Tuesday

Today we are going to go over the MC test from yesterday and look at scoring.

Then we are going to discuss the synthesis essay again and go over synthesis materials for the 2009 AP test.

Tomorrow you will write your last practice Synthesis Essay. 

AP Language

Those of you who are having a hard time with the AP prompts - think about the following things.

Question 1 - synthesis essay is an argument essay.  You need to take a position and back up that position with at least three articles that are given to you.  Beyond this you should - connect to other other sources and the world.  Make sure you analysis the sources in relation to your thesis.  Don't just summarizes them.

Question 2 - Analytical Essay.  You are analyzing a passage here.  Think precis.  Make sure you find the authors thesis and purpose.  Then show how the author creates this in the passage.  Review precis if needed.

Question 3 - Argument essay.  Make sure you create an argument here and back it up with specific examples.

You don't necessarily need a hook, but you do need a thesis.

#MeToo and AP Prep

So today we are going to look at an essay by Molly Ringwald and then continue with our reading/discussion of the AP test.

Friday

We are going to debate the wording of the 2nd Amendment and then look at the AP - steps to success book.

First, I need everyone to turn in all essays from Modes of Composition project, and then all essays from AP Practice Questions.  Finally - who is not showing up next week?

Monday

Okay - so most of you demonstrated that you still remember how to write a precise.  The key is can you do it in 10 minutes.

So, we are going to go over the test and its structure this week, and practice the multiple choice questions.  Note, when you get back from Spring Break you will be writing many practice essays, so be prepared.

First - before we get into  Cracking the AP Language and Composition Exam. let's talk about student walkouts and gun control.

BRAINS

Today we are going to read "Women's Brains" by Jay Gould in The Language of Composition on page 518.  After we finish reading you will write a Precise on it.

If we have time left over in class you can work on your rewrites. 

Tuesday

Today we are going to read "Working for A Living: the Codes for Work and Money" by Clotaire Rapaille in One Hundred Great Essays on page 482.  After we finish reading you will write a Precise on it.

If we have time left over in class you can work on your rewrites. 

Precise

Rhetorical Précis Writing

A rhetorical précis analyzes both the content (the what) and the delivery (the how) of a unit of spoken or written discourse. It is a highly structured four-sentence paragraph blending summary and analysis. Each of the four sentences requires specific information; students are expected to use brief quotations (to convey a sense of the author’s style and tone) and to include a terminal bibliographic reference. Practicing this sort of writing fosters precision in both reading and writing, forcing a writer to employ a variety of sentence structures and to develop a discerning eye for connotative shades of meaning. Take a look at the overall format 
  1) Name of author, (optional: a phrase describing the author), genre and title of the work, date in parentheses (additional publishing information in parentheses); a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "suggest," "imply," "claim," etc.); and a THAT clause containing the major assertion (thesis) of the work.
2) An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the thesis, usually in chronological order.
3) A statement of the author's apparent purpose followed by an "in order to" phrase.
4) A description of the intended audience and/or the relationship the author established with the audience.
 

Now take a closer look:  

1. THE FIRST SENTENCE identifies the essay's author and title, provides the article's date in parenthesis, uses some form of the verb says (claims, asserts, suggests, argues—) followed by that, and the essay's thesis (paraphrased or quoted).  

EXAMPLE: In "The Ugly Truth about Beauty" (1998), Dave Barry argues that "...women generally do not think of their looks in the same way that men do" (4).  

EXAMPLE: In "The Ugly Truth about Beauty" (1998), Dave Barry satirizes the unnecessary ways that women obsess about their physical appearance.  

2. THE SECOND SENTENCE conveys the author's support for the thesis (how the author develops the essay); the trick is to convey a good sense of the breadth of the author’s support/examples, usually in chronological order.  

EXAMPLE: Barry illuminates this discrepancy by juxtaposing men's perceptions of their looks ("average-looking") with women's ("not good enough"), by contrasting female role models (Barbie, Cindy Crawford) with male role models (He-Man, Buzz- V. Stevenson and M. Frerichs, AP Language PHHS, San Diego, reprint date: 5/24/2010

Off), and by comparing men's interests (the Super Bowl, lawn care) with women's (manicures).  

