Camilla's College Writing

Welcome to Cycle 3, 2011

2011-12-04T20:24:00.004-05:00

Our focus this cycle will be on reading, interpreting and writing about literature. For this first assignment, read these first few paragraphs of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon the 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.

Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.

Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course he did. How could it be otherwise? Scrooge and he were partners for I don't know how many years. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend and sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnized it with an undoubted bargain.

The mention of Marley's funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate. If we were not perfectly convinced that Hamlet's Father died before the play began, there would be nothing more remarkable in his taking a stroll at night, in an easterly wind, upon his own ramparts, than there would be in any other middle-aged gentleman rashly turning out after dark in a breezy spot -- say Saint Paul's Churchyard for instance -- literally to astonish his son's weak mind.

Scrooge never painted out Old Marley's name. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: "Scrooge and Marley." The firm was known as Scrooge and Marley. Sometimes people new to the business called Scrooge Scrooge, and sometimes Marley, but he answered to both names: it was all the same to him.

Oh! But he was a tightfisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog days; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.

External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn't know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did.

Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, "My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?" No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said,"No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!"

But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call "nuts" to Scrooge.

Assignment:

Answer these questions:
1) Look up and define the following words:
ironmonger(y)
emphatic(ally)
unhallow(ed)
solemnize(d)
clergyman
clerk
undertaker
solitary
sole
legatee
tightfisted
covetous
flint
gait

2.) What do we know about Marley, after reading this passage? Describe it in a paragraph.

3.) What kind of a person is Scrooge, according to these paragraphs? Dickens says:

Oh! But he was a tightfisted hand at the grind-stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog days; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.

Translate this description into your own words. Look up any words you don't know to help you understand what Charles Dickens meant.

4.) What happens involving a ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet? Google it! You MAY use wikipedia, or a reputable educational web site. Then describe what you've learned in a short paragraph.

5.) Now knowing what you know about the ghost in Hamlet, what point is Dickens is trying to make by mentioning it at the beginning of his story, "A Christmas Carol"?

Learn How To Cite Web Sources in a Bibliography, Using MLA Format - College Style!

2011-11-27T22:07:00.001-05:00

HOW TO CITE INTERNET SOURCES IN A PAPER

Assignment: Go to the links below and create the five citations in MLA format. Read the directions below carefully.

When citing Internet sources in a bibliography, you must be sure to answer the following questions:

1. Who wrote or edited it? (authors/editors/translators)

2. What is it called? (title)

3. What is the name of the Website (usually the name on the 'banner' on top.)

4. What is the name of the organization/company/person who runs the Website (look at the bottom of the page or click on "about us")

5. When was it published? (date)

6. Where did you find it in a book, magazine, website, newspaper, or dvd? (answer: Website.)

7. When did you access the site? (the date that you looked at it on the Internet)

8. The URL address (it must work and take you to the article, not just the home page!)

You must have this information cited in a bibliography in exactly this way:

The Author(s), Title of the Article, Name of web site. Name of organization or company that owns the site, date published or updated. Where you found it (Book, DVD, Newspaper or Web.) Date of your access (when you looked at it), the URL address.

Here is an example:

John Walke, Extreme Pollution Agenda in Senate Targets Lifesaving Clean Air Standard, Grist: A Beacon in the Smog. Grist Magazine, Nov. 10, 2011. Website. Nov 27, 2011, http://www.grist.org/pollution/2011-11-10-extreme-pollution-agenda-in-senate-targets-lifesaving-clean-air-

It is important that the Internet address link actually work. It should take you or your college professor directly to that article on that website. (Test the one above!)

Create your five citations in the correct format using the web sites below:

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/12/nasa-finds-arsenic-life-form/

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2011/05/the_discovery_of_arsenicbased_twitter.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/1202/How-does-an-arsenic-based-life-form-work-exactly

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/05/27/6730755-arsenic-life-debate-hits-a-new-level

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/12/02/mono-lake-bacteria-build-their-dna-using-arsenic-and-no-this-isnt-about-aliens/

NOTE: WHEN MAKING A BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR YOUR PAPER, BE SURE TO:
1. Make a list of these sources on the last page of your essay.
2. Put your citations in alphabetical order according to the author's last name.

Writing Your Essay

2011-11-09T15:26:00.000-05:00

Use this graphic organizer to write your Pro - Con essay. Make sure you have evidence from AT LEAST two articles to support your opinion. You can also find the organizer under "Handouts" to the right of this post.

Articles Needed

2011-11-02T16:17:00.000-04:00

Once you have established your topic, develop KEY WORD SEARCH TERMS, and search Google for your topic. Remember to use the "Good Internet Research" guidelines provided under "Handouts," or available in the classroom.

Use a Cornell Notes sheet for each article you find. You need to find one PRO and one CON article for your topic. Once you have taken notes on your article, have them checked by me, and then you will begin to construct papers based on your topic.

Practice Reading for Understanding

2011-10-31T17:26:00.000-04:00

Read this article. Make sure to complete the entire packet. The purpose of this exercise is to make sure you are carefully reading articles for research. The completion of this assignment is a required component of this unit on social networking and research. Then you may go back to researching your topic culled from the "Occupy Wall Street" video and statements.

Researching Your Topic

2011-10-31T17:19:00.001-04:00

1) Find REPUTABLE articles online about your topic. Use this sheet to know exactly how to search. Be sure to use key words and vary your search terms.

2) You want to make sure you have two articles, one representing a "pro," and the other a "con" side of the issue.

3) Use this Cornell Notes Sheet to take notes from each REPUTABLE article that you find.

What Controversial Issues Arise from "Occupy Wall Street"?

2011-10-31T17:09:00.001-04:00

Participants in the "Occupy Wall Street" protests made the comments below. They are topics that you can research online. Pick a phrase below. Translate the phrase into your own words. Then RESEARCH the topic.

2. Identify the KEY WORDS in the phrase that you have chosen.

3. Do a KEY WORD search in GOOGLE. Click the links, and look for explanations of the issue or topic.

4. Take notes using the Cornell Notes sheet for each article that you find. Be sure to list the key points of the article, and state whether you agree or disagree with the author on the topic.

5. Write an essay describing your opinion on the topic, based on your research.

1. Corporations are influencing our politics. End the influence of corporations in politics.

2. End corporate personhood.

3. Corporate greed is wrecking our planet.

4. Protesters practice non-hierarchical consensus-based decision- making.

5. There’s a huge inequality gap between Americans.

6. Politicians are creating bad legislation because they’re influenced by corporations.

7. Corporations in our politics have created the war on drugs and stopped us from nationalizing health care.

8. Fight, fight! Housing is a human right. Make Wall Street pay for the Depression that they caused.

9. There should be a 1% tax on all Wall Street Transactions.

10. We need student debt amnesty!

11. Stop all foreclosures. Stop throwing hard-working Americans on the street because they can’t pay these fraudulent mortgages.

