Check #1 for independent reading book is due on Monday, 9/24.
Check #2 for independent reading book is due on Monday, 10/1.
You should manage your reading over the week to ensure you meet these goals.
Monday: Complete draft of college essay: 250-500 words. Due Tuesday.
Tuesday:Read sample college essay. Due block day. Edit college essay for mechanics.
Block day: Edit college essay journals. Due Friday.
Friday: Work on revisions of college essay. Revision is due Tuesday, October 2. Read and annotate for independent book.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Homework for week of 9/17
As we discussed, your work is to manage your time to finish your memoir, biography or essay collection by Tuesday, October 9. Make sure you know your goals for Monday, 9/24 and 10/1As you read, consider several noticings (specifics on the bookmark I'll give you in class)
Contrasts and Contradictions
Words of the Wiser
Revelations
Again & Again
Shifting Structure
New Vocabulary
On the back of the bookmark (or somewhere else), note the pages you see any of this happening. I'll ask you to write a short on demand essay in class on October 9th, based on these observations. We'll also have some journals which focus on these areas too.
In addition, here is what I'd like you to do for homework this week:
Monday: Read independent book. Choose two "noticings" to annotate.
Tuesday: Read Jonathan Turley's Op-Ed essay: "10 Reasons the U.S. is no longer the land of the free". Annotate in margins, thinking about the question: What is Turley's main argument? Summarize and offer opinions in margins. How do you connect Turley's ideas to Kingsolver's from last week?
Bring Mrs. Bedrosian's college essay to class.
Block day:
Read independent book. Choose two "noticings" to annotate. If applicable, notice what your narrator believes makes a good citizen.
Choose topic for college essay.
Write thesis statement.
Friday: Work on draft for college essay. Due Tuesday. Essay should be between 250-500 words. I'll check benchmark #1 of independent book on Monday. Don't forget about noting your reading rate: how many pages of your book are you reading in 30 minutes? Does it vary?
Contrasts and Contradictions
Words of the Wiser
Revelations
Again & Again
Shifting Structure
New Vocabulary
On the back of the bookmark (or somewhere else), note the pages you see any of this happening. I'll ask you to write a short on demand essay in class on October 9th, based on these observations. We'll also have some journals which focus on these areas too.
In addition, here is what I'd like you to do for homework this week:
Monday: Read independent book. Choose two "noticings" to annotate.
Tuesday: Read Jonathan Turley's Op-Ed essay: "10 Reasons the U.S. is no longer the land of the free". Annotate in margins, thinking about the question: What is Turley's main argument? Summarize and offer opinions in margins. How do you connect Turley's ideas to Kingsolver's from last week?
Bring Mrs. Bedrosian's college essay to class.
Block day:
Read independent book. Choose two "noticings" to annotate. If applicable, notice what your narrator believes makes a good citizen.
Choose topic for college essay.
Write thesis statement.
Friday: Work on draft for college essay. Due Tuesday. Essay should be between 250-500 words. I'll check benchmark #1 of independent book on Monday. Don't forget about noting your reading rate: how many pages of your book are you reading in 30 minutes? Does it vary?
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
College essay journals
Journals are a place to write more informally in terms of voice, but still maintain the conventions expected in English. Unless indicated otherwise, journals should be at least one page, double-spaced in length. You are expected to work in class on the journals and then go home and finish them, if necessary. Journals #1-#5 are due Friday, September 28.
Journal #1: What do you believe in? Thinking about the "This I Believe Essays" we read, brainstorm your beliefs. It can be a simple list of many beliefs or a paragraph about one belief you feel strongly about. Page requirements do not apply to this journal.
Journal #2: What is your legacy? Using "Portraits of Grief" from the New York Times as a model, write a snapshot that someone might use to represent your life. Write in third person. You can make up quotes, imagining what someone might say about you. Try to bring yourself into focus and avoid cliches if you can. It should be between 200-300 words.
Portraits of Grief link: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/sept-11-reckoning/portraits-of-grief.html#/portraits-of-grief/0
Journal #3:
Write down the first 3-5 sentences of the opening of your book. Why do you think the author (and editor) decided on this opening? Be specific in your answer.
In the first 1-2 chapters, what is revealed about the narrator? Use specific evidence to support your ideas. What is the tone of the writing so far? How would you describe the tone of the book so far? Why?
Journal #4:
Try to get underneath one of your beliefs (journal #1) or one of the lines from "I am From" poem.
Write a poem which follows this beginning:
Underneath my shirt is my skin
Underneath my skin is my heart
Under my heart is...
Under that is...
Keep going, trying to excavate what is under the things you hold close to your metaphorical heart. (This shouldn't be an exposition on anatomy!)
See my poem I read aloud in class for ideas: Underneath sample
Journal #5:
This journal should be two developed analytical paragraphs:
1.
Look at your notes for your memoir/biography/essay collection. Then look back at Journal #3.
How has the writer developed the narrator or subject since the opening chapters? Has the development happened through scene, through the narrator's reflective voice, through a particular person or challenge? Try to articulate the writer's literary moves here and why you think he/she used them at this stage in the book. (one developed paragraph with a focus)
2.
Choose one of the following noticings: Again & Again or Shifting Structure and reflect on the question, using evidence from the text. Then, reflect on the questions from the bookmark:
Again & Again: "Why did the writer decide to bring this up again and again?"
