Nonfiction: Street Compliments

Define compliment.

Have you ever received an unexpected compliment?  If so what was it?

What is a compliment you wished someone had given you?

We are going to view a video entitled "Street Compliments", what do you think it might be about?

What is you reaction to the video?

Write a compliment that you could give someone in the room.

Write a compliment that you could give someone you will see over the holiday.

Write an opening sentence(s) for an essay/paper entitled "Compliments".

     Here are a few common ways to open a paper:

     Use a quote

     Ask a question

     Restate the prompt

     Start with an interesting fact

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The Writing Whisperer

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Writing: Pay It Forward

A Writing Assignment based on an adaptation of a lesson found on Film English:  The lesson will be used in connection with the teaching of the dramatization of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Connections will be made concerning the transformation of the protagonist, Scrooge, from  the miserly man he was prior to his visitation by the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to, the man he became after the visits.

Describe the boy in the picture?

Based on his appearance, what do you think he’s like as a person?

How do you think he is feeling in this moment?

Predict what’s happening in the picture?

Now, after looking at the picture and answering the questions, what do you think the film you are about to see is about?

[Discuss answers in groups and as a class]

Watch the film entitled "Giving"

Giving - Thai Commercial Truemove H - [English Subtitles]

Were any of your predictions about the film correct?

How did the film make you feel?

What is the theme or message of the film?

What does "Pay It Forward" mean?

According to the Film English it means the following:

It means that if somebody does something kind to you, you should do something kind to another person without expecting anything in return. This has become a global movement. In 2000, Catherine Ryan Hyde's novel Pay It Forward was published and adapted into a film, Pay It Forward. In Ryan Hyde's book and movie it is described as an obligation to do three good deeds for others in response to a good deed that one receives. Such good deeds should accomplish things that the other person cannot accomplish on their own. In this way, the practice of helping one another can spread geometrically through society, at a ratio of three to one, creating a social movement with the impact of making the world a better place.

Message or Theme of the Film:

The message of "Giving" is that we should pay it forward. The restaurant owner is kind to the child and expects nothing in return. However, his kindness has a profound influence on the young boy who subsequently dedicates his life to helping others and becomes an eminent surgeon. The restaurant owner’s life is saved by the surgeon who waves his fee because of the restaurant owner’s previous kindness to him.

Examples of Pay It Forward from Film English:

Collect cans of non perishable foods and give them to charities or organizations who would benefit 

Collect books and distribute to needy groups 

Buy the train or bus ticket for the person behind you 

Donate some of your professional services to someone in need on the day, for example - free hour consultation 

Buy a stranger a cup of coffee 

On a rainy day, buy a few umbrella's and give them to those who don't have one and are getting wet.

 Watch the second Film:

What do you think of each deed and would you do them them yourself?

Write five (5) "Pay it Forward" actions you would be prepared to carry out.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Share responses in groups and as a class.



What does the quote “Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns,” mean to you?

Share responses in groups and as a class.


Share quotes from slides:  Click Here
 Real Life Example:  Click Here

Writing Time:

Using one of the quotes from the slides develop an opening sentence(s) to introduce a paper entitled "Giving" or "Pay it Forward".

Share sentence(s) as a group

Now, the real writing begins, use the sentence(s) you developed to start your paper. The paper must include/explain the five (5) acts of kindness you listed earlier.

Use a different quote from the one used in the opening sentence(s) from the slides to develop a closing sentence(s) for your paper.

FOR PRE-WRITING DOCUMENT/WORKSHEET: CLICK HERE 

Interesting Article:  HAPPINESS = GRATITUDE + GENEROSITY + SINCERITY

Sample Lesson plans for a Lesson using Pay it Forward: 

Click Here


aDDING ON TO THIS IDEA OF gRATTITUDE:


Film English 365 Grateful:  CLick Here


ADDITIONAL LINKS ON THE WRITING WHISPERER FOR THIS LESSON:


Link 1 More Examples of Pay It Forward and the Giving Tree

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Happy Writing!

The Writing Whisperer

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of the Written Word!

Nonfiction: Why bring a child into this world? - A film by Unilever

Nonfiction:  Why bring a child into this world? - A film by Unilever

WE BELIEVE WE CAN CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. SEE THE POSSIBILITIES AND GET INVOLVED.

