Google Drive or on your desktop. Open the document and continue working.

3. If you haven't started the Character Questionnaire yet, follow these directions: Go into your Google Drive and open the shared folder "English 1, 2." Inside that folder is the Character Questionnaire. Follow the directions below to download the questionnaire. Then, complete the answer the questions on the questionnaire for your protagonist, antagonist and at least one supporting character.

•  Review the information on characters, then fill out the character questionnaires. 
• To type directly on the form, you must go to “file,” then “download.” A copy should open in Microsoft Word.Save the document onto your desktop. Now, you should be able to type directly on the form
• When you are done, save it into your Google Drive and share the document with me. Name the document: period lastname questionnaire.

Happy Tuesday!

Please complete the following tasks in class today.

1. If you still DO NOT have a Gmail account, sign up for one here.  Then, fill out this Student Data Form.

2.  Go into your Google Drive and make sure that you can see the “view only” folder that I have shared with you. If you can’t see it, I don't have your correct Gmail address; go back to task #1. If you can see the folder, read the document that is in the folder. It's an example of a book review -- you'll be writing similar reviews about your independent reading books using Goodreads. Your first book review will be due on Wednesday, October 31st.

• If you have NOT set up a Goodreads account, please do so now. Remember to write down your password and log-on information.

3. You will now set up the document that you will be using to write your novel. Follow these steps:

• Go back to your Google Drive
• Create a new Google Document
• Name it in the following way: period lastname assignment
• For example, if I was in period one, my document would be titled 1 Davenport NaNoWriMo 
• Make sure there is a space after the period number
• Share the document with me: jdavenportplhs@gmail.com
• Un-check the box that asks if you want to send me email notification that you've shared a document with me...it just crams my inbox! 
• Be sure to give me editing rights - this should already be the default selection.

4. Hopefully, you've been thinking about the novel you are going to be writing. That means you should have an idea (however vague) about a main character and possibly other supporting characters and an antagonist. Start by going into your Google Drive and opening the shared folder "English 1, 2." Inside that folder is the Character Questionnaire. Follow the directions below to download the questionnaire. Then, complete the answer the questions on the questionnaire for your protagonist, antagonist and at least one supporting character.

•  Review the information on characters, then fill out the character questionnaires. 
• To type directly on the form, you must go to “file,” then “download.” A copy should open in Microsoft Word.Save the document onto your desktop. Now, you should be able to type directly on the form
• When you are done, save it into your Google Drive and share the document with me. Name the document: period lastname questionnaire.

NETBOOKS!!!

Your Netbook is up and running, you've successfully signed in - what should you do now?  Complete the following task list in order:

1. If you DO NOT have a Gmail account, sign up for one here.  If you already have a Gmail account, proceed to number 2.


2. Fill out this Student Data Form

3. Review how to use Google Docs (including the new features of Google Drive). Make sure you know how to share a document with me!

4. Visit Goodreads and create an account.  Once you have created an account, you can select the tab "My Books" from the top menu and begin entering in books you have read and rating them. Start with you class novel! You can also add your current independent reading book to your "Currently Reading" shelf.

•  You can add Ms. D and other students as a friends on your Goodreads account by searching for their Gmail address. For Ms. D, search for jdavenportplhs@gmail.com
• Explore the website, create a profile...

Our First TEST!!!

Hi Gang,
So, hopefully, you are all busy studying hard for our first test TOMORROW (Wednesday)!  What exactly should you be studying? Well, you should review all of your class notes and know all of the important terms we discussed in class such as: characterization, flat v. original characters, setting, mood, imagery, sensory detail, diction, strong v. weak verbs, connotation, internal and external conflict, protagonist, and antagonist, etc... You should be VERY familiar with your novel and able to identify the protagonists, antagonists, main conflict - whether it's internal or external - and how the conflict affects the main characters..

REMEMBER: You need to bring the following items to the exam tomorrow:

1) A pencil
2) Your class novel
3) Your current independent reading book

Also, for Friday, you need to bring in a "Model Novel." This should be a novel you have already read, enjoyed and are very familiar with. You can use your class novel if you want or bring in another novel of your choosing.

Happy Studying!!!