innocence

Innocence is viewed differently and can mean different things to different people. To some innocence can be lost at a specific age, and to others it takes a moment to lose innocence. What does it take to lose one’s innocence? Answer this question in any style that you’d like. Make your narrative, poem, etc., at least 400 words.
Here’s an example based on my point of view:
They told us beforehand that we were to have a new student. We waited for her to come in and smiled brightly at her. Lila cried the instance her mom brought her in the class. She was so loud and personally, I would be embarrassed. Her tiny face turned as red as a tomato, tears were streaming down her face, and substances were coming out of her nose. She was crying the whole entire time and the only reason she calmed down was because one of the teacher aids sat her on their laps. Every time she was asked to join the rest of us in an activity, she shook her head and returned to the verge of bawling. “Why does she not enjoy coloring like the rest of us? Why does she not want to play along? She’s a new girl, but hey, we’re all nice here. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. I am a really nice person and so is everyone around here. Well, everyone except Marissa…she can be a little feisty.” These are all the things that went through my head because I could not understand why Lila was so upset.
Three years later it was my turn to be the new girl though. There were two of us. I walked in the classroom and everyone seemed to stare at me. I was not happy at all, I missed my mother and I felt a knot building up in my throat. Before I could even think about crying though, memories of Lila crying popped in my mind. It was at that moment that I finally understood why she was so upset; she probably felt the way I was feeling right now. Ever since that day, I make it my personal job to make new students at my school feel as comfortable as they could. Stepping into another’s shoes was the moment that defined the end of my innocence. I no longer expect the world to be the way I want it to be and feel the way I do. Everyone feels different ways about everything, and before judging it’s important to understand why. Once you’re capable of comprehending this and once you’re aware of the varied perspectives society has about everything, you are no longer innocent.
This assignment is due Monday at the end of class.

Independence

Directions: Think back to when you were little, unable to do anything by yourself, always relying on someone else to help you or guide you in the right direction. Now that you are older you are capable of doing more on your own and start to crave independence. Why do you think we want to be on our own? Why do we crave this independence? And when we do finally get that independence, how do we react? Was it what you expected? More or less? Write a paragraph displaying how you feel about independence as a young adult and how it affects today’s society. Must be at least 250 words and have appropriate grammar.
Example:
What usually comes to mind when thinking about independence? Red, White and Blue, is what comes to my mind. Our country, all the lives that were lost for what is now known as freedom. Something that we all tend to crave at least every once in a while. Either its freedom from the law or just simply being free from the rules that your parents have made for their household. Nowadays, teenagers or young adults tend to want this freedom; independence from the nest is what I really mean. We want to be able to do what we want and when we want and how we do it. We want what we can’t have. And when we finally do get it we don’t want it anymore. But tough luck kiddo once you get it, once you’re on your own there are no take-backs. You’re stuck with it. Now it has not always been this way, our country used to not be so strict. There was no age limits to buy/drink alcohol or have tobacco, everyone just kind of did it. But the U.S. has caught on to this and the harmful effects of the use of such things. Teenagers have caught on to this as well and ways to get by without getting caught. But most of them aren’t as lucky as the rest; most of them in fact have to pay the consequences of the laws in which they broke. Now independence isn’t all about the ability to drink and smoke, maybe in a teenagers mind but there also comes a responsibility. A responsibility that even some adults cannot even fulfill. Think. Once you’re eighteen what are you going to do? Drink, party, smoke, stay out all night? No. you will need the basics, food and water because without that you can’t even live. So you will have to first find a job, in which then you will be able to pay for shelter (we all need to have a place to sleep and if there is bad weather coming up you will need to have a roof over your head so you don’t get sick. Because if you get sick then there goes your job as well as your food and water.) Once you get a job you will find that there is really no time to party and drink because you will be expected to be at your job, after all you are “independent” now. The main reason we want to grow up so fast is because we are constantly being told what to do and when to do it, we really have no say in anything either it being the color of your hair or what you do on a Friday night but the thing is, do we even really want to be on our own? Do we want to have to be responsible for every little mistake that we do? Or can we wait a little while and learn how to cope with all of this? Now America, next time you wish that you were older and independent think again because there is a lot more to it than what you think.

