Writing Task 24.05.2017
EXEMPLAR:
This is an exemplar of a 'then' and 'now' piece of writing.
Your task is to choose a place, event or moment in time and write about was it was like, and contrast with what it is like now.
The exemplar below is of a theatre before the show starts, and after everyone has left.
Then…
Anticipation hangs heavy in the air, filled with the hopes of the young, the optimistic, the dreamers of today. Vermillion curtains hang with the weight of a cardinal’s robe as they hold the secrets of the show to come close. In the aisles below the chairs are brushed off, the ushers straighten their ties and the lights are dimmed to create an inviting haven. Hardwood boards line the floor of the stage. Crafted from a tree that has seen the dawn of a thousand days they now watch the rise of each night as the magic of the moon slowly insinuates itself into the hearts and minds of those who create new worlds here. In the rafters above men in black shirts scuttle like beetles nesting for winter, hoarding their lights and techniques to maintain the magician’s secrecy. A solitary figure stands at the wings, motionless. Dreams fill the air that quivers with the tension of balancing a raft of dreams upon its wraithlike reality.
Now…
The dreamers have gone now. All that remains is the sound of memories. The same hardwood floor looks wearily out upon the dawn of another day. Yet the excitement is gone. The vermillion curtains have faded to a dusty shade of blood red, their regal weight exists no more. They appear as imposters, cheap coverings that no longer hide new worlds but attempt instead to cover reality. Trails of popcorn and discarded ticket stubs litter the aisles of empty seats, leaving a trail for those who will unearth this site for the dawn of the next moon. The raft of dreams has fallen. Those that came to escape for a brief minute have been thrust out into the cold, harsh reality of their lives. No longer can they shelter in the haven of a land where visions become worlds and hopes rule dreams. The rows of seats stand sentry over this desolate landscape waiting, waiting for the tread of a solitary footstep, waiting for the breath of hope to arrive again.
This is an exemplar of a 'then' and 'now' piece of writing.
Your task is to choose a place, event or moment in time and write about was it was like, and contrast with what it is like now.
The exemplar below is of a theatre before the show starts, and after everyone has left.
Then…
Anticipation hangs heavy in the air, filled with the hopes of the young, the optimistic, the dreamers of today. Vermillion curtains hang with the weight of a cardinal’s robe as they hold the secrets of the show to come close. In the aisles below the chairs are brushed off, the ushers straighten their ties and the lights are dimmed to create an inviting haven. Hardwood boards line the floor of the stage. Crafted from a tree that has seen the dawn of a thousand days they now watch the rise of each night as the magic of the moon slowly insinuates itself into the hearts and minds of those who create new worlds here. In the rafters above men in black shirts scuttle like beetles nesting for winter, hoarding their lights and techniques to maintain the magician’s secrecy. A solitary figure stands at the wings, motionless. Dreams fill the air that quivers with the tension of balancing a raft of dreams upon its wraithlike reality.
Now…
The dreamers have gone now. All that remains is the sound of memories. The same hardwood floor looks wearily out upon the dawn of another day. Yet the excitement is gone. The vermillion curtains have faded to a dusty shade of blood red, their regal weight exists no more. They appear as imposters, cheap coverings that no longer hide new worlds but attempt instead to cover reality. Trails of popcorn and discarded ticket stubs litter the aisles of empty seats, leaving a trail for those who will unearth this site for the dawn of the next moon. The raft of dreams has fallen. Those that came to escape for a brief minute have been thrust out into the cold, harsh reality of their lives. No longer can they shelter in the haven of a land where visions become worlds and hopes rule dreams. The rows of seats stand sentry over this desolate landscape waiting, waiting for the tread of a solitary footstep, waiting for the breath of hope to arrive again.
