Assignment for Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Find at least three internet sources for your research question. Your research question must be written on your “Research Paper Planning Worksheet,” and that must be in your folder. Additional “Research Paper Planning Worksheets” are available in the classroom.

Read each reputable article you find carefully, and record the information on the “Author, Organization, URL” form provided. Print out the information using the guidelines below.

The sources you pick to use must be REPUTABLE. Remember to check the “About Us” section and google author names. If you are unable to determine whether a source is reputable or not, IT IS NOT REPUTABLE. You must find another source. Reputable sources make their credentials and qualifications accessible. You should question the validity of a site that does not easily provide good information about who created it and what the credentials of the authors are.

Guidelines for printing out articles: You may print directly from the web page, but if you do this, you must do a "print preview" and count the pages, making sure to only print the pages you will be using for your paper. You must also expect to wait longer for your document to print if you print directly from a web page. You will print out your article much faster if you copy and paste it into Word, making sure that you have copied the FULL URL, the author and the organization or publication information onto the Word document.

Keeping Track of Your Research Data

Record the reputable websites you have found on this Author, Organization, URL form. Print out a copy of the article. You may print directly from the web page, but if you do this, you must do a "print preview" and count the pages, making sure to only print the pages you will be using for your paper. You must also expect to wait longer for your document to print if you print directly from a web page. You will print out your article much faster if you copy and paste it into Word, making sure that you have copied the FULL URL, the author and the organization or publication information onto the Word document.

Deciding on your Research Paper Topic

In order to decide on your research paper topic you need to brainstorm.  Read the handout, "Choosing a Topic for Your Research Paper.  

Your research paper is going to make up a substantial part of your work for this cycle in this class.  In order to decide on a topic, consider the following: 

Good topics are:

Interesting
Manageable
Available
Worthwhile
Original

Poor topics are:
Too broad
Too narrow
too technical
Too trivial
Too subjective

Here are some EXAMPLES OF GOOD AND BAD TOPICS FOR RESEARCH PAPERS:

General subject: Civil Rights
Unsuitable: Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s (too broad)
Unsuitable: My father’s activities in the Civil Rights movement (too subjective)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What leadership role did Martin Luther King take during the early civil rights

General Subject: artists
Unsuitable topic: Rembrandt (too broad)
Unsuitable topic: Michaelangelo as a child (too narrow)
Suitable (Good) Topic: How did Michaelangelo’s painting influence other Renaissance artists?

General Subject: The Poet Alfred Lort Tennyson
Unsuitable: Tennyson as an author (too broad)
Unsuitable: Tennyson’s education (too trivial)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What recurring symbols appear in Tennyson’s poetry, and what do they mean?

General subject: modern science
Unsuitable: protecting the environment (too broad)
Unsuitable: designing coal-fired generators that use high sulfur coal (too technical)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What environmental effects result from using gas-powered generators?

General Subject: historical causes of bankruptcy
Unsuitable: causes of bankruptcy (too broad)
Unsuitable: causes of personal bankruptcy during 1920 (too trivial)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What national, local and personal economic conditions caused the 1929 stock market crash in New York City banks?

Assignment:
BRAINSTORMING:  Choose a topic to think about.  Write down the general topic.  Then ask yourself as many questions as you can think about, regarding that topic.  On a separate piece of lined, notebook paper, write down your proposed topic and 5 to 7 questions about that topic. 

General Topic: Tatoos

Questions:

Where does the ink originate for tattoos?
Who gets tattooed?  What ages are they?
What cultures besides the US get tattooed?
What do certain tattoos symbolize?
Where did tattooing come from?
What’s the difference between tribal tattoos and modern tattoos from tattoo shops?
How many people get tattoos removed?
Why do people get tattooed?

The brainstorm must be in your folder before you begin the next step.  The next step is to use your brainstorming questions to decide on a researchable topic.  Once you have figured out which of your questions is truly researchable, circle it.  Then we will meet and review your choice.  The next step is to fill out your "Research Paper Planning Worksheet," in which you state your actual research question.  I will give you a copy of this sheet when I determine you are ready for it.  This sheet, and your choice of topic, must be approved by me in order for you to begin your research. 

Evaluating Web Sites

Decide on a RESEARCHABLE topic for this exercise.  Use the "3 Web Sites" worksheet to record:
a) How you know the web site is a reputable source: 

• Remember to look at the root directory URL.  
• Remember to check out the "About Us" section of the site.
• "Google what you google" to find out who the authors are and what their credentials are.

b) What you learned about your topic on the web site.

"Who Is" Assignment

Go to globalwarming.org.  Who are they?  Who are the authors?  Who is behind this web site?
Then provide your answer on the form provided in the classroom.

Initial Research Strategies

What steps do you need to take when researching a topic?  Let's begin by looking at internet research strategies.
Based on your notes on today's discussion, answer the following questions in your cornell notes template: 
What is a search engine?  What does it do?
Give one example of a search engine.
List three tips or tricks can you use to determine if a web site is a good source or not.
1)
2)
3)
How do you formulate a research question?
Give one example of a question that could be researched.
Give one example of a question that could not be researched.

NYC Writing Assignment - Final Assignment for Cycle 2

1.) Think of a specific neighborhood in New York City. This neighborhood can be where you live, or some other part of New York City that you know really well. Imagine it in your mind.  What does it look like?  What are the people doing?  What do they look like?  What smells and sounds do you experience?  How do you feel, when you’re in the neighborhood?  How do you feel about the neighborhood: do you love it, or do you hate it? Why?

Describe this part of New York in as much detail as possible.  Use imagery to describe what the place looks like, giving visual details about it.  Describe what you love or hate about the place, and describe the people: what they look like, the kinds of clothes they wear, and what they are doing.  Describe the smells and sounds.  This description should be at least two long paragraphs.  

2.) Pick 8 to 14 sentences or phrases from your description (part 1 of this exercise).  This will be your New York City poem.  Allow yourself to change the lines to make them work together as a poem.  You should do this part of the assignment in pencil, so that you can change and edit the poem until you get it just the way you want it to sound and look.  Your poem must be at least 8, and no more than 14, lines long.  Then put a title above the poem.

What You Must Have in Your Folder to Pass this Class, Cycle 2, 2010

1) Cornell Notes Sheet for Neil Gaiman Story
2) Neil Gaiman Story response essay, per guidelines in this blog
3) Chuck D article response sheet and synopsis
4) NYC writing assignment - essay paragraphs and poem

Understanding the Chuck D Article

How have you figured out what the article means? How do you figure it out?  What inferences can you draw from what he says in the article?  What is the meaning of this article, and what are the implications of what he is saying? 