3. THE THIRD SENTENCE analyzes the author's purpose using an in order to statement:  

EXAMPLE: He exaggerates and stereotypes these differences in order to prevent women from so eagerly accepting society's expectation of them; to this end, Barry claims that men who want women to "look like Cindy Crawford" are "idiots"(10), implying that women who adhere to the Crawford standard are fools as well. 

  4. THE FOURTH SENTENCE describes the essay's target audience and characterizes the author's relationship with that audience—or the essay's tone: 

  EXAMPLE: Barry ostensibly addresses men in this essay because he opens and closes the essay directly addressing men (as in "If you're a man...”) and offering to give them advice in a mockingly conspiratorial fashion; however, by using humor to poke fun at both men and women’s perceptions of themselves, Barry makes his essay palatable to women as well, hoping to convince them to stop obsessively "thinking they need to look like Barbie" (8). Put it all together and it looks darn smart:  
In "The Ugly Truth about Beauty" (1998), Dave Barry argues that ". . . women generally do not think of their looks in the same way that men do"(4). Barry illuminates this discrepancyby juxtaposing men's perceptions of their looks ("average-looking") with women's ("not good enough"), by contrasting female role models (Barbie, Cindy Crawford) with male role models (He-Man, Buzz- Off), and by comparing men's interests (the Super Bowl, lawn care) with women's (manicures). He exaggerates and stereotypes these differences in order to prevent women from so eagerly accepting society's expectation of them; in fact, Barry claims that men who want women to "look like Cindy Crawford" are "idiots" (10). Barry ostensibly addresses men in this essay because he opens and closes the essay directly addressing men (as in "If you're a man...”) and offering to give them advice in a mockingly conspiratorial fashion; however, by using humor to poke fun at both men and women’s perceptions of themselves, Barry makes his essay palatable to both genders and hopes to convince women to stop obsessively "thinking they need to look like Barbie" (8).  

Monday - Essay Drafts DUE

Today - we are going to talk about cell phones, we will read a few articles, and finally, we will write a precise on one of the essays.

https://www.kcaw.org/2018/03/08/mehs-students-research-phones-affect-cognitive-ability/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2015/06/15/cellphones-school-teaching-tool-distraction/OzHjXyL7VVIXV1AEkeYTiJ/story.html

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/09/27/students-cellphones-school

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/04/27/the-student-cellphone-addiction-is-no-joke.html

https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/should-students-use-their-smartphones-as-learning-tools/

Essays to read this week:

"Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying" by Adrienne Rich
"Working for A Living: the Codes for Work and Money" by Clotaire Rapaille 
"Women's Brains" by Jay Gould
"Hip Hop Planet" by James McBride

Friday - Cause and Effect

Today is the last day - in class - to work on your essays.  Remember your "Cause and Effect" essay is due on Monday, and then you will have a week to work on your rewrites.  Most of that rewriting will be homework.   Final drafts on due on March 21st.

We need to go back to looking closely at Essays and analyzing them. 

Here is the reading we need to try and finish before Spring Break:

·      “The Conversation” by Wendy Lesser

·      “The Keyboard” by William Zinsser

·      “The Golden Spike” by John Steele Gordon

·      “Selected Web Sites” by Dave Barry

·      “Women and Children First: Gender and Settling of the Electronic Frontier” by Laura Miller

·      “Welcome to Cyberbia” by M. Kadi

·      “Looking for Community on the Internet” by Evan I Scharz

 

  Cause and Effect - Examples: https://www.essaymasters.co.uk/free-cause-and-effect-essay-example

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday

Okay - I'm stuck in Juneau.  Will you please continue to work on your essays - and post them.  I will be making comments on them.

Please email me or text me if you need any immediate help.

Cause and Effect

If you're have issues look at the video above. 

Remember - what is the effect of gun violence?  What was the effect of 9/11?  What was the effect of being dump by that hot guy/girl? 

This is the last essay for this project, but remember you need to work on revising your essays.  Most of them are not finished! 