12. The government has to stop cutting funding for education, which will mean that they will have to cut the defense budget. It's a tough choice, but they have to do it!

13. Tax the rich! Make more education programs for the poor, make more programs for cleaning up the environment.

14. Enforce campaign finance limits.

15. Have only individuals be able to contribute to political campaigns.

Welcome to Camilla's College Writing for Cycle 2, Fall 2011

2011-10-21T12:28:00.002-04:00

Hi, everyone! We're starting this cycle off with a unit about Social Networking. How do we use social media, and how are we affected by it? Social media has the power to influence our lives socially, academically and politically. In exploring this topic, we begin with an examination of the Occupy Wall Street protests. Is social media a force for good or ill when it comes to politics? Are we a better nation for having Facebook, Twitter and the like?

In preparation for our work on this unit, do the following, if you have missed our activities in class so far:
To find out more about "Occupy Wall Street," watch this video made by NYC public high school teenagers like yourselves. Here's the link for the video.

To understand some of the effects of social media, do this worksheet.

Assignments Due for Cycle 1

2011-10-17T12:15:00.000-04:00

In order to be eligible for a grade for Cycle 1, these assignments must be completed and in your folder:

1. The Road Not Taken Essay

2. “The Three Little Pigs” analysis worksheet

3. Tell Your Own Story Assignment

4. Read “Only Partly Here”

5. Character descriptions worksheet for Only Partly Here

6. Graphic organizer for "Only Partly Here”

7. Essay: “Only Partly Here”

Writing Your "Only Partly Here" Essay

2011-10-03T13:09:00.006-04:00

Guiding Considerations For Your “Only Partly Here” Essay

Introduction:

1) What is the moral, meaning or message of this story? Develop a thesis statement. Make your THESIS STATEMENT the "main idea" of your introductory paragraph.

In your body paragraphs:

2) Show EVIDENCE from the text to substantiate your argument.

3) Give SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from the story that show the development of the moral, meaning or message throughout the story.

4) Give SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from the story that show the development of the relationship between Bobby and Alicia, and how it changes over the course of the story.

5) Give SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from the story that show how the author, Lucius Sheppard, uses foreshadowing, setting, imagery, characterization and voice to make the story "come alive" for the reader.

Conclusion:

6) Conclude your essay by re-establishing your thesis statement and briefly substantiating it with the evidence you've enumerated in your essay.

Literary Analysis and "Only Partly Here"

2011-09-22T12:06:00.000-04:00

The more articulate you are, the more specific you can be about what you are trying to communicate. Lucius Sheppard, in "Only Partly Here," uses sophisticated language to examine the complex nature of the relationships between the characters.

Author Lucius Sheppard evokes the state of mind of the inhabitants of New York in the time directly after 9/11 with a simile. He illustrates the frantic, purposeless and futile nature of their efforts by comparing them to drugged and over-stimulated rats in a maze. He is able to bring that time to life for the reader because of his versatility with the language.

Which words that we use can we add to our word wall and vocabulary lists? Pick 10 words you are not familiar with and look up the definitions. You will be responsible for knowing these words as the cycle continues.

As the story progresses we begin to see the nature of the relationships between the three recovery workers: Bobby, Mazurek and Pineo, and we also see the complexities of the interaction between Alicia and Bobby.

What is happening between Alicia and Bobby? As the story continues to unfold, examine the changing nature of their interaction. How do they start out? How does that change, and what happens in the end to change it even further?

Finally, what is the nature of this story, and what is its message? A full understanding can only come from a full examination of the text. We are reading together, but as you learn to study you must get to the point where you can go back and re-read parts of the text that you need to understand more fully.

Learning to study a text in a deep and meaningful way is a critical skill for college. In order to really function on the college level, you need to 1) Learn how to understand the text, and that means find the meanings of words you don't know and then understand the words in the context of the story, 2) Be able to uncover the personalities and motivations of the characters, based on the way they're described and the nature of their dialogue, 3) Examine the progression of the action in the story and note developments that occur, 4) Interpret the meaning, moral or message that the story conveys.

When Reading, How Do You Figure Out Words You Don't Know?

2011-09-20T12:33:00.000-04:00

How do we figure out words we don't know? Here are some suggestions from the class:

1.Write it down and look up the definition

2.Context Clues:

3.Look at the sentences before and after it to see what the word might mean.

4.Look for footnotes

5.Use your knowledge of other languages (esp Latin languages)

6.Look for prefixes that you already know (un, and others)

7.Look for suffixes (ending of words) (like –ology, and others)

Theme and Symbolism in "Only Partly Here"

2011-09-19T12:21:00.002-04:00

Essential Question: How do we analyze and interpret characters in story?

We read the beginning of "Only Partly Here" by Lucius Sheppard. We identified certain repeating themes. We noticed that certain items were blue. The shoe Bobby finds is blue, the "silhouette of the dancing lady" is in blue neon, and the bar is called "The Blue Lady." Our characters are at Ground Zero sifting through the rubble of 9/11. They are recovery workers.

What can we tell about the personalities of the main characters of Bobby, Mazurek, and Pineo? What is the lady at the end of the bar like? Describe the characteristics of each character in this graphic organizer. Cite specific examples from the text using page and paragraph number.

Assignment: Interpreting Fiction and Finding Metaphors

2011-09-15T10:55:00.003-04:00

Pick your own fairy tale or another story that you like. It must be a story that conveys an important message about life. Complete the graphic organizer for the story. That means you must include
a) A synopsis of the story, written in YOUR OWN WORDS (Plagiarism is not allowed -- and I do check!)
b) A list of at least five symbols (metaphors) in the story, and what they represent
c) A detailed description of the meaning, message and moral of the story.

Symbolism and Metaphor in Story

2011-09-14T11:36:00.000-04:00

Choose a story. It can be a fairy tale or another simple story with a message. Write a synopsis of the story. The story must have symbolic elements. You must have a list of at least five things in the story that have a metaphoric meaning. Make that list. Then write a down the message or moral of the story. Be prepared to share it with the class.

Interpreting Story - Looking for Symbols

2011-09-14T11:26:00.000-04:00

We looked at the fairytale of The Three Little Pigs. Then the class broke into groups and wrote a synopsis of the story, made a list of the symbols and their meaning, and described the overall message or moral of the story. The story can be found here. Class members in attendance completed the handout. If you were not in class you need to make sure you do this in order to get credit.

Assignment: Initial Writing Assessment: "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

2011-09-12T12:48:00.000-04:00

What is Robert Frost's metaphor for life? Download this handout. Look at the picture. What is this "story" about, and what is Robert Frost trying to communicate about life?

Write an essay of at least a page and a half responding to Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken.” Be sure to look at the footnotes on the page if you do not know what some of the words mean.