Here are some ways to break down the understanding of this article:

1.) What are the key words or phrases for you that give the main idea?  Underline them. 

2.) What words do you not know?  Circle them.  look them up or figure out their meaning from context clues, and breaking the word into parts, and define them.  Once you know the new words, go back to the sentence.  Translate that sentence into your own words.  Do this with every sentence you didn’t understand.  I have created a sheet, available in the classroom, that makes this easy to do.

3.)  Dikiana in Pd. 5 suggested that a person could look at and explain each paragraph seperately.  She used the margin of her paper to do that.  You could use a separate piece of paper or Cornell Notes paper.  

 4.) Everyone must have their synopsis written in paragraph form on a separate sheet of lined 8.5x11 paper.  Attach your synopsis of the article to your notes and turn it in to me.  

Assessing Your Essay on the Neil Gaiman Story

We use the ELA Rubric to determine the level of your writing.  Once I have corrected and gone over your essay with you, do a self-assessment.  What level do you think you meet, according to the rubric?  How correct is your use of language, and how accurate are the mechanics of your writing (grammar, punctuation and spelling)?  How well organized is your essay?  Is the meaning of your essay clear, and do you stick to the topic?  Finally, how well-developed is your essay?  Have you gone into detail?  Are you truly analyzing the work of literature as opposed to writing a summary?  Rate yourself in each category using the scale of 1 through 6.  Then give yourself an overall numeric score, based on the rubric.

Building College-Level Vocabulary

How do we continue to build vocabulary so that when we get to college we are not overwhelmed with the level of work?  One key strategy is to read on your own.  Read material that takes you one step beyond the level that you're reading on now.  We are reading an article by Chuck D called "What's the Link between Hip Hop and Politics?"  It appeared in The Source, a hip hop lifestyle magazine.  Read the article.  Circle and define words or terms you do not know.  Then write a synopsis of the article, describing its meaning in your own words.

Finishing your Essay

Essay Checklist:

• Does your introduction include a thesis statement about the meaning, message or moral of the story?
• Do your body paragraphs show how aspects of the story support the thesis statement?
• Do you paraphrase and analyze specific aspects of the story (characters, plot developments, literary or artistic techniques used to convey meaning) without retelling/giving a summary of the story?
• Does your essay go into sufficient detail (the essay should be at least two pages, single spaced, normal sized handwriting (not too big, or too small to read)?
• Do you have a conclusion that reconfirms the thesis statement with evidence from the story?
• Have you proof read your essay?
• Have you made corrections?
• Have you re-written/typed, including your corrections?

Once these things are done, then you are ready to hand your essay in to me.

Using Your Cornell Notes to Structure Your Essay

Use the Analysis part of your Cornell Notes sheet to shape your introduction. You should already have written down what you think the story's message, meaning or moral is. Use this as the basis for your introduction.

Your body paragraphs can be culled from the Cornell Notes sheet as well. What aspects that you focused on support the thesis statement in your introductory paragraph?

Your paper should be at least 2 pages long.

Writing Your Paper: The Introduction

Come up with a Thesis Statement. Here are some examples of thesis statements for two fairy tales. Each statement could be used as an introduction to a paper on that fairy tale. I am putting these examples online to show you how you can form a thesis statement for your Neil Gaiman story. These are only examples. You will be coming up with your own thesis statement for the Neil Gaiman story that you chose.

Some Examples of Thesis Statements
(For Fairy Tales)

Sleeping Beauty conveys the message that innocent people are often taken advantage of, but if they are good they will win out in the end.

Sleeping Beauty is a story about how good always triumphs over evil.

Sleeping Beauty provides the lesson that people should be careful about who they treat badly: it could end up that they get treated in the end.

The lesson of Sleeping Beauty is “Don’t forget the little guy.” Even if something seems insignificant, it may not be. Pay attention, so you don’t get hurt.

Sleeping Beauty is a story about how children should listen to their parents, and when they don’t something bad always happens.

Little Red Riding Hood is a story about how you should never take things at face value.

The message of Little Red Riding Hood is that little girls are too trusting, and they should be wary of people who seem to be a friend, but might really be an enemy.

The message of Little Red Riding Hood is if you are in trouble, and you’re a good person, someone will come and save you.

How to Shape Your Literary Reflection Paper

Based on your Cornell Notes, you will be writing a paper interpreting the meaning of one of the stories that we've read from Neil Gaiman's Fables and Reflections. You must do your Cornell Notes sheets on ONE of the stories we've read. Once again, you may use "Fear of Falling," "Three Septembers and a January," "Thermidor," or "The Hunt." Once you have filled out your Cornell Notes (see directions in previous post), read the directions below and begin to write your Literary Reflection Paper on your chosen story. Begin by writing the introduction.

Here are the steps you need to include in your paper.

INTRODUCTION: Introduce the moral of the story. State the point of the story, as you see it. What is its message? This will be the paper's THESIS STATEMENT.

BODY PARAGRAPHS:
Describe how the author illustrates the moral through his words and pictures.

How does the setting reinforce or support the moral of the story?

Give details about the characters. How would you describe those characters? Describe them in your own words. Explain what emotional conditions were going on in the character’s mind that made him or her take certain actions.

What cultural and historical references are in the story? The more you can point out and recognize those, the better your work will be.

What other details in the story help convey the moral? Minor characters and sub-plots also make a story good and powerful. Explain how minor characters and/or sub-plots figure into the story.

CONCLUSION:
Restate the thesis and summarize your evidence and points.

Question: Students asked how many paragraphs the essay should be. My answer was and is: Make sure you include all the things I have listed above. Create as many paragraphs as is necessary to convey your assessment of the moral, and make sure you provide all the required supporting details from the story. Make sure you analyze and interpret what you read, rather than simply re-telling the story. I am not looking for a plot summary. I am looking for your interpretation of the story based on evidence from the text. Make sure to write a conclusion that supports your thesis statement.

Cornell Note Taking

Pick one of the four stories that we have read from "Fables and Reflections". Fill in a Cornell Notes sheet for it.

Think of at least four aspects of the story that struck you as significant. They can be a character, an incident, the setting, or some other aspect that seems important to you. For each of the four aspects, put down some thoughts, ideas or questions. Then, at the bottom of the Cornell Notes page, come up with your own overall analysis or reflection about the story. This can include writing about "text to self", "text to text", or "text to world". The Cornell Notes you create for this story will form the basis for an essay you will be writing.

Reading "The Hunt" in "Fables and Reflections"

We went on to read "The Hunt" in Neil Gaiman's "Fables and Reflections". You may use this story or any of the other three that we read ("Fear of Falling", "Three Septembers and a January", or "Thermidor") to do your next task, which is to prepare notes for a paper based on one of the stories. See the next post for details.

