Mean Girls Lyrics and Video Rachel Crow-Poetry, Personal Narrative, Expository Writing-Bullying

I have returned to this post from my previous blog. Returning to it after three years brings new ideas to my mind. Definitely this could be used as a trigger or stimulus for writing.  It definitely could be trigger for the personal narrative or expository writing. I could use it to write poetry as well.  It would depend on the reader's and writer's stance. 

I do know that showing this video has produced great conversation and writing.

Do you ever go to lunch with no one by your side
Cause the moment you arrive they all leave the table
Calling me everything but my name
Need I remind you again just call me Rachel
How would you feel if you running home crying
Lock yourself in your room, don't want anyone to see ya
While everyone's having fun outside, and you're telling yourself

I won't let it get to me no more
I don't wanna feel this way
I can't believe I let it go so far
No no, it's not okay
What do you know about me?
Do you wanna know what I think?
Mean girls, mean girls
I'm a just comb you outta my curls
Mean girls, mean girls
You no longer run my world
Mean girls, mean girls
I'm a just comb you outta my curls

How would you feel every time you go to school
Someone's looking at you weird calling you a loser
All these girls wearing bubble-gum pink
Guess I didn't get the memo
Cause they're laughing at my blue shirt
Well I hope you feeling good about you treating someone you know like a perfect stranger
Cause it's easier than standing by my side
Ohhh
I won't let it get to me no more
I don't wanna feel this way
I can't believe I let it go so far
No no, it's not okay
What do you know about me?
Do you wanna know what I think?
Mean girls, mean girls
I'm a just comb you outta my curls
Mean girls, mean girls
You no longer run my world

Who do you think you are
Loud mouth, cafeteria star
Maybe somebody was cruel to you
So you think that's what you're supposed to do
One day, it might be you
When you need a friend, but you no longer cool
When everyone leaves when you walk in the room
I just hope they forgive you

I won't let it get to me no more
I don't wanna feel this way
I can't believe I let it go so far
No no, it's not okay
What do you know about me?
Do you wanna know what I think?
Mean girls, mean girls
I'm a just comb you outta my curls
Mean girls, mean girls
You no longer run my world
Mean girls, mean girls
I'm a just comb you outta my curls

Mean girls, mean girls
You no longer run my world

The Use of the Memory Kernel

The Use of the Memory Kernel

We tried out the memory kernel from the work of Gretchen Bernabei from her work inReviving the Essay and Crunchtime.  At first we referenced a book called What You Know First  by Patricia MacLaughlin and then I referenced photo with a truism.  I used a photo from Gretchen's photo driven work called Lightning in a Bottle.  The two go together.  Then I gleaned a truism from both. I wrote it on the chart paper and then thought of a memory that would go with that.  The participants did the same thing.  After I thought a memory that would go with the truism, I sketched the scene out in my mind.  Then I asked the participants 5 questions and asked them to write down just one sentence leaving space to answer and then space to flesh out the ideas.
The questions are simple:

• Where were you and what were you doing?
• What is the first thing that happened?
• What is the next thing that happened?
• What is the last thing that happened?
• At that moment, what were you thinking and feeling?

Here is my version. Please excuse the poor handwriting. I also should have used better markers. Discupleme, por favoricto.

Truism, Memory and Sketch

Sketch, 1st Thing and Next with Ideas Fleshed Out In Second View-The red print is the first sentence originally written . The green print is when the writer went back and added ideas the second time through.

Sketch, Next and Last Thing That Happened.  The red print shows the original idea from the questions-what is the next thing that happened and what was the last thing that happened. The green print shows where the author fleshed out the  moment by adding ideas. By using the different colors, the reader can track the movement of the author's mind.

This is the last question with a sketch. The writers sketch out the memory first to give themselves a place to gather and visualize that moment.  You can sketch what you see.  The last question to consider in this memory kernel is: At That Moment, what were you thinking and feeling?  The red print shows the last sentence written in the memory kernel.  The green shows how the writer then went back and added ideas. We call this fleshing out the kernel. It is not complete but has some ideas in which to play with. The writer would then read the composition outloud and revise with RADAR.  For more about RADAR revision see Kelly Gallagher's book Write Like This . He worked with Jeff Anderson breaking down the processes revision. Check other posts.  There will be more upcoming.  The writers then share their work from the foundational kernel, to the fleshing out the ideas into the revision in peer conferencing formats such as Pointing or Say Back. This comes from the work of Dr. Joyce Carroll who wrote the book Act of Teaching .