Please write in essay form. Use the questions to help you with your writing, but do not re-write the questions. Answer in one long essay.

Framing questions for your writing:

1. What is this poem about?

2. What is the message it is trying to convey about choices in life?

3. Which “road” have you chosen/travelled so far in your life? “The road less taken,” or the road more commonly taken? Explain why you picked that road, and what your life has been like because of that choice.

4. Extra credit: Why is the poem called “The Road NOT Taken”? Isn’t the poem about the road he DID take? Why does he choose to call the poem “The Road Not Taken”?

What Makes Literature Good?

2011-09-08T17:49:00.000-04:00

We had a discussion about what qualities make rap songs great. The class came up with this list. In order to have a great rap song, it needs to include the following elements:

Great delivery

They keep it interesting

Contains strong metaphors

You have to be able to relate to it

Humor

Strong Vocabulary

Personality

Tells a good story

Tells a message

Conveys a moral

Be true to yourself

Welcome to College Writing for Cycle 1, Fall 2011

2011-09-08T10:40:00.004-04:00

Course Description:

The purpose of this class is to prepare students for entry-level college work, with a focus on writing and research skills. In the beginning of the course, students will expand their base-knowledge of words and their etymological roots, and begin to develop college-level vocabulary and comprehension through reading fiction. As students write, the class will focus on literary analysis, identification and correction of grammatical errors and editing skills, as well as proper utilization of grammar, punctuation and spelling. For the final part of the course, students will establish and utilize research methodology, critically analyzing and evaluating research sources, while developing note-taking and study skills. The course will conclude with an in-depth research project, culminating in the writing and editing of an entry-level college research paper, with MLA-style citations.

Requirements:

Students must complete all required essays in order to receive credit. You must complete all in-class work in the classroom. Students are also required to engage in class discussions, respond to in-class questions, and conduct themselves in a respectful and studious manner as you focus on the educational tasks and goals.

All essays and other coursework designated as in-class work must be completed in the classroom, unless otherwise negotiated with the teacher. Essays and research papers cannot be done at home. Students presenting completed essays not written in class will not receive credit.

Completion of Paper - Due Dates

2011-06-10T10:16:00.002-04:00

Your paper should have been turned in by Friday, June 10th. If you were a late admit, you may finish your paper on the last two days of class.

As I have said numerous times before, I will not accept papers the majority of which were not done in class. Students cannot expect to pass this class if they have not written the majority of their paper in class during class time. I must have seen the paper in progress throughout the cycle.

I MUST HAVE SEEN AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF PAGES BY FRIDAY, JUNE 10th in order for you to be allowed to work on it over the weekend. You may work to complete the paper in class on Monday, June 13th and Tuesday, June 14th, if you have given me sufficient work by Friday, June 10th.

Students may be eligible for credit recovery depending on Cycle 6 class participation, and sufficient ongoing meetings with me regarding your work on this paper.

Where You Should be By Today, June 7th, 2011

2011-06-07T13:12:00.000-04:00

You should have at least three pages completed of your paper. Without having a majority of your paper completed, you will not be able to finish it in a timely fashion, meeting the criteria of the assignment. See me if there are extenuating circumstances, and you need some extra help. The paper is due by week's end, and corrections will be finalized next week.

If I do not see the paper in progress, and/or if you have not written the bulk of the paper in class, you will not pass this class. I will not accept a paper the majority of which has not been written in my class and with my supervision. Also, in order to get credit you must have ALL the articles you are citing in your paper printed out and in your folder.

Thank you for the hard work you are doing to complete this assignment.

Where You Should be By Today, May 31st, 2011

2011-05-31T10:23:00.000-04:00

By now, you should have completed the following, as we proceed with our research paper:

1) You must have your introductory paragraph. The main part of your introduction must be your Thesis Statement. In order to do this, you must have turned your Research Question into a Thesis Statement. This Thesis Statement is based on the research that you have conducted and the articles you have read, and must answer your research question.

2) You should already have written three to five paragraphs giving examples from your research articles that support your thesis statement. [NOTE: All together, by Friday, you will need to have four to five points from each of your three articles in your paper].

3) You must correctly cite all sources, based on my handout (also available as a post on this blog).

NOTE: Your first draft is due Friday of this week. I DO NOT expect you to have completed the "works cited"/bibliography this week. We will work on that next week.

How to Create an MLA Citation for Your Paper

2011-05-19T14:37:00.005-04:00

1) When you cite your source within the text of the paper, make sure you include the author, title of the article and the publication. When you site the same source again, only use the author's last name.

Example:
In her New York Times article, “Harsh Lights on Two Men, But Glare Falls on Women,” Kate Zernike explains how women are often targeted by the media when they are involved with high-profile men. “…[T]here is less hesitation to try to reveal every detail of the lives of the women involved, as if those details could somehow explain the headlines about the powerful figures.” Zernike also explains that these women do not seek the spotlight.

[Note: If there's no author, cite the name of the agency or organization that produced the article. If the agency or organization is an acronym (initials, like "FBI," or "CDC,") you must state the full name of the agency or organization in the first citation, and then follow it with the acronym.]

Example: The Center for Disease Control (CDC), in a paper entitled, "How to Combat Diabetes," describes three ways to deal with the potentially life-threatening disease. The CDC also explains ways to prevent diabetes from developing.

At the end of your paper, you will cite the full information about the article in your Works Cited list, It will be a sixth piece of paper, and will be on a separate and final sheet.

2) For your Works Cited list at the end of your paper, here are some examples of correct citations in MLA format:

If it is from a government source and there is no author:
"Basic Information about HIV and AIDS | Topics | CDC HIV/AIDS." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 18 May 2011. 19 May 2011 < http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm >

If it is from an online newspaper:
Zernike, Kate. "Harsh Light on Two Men, but Glare Falls on Women." New York Times. 18 May 2011. Web. 19 May 2011.
< http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/us/19schwarzenegger.html?hp >

How to Cite Your Sources:

You must have the following, following the exact format indicated below. That means when there’s a period, you must have a period. When something is italicized, you must have it in italics. Please follow the format exactly.

Type of Information How It’s Done:
1. Author of article:
LastName, Firstname.
2. Title of the article:
“Title.”
3. Who published it:
Name of Publication.
4. Type of publication:
Web.
5. Date when it was published:
Day Month Year.
6. Date when you accessed it:
Day Month Year.
7. Exact, full web address:
< http://exactwebaddress >.

Organizing Your Paper

2011-05-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

Now it's time to organize your thoughts in planning your paper.

1) You need to outline at least five points from each article you've chosen. That means you need to find the main idea and supporting evidence for the important points of each article that you will be using.