Reading the First Three Stories in Neil Gaiman's "Fables and Reflections"

Neil Gaiman is the author of The Sandman, a collection of stories involving seven characters. The main character is Dream (also called The Sandman or Morpheus), and his siblings are Despair, Desire, Delirium, Death, Destiny and Destruction. They are "seven anthropomorphic personifications of universal concepts." They each represent a realm of consciousness and an aspect of the human experience.

So far, we are reading the collection "Fables and Reflections." We read "Fear of Falling," "Three Septembers and a January," and "Thermidor." Please make sure you read these stories in the classroom, if you have not done so already. If you have been out, you may come at lunch to catch up on your reading.

"Fear of Falling" is about a young man who is having fears about producing his play.

"Three Septembers and a January" tells the story of a man whose life changes because of Dream, Despair, Delirium, Desire and Death.

"Thermidor" is about the head of the Greek immortal poet Orpheus showing up during the French Revolution.

Fill out the Fables and Reflections Handout #1. In order to fill it out, you have to have read the stories carefully. Make sure to fill out each part of the handout completely. Then put the completed handout in your folder in the classroom.

What You Must Have in Your Folder in Order to Pass Cycle 1, Fall 2010

1) Rose that Grew from Concrete essay

2) A rap, song, or poem (by someone famous, or by you) whose lyrics have a symbolic or metaphoric meaning

4) Visual Metaphors Response Sheet

5) Visual Metaphors Poem - written by you

5) Poison Tree response sheet

6) Mother to Son essay

7) “Negro Speaks of Rivers” essay

Literary Elements and Cultural References in Poetry: Assignment for Wednesday, Oct 6

Read this poem by Langston Hughes:

The Negro Speaks of Rivers
I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

-- Langston Hughes, 1926

When Langston Hughes wrote this poem in the 1920's, he used the phrase "The Negro" to mean people of African descent.  This was, and still is, a poem about Black heritage.

Get the handout for this assignment here, or by clicking the link on the right side of this page.

2) What literary elements can you find in the poem, such as metaphor, simile, and imagery?  Find at least three literary elements and circle them.  Then, on the margins next to what you've found, name the literary element you’ve circled.

On the PAGE AND A HALF of lined paper I’ve included with the handout, or on regular lined 8.5x11 paper, describe the cultural references and overall meaning of the poem.  Answer these questions in essay form:

What cultural references can you find in this poem? 

To what actual historical facts and events is Hughes referring? 
Remember to look for words that are capitalized.  Do you recognize any of those names, and where are they from? 

Be sure to also include a description of what literary elements Hughes uses in this poem, and explain how he uses them to convey the message of this poem.

Interpreting "Mother To Son"

Get the handout for today's lesson here.  You may also get the Mother to Son handout by clicking the link for it on the right side of this page.  This time, write a full essay (at least five paragraphs) describing the meaning of this poem and explaining in what way it may or may not be true for you in your own life, or in the lives of people you know.  Be sure to proof-read your essay and correct for grammar, spelling and punctuation before turning it in. 

Interpreting "A Poison Tree"

We used this Interpretation Handout for William Blake's "A Poison Tree" to break down the task of figuring out a metaphor.  Download it from here if you don't have it.  We saw that 1) We must figure out words we don't know (do the vocabulary) and 2) Interpret the meaning by "getting" the metaphors used in the poem. 

These vocabulary words were selected:
wrath
foe
deceitful
veiled
wiles
outstretched


Use the handout.  Write your interpretation of the poem on it.  
What is the poem about?  Describe your interpretation of it.  As you write, consider the following:

Look at the title.  Why is the poem called "A Poison Tree"?
What does the tree symbolize?
Why is it "watered" and "sunned," and what does that mean, metaphorically?
What happened to the foe in the end of the poem, and why?

What's Due Today, and Tools You Can Use to Improve Your Writing

Your completed poems are due today.  They should be typed and I will come around to each of you and make sure they are saved onto my flash drive.  Next week we will read them aloud, and the class will determine which poem is about which class member.

We are also going to determine common errors that students make. Use my Use of the Comma, Use of the Apostrophe, and Grammar and Spelling Tips sheets to check your written work.

The Poison Tree by William Blake

Extra credit for this week: Read "The Poison Tree" by William Blake. 

What is this poem about?  What symbols and metaphors are in these poems, and what do they mean?  Write a short essay describing your understanding of the poem.

Some Hints for Writing Your Poem

How do you write a poem based on a visual metaphor?  We did it as a class, so that students would have an example about how to translate their visual metaphors into descriptive words.   Each class wrote a poem based on an animal a class member had chosen as a visual metaphor.  In Period 5, the class picked a lion, and wrote this poem:

I am King of the Jungle
Dangerous, fast in reaction

Aggressive, fast to attack

Courageous and

Impervious to distraction.

Though, growing up as a cub,

It was a mirror image of what’s happening now,

I was the deer, I was the gazelle, I was the zebra

Unable to avoid destruction.

I earned my crown creating treason,

Betraying my followers,

I learned how to become destruction

That’s why I’m King -

For a reason.

The students of Period 7 picked a crocodile, and wrote this poem:

I am a crocodile,

Patient, hungry and versatile.

I’m evil – there’s no denial.

I am keen to get my prey

And show only my eyes.

My sharp teeth will rip through your flesh

And my mind will get me to your death.

What kind of people are we describing here?  The lion, Period 5 decided, is a person who is fierce and ruthless.  The crocodile, according to Period 7, is a person who is cunning, devious and dangerous.

Reminder: Make sure you have a completed Visual Metaphors Response Sheet saved to your account.  Once that is completed you may begin writing your poem, based on the three visual metaphors in your Visual Metaphors Response Sheet. 

Visual Metaphors and You: Write the Poem!

Use the Visual Metaphors Response Sheet (on the right of this page), and paste your three visual metaphors symbolizing YOU into the sheet.  THEN write a poem (no less than eight lines) describing yourself in metaphor.  You may use rhyme or free verse.  You may use more than three visual metaphors, but you must use AT LEAST the three visual metaphors from your Visual Metaphors Response Sheet.

Songs, Raps or Poems to Analyze

You may provide songs, raps or poems to me for the class to analyze, but they must have symbols and metaphors in them that we can decipher.  Please submit those songs, raps or poems to me by the end of the day. 

Literary Elements and Techniques in Poetry

We identified symbolism, metaphor, simile, assonance, and personification in the poems "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost, "See You Next Year" by Judith Pordon, and in the song "All Good Things Come to an End," by Nelly Furtado.  We saw the metaphor of fire symbolizing passion emerge both in the Nelly Furtado song and the Robert Frost poem.  Tomorrow we will look at more poems and songs, uncovering their hidden meanings and interpreting their images. 