Points to Remember: Cause and Effect

CAUSE AND EFFECT Points to Remember
1. Remember that in human events you can almost never prove direct, simple, cause and effect relationships, Qualify your claims.
2. Be careful not to oversimplify your cause and effect statements, be cautious about saying that a cause always produces a certain effect of that a remedy never succeeds.
3. Distinguish between the immediate, obvious cause of something and more long range, less apparent causes for that effect.
4. Avoid confusing coincidence or simple sequence with cause and effect; because B follows A doesn’t mean that A caused B.
5. Build your cause-and-effect argument as a trial lawyer would. Present as much evidence as you can and argue for your hypothesis.

Cause and Effect

CAUSE AND EFFECT Points to Remember

1. Remember that in human events you can almost never prove direct, simple, cause and effect relationships, Qualify your claims.
   
2. Be careful not to oversimplify your cause and effect statements, be cautious about saying that a cause always produces a certain effect of that a remedy never succeeds.
   
3. Distinguish between the immediate, obvious cause of something and more long range, less apparent causes for that effect.
   
4. Avoid confusing coincidence or simple sequence with cause and effect; because B follows A doesn’t mean that A caused B.
   
5. Build your cause-and-effect argument as a trial lawyer would. Present as much evidence as you can and argue for your hypothesis.
   
   
   What caused 9/11 and what is the effect of 9/11?
   
   
   Do not simplify your cause or effect.  
   
   
   
   
   
   MODES OF COMPOSITION RUBRIC 
   
   
   (HANDOUT - go here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M0r2yBp_jEbQWMw0yj9c9jM36--YWmYm/view?usp=sharing)

Persuasion Essays

Turn in Definition Essays.  Begin Persuasion/Argumentation Essays.


ARGUMENT AND PERSUASION Points to Remember
1. Remember that in order to argue well, you must understand your audience and know your purpose.
2. Understand the three principal kinds of appeal emotional appeal, the appeal to intelligence and reason; and ethical appeal, the appeal from the character and competence of the author. The most effective arguments combine all three.
3. Construct an argument as a lawyer would construct a case to present to a jury; state your assertions and back them up with evidence and reason, appealing to your readers’ intellect and feelings.
4. Always assume your audience is intelligent, although some members of it may be uninformed on a particular issue.
5. Avoid three common pitfalls: (a) don’t overstate your claims, (b) be careful not to oversimplify complex issues; and (c) support your arguments with concrete evidence, not generalizations.

Definition

Today - you need to turn in your Division and Classification Essays and begin to work on your DEFINITION Essay.

Review in the river reader the definition essay.


DEFINITION Points to Remember

1. Remember that you are obligated to define key terms that you use in your writing— such as Marxism, alternative medicine, nontraditional student.
   
2. Understand your purpose in defining: to explain, to entertain, to persuade, to set boundaries, or to establish a standard.
   
3. Understand how writers construct an argument from a definition. For example, by defining the good life or good government, they argue for that kind of life or government.
   
4. Know the several ways of defining: giving examples, analyzing qualities, attributing characteristics, defining negatively, using analogies, and showing function.
   
5. Learn to use definition in combination with other strategies, as a basis on which to build an argument, or as supporting evidence.                                                                                                                            Remember Al's Definition Essay:
   
   
   The one thing that we can control in our lives is our personal reactions to the events occurring around us. Do we stand up and speak up about abuse, or sit back as our best friend turns down an offer of a lifetime? We are responsible for our actions. We must take control and stand up for what we believe to be morally right. All throughout history there have been incidents of leaders taking initiative and standing up for what they believe in. Conversely, there have also been moments of weakness; cowards whom don’t speak up, passer-bys who don’t stop to report a crime, or help a victim. These moments do not define the person at fault, but rather emphasize the importance of the brave ones who do stay with the victim, who do call 911, who take a stand.

               One Significant Transcendentalist Philosopher, Henry David Thoreau,  showed responsibility when he denied support of a war that was, in his mind, immoral. Thoreau was asked to pay a poll tax that supported the Mexican American War, but because the war was a ploy to gain territory in the South, allowing slavery to thrive, Thoreau refused.  This is a classic example of responsibility. It was Thoreau’s moral obligation to refuse to pay the poll tax because he did not believe in what it supported. If he had paid the poll tax because the government told him to then this would be an example of cowardice.

