San Diego Writer's Conference

Hi novelists!

Here is a link to the San Diego Writer's Conference scheduled for February 15-17.

http://www.writersconference.com/scwcmain.html

Let me know if you have any questions, or if there is anything I can do to help get you there!


I am also attaching the email I received so that you all have ALL the information I have.

Here it is:

Elika,

Thanks for the e-mail and welcome to the Southern California Writers'
Conference. I am familiar with High Tech High and hear nothing but
wonderful things so it comes as no surprise that you'd be seeking other
opportunities for your students. Forgive me if I'm brief right now but I
have to catch an early flight and as you can see I'm already well beyond the
window for a decent night's sleep.

We are closing on-line registration at the end of business today, Friday.
However, we do allow for walk in registration when the conference opens so
you haven't missed the window of opportunity by any means. We have had
student groups attend in the past and I encourage anything that gets them
excited about the creative process but I need to know a couple things.
First, how many students would be looking to attend? Second, what type of
adult supervision or escort would accompany them? Generally the people who
attend our conference are adults and we get participants from all over the
world. We haven't had any problems in the years that I've been associated
with the conference but the fact remains that we'd be mixing minors with
adults and I want to make sure we are all working to provide the best, and
safest, learning environment for the students as possible. That being said,
the instructors teach to an adult audience and sometimes stories and
material that is discussed is material that might not be something parents
would want their children exposed to. Without setting off alarms on that
last statement, I'm simply saying that sitting through a workshop might be
the equivalent of allowing them to attend an R-rated movie uncut.

Aside from that, I'd need to know whether your students would be looking to
attend a single day, a couple days, or the whole conference. I'd also be
interested in knowing if there is anything specific that we might be able to
provide, something you would really want them exposed to.

Anyway, we have a week to work through any details to make sure we can
provide the right fit for your needs. I look forward to exploring the
possibility. I will be back in town on Sunday night. If you need answers
more quickly, please feel free to call Michael Gregory tomorrow at the
office number which is (619) 303-7428.

Wes


Wes Albers
Director, SCWC
www.WritersConference.com
***San Diego [February 15-18, 2008] ***
***L.A.-Irvine [September 26-28, 2008] ***

-----Original Message-----
From: Elika Dadsetan [mailto:edadsetan@hightechhigh.org]
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 3:26 PM
To: wes@WritersConference.com
Subject: SD Writer's Conference Question



Hi Wes,

I hope this email finds you well. I am contacting you to see if it is too
late to register for the San Diego Writer's Convention. My 11th graders
participated in National Novel Writing Month in November, and I know it
would be an amazing opportunity for them. I look forward to hearing from
you in this regard. Hope you are having a great day!

Thanks,


Elika Dadsetan
11th grade Humanities
High Tech High International

War Documentaries...

PROJECT: War Documentaries

The overview: In this project, we will be combining history, international relations, and multimedia to create a 12-15 minute documentary. Each member in the group will have different roles (writer, videographer, director, and interviewer). I want the documentaries to be overwhelmingly educational, while being entertaining and captivating at the same time. We will have experts come in to speak with us and go on a field trip throughout the project time (tentative - unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive). In this way, events of the past will come to life in a familiar medium (one of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television) of today.

Project components:

1. Group component: final product (documentary)

2. Individual component: success at role; historical research paper; book report

Due dates:

Documentary viewing guides: February 19

Documentary proposal:February 22

List of questions for interview/list of interviewees: February 20

Historical research paper: February 29

Film production: March 5

Book Report: March 7

The Exhibition:

Project components explained:

1. Documentary viewing guides:

a. You will be required to watch a minimum of two (2) documentaries on your war. As you watch each of these movies, you will be required to keep a documentary viewing guide which includes style of film, and a reflection.

b. Mondays and Tuesdays, my classroom will be open after school to watch films on our big screens.

2. Documentary proposal:

a. In this project, you will be required to be in a group with 3 other students. For this project, you will be graded on individual and group effort. Some assignments will be done individually, but your final production will require a full group effort. It is recommended that at least one member of your group has access to a digital camera; one person is talented with video editing; and one person feels confident in their writing abilities.

b. Your proposal should document your collaboration in making the film:

i. Who fits the roles mentioned above?

ii. What style of documentary would you like to create?

iii. Where will you get your information?

iv. Who will you interview?

v. What are your group agreements?

1. What do each of you agree to in order to make your documentary successful

vi. List of questions/list of interviewees:

a. You must interview at least three different individuals.

i. One must be a college/graduate school professor.

ii. Other options:

1. History teachers

2. Military personnel

3. Politicians

4. Nonprofits

a. Those dealing with peace?

5. Government contractors

a. Lockheed Martin?

b. You must submit a list of questions that should constitute a 10-minute interview (you will be editing down to most important points).

i. This does not mean that you will get to every question – just shows consideration put into interview time.

