1. Choose one of the prompts from this New York Times list of personal and narrative writing prompts and respond to it in a 2-paragraph blog post.
2. We are reading a challenging book. What strategies are you using to read it successfully? What has been most effective for you so far and why? What challenges are you finding? How might you address those challenges?
Reading Details: Include Nervous Conditions, and include everything between 3/22 and 4/4.
Enjoy your break!
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Friday, March 18, 2016
Q4: Week 2 - Posts for 3/21
Just one post this week! + Reading Details
Please read a current political article from the source of your choice and respond to it in a 2-paragraph blog post. Because of the reading element, this post will be worth 20 points instead of 10.
You must:
- Include a link to the article (Hint: selecting your text and pressing ctrl / cmd -K allows you to insert a link without it looking like an ugly link)
- Summarize and explain the author's main point(s) fairly
- Provide your opinion / response. You may want to acknowledge issues that you don't have enough background knowledge to adequately respond to and consider how you might learn more.
- Explain how you chose your article, both the topic and the source (website or newspaper)
- Stay focused on the issues in the article. Resist the temptation to dive into a rant.
- Be civil and understanding of people who may have different views (this applies to comments, too) while being clear.
As we enter the fourth quarter, a few general reminders for blogging:
- We blog because frequent, low-stakes writing is critical to your development as writers. Blogging takes the place of multiple formal essays in our class. It offers you an opportunity to explore your ideas and writing voice in a supportive environment and to build your fluency as a writer.
- Missing blogs, not completing comments, or not including reading details can substantially impact your grade. Four weeks of blogging is generally the equivalent of a paper or test. It adds up fast.
- A complete blog post is at least two developed paragraphs, meaning a minimum of 5 strong sentences. Yes, it is possible to write short sentences about nothing, but that won't help you as a writer, and it may negatively affect your grade.
- While blogs are informal, they are academic-informal. That means you need to capitalize appropriately, use apostrophes and punctuation consistently, and consider the appropriateness of your remarks for a school audience and assignment.
- I want you to do your best but not agonize over these. Consider the topic, then set a timer for 15 minutes, and write the best post you can in that focused time.
Please read a current political article from the source of your choice and respond to it in a 2-paragraph blog post. Because of the reading element, this post will be worth 20 points instead of 10.
You must:
- Include a link to the article (Hint: selecting your text and pressing ctrl / cmd -K allows you to insert a link without it looking like an ugly link)
- Summarize and explain the author's main point(s) fairly
- Provide your opinion / response. You may want to acknowledge issues that you don't have enough background knowledge to adequately respond to and consider how you might learn more.
- Explain how you chose your article, both the topic and the source (website or newspaper)
- Stay focused on the issues in the article. Resist the temptation to dive into a rant.
- Be civil and understanding of people who may have different views (this applies to comments, too) while being clear.
As we enter the fourth quarter, a few general reminders for blogging:
- We blog because frequent, low-stakes writing is critical to your development as writers. Blogging takes the place of multiple formal essays in our class. It offers you an opportunity to explore your ideas and writing voice in a supportive environment and to build your fluency as a writer.
- Missing blogs, not completing comments, or not including reading details can substantially impact your grade. Four weeks of blogging is generally the equivalent of a paper or test. It adds up fast.
- A complete blog post is at least two developed paragraphs, meaning a minimum of 5 strong sentences. Yes, it is possible to write short sentences about nothing, but that won't help you as a writer, and it may negatively affect your grade.
- While blogs are informal, they are academic-informal. That means you need to capitalize appropriately, use apostrophes and punctuation consistently, and consider the appropriateness of your remarks for a school audience and assignment.
- I want you to do your best but not agonize over these. Consider the topic, then set a timer for 15 minutes, and write the best post you can in that focused time.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Q4: Week 1 - Posts Due 3/14
2 Posts this week:
Reminders: You should spend about 15 minutes on each post. Though posts don't need to be perfect, they should be edited. Use Grammarly if you need to, read out loud, and take special care with capitalizing (particularly "I") and apostrophes.
1. Free Post! Reading responses are welcome, but you may write about any school-appropriate topic.
2. Learning Reflection: Now that we are 3/4 of the way through the year, what have you learned about yourself as a student / reader / writer and how you learn best and are most productive? How will you use that information to do your best work this last quarter?