   Another instance of responsibility can be seen in Eugene V. Debs’s speech against World War I. Although he knew that he would be arrested due to the Sedition Act. He believed that it was his moral duty to speak up about the injustice of the World War. He advocated for the common people to have the right to declare war or peace. Although Debs went to prison for his speech he was responsible in doing so because he took action against his suppressor.  In fact he was able to run for presidency while he was in prison.

               While there are many situations where people show their responsibility and maturity, there are also plenty of cowardice moments in history. Everyone has a flaw, even the people in the Bible. Pontius Pilate’s weakness in the face of a rioting mob calling for Jesus' death, even though he knew of his innocence is the ultimate show of cowardice. Although Pilate had the power to set Jesus free, his fear of insurrection prevented him from making the right moral choice. Cowardice appears to be one of the main themes of many pieces of literature, and society. So maybe the human race as a whole are guilty of it? And if we are all guilty of cowardice, then we must all be guilty of responsibility at times as well because you cannot have one without the other.

               With such chaos going on in our lives, we should control the one thing we have authority over: our actions. The way we respond and learn can define your life. You learn from your and others’ mistakes, however, so cowardice is essential in developing responsibility and bravery in society.

Wednesday

If you are done with your Classification and Division essay, please begin your DEFINITION essay.  Look over it in your river reader and think about/adhere to this list:

Definition (draft) due 2/26

DEFINITION Points to Remember 

1. Remember that you are obligated to define key terms that you use in your writing— such as Marxism, alternative medicine, nontraditional student. 
2. Understand your purpose in defining: to explain, to entertain, to persuade, to set boundaries, or to establish a standard. 
3. Understand how writers construct an argument from a definition. For example, by defining the good life or good government, they argue for that kind of life or government. 
4. Know the several ways of defining: giving examples, analyzing qualities, attributing characteristics, defining negatively, using analogies, and showing function. 
5. Learn to use definition in combination with other strategies, as a basis on which to build an argument, or as supporting evidence.

Monday

For those of you starting your Division and Classification essay, remember you are creating categories. Example, if your theme was running you might classify the types of workouts an athlete might used in order to be successful. If your theme was Power you might discuss different types of power a country might have or need to be a world leader. Remember Al Weber's essay on the types of homework an AP student might have. 

If you have questions - SPEAK.   

Modes of Compostion: Compare and Contrast

Today - we need to continue with your Compare/Contrast essays.  Please let me know if you need me to look at your essay immediately.  I will be looking at all of them today, but if you need me to focus on yours first, speak up.

Tuesday - MODES OF COMPOSITION PROJECT

Today we need to continue we the compare and contrast essay, and continue to rewrite your other essays. 

If you are leaving on Friday - I will need your compare and contrast essay sent to me by next Monday 2/12.  And you will also need to write you "Division and Classification" essay on the trip.  Please take your river readers with you. 

Compare and Contrast

Today, you need to post your Process Analysis Essay, and then begin your Compare and Contrast Essay.  This week you should be writing you 1st draft of the Compare and Contrast and revising your other two essays.


COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Points to Remember

1. Decide whether you want the pattern of your comparison to focus on the complete units (divided) or specific features (alternating).

2. Consider the possibility of combining the two patterns.

3. Determine which subject should be placed in the first position and why.

4. Arrange the points of your comparison in a logical balanced, and dramatic sequence.

5. Make sure you introduce and clarify the reasons for making your comparison.

Friday

Today, we need to continue with your Process Analysis and revision on your Narration Essay.  Note, if you believe you are done with these - and I don't think anyone is completely done with both of these essays - you may start your Compare and Contrast Essay.  Make sure you review in the river reader the type of essay.

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
Points to Remember

1. Decide whether you want the pattern of your comparison to focus on the complete units (divided) or specific features (alternating).

2. Consider the possibility of combining the two patterns.

3. Determine which subject should be placed in the first position and why.

4. Arrange the points of your comparison in a logical balanced, and dramatic sequence.

5. Make sure you introduce and clarify the reasons for making your comparison.

Tuesday

Today we will be starting your "Process Analysis" essay.

I'm going to post Al Weber's below - but, I also want us to look closely at the essays she wrote around the theme "Responsibility" as we move forward.  Make sure you have a board theme.  Finally, I want all your narrations posted so that I can make notes on them for your rewrites.

