"The Value of Life"

Good Morning!

*Module #4,"The Value of Life"-- We have begun a new module that evokes our thinking on the value or meaning of life.  Yesterday the story that we began watching very much evokes thinking on what really matters during our time in life:

         "Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my 
           eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star 
           which led the Wise Men to a poor abode!  Were there no 
           poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!"

 HOMEWORK:  Independent Reading

Module #4

Good Morning!

*Module #4 -- Yesterday we responded to the first activity in the module called "The Value of Life."

HOMEWORK:  Independent Reading

Module #4

Good Morning!

*NOTE:  Please contribute to the food drive

*Essays -- I would like to share a few more essays with you before we move on.  

*Module #4 -- yesterday I passed out the packet for Module #4, "The Value of Life."  Today, I would like you to spend some time responding to Activity #1 in your Writer's Journal.  Please write "Module #4" in your Writer's Journal and then "Activity #1."

HOMEWORK:  Independent Reading

Essays

Good Morning!

*Food Drive Contributions -- please bring a can or two 

*Essay -- today I would like to share some of the essays that you have written before we move on. Today I will be reviewing all essays.

*Module #4 -- "The Value of Life"   We will begin this module this week.  It's a long module but we should be able to finish it by the end of the semester.  

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading 

Essay of Controversy

Good Morning!

I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

*Food drive contributions will be accepted until Friday.

*Essay of Controversy -- today is the very last day to complete this essay.  I WILL NOT read it if it is not at the very least 500 words. Six of you today will read each other's essay and make suggestions.  I will give you a form to complete.  

HOMEWORK: Completion of ESSAY!

Essay -- First Draft

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive

*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*Essay Topic --  You have now completed a draft of your essay. Please print your essay out.  In a writer's response group you will read your essay, and the group members will respond with positive comments and feedback for revision. Please very carefully proofread your draft for errors.  

HOMEWORK:  Revise and edit your essay.

Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive

*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*Essay Topic --  By now you are well on your way in drafting your essay.  Today you will continue completing this draft which is due tomorrow.  The body of your essay consists of evidence that supports your point of view.  This is what you have spent this week accomplishing in class.

*Refer to Activity #19 for more guidance on writing this essay.

*This essay assignment requires the gathering of evidence to support your thesis.  This is what you are doing today.

HOMEWORK:  Your are composing your essay.  By tomorrow you will have a FULLY completed draft. 

Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive

*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*Essay Topic -- By now you should have selected your topic and have written a tentative thesis.  Yesterday you created a new document and named it:  Period 2 Essay of Controversy
Share this new document with me: abaltrushes@gmail.com

*Refer to Activity #19 for more guidance on writing this essay.

*This essay assignment requires the gathering of evidence to support your thesis.  This is what you are doing today.

HOMEWORK:  Your are composing your essay.  By Friday you will have a FULLY completed draft. 

Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive

*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*Essay Topic -- By now you should have selected your topic and have written a tentative thesis.  TODAY you will go to your Google drive and create a new document.  Please name this new document as follows:  Period 2 Essay of Controversy
Share this new document with me: abaltrushes@gmail.com

*Refer to Activity #19 for more guidance on writing this essay.

*This essay assignment requires the gathering of evidence to support your thesis.  This is what you are doing today.

HOMEWORK:  Your are composing your essay.  By Friday you will have a FULLY completed draft. 

Essay

Good Morning!
I hope that you had a very enjoyable weekend!

*Please read at the bell for about 10 minutes.

*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*Essay Topic -- I asked you to make a decision on an essay topic and to write a thesis.  Refer to Acivities 15 - 18. One way to write a thesis is to first pose a research question and then turn it into a statement of opinion on your topic. e.g. Is it possible for U.S. colleges to become tuition free?  It is now approaching the time in the United States where colleges must follow Germany's example and offer a tuition free education.

Free College Tuition 
Tuition Free Universities in Europe

HOMEWORK:  Begin composing your essay

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Please read at the bell for about 10 minutes.
*Food Drive -- any contributions?

