Download DIRECTIONS: "Where I`m From" Writing Workshop

WWI Where I’m From directions and poem
Eberly
Where I’m From
When ready, post your REVISED poem on the Poem Blog for your class period. The first person
to post submits a COMMENT to my DIRECTIONS. Thereafter, each student scrolls DOWN to
the LAST post, and submits his poem as a COMMENT, so that we can view all poems in one class
with one click. Make sure you include your TITLE, NAME, and CLASS PERIOD, BEFORE you
post your single-spaced poem. Have fun!
Standards for your poem, “Where I’m From” -- a variation based on George Ella
Lyon’s poem with the same name.
Required FORM:
a) Each stanza begins with the line: I am from… Do Not Repeat these words again in that
stanza.
b) Where appropriate, NAME the 5 W’s. Refer to class notes and examples modeled on the
white board in class. Group similar pictures in the same stanza—for example, favorite foods.
c) DNR = Do NOT REPEAT the same words or phrases in this poem. Your first line in each
stanza is your repetitive REFRAIN or CHORUS line.
d) Fill each line with IMAGES: Use specific words that create immediate PICTURES in the
reader’s mind. Instead of the word tree, name the tree: maple.
e) If the reader can DRAW what a word means, then s/he can SEE a PICTURE or IMAGE.
f) Throw out the WORDS that are NOT IMAGES; they only interfere with the reader SEEING.
g) Each STANZA, or group of line, should have a consistent RHYTHM. The easiest way to
control that rhythm is to— Keep each line SHORT
 Limit each line to 3-6 words or to 6-10 syllables.
 READ ALOUD as you revise;
h) RHYME (The repetition of sound) should be subtle. DO NOT RHYME at the ends of lines.
Instead, when revising, choose words that repeat sounds within words and among the lines
within a stanza.
Meaningful CONTENT: Include IMAGES from the 5 W’s that best SHOW “Where
YOU are from.”
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WHO most influenced you or your family? NAME each and briefly name what you
“inherited” from them: Specific stories? Personality traits? Talents? Hobbies? Skills?
Quotes?
WHAT TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS, ACTIVITIES are most important to your family—IF
IMPORTANT to YOU, too? Favorite foods? Activities? Sports?
WHERE are YOU from IF those places influenced who your family is today, or you?
WHEN: Are there any specific events, time in history, or decade most important to you or
your family’s identity? For example, “Grandpa fled the Irish potato famine…”
WHY is your family different from someone else’s? What personality qualities best
describe your family? What personality qualities do your ancestors/guardians value the most?
WHAT IS POETRY?
POETRY = IMAGES (Specific meaningful PICTURES in the reader’s mind.
Remember, “A picture is a 1000 words.” Choose those sensory words that create instant pictures.
+ COMPRESSION (The fewest words; short lines arranged in stanzas, with only
a few marks of punctuation used to direct the flow and rhythm of the reading.
+ SOUND (The subtle repetition of consonants and vowels sounds within words
and throughout lines in a stanza.)
+ RHYTHM (BEAT or flow of words when read aloud)
WWI Where I’m From directions and poem
Eberly
2-3 Day DIRECTIONS: "Where I'm From"
A Writing Workshop
assignment based on the poem, "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyons.
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We work well together in class and for homework. We also shall begin to learn
how to understand, record, and save ALL STAGES of the writing process:
brainstorming, researching, using graphic organizers, drafting, revising, editing,
publishing/displaying.
Avoid the pitfall of accepting what is "good" and strive or experiment "for what
might be better."
PROVE daily that you actually participated during class and at night in the
writing process. You do this by showing evidence of work --dating your
papers, showing "hand-written" revisions, marked-up typed drafts, and by saving
ALL previous drafts as we engage in the PROCESS.
At the end of this poetry writing workshop, STAPLE, IN REVERSE ORDER, ALL
evidence of your thinking, drafting, revising, editing, and polishing of this poem.
SO... Keep ALL attempts at thinking and writing, including the stuff you usually
crinkle up and throw into the waste basket.
You will receive 2 TEST GRADES for your Final Typed Poem (1 Test)+ your
"Reverse-ordered stapled Process Packet (2 tests).