Shifting Structure: "How does this change things? Why might this shift be important?"
Journal #1: What do you believe in? Thinking about the "This I Believe Essays" we read, brainstorm your beliefs. It can be a simple list of many beliefs or a paragraph about one belief you feel strongly about. Page requirements do not apply to this journal.
Journal #2: What is your legacy? Using "Portraits of Grief" from the New York Times as a model, write a snapshot that someone might use to represent your life. Write in third person. You can make up quotes, imagining what someone might say about you. Try to bring yourself into focus and avoid cliches if you can. It should be between 200-300 words.
Portraits of Grief link: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/sept-11-reckoning/portraits-of-grief.html#/portraits-of-grief/0
Journal #3:
Write down the first 3-5 sentences of the opening of your book. Why do you think the author (and editor) decided on this opening? Be specific in your answer.
In the first 1-2 chapters, what is revealed about the narrator? Use specific evidence to support your ideas. What is the tone of the writing so far? How would you describe the tone of the book so far? Why?
Journal #4:
Try to get underneath one of your beliefs (journal #1) or one of the lines from "I am From" poem.
Write a poem which follows this beginning:
Underneath my shirt is my skin
Underneath my skin is my heart
Under my heart is...
Under that is...
Keep going, trying to excavate what is under the things you hold close to your metaphorical heart. (This shouldn't be an exposition on anatomy!)
See my poem I read aloud in class for ideas: Underneath sample
Journal #5:
This journal should be two developed analytical paragraphs:
1.
Look at your notes for your memoir/biography/essay collection. Then look back at Journal #3.
How has the writer developed the narrator or subject since the opening chapters? Has the development happened through scene, through the narrator's reflective voice, through a particular person or challenge? Try to articulate the writer's literary moves here and why you think he/she used them at this stage in the book. (one developed paragraph with a focus)
2.
Choose one of the following noticings: Again & Again or Shifting Structure and reflect on the question, using evidence from the text. Then, reflect on the questions from the bookmark:
Again & Again: "Why did the writer decide to bring this up again and again?"
Shifting Structure: "How does this change things? Why might this shift be important?"
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Homework for week of 9/10
Due on Monday: This I Believe essays with two lines chosen.
Monday:
1. Read "A Pure, High, Note of Anguish" by Barbara Kingsolver. I'll hand out paper copy, but online version is here:http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0923-03.htm. Annotate by underlining phrases which you agree or disagree with AND write thoughts in margins answering this question:
What is Kingsolver's point here? Do you agree with it?
This video may provide context to the dancing children reference in the essay. It was taken from a news clip on the day the Towers fell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrM0dAFsZ8k
Due Tuesday.
2. As discussed in class, take your "I am From" poem and do the following:circle all the verbs; underline all the abstract nouns. Consider revising those words to enhance your voice. ALSO, consider adding a line to your poem which exposes something about your life. Revised poem due Wednesday.
Tuesday: Revise your "I am From" poem. Due block day.
Wednesday: Finish journal #1. Due Friday.
Friday: Read first 20 pages in memoir or biography. Please note the following, either on a sticky note directly in your book or on a piece of paper:
Monday:
1. Read "A Pure, High, Note of Anguish" by Barbara Kingsolver. I'll hand out paper copy, but online version is here:http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0923-03.htm. Annotate by underlining phrases which you agree or disagree with AND write thoughts in margins answering this question:
What is Kingsolver's point here? Do you agree with it?
This video may provide context to the dancing children reference in the essay. It was taken from a news clip on the day the Towers fell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrM0dAFsZ8k
Due Tuesday.
2. As discussed in class, take your "I am From" poem and do the following:circle all the verbs; underline all the abstract nouns. Consider revising those words to enhance your voice. ALSO, consider adding a line to your poem which exposes something about your life. Revised poem due Wednesday.
Tuesday: Revise your "I am From" poem. Due block day.
Wednesday: Finish journal #1. Due Friday.
Friday: Read first 20 pages in memoir or biography. Please note the following, either on a sticky note directly in your book or on a piece of paper:
- Why did the writer start his/her story here? Is it effective?
- Note any unfamiliar vocabulary.
- Are there any specific images, phrases or situation that seem relevant to the story so far? Note them and then look for repetitions as you continue reading?
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Homework for week of 9/4
Due Tuesday: 1-2 page introduction letter
Homework for rest of week:
Tuesday: picture of yourself and six-word memoir (see last week's post for details and sample memoirs). Due block day.
Block day: Complete a draft of "I am from" poem. Due Friday.
Friday:
Revise "I am From" poems: due block day next week.
For Monday:
Read the following essays:
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/25569/
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/11056/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94566019
Choose two lines which you feel are effective in showing the writer's voice. Either annotate in margins or on separate sheet of paper, explaining why you find them effective.
Homework for rest of week:
Tuesday: picture of yourself and six-word memoir (see last week's post for details and sample memoirs). Due block day.
Block day: Complete a draft of "I am from" poem. Due Friday.
Friday:
Revise "I am From" poems: due block day next week.
For Monday:
Read the following essays:
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/25569/
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/11056/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94566019
Choose two lines which you feel are effective in showing the writer's voice. Either annotate in margins or on separate sheet of paper, explaining why you find them effective.
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