Tuesdays+with+Morrie

// Tuesdays With Morrie // by Mitch Albom Assigned (see Google Classroom for due dates)


 * You will independently read //Tuesdays with Morrie// by Mitch Albom and conduct an interview that will result in a collection of stories. **

11-12.W.3 **Students will write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences**. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. 11-12.W.4 **Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.** 11-12.W.10 **Write routinely over extended time frames** (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. 11-12.L.1, 11-12.L.2 **Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking as well as standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.**
 * Rationale: ** There are three reasons you are being asked to complete this project.
 * 1) To give you exposure to, and practice with, chunking a long-term, outside of class project indicative of collegiate assignments.
 * 2) To provide an opportunity for you to make or re-establish a connection with an influential person in your life, especially at this important crossroad/milestone in your life.
 * 3) To demonstrate that you have pride in the quality of your work, recognizing that this speaks volumes about the type of student you are to a professor who may only see 3 or 4 samples of your work in a semester. You will do this by producing a well-polished project that pays attention to both spelling/grammatical structures as well as creativity in the final product.
 * Objectives: **
 * 1) Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
 * 2) Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
 * 3) Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
 * 4) Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

// Before you begin, you may want to look up Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) so that you understand Morrie’s disease a little better. //
 * The Process: **

Include the following information:
 * Step 1: ** Submit a project proposal. **Due: __** (60 points PR)


 * 1) ** The name of your interviewee. ** Select a person that you think has had valuable experiences in their life that you could learn from, or someone that you should take more time to communicate with, such as an elderly or far away family member/loved one. This person is to be significantly older than you, and __should **not** be a parent__ unless that parent does not live with/near you.
 * 2) ** Your rationale for choosing this person with whom you plan to converse ** .Why this person?
 * 3) ** The schedule you have arranged with that person in order to __have 4-7 separate conversations.__ ** Generate a plan for communicating with that person, maybe on a weekly basis. This should be something to look forward to, not a chore. So please schedule ASAP, as life happens, people get busy and they will probably not be able to accommodate the last-minute meetings that you have procrastinated. Also, it is wise to schedule one more meeting day than you think you will need, as things do come up and this is called being proactive instead of reactive. Conversations should take place in person, on the phone, or via Skype/Facetime, etc. NOT EMAIL.


 * Step 2: ** Read the book and prove it!
 * 1) ** Set reading goals ** for yourself by marking off chunks in order to complete it in the required time.
 * 2) ** Use sticky notes or annotations to mark meaningful statements. ** You may want to incorporate these throughout your project.
 * 3) 1st half of book test --> pg 97: **Date: __** (50 points FA)


 * 1) 2nd half of book test--> end**: Date: __** (50 points FA)

Introduction/Background on your project choice Topic of LOVE Topic of WORK Topic of COMMUNITY Topic of FAMILY Topic of AGING Topic of FORGIVENESS Topic of DEATH Summary/analysis/reflection on this experience.
 * Step 3: ** Get a journal dedicated just to this task.
 * 1) ** Divide your journal into 9 sections. **


 * 2. Create conversation starters for each section ** . Remember! This is not to be a question and answer interview.
 * 3. Be a listener. ** Use the conversation starters or questions to help get the focus of the conversation going, but wherever it leads you from there is fine. You’ll want to at least start off with a topic focus.

__** 3.Date: _ **__ (20 points classwork)
 * Step 4: ** Prepare for check-ins to report on your progress directly to me and ask questions.
 * 1.Date: ** Informal check in
 * 2.Date: **__ (20 points classwork) __
 * 4.Date: _ **__ (20 points classwork)


 * Step 5: ** Assemble the final product. **Date:** (120 points FA- see rubric) *Remember: the oops pass only buys you 24 hours.
 * 1) ** You will hand in your conversation notes and the final write-ups ** . In most cases, these should be typed. If you are scrap-booking, this is negotiable.
 * 2) ** If these conversations inspire you in some way, you can add your poetry, songs, drawings, photos to personalize the written project even further. **

_

Remember to develop questions that will get your person to TELL STORIES. You want to avoid a string of questions, such as a question and answer session or a barrage of yes/no questions.

Examples:

Poor: Aunt Mary, tell me about love.

Better: Aunt Mary, do you remember the first time you fell in love? Tell me about it!

or...How did Uncle Ned propose to you? Tell me about your wedding!

Poor: Granny, what do you think about death?

Better: How did you overcome the pain and suffering when you lost _?

or...What do you think happens when a person dies?

Poor: Do you forgive people, Nona?

Better: Tell me about a time when you had to find it in your heart to forgive.


 * Remember, be a listener. Your job is document the stories/life/perspective of the person you chose. You want them to tell you stories that capture who they are, what they believe, why and how they got there. Basically, you are putting their life experiences and lessons on paper; you are essentially a historian. As long as you start out on topic, it is okay for the stories to take their course and you should embrace wherever they take you.

//**Be aware that, every year, I know there are several students who do not embrace this opportunity to practice plotting a long-term project (a must in the majority of college courses) in order to fulfill the components by the due date. Sadly, this fact is inevitable. Those students stay up all night the night before, take on a multiple personality and pretend to be Aunt Mary. They drag their carcass in the next day (or email it because they cannot function on 30 minutes sleep) and hand in a meaningless project- A project that they spent all night crafting as a creative writing piece, instead of its intended purpose: to connect with someone in their life who can share a unique, and hopefully engaging, perspective. I hope that poor planning, procrastination, and a general disregard for what could end up being a valuable experience doesn't force YOU to be THAT person. You will never be a kid again, and you will be busy with your adult life/responsibilities before you know it. I implore you: Seize the day and have a meaningful experience with someone in your life. I know Morrie appreciated his time with Mitch; the gift of your time, interest and attention may be just as meaningful to someone in your**////**life. Be a good listener and it will pay off, trust me.**//

= = =Rubric for assignment=

=Audio= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF3NGF5_vqE&list=PLE0E9A742B30F8AD2&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1 = = =BOOK ONLINE:= [] =In-Class Assignments=

Confession

Questions for Essay & Discussion

Forgiveness

Obituary

Videos of Morrie's TV Interviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbeHxA55sek