Below is the poem that we will use as a MODEL for our own. You may want to
READ IT ALOUD several times to become familiar with the RYTHM and kind of
PICTURES or IMAGES that George Ella Lyon uses to capture his "background."
WHERE I'M FROM
George Ella Lyon
I’m from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush,
the Dutch elm
whose long limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I am from fudge and eye glasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I’m from the know-it-alls
and the pass-it-ons,
from perk up and pipe down.
I’m from He restoreth my soul
with a cotton lamb
and ten verses I can say myself.
I’m from Artemus and Billie's
Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger
the eye my father shut to keep his
sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from these moments -snapped before I budded -leaf-fall from the family tree.
WWI Where I’m From directions and poem
Eberly
4-7 day DIRECTIONS: "Where I'm From" Writing Workshop:
A choral reading daily of "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyons. We'll
begin brainstorming this week, but will write our individual poems, next
week. You may read the following section if you wish.
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Within the first weeks of school --IN CLASS-- we soon will begin our first writing
process assignment -- a poem about ourselves and background that might include
images of specific family members now, ancestors, other important people,
places, events, hobbies, and talents that have impacted our lives and helped
shape who we are today.
IN CLASS we will learn how to capture IMAGES or pictures onto paper using
WORDS. We might SKETCH pictures first to help us find the "best" WORD
CHOICES (diction) to create our IMAGES. Why? Because POETRY is using the
fewest words possible to create pictures where each word or phrase creates a
1000 words in our minds. Your final poem eventually will be posted on
YOUR MOODLE Homepage.
If we work well together in class we may only have to work on this poem for
about 10 MINUTES per night for about a week. STAY TUNED. We will also will
begin to learn how to understand, record, and save ALL STAGES of the writing
process: brainstorming, researching, using graphic organizers, drafting, revising,
editing, publishing/displaying.
We can and should REVISIT any stage of this RECURSIVE PROCESS if so desired.
This assignment will be introduced in class and closely monitored on a day-to-day
basis. It is expected that each student will "work" on his WRITING/ THINKING in
class and at home for about 10 minutes each night, based on the mini-lessonfocus of that day's class. You should avoid the pitfall of accepting what is "good"
and strive or experiment "for what might be better."
You also must PROVE daily that you actually participated during class and at
night in the writing process. You do this by showing evidence of work --dating
your papers, showing "hand-written" revisions, marked-up typed drafts, and by
saving ALL previous drafts as we engage in the PROCESS.
At the end of this poetry writing workshop, you will be required to STAPLE, IN
REVERSE ORDER, ALL evidence of your thinking, drafting, revising, editing, and
polishing of this poem. SO... Keep ALL attempts at thinking and writing,
including the stuff you usually crinkle up and throw into the waste basket.
WHY? Because REAL WRITERS draft and draft and revise and revise -- that is the
creative process. You will receive 3 TEST GRADES for your Final Typed Poem (1
Test)+ your "Reverse-ordered stapled Process Packet (2 tests). If you work hard
daily, you will pass and probably earn a C+ or higher. If you only pass in a final
poem and not much of a Process Packet, you will FAIL because it's more
important to me that you practice the process than whip off a fairly good poem
in one night and/or have a parent write your poem for you. You CAN do well on
your own. If writing is easy for you, then you will become an even better writer
IF you engage in the PROCESS. NO SLACKERS!
Below is the poem that we will use as a MODEL for our own. You may want to
READ IT ALOUD several times to become familiar with the RYTHM and kind of
PICTURES or IMAGES that George Ella Lyon uses to capture his "background."
STAY TUNED for upcoming details and schedule!
WWI Where I’m From directions and poem
Eberly
WHERE I'M FROM
George Ella Lyon
I’m from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back
porch.
(Black, glistening
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush,
the Dutch elm
whose long limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I am from fudge and eye glasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I’m from the know-it-alls
and the pass-it-ons,
from perk up and pipe down.
I’m from He restoreth my soul
with a cotton lamb
and ten verses I can say myself.
I’m from Artemus and Billie's
Branch,
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger
the eye my father shut to keep his
sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from these moments -snapped before I budded -leaf-fall from the family tree.