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Summary for Lesson 1
In today’s lesson we began our work on 11+ writing, focusing today on character creation and how to focus on one key character in an exam. We started the lesson with some metaphor work to enable the students to practice and expand upon their use of figurative language. We then moved on to thinking about the structure of these lessons where every week we will be dissecting and studying a different piece of 11+ writing advice written by an 11+ examiner. Today we thought about how to use character archetypes, backstory, ideas regarding a character’s flaws and morality and thoughts on their character arc to create realistic, memorable and complex characters. We then considered how these characters could express themselves within the stories they inhabit, thinking about dialogue and the function it plays there. Amazing work today everyone- so many great ideas! Keep up the wonderful work and I’ll see you next week! 🙂
Video on dialogue that we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xx7bfcE9U0
A video on character from the same series that could be really helpful revision (watch if you have a spare 5 mins!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGRyP3p-YPI
Homework
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hi Beth
should i do this paper again because i have already done it and i go to the school who created this paper which is Magdalen college school so i will just do the task i didn’t do
from lucas
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Hi Beth,
Please ignore the previous document, which was wrongly attached.
This is correct one.
Many Thanks,
Jasmine -
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As the radiant moon glared at the ship harshly with its elusive light, the Esperanza was lightly bobbing on the dazzling diamond surface of the calm oceans. Midnight was approaching gently yet fast paced.
It was another tedious day of laboriously chopping up potatoes. Jemima was sharpening her cut blade carefully and determinedly polishing it opal clear. You could almost see her crooked grin. After she performed this nightly ritual, she flung her glossy brown hair back and twist a hair tie quickly on. She clambered cautiously into her long, flowing night gown and then swiftly blew out the candle next to her mattress.
Next day, Jemima arose to the sound of pitter pattering feet up ahead. She dressed into a vest and pants almost immediately and tugged on a white skirt. She eloped upstairs to find everybody doing their job and happily greeting one another. Jemima secretly went from the back to catch a better glimpse of what was happening when suddenly … BANG! The bottom part of the ship burst up and then gave an almighty POP! Everyone panicked like a damsel in distress and leapt like chickens overboard. Jemima knew what had happened. The gunpowder in the magazine had exploded! The cooking boy must have let a fuse go all the way and then..
Everything went black.
When she woke up, the sun was gleaming in her eyes and someone was whispering in her ear “The Esperanza’s blown up.”
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Summary for Lesson 2
In today’s lesson we continued our work on 11+ writing, focusing today on the examiner advice “base your story around one main plot event”. Working from this basis, we completed work on the definition and nature of plot, thinking about the seven archetypes and practicing using them in the context of an exam paper. We then moved on to thinking about how to use the unexpected to create originality from within these archetypes, crucial in building authentic, gripping and interesting plot lines, and which the class used beautifully to come up with some unique and original ideas for stories. Great work today everyone, very well done for all your creative and imaginative story planning and ideas. See you next week 🙂
Video on plot archetypes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGLXQM74oME&t=81s
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Here is my homework.
I really enjoyed learning about the different types of plot.
Jasmine -
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We hurtled through the dark, mountain formed tunnels in our heavily packed camper van. The sounds of the road rattled in our ears as we bounced on our seats. We were on the way to see aunty Lota. She is possibly the nicest person ever and I was thrilled to go and see her. The fact that we had to very rarely see her didn’t bother us at all. We had loaded me and my four brothers onto the van with a few packs of gum for the rising altitude on the bumpy road. It takes such a long time I packed my ruffled comics, needy stitching and my raisins. I could live like this, as long as my brothers didn’t so terribly irritate me.
As soon as I saw aunty’s little house, I basically dropped my jaw. She had changed it so simplistically yet so stylishly you couldn’t even see the difference. Little bonsai trees here and there, a drop of gleaming camellias and best of all, the garden gave me a sense that a prick of honeydew had been cheerfully set upon the scene.
That week I went to the movies with aunt, indulged some giant toffees and got a dozen different dresses. One checked, one spotted. All too soon it was time to go. I waved my hand and drove away. I looked back and saw the glossy images of joy being inked upon our hazy hearts.
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Summary for Lesson 3
In today’s lesson we continued our work on 11+ writing, focusing today on the examiner advice “use sophisticated structure”. Working from this basis, we covered a lot of ground thinking about how structure is both small scale (sentence structure, paragraph structure, punctuation, grammar etc.) and large scale (plot structure, openings and endings etc.). We analysed an extract from Pepys’ diary for structural features, studied juxtaposition and spoke about why structuring a short story is particularly important. We considered the idea of story-writing being an exercise in architecture and spoke briefly about complex punctuation and how to use it to interesting effect (i.e. using dashes in a character’s speech to suggest anxiety “I- I- um- I guess not…” or using long sentences with lots of commas to increase the pace of the action). The class did brilliantly today, taking on board lots of complicated ideas with a fantastic focus and creative thinking. Amazing work class, well done and keep it up 🙂
Homework video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv5bPHwihl8&t=176s
Juxtaposition video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KXVPS3FYkQ
There are punctuation revision sheets on the PowerPoint to help you too!