2) You need to develop the structure of your paper. The paper will, of course, need to have a beginning, middle and end. We commonly refer to these as the introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. Your paper will be five double-spaced pages, in Times New Roman or Arial, with no bigger than a v12 point font. Likewise, don't begin your paper a third of a way down the page. The paper starts at the top of the page. You will have a title page for the title. The paper will include in addition, a bibliography or "works cited" list at the end. You will learn how to cite works in the bibliography AND within the paper using the MLA format. This is a format that most colleges and universities want students to use, as they begin writing their college-level papers.

3) You need to change your research question into a thesis statement. See the form here and on the side under handouts to make a record of that change. Your thesis statement will form the basis for your essay, and will be the key sentence in your introduction.

Outline Organizer for your Research Paper

2011-05-11T12:15:00.003-04:00

Here is the link to your Outline Organizer.

Each of you should have three, vetted, reputable articles with Cornell Notes sheets attached.

The next step is to take each one of your three articles and outline the main points and supportive evidence in each one.

For each article there should be at least five main points and supportive evidence.

Completing Your Work for This Cycle

2011-05-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

In order to get credit in this class you must have the following in your folder:

3 vetted, reputable articles

3 Cornell Notes sheets, completely filled out, including:
- no less than 5 points for each article
- thoughts, interpretations or questions for each point (written opposite each point)
- a summary of your understanding of the article
- an explanation of how the article relates to your topic

The completed final, which will be given Thursday and Friday in class.

Taking Notes for Each Article You Use in Your Research

2011-04-27T11:00:00.001-04:00

You must take notes for each article you use. Our "default" for note-taking is the Cornell Notes template. However, you may use another graphic organizer or note-taking format, as long as you include the following:

1.Your name, the class period and the date
2. The article properly “vetted.” It is from a reputable source.
3. The main points of article are listed.
4. Article points are matched with your own questions, thoughts or reactions.
5. There is a summary or overview of the point of meaning of the article.
6. There is some “higher order thinking,” analysis or discussion of the significance or meaning of the article as it relates to your Research Question.

Initial Research Steps

2011-04-15T10:31:00.004-04:00

In your folder, you should have:
1) Your completed and signed "Research Paper Proposal Worksheet." You cannot proceed with your research unless and until this worksheet has been signed by me.

2) Your Key Word Brainstorm and URL sheet. This sheet provides a record of the key word searches you have tried, and the websites you have found. Please only write down the URLs of web sites that you have figured out are good. You check their veracity by going to "About Us" or "Contact Us." You must see if the authors have the credentials to have expertise in that subject.

4) You must have copies of the articles that you have selected.

5) You must have a Cornell notes sheet for each of the articles, and you must take notes on that sheet for each article. Your notes are your evidence that you have read and understood what you are reading. If you are continuing your research at home, you may print out a Cornell Notes template here.

"Holiday Homework": You may continue your research, providing a Cornell notes sheet for each article, translating the meaning of the article into your own words. You may also complete this Cornell notes sheet along with this article.

Refining and Deciding on Your Research Question

2011-04-11T10:22:00.000-04:00

Is it researchable?

Is it factual?

Is it narrowed down enough?

Is it specific enough (time, place, specific aspect of the topic)?

Is it an opened-ended question (NOT a "yes - no" question)?

Is it worded as a question?

Do you already know where you might be able to get some research (NOT a search engine, actual agencies, organizations or institutions)?

Is it something in which you are interested?

Research Paper Proposal

2011-04-08T07:23:00.002-04:00

1. Check my notes on your BRAINSTORM paper. Make sure that your BRAINSTORM has at least five to ten questions that you want to find out about your topic.

2. Use your BRAINSTORM to help you fill out the Research Paper Proposal Worksheet. This is the next step in the process of preparing for your research paper.

3. Q: "What if my Research Question is not designed to solve a problem or provide an explanation for a problem?
Q: What if it is not researchable?
A: If either of these things are the case, your Research Question cannot be used, and it will not be accepted as something you can research. Please re-think your topic, do another BRAINSTORM, and fill out a new sheet.

4. I am here to help. Ask me in class, read my written responses to your work, and come at lunch for extra help, if you need it!

List of Research Topics - from Classmembers

2011-04-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

Here are the topics that we generated in class yesterday. In their brainstorms, many people came up with excellent questions. Now we have to narrow down our questions so that we can actually begin our research.

Topics from Pds 5 and 7

Research Topics from Periods 5 and 7 – April 7, 2011
Teen Pregnancy
Abortion
Drop Out Rate
Graduation Rates
Immigration
Drunk driving
Obama
Drug abuse
Alcohol
Drug trafficking
HIV/AIDS
Protective sex
Domestic violence – male to female (boyfriends to girlfriends).
Child abuse
Euthenasia
Albinoism
Celebrity drug problems
Theft
Sex trafficking
Pimps and hustlers in the 70’s
Crime rate between the cities in the Southern states
Addiction to alcohol
Addiction to drugs
Domestic violence
Child abuse
Foster care
Sweatshops
Food addiction
Fashion addiction
Racism
Teen pregnancy
Abortion
High school dropouts
Graduation rates between private and public and charter schools

Chosing Your Research Topic

2011-04-07T10:36:00.001-04:00

Deciding on your Research Paper Topic:

Your research paper is going to make up a substantial part of your work for this cycle in this class. A research topic has to be a question that you want to answer. It has to be a problem or situation that research will help you understand. Your research may indicate solutions to that problem, and based on your research, you may suggest solutions.

First of all, you need to decide on a topic. Then develop a Research Question, and then begin to find sources for your research.

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 is an example of a research topic: Teen Pregnancy

Here is an example of good and bad research questions about Teen Pregnancy:
Unsuitable: Why are kids having so many babies? (too broad, too subjective)
Unsuitable: What are the statistics on Teen Pregnancy for 1984 (too broad AND too narrow)
Suitable (Good) Topic: What factors are contributing to teen pregnancy rates in the United States during this decade?

Here's what you'd have to do:
1) Look up the statistics.
Q: Where's a good place to look up statistics? Where can we find reliable statistics?
A:

2) Find expert researchers who've written about the causes of teen pregnancy.
Q: How do we know they're experts?
A:

3) Choose articles from good, reliable and reputable sources.
Q: How do we know the sources are reliable and reputable?
A:

4) Find good sources on the internet (or in books, if you can easily get them). Print out the articles that you find. Be sure to have the URL and website name of each article on the printout.
Q: How can you make sure you know where the article came from?
A:

5) Read the articles. Highlight the key points. Take notes (Using Cornell Notes or another graphic organizer) about your thoughts and reactions as you read.
Q: What other ways of taking notes do you know about?
A:

6) Begin the process of writing your paper. This step will be gone into in greater detail as we go along.

In order to think of a topic, you can do a BRAINSTORM.
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:

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?
What are some causes for the current popularity of getting tattooed?

If your research question can be answered in one sentence or from one website, it is not a suitable topic.

If your topic is not specific enough, it is not a suitable topic.