Narration Essay (draft) due 1/30

Process Analysis (draft) due 2/5

Compare and Contrast (draft) due 2/12

Division and Classification (draft) due 2/19

Definition (draft) due 2/26

Cause and Effect due 3/5

Persuasion (draft) due 3/12

FINAL drafts (all revisions done) due 3/21

How to be a Successful Salesperson

There are two types of people in this world: followers and leaders. As a salesperson it is your job to be a leader. If you are a master at sales you should be able to read your customer and weave a story about your product to fit their amusement so enticing that they believe it was their personal idea and they cannot live without that product. As Lau Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher of Taoism, stated “The best leaders are those their people hardly know exist.”.

            To bring the sale to a close and have a enjoyable experience for both you and your customer you must do five simple steps.

Dress Appropriately. This is common sense for most people, but others will struggle with this idea. Here is some motivation: according to Business Insider first impressions are formed within seven to seventeen seconds of meeting someone and fifty five percent of a person’s opinion is determined by physical appearance. The way you dress could well be the deal breaker between the two thousand dollar sale and a walk out the door.

Have good body posture. If you are slouching over a display case or slinking around the floor you will not exude confidence. Customers will catch onto this and will be less likely to follow you or trust you. During face to face meetings, 93% of people's judgments of others are based on non-verbal input like body language. How you stand, sit, and shake hands communicates a lot more than what you say. Eye contact is included in this. To build a trusting relationship with another person your eyes should connect about 70 to 80% of the time. This shows your customer two things. First: that you are listening to their story and what they wish. Second: that you like them. While you should make eye contact, do not stare, or excessively blink. Too much blinking is suspicious. Adults normally blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. When under pressure, or stressed, blinking increases (Bill Clinton’s blink rate during his deposition was at 92 blinks per minute)

Greet and read the customer. In order to welcome the client a general “Hello” or “Welcome to (enter store name here)” will suffice. This instantly tells the purchaser that you are there to help them. You are essentially their waiter/host while they are in the gallery. Next, figure out for whom they are shopping for by asking leading questions such as “what brings you to Kirmse’s?” or more directly “Who are you shopping for and how can I help?” By asking questions such as these you learn what type of customer they are. There are essentially four different types of purchasers.

The first, buys for others. If they are shopping for their ten year old daughter who is likely to lose her bracelet in a couple of weeks then gain their trust by steering them to a less expensive item so that they are more willing to buy it. If a customer is shopping for their significant other you can deliver your own expert advice about pricier pieces: this added knowledge will often sway their opinions about the product. There has been many a time that I have been forced to choose a necklace to surprise someone’s fiancé.

The second, buys for themselves. These people are some of the easiest to sell to because they know their taste and they know their budget. All you have to do is wait it out, present all of the pieces, listen, and be pleasant. Remember though that customers usually lie about their budget and will typically spend a bit more than they state if they are taken by the piece.

The third, waits for others who are shopping. If you get stuck with the elderly gentleman that simply wants to know your life story as his wife shops find him a stool and like an ex-couple politely, but firmly, move on. You do not need to babysit him. In fact he will probably be happier now that he can simply sit and wait rather than have to maintain conversation. UNLESS you have no other customers to attend to…..  then keep him happy so his wife is comfortable shopping for a long time, knowing that he is engaged and content) It’s a truly skilled saleswoman who manages to take coin from the waiting husband.   

The fourth, “just looking”. There is no “just looking” person. They entered your store for a reason. Subconsciously they are there to buy something. It is your job to continue to ask leading questions until you find that one person they forgot to get a gift for, or the birthday that they forgot.

Present the product. In order to give off all of the superb qualities of your product you must truly believe in it. Make sure that you believe 100% in your product. People either follow leaders or are leaders. Make sure that they are following you. If there is any hesitancy or dishonesty in your sales pitch customers will sniff it out like a dog to meat and will instantly jump off your bandwagon. Furthermore, The customer is NOT always right. Often times customers will tell you that they know everything there is to know about your product and that you are selling something fake or too expensive. Although they may be an expert on that type of thing; you are an expert on your merchandise. One time I was taking care of a lady who was trying on a pair of Amber earrings. She clearly adored them, and also clearly wished for a discount. After several hours of requesting for a cut in the price I finally gave her the last NO. She went on to say that, as an avid Amber collector, she recognized these earrings as pseudo-Amber and again demanded a discount. I remained calm and professional, and held my ground that they were true Amber, and eventually she bought them at full price. 

