"Reely" Good Quotes

Dumb and Dumber

Create a New Post featuring 4-5 of your favorite MOVIE QUOTES.  These could be funny, sad, smart...whatever stands out to you.  You can type these or use an image featuring the quote.  Make sure you indicate the film the quote is from, and the character if you'd like.

When a Man Loves a Woman

"Reel" Life

Do a  New Post answering the following questions (in at least 400 words) about your preferences in movies.

• Tell us about your favorite movie and why you like it.
• Tell us about the kinds of movies you don't care for usually.
• Tell us about how often and where you usually watch movies.
• Tell us about what you need for movie viewing (environment, food, company, etc.)
• Tell us about what this survey says about you.
• If my life story was made into a movie...(who would play you, what would be 3-4 main plot points/events, happy or sad ending, etc.)

Include images in this post also. Thanks!

When you're finished, leave a quick comment on the movie post and/or movie quotes post of at least 3 of your classmates.

Scare/Share

Something else we've been invited to participate in on Monday is a Halloween Scary Story exchange with some of the other English classes in the student center.  I'm thinking you could write something today, post it to your blog, and then just take a Chromebook to go when we join the other classes to share. 

I found some interesting horror story starter ideas at a blog called Nighthags Writing Corner.  The prompts are a bit darker...Feel free to shape them to something you are comfortable with...  

Please go to this post and this post also this post and take a look at all the sentence starters, art and photos and choose one (or more, I suppose) to inspire a piece of writing of no less than 300 words.

When your piece is ready (and at least 300 words), please share it in a New Post on your own blog.  Give your post a creative title and be sure to include the image that inspired it or put the idea starter in bold within your piece.

We might take a few minutes to finish these up before we join the other classes on Monday, but you want to be sure to have most of it finished before then.

Field Trip: Photo Gallery: Thursday

Oh goodness.  Why did I forget to pass out the permission slips for our field trip on Tuesday so you would have more than one day to remember to bring it back?  I'm sorry.  Please don't forget to get the slip signed tonight and bring it with you to class on Thursday.  Make a reminder in your phone or whatever you need to do.  You can also bring some money if you'd like to get a treat at either Hurts Donut, The Coffee Ethic, or Kingdom Coffee, all of which are near the gallery we will visit.  

So that you may be better informed going into our visit to photographer Randy Bacon's gallery, please visit his website and especially take a look at his projects 7 Billion Ones and The Road We Call Home.  Think about some questions you could ask Mr. Bacon about his craft, the people he's met, the stories he's told through photos, what he might be up to next.

Please don't be late to class on Thursday in case our bus gets here early.  If you need to stay behind with Mrs. R across the hall while we are gone, please let me know.

Edited after returning from the field trip:

I hope you all found our visit to Randy's gallery both inspiring and meaningful.  If you'd like to go back to the gallery on your own sometime for a closer look, visiting hours are 1-5 Tuesday-Saturday, later on the First Friday of each month.  Some of you might be compelled to action by the stories Randy shared.  He suggested reaching out to Gathering Friends for the Homeless and following the group on Facebook.  I specifically noticed this post and thought this might be a way for us to help as a class...What if we tried to gather some of these things in the next couple of weeks?

Whitney Pierson Creehan

October 24 at 4:33pm

hello friends!

we have a lot of folks asking what our needs are or how they can help and we are at that pivotal change of seasons moment where we have a lot of things left from last year and not enough of some things. we also realize that some of you want to gather, some of you want to purchase and some of you like to cook. don't worry, we've got needs for all y'all!! <3

GATHERING/ CLOSET RAIDING:
- men's coats
-men's jackets
-men's jeans waist size 29-34.
-men's flannel shirts
-women's coats (please no fancy ones!)
-women's long sleeve shirts
-large back packs (huge this time of year as the clothes friends wear take up more space).

-sleeping bags. when the cold weather snaps, this is the first request for most of our campers. blankets and light weight bags don't cut it in 40 degree temps and less.

-thermal long underwear (mostly bottoms). these are $6.93 at walmart and a HUGE request by the time late november rolls around . huge huge huge. we try to get anyone living outdoors a set of bottoms and tops. right now we have a good amount of tops because i bought every single one at 3 walmarts on clearance in the late spring :)

-thick socks. always

PURCHASING

-$5 mc donalds or subway gift cards
-mens and womens socks
-large back packs (because we really need them)
-AAA batteries
-9x13 ish tarps
-$20 gas cards to Kum and Go or Conoco
-bus passes in any form!!

