This week:
- Monday and Tuesday:
- Counselors introduce you to the COIN website, so you can get a better idea of what careers are available.
- Homework: You must complete the Risk Story rough draft before you come to class on Wednesday.
- Wednesday: You will type and revise the Risk Story you have written.
- Thursday: You will edit, save to my folder, and print the final copy of the Risk Story.
- Friday: In class, you will be exposed to background information to help you understand the story, “Flowers for Algernon.”
Risk Story Instructions
Drawing inspiration from the them of the poem, “the lesson of the moth,” create a short story.
Your story must include a clear risk (danger, humiliation, death, etc.) and a clear positive result or payoff (joy, beauty, friendship, knowledge, etc.).
The theme of “the lesson of the moth” and “Standing Outside the Fire” is:
Some risks in life are worth taking.
Make that the theme (message) of your story, too.
You don’t need to say what the risk is in the story, as long as your character takes a risk (danger) and aims for a positive result (payoff). Do not use the word, “risk,” in your title, and avoid using the word, “risk,” in your paper. Instead, show the character taking a risk. Include specific details, the five senses, and dialogue.
Rough Draft – Due Wednesday
(so you can type and revise it in class on Wed)
You might have some time at the end of class to work on this each day, but don’t count on it. The rough draft is homework.
“I can’t think of what to write. What are some risks I could write about?” (here’s a list)
- Answering a question in class
- Asking someone out
- Becoming a celebrity
- Breaking a rule
- Bungee jumping
- Cliff diving (into a river, lake, or ocean)
- Climbing a tree
- Confessing to a crush
- Cop
- Deep sea diving
- Disobey parents
- Diving for a volleyball
- Drama
- Driving a car
- Exploring the wilderness
- Facing your fears
- Firefighter
- Going hunting
- Hunting
- Investing in the stock market
- Invite a new student to eat lunch with your friends
- IRS agent
- Lie to a friend, so you don’t hurt their feelings, saying you like their outfit when it’s really terrible
- Lighting fireworks
- Lumberjack
- Mountain climbing
- Parasailing
- Playing poker
- Police officer (undercover)
- Protesting
- Reading out loud
- Riding a roller coaster
- Rock climbing
- Running for president
- Saying hi
- Secret service
- Serving in the military
- Singing
- Skating on a giant half pipe
- Skydiving
- Speaking up
- Standing up against a wrong
- Storm chaser
- Surgeon
- Swimming with sharks
- Tackle someone in football
- Taking a dare
- Telling on a friend who is going to try drugs or alcohol
- Telling someone a secret
- Trampoline
- Traveling abroad
- Trying out for a team/group
- Trying out for a play
- Trying something new
- Trying to escape from danger
You may use http://my.cfisd.net/ if they want to work on the story at home once they’ve started typing it.