Before viewing the film answer the following question:

Why bring a child into this world?

After viewing the film answer the following question:

What is your initial reaction to the film?

If you were one of the parents shown the horrific images in the film would you still want to bring a child into this world?

What is Project Sunlight?

To find out more:  CLICK HERE

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The Writing Whisperer

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of the Written Word!

Nonfiction Using Storycorps: Interview with a Parent

Q&A from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

Summary

Joshua Littman, a 12-year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome, interviews his mother, Sarah. Joshua’s unique questions and Sarah’s loving, unguarded answers reveal a beautiful relationship that reminds us of the best—and the most challenging—parts of being a parent.

Questions:

1.  What does Joshua ask his mother to rate on a scale of one to ten?

2.  How does his mother answer?

3.  What animals does his mother say she can live without?

4.  What does Joshua say about cockroaches?

5.  Joshua asks his mother if she has ever felt her life is hopeless, how does she         respond?

6.  Joshua asks his mother if she has any mortal enemies, how does she respond?

7.  How does Joshua's mother respond to the question about lying to her son?

8.  What is colic?  What does it have to do with Joshua and his mom?

9.  Who is Amy?

10. What does Joshua think about Amy?

11. What does Joshua suffer from?

12. How are Joshua and Amy different?

13, How does Joshua describe his friendships?

14. What does Joshua's mother say in response to his question about whether or not he is the son she hoped for, i.e. did he meet her expectations as a son?

15. Write a one sentence summary of "Interview with a Parent".

16. What question(s) would you ask your parents if you could interview them?

17. If this piece were in written form, what genre would we categorize it? What sub-genre?

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The Writing Whisperer

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of the Written Word!

Writing: Charles Dickens Biography

View the short video on Charles Dickens:

Short Bio on Charles Dickens:  Click Here

 Planning Sheet

Use this planning sheet to prepare for writing your short biography of Charles Dickens.  Simply fill in the basic information. You will need to briefly summarize your information because later in the writing process you will develop it further into a paragraph.


1. Person’s Name, Time Period, and Place


2. Personal Background


3. Personality Traits


4. Significance


5. Obstacles


6. Important Quote

Adapted from McLaughlin, M., & Allen, M.B. (2002). Guided comprehension in action: Lessons for grades 3–8 . Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Download Plan Sheet: Click Here

 Quotes Link

Resource for teaching Dickens:  Click Here


Each of the categories from your plan sheet will be developed into three to four sentences, with the help of transitions, the end result will be a fluid paragraph.

The Quote(s) will be used to start and/or end your paragraph.

Sample Opening Sentence using a Dickens quote:

Charles Dickens wrote, “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape.” these words fully describe Charles Dickens transformation from a poor English boy working in a shoe polish factory to a wealthy, respected, writer touring the world.  Charles Dickens was born...


Sample Closing Sentence using a Dickens quote:

Charles Dickens' life was filled with joy and sorrow, however, he never lost sight of the fact that, “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”-Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol
 

Transition Words

Words that can be used to show location:

above	behind	by	near	throughout
across	below	down	off	to the right
against	beneath	in back of	onto	under
along	beside	in front of	on top of
among	between	inside	outside
around	beyond	into	over

Words that can be used to show time:

while	first	meanwhile	soon	then
after	second	today	later	next
at	third	tomorrow	afterward	as soon as
before	now	next week	about	when suddenly
during	until	yesterday	finally

Word that can be used to compare two things:

likewise	also	while	in the same way
like	as	similarly

Words that can be used to contrast two things:

but	still	although	on the other hand
however	yet	otherwise	even though

Words that can be used to emphasize a point:

again	truly	especially	for this reason
to repeat	in fact	to emphasize

Words that can be used to conclude or summarize:

finally	as a result	to sum up	in conclusion
lastly	therefore	all in all	because

Words that can be used to add information:

again	another	for instance	for example
also	and	moreover	additionally
as well	besides	along with	other
next	finally	in addition

Words that can be used to clarify:

that is

for instance

in other words

Other list of Transition Words:

Grammar Your Dictionary

Multiple Paragraph List of Transition Words

OWL Online Writing Lab

Now, Start Scribbling!
Happy Writing!

The Writing Whisperer

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of the Written Word!