Wednesday

 Today we are going to look at the "Compare and Contrast" chapter of the "river reader" and begin to outline your narration essay.

Good luck!

Tuesday

 Today, we will look at "Process Analysis" in the river reader.  We will also discuss the list of ideas you came up with for the "Modes of Writing" project, and finally work on your narration essay (this is the first essay for the project):

NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION Points to Remember

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

PROJECT

Today we are going to discuss ideas for your PROJECT, look at some previous examples, and read from the "Narration" chapter in the river reader.

 PROJECT OVERVIEW

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

 

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

2)    

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

Each paper should be approximately 500-1000 words, labeled with the mode of development, double-spaced, typed, have a creative title, and a word count at the end.

Total project should be approximately 3500-6000 words.

Each paper will go through at least two drafts and maybe workshopped.

PROJECT will be due at SPRING BREAK.  

Other Due dates: Thematic Unit read ("Survival") by 1/23.  Quiz on 1/24.

Narration Essay (draft) due 1/30

Process Analysis (draft) due 2/6

Compare and Contrast (draft) due 2/13

Division and Classification (draft) due 2/20

Definition (draft) due 2/27

Cause and Effect due 3/6

Persuasion (draft) due 3/13

FINAL drafts (all revisions done) due 3/22

 

 1st TWO ESSAYS - overview:

 

NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION Points to Remember

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


PROCESS ANALYSIS

Points to Remember

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

Malcolm X

 We are going to continue to read and analyze "The Ballot or the Bullet" today. This week we will be practicing an AP MC - timed text - and a rhetorical analysis question test. 

Wednesday

 Tomorrow, we are going to do a synthesis essay. We'll look quickly at the synthesis rubric. Technically, you need 55 minutes to write a timed synthesis essay, so you might want to get her a few minutes early to start.

Today, I would like to discuss your reading last night, and to look at one last essay in this book. On Friday we will look at Malcolm X. 

Tuesday

 Today I want to discuss the essay we read yesterday and then get into another essay in the book called, "Blame it on the Blues" on page 91.

Monday

 This week we are going to look at Angela Davis, Malcolm X, and return to the Synthesis Essay. Next week I will be giving you a series of in-class essay and a MC test. For the most part these are practice, but I do want to see how you are doing with them before we start next semester.

Next semester we will be writing the "MODES" project and reading Malcolm X. We will also be returning to looking at many shorter essays.