Commenting on First Person Narratives

When you comment on your peers' stories, I would like you to answer these questions.

Overall, what is the best quality/characteristic of this story? It could be its characters, the conflict, the resolution, the description of the setting, the story arc, use of dialogue, etc. Use specific details and references to the story (quotes from the story) to fully explain yourself.

What is the story's theme? What details does the author include throughout that leads to the fully expressed theme in the end?

What is your personal reaction to the story? How do you feel after reading it? What do you remember? What images do you see? What did you learn about the situation/place/conflict?

What was your favorite part of the story? Pick a line that you liked, put it into the comment box, put quotes around it, and explain what it was about it that stood out to you.

If the author were to make this better, they could... (finish this statement in as much specific detail as possible)

Each of your answers should be a paragraph or so in length (this means you will be writing five answers/ five paragraphs).  You need to use proper spelling and grammar when writing your answers/critiques of your classmates' writing.  You will be picking one story to comment on and you will be randomly assigned another (this means you will write full comments on two different people's stories).  Make sure your comments, even if they are more critical, are phrased in a positive manner.  Be as specific as possible in your comments, both for your commenting grade and for the benefit of the author.

You need to have your comments done by Wednesday, before class begins.

content adapted from http://bgexemplar.blogspot.com

Making a blog

1. Go to Google
2. At the top, click on "More" then "Blogger"
3. using your school email, create a blog.  Your URL needs to be your first name and last initial and the class (English 9). Your title needs to be your name and something creative.
4. Email your URL to me at tiffany.johnson@gk12.net
5. I will create a list of links to blogs on this page, you need to create one on your page as well.
6. You will post your first person writing on that page as well as other writing through the semester.

Universal Experience Writing

You will post  your first person narrative/memoir/diary entries/journal entries on a blog like this to share with your classmates from both third block and fourth block.  Your job will be to read at least three other people's stories and write some comments on them.  You will also need to find at least one story that has a theme that can be found in yours as well.