Dissecting the Test: How do you write an essay on a topic that is NOT of interest?

Now that the class has completed the baseline assessment and handed it in, we took a look at the test itself.  You may not have like the passages, but even if you are not interested in the topic, how can you make sure you write a good essay?

The directions for this ELA Practice Regents include a statement about the essay topic.  In this case, the topic was "possessions."  What did each passage have to say about the significance of possessions in a person's life? 

Some Reading Strategies:
Always look at the title of each passage.  Titles can give you ideas for your essay, and provide hints about the overall topic of the passage.  We looked at the passages in detail to determine how they relate to the topic of "possessions."  We began to figure out how to write a good essay, despite finding the readings dry or uninteresting. 

It would be great if, in college or work, you would never have to read anything boring, but I can assure you that you will encounter texts that are less than fascinating.  Make the topic work for you.  Discover the underlying meaning of the text, and then write your interpretation into your essay.  

When reading any literary work, remember to use the strategies we have discussed to decipher words that you don't know.  Those strategies include breaking the word down into parts,  using contextual clues, and seeing if you know a similar word in another language (for instance, Spanish, which has Latin roots.  Many more complex English words have Latin roots).

Comma Rules

Download my Comma Rules from this link, or get it from the Handouts list on the right side of this page.  You may also pick up a "hard copy" in the classroom. 

Assignment: Write two sentences exemplifying each comma rule.  In total, that makes six sentences.  Please write the sentences on lined 8.5x11 paper and put your paper in your folder.   

Homework

Bring in a poem, or the lyrics to a rap or song.  Make sure the song or poem has a deeper meaning, the way "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" does.  You may bring in a favorite song that you find online, or you may bring in a poem or rap that you have written yourself.  I will read all of the songs or poems that you bring in and choose one or two that we will analyze and interpret as a class. 

First Writing Assignment

We read "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur.  Write an essay of a page and a half responding to the following questions:
1) What is the poem about?  What does it mean?
2) How do you personally relate to this poem?  Is it true in your own life?  In what way?

This assignment is due, completed and in your folder, by the end of the week.  If you were not in class, it is still required of you, and you are still responsible for having it in your folder. 

Welcome to Camilla's College Literature and Writing Class, Fall 2010, Cycle 1

Welcome to College Literature and Writing.  All students taking this class must have passed the ELA Regents exam. 

In order to pass this class you must do the following:
1) Complete all assigned work
2) Attend class regularly
3) Stay focused on classwork during class time
4) Complete assigned homework
5) Do your best work, not second-rate work.

Cell phones and other personal technology items are not allowed in class.  They cannot be out, visible, or in use at any time during the class.

Work That Must Be in Your Folder In Order to Receive Credit

1) Student paper specifically assigned to you, with your corrections and MLA citations, hand-written.
2) Student paper specifically assigned to you, with your corrections and MLA citations, typed, and added to the existing paper.
3) Bibliography, typed on a separate piece of paper, to go along with the paper that you corrected that was specifically assigned to you.
4) Corrections, hand written, on "Domestic Violence" and "The Reformation" papers.
5) Practice Bibliography with MLA citations from newspaper articles in the NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor and Washington Post.
6) Visual Metaphors Response Sheet, completed.

Literary Interpretation: Symbolism and Metaphor in Poetry

In college you will be reading poems by Shakespeare, William Blake, Matthew Arnold, and others. Let's look at one of the most famous Shakespeare poems, Sonnet XVIII: "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?"

1) Can you read the roman numerals? What number sonnet is it?

2) Read the sonnet. What is it about? What metaphors does it use, and what do they mean?

3) You will recognize footnotes when reading this poem. We saw footnotes and discussed them when we were doing research for our papers. Use the footnotes to figure out the meaning of this poem.

________________________________
1 In the time of Shakespeare, "temperate" carried both outward and inward meanings (externally, a weather condition; internally, a balanced nature),


2 as did the word "complexion,” in line six, which can have two meanings: 1) The outward appearance of the face as compared with the sun ("the eye of heaven") in the previous line, the first meaning is more obvious, meaning of a negative change in the person’s outward appearance, or 2) The second meaning of "complexion" would communicate that the beloved's inner, cheerful, and temperate disposition is sometimes blotted out like the sun on a cloudy day.


3 The word “fair” can be translated as “lovely,” or “beautiful.”


4 The word, "untrimmed" in line eight, can be taken two ways: First, in the sense of loss of decoration and frills, and second, in the sense of untrimmed sails on a ship. In the first interpretation, the poem reads that beautiful things naturally lose their fanciness over time. In the second, it reads that nature is a ship with sails not adjusted to wind changes in order to correct course. This, in combination with the words "nature's changing course", creates an oxymoron: the unchanging change of nature, or the fact that the only thing that does not change is change. Both change and eternity are then acknowledged and challenged by the final line.


5 "Ow'st" in line ten can also carry two meanings equally common at the time: "ownest" and "owest". Many readers interpret it as "ownest", as do many Shakespearean glosses ("owe" in Shakespeare's day, was sometimes used as a synonym for "own"). However, "owest" delivers an interesting view on the text. It conveys the idea that beauty is something borrowed from nature—that it must be paid back as time progresses. In this interpretation, "fair" can be a pun on "fare", or the fare required by nature for life's journey. Other scholars have pointed out that this borrowing and lending theme within the poem is true of both nature and humanity. Summer, for example, is said to have a "lease" with "all too short a date."

Final Unit: Literary Interpretation

What metaphors best describe your personality?

In your writing journal, do a quick entry: If I were an animal, I would be a ______________, because...

In this unit, you will look at metaphors that describe your personality, and then we will look at how writers use metaphors and symbolism to express their feelings and thoughts about themselves and the world.

Download this Visual Metaphors Response Sheet and use it for this assignment. Go to Google Image Search and look for three pictures that "are" you. DON'T find things you like. Find things you ARE. That means, don't print out a picture of your favorite cell phone. What you need to find is a picture of something that expresses your self -- your personality. For instance, are you a rainstorm? Are you a rose? Are you a box of chocolates? Whatever you pick will tell us about the kind of person you are. A person who considers herself a rose is different from a person who considers herself a dandelion.