Take it to the cash register. Once your client has found a couple of items that they like begin to lead them to a “close”. You might say “would you like me to set these over by the counter as you continue to look around?” or “Will you be paying cash or using a credit card?” this brings up the idea that they will actually be making the purchase rather than just ogling and drooling over the items.  

            If done correctly, you and the customer should have an enjoyable experience. No one should have to feel bullied or bullied into a sale. In the end customers  will be appreciative of your expert guidance and the knowledge they’ve gained. They will then leave your store with their purchase, and good words on their lips to spread your excellent reputation

Monday

Today you may work on your Narration Essays.  If you have turned a draft in, I should have notes on your essays.  If you have the Narration essay done, you need to begin working on the Process Analysis.  Make sure you look back in your books if you have a problem or forget how the essay works. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/portland-race-against-the-past/

PROCESS ANALYSIS

Points to Remember

1. Arrange the steps in your process in an orderly sequence.
2. Identify and explain the purpose of each of the steps in the process.
3. Describe the special tools, terms, and tasks needed to complete the process.
4. Provide warnings, where appropriate, about the consequences of omitting, reversing, or overlooking certain steps.
5. Supply illustrations and personal anecdotes to help clarify aspects of the process.

Friday

Today, we are going to finish looking at the "Cause and Effect" essay, and begin writing essay #1 of the MODES PROJECT.

Remember that this essay will be due on Tuesday - before class starts.

NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION Points to Remember

1. Focus your narrative on the “story” in your story— that is, focus on the conflict that defines the plot.
2. Vary the pace of your narrative so that you can summarize some events quickly and render others as fully realized scenes.
3. Supply evocative details to help your readers experience the dramatic development of your narrative.
4. Establish a consistent point of view so that your readers know how you have positioned yourself in you story.
5. Represent the events in you narrative so that you story makes its point.

Wednesday

Today - we need to do a few things:

1) Work on Poetry Out Loud
2) Look at "Definition" and "Cause and Effect" essays

Homework: Finish chapter 8 - write precise for the remaining essays.

Note: When you write your precise, think about how the type of essay contributes to the meaning.

Rhetorical Précis Writing

 
A rhetorical précis analyzes both the content (the what) and the delivery (the how) of a unit of spoken or written discourse. It is a highly structured four-sentence paragraph blending summary and analysis. Each of the four sentences requires specific information; students are expected to use brief quotations (to convey a sense of the author’s style and tone) and to include a terminal bibliographic reference. Practicing this sort of writing fosters precision in both reading and writing, forcing a writer to employ a variety of sentence structures and to develop a discerning eye for connotative shades of meaning. Take a look at the overall format 


1) Name of author, (optional: a phrase describing the author), genre and title of the work, date in parentheses (additional publishing information in parentheses); a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "suggest," "imply," "claim," etc.); and a THAT clause containing the major assertion (thesis) of the work.
2) An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the thesis, usually in chronological order.
3) A statement of the author's apparent purpose followed by an "in order to" phrase.
4) A description of the intended audience and/or the relationship the author established with the audience.

Tuesday

Today, we need to talk about Poetry Out Loud. 

Poetry Out Loud is tomorrow night at 6:30.  I need to make sure everyone has their poem memorized.

Also, we need to go over "Division and Classification" on page 221, and look at "The Truth About Lying" on page 229 and "Mother Tongue" on page 244.

Homework (for Friday): Read pages 537-563.  Write a precis for each essay.

Friday

Today, we will finish "Compare and Contrast" essay - meaning we will finish reading "Shakespeare in the Bush" and then move onto Twain.

After this, you have time to work on the THEMATIC chapter.  This is the chapter that shows all seven modes of composition on one theme: survival.  Note how board the theme is.

Begin to read chapter 8 in the river reader - page 193 - 537.   You will need to write a precis for each essay in this section.  These pages need to be finished by Tuesday!

Wednesday

Today, you need to turn in your Malcolm X essays.  Then we will be looking at Compare and Contrast essays on page 156, and reading "Shakespeare in the Bush" on page 195.