If your topic is just a matter of opinion, it is not a suitable topic. An example might be something like: "Why is Mr. X the best tattoo artist?" Mr. X is only the best artist in your opinion. There is no research you can find to prove that he is the best tattoo artist in the world.

Q: Are any of these research questions researchable?
Q: Which one is researchable, and how can you write it as a good research question?

How Do You Record Information Gathered From Research?

2011-04-06T13:02:00.000-04:00

Use the Cornell Notes sheet to record the key points of your article on the Ozone Layer. The three Articles we used are:
1.Ozone Depletion Over Arctic 'Unprecedented' This Winter
By the CNN Wire Staff

2. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_ozonelayer.html
Ozone Depletion

3.http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/ozone-depletion-overview.html Ozone Depletion - Losing Earth's Protective Layer

In groups of three, determine what information you have in common, and what information is unique to each article. Then record all of your information the group sheet.

Here's some of what students said they learned by doing this kind of an exercise:

If you cite facts, you need to be sure of them. You need to know where exactly in the text your facts come from.

Understand the vocabulary, and look up words you don't know.

Avoid plagiarism. Writing down the words from the article is plagiarism.

It's good to have more than one source for information, because then you'll know more about your topic.

Put the information you learn into your own words.

Why did we do this exercise? Students said:
1) To get more information on the topic by looking at multiple sources
2) To learn how to figure out what's important in the articles
3) To interpret and analyze the information for yourself (come to your own conclusions, based on the facts)

Instructions for Using Three Types of Graphic Organizers to Chart “Dazed and Confused”

2011-04-04T13:01:00.002-04:00

Assignment, Due Monday, April 4th:

1.Use the “Cluster/Word Web 2” sheet to put down details about your character. The character’s name goes into the “Topic” box. You must fill at least four boxes with details about the character. For the highest grade, you should fill them all, and please make sure your work is legible.

2, Use the “Time-Order Chart” to talk about the things that happen to the character during the story. The character’s name goes in the “Topic” box. Each event is another thing that happens to the character during the course of the movie. You should be able to find 4 events for your character.

3. Use the “Story Map 2” sheet to describe the things that happen in the entire movie. List the setting, the time period in which the movie takes place, the major characters and the minor characters. You may use the internet to look up the characters in the movie. If you take text off of the internet, I will know it. Don’t do it. Everything must be in your own words.

Graphic Organizers, And What Notes Need to Look Like

2011-03-31T10:12:00.002-04:00

Everybody has their own style of note-taking. That is true, but note-taking has to be effective. It was to WORK. The problem with some note-taking is that it is not organized or thorough enough: Notes are minimal, details are absent and the notes are confusing when looked at the next day or the next week. That defeats the purpose of note-taking.

Here are some steps to keep your notes organized:

1) Use a graphic organizer like Cornell Notes, or design your own.
2) Make lists and leave room to fill in blanks
3) Use charts that help you understand things.

Today we will look at different types of note-taking strategies, and apply them to the notes you have on your character. Use a graphic organizer or demonstrate on paper a systematic approach to note-taking. You should be able to use your notes to write an essay or paper. The notes have to "work."

Here are some organizers that could work with Dazed and Confused:
Clusterweb Graphic Organizer
Sequence of Events Graphic Organizer
Five W's Graphic Organizer
Story Map Graphic Organizer
Time Order Chart
Venn Diagram

For more graphic organizers, go to "Education Place," a web site created by publishers Houghton Mifflin.

"Dazed and Confused" Character Analysis

2011-03-30T10:31:00.000-04:00

Today's Question: How do you observe and draw conclusions about a character?

1) Pick up your own folder from the bin and check it for notes and comments.

2) Get character names (link available on previous post).

3) Take notes during the conclusion of the film, as needed.

At the conclusion of the film, write for ten minutes about the personal journey the person has taken throughout the film. How did they start off, and what have they learned? what is the journey of this particular character? What happens to them during the course of the film?

To complete this writing assignment, you should have:
1) The name of the character
2) A physical description of the character
3) A psychological description of the character: what is his or her personality?
4) A description of the action and development of the character throughout the film.

Character Profiles

2011-03-29T14:59:00.003-04:00

Here are some basic profiles of the characters in "Dazed and Confused." Character Profiles. Once you pick your MAIN character, describe in detail this person's personality, describe their looks, and describe what happens to them in the story.

"Dazed and Confused" and Historical Research

2011-03-29T10:55:00.000-04:00

We're looking at the movie "Dazed and Confused" to find historical accuracy. The director and actors in this movie had to know what the 70's was really like in order to make it authentic.

Monday's In-Class Assignment:
As you watch the movie, write down at least ten things you see that are different than they are today. Describe each thing. How is it different?

Tuesday:
Pick a specific character. Observe that character as you continue to watch the film. What can you say about that character?
How do they look?
How are they dressed?
What is their personality?

We will watch the movie. Write notes as you watch. Then you will have five minutes to describe them in detail on paper.

Then: pair up with someone else who has picked that character. Share your write-ups. Combine the best of both. Then we will share out.

Careers that Need Historical Research

2011-03-28T15:04:00.001-04:00

What Aspects of Life Have Changed, Historically?
Assignment: Watching the movie, identify 10 things that have changed, and describe what they were like back then.

different immigrant groups
transportation
technology (no cell phones)
other kinds of cars
different kinds of busses
tokens for trains (copper/bronze discs)
fashion: 70’s afros, very colorful clothing,
music: jazz, blues, punk, country, pop, record players,
(walk mans, 8-tracks, boom boxes, juke boxes)
dance: electric slide, break dancing,
different laws
food changed
food prices changed

Historical Research Can be Used By…

Taxi drivers - to understand when someone uses an old name of a street or place
Tour guides - to talk about what happened in a particular neighborhood or place
Archeologists - to understand remains
Government officials – to understand political history
Writers - to be historically accurate in their stories
Journalists – accurate information
News reporters – historical context of current events
Social studies teachers - to know what happened in history so that they can explain it to students
Doctors – to know previous cures, treatments, and patient histories
Scientists - to know how experiments have gone in the past
Politicians – to be informed, to be accurate
Entrepreneurs – to learn from other entrepreneurs’ mistakes
Fashion – to be inspired by past trends
Lawyers – to know different cases in the past
Actors – when they have to act out scenes from the past, to know what it was like then and act accordingly
Directors – to be historically accurate, so their movies are believable

Steps to Making Your Essay The Best It Can Be

2011-03-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

The class came up with the following steps to help improve essays:

Plan your information before you write it.
Make sure your introduction has enough information.
Make a valid conclusion.
Don’t be repetitive.
People have different styles.
Finish the assignment.
Re-read.
Proof-read.
If you make a mistake in your essay, you should not make the paper look messy.
Watch out for run-on sentences.
Write longer paragraphs.
Put in more details.
Use a lot of examples from the story (or text).
Have at least one other person look at your paper before you turn it in.
You write your essay and you think it’s good, but when you see the rubric, you see what the real criteria (qualifications) are for a good paper.
Make sure your conclusion is wrapped up tightly.
Keep your essay well organized.
Watch your penmanship.
Be understandable.
Be clear.
Be specific.
Make sure your sentences make sense.
Check for spelling.

