The Writer’s Notebook

Entry # 1 – 11/29/11 Writing is one of the abilities that sets humankind apart from other animals. In China, Japan, and some Islamic cultures, writing can be an art form: calligraphy. In ancient Egypt, papyrus, a paper-like medium, was invented so that people would have something portable to write on.

Writing has a fascinating history, yet it is something we often take for granted. Think about writing in your daily life. Jot down all the types of writing you do in a typical day. Now write a few sentences about what your life would be like if you were unable to write/text/email. Share your ideas with your classmates.

Entry # 2 – 11/30/11 Make a list of all the words you think of when you hear the word school. Then write a sentence, using some of those words, that sums up your overall feelings about school.

Entry # 3 – 12/1/11 Communication plays a big part in life. When someone has the option of speaking or writing , when does he or she choose the latter? List the circumstances or situations in which writing is preferable to speaking and why. Then see if classmates generated similar lists.

Entry # 4 – 12/2/11 Whenever you learn or practice a skill, it is a good idea to keep some basics in mind. Let’s review some grammar. Do you remember the parts of speech? There are eight. List as many as you can in your notebook. Then try to provide an example of each.

Entry # 5 – 12/5/11 A NOUN is a word that names a person, place, an object or idea. Nouns can be common or proper; that is, they can name any object, or a very specific object. For example, teacher is a common noun. Mrs. Green is a proper noun. Proper nouns are always capitalized. List 5 common nouns that name someone or something you see every day. Now list 5 proper nouns that name someone or something you see every day. What does including proper nouns do for a piece of writing? How does it help the reader?

Entry # 6– 12/7/11 Descriptions often rely on the sense of sight. But you have four other senses you can draw on to create images for your readers. The sense of smell is considered our most nostalgic sense (most likely to trigger memories); particular smells can conjure up scenes from the past. Think about a scent that has some meaning or association for you. Then describe the scent and the feelings it brings up.

Entry # 7 – 12/8/11 The about an object or quality unique to the area where you live. Imagine the you work for a travel agency, and you are writing a brochure to attract visitors to your area. Write a description f the unique object or quality to include in the brochure.

Entry # 9 – 12/9/11 Hyperbole, or overstatement, is a literary device that uses exaggeration. Someone who describes the cafeteria as “20 miles long” is using hyperbole. Think about examples of hyperbole you have heard. Write some examples of hyperbole, either as a unified paragraph about one topic or several unrelated sentences describing an event or occurrence using hyperbole.

Entry # 10 – 12/12/11 The opposite of hyperbole is understatement. With hyperbole, someone exaggerates to the extreme. With understatement, someone down-plays what he/she is describing. For example, seeing someone having a complete temper-tantrum and saying “he looks a little upset.” Think about situations where you have heard understatement used. Try describing a difficult situation or a bad day using understatement.

Entry # 11 – 12/13/11 Part of writing well is using the mechanics of writing correctly. You might have great ideas, but if you cannot follow the standard conventions, people may have difficulty understanding your message. Punctuation is intended to make writing easier to understand. So you know how to use commas? Write three comma rules below and give an example sentence that demonstrates each rule.

Entry # 12 – 12/14/11 Rewrite this paragraph, inserting commas where they belong: Once in a while Shelia went to the movies alone. She didn’t have to share her popcorn she didn’t have to shush her companion and she didn’t have to debate which movie to see. On the other hand there was also no one to poke in the ribs when a character said something funny and there was no one to explain when something unexpected happened. She wasn’t sure which way was better but she loved going to the movies.

Entry # 13 – 12/15/11 Write three rules for when to use periods. Give one example of each. Insert periods where they are needed in the following sentences: Take W River St to overpass Rd, and turn left at the first set of lights Miss Washington is my piano teacher this year Dr Ahmed ordered some test to be done at the lab on E 42nd Street It’s impossible that M L Burns is Melissa Lou Burns I have a copy of The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr, and E B White