Childhood

Assignment: Write 250 words about one of your first childhood memories. Go into detail about where you were when this event happened, talk about every detail that you can remember. This assignment is due at the end of class on Friday.

Example: I can remember the day like it was yesterday. I was in preschool and I was on the playground playing with my friends. I wanted to go on the rocket ship and everyone was on the other playground toys. When I was in the rocket ship I felt something on my arm, it hurt a lot. I started to cry so my teacher came over and told me I had to go inside. Once I got inside my teacher said I got stung by a bee. She got an ice pack and put in on my wound and gave me a lollipop. The lollipop was cherry flavored, I remember. I loved that cherry flavored lollipop, it made me feel better. My teacher called my mom to see if I was allergic to bees. This was the first time I have ever been stung by a bee, so my mom didn’t know. My teacher told me to go lay down in the nurses room. I didn’t feel sick my arm only hurt. A few minutes later my mom came to pick me up. We had to go to the doctors to make sure I wasn’t allergic, because that wouldn’t be good. When we got to the doctor I remember seeing all the animals on the wall, I liked to look at them. After the doctor saw me she said I wasn’t allergic, it would just hurt for a little bit. The nurse let me pick a sticker. I picked a princess sticker it was sparkly and I stuck it on my shirt. The next day at preschool I showed my friends my cool new sticker. They were all jealous.

Addiction

Assignment: Write about someone who has an addiction of some sort. You could be the one with the addiction or you could be witnessing someone with an addiction. The addiction could be one that they are able to stop or can’t break away from. Can be any style of writing you choose. Must be at least 250 words.  This assignment is due at the end of the period.
EXAMPLE:
Sip after sip
Cup after cup
Bottle after bottle
Too much was just never enough for him
I would sit there as I watched him pull his expiration date closer and closer
Why was he doing this?
The outcome wasn’t going to be anything beneficial
Temptation has got him by the tongue
And she wasn’t letting go anytime soon
Not only was he harming himself, it was the people around him, as well
But he would never remember
It was as if these horrific moments never happened
He was a monster
An uncontrollable, terrifying monster
There was just no stopping him
As much as he said he wanted to stop
Something in his mind just wouldn’t let him
Alcohol was what he thrived off of
He wouldn’t let anyone take that away from him
As he’s here racking up on bottles and feeling good
We are racking up in tears and bruises
Aggression came with this monster
Why was it that the one in the wrong is the only one feeling good?
Here my family and I were suffering as he watched and laughed it off with another beer
This just wasn’t right
No matter how mad I would get at him, there was still a soft spot in my heart for him
I knew that this wasn’t him
This was just the monster that came with the alcohol
This just needed to all come to an end
But sadly, the path that it was taking I don’t think would ever stop
Temptation brought out the monster and she wasn’t going to tame him

Bucket List

 




Create a list of all of the things you want to do before you die. No less than 50, but of course there is no maximum number. If you already have a "bucket list," revise it and check off the items you've completed, adding new ones to the list. For each item, try to give a reason. For example: "I want to visit London so that I can experience a Shakespeare play at The Globe."
Due at the end of class tomorrow.

Your Own Prompt

Your assignment for today and tomorrow is to come up with your own idea for a writing prompt.  You must include an example to help your classmates. Your post will be graded on the following:

• Clarity of directions
• Proper use of sentence construction, spelling, and punctuation.
• Inclusion of example.

I would like to use your work for potential assignments in future classes, so keep that in mind when you are working on this.

The length of the assignment you create should take no more than two days for the class to complete.

Young Playwright's Competition (optional assignment)

The Theater Project’s 12th Annual Young Playwrights Competition

Now Seeking Submissions from NJ High School Student Playwrights

Open to all NJ secondary school students, ages 13 to 18.