Evaluating Using The Rubric

2011-03-25T13:11:00.002-04:00

How do we equally apply the rubric, really understanding the way it functions?

As we looked at the rubric we identified words that were new to us. Here is a list of the class's new vocabulary words:

Valid = legitimate; legally acceptable; not expired; logical; well-founded

Sparse = far and few between

Minimal = very little

Sophisticated = classy, smart, well-read, intelligent, experienced in the world, well-educated, complex

Analysis = The separation of a whole into its component parts in order to study the parts and their relation to the whole

Thesis = an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument

Viable = clear, something that can be verified

Then we began to identify vocabulary in the first student essay:
Infrastructure =
1) An underlying base or foundation, especially for an organization or system
2) The basic facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society

and we verified the spelling of the word
definitely

We identified criteria for evaluating the essays, and began to apply it to student-created essays that we examined as a group. Students corrected grammar, punctuation and spelling errors in the first essay.

Informed Peer Review: Evaluating Your Writing Using the Rubric and Your Grammar Handouts

2011-03-24T10:35:00.000-04:00

Steps to Analyzing, Correcting and Evaluating Your Essay:

1.) Your partner must be someone you do not know.

2.) You should sit across from your partner at the tables in the classroom.

3.) Read the essay, aloud or silently, with pencil in hand. Make corrections as needed, using the Grammar handouts on Commas, Apostrophes and Spelling as references.

4.) Attach a copy of the rubric to the essay. What score would you give the overall paper? In the "Comments" area, make notes describing three or four steps the author of the essay should take to improve their work in the future.

Welcome to Cycle 5, Spring 2011

2011-03-21T07:49:00.000-04:00

Our last unit in Cycle 4 had to do with reading, understanding what you're reading and then drawing conclusions based on what you'd learned. The assignment required you to think about what the implications are for us, as we consider the disaster in Japan.

In writing, meaning is key, but form is also a necessary element. Form ensures that our writing communicates what we mean effectively.

What tools do we have at our disposal that help us to write well? We have our Rules of Comma Use, Rules of Apostrophe Use, and Spelling and Grammar Tips. Those are all available to the right of this post, under "Handouts." Let's use these tools to make sure our writing meets a minimum standard of good writing. Along with "development", these tools will ensure that we communicate effectively.

Instructions for Final Writing Assignment for Cycle 4

2011-03-14T13:03:00.002-04:00

Assignment: Written Response to Tsunami Article

1. Using either the Cornell Notes sheet or the handout for this assignment, list the most important points in the article.

2. Write an essay of approximately a page and a half on lined 8.5x11 paper, responding to the questions below. USE YOUR NOTES to create your first paragraph.
In your first paragraph, paraphrase: What have you learned about the earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan by reading the article?
In your second and third paragraphs, explain your ideas about what the American people, the American government, and we, as individuals should do if this kind of thing ever happened here in New York. What would you suggest the government do, and what would you do for yourself and your family?
DO NOT respond to this assignment in question and answer format. This assignment must be done in essay format. In order to get credit for this assignment you must also turn in your notes.

Reading, Identifying Key Points, Drawing Conclusions

2011-03-11T17:42:00.000-05:00

Write an essay in response to The New York Times' Article on the Tsunami in Japan.

First, on the handout in the classroom, read the article with a highlighter, and note the salient (most important) points. Then take your notes.
1. What are the most important points in the article (write them in note form) on the handout:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Next, in essay format, paraphrase: What have you learned about the earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan?
a) What should we (the American people, the American government, and we, as individuals) do if this kind of thing should ever happen here in New York?

b)What would you suggest the government do, and what would you do for yourself and your family?

Write the responses to these questions in an essay of approximately a page and a half on lined 8.5x11 notebook paper.

How to know if a web site is legitimate?

2011-03-10T15:39:00.002-05:00

• The site has to have good information from a reliable source. Is the source reliable? Does the person writing the document/web site have the education necessary to speak about this topic?
• What are the credentials?
• Who’s behind the web site? What other organizations does that person refer to? Who do they say is behind it? Is there a group of people? Who are they?
• What is the URL? What is the root directory?
• References – follow the links. Are they legitimate?
• Check “About Us” and “Contact Us”.
• Google the names and organizations
• How current Is the website? – Check the date, if there is one.

Determining Validity: Identifying Bias

2011-03-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

We looked at establishing the legitimacy and reputability of a web site. We also must look at language on websites to determine the bias of the web site. Let's look at the websites we examined yesterday. What is bias, and what words indicate bias in the language of the websites?

The class will discuss their findings of yesterday, and we will examine some of the websites to determine their bias.

What other agencies or organizations or institutions or media outlets do you know of who clearly have a bias? What does "bias" really mean? We can be biased in favor of something, just as we can be biased against it. What biases do we find in our own thinking?

How Do You Assess a Web Site?

2011-03-09T20:32:00.001-05:00

Look up these websites:
Global Warming Solutions http://www.globalwarmingsolutions.org
Global Warming http://www.globalwarming.org/
Big Bang Theory http://www.big-bang-theory.com/
The Big Bang http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm

What organizations or agencies or people are behind these sites? Are they legitimate sources for Global Warming and The Big Bang Theory? Why? Why not? Complete this Web Site Assessment Form with your responses.

How to you Verify a Source?

2011-03-07T15:06:00.001-05:00

You found a lot of information on the internet. Now, how do you know it's good information? When you meet someone in the street do you immediately believe their story? How do you figure out if they're legit? You need the same "street smarts" when you evaluate internet web sites. Read today's handout (see below) to learn ways to evaluate web sites.

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 your search terms into the search engine (for instance, Google):
• Use correct grammar and spelling
• Be as specific as possible
• Be thorough
• Narrow your search, so you get exactly what you want

Vary your search terms. For example, when researching early rap: “KRS1” or “KRS One” or “Chris Parker” or “Kris Parker,” or other things associated with him, like
the term “Edutainment” could work to get you the results you’re looking for.
Use quotation marks around your search term, if the words have to go together. For example, Chris Parker becomes “Chris Parker,” so that you don’t get everyone named Chris, and all the Parkers in the world.
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 they'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.)
• Always verify your information by looking at more than one reputable source.
• Read the information on the website carefully. Is it sound? Does it make sense? Does it seem credible?
• Determine who wrote the website by looking at “Contact Us,” or “About Us,” or the citations and bibliography at the bottom, or
• Verify your source by making sure you look at more than one source.