*"Racial Profiling" -- looking at topics for your essay. For homework you were asked to decide on a topic. Please look at activity #15 & #16.  Today you will use the netbooks to help you decide on your topic by locating possible resources of information on your tentative topic.

Homework:  Make a decision on a topic for your essay and formulate a thesis. 

Racial Profiling"

Good Morning!

*Please read at the bell for about 10 minutes.
*Food Drive -- please bring a can or two to class for the food drive.

*"Racial Profiling" -- yesterday we completed Activity # 12 together which you would have recorded in your Writer's Journal. 
NYC protests  
 *Sharing your 5 questions on the article. 
 *Activity #15 -- Writing Task -- With a partner generate a list of five possible topics.

Homework:  Make a decision on a topic for your essay 

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Independent Reading -- please begin at the bell.

*Writer's Journal -- please open your journal to Activity #12 and be ready to share your responses.

*Your 5 questions from yesterday -- you wrote some very good questions and I would like to discuss them.

*Activity #15:  Please open your packet to Activity #15 and read.  With a partner, think of 5 possible topics for this assignment.

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading and essay topic.

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Independent Reading Book -- Please begin reading at the bell.  I would like to take a look at what you are reading.

*"Racial Profiling" -- Please go to Activity #11.  Working alone or with a partner summarize this article in your Writer's Journal in no more than five sentences. Include five vocabulary words from this module in your summary. THEN, on a separate piece of paper write five questions that might generate discussion and turn in.  Next, go to Activity #12 and respond to the questions on logos, ethos, and pathos.  Bob Herbert

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading 

Racial Profiling

Good morning and welcome back!  I hope that you had a very enjoyable vacation!

*NOTE:  This is the first day of the final six weeks for the first semester.  Let's have a successful final six weeks by getting all assignments completed. 

*Before Thanksgiving vacation we read the article "Racial Profiling."  You completed activities 1-4 in your Writer's Journal and activity #7 which was creating a picture outline of how the text is structured.  I would like us to look at a few more activities to examine some of the writer's rhetorical choices  (activities 7 & 8).  Complete Activity #11 in your Writer's Journal.


HOMEWORK:  Please select your independent reading book for the final six weeks.  

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Article of the Week #11 is due -- annotation and written response.

*Racial Profiling -- yesterday you completed Activities #3 and #4 in your Writer's Journal.  Today we will read the editorial together and examine what Herbert does for each paragraph. Then, you will create a picture outline of how the text is structured. Map it out on scatch paper and then transfer into your Writer's Journal.

 

Homework:   Select your new independent reading book for the final six weeks.  If you have not read a book from the recommended book list, you must do so for the final six weeks.

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Writer's Journal -- I will finish checking today.

  

*"The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow" -- yesterday you read one of the stories from this PBS site  Jim Crow Stories.
I asked you to take notes so that you would remember what to tell about one of the stories you read.  You will share that today.

*Activity #3 and #4 -- if we have time we will complete these activities.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #11 -- annotation and written response due tomorrow.

Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive.

*Note:  Remember that one of your required books must be from the recommended book list.  We have one more to go for this semester.  The new grading period begins the first week back from Thanksgiving. 

*Racial Profiling  -- yesterday I had you use the netbooks to do some research on Jim Crow laws.  You responded in your Writers Journal to the questions in Activity #2 and you went to the PBS page called "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow" and read four of the Jim Crow stories.   Jim Crow Stories

While I check your Writer's Journal, please select one of the stories to retell to the class.  Take some notes so you will remember some key details.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #11 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday.

Module #3 -- Racial Profiling

Good Morning!

*Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive to class.

 

*Note: Book reviews were due yesterday.  I will not accept late reviews.   If you have not selected a book from the recommended book list, be sure to do so for the final six weeks.

*Yesterday you responded in your Writer's Journal to Activity #1.  Today you will complete Activity #2 and record your responses in your Writer's Journal.  Be sure to clearly identify the activities in your Writer's Journal.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #11 due Friday

Module #3

Good Morning!

I hope that you had a very enjoyable weekend!