READING DETAILS: Really, y'all, forgetting these can take your score from an A to a C. Please make sure to include them.
Reminders: You should spend about 15 minutes on each post. Though posts don't need to be perfect, they should be edited. Use Grammarly if you need to, read out loud, and take special care with capitalizing (particularly "I") and apostrophes.
1. Free Post! Reading responses are welcome, but you may write about any school-appropriate topic.
2. Learning Reflection: Now that we are 3/4 of the way through the year, what have you learned about yourself as a student / reader / writer and how you learn best and are most productive? How will you use that information to do your best work this last quarter?
READING DETAILS: Really, y'all, forgetting these can take your score from an A to a C. Please make sure to include them.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Q3: Week 8 - Posts for 3/7
You have two posts this week, both related to poetry. Please read the instructions carefully and make sure to post your reading details (you can include ATDPTI discussion posts).
Post 1: Analyze a Song
For your first post, analyze a song of your choice. Your analysis should identify the major techniques being used, how those techniques are used, and what effects they have in the song. How do these techniques contribute to your overall interpretation of the song? Your post should be at least two developed paragraphs in length but may be longer. Make sure to include the song's title, author/artist, and a link to the lyrics. You may also want to type out any particularly relevant sections (this doesn't count toward the length).
You may choose any song you'd like if it is school-appropriate and the lyrics are available online. Make sure you choose a song that has poetic devices in it for you to analyze. End rhyme and a repeated chorus do not count - find a song with other techniques. Your analysis should identify the techniques being used, how they are used, and what effect they create--you are making claims about the song and supporting them. Consider aspects of the song such as tone, theme, diction, speaker, and purpose. As always, your analysis must be your own, but you may look up any allusions that you need to.
If you are having trouble finding a song, here are a few suggestions:
For your first post, analyze a song of your choice. Your analysis should identify the major techniques being used, how those techniques are used, and what effects they have in the song. How do these techniques contribute to your overall interpretation of the song? Your post should be at least two developed paragraphs in length but may be longer. Make sure to include the song's title, author/artist, and a link to the lyrics. You may also want to type out any particularly relevant sections (this doesn't count toward the length).
You may choose any song you'd like if it is school-appropriate and the lyrics are available online. Make sure you choose a song that has poetic devices in it for you to analyze. End rhyme and a repeated chorus do not count - find a song with other techniques. Your analysis should identify the techniques being used, how they are used, and what effect they create--you are making claims about the song and supporting them. Consider aspects of the song such as tone, theme, diction, speaker, and purpose. As always, your analysis must be your own, but you may look up any allusions that you need to.
If you are having trouble finding a song, here are a few suggestions:
"I Must Belong Somewhere" by Bright Eyes - Lyrics, Song
"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon - Lyrics, Video
"Dark Turn of Mind" by Gillian Welch - Lyrics and Video (scroll down)
"Love" by Mos Def - Lyrics, Song
"Float" by Aesop Rock - Lyrics and song (scroll down)
"Umbrella" by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z - Lyrics
"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon - Lyrics, Video
"Dark Turn of Mind" by Gillian Welch - Lyrics and Video (scroll down)
"Love" by Mos Def - Lyrics, Song
"Float" by Aesop Rock - Lyrics and song (scroll down)
"Umbrella" by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z - Lyrics
Post 2: Write a Poem
Write a poem! In no less than 15 lines, use a minimum of 3 of the techniques we've been discussing, and identify the techniques at the end.
Your poem can be about anything, but if you need ideas:
- describe an object or place that means something to you with dense imagery
- narrate a memory from childhood
- use figurative language to describe an emotion
- a letter to someone or something
- a list
Your poem can be about anything, but if you need ideas:
- describe an object or place that means something to you with dense imagery
- narrate a memory from childhood
- use figurative language to describe an emotion
- a letter to someone or something
- a list
(Please don't just post the poem you wrote from love poems day).
Post your reading details - be specific.
Optional: In addition to the assigned blogs this week, you may make up a previous post without a late penalty if you'd like. Please include the week number and original due date of the post you'd like to make up.
Optional: In addition to the assigned blogs this week, you may make up a previous post without a late penalty if you'd like. Please include the week number and original due date of the post you'd like to make up.
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