What it Takes to Make a Paper Good Enough to Hand In

We are correcting research papers, making sure the in-text citations are correctly done, and adding a bibliography.  If you wrote a paper in this class last cycle, you will be using that paper.  If you did not write a paper last cycle, you will be using someone else's folder.  In Period 2, the papers were assigned and worked on as follows, starting on May 24th, 2010:
John R. is working on Jodie's paper.
Doralee is working on her own paper.
Kassandra is working on Michelle's paper.
Anthony R. is working on Edwin's paper.
Rhenea is working on her own paper.
John G. is working on Carlos G's paper.
Torvari is working on Millie's paper.
Rachel is working on Kristie's paper.
In Period 5:
Jodie is working on her own paper.
Nelson is working on Edwin's paper.
Karesse is working on her own paper.
Duaine is working on Millie's paper.
Robert is working on Carlos G's paper.
Aaron D. is working on his own paper.
Tatiana is working on her own paper.
Justin is working on Shelbey's paper.
Christina M. is working on her own paper.
Christine S. is working on Xiomara's paper.
Carlos A. is working on Kristie's paper.

Evaluate Your News Sources

Now that you have looked at the websites of four of the most prestigious newspapers in the United States, write a journal entry describing which newspaper you like best, and why.  The newspapers are The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Wall Street Journal.

Assignment for Wednesday, May 19th

Find 5 articles from these websites:

The New York Times
The Wall Street Journal
The Christian Science Monitor
 The Washington Post

Create a bibliography citing these articles correctly.  You may read each article, but you do not have to print it out, unless you want to do so.  Then utilize the handout on the MLA format, which should be in your folder, but is also available here.  Use it to create a bibliography of the 5 articles.  Please follow the exact format as shown in the MLA handout.  That handout is also available in the classroom.

Cycle 6: Upcoming Work, Previous Assignments, Materials Needed

Because of the cycle system, some of you did not write papers last cycle, because you were not in this class.  You will be working with previous students' papers and research documents.  Your job is to create a bibliography for the paper you're working on, and make sure that the citations within the paper are correct.  We want to end up with the kind of paper that you could legitimately submit for an introductory college course.  Use the criteria outlined in the previous posts to correct the paper and create the bibliography.  Those materials are both available online, and in the classroom. 

PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS:
If you have not corrected the first two papers we did as a group - the one on the Reformation and the one on domestic violence, you need to have those corrected and in your folders by week's end.  Those papers are available in the classroom only. 

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS CYCLE:
Notebooks were handed out today to each student who was in attendance.  They will be used for daily writing assignments.  If you do not have a notebook you need to make sure to get one from me.  Please write your name on the first page of the notebook, and nowhere else.  I would like to use the remaining pages for next year, so please do not deface the book.  Thanks!

Grading Papers - Assessing Work

We're looking at two papers written by anonymous class members.  Your criteria for assessment is the RUBRIC, and your instructions for writing the paper.  In addition:

Instructions For Grading:

Do you suspect they didn’t write it?  Highlight or underline it.

Is it confused, or confusing?  Write a question mark in the margin.

Circle things that you think have problems.

Write your comments in the margins.

You may use a question mark, exclamation point, smiley face –

whatever conveys your feelings about that section of the essay. 

You may use proof-readers marks.

Then use the RUBRIC for an overall assessment.

 

Welcome to Cycle 6

We have several goals for this cycle. Among them are:

1) To examine research methodology critically, and fine tune research practice.

2) To proof read and improve written work in order to become comfortable with college-level expectations.

2) To regularly practice college entry-level writing.

3) To continue to read suitable grade-level texts for understanding, and explain them in your own words, in order to become more comfortable with reading and writing on an entry-level college level.

Are You Reading for Understanding At Grade Level?

We read an article from the New York Times on the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. What is the article about? What suggestions is the author making, and to whom? Your explication of this article should be done on this form.
Text-to-Self: Activating Prior Knowledge

Here's what we knew before reading the article:

• Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
• They had to capture the fish to preserve the population
• It did a lot of damage to the land to the biology of the area
• Floating thing to try to stop the oil from flowing
• Besides them losing money, it’s polluting the water now.
• BP (the oil company) lost money, and so did the fishermen.
• Pollution
• They are trying to use a controlled fire to burn up some of the oil in the water.
• People might get sick
• We might not be able to eat seafood
• Animals might mutate

Here Are Our Strategies for Reading for Understanding:

• Figure out words you don’t know
• Determine the source of the complaint: what is the author criticizing?
• Draw conclusions based on the reading
• Predict possible solutions

How to Cite a Source in Your Paper and in the Bibliography, MLA Style

The Modern Language Association (MLA) Style is widely used for identifying research sources. In MLA style you briefly credit sources with parenthetical citations in the text of your paper, and give the complete description of each source in your Bibliography, which is a list of all the sources used in your paper, arranged alphabetically by author's last name, or when there is no author, by the first word of the title (except A, An or The).

FOR OUR PAPERS IN THIS CLASS, we are going to use the MLA style. MLA stands for “Modern Language Association.” Your citations in your bibliography for this paper must be in MLA style.

WEB ARTICLE CITATION, MLA STYLE:
Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Name of publication. Date of publication. Web Site Name. Date of access with day, then month, then year .

Batchelor, Bob. "Bootlegging." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 26 Apr. 2010 .

Complete publication information may not be available for a Web site. Provide what is given.

Entire Internet Site: Scholarly Project or Professional Site

Title of the Site. Editor. Date and/or Version Number. Name of Sponsoring Institution. Date of Access .

Encyclopedia Mythica. 2004. 13 May 2004 .

Document from a Web Site

Author. "Title of Web Page." Title of the Site. Editor. Date and/or Version Number.
Name of Sponsoring Institution. Date of Access .

Sherman, Chris. "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About URL." SearchEngineWatch. Ed. Danny Sullivan. 24 Aug. 2004. 4 Sept. 2004 .

Interview Conducted by the Researcher
Person Interviewed. Type of Interview (personal, telephone, email, etc.). Date.
Nakamura, Michael. Personal interview. 23 July 2004.

TELEVISION PROGRAM:
"Title of Episode or Segment." Title of Program or Series. Credit (Performer, writer, etc). Name of Network. Call Letters (if any), City of Local Station (if any). Broadcast Date.

"Daddy Knows Best." Cold Case Files. Narr. Bill Kurtis. A & E. 6 Sept. 2004.

"Why the Towers Fell." Nova. PBS. KHET, Honolulu. 7 Sept. 2004.

WITHIN THE TEXT OF THE PAPER, YOU SHOULD CITE THE SOURCES LIKE THIS:

Abraham Lincoln's birthplace was designated as a National Historical Site in 1959 (National Park Service).

Note: Personal or corporate author and page number should be given if they exist on the website.

FOR YOUR FURTHER INFORMATION:
The other two common styles used for citing sources in papers are Chicago Style and APA (American Psychological Association) style. You may be required to use those styles for some courses in college, but for now, I just want you to see what they look like, and how they’re different from MLA.

