First period worked on leads. We looked at six examples:

• The Dramatic Lead: I wouldn’t make it through the night without it.
• Starting In the Middle Of a Scene: I was sure we’d find the blanket ripped and dirty.
• Leisurely Lead: When I looked into my Grandma’s linen closet, I was amazed by the patchwork of color. Never had I seen so many different blankets. There were soft, fluffy chenille ones and old worn brown ones. Tucked in the middle, barely visible, with just a faded yellow corner sticking out, was the one I wanted.
• Beginning At the Ending: I joyfully pulled the tattered corners around me and sighed as I settled into the corner of the chair.
• Introducing the Narrator: I used to think I was different from everyone else – that I had a secret friend that no one else had. But I’ve come to realize that lots of people had special relationships with inanimate objects. Yes, I admit it. I had a “blankie.”
• Dialogue Lead: “Only insecure, immature babies need to drag their blankets around with them!”

Students then worked in pairs to create similar leads for the memoirs.

Second period finished preparing for their oral presentations and gave the actual presentations. How many of them figured out that the point of the activity was the preparation and not the presentation itself? I’m not sure.

Fourth and sixth periods worked on diction, particularly improving diction by using specific nouns and action verbs.

Homework

• First period: two full-paragraph leads for the memoir using two different lead types.
• Second period:
  • read chapters 16-18;
  • finish online forum discussions;
  • prepare for part of speech test (next week);
  • work on grammar topics at courses.ourenglishclass.net.
• Fourth and sixth periods: third draft.