September 29, 2016 - Thurdsay

Class Work

1. Discuss "When the Patient is a Googler".  What do you think; should patients use the Internet to research their doctors and symptoms? If so, when? If not, why not? How much information about doctor and/or illness is too much information?
2. Political ads - what did you find? Who does it best? What sort of advertising techniques would convince you to cast your vote for a particular candidate?


3.. Argumentative Writing: Claims - "because" - Reasons - Evidence. (Take notes from the board.)
How to: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/argument.htm (Follow along - ask questions!)
Homework
4. Reality TV ... are you watching? Should you?
"Why Reality TV is Good for Us" by James Poniewozik  http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,421047,00.html
A. What did the author say to convince the reader that reality television is "good?" List three points.
B. According to the author, why do some object to reality TV? Are there additional objections that could have been mentioned?
C. What do you think? Using examples from your own life with television, either defend or object to reality television. (2-3 paragraphs) (Post in CANVAS -by Tuesday - 25 points)

5. "When Reality TV Gets Too Real" by Jeremy W. Peters
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/business/media/08reality.html?_r=0
A. Study the introduction and the conclusion of this essay. What does the author do to capture your attention and to leave you with a message?
B. In a well developed paragraph or two explain to what extent does reality television encourage the public to make dangerous decisions? Use examples from the article and from life. (Post in CANVAS by Tuesday - 25 points)

6. Select your techno topic. Locate two resources that you might use in your essay. Begin an annotated bibliography.

September 27, 2016 - Tuesday

Class Work

1."The Veldt" - 10 minute Quick Write - two paragraphs - post in CANVAS.

• What happened?
• Why?

2. A day without a techno gizmo or gadget . . . using your paper notes, discuss at your table! Select one person to report to the class.
3. Persuasive/argumentative writing techniques - how convincing are these?
Review persuasive techniques from ads
http://managementstudyguide.com/advertising-techniques.htm

 

1. Bandwagon
2. Glittering Generalities
3. Statistics
4. Testimonial
5. Star Struck
6. Plain Folks
7. Youth appeal
8. Patriotic approach
9. Sympathy
10. Beautiful Place - ahhh - how relaxing!
11. Health appeal
B. Look at one or two Super Bowl 49 ads:
http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/features/super-bowl-xlixs-best-and-worst-commercials-20150202
C. Of course, what campaign would be complete without some television ads? Watch the trailer from The Candidate and then view some old political ads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RTIQWXzexU (Trailer)

http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2016/09/25/The-best-political-ads-through-the-ages/stories/201609180009 Old ads


Homework: Watch or listen to or view a political ad for Trump and a political ad for Clinton. If you don't have the time to watch TV and wait for the Clinton/Trump ads, you may watch two of the older ads from previous candidates. (30 points) http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2016/09/25/The-best-political-ads-through-the-ages/stories/201609180009

• Describe each ad.
• Identify the techniques used
• Note your opinion about the overall effectiveness of each ad. Is the ad likely to persuade voters? Why or why not?

In class - work with a partner and find two magazine ads to study. (Magazines provided.)

• Identify the techniques used.
• Note the effectiveness of the ad. In other words, does the ad convince you to trade your money for the product?

Read this article for homework. Be prepared to discuss it on Thursday. "When the Patient is a Googler: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1681838,00.html

 

September 22, 2016 - Thursday

Class Work

"There Will Come Soft Rains" - what technology do we have now that was only a dream in 1950?

Can you think with all of the wonderful technology that we use daily?

• You will become an expert on one topic from an essay by Sharon Begley.
• Read the entire article. Highlight the information about your topic.
• Share your knowledge with others in the class.
• Your task is to talk to as many as possible to find out what technology may be doing to our brains!

 All words come from “I Can’t Think” by  Sharon Begley’s February 27, 2011, in Newsweek http://www.sharonlbegley.com/the-science-of-making-decisions )
 

Article: "The Whole World Is Watching" by Thomas Friedman (Save for Tuesday)
 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/opinion/27friedman.html?_r=0
Questions to answer:

• How does Friedman open the essay? How would you respond in that situation?
• What are the positives and negatives of our "whole world is watching" society?
• What "digital fingerprints" are you leaving? In what ways might that impact your future?
• Do you agree or disagree that blogs, forums, etc., enhance communication?

Video games . . . how real is too real. Watch and discuss "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. The house you read about for homework is here. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erkL_IqlupE (If we do not finish in class, finish watching for homework.)

Homework: Do you have any rights to privacy on-line? Read this article for homework. Respond to the following on CANVAS. Due Tuesday.

Illusion of Twitter Privacy

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/02/uncle-sam-and-the-illusion-of-privacy-online/385332/

A. What are three key points of the article? (15 points)

B. In a well developed paragraph or two, share your thoughts. Are people entitled to privacy on-line? Why or why not? (25 points)

 Homework challenge: Go 24 hours without your favorite techno item. Keep a journal of the experience - on paper, of course!  ( 25 points) You may use the weekend for this. The assignment is  dueTuesday.  Bring your journal with you to class.