Here are some examples of how these different styles look:

WEB ARTICLE CITATION IN A BIBLIOGRAPHY, CHICAGO STYLE:
Batchelor, Bob. "Bootlegging." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (April 26, 2010). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800513.html

WEB ARTICLE CITATION IN A BIBLIOGRAPHY, APA STYLE:
Batchelor, Bob. "Bootlegging." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Retrieved April 26, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401800513.html

Due Dates and Further Details on Structure:

Your paper is due on Monday, May 3rd. Your paper should have:
1) An introduction, stating your research question and answering it briefly.

2) Body paragraphs that go into detail, in which you describe your understanding of the research you've done, and backing it up with evidence from the research sources that you've used and citing your sources.

3) A conclusion that reaffirms your initial answer to your research question.

Pacing and Deadlines

There are seven days left 'til the end of the cycle. Pace yourself wisely. Make sure you attend every day. By tomorrow, you should have your introduction and your first page. Next week will be spent completing the paper. We only have four days, because next Friday is the Health Fair. The paper, including the title page and bibliography, is due May 4th.

Identifying Your Research Sources

Use the Research URLs worksheet to indicate what web sites you have vetted and are using as sources for your paper. The Source Identification Sheet must be completed, and in your folder in order for you to proceed with your research.

Mid-Cycle Assessment

How well do you understand what you are reading? Together, we are going through your work, and the process with which you come to understand the materials you have gathered. In your folder is your Skills Assessment Checklist. We use that to both determine your current level of mastery, and to plan goals as we move forward in this class.

How Your Paper Must be Structured

Introduction: State your research question and answer it.

The rest of the paper uses evidence from your research to support your opinion, stated in the introduction.

The conclusion restates your opinion and summarizes the evidence.

EVERY PIECE OF EVIDENCE YOU USE MUST BE CITED!!!!!! THAT MEANS YOU MUST USE FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY AT THE END. ALSO, in the text you have to say, “According to…” or some similar phrase to indicate where you got your information.

Research Materials Due

Each student must have at least three research articles articles printed out, vetted (that means identified as reliable sources), and highlighted. Those articles should be in your folder by the end of the day.

Reading Your Research

As you look at the articles you find, use the reading strategies we practiced in the first semester to figure out the meaning of what you see before you. If you encounter words you don't know, what strategies can you use to figure out their meaning? Of course you can always use a dictionary, but there are other strategies that we have learned about in the past that can help you. Remember context clues, breaking the word down into parts (prefix, root word and suffix), and activating prior knowledge. Activating prior knowledge means using what you already know to help you understand what you are learning and reading now. For instance, an example of prior knowledge might be your knowledge of Spanish. You may recognize a root word as being similar to a Spanish word. That would most likely be because both the English and Spanish words have their root in a Latin word. In that way, your prior knowledge of Spanish can help you understand what you're reading in English today. Also, always evaluate what you're reading to make sure the source is reputable.

Gathering Your Research

Make sure you have a copy of the "What Does Good Internet Research Looks Like?" handout. Begin your research using the standards and practices outlined in the handout.

REMEMBER: Your topic must be approved by me and then signed by you on your Research Paper Planning Worksheet.

Evaluating Work

In each of your folders you will find the ELA Skills Checklist, that evaluates your reading, writing and listening skills. Your ability to express yourself, along with your comprehension, interpretation and analysis of materials will be measured on this checklist. You can use the checklist's criteria to evaluate your research. Are you able to understand, interpret and analyze the research material that you have gathered? If you cannot, you will have to continue to search and find more useful material for your research paper.

Beginning Your Research

After you have filled out and signed your Research Paper Planning Worksheet, the next step is to get it approved by me. Once it is approved you may begin your research.

Make sure you are using the "What Good Internet Research Looks Like" handout to evaluate the websites you find online. A requirement for this class is using websites that are reputable and reliable. You must also know exactly who is behind and who authored the website that you are using. In your paper you will have to cite your sources.

Preparing for Research

Step One: Read all the text below FIRST, before doing anything else. You can also get it here, and get your Research Paper Planning Worksheet here.

Step Two: On lined, loose-leaf paper, brainstorm a topic. Write 5-7 questions that pop into your mind about that topic.

Step Three: Make sure to get a copy of the Research Paper Planning Worksheet from the classroom or the website, complete it and turn it in to me. This will be your Research Paper Proposal. Your topic has to be approved by me before you begin your research.

NOTE: Make sure to use the criteria laid out in the Research Paper Planning Worksheet to evaluate whether your topic will be approved.


CHOOSING A TOPIC FOR YOUR RESEARCH PAPER
Your research paper is going to make up a substantial part of your work for this cycle in this class. Evaluate your topic.

Characteristics of Good Topics:
Interesting
Manageable
Available
Worthwhile
Original

Characteristics of Poor Topics:
Too broad
Too narrow
too technical
Too trivial
Too subjective

EXAMPLES OF GOOD AND BAD TOPICS FOR RESEARCH PAPERS
General subject: Civil Rights
Unsuitable: Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s (too broad)
Unsuitable: My father’s activities in the Civil Rights movement (too subjective)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What leadership role did Martin Luther King take during the early civil rights protests?

General Subject: artists
Unsuitable topic: Rembrandt (too broad)
Unsuitable topic: Michaelangelo as a child (too narrow)
Suitable (Good) Topic: How did Michaelangelo’s painting influence other Renaissance artists?

General Subject: any author studied in English class
Unsuitable: Tennyson as an author (too broad)
Unsuitable: Tennyson’s education (too trivial)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What recurring symbols appear in Tennyson’s poetry, and what do they mean?

General subject: modern science
Unsuitable: protecting the environment (too broad)
Unsuitable: designing coal-fired generators that use high sulfur coal (too technical)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What environmental effects will result from using gas-powered generators?

General Subject: historical causes of bankruptcy
Unsuitable: causes of bankruptcy (too broad)
Unsuitable: causes of personal bankruptcy during 1920 (too trivial)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What national, local and personal economic conditions caused the 1929 stock market crash in New York City banks?

General Subject: Economics
Unsuitable: How the law of supply and demand affects the economy (too broad)
Unsuitable: How the law of supply and demand affects my salary (too subjective)
Suitable (Good) Topic: How does the law of supply and demand affect the price of cars?

BRAINSTORMING:
Choose a topic to think about. Ask yourself as many questions as you can think about, regarding that topic.

Here’s an example of the process from a “The Research Paper, A Contemporary Approach” by Sharon Sorenson:
"I read that a company chose to build a plant in a location where the fewest acres of wetlands would be affected, so I started wondering what wetlands really are and why they matter. That was my general topic, but I knew it was too broad. To help me think, I started writing a list of questions:
What are wetlands? Why are wetlands getting attention from the environmentalists and the news media? Why not just fill in the wetlands to get rid of the mosquitoes and use the land to build buildings on? What lives in wetlands? What kinds of plants and animals are in wetlands? Are they important? What would happen if we got rid of wetlands?”

