Teaching GIANNA Z - Coming Clean about Bedrooms!
In last week’s 7th grade English class we discussed the upcoming creative writing assignment that is tied into our study of THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z by Kate Messner. Students can choose from one of my ideas or come up with something on their own. As an exercise in voice, they can write a letter in the voice of their tree (from the What Kind of Tree Are You quiz mentioned in the previous post), write a metaphor poem using the tree, or a diary about discovering their tree personality. (Some students have their own ideas, which you can find out in the next post!)
Later we talked about how the description of Gianna’s room in the book fits her personality. Students sketched and labeled a diagram of their own room. Then they turned the paper over and wrote two or more paragraphs describing what someone would see if he walked into their room at that very moment. The students included what kind of assumptions the person would make about their personalities from their rooms, including appearance, belongings, and décor. Students enjoyed sharing their room descriptions with the class before we read the next three chapters.
This week we began the class by looking at the responses to the What Kind of Tree Are You quiz in the previous livejournal post. Students had a good time laughing at Mr. Larkin’s boastful response, as well as smiling over Mrs. Bernard’s and Ms. Quarles’ statements. We were happy to see that a few other people had responded to the quiz. Some of the students are going to have their siblings and parents take the quiz and then post the results on that journal entry.
The creative writing project is due in the next class and some students are really thinking out of the box! I will post some of their ideas here next week.
For now, here are some of the room descriptions from one class that students said I could post. (This is great insight into teens’ lives for those writers out there…) ☺
Student One:
The bed is to the left and the desk is on the right in front of my door. My slippers are next to the dresser, my clothes are all around the hamper, and the dresser drawers are open. My laptop is opened and probably still has a game on it I did not finish. They would probably think, “This kid is pretty messy!”
Student Two:
If someone walked into my room right now, they would see teal walls, an unmade bad, with pillows everywhere. They would see two hoodies on the floor. At the side of my bed you’d see a book and a tissue box. On my bed stand, you’d see the bookshelves are all messy. You’d see a Batman calendar, two marine posters, a hairbrush on my desk, papers, and a few comics and my desk. They might think I am a messy person.
Student Three:
When you walk in, you might have to sit down or you will get dizzy! I have splats of paint all over my walls and my room is themed on that. My dog would be o my bed and my clothes would be all over the floor so bad you probably couldn’t see it. My bed would be un-made. And lastly, you would see my trophy shelf. Luckily, you can’t see the stuff in the corner (that’s all my dirty stuff). The person would think I am spontaneous and sloppy.
Student Four:
If you walk into my room on your right you will see a closet door that leads to my messy closet. On my closet door there are posters of cute guys. I used to have a hall of Jonas, but I got rid of it because my brother and all his friends thought that they’re stupid and his friends are cute, so I got rid of it. My walls are blue and I want to paint them HOT pink, baby blue, and brown…my three favorite colors. Straight ahead is my bed with my favorite stuffed animal: Booberry - he’s a blue bear. To their left will be a dresser and with junk on it…junk on the floor, as well. Also, behind my door is a dollhouse. Next to my bed are two nightstands. I have a fan above my bed, also one right on my face. People will think I’m outgoing, but organized.
Student Five:
If someone were to walk in my room, they would probably think I’m a slob. My bed is a huge mess because I just throw my clothes on it and leave them there. On my floor there are lots of clothes, shoes, and socks everywhere. My closet isn’t that bad, but there is absolutely no room to hang anything up. It’s a good thing that they would not be able to see the top shelf in my closet, because it is horrible! Also the table in my room has junk on it. The person would see that my hair supplies would be scattered around my mirror. My mirror also has lipstick on it because my friend wanted to write on it.
Student Six:
If you were to walk in my room you would think it was messy. If you look to your right, you would find a tall dresser with hair stuff, jewelry, candles, and two pictures. If you looked to the right, you would find my bed and my tv. My dog is on my bed. There are cups and food on my shelf. My soccer bag has stuff thrown all around it. My bed is not made and my pj’s are on my floor, clothes from trying them on this morning. I have a dresser straight ahead, with who know what in it! A director’s chair is to the left next to my sliding glass door. My closet is on the right, with blue walls all around. They probably think I am disorganized.
