GREAT SHORT PIECE EXEMPLARS

Short pieces are a way of expressing ourselves about something that matters but not necessarily in a way that is traditional. Below are some examples of Short pieces (usually 1 to 3 paragraphs in length) that may inspire you as you explore your own interests.

Rambling Autobiography by Denine Laberge
What I Believe as a 12-Year-Old by Oskar Bres
The Sound of Bubble Wrap Popping by Oskar Bres

GREAT LIST EXEMPLARS

Writing lists can be a fun way to play around with comedy in writing. The links below have some great list exemplars.

Thoughts During School by Nadia Bédard
Pet Peeves by Nadia Bédard
My Favourite Sports Teams by Kaylen Desmarais-Joseph
7 First World Problems by Isabel Eliott-Boothe
5 Things I Hate by Tianna Govia
Favourite Quotes by Claudia Ruest
Different Types of High School Kids by Joshua Bérubé
Types of People in the School Bus by Melissa Saleh
First World Problems for Teenagers in 2k16 by Melissa Saleh
Worst Regrets by Klara Gagnon
My Biggest Questions by Klara Gagnon
Things to Do When There's Nothing to Do - Book of Lists

GREAT POETRY EXEMPLARS

Some of the great poems I have seen over the years. Feel free to add comments. I would love to hear what you think. Be sure to name the poem though so we know which one you are commenting on.

Head First by Cassandra Pagé
Uncovering the Sky by Klara Gagnon
The Run by Oskar Bres
Shattered by Isabel Eliott Boothe
What is Love? by Claudia Ruest
Stage Lights by Claudia Ruest
Eternal Life by Joshua Bérubé
Life is a Gift by Melissa Saleh
Daddy's Girl by Melissa Saleh
Friends and Fakes by Nadia Bédard
The Cafeteria Girl by Félicia Martin-Ilunga
Steps by Carver Marion

VIDEO RESPONSES

In class, we have viewed a number of videos that are written in such a way to get us to react. What is the emotion that we feel when we watch? What do we think about? Does it help us to connect to our personal lives? Do we connect the information to other things we have read or seen? Does it make us think about world issues in a deeper way? A list of the videos we have seen is included below. The criteria guidelines we shared in class will help you write your response. Remember to also consider the discussions you had about these videos as these may affect the way we connect to them.

YOU WALK THE COUNTRY WALKS

WITH A PIECE OF CHALK

THE LOST GENERATION

DON'T GIVE UP GLOBAL WARMING

CHILDREN SEE, CHILDREN DO

FAMOUS FAILURES

MAYBE

DEATH CRAWL

SLAP HER

THE ESCALATOR

LISTS

Making a list can be loads of fun, but often the hardest part is coming up with a great topic. We have had a couple brainstorming sessions to bring you some ideas to help get those creative juices flowing. Feel free to use one of the ideas in the list below or use them to inspire you to come up with other great list topics.

• Invent your own community and the rules you would choose.
• Survival Guide (for whatever you choose)
• How To... (Be as creative as you want with this one)

• Catch Santa
• Sell "something"
• Do Math in Outer Space
• Come up with a good homework excuse
• Get rid of your siblings
• Blow your nose when the class is silent
• Get out of chores
• Get out of going to mass
• Sneak out of jail
• Eat Doritos in a library 
• Find your "hidden" Christmas presents
• Trick your parents into...
• Read minds
• Know if Santa is Real
• Sneak stuff into ...
• Get on the Dr Phil show
• Make Bad News sound like Good News
• Get out of a dreary conversation
• Convince your teacher you've read a book
• Play an instrument
• What to do during an embarrassing moment
• Job Requirements (for the job of your choice)
• Excuses to get out of ...
• People I'd like to have dinner with
• People I'd Like to BE
• Things you probably don't know about me
• Top Ten List
• Reasons the Dodo is extinct
• Bucket List
• What to do when you're bored
• What to do when your brother annoys you
• List of useful paradoxes
• Superpowers I'd like to have

WHAT MAKES A GREAT POEM?

1. The Power of I: Give your reader someone to be with.

2. Beware the participle: Avoid "ed" or "ing" endings. They weaken your verbs. This does not mean you CAN'T use them, only that you need to be sure that if you do, it does make the poem stronger.

3. Cut to the Bone: Cut all unnecessary words. Remember that a poem is elegant shorthand. And when you can't find another word to cut, then your poem is finished.

4. Line and Stanza Breaks: These can guide your reader as he or she reads your poem. They usually indicate the natural pauses that are needed when reading the poem. Rules are made to be broken, however, so if you break lines or stanzas in an original way, just be sure that you are doing it for a reason.

5. Effective and Ineffective Repetition: Sometimes repetition works well in a poem, and sometimes it just sounds redundant. Read your poem aloud or have someone read it to you so that you will "hear" what it sounds like to a reader.

6. Strong words: Look at each word you have chosen for your poem. Is it the best word you could have chosen? If not, what would be stronger. Feel free to use a thesaurus to inspire you or to suggest new words for your writing.

7. Conclude strongly: The ending of your poem is what gives the reader something to think about after they have finished reading. An echo (repeated line from earlier on in the poem) can remind the reader of an previously mentioned image that still rings true.

8. Begin inside: Starting with an image can help to set the mood for the poem. It helps the reader connect with the ideas you are presenting in the poem.