IDEAS:
Season changes (a scene in summer, a scene in winter)
Events (Chernobyl after and now, Hiroshima before the bomb and after, The Twin Towers before 9/11 and after etc)
People (old vs young, relationship vs end of relationship etc)
Season changes (a scene in summer, a scene in winter)
Events (Chernobyl after and now, Hiroshima before the bomb and after, The Twin Towers before 9/11 and after etc)
People (old vs young, relationship vs end of relationship etc)
You will need to choose ONE assessment for your final English internal. You will choose between formal writing, creative writing and speeches. All three assessments are worth 3 credits.
Writing
Level 1 writing can be either formal writing or creative writing. You are required to choose the writing style you prefer and craft a piece of writing, editing it carefully when you have finished. In the writing assessments, your sentence structure, spelling, punctuation and grammar will impact your grade.
|
|
Speeches
The Level 1 speeches are worth 3 credits. You can choose whether you would like to do a traditional, formal speech or a demonstration speech.
Demonstrations require you to demonstrate a skill to your audience.
Demonstrations require you to demonstrate a skill to your audience.
1.6_speeches_criteria.pdf | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: |
Exemplars for all three standards
creative_writing_exemplars.pdf | |
File Size: | 187 kb |
File Type: |
formal_writing_exemplars.pdf | |
File Size: | 5562 kb |
File Type: |
speeches_marking_sheets.pdf | |
File Size: | 28 kb |
File Type: |
Setting up your assessment:
You must set up your assessment (no matter which one you choose) on a google doc. They are time-stamped, which allows us to know when your documents are accessed out of class. You must share this document with me as soon as you create it.
HELP FOR EACH STANDARD
Editing writing - helpful tips
|
|
Click HERE to access information on run-on sentences.
Look carefully at your writing. Read it out loud. Are your sentences repetitive? This might be the sentence starters are repetitive, the sentence length is similar, predictable and boring, the structure repeats over and over.... Read through the paragraph below. It clearly demonstrates what happens to your writing when it is overly repetitive.
Think about changing up your sentences, using length and structure of sentences for effect.
Think about changing up your sentences, using length and structure of sentences for effect.
CREATIVE WRITING
You must show rather than tell. Your characters need to be believable and your need to use language features weaved naturally into your writing.
For creative writing, you may write on anything you choose. However, keep your topic and word choice appropriate. Your writing must target an audience, and in this case your audience are Year 11s. Avoid controversial or inappropriate topics or suggestions as this will definitely impact on your result.
You can write:
- a description
- short story
- poem etc
- develop a character
You must write a statement of intent for your writing. (More information to come)
Possible topics:
- You might like to write about a moment in time
- A character based piece (like the Excellence exemplar)
- a 'then and now' piece where you write a description for 'then' and contrast it with the 'now.' This might mean that you write on a particular place in summer, and then write a description of it in winter.
- A poem that forces the reader to consider a serious issue
Your writing should include:
- language features woven in (not cliched language features)
- interesting vocabulary
- varied sentence structure
- logical structure and flow
- developed ideas
Below you will find a copy of an Excellence poem, with the statement of intent.
For creative writing, you may write on anything you choose. However, keep your topic and word choice appropriate. Your writing must target an audience, and in this case your audience are Year 11s. Avoid controversial or inappropriate topics or suggestions as this will definitely impact on your result.
You can write:
- a description
- short story
- poem etc
- develop a character
You must write a statement of intent for your writing. (More information to come)
Possible topics:
- You might like to write about a moment in time
- A character based piece (like the Excellence exemplar)
- a 'then and now' piece where you write a description for 'then' and contrast it with the 'now.' This might mean that you write on a particular place in summer, and then write a description of it in winter.
- A poem that forces the reader to consider a serious issue
Your writing should include:
- language features woven in (not cliched language features)
- interesting vocabulary
- varied sentence structure
- logical structure and flow
- developed ideas
Below you will find a copy of an Excellence poem, with the statement of intent.
|
|
FORMAL WRITING
You must write a statement of intent for your writing. (More information to come)
Your writing should include:
- language features woven in (not cliched language features)
- interesting vocabulary
- varied sentence structure
- logical structure and flow
- developed ideas
Click HERE to access possible topics for formal writing.
