English 8 Strategies continued with the new schedule today, and as Tuesdays are writing days, we returned to Schaffer and came up with our first class-produced paragraphs.

The Schaffer model makes writing easier. For example, it helps you come up with ideas. Each sentence does a specific job, so you know what the sentence must do. You don’t have to write random sentences. In addition, Schaffer helps with organization. There is a specific order the sentences go in. You don’t have to think as much about organization. Writing in the Schaffer model is simple.

(CS not perfect)

Fifth period came up with something very similar:

The Schaffer model makes writing easier. For example, it helps you figure out what to say next. Each sentence has a name and a job. If you know the sentence’s job, you’ll know what the sentence should have in it. In addition, Schaffer helps you stay organized. It gives you a list of sentences in a good order. If you follow the list, your organization will be perfect. Writing is easier with Schaffer.

English I Honors worked with “The Cask of Amontillado” and its challenging sentence structure and vocabulary:

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation

We looked at the tangent-laden style of nineteenth-century prose (and will we ever get enough of it in our Dickens selection at the end of the year):

Diagram from fourth period

Creative writing students took a look at another example of adding detail and description from the STAR revision model.

Analysis from creative writing

Homework

• English I Honors: 
  • download an audio version of “The Cask of Amontillado” from Librivox (I misspelled it in class, with an “e” in the place of that second “i”) as you feel necessary;
  • re-read “The Cask of Amontillado”;
  • use the online forum to enter your two quotes for the TS your group devised today.