RESEARCH PAPER PLANNING WORKSHEET
Your Name (Please print):___________________________________
Your General Topic: _____________________________________________
Your Specific Topic: _____________________________________________

TOPIC CHECKLIST (please circle your answers, and fill in specifics where required):
1) Am I interested in this topic? Yes No
2) Have I narrowed the topic down sufficiently? Yes No
3) Have I avoided a topic that is too technical? Yes No
4) Will I be able to find adequate resources for this topic? Yes No
If “Yes,” where do I think I will be able to find research information on this topic? Please describe where you plan to look for your information:

5) Does this topic rely primarily on objective (rather than subjective) material? Yes No
6) Does this topic do more than just recite facts? Yes No
7) Can I word this topic as a question? Yes No

Please describe your topic, worded as a question:





Please sign and date this form:
Name:______________________________________ Date ________________

Homework for March 20/21 Weekend

Go to the website globalwarming.org.  Find out who created this website.  Who is behind it?  Come back on Monday with the answer. 

What Does Good Research Look Like?

In order to do good research, there are some skills and techniques you have to practice.  In today's class we began to identify those methods.  As a class, we came up with the following strategies that are essential for good internet research:

CHOOSE A GOOD SEARCH ENGINE:

I recommend Google.  There are other many other search engines, but if you want to use another one, ask me, and we'll look at it together to decide if it's a good one to use for the type of research that you're conducting.

BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW YOU PHRASE YOUR SEARCH.

When you type words in, your search engine is going to search for all those words in addition to those words in combination. So, for example,

prom dresses Spanish Harlem

will result in Google searching for everything that has the word "prom," the word "dresses," the word "Spanish" and the word "Harlem," in addition to looking for "prom dresses" and "Spanish Harlem."

In order to get ONLY prom dresses in Spanish Harlem, you would need to put each phrase in quotes. That tells the search engine to only look for those words in those exact combinations. So you can search Google by typing in

"prom dresses" "Spanish Harlem"

However, there may be stores in Spanish Harlem that are not listed because they do not use the phrase "Spanish Harlem" in their own pages.  Perhaps they use "Upper East Side," or "East Harlem" or simply list the street on which they are located, like "3rd Avenue," or "Third Avenue," or "116th Street" or "116 St".  All of these are different search terms.  If you really want to find a place in Spanish Harlem, you may have to try all these things.  ALSO, A LOT OF STORES, INSTITUTIONS, and BOOKS DO NOT HAVE WEBSITES.  Everything that exists is not online.  A person might have a store and not make a website for it.

     We found out that a lot of stores in Spanish Harlem that sell prom dresses do not have websites.  That does not mean they do not exist.  Lots of places that exist are not online.

WHEN TRYING TO FIND DETAILED INFORMATION OR READ A BOOK, REMEMBER:
      Sometimes you actually have to go to a library to read a document or book on the topic.  Usually, entire books are not online,  especially new ones.  The only entire books that are online are public domain books (like Shakespeare, Chaucer, etc). You can find many public domain books online at Project Gutenberg.  You can also check out authorama.com.

WHO CREATED THE WEBSITE?
Find out who wrote the information on the website, and write down those details.

ASK YOURSELF: Who are they? Who is the author of the website? What organization or group is behind it?

ARE THEY REPUTABLE?

• Have you already heard about the authors or institutions behind the website and do you know that you're reputable already? (for instance, students suggested that one might go to merriam-webster.com, because we already know that they are a good company that publishes dictionaries.)

• What does the URL tell you? 
•  .edu = education (universities, colleges, large school districts)
• .gov = US government
• .uk = United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
• .ca= Canada. Other two letter designations indicate other countries.
• .org = (usually) non-profit organization
• .net = company (or anything commercially available)
• .com = company

ARE THEY RELIABLE?
o Is there a second website that confirms the information on that website?
o When did they update their page last?
o Google the owner and/or author.

End of Cycle Evaluation

What have you learned this cycle, and what do you feel you still need to work on in order to be ready for college?  Pick up an "End of Cycle Evaluation" sheet in my classroom, or download it here.  There is also a link to the evaluation under "Handouts."

Final Assignment for Cycle 4

We've met and looked over your work.  Now make sure to do all your corrections and type your final version of your "My New York" paper.  Your final version is your final assignment for Cycle 4 and is a requirement for passing this class.

Proof Reading and Editing Your Work

After you have completed your first draft, take a careful look at it.  Proof read it carefully.  Don't skim or skip.  Read every word.  You may find letters you've left out by accident, misspellings, comma and apostrophe errors, and errors in syntax.  Use the handouts (found in the classroom and on the right hand column of this page): "Camilla's Comma Rules," "Camilla's Apostrophe Rules" and "Camilla's Grammar and Spelling Tips" to correct your work.  Make your corrections, and make sure to use a different color pen or pencil, so that your corrections are evident.

Each of your folders has a "Student-Teacher Conferences" sheet.  It is the record of our discussions about your work.  Take a look at it periodically to remind yourself what areas you need to focus on in order to improve.

Assignment Timetable

The first draft of your "My New York" story is due Wednesday, March 10. The final, corrected and expanded version is due by cycle's end.  Remember, you must write your story in class, unless I have seen a large percentage of it and you have been given specific approval by me to finish it up at home.  

For your first draft (and for anything you write), make sure to proof read your story!

Make sure to correct

• comma errors
• apostrophe errors
• spelling errors
• syntax errors

Once you have made those corrections, turn your first draft in.

Part Two: New York Stories, circa 2007

PART TWO:
Here are the stories from the teenagers of 2007.

Assignment: Read any three "Individual Stories." You may also listen to the audio interviews. If you miss class, read the stories at home. Do not read the "Things Kids Have to Face" section yet. We will be reading it in class.

INDIVIDUAL STORIES:
My So-Called Gossipy Life

'If I'm Not Busy, I Complain That I'm Bored, but When I Am Busy, It's Like, Oh, My God.'

'I Was the Most Athletic Girl, the Best Girl Playing Sports.'

'My Family Has High Hopes for Me Because They Know I'm Going to Do Great Things.'

PIN MONEY
Angst Amid the Artichokes

'You Don't Have to Do Bad Things to Be in a Gang. You Don't Have to Do Anything You Don't Want to Do.'

SOPHISTICATED LADIES
Girls, Mean and Otherwise

'A Lot of Girls Like Me Because I'm Original and Enthusiastic and Also Because I Like to Play the Piano.'