-Walmart gift cards

Please leave a comment on this post today answering all of the following:

1: something specific Randy said that has stuck with you

2: one of the photos/stories that stood out to you

3:  if you would be interested in doing something to help/what you'd be willing to do/bring

And...oh wow!  Look at this video that Anastaysia made the day of our trip!  You are amazing, Anastaysia.  Really.

Photos of the Millennium (so far)

With the advance of cell phones, caputring all aspects of history and everyday life is easier and more accessible than ever.  Think about what your great-grandkids will say about all the images your generation is leaving behind--or will many of the images that tell your story/history vanish into cyberspace somewhere eventually instead of being in a photo album for those grandkids to flip through?

This little dog happened to be strolling down a street just after the Pope had passed by--his little smile and upturned chin make it seem like he believes all the applause and fuss is for him!  Adorable.

Choose one of the photos from the 2000s and write a piece (poem or prose, fiction or nonfiction...your choice) of at least 250 words inspired by the photo. This might be a personal memory you have connected to this event or your thoughts about this moment in history...you decide what you'd like to say. 

Here's an example of something I wrote referencing an image from the aftermath of 9-11 that has always stayed with me.  

If the CrackTwo link is blocked on the school computers for whatever reason, you could visit another website with "iconic" or important photos from this decade or the last and choose one from there, or you might be able to Google an individual picture if you remember one or have a certain one in mind.  Include the photo you chose and your writing in a New Post on your own blog.

Flea Market Photos

In a New Post on your blog, please share some new writing of at least 250 words inspired by the antique flea market photos we looked at in class on Tuesday (or another one if you'd rather find your own).  

This could be a fictional short story, a long poem, a set of dialogue, a journal or diary entry in the voice of one of the people pictured, or something else...If you want to also include your profile information for the people, you could.

Include a picture of the picture or another image that fits. Please have this posted by the end of class Wednesday.

If you'd like to check out the work of Ransom Rigg's and his fascination with old photos, visit his website.  I referenced his book Talking Pictures in class.

Smile for the camera

Please leave a brief but thoughtful COMMENT on this post answering one or more of these questions regarding PHOTOGRAPHY as inspiration:

• Who takes most of the photos in your family and/or group of friends?
• Who is missing in many/most of your photos? The photographer? Someone else?
• How are the photos in your family or your home organized? archived? displayed?
• Are photos important to you? Why?
• One of my family's funnies/weirdest/most interesting photos is of...
• I wish I had a picture of...

Photo Hunt + Captions + Hashtags + Quote

In a New Post on your blog, please at least 10 of the photos you took during our Photo Hunt. Add a caption of at least 25 words to go with each photo, and include a clever #hashtag with each caption.  You can decide whether to label or otherwise indicate which photo on the list each was supposed to be.

At the end of your post, include a quote that suggests something about paying attention or writers noticing everything or the power of photographs.

Inspired by Hopper

Nighthawks

Gas

Freight Car at Truro

Soir Bleu

Choose one of the 4 paintings (above) by American artist Edward Hopper we studied in class this week (his painting "Nighthawks" is referenced in the insurance commercial we watched) and write a piece of at least 200 words inspired by it.  You might do a short fiction piece or a personal narrative or maybe even a long narrative poem.  You can refer to your lists of sensory details and other thoughts in your journal entry completed in class for ideas.  Please create a New Post on your blog  by the end of class Thursday with your writing and include the painting, too.  Thanks!

Windows

In a New Post on your blog, please share the Window Poem you created in class on Tuesday.  Add an image. Thanks!

Optional: If you'd like to, also post your poem inspired by the view in or out of a window in Edward Hopper's painting "Marshall's House."  

We made it!

It's the end of first quarter!  You all  have been so great to work with so far, and I'm looking forward to trying new things and seeing what you come up with in the next half of the semester.  The end of the quarter is a busy time for all of us, and you might be feeling as frazzled as the kitty.  It will all be okay...Just a couple of reminders:

Your journal is due today with 20 new full pages.  

I'll be giving points for the art-related blog posts we've done so far to count on your first quarter grade.  You'll need to have those posted by the end of class today (Friday 10/14) if you'd like credit for them.

Thanks for being wonderful!  Enjoy the long weekend!

Art/Therapy

I hope you enjoyed the process of coloring the printed mandala designs in class this week.  Mandalas are important to a variety of cultures, faiths and schools of thought...

You can create some interesting mandalas at this site.  If you click on the asterisks, there is more information about the different elements.