Homework: Begin to read chapter 8 in the river reader - page 193 - 537.   You will need to write a precis for each essay in this section.

Tuesday

Today you will have time to work on your Malcolm X essays.  These are due tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will be looking at Compare and Contrast essay.

For those of you leaving on Thursday - your homework is to read Chapter 8 (498-536) and write a precis for each essay.  This is only 1/2 of the chapter.   You will be working on the 2nd half on Tuesday.

Monday

Today, we are going to have a little "memorization" quiz on your poems, then we will look at "Process Analysis" in the river reader.  And, finally, I'll let you work on your Malcolm X essays.

Good luck today!

Friday

Today, we are going to review - Narration, spend some time Poetry Out Loud, and finally work, for most of the class on your Malcolm X essays (these need to be 2-3 pages).

Note, Due MONDAY - Malcolm X essays and a memorization quiz on Poetry Out Loud.

Wednesday

Today, I'm going to give you 15-20 minutes to work on Poetry Out Loud memorization.  Note, on Friday you will have a memorization quiz on them.

Then we will look at "Narration" for the Modes project and read at least one essay in The Riverside Reader.  Final, I'll give some time to begin your Malcolm X essay.

First, let's look at a video - from the news - that relates "Racism in America" as inherent in the system.

Go here

Tuesday

Today we take a quiz on Malcolm X and discuss the ending of the book.  

Then we will talk about an synthesis that will be due next Monday. 

Question: How should we think about race and racism in America?  Is there a solution?

Using The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and a least three other sources - MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"; James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son"; Zora Neale Hurston's "How it Feels to be Colored Me"; Jamaica Kincaid's "Upon Seeing English for the First Time"; W.E.B Dubois' "Of Our Spiritual Striving"; and/or Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman"  

 PROJECT OVERVIEW

1)   Student will read “Resources for Writing” (Thematic Unit – Survival) in their Riverside Reader pages 493 – 563.

The purpose of this aspect of the assignment is to further their understanding of seven different rhetorical modes of development and to show them a model for the writing project that they will be doing.  Reading the selections, which are all on the same topic, the Internet, but which utilize the various “modes of development”.

2)   Read two additional essays of their choice of each mode and write a précis (posted on their blog) for each.  These readings should come from The Riverside Reader.  While students are doing this aspect of the project the class will be studying and working with various modes in class.

3)   Write six papers on the same topic, each in a different mode. 

Each paper should clearly demonstrate the distinct characteristics of the mode.  Before writing the student should review the different chapters for tips on purpose, audience, strategies, and in some cases, potential pitfalls.  Especially important will be the “Points to Remember” charts handed out during the writing.

Students will choose a topic that is well known and interesting to them and broad enough that they can readily adapt it to six different treatments:  1) narration, 2) analysis, 3) compare and contrast, 4) classification, 5) definition, 6) cause and effect and 7) persuasion

Topics that have be suggested include: shopping, a favorite sport, school, friends, teenagers, grades, parents, teacher, TV, movies, reading, dating, music, holidays, fashion, presidential elections, politics, religion, vegetarianism, health, food or cooking, nature, etc.

Each paper should be approximately 500-750 words, labeled with the mode of development, double-spaced, typed, have a creative title, and a word count at the end.

Total project should be approximately 3500-5000 words.

Each paper will be workshopped in a group setting and discussed 1-1 with teacher.

PROJECT will be due at SPRING BREAK.  

Other Due dates: Thematic Unit read ("Survival") by 1/22.  Test on 1/23.

Narration Essay (draft) due 1/29

Process Analysis (draft) due 2/5

Compare and Contrast (draft) due 2/12

Division and Classification (draft) due 2/19

Definition (draft) due 2/26

Cause and Effect due 3/5

Persuasion (draft) due 3/12

FINAL drafts (all revisions done) due 3/21

Monday 1/8

You need to finish (if you haven't - and some of you left your books in the classroom so I'm fairly sure you haven't) "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and then write a paragraph comparing/contrasting it with The Autobiography of Malcolm X (thematically). 

When you are finished with this you need to work on picking out a poem for Poetry Out Loud and begin to memorize it.

You can find your poems - here