Journal #19: Romeo and Juliet Prologue

Do your best to "translate" the Prologue of Rome and Juliet into words you can understand (100%).  Use a dictionary to help, as well as your notes on Shakespeare's language.  Every line should be translated into modern English for full-credit.  If you have no clue, take your best guess.

Journal #18: Love at First Sight?

We are now continuing with your original Journal, so fold over two pages to separate your Regular Journal entries from your Poetry Journal entries. 

Write one paragraph about whether you think love at first sight is possible or not.  Please explain completely. 

Poetry Journal # 13: A Poem About a Painting

Write a 15 line poem with TONS of imagery about one of the following two paintings:

Picasso's "Guitarist" or Jackson Pollock's "Stenographic"

Journal #12: Whimsical Poem

Write a poem that is simply a collection of images of one of your favorite memories.  Throw together a bunch of images, and don't worry about expressing anything deep.  Some examples of whimsical poems include E.E. Cummings' "In Just-" and Meryn Cadell's "The Sweater."

Journal #10: Catalog Poem

After viewing Taylor Mali's "What Teachers Make" and reading "Daily" by Naomi Shihab Nye and "Woman Work" by Maya Angelou, write a catalog poem of your own.  You may choose to write about chores you have to do, dreams you have, annoyances/pet peeves, fears that you need to overcome, etc. 

You must use the following:  refrain, metaphor/simile
You should try:  rhyme, alliteration, or assonance

Journal #9: Personification Poem

Write a poem in which you use personification in at least three lines.  You may personify a natural phenomenon or any object you choose.  If you wish, you may make it speak, which is also a form of personification.

Journal #8: Ode, or Poem of Praise

Write an original ode, or praise poem, about something or someone you admire.  Feel free to use humor in this poem.  Two drafts.

Journal #7: Precis for "Ode to My Socks"

Please write a complete precis for Pablo Neruda's "Ode to My Socks."

Journal #6: Precis for "Ode to La Tortilla"

Write a precis for Gary Soto's "Ode to La Tortilla."

Reminder of how to write a precis:

 Sentence One:  Title of poem, author, and general subject of poem.

Sentences 2 and 3 (or more):  Explain how the poet makes their main point.  Who is the speaker?  What literary techniques are used? What is the tone?

Sentences 4 and 5: Examples from the poem supporting how the point is made.

Sentences 6 through 8:   Explain the author’s purpose.  Why has this poem been written?  What is the poet trying to express altogether?  Go a little deeper, below the surface of the poem.

Journal #4: Where I'm From

Write a "Where I'm From" poem of at least 6 stanzas of at least 4 lines.  Remember, in this poem, you're not specifying the location of where you're from, but rather, things that have shaped you, things you see and hear around your house, on your street, in your community, etc. 

Here are the class versions:

Where We're From (Period 4)

We’re from basketball hoops, broken-down and rusted pick-up trucks, poorly-executed graffiti, cows, dirt roads, dying blackberry bushes, bird poop, white picket fences, and black pot holes.

We’re from boxes of Hawaiian rolls, overfed pets, deer heads on the walls, piano music, way too many paintings of fruit, computer-addicted family members, costume jewelry, candles, toys strewn across the floor, and Call of Duty games.

We’re from Coco Pebbles, spaghetti, pepperoni pizza rolls, deer meat, bear jerky, German chocolate cake, tamales, feta cheese, parmesan and noodles, undercooked snicker doodles, and overcooked banana bread.

We’re from shut the hell up, Aunt Mary’s kicking my ass at Words with Friends, barking dogs and moms, Callate, meow, screaming siblings, yelled Jeopardy answers, awkward silence, and I love you.

We’re from Melissa, Michele, Audrey, Darius, Keith, and Otis the Dog.

We’re from being vampires, swimming in oceans with dolphins, getting into Stanford, fame, travelling the world, Santa’s real, and to float through life without a single care in the universe.

Journal #2: Definition of Poetry

1.  Define the term poetry.  (1 sentence)

2.  Write 1 paragraph about how you feel about poetry.  Do you like it, love it, or not?  Explain why you feel the way you do thoroughly.  If you think it's amazing, explain exactly why.  If you think it is boring, explain exactly why. 

(5 points)

Poetry Journal #1: Found Poem

Grab a random book, and open to random pages and scan the pages for interesting words or chunks of words.  Write them down in your journal.  After you've written about 20 chunks of words, create a poem out of what you've written by arranging your favorite poems in an interesting way on the next page.

Journal #17: Your Choice: Diary from the Perspective of Curley, Curley's Wife, or Crooks

Two paragraphs.

Journal #16: Diary from the Perspective of Candy

After reading through page 49 in Of Mice and Men, write two paragraphs from the perspective of Candy.

Journal #15: Diary from the Perspective of Lennie

Following Chapter 2, pretend you are Lennie and write a diary entry from his perspective.  2 paragraphs, 10 points.

Journal #14: George's Diary

Write a "diary" entry in your journal from the perspective of George (using the first person, "I").  Pretend you are George, and reflect on your relationship with Lennie, being a migrant worker, and your dreams, and your internal conflict.  (2 paragraphs - 10 points)

Journal #13: Exposition of the story Of Mice and Men

Describe the exposition of Of Mice and Men.  (1 paragraph - 5 points)

(Hint:  Here is your topic sentence:  The exposition of Of Mice and Men reveals something about its characters, setting, and initial conflict.)

Journal #12: Quotes Where Melinda is Struggling to Speak

Find 3 quotes/paragphrases in which Melinda struggles with speaking.  Be sure to introduce the quote and use MLA citations at the end.

Journal #11: Three Quotes from Speak/Beginning

Find and write down three quotes, or if it is longer quote, PARAPHRASE that quote.  The quotes should somehow describe Melinda's struggle with expressing herself through her tree project in the beginning/middle of the novel.

Journal #10: "Showing" Paragraph About Your Object

Complete the following "telling" sentence:  ___<Your object>___ is _____________________.

Then, write a "showing" paragraph using lots of details that is at least 8 sentences in length.