No Guitar Blues---Pre-Read

Did you ever want something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it?
Whether yes or no is the answer, explain the situation and the outcome.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

I am a Journalist

Journalists observe, jot down story ideas, and then write newscasts.  Start a new blog entry titled: Every Day Small Life Dramas.  Jot down 3-5 small life dramas you witnessed in the past 24 hours. 

Think for a moment about everything you already know about techniques writers use to make their writing more interesting to the reader.  For example, you know that story writers often use dialogue to show characters' traits and emotions.  So do journalists.  Writers also add details using their 5 senses.  Good writers incorporate sensory details to make their writing more vivid. 

Look back at your blog entry from Wednesday.  Revise your entry with dialogue or sensory details to make it more interesting to the reader.  Can you capture the excitement of the SuperBowl setting in your Newscast by including sensory details?  Can you make connections with the reader by adding dialogue?  Give it a try.

When done pick a friend or neighbor's blog to read and comment on their use of dialogue or sensory details.

Newscast

Look over the Super Bowl story ideas you jotted down yesterday.  Pick one you would like to expand into a newscast, and begin writing your first draft of the event.Remember what we know about starting newscasts and writing in general:

• answer the 5 w's in your 1st sentence or two

• add a lead/hook, just a tiny bit of drama, to make it newsworthy and get readers interested 

• use a journalistic tone--concise, 3rd person, dramatic but truthful

When done, pick a friend or neighbor's blog to read and comment on their 5 w's, hook, and journalistic tone.

View the comments below to see examples of other newscast beginnings.

Small Life Dramas

Journalists notice small life dramas and try to capture the who, what, when, where, and why of those dramas to turn them into newscasts.  They especially like to look for dramas that no one notices.  Journalists observe, jot down story ideas, and then write newscasts.

Be a journalist and jot down story ideas from your observations during yesterday's Super Bowl.

Develop Your Power of Observation

Journalists are among the most-read writers in the world.  Believe it or not, you are a journalist, too, as Blog writers are a type of journalist.
Journalists notice small life dramas and try to capture the who, what, when, where, and why of those dramas so they can turn them into newscasts.
Think of something you did this past week at school or at home and write a narrative (story) about it answering the 5 w's.

Share your blog entry with a friend or neighbor, have him/her check that you have answered all 5 w's, and then leave a comment about the 5 w's or about how well you met blog expectations. 

Are you, you?

Yesterday you read a poem about twins who were switched at birth and forever confused with each other.  If that ever happened to you...."What would you do, if you were me, To prove that you were you?"

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization
• stay on topic
• include details

"Mistakes Were Made" Rewrite

The prisoner stood before the court and said, "Mistakes were made," and "I'm sorry for what happened."

"The way he puts it, you'd hardly guess that he had anything to do with that burglary," muttered the woman whose store he broke into.

Rewrite the prisoner's words, to more accurately reflect what really happened.

Expectations:

• at least 6-10 sentences
• correct capitalization & punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details