Leave a brief but thoughtful COMMENT (100 words or so) on this post answering one or more of these questions:

• How or why do you think art could be used as therapy?
• Can you think of other pieces of or types of art that are connected to certain faiths, disciplines or movements?
• What role does art play in your own life?
• If you could be any kind of artist, what would you be?  Why?
• What do your doodles say about your personality?  Check this site or others for reference.
• Why do you think Adult Coloring Books are so popular right now?  This article has some ideas.

Read everyone else's comments, too, and reply back if you'd like!

Art Walk

In a New Post on your blog, post some writing connected to the art print you chose to study during our discussion in the cafeteria Monday.  Try for at least 250 words. Include your haiku at the end.

Tell us the story from your own life it made you think of, write a critique or vivid description, write a long poem or several shorter ones inspired by the image...whatever you want to come up with. 

Include an image, too.  If you can't get a photo of the actual print on your post, just choose another one online that has the same feeling or look.

Poems inspired by your Artist Profile

In a New Post on your blog please choose 2 pieces by the artist you profiled Wednesday and write a narrative poem of at least 10 lines for each. 

A narrative poem is one that tells a story.  It doesn't need to rhyme.  You could tell a made-up story inspired by the painting, you could tell a story from your own life the piece makes you think of, you could make up a story about the subjects in the painting...You could connect your two 10-line poems or let them stand on their own. Try to include vivid, sensory details and rich, interesting word choices.  You might even try to include a poetic device (like alliteration, simile, repetition, etc.) if you're comfortable doing so.  Please include an image of the piece of art you are writing about in your post.  Give the post a creative title.

Artist Profile

Grumpy Cat works in oils

Please profile the artist you chose to study in a New Post on your blog.  Please all include the information from your brochure, but instead of listing it, write the information more like a life story in paragraphs.  Include an image and/or self-portrait of the artist as well as 2-3 images of the artist's most famous works.  Title Your Post Artist Profile: ______ (name of artist).  Thanks!

Ready to turn the page

We will be moving on to a new topic (ART!) for inspiration next week, so if there are any BOOKS/TEXT-inspired pieces you would still like to receive credit for (including today's assignment of leaving comments on some of your classmates' work) you need to do so no later than this Sunday night.  First quarter ends next Friday, and you'll need to turn in your journals again that day with 20 new, full pages.  You can circle any work you complete today on your grade check and turn it back in to me.  Have a great weekend!   I am really enjoying reading your work!

Be a {blog} reader

Please take the time to click on the blogs of your classmates (I've got you in groups below) and do the following:

1:   Read at least 5 of the person's blog posts inspired by DREAMS or BOOKS/TEXT (2 long and 3 short).

2:  Leave a friendly, supportive, positive comment of about 50 words on each of the 5 pieces...maybe something you liked/found interesting/found reminded you of something else you've read or in your own life...Remember to be specific.

3:  Create a New Post on your own blog reporting whose blogs you looked at, what pieces you read, and which one was the most interesting to you from each person and why.  Copy and paste your comments into your post, too.

Karlee 
Matthew
Kamryn

Cindy
Meredith
Echo

Kelli
Katheryn
Rah Rah
William
Keaton
Katelynn

Hannah
David
Haley

Ryan
J.L.
Lily

Alec
Samantha
Charles

Kat
Mallory
Charli

Anastasiya
Taylor 
Nichole

6 Word Memoirs

In a New Post on your blog, please share whichever of the 6-Word Memoirs you came up with in class  that you are comfortable sharing.  Just one or all of them.  Include an image or images.  You don't need to explain them, but you could if you wanted to. You could also submit what you've come up with to the Smith magazine website.  Here's a link to the video we watched if you'd like to send it around to your friends and see which ones they think could apply to you (and themselves...).

in the news {papers}

In a New Post on your blog, please share some writing inspired by our dig through newspapers Tuesday.  You might have one longer piece or several shorter ones, but come up with at least 300 words.  Include some images and a catchy title.  You could note the headline, photo, ad, etc. that sparked your idea, or you could leave that a mystery...but don't just describe or narrate what you cut out--make up something new.

Blackout

Thanks for trying the Sharpie blackout technique (scientific terminology there) in class. Please share at least one of your blackout text pieces as a COMMENT on this post. You could type the text you left on the page as a sentence or poem or story.  You could also take a picture with your phone and post your work that way on your own blog, but that is optional.

I'm thinking you could do this same technique with any printed material containing a good chunk of text to work with. I also think you could be inspired to write all sorts of other pieces by using your blacked out piece as a starting point.

You could visit Austin Kleon's website to see what others have come up with and even post your own work there if you're up for it. 

Another interesting Sharpie-related item you can check out here...