All entries must be received by January 20, 2014

(NJ) -- The Theater Project, an award-winning drama company, is conducting its12th annual Young Playwrights Competition to encourage the next generation of theater practitioners and audiences by honoring student work and bringing it to life. Not many 13-18 year-olds have an opportunity to have a play they wrote performed in a reading by professional actors, but the three of them who win the Competition will get that chance.

 

While performing in Cranford and Maplewood, The Theater Project has been encouraging young writers from around the state over the past dozen years. Past winners have gone on to pursue degrees in theater and playwriting, and they often return to The Theater Project to present prizes and share their journeys with the newest honorees.

 

The competition is open to secondary school students aged 13-18, and will culminate in a performance/awards ceremony in March, 2014.

 

“In tough economic times, the arts sometimes get short shrift as people struggle to make ends meet and schools see their budgets shrink,” says Theater Project producer Daaimah Talley. “But when kids lose out on arts experiences, they miss opportunities to develop critical thinking and reading skills that are needed now more than ever –- we want to make sure that kids know how important their creative endeavors are by showcasing them in front of the community.” Winners and runners-up will see their work presented to an audience and receive prizes in addition to recognition.

 

In addition to having their work performed, the first, second, and third place authors will receive $300, $200 and $100 cash prizes.  Three additional student writers will receive Honorable Mention certificates.

“Putting words together in a meaningful way is not only about communication, but also fosters the critical thinking skills so necessary to success in education and the workplace,” says Theater Project artistic director Mark Spina.

 

The competition was inspired by a generous donation from Linden resident Bill Mesce, Jr., an award-winning playwright and screenwriter, whose recent short story collection, PRECIS, was published by Stephen F. Austin University Press. He is also the author of OVERKILL: THE RISE AND FALL OF THRILLER CINEMA, and writes regularly about film and television for the award-winning website, Sound on Sight.  Mesce says about the competition: "It is not only impressive but inspiring to see these young people applying themselves to an art form that has always been about a command of language, and a bit awesome to see how well they carry it off."

 COMPETITION GUIDELINES (also available at http://www.thetheaterproject.org/young-playwrights-competition.html):

Only one entry per author. Entry fee: $5

Scripts must be typed in play format.

All submissions must be 10 to 25 pages (excerpts of longer work are OK!).

Original work only, no adaptations.

All entrants must be NJ residents in secondary school.

Entries MUST be received by January 20, 2014

HOW TO ENTER: By January 20, 2014, submit a 10 to 25 page script according to the guidelines above to TheaterProject@AOL.COM with a 50-word biography of the author, contact information and the name of school currently attended. The $5 entry fee can be paid at our web site: TheTheaterProject.org.

 All questions can be directed to The Theater Project at 973.763.4029 or by email at THEATERPROJECT@aol.com.

Lie Poem

Write a poem about yourself (or someone else) in which nothing is true. The poem should be a minimum of 15 lines, in any style you want (however, a minimum of 8 words per line are required). Due at the end of the period.

Face

Your assignment is to go online and find a picture of an adult face that interests you. Study it. Then write a piece, in poetic or narrative form, that describes what experiences have shaped that face. Why does it look the way it does? What has this person gone through? Create a story for the individual and the marks upon their face.
Make sure to copy and paste the link to the picture at the top of your response, as a reference (since you cannot post images into the comment section).
Length - 400 words.
Due - Thursday

Hint: Search for "portrait," since the word "face" has some issues.
 

I Can't Believe This Happened...

Make a list of five things you're afraid of happening to you. Then write a story or poem in which one of them happens to your character..

Your story or poem should be a minimum of 500 words and is due at the end of class tomorrow.

Impossible button

Write a 200 word piece in response to the following prompt: if you could design a button that could perform any function, what would it be and why?

Superhero

"If I were a superhero, I would..."

• You may discuss your powers, your motivation, your backstory or origin
• You may describe a day in the life of you as a superhero
• You may describe if/how you would hide your identity and from who
• You may describe your costume and the reasoning behind it

Due at the end of the period on Monday - 400 words total.