Class Work
Reflection: After submitting an essay, it is useful to reflect on the paper. What did you like about your essay? What was challenging? If you had more time, what, if anything, would you change? (Use the notecard provided. Attach it to your peer editing sheet and submit.)

Something new!
Technology-
Table assignment - one paper, please:
Make a list of all of the technology that is available to YOU in your home, car, place of work, an school. (3 minutes)

Discussion considerations:1. What technological advances have you seen in your lifetime? What exists now that did not exist when you were born? Would you want to go back to the way it was?
2. What is your favorite techno gizmo or gadget? Why? Could you live 24 hours without it? Would you want to?
3. How much money do we spend on technology each month? (Individial/table/whole class)_


Discover: Who are you on-line? Google or Yahoo or Bing yourself and find out. What can others find out about you? (7 minutes) We will follow with a discussion.
Discuss:

• Did you know that the information was available?
• Did anything surprise you?
• Did anything concern you?
• Did anything make you happy?
• Should you  be worried?

Article: "The Whole World Is Watching" by Thomas Friedman (Save for Thursday.)
 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/opinion/27friedman.html?_r=0
Questions to answer:

• How does Friedman open the essay? How would you respond in that situation?
• What are the positives and negatives of our "whole world is watching" society?
• What "digital fingerprints" are you leaving? In what ways might that impact your future?
• Do you agree or disagree that blogs, forums, etc., enhance communication?

 Homework: Do you have any rights to privacy on-line? Read this article for homework. Respond to the following on CANVAS.

Illusion of Twitter Privacy

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/02/uncle-sam-and-the-illusion-of-privacy-online/385332/

A. What are three key points of the article? (15 points)

B. In a well developed paragraph or two, share your thoughts. Are people entitled to privacy on-line? Why or why not? (25 points)

 Homework challenge: Go 24 hours without your favorite techno item. Keep a journal of the experience - on paper, of course!  ( 25 points) You may use the weekend for this. The assignment is not due until next Tuesday.

6. One last homework assignment - we will do part of this in class today! "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury.
http://www.gs.cidsnet.de/englisch-online/originals/soft_rains.htm


Audio recording: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/there-will-come-soft-rains
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Sara Teasdale
http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/there-will-come-soft-rains


Finish reading the story. List the "technology" that we have today that is like the technology in the story.
Bring a paper list to class on Tuesday.

September 15. 2016 - Thursday

Class Work

1. Participate in a peer editing activity.
2. Learn how to add in-text citations.
    - Highlight all "borrowed" information in your essay. (Marker provided if you don't have one-)
     - Guidelines: See handout
     - Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTaUHS1mnvw
     - Sample essay: http://www.ou.edu/cls/reference/pdf/Hacker-Daly-MLA.pdf
     - More tips: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/2/

Homework: Revise your draft and post the final in CANVAS by Tuesday. Be sure you use in-text citations correctly. (75 points) Also, using EasyBib (www.easybib.com)  or other source, include a correctly formatted Works Cited page. (15 points) Also, turn in the paper copy of your draft and the peer editing sheet.(10 points)  

Tuesdy, September 13, 2016

Class Work
Let's take a look at the "definition" charts and graphs. Pull yours up from CANVAS, your jump-drive, or from your computer. (E-mail attachments work, too!)

Share what you have researched so far. Ask each other questions.
Add the definitions of others at your table. Be sure to get the correct spelling of the names and note today's date. You will need that information for your Works Cited page.

There is another square that is probably empty on your chart. Let's learn to look at art. You will need to locate a work of art that is representative of your term. Let's do one together. If I had selected the term "love" as my term to define, I might have developed a claim like this.  

Claim: In "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, love, or the lack of love, caused Mrs. Mallard's death.

I would then look for a work of art that focused on "love".

Here is an example:
http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=15917 (I am using the picture Flaming June which features  the woman dressed in orange.)
Let's use these questions to study the work


Looking at Art -

• What is the title of the work? How does the title help you to understand the message? What is the message?
• What is the most obvious image in the work. To where is your eye drawn?
• Look at the colors. Are they symbolic? Would the message be different if the colors were different? Explain.
• Study the shading and shadowing. How do these elements impact the overall message?
• Who is the artist? When was the work created? Is the artist's message about a specific event in history? What was going on in the world when the work was created? Is the art universal - speaks to people of all times and in all places, or is it limited to the audience for whom it was created.
• How does the work relate to the story in the early 20th century and to us in 21st century America?

You should now have all of the boxes on your chart filled.

 

Sample essays and writing tips:

"What is a Yankee?" http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm

"A Few of My Favorite Things"

http://college.cengage.com/english/vandermey/college_writer/2e/resources/writing/student_definition_zinser.pdf

 Get organized! Here are some options from your chart:

Determine how you want to present the information.

·       Dictionary definition

·       Your definition­­

·       Definition of a classmate

·       Question

·       Quotation

·       What it is

·       What it is not

·       Art

·       Literature

·       History

·       Media

·       News

·       Personal story

Decide the best order for the rest of the paper.

Save something great for the conclusion.

 

Homework:  Using your chart as a guide, write the draft of your definition essay. Bring the draft to class on Thursday. You will need to post in CANVAS and bring a paper copy. You may print in class if necessary.