4. Historical research paper:

a. This paper is the bulk of your research. You will be responsible for a war America was involved in.

b. In this paper, you will also explain…

i. what actually happened in this war

ii. who was involved

iii. who was president in the nations involved

iv. what were the various policies at that time

v. what changed because of this war

vi. who “won”

vii. what happened after the war

viii. various endings – what would have happened if the war ended differently

1. do not just speculate – back up with real possibilities

c. You will need to conduct research of the history leading up to the event in the country of your study, as well as the long lasting effects that occurred because of your war.

d. This paper will be 8-10 pages in length, and in MLA format.

e. For additional help (do not rely merely on this site):

i. http://www.loeser.us/ushist.html

5. Film production:

a. As the final culmination, each team will actually produce the documentary. All people on the team must take an active role in writing, editing, producing, etc.

6. Book Report:

a. I will provide a list of novels that are based on your war.

b. You will be responsible for reading at least one from the list, and submitting a book report on the chosen book.

c. If you choose to read a non-fiction as research for your documentary, this will not count toward your book report requirement.

d. We will use the same style we use for our regular book reports.

i. If you would like to do something differently, please see me.

7. The Exhibition:

a. As with any big project, the last stage will include presenting these documentaries to the community. Each team will give an overview of what they learned and what the audience will see in the documentaries produced. Then, they will let their film roll…

b. I will also take our documentaries to the European schools I am visiting over Spring Break to compare perspectives.

i. Videoconferencing (interviews?)

Project Component: The Paper

The Overview:

This essay composes the bulk of your research for your project. This paper will be 8-10 pages, double spaced, and address the focus listed below.

The Focus:

How did this war spark other events in the world/US? What events led to this pivotal moment in history? What events were direct results of this event? How and where do we see the effects of this event in our modern day world? How do you think our world would be different if this event had never occurred?

The Format:

· 12 point font, Times New Roman

· Double-spaced, not 2.2, not 3.0

· Title page does not count as one of your pages, but must include the title of your paper, a one line summary of the war you are covering, and your name. Centered, TNR 28 pt, 16 pt, 12 pt

· Must include MLA Works Cited page that includes at least three primary sources and one secondary source. This page must be done in MLA format and does not count as one of your essay pages.

· The essay must be 8-10 pages. It should not be more, nor can it be less.

The Content:

Balancing your essay between the following five points will help guide you through your essay. While it does not need to be in this same order, keeping all five of these angles in mind will make for a powerful essay. REMEMBER TO COVER THE QUESTIONS.

Knowledge: What? Where? When?

Acquiring knowledge provides the basis for the study of history by identifying facts such as names, dates, events, and places.

· When did WWI begin?

· Where did Lee’s surrender to Grant take place?

Comprehension: Explain and clarify. How?

Understanding facts involves explaining, interpreting, describing, or clarifying them.

· Describe two events that led to WWI.

· Compare the economy of the North to that of the South before the Civil War.

• How did this affect the people of the North compared to those of the South.

Application: Apply to history/world/US. Who cares?

Apply the acquired knowledge, facts, or interpretations to our world, historically, and our present day.

· How would you apply what you know about the causes of WWI to a study of WWII?

· What long lasting effects do we still feel from the Civil War?

Supposition: What if?

Put the pieces back together in a new way; collect information from several sources; draw conclusions; create new insights (allow the inner investigative reporter in you to come out!). Hypothesize how things might have been different.

· Formulate a theory on the causes of war.

· What factors might have allowed the South to win the Civil War?

• Keep in mind that the World Wars did not only affect the United States. How did it affect other countries, as well?

Book Report

The usual format applies to this book report. If you have any other ideas, please talk to me about it first. Here is the book list...Choose a book you would like to read. You can all choose the same book, or each choose different ones. If there is a book not on the list, talk to me before you choose to start reading it. :)

Civil War:
Confederate in the Attic, Tony Horwitz
Absalom, Absalom!, William Faulkner
Manhunt, James L. Swanson
The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane
Incidents of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs
Narrative of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass
Beloved, Toni Morrison

WWI:
A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
Johnny Got His Gun, Delton Trumbo
All Quiet on the Western Front, Erick Maria Remarque
Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut
August 1914, Alexander Solzhenitsyn
The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

WWII:
Catch 22, Joseph Heller
Flyboys, James Bradley
Slaughterhouse Five, Vonnegut
Navajo Code Talkers, Doris Atkinson Paul
The Naked and the Dead, Normain Mailer
The Young Lions, Irwin Shaw
A Thin Red Line, James Jones
To the White Sea, James Dickey
From Here to Eden, James Jones