Student Seven:
I am a neat freak - my closet is all organized, my books are alphabetized, and my bed is made. Everything is organized. My room is empty and really clean. My dresser has a lot of hockey trophies because our hockey team has been good for a while. I am waiting for my first trophy from the Junior Cardinals after two teams I made this summer. A person would think that I am pretty neat. My downstairs closet…now that is another story!
Later we talked about how the description of Gianna’s room in the book fits her personality. Students sketched and labeled a diagram of their own room. Then they turned the paper over and wrote two or more paragraphs describing what someone would see if he walked into their room at that very moment. The students included what kind of assumptions the person would make about their personalities from their rooms, including appearance, belongings, and décor. Students enjoyed sharing their room descriptions with the class before we read the next three chapters.
This week we began the class by looking at the responses to the What Kind of Tree Are You quiz in the previous livejournal post. Students had a good time laughing at Mr. Larkin’s boastful response, as well as smiling over Mrs. Bernard’s and Ms. Quarles’ statements. We were happy to see that a few other people had responded to the quiz. Some of the students are going to have their siblings and parents take the quiz and then post the results on that journal entry.
The creative writing project is due in the next class and some students are really thinking out of the box! I will post some of their ideas here next week.
For now, here are some of the room descriptions from one class that students said I could post. (This is great insight into teens’ lives for those writers out there…) ☺
Student One:
The bed is to the left and the desk is on the right in front of my door. My slippers are next to the dresser, my clothes are all around the hamper, and the dresser drawers are open. My laptop is opened and probably still has a game on it I did not finish. They would probably think, “This kid is pretty messy!”
Student Two:
If someone walked into my room right now, they would see teal walls, an unmade bad, with pillows everywhere. They would see two hoodies on the floor. At the side of my bed you’d see a book and a tissue box. On my bed stand, you’d see the bookshelves are all messy. You’d see a Batman calendar, two marine posters, a hairbrush on my desk, papers, and a few comics and my desk. They might think I am a messy person.
Student Three:
When you walk in, you might have to sit down or you will get dizzy! I have splats of paint all over my walls and my room is themed on that. My dog would be o my bed and my clothes would be all over the floor so bad you probably couldn’t see it. My bed would be un-made. And lastly, you would see my trophy shelf. Luckily, you can’t see the stuff in the corner (that’s all my dirty stuff). The person would think I am spontaneous and sloppy.
Student Four:
If you walk into my room on your right you will see a closet door that leads to my messy closet. On my closet door there are posters of cute guys. I used to have a hall of Jonas, but I got rid of it because my brother and all his friends thought that they’re stupid and his friends are cute, so I got rid of it. My walls are blue and I want to paint them HOT pink, baby blue, and brown…my three favorite colors. Straight ahead is my bed with my favorite stuffed animal: Booberry - he’s a blue bear. To their left will be a dresser and with junk on it…junk on the floor, as well. Also, behind my door is a dollhouse. Next to my bed are two nightstands. I have a fan above my bed, also one right on my face. People will think I’m outgoing, but organized.
Student Five:
If someone were to walk in my room, they would probably think I’m a slob. My bed is a huge mess because I just throw my clothes on it and leave them there. On my floor there are lots of clothes, shoes, and socks everywhere. My closet isn’t that bad, but there is absolutely no room to hang anything up. It’s a good thing that they would not be able to see the top shelf in my closet, because it is horrible! Also the table in my room has junk on it. The person would see that my hair supplies would be scattered around my mirror. My mirror also has lipstick on it because my friend wanted to write on it.
Student Six:
If you were to walk in my room you would think it was messy. If you look to your right, you would find a tall dresser with hair stuff, jewelry, candles, and two pictures. If you looked to the right, you would find my bed and my tv. My dog is on my bed. There are cups and food on my shelf. My soccer bag has stuff thrown all around it. My bed is not made and my pj’s are on my floor, clothes from trying them on this morning. I have a dresser straight ahead, with who know what in it! A director’s chair is to the left next to my sliding glass door. My closet is on the right, with blue walls all around. They probably think I am disorganized.
Student Seven:
I am a neat freak - my closet is all organized, my books are alphabetized, and my bed is made. Everything is organized. My room is empty and really clean. My dresser has a lot of hockey trophies because our hockey team has been good for a while. I am waiting for my first trophy from the Junior Cardinals after two teams I made this summer. A person would think that I am pretty neat. My downstairs closet…now that is another story!