September 8, 2016 - Thursday

Activity #1

1. Play the name game with the names of the characters from "Story of an Hour" and "The Yellow Wallpaper."
2. At your table, list all the names of the characters from each story.

• Divide the names - each searching for some, but not all. In other words, on person should not do all of the work. Place your initials by the name(s) you researched.
• Each table will create a list of names and meanings.
• Note any famous folks or events from history where the names appear. Think. Is there any relation to the characters or events from the story? Explain. (10 minutes)

http://www.behindthename.com/
http://nameberry.com/

Activity #2: Learn about mallard ducks . . . go to any search engine and search out information about the feathered friends. (15ish minutes)

• Each person at the table should search a separate site.
•  In what ways are Mr. and Mrs. Mallard like the ducks? In what ways do they differ?
• Create a comparison/contrast chart at your table. (One per table.)
•  In addition, create a Works Cited page for the table. Use MLA 8 style. Place all names of participants in the upper left of the paper. Submit one paper per group. www.easybib.com

Activity #3: Possible topics for an essay . . . After reading "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "Story of an Hour", it is time to find topics and start drafting!
A. Let's generate a list of possible words/terms/concepts that relate to the two stories.
Type of essay: Definition - You will need to select a word/concept to define. Let's try one together.
Here is a graphic organizer for your use. (Paper copy provided.)

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Quotations:                        Source:	The word in literature.                       Source:	What it is NOT: (Negative definition)                   Source:
The word in history:                          Source:	Word/Concept to be defined:       Personal Definition:           Dictionary Definition:	The word in poetry/art/media:                       Source:
Synonyms:                            Source:	The word in the news:                         Source:	How classmates define the word:                       Source:

Homework: Conduct research using the chart as your guide. Be sure to keep track of your sources! (Simply copy/paste the chart into a Word document or create a chart of your own. Post in CANVAS by Tuesday.

September 6, 2016 - Tuesday

I.  Just who was Charlotte Perkins Gillman? (7:30 am) Review (12:00 pm)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0VYTV_ee2E
http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-perkins-gilman-9311669

II. . "Story of an Hour"  by Kate Chopin

http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/

1. You will be given a paper copy. Read it. What happened? Why?
2. Create a mind map for Mrs. Mallard - (Directions will be given.) (For those who are absent, answer the questions at the bottom of the story link.)
3. Play the name game with the names of the characters from "Story of an Hour" and "The Yellow Wallpaper."

• At your table, list all the names of the characters from each story.
• Divide the names - each searching for some, but not all. In other words, on person should not do all of the work. Place your initials by the name(s) you researched.
• Each table will create a list of names and meanings.
• Note any famous folks or events from history where the names appear. Think. Is there any relation to the characters or events from the story? Explain.

http://www.behindthename.com/
http://nameberry.com/

III. . Learn about mallard ducks . . . go to any search engine and search out information about the feathered friends.

• Each person at the table should search a separate site.
•  In what ways are Mr. and Mrs. Mallard like the ducks? In what ways do they differ? Create a comparison/contrast chart at your table. (One per table.)
•  Create a Works Cited page for the table. (Do you know how to use EasyBib?) Let's learn how: www.easybib.com

IV. Homework: Author biography - Read and note the aspects of the Kate Chopin's life that might have contributed to the plot and characters in "Story of an Hour."(Create a list of 7 to explain. Post in CANVAS by Thursday.)

http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/webtexts/hour/katebio.html

 

 

 

September 1, 2016 - Thursday

 Haunted or imagined? What do you think happened in "The Yellow Wallpaper?" Why? What evidence is there? Share at your tables.

1.  Return to your group for the color activity:

• Research: What does that color symbolize? Is it important in any way? What "things" are that color? 
• Explain how the story would change if the wallpaper were your assigned color. 
•  Your group has 15 minutes to work on this. We will then share. You may create some sort of visual/powerpoint/prezi if you wish. Coloring with markers on the white board is also fine.

All must speak. Break up the information so that all have an equal oppportunity.
A. Introduce yourselves and your color.
B. Answer why the color is or is not important. Share what items/things are that color. Share if and where the color is important around the world.
C. Does the color have any "mystical" or magical powers?
D. Most importantly, how would the story change if the wallpaper had been your color instead of yellow, or would the story change?

Take notes on the presentations of others. Submit for 30 points.

2. Just who was Charlotte Perkins Gillman?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0VYTV_ee2E
http://www.biography.com/people/charlotte-perkins-gilman-9311669


3. We will begin watching the movie in class. 

Please finish for homework. 
There are eight sections. For each section, write a sentence or two that explains how the movie is similar to or differs from the short story.
Conclude with a brief paragraph that explains if the movie did justice to the short story. Feel free to provide suggestions to the director and producer!

Post in CANVAS by Tuesday, September 6, 2016.

How do film makers view this story? Let's look.
PBS - movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAJm6gFJb4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Iy1fbw6sQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdk4cre_jT4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YdQHSqpcI8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVn2KJie8Xo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPCYupOUcbo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNdm4UyL5Wo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWJ4ZtLlRvE&feature=related