G8 Language Arts students take part in “Wacky Writing” experiences to build quick-thinking and quick-response writing skills. Dr. Mills explained that “students are given a set amount of time to respond with a one-page agree or disagree statement. Students are given different topics Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and respond to each. On Thursday, one of these topics is randomly chosen. Students have one hour to develop their earlier work into a completed essay. No one becomes a great violin or basketball player without practice, practice, practice. And no one becomes a great writer without practice, practice, practice!”

"Writing the short-writes Monday - Wednesday preps me for the Thursday polished version by giving me an initial draft to draw from," said Quynh Anh. "I actually really enjoyed the topics because these were things that we already have knowledge and opinions of, such as whether or not celebrities should be used to advertise products."

During Wacky Writing last week, students had a chance to “free-write”(no formatting requirements) on the following topic: Reality television programs, which feature real people engaged in real activities rather than professional actors performing scripted scenes, are increasingly popular. These shows depict ordinary people competing in everything from singing and dancing to losing weight to just living their everyday lives. Most viewers believe that the reality these shows portray is authentic, but they are being misled. How authentic can these shows be when producers design challenges for the participants and then editors alter filmed scenes? Do people benefit from forms of entertainment that show so-called reality, or are such forms of entertainment harmful? Support your position, providing reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

"I really like the fact that I am learning to write under pressure," said Nhi. "This will help me grow into a stronger writer if I have to write in a short, timed session."

"What I liked about this assignment is that it allowed me to test my ability in a given amount of time," said Erica. "It helped me to find out what skills I was good and bad at, so I can improve myself."

Check out A few samples of the Wacky Writing polished submissions from Abby, Quynh, Nhi, and Erica.