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

WHAT DOES THE URL TELL YOU?
• Go back to the root directory of the website to see who hosted it. For example, in the url: http://www.columbia.edu/texts/religion/philosophy.html, the root directory is www.columbia.edu. When looking at the root directory, look for the type of website it is. You can find that out by looking at the letters that come after the first dot. For example:

o .org = organization (non-profit)
o .edu = college or university (- usually. Sometimes it’s a school system.)
o .net = is a commercial designation. (In other words, anyone can get it.)
o .com = company or commercial. Anyone can have one.
o .gov = U.S. Government web site.
o .info = information about some agency or group.
Two letter codes, are country codes, but they are commercial.
o .uk = United Kingdom (also called Great Britain).
o .ca = Canada
o .tv = Tuvalu
o de = Germany
o fr = France

What Must Be in Your Folder in Order To Receive Credit for This Assignment

2011-03-04T09:24:00.001-05:00

1) Your PowerPoint must be complete and you must get it saved to the flash drive.

2) You must have THREE WEB SITE PARAPHRASE FORMS (Named "WebsiteParaphraseForm1","WebsiteParaphrase2" and "WebsiteParaphrase3") in your folder. These forms establish that the words on your slide are actually your own words, and are not plagiarized. You must have the URLs (web addresses) of those pieces of information on each form.

Your three Web Site Paraphrase Forms are essential, and must be in your folder in order to receive credit.

Presentations

2011-02-28T07:40:00.003-05:00

Your presentations on your New York City neighborhoods are due. Each presentation must have five slides:

1) A title slide including your name and the name of the neighborhood

2) A fact, stated in your own words, with a citation (a statement explaining where you got the fact from) and a real, historical picture that illustrates that fact

3) A second fact, stated in your own words, with a citation (a statement explaining where you got the fact from) and a real, historical picture that illustrates that fact

4) A third fact, stated in your own words, with a citation (a statement explaining where you got the fact from) and a real, historical picture that illustrates that fact

5) A concluding slide in which you state what you feel you have learned from your research.

We will be showing them tomorrow. I will save them to my flash drive. Please name them with your name plus the neighborhood. My presentation would be CamillaUpperWestSide, for instance. When you are ready for your work to be saved, raise your hand and I will come over to you and copy your Powerpoint onto my flash drive so we can display it tomorrow. Be prepared to talk about what you learned as we show the slides.

You must also have THREE WEB SITE PARAPHRASE FORMS in your folder, to prove that the words on your slide are actually your words, and not plagiarized. Those three forms are essential in order to receive credit.

What Learning Looks Like: Reading, Comprehending, Interpreting, Expressing

2011-02-16T10:56:00.001-05:00

Learning is a process of development. You start with a skill, and then build on it. You all now know, or at least have had some experience - finding interesting material about the neighborhood on which you've chosen to focus. It is not enough to just find that material. You must read it carefully, and then interpret it: translate it into your own words and express it to an audience.

There is a purpose in all this: learning is not simply copying information from one source to another. Maybe when you are in elementary school it helps to write "A" "A" "A" over and over again, but as you grow older you need to develop another skill: that of understanding the material that you have read and making it your own by describing it to others using your own words.

If I was simply satisfied by your copying a paragraph from a website into your PowerPoint presentations I would not be teaching you anything. You would not be learning anything. This is a bad habit that a lot of schoolchildren have been allowed to get away with for years, but it is plagiarism, and it is not allowed in my class.

The reason that you have to fill out the Web Site Paraphrase Form is because you need to be able to take information in, understand it, and describe what you know. It is possible to simply copy something down and have no idea what you are writing or talking about. That is not learning. That is faking. I am not interested in what you can fake. I am interested in what you can understand.

Do not use a source from the internet that is too confusing or full of technical terms you do not understand. Use information from web sites that are clear to you. Read the information they give you and then describe what you have learned - as if you are explaining it to another student. Put it in your own style. Describe the history of the place as you understand it.

The stages of learning here are:
reading
comprehending
interpreting
expressing

You read, you figure out what each word means, you figure out the whole meaning and message of what you have read, and then you express your thoughts about what you have read, either verbally or through your own writing. That is what learning looks and feels like.

Using What You've Learned: Creating a Presentation

2011-02-11T10:24:00.002-05:00

You will use the three pictures that you have found in a PowerPoint presentation that you will create. You will also have to explain to the class what you have learned about your neighborhood in the 70's, or earlier (you may choose any historical information, as long as it is from before 1980).

Read the material that you find on web sites that contain the pictures. Look further, using google's regular web search engine, to find more information about your exact neighborhood 40, 50, 60, etc. years ago. When you find something you like, bookmark the page and read it carefully. Copy the section that you want to use into the box on the form, and then, next to it, write the same information using your own words. This may be tricky, but you must do it. Copying words directly from someone else is plagiarism. If will get your work disqualified in any arena: work or academia.

In your presentation you'll need to include material from appropriate websites. What have you learned about your neighborhood based on what you've read? Use the Web Site Paraphrase Form to record those passages that are relevant and describe what you've learned in your own words. Once you've put the information on the form you can put it into your PowerPoint slides. You'll need a "Web Site Paraphrase Form" for each piece of information you use. Although you must put your own words into your PowerPoint slides, you must always give credit as to where you got the information.

Your Neighborhood Story

2011-02-09T07:36:00.002-05:00

Assignment:
Choose a neighborhood somewhere within the boundaries of New York City. Find three images from the 1970's, or earlier, on the internet. The pictures cannot be from a film or television show. They must be authentic. How do you know if a picture is really from the 70's or earlier? Check out the technology and clothing of the people. One student mentioned that photographic film also has a different look than digital photography. If you can discern that, use that as well. Make sure you've logged in to your own school account (not the generic "Student" account), and save the images to your desktop.

The 1980's VS Today

2011-02-07T20:10:00.000-05:00

What was it like for Christopher Sorrentino and his friends in New York City in the 1980's? How was teenage life both the same and different thirty years ago? We discussed the article in depth.

Would you bring up your own children the way Chris' parents brought him up? Do you think they had a good approach to parenting? What limits should parents set for their kids, and should they let their kids know about things they did when they were young? In what way was New York City better, and in what way was it worse in the 1980's? What difficulties did they have then that we don't have as much today, and what things are difficult for us that were easier then? We discussed how things were freer then, but on the other hand people did a lot of crazy things and that kind of behavior was more generally accepted. Similarly, we saw how it was easier to survive because rents were cheaper, but New York City was a more dangerous place to live.

