- This topic has 62 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated December 12, 2024 by
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Summary for Lesson 1
In today’s class we began our GCSE writing course focusing on the Orwell Prize and thinking about how to use this framework to work towards both creative and non-fiction writing following the themes of the competition. We looked today at the prompt ‘who’s in control’, learning about the different styles and forms the students could use and digging deep into concepts such as power and how to represent this in narrative form. We spoke about how to interpret these prompts super creatively, looked at examples of previous winners and the class did a little of their own thinking on the theme. Wonderful work everyone, well done for all your brilliant sparky ideas. See you next week 🙂
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Thanks so much for the lesson.
Please find below my homework.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WhGdMij1jpoEZCYPp4DGfVajJZ_zaCaFTnM8mTNt6Fc/edit?usp=sharing
Best,
Ray -
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Summary for Lesson 2
In today’s class we continued our work on the Orwell Prize, thinking this week about poetry. We read the advice of a previous winner and thought about one of the poems that won last year, analysing its use of language, imagery, structure and theme. The class watched a video that went over five important and uncommon tips for poetry writing and considered their own relationship to the genre. We read an interview between two prize winners on their use of theme and finally completed some free-writing on this year’s newly released prompt. Excellent work today everyone, particularly in your discussions on freedom- I can’t wait to read the poetry you come up with! Keep up the amazing work and see you next week 🙂
Video from today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsfMk7KKiI4
Homework
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Hii Beth,
Thank you for the wonderful lessons, I rlly enjoyed them! Last week i had a whole week of exams at school and I’m very sorry that i couldn’t do my hw. I’ve attached it below, could you look at it if possible 🙂
Kind regards,
Lynn
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Summary for Lesson 3
In today’s class we considered the new 2025 Orwell Prize theme in detail, looking at the resources provided by the Orwell Prize and brainstorming our responses to the prompts they offer up. We spoke about the relationship between power and freedom in depth, with the class sharing in small groups their thoughts on freedom and its limitations. We then planned two pieces- one around the concept of power being as neutral as fire, the other around prompts given on the Orwell website, and they all shared beautifully the ideas they had been working on. Well done today everyone, fantastic ideas throughout. Keep it up and see you next week 🙂
Homework
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Hi Beth,
Sorry for the late homework for last week, there was an error when uploading it.
Thank you for the lesson,
Jessie
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Summary for Lesson 4
In today’s class we thought about form and content, looking at resources on drama and screenplays and linking this back to the theme of freedom. We began with three writing tips for the class to consider that are not often talked about before we looked at the Orwell Prize’s tips for choosing a form between drama, poetry, journalism and narrative. We read through the resources provided for drama and completed some challenges on form, atmosphere, content and style, using this to inspire our ideas and think about any key challenges the class may face. Finally they planned out some amazing stories inspired by prompts given by the Prize, using drama and short story as the form. Well done today everyone, really good work today. Keep it up and see you next week 🙂
Homework link (scroll to the bottom of the page to where the guides to form are; you need to read all the ones except essays and journalism): https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/for-young-writers/find-your-form/
Challenges link we looked at today: https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/for-young-writers/find-your-form/finding-a-form-a-resource-by-will-harris/
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Summary for Lesson 5
In today’s class we began our work on non-fiction in the Orwell Prize, learning about journalism. We began by reading the tips they give on the form, looking at the idea of taking narrative and making it universal, before we looked at Orwell’s own journalism and spoke about his musings on objective truth. We discussed what makes for good journalism, thinking about the role of a journalist, and then looked at the notion of finding original stories that are uncovered, to offer new perspectives and ideas on the world around us. Fantastic work today everyone, well done for all your in-depth points about narrative journalism. Keep up the great work and see you next week 🙂
Homework
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Video from today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Fez7XtjFOQ
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Hi Beth,
Sorry for the lateness cuz i was traveling last week and just got back home. Thank you for the amazing lesson (i was able to make it in the hotel 🙂 and have a lovely rest of the week!
lynn
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Summary for Lesson 6
In today’s class we applied all our thoughts on journalism and thought about how to write captivating pieces that played on the reader’s imagination. We began by discussing journalism the class enjoyed, before thinking about the ways in which magazine articles have to be different from essays. We looked at a prompt from the Orwell Prize on the nature of truth and the class brainstormed some amazing ideas in response. We then learned some key tips for article writing and reflected on the importance of story-telling in articles, which the class then used to help them write the opening of a piece responding to the truth prompt. Really creative and vibrant work today everyone, very well done and I can’t wait to read your articles! See you next time 🙂
Article vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2scT_3KGvo
Story-telling vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAq0eRv2RL8
Homework
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Summary for Lesson 7
In today’s class we looked at writing essays, reflecting on how essays can bridge the personal and political. We thought about how journalism and essays differed and looked at an example of a winner of the prize that reflected on nostalgia through the lens of Blackpool Tower. We then used this to create an essay opener reflecting on a sense of place inspired by the essay, which the students did beautifully. Finally the class linked this back to the concept of freedom, reading an Orwell piece on the subject and connecting this to their own work. Very well done today everyone, really creative and sophisticated reflections on nostalgia, childhood, loss etc. Keep up the great work- well done 🙂
Homework articles: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2017/12/fourfreedoms/
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Summary for Lesson 8
In today’s class we began brainstorming our responses to this year’s prompt, working in groups to bounce ideas around about form, style and technique. We started by thinking deeply about the theme and then read a resource created by authors looking at ways to begin a piece of writing. We completed writing exercises such as free-writes and shared our initial ideas, helping one another to hone our topics and completing a task based on form and medium. Very good work everyone, I can’t wait to hear your presentations next week and hope you found today helpful creatively! Keep up the amazing ideas 🙂
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Summary for Lesson 9
In today’s class we began sharing our ideas for pieces for the Orwell Prize, beginning with some interesting writing tips (i.e., using as few words as possible, artistic incongruity, etc) to inspire the class. The students then took it in turns to present their ideas for what they were going to write to the rest of the class, answering my answers workshopping the initial idea and then each receiving a piece of advice to consider. Finally they looked at the resource regarding how to start writing and wrote the beginning of their pieces, in preparation for writing the full thing next week. Amazing work everyone, I was super impressed by your ideas and thought you came up with outstanding ideas for the things you wanted to write about. I can’t wait to see what next week brings- see you then! 🙂
Writing tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LxiYwMrwRg
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Summary for Lesson 10
In today’s class we completed our writing for the Orwell Prize in class as a mini mock exam. the class wrote their pieces using everything they had learned and researched to help them. Wonderful work today and for the past ten weeks everyone, I hope you all have lovely Christmases and look forward to seeing you all next course. Keep up the fantastic writing, creativity and teamwork and keep being the bright, sparky and original writers you all are. Congratulations everyone & see you soon 🙂
Homework
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Hi Beth,
Thank you for this amazing course, I really enjoyed writing!
There’s my mock and see you next time:)
lynn
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