Homework
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Summary for Lesson 4
In today’s lesson we focused on figurative language, following the examiner’s advice about using it carefully and thinking about how to expand our knowledge of more high level techniques. We started by completing work on metaphor, discussing how to allude to certain connotations and link two otherwise unrelated topics with figurative language (i.e., insects and the eyes). We then moved on to thinking about the purpose of figurative language and the students completed work on three high-level advanced techniques: allusion, allegory and motif. Wonderful ideas today everyone, particularly with your figurative writing earlier on in the class; well done & have a lovely week! 🙂
Khan Academy video we watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzKj-bLvrYQ
Homework
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to Beth
please find my writing attached in a word doc
from Lucas
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<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hi Beth,</p>
Thanks for the interesting lesson. My technique what allusions.Jasmine
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I silently trekked up the corridor, dimly lit and suspicious. I clutched my magical charm, almost wishing to come out of this horrendous abyss. My head was like a whirl-wind. Would I defeat the ‘Esmo’ or be crunched into pieces? Would I even come out again? As I approached the arena, my forehead was as wet as a pool. Large drops fell down on my ripped, massacred and scorched skirt.
One thought passed briefly through my mind. Surely my sword would protect me but now, thoughts or even dreams were useless. However tired I was I had to fight. I summoned – like a Genie- all the drips of energy and valiantly left in me. I thrust up my fists but at that very moment the ‘Esmo’ arrived…
It was large and menacing , its hair fire – ashes from hell. Its claws were enough to make a man shriek. Its teeth were decaying, slugs in a mouth. It was as tall as five grown men standing on each others heads but most mortifying were the fallen angels wings. Then the battle started…
The beast was infinitely worse than smog. It swung me around mercilessly, apprising of my torture and agony. I was like a football, being tossed by a towering brute. Just then, when I was almost dying my sword sprung out to save me. At that, the beast snarled out defiantly, but it was too late…
My righteous sword had sliced the beast, its black shrivelled heart had gone forever. Suddenly, the harsh sun beating down on us stopped, and a colourful fountain eroded in its place.
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Summary for Lesson 5
In today’s class we focused on thinking creatively, looking at methods and tactics that the students can use to help them ‘think outside the box’. We began with our work on metaphor before moving on to the criteria attached to this week’s paper that advised the students of what the examiner was expecting from their work. We then began planning a story as suggested by the exam prompt. The students then had to take their story and morph it, using several advanced narrative devices (unreliable narrator, breaking the 4th wall, perspective of an innocent) to make their writing a little more unusual. They then had to think about writing constraints such as writing in future tense, 2nd person or backward to help push their imagination even futher. Everyone worked gorgeously today and came up with some really fantastically creative responses- lovely ideas and brainstorming guys. I can’t wait to read your responses! 🙂
Writing Constraints Ideas: https://medium.com/writers-on-writing/constraints-in-creativity-are-they-a-good-thing-30720b182222
Homework
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Hi Beth,
There is my homework for lesson 5. Journeys are so fun to write!
I got slightly carried away an wrote a little too much, but couldn’t find a way to edit it.
Jasmine 😀
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Marianne took to piano like an eagle takes to the sky. Everyone thought she would quit within the month. She didn’t. They knew her work was 24/7 as it was hard, gruelling practice, no time spare for rest.
The keyboard seemed alien to the touch, something plucked out of a mythical tale. Marianne thought to herself “I can learn this!” forbidding bad emotions towards the piano in her concentrated, focused, brilliant mind.
Each mistake, each falter was a new step towards achieving her dream and whilst others thought it useless Marianne treasured her learning like an emperor treasured his gems (You get the idea, don’t you?).
Day by day, week by week, Marianne grew stronger and stronger at piano until it became her rock, her ally to step on faster and faster. A change started to show. At school, a quieter, more focused child. In music class, her better scales and rhythm amazed the teachers. Nobody noticed but Marianne was improving (you imagine this, I assume).
After the magic started, Marianne played perfectly, not a single mistake to be found. No longer a feeble pawn to the piano, but the piano was her brick, her foundation to greatness. She cherished her gift like a candy apple in autumn.
So you can see here that practice makes perfect. Never give up, try your hardest to achieve whatever it is you’re doing.
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Summary for Lesson 6
In today’s lesson we looked at the notion of writing with ‘economy of language’, in other words, spending your words wisely and thinking about how to pack a lot of meaning into only a few words or sentences. We began with our weekly work on metaphor which everyone is making leaps and bounds of progress with (well done guys!) and then moved on to discussing the importance of economy of language and what the term means in practice. We analysed a passage from Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire, considering the ways in which symbolism was used to give the class strong and powerful impressions of the character Blanche. We then considered the writing exercise based upon Hemingway’s famous six-word story (for sale: baby shoes. never worn) which the class used as inspiration to write their own fantastic versions. Really great work today everyone, very well done for the depth and nuance of your work today- keep it up and see you next week 🙂
Homework
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<p style=”text-align: right;”></p>
TrappedEveryone says life is full of choices – but not for everyone. Can you decide whether you get good grades or not ? I don’t particularly think so. I say that life is neither good or bad but a kind of single step to get what you most desire. Mostly, it’s usually hard work and discipline. One misstep and you are a failure. It can be quite shocking for most people but for me it’s been like this my whole life. Bad grades from the very start- primary, secondary and currently university. Adults simply love to say, “oh, it’s fine Bella, you”ll learn” but what I think they don’t understand is that that was their life, not mine.
True, for most it’s an easy trial to pass. It’s a fountain of good work and pride for them. However, for people like me I believe it’s hopeless. No matter how hard I try, it’s the same EVERY SINGLE TIME!! Compared to these who breathe in the aroma of pleasures at school for me it’s just a pure stench of work heaved on my shoulders. Not only that, the teachers don’t even try to help you. They leave you to stress and work it out yourself. Funnily enough, the students who get A+ in whatever they are learning are being massively tutored and prepared for, and it’s so unfair. Some kids don’t even have enough money to pay off the room they are staying in. That’s doesn’t really happen to me, but I still decimal down in learning. I seriously cannot wait to get out of here and get a life out there…
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