Formal writing needs to be researched and structured well. It must be paragraphed, with an introduction and a conclusion. Look at the exemplars.
Your writing should include:
- language features woven in (not cliched language features)
- interesting vocabulary
- varied sentence structure
- logical structure and flow
- developed ideas
Click HERE to access possible topics for formal writing.
Formal writing needs to be researched and structured well. It must be paragraphed, with an introduction and a conclusion. Look at the exemplars.
topicsformal_writing.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
File Type: | docx |
SPEECHES (DEMONSTRATION)
Showing your audience HOW to do a practical skill while explaining the task is a very typical scenario you will find yourself doing outside of school. It has also helped a lot of past students be successful in this achievement standard.
What to do:
1. Choose a practical skill you already know something about - eg how to maintain and carry out basic checks on a mountain bike; or how to prepare and paint a wooden fence
2. Break the topic into 3-4 main parts eg first aid - blood, burns and breathing (not)!
3. Further divide each of those main parts into key details and supporting information. This is where you explain WHY you do it the way you are explaining to. Giving these reasons is a way of developing your explanation. See more notes on this below.
4. Research background information that you can insert at points during your speech that will give it an overall context eg cooking show hosts might tell the audience where a spice they are using came from; or the history behind a sport and how it began.
4. Write on your plan, next to the key words, the important demonstration actions you will make eg use tyre levers to remove tyre;or shoot at goal
5. Practise, practise, practise.
Delivery techniques:
- Eye contact
- Facial expression
- Gesture
- Stance
- Tone of voice (no monotone)
- Pace/speed
- Volume
- Enunciation
- Props
What to do:
1. Choose a practical skill you already know something about - eg how to maintain and carry out basic checks on a mountain bike; or how to prepare and paint a wooden fence
2. Break the topic into 3-4 main parts eg first aid - blood, burns and breathing (not)!
3. Further divide each of those main parts into key details and supporting information. This is where you explain WHY you do it the way you are explaining to. Giving these reasons is a way of developing your explanation. See more notes on this below.
4. Research background information that you can insert at points during your speech that will give it an overall context eg cooking show hosts might tell the audience where a spice they are using came from; or the history behind a sport and how it began.
4. Write on your plan, next to the key words, the important demonstration actions you will make eg use tyre levers to remove tyre;or shoot at goal
5. Practise, practise, practise.
Delivery techniques:
- Eye contact
- Facial expression
- Gesture
- Stance
- Tone of voice (no monotone)
- Pace/speed
- Volume
- Enunciation
- Props
|
|
SPEECHES (FORMAL)
A formal speech requires you to choose a topic and write a structured, well-written, though-provoking speech. Your speech must be either persuasive or informative. You need to think about techniques you can include in your writing to make more interesting and effective. Your aim is to leave your audience with a message, and something to think about.
These could include:
- Rhetorical questions
- Personal pronouns
- Emotive language
- Facts/Statistics
- Personal anecdote
- Hyperbole
- Imagery
- Alliteration
- Repetition
It must be structured, which means including an interesting introduction, strong, well-reasoned points and a thought-provoking conclusion.
Delivery techniques:
- Eye contact
- Facial expression
- Gesture
- Stance
- Tone of voice (no monotone)
- Pace/speed
- Volume
- Enunciation
Click HERE to access possible topics for speeches.
These could include:
- Rhetorical questions
- Personal pronouns
- Emotive language
- Facts/Statistics
- Personal anecdote
- Hyperbole
- Imagery
- Alliteration
- Repetition
It must be structured, which means including an interesting introduction, strong, well-reasoned points and a thought-provoking conclusion.
Delivery techniques:
- Eye contact
- Facial expression
- Gesture
- Stance
- Tone of voice (no monotone)
- Pace/speed
- Volume
- Enunciation
Click HERE to access possible topics for speeches.
speech_plan_format.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |