Wired Magazine asks sci-fi, fantasy and horror writers to write their own 6-word short stories.
Pete Berg launched a Six Word Stories blog in Dec, 2008. This is where he stores thousands of 6-word stories. He has these catagorized by subject and author. It is possible to submit your own and receive comments from the readers.
Visual six-word story group project on Flickr
Writing 6-word stories is not easy. You must first envision an event or tale that you want to tell. Then you whittle away the words it would take to convey your ideas about this story. Finally, you have the true essence of your dissertation.
Here is my first feeble attempt:
Blog posting today: six-word stories. - Dr. Z
What have you, can you, will you write in 6 words?
Have you used this in your classes? I met a teacher at my Google Teacher Certification class, but don't remember his name. He was doing some wonderous things with his students.
Please share your ideas on this.
Z
Dr. Z, stuck on six words
ReplyDeleteDr. Z posts an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteThe hard part involves teaching something.
You have to get students interested.
Name two pronouns! Student: who? me?
I before e except after c.
Try four word movie reviews instead.
------ end six words -----
Back to the Future = 'Marty inspires Chuck Berry'
Pulp Fiction = 'Foot Massage ends tragically'
Wizard of Oz - 'Gone with the wind'
--- space below left blank for notes ----
6 words for teachers to learn.
ReplyDeletePassive voice is to be avoided.
Analogies are feathers on a snake.
The passive voice is to be avoided.
Avoid cliches just like the plague.
Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
Foreign words are not very apropos.
As an elementary teacher, I’m intrigued. I wonder if I could use this idea to help young students summarize stories too. My students have a hard time realizing the big or main idea. By forcing them to use just six words, instead of starting at the beginning and giving every insignificant detail, perhaps they could get to the point. Some examples from “classics”: “Sleeping Beauty poisoned, slept, kissed, lived.” “Little Engine couldn’t, then could, climb.” “Red puppy Clifford grew tall…WOW!” Since these are so vague, there could be all sorts of interpretations. And, of course this would not be the same as a retell, in which they should tell more. But perhaps using this framework they could not only summarize, but it could help them with focus on their own writing.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating application of 6-word stories, Sandy. The trick is to truly tell a story. Hemmingway's story of For Sale: Baby Shoes. Never Used. has so much "under the covers."
ReplyDeleteYour Sleeping Beauty example is superb!!! It really tells the story. I don't remember Clifford too well, but I don't think that growing tall is the crux of the story. It seems that you might want to say something that tells more about the implications of being big.
I would be interested in hearing more about what you do with your students. Keep me informed.
Talk with your colleagues. Perhaps you could get a movement started. The teacher that I met who does this, covers the walls outside his room with the students' stories. I could see illustrations there as well.
What about having career day and then having the students (or the guest) tell their life story in 6 words?
The opportunities are endless.
Anybody else using this?
Z