Contest #12: Script Frenzy

Contest:  Script Frenzy (brought to you by the creators of NaNoWriMo)

Genre:  Graphic Novel

Theme:  Anything you like!

Prize: Serious bragging rights, certificate, your own book

Publication:  Only if you want to share!

Odds of winning:  Everyone can be a winner!

For more information:  www.scriptfrenzy.org

So it occurred to me last week that my first period English Language Development class does not take the CRTs during first period and seriously needs a project.  We've been doing mini, disjointed lessons for awhile now and they need something challenging and fun.  I've decided to have them each write a graphic novel for Script Frenzy.  Rather than coming up with page count goals, I broke the project down into ten assignments.  I got a chart and buttons from the Script Frenzy Young Writer's Program.  For each assignments students do, they will receive a star on the chart.

As an example, I read aloud Toni and Slade Morrison's "Who's Got Game?  The Lion or the Mouse," an adaptation of the fable.  They enjoyed it.  I also showed them some examples of graphic novels and it got a couple of students really excited and brainstorming right away.

So far we have developed characters, setting, and conflict.  We complete plot charts.  We have a few more prewriting activities before we start writing a script.  Once scripts are completed, students will actually draw their books, color them if they choose, and ink them.  Naturally, I have to make my own book.  I plan to use the first act of my screenplay for my graphic novel.  I am not looking forward to drawing my book at all, but of course if they do it, I have to do it, too.

I just ordered a classroom set of "Alia's Mission," a graphic novel about the true story of a librarian in Iraq who saved 40,000 books before the library was bombed.  We will be reading this as a class once our own books are finished.

I'm glad to be taking a break from writing contests with my fourth period.  I have warned them that we have at least two or three more contests before the year is done!