'We're Always Talking About How We All Want to Have Boyfriends, and How We Have So Much Love to Give but No One to Give It To.'

THE HANG
The Island of Black Jeans

'My Parents Had This Big Argument Over Whose Fault It Was, Why I Chose to Be This Way.'

'Our Year Is the Most Competitive Year in the History of College Applications. Or Something Like That.'

'Some People Are Like, "Why Are You All Dressed Up in School?" but People Judge You by the Way You Take Care of Yourself.'

'I Had to Work, Because if I Didn't, There Wouldn't Be Food on the Plate.'

AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH KIDS:
Wild At Heart, At Seventeen


THINGS A LOT OF KIDS HAVE TO FACE:

UP AND ABOUT
University Blues

ALL DRESSED UP
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Where They Were, on That Day


ASSIGNMENT: My New York

Write your own "My New York" story. Write about a part of your life in this city: Something that happened, some memory, some group of friends, something that took place in a specific neighborhood or place. Capture it in a bottle, like the Sandman did in "Ramadan." We can capture a moment like that through vivid and compelling writing.

Remember, New York City is any place within the five boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island. New York City also includes the "Other Islands," such as Roosevelt Island, Riker's Island, Ward’s and Randall's Island, Ellis Island, and Governor's Island.

You will write a first draft of your essay. It should be approximately two typed pages (Times New Roman 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing). That should be about four handwritten pages, written on 8.5 x 11 paper in normal-sized handwriting. Then, in your second draft, you will express yourself using more sophisticated vocabulary and descriptive imagery to enhance your story.

What Studying Is All About

As you read the Christopher Sorrentino piece, you'll need to develop the kind of study skills that you're going to use in college. When you encounter a word you don't know, you'll need to use all your available tools to figure it out. Use contextual clues, breaking the word down into parts, your knowledge of Latin-based languages, and your familiarity with cultural references to understand the meaning of the sentences and paragraphs that you are reading. You may also need to use a dictionary. Remember: the task is to FULLY understand what you are reading, not merely to get the general gist or sense of it.

When you get to college you will be sitting next to students who read The New York Times or literature on its level on a regular basis. It is not enough to just get a sense of what is being given to you. In order to really do well, you need to make it your business to fully understand what you're reading. You cannot really talk or write about what you have read unless you fully understand it. It's that simple! So use this exercise to develop those reading skills that you're going to need in college. Do whatever it takes to understand the reading material that's given to you. It may take more time, but you'll find it's more satisfying and rewarding than skimming, skipping, and not really "getting it". You'll understand your classes better, and you'll do better in school. It's what studying is all about.

My New York

PART ONE:
Author Christopher Sorrentino wrote an article in New York Times, and then interviewed ten 17-year-olds from various neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs of New York City, asking them to describe their experiences as New Yorkers.
Read about Christopher Sorrentino's New York:
When He Was Seventeen
By CHRISTOPHER SORRENTINO

Read for understanding. Circle and then figure out the meaning of the words that you don't know. If you need to look them up, then do so. You can also break the word into parts or figure out the meaning from contextual clues.

When you understand the subtle differences between words you understand their specific meanings. Words, like people, are nuanced. They have their own geography: each word has its own unique meaning.

"Ramadan" by Neil Gaiman

We read "Ramadan" by Neil Gaiman. The class identified vocabulary words: those words that they did not know. Then we looked them up.

There are many, many online dictionaries. They define words differently. Your assignment is to look up five words from the list below on at least three different web sites, and then write down a definition of each, IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

How do you know a web site is reputable (good, reliable)? How do you know it's a good place to find definitions? You can judge a website by the following measure: 1) Is the source a known entity that is famous for its accuracy and knowledge on that particular subject (for instance, mit.edu would probably be a good web site for math and science information, because we know the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the foremost math and science university in the country)? or 2) You've gone to "About Us" or "Contact Us" and you see that the people who created the website have the proper credentials for their content.

On your paper, make sure you list which three web sites you went to when you looked up your three definitions. If you encounter a definition that is unclear, go to a dictionary web site that does a better job for you in defining the word. Also, make sure the version of the definition you pick matches the context of the story. Sometimes the definition with which we are most familiar is NOT the one meant in the story.

Which words are plural nouns? In the case of verbs, what form of the verb is it? Is the verb in the past tense? Which words are adverbs? When looking up a word, it's best to find a root form of the word and look that up.
The words the class identified are as follows:
cadi (qadi)
caliph
concubine
consummate
coveted
darting
devising
dirham
djinn
durance
ennobling
ensorcelled
fief
geomancer
harem
hennaed
hitherto
homunculi
ifrit
ingenious
labyrinth
laden
merciful
obsidian
oubliettes
peremptorily
pomegranates
prodigy
promiscuous
remnants
sagacity
sage
savory
scribes
steward
veiled
venerate
vermilion
vizier
wanton
ware

Initial Writing Assessment for Cycle 4

Read "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. We understand that "Two roads diverg[ing] in a yellow wood" is a metaphor for the choices one is presented with in life. What road have you taken in life, the one "less traveled," or the one more people have gone down? Why? Write a two page essay describing your choice: why you made it and to what it has lead.

Welcome to College Writing, Spring Semester 2010, Cycle 4.

In this class you will learn grammar, spelling and punctuation rules and routines so that they become fully integrated into your writing. Today we spoke about the requirements for passing this class. They can be viewed in the Syllabus. Most notably, in order to pass this class you must complete ALL required assignments. All written work is to be done in class. I do not accept written work done at home, unless it is specifically designated as homework. Also, please be aware of your attendance. Excessive absence will result in your being unable to complete the work and attain credit.

Final Evaluation: Research Skills

What have you learned about conducting research? Your Research Skills Evaluation is a concluding activity for this class.

Finishing Your Paper

Your final paper is due Monday, January 25th. Please make sure to cite all your sources and put all of your research into your own words. You must also draw conclusions based on your research.

Beginning Your Paper

The introduction to your paper is now due, and by week's end you should have at least a page and a half of your paper completed. In your first paragraph, introduce your topic. Make sure the reader can understand what topic you are exploring, and what issues you are specifically focusing on. The rest of your paper will answer the questions and explain the statements in your introductory paragraph.

Research Project Steps

Each student is required to have at least three research articles from reputable sources. Once we have evaluated the sources, then you may highlight relevant information in each article. Remember, you are using your research to back up or substantiate your opinions. You are not copying sections of the article "wholesale" into your paper. Even though you may think the words in the article you are using sound better than what you would write, you cannot use them. You must read the material, digest it, and then put down your own understanding of it in your own words, along with the conclusions you've come to based on what you've read. This is an essential skill that you will need in college.