Vietnam:
The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien
Short-Timers, Gustav Hasford
Phantom Blooper, Gustav Hasford
The Bamboo Bed, William Eastlake
Fields of Fire, James Webs
Tiger the Lurp Dog, Kenn Miller
Rumor of War, Philip Caputo
Going After Cacciato, Tim O'Brien

Iraq War:
The Painted Man, Kenneth Floyd
Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, Valerie Plame
Fiasco, Thomas Ricks
Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell
State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III, Bob Woodward
One Percent Doctrine, Ron Suskind

Cold War:
Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut
The Spy who Came in from the Cold, John Le Carre
The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy
Manchurian Candidate, Richard Condon
The Right Stuff, Tom Wolf

War Teams

Period 1/2:

WWI: Haidee (d), Addilene (i), Chelsea (v), Cori (w)
WWII: Giselle (w), Alee (d), Mayra (i), Thomas (v)
Vietnam: Bree (w), Sandra (d), Jackie (i), Hilary (v)
Iraq: Garrett (w), Chris (i), Ellis (d), Yura (v)
Cold War: Eli (i), Darnell (d), Michael Arenson (v) - all (w)
Civil War: Danielle (d), Amelia (w), Leila (i), Mya (v)
WWII special team: Enrique and Eduardo

Period 3/4/5:

Vietnam: Daniel (w), JeRevien (i), Minh (v), Nikolai (d)
WWI: Matt (d), Zoli (v), Ethan (i), Jordan (w)
WWII: Yuting (v), Paris (i), Viktor (d), Xochil (w)
Iraq: Maryross (v), Myles (i), Colleen (d), Alex (w)
Cold War: Nathaniel (i), Anna (w), Alina (v), Candace (d), Zack (extra help)
Civil War: Mollie (w), Anthony (i), Sophia (d), Mason (v)

Reading Prompt.

Welcome to Black History Month!!! We will have the opportunity to look at various historical happenings under this theme throughout the month.

Take the time to read this chapter by Monday, and have four broad questions turned in for our Socratic Seminar on this text on Monday, February 11th.

http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinnslaem10.html

Vocab.Week.Three.

The list you have all been waiting for...

1. Disseminate (v)
2. Eloquence (n)
3. Austere (adj)
4. Baleful (adj)
5. Bigot (n)
6. Relapse (n) and (v)
7. Repudiate (v)
8. Resilience (n)
9. Sanguine (adj)
10. Renovate (v)

Vocabulary Quiz, Friday. Pick 5.

Ideas?

I would also like you to consider ways in which we could use a link with a school in Barking Abbey, London, England. They are also going to be looking at some aspects of Crime and Law. What do you want to know about the British system? How can we work together? Post any ideas here!

Hope you are having a good weekend.

Elika :)

Vocab.Week.Two.

Eradicate world hunger.

Pick 5. Quiz Thursday.

1) equivocate (verb)

2) eradicate (verb)

3) erode (verb)

4) erratic (adjective)

5) escalate (verb)

6) esoteric (adjective)

7) espouse (verb)

8) eulogy (noun)

9) euphoria (noun)

10) euthanasia (noun)

11) epitome

Me no feel good :(

I am feeling very ill today - sorry I am not in! :( Sit wherever you please today, and I will reassign seats when I am back tomorrow...

I hope everyone had a great long weekend. Overall, great job on POLs...I cannot wait to start this semester with all of you!!! Erin will be in to discuss some things for internship today (later in the afternoon). Thursday will be SO exciting! :) Also, we will do our current events tomorrow, since I am not in today...

We will be watching the documentary, "Why We Fight" during class today - it should take 98 minutes, so after you watch it, you can have the last 20 minutes to reflect on the film. We are watching this documentary 1) because we will be starting our war documentaries next week, and I want you to see an example of a good documentary...please take notes during the film, so that you can make comments when you reflect about what makes a good documentary, and what maybe you did not like about it. Would you make your documentary similarly? Eisenhower, in his Farewell Address, warned against the rise of the "military-industrial complex," coining a new phrase - did his warning come true? (Reflect);

2) Later this semester, we will be putting "America on Trial," and there is a lot of information in "Why We Fight" about the anatomy of the American war machine - take notes during the film, in order to better understand some concepts for when we do put America on trial. If there are any questions, jot those down, so we can take a look at them.

Please blog your reflections by 10 pm today (you can do it in class, but some of you may want more time to do revisions at home - in your reflection, start off by reviewing the documentary (what was it about, etc.), and then follow up with your reflection answers.


In other news, 1) we will be posting the Oppression photo explanations downstairs tomorrow, so have them done; 2) I will bring you good examples of how I want your FBI files to look, so you can finalize them by Friday and turn them in; 3) who you are assigned to for your Candidate profiles will be up on the blog so you can start your research by this afternoon.

Lastly, Honors Book Reports are due today (if posted on your blog, let me know)...

All my love,
Elika :)