*Note:  Book reviews are due no later than midnight tonight.  They must have a time stamp of November 17th or an earlier date.

*Article of the Week #11 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

* Essay on animal rights was to be completed on Friday.  I indicated that if it was not completed by then, you must complete it over the weekend.  Today, I am printing out essays that are complete and grading the others accordingly.

*NOTE:  I would like to check your Writer's Journal this week.  Please have it available each day (as you are supposed to).

*MODULE #3 -- the next module focuses on a single essay that concerns racial profiling.  To get started please respond to the following question in your Writer's Journal:  What do you know about racial profiling.  What do you think about it?

Definition of Racial Profiling

Reality of Racial Profiling

HOMEWORK:  AOW #11 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive.

*Article of the Week #10 is due -- annotation and written response

*NOTE:  Book reviews are due on Monday, Nov 17th no later than midnight.  Be sure to follow the rubric and submit the URL of your Goodreads page by filling out the form under "Important Links."

*Animal Rights Essay -- you will complete the writing of this essay today.  How you format the essay is up to you, but I should see paragraphing (an introduction and body paragraphs that make specific points to support your view).  Your essay should be no less than 500 words.  Please double-space and put your name, course name, instructor's name, and date in the upper left corner.  Entitle your essay.  Indent each paragraph.

*HOMEWORK:   Book review

Animal Rights Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbooks when you arrive.

*Article of the Week #10 -- annotation and written response is due tomorrow.

*Essay -- for homework I asked you do compose your essay in response to the writing prompt in Activity #28.  You are writing about your position on animal rights. How you format the essay is up to you, but it should be well-organized and clearly present and support a point of view.  TODAY, create a new document and name it  Period 2 Animal Rights Essay.  Share the document with me (abaltrushes@gmail.com)   Continue writing today, and I will give you time tomorrow to complete this.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #10
                          Book Review
                          Essay

   

Essay

Good Morning!

I hope that you had an enjoyable day off (some of you!)

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due Monday, November 17th.

*Article of the Week #10 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

*Friday we did a little bit of investigating online about animal rights to further help us develop a perspective on this issue. Today we are going to begin composing a response to the essay assignment.  Refer to Activity #28 again.  To begin, I would like you to do a free write -- do not worry about a thesis or supporting evidence and any of the elements of a formal essay . . .  not yet.

Animal Bill of Rights
Medical Research and Animal Rights 
Animal Abuse and Human Abuse

HOMEWORK:  1.  Independent reading, 2. Article of the Week,
3.  Draft of essay

Essay

Good Morning!

I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due Monday, November 17th.

*Article of the Week #10 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

*Friday we did a little bit of investigating online about animal rights to further help us develop a perspective on this issue. Today we are going to begin composing a response to the essay assignment.  Refer to Activity #28 again.  To begin, I would like you to do a free write -- do not worry about a thesis or supporting evidence and any of the elements of a formal essay . . .  not yet.

Animal Bill of Rights
Medical Research and Animal Rights

HOMEWORK:  1.  Independent reading, 2. Article of the Week,
3.  Draft of essay

"Of Primates and Personhood . . ."

Good Morning! 

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due on November 17, 2014

*Article of the Week #9  -- annotation and written response due

*"Of Primates and Personhood" -- yesterday you composed a summary of this article.  If it is not completed, take a few more moments to complete it.  THEN, please read the writing prompt for Activity #28.

*Netbooks needed for animals rights petition and some exploring of more ideas about the treatment of animals.
Animal Abuse


Homework:  1. Essay assignment  2. Independent reading book

"Of Primates and Personhood . . . ."

Good Morning! 

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due on November 17, 2014

* Animal Rights

*Text - "Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and 'Dignity' to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?"  Yesterday you responded to questions on this text.  (We were not quite done with the questions).  

*Write a summary of the article -- this time without a template.  Refer to your annotation and the questions that you answered for details to include in this summary.  Include the title, author, purpose, supporting details, audience, and tone (academic, formal, informal)

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #9 -- annotation and written response.

"Of Primates and