Create Your Own Story from Chris Sorrentino's Vocabulary

2011-02-07T19:36:00.001-05:00

The words below come from the Chris Sorrentino article. Choose any ten words from this list:

Adolescence
Earnest
Serendipitous
Assemble
Animosity
Existence
Exhilarating
Equation
Critical
Shift
Inherent
Situate
Arbitrary
Persuade
Dubious
Reassuring
Curfew
Restrictions
Encourage
Designate(d)
Liberated
Confess Arrangement
Fodder
Hilarity
Acknowledge
Violating
Inflexible
Impinged
Shrug
Nebulous
Immoderate
Encounters
Hormonal
Core
Consume
Perspective
Geezer
Lawless
Bankrupt
Anarchic
Heady
Archives
Heterodoxy
Disorder
Revolution
Reinvigorate
Thriving
Crimp
Banishment
Relegation
Abrupt (ly)
Criminalize
Honored
Breach
Concomitant
Enforcement
Lament
Legitimacy
Bestow
“verboten”
Sanctioned
Homogenized
Fertile
Post-mortem

1. Choose any ten words from the above list. You may use any form of the words you choose. In other words, “homogenized” is also “homogenize” in the present tense. “Relegation” can be “relegate” or “relegated.” “Enforcement” can be “enforce.” Look the words up and make sure you know what they mean. If you already have ten words from yesterday’s assignment, you do not have to look up ten new words. Use the ones from your work on Thursday.

2. Write a short story one page long in which you use your ten chosen words correctly. The story must MAKE SENSE, and hang together as a story. It can be about anything, as long as it is appropriate for school. Have fun! ☺

ESSENTIAL NOTE: The story must be one 8.5 x 11 lined page, single-spaced and with normally sized handwriting. Hand the stories in to the teacher when they are completed.

Defining Chris Sorrentino's Words

2011-02-07T19:32:00.003-05:00

We read the Chris Sorrentino article, "When I Was Seventeen." The assignment was as follows:

1.) Read the article

2.) Find at least ten vocabulary words in the Christopher Sorrentino article. That means look for ten words in the article that you, personally, do not know. If you know all the words, then pick ten that you think would qualify as high school level vocabulary words.
3.) Using the skills we discussed last week, try to figure out the meaning of the words BEFORE you look the meaning up. Use the form available here to list your words and definitions. The skills we discussed yesterday were to use contextual clues, break the word into parts (prefix, root word, and suffix), or draw on your knowledge of a Latin-based language (like Spanish) to help you guess the meaning of the word. Put YOUR OWN DEFINITION in column B,
4.) Find a good, understandable dictionary definition online, and write it into column C. Do this for all ten vocabulary words.

Rules: Look up those words by going to an online dictionary or by using a dictionary in the classroom AFTER you’ve written down your own possible definition in Column B. DO NOT use a definition that you do not understand. If you go to a website and find the definitions are not clear, try another dictionary website. Here is a list of some of my favorite dictionary websites, and you can also find others on your own:

http://dictionary.com
http://www.merriam-webster.com/
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
http://oxforddictionaries.com/?attempted=true

Example of Word List:

Column A	Column B	Column C
Vocabulary Words	What You Think They Mean	Dictionary Definitions

The form that was distributed in class is available here.

Welcome to Cycle 4, Spring 2011 Semester

2011-02-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

Our first assignment is a writing assessment.

Read Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son" and write an essay of at least a page and a half explaining what you think the poem is about, and how you relate to it. What is the true meaning of the poem, and how is its message true in real life?

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor --
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now --
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Help In Planning Your Paper

2011-01-14T13:06:00.002-05:00

Do you need help organizing your thoughts? Use the Cornell Notes For Websites Template to take notes on each point that you are using in each of your three articles. Highlight the quote, paste it into the template and, in the opposite box, write down your translation of the quote into your own words. Explain what that part of the article means, without copying the same exact words. Use your GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER Citing Your Sources: Quotation, Paraphrase, and Plagiarism sheet for information on how to avoid plagiarism.

What Must Be In Your Paper

2011-01-13T16:10:00.000-05:00

1) Your Intro = your research statement, made into a paragraph. In the intro paragraphy, your research statement states your topic and answers your research question. Your research statement should be written simply and succinctly (clearly, and to-the-point).

2) Body Paragraphs: Make sure your body paragraphs support your research statement with details and information from your THREE SOURCES (your articles).

3) Your paper must have a conclusion that sums your ideas up.

MAKE SURE TO:
Use ALL of your sources for your article (at least THREE different SOURCES).
Make sure you type your paper.
Make sure it is 3 to 5 pages.
Make sure it is double spaced, with no larger than a 12 point font. DO NOT USE AN UNUSUAL or italic FONT. Best fonts: Arial or Times New Roman.

Note: You must CITE your sources within the text, and you must LIST YOUR SOURCES in a bibliography at the end of the paper.

Rules for Citing Sources Within Your Paper

2011-01-10T15:32:00.002-05:00

Follow the directions on citations illustrated in the handout "Guidelines For Writing A Research Paper." The handout provides specific instructions about how to use quotations and paraphrasing, and avoid plagiarism.

The Thesis Statement Forms Your Introductory Paragraph

2011-01-04T10:31:00.002-05:00

Are Your Articles Relevant to Your Topic? Make sure that your articles address your research question directly. They must be relevant, as well as reputable!

Your introductory paragraph is where you inform the reader of your thesis. A thesis is an idea formed from your research about your topic. What have the articles told you? How have they answered your research question? You can only have a thesis if you have read your articles. Once you have your answer, you need to form it into a thesis statement. Fill out this form to identify the steps you've taken to form your research statement. Once the form is completed you will be ready to begin your introductory paragraph. Your introductory paragraph has the thesis statement as its main idea.

Assignment for Tuesday, December 14, 2010

2010-12-13T17:26:00.004-05:00

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

2010-12-13T16:29:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-10T10:25:00.001-05:00

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

2010-12-06T17:59:00.001-05:00

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

2010-11-30T12:05:00.001-05:00

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

2010-11-29T10:49:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-23T15:41:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-15T14:19:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-15T13:06:00.002-05:00

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

2010-11-09T15:28:00.000-05:00

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

2010-11-05T15:15:00.000-04:00

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

2010-11-01T10:46:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-28T14:37:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-26T10:56:00.002-04:00

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"

2010-10-25T14:37:00.000-04:00

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"

2010-10-21T09:09:00.005-04:00

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

2010-10-12T10:19:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-06T07:32:00.009-04:00

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"

2010-10-05T08:18:00.000-04:00

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"

2010-10-04T15:48:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-30T14:57:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-29T15:22:00.003-04:00

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

2010-09-29T10:37:00.004-04:00

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!

2010-09-27T10:58:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-24T10:57:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-23T16:40:00.000-04:00

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?

2010-09-22T15:50:00.001-04:00

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

2010-09-22T14:20:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-13T10:34:00.001-04:00

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

2010-06-08T09:20:00.000-04:00

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

2010-06-02T13:07:00.000-04:00

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

2010-06-01T09:56:00.014-04:00

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

2010-05-24T10:20:00.008-04:00

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

2010-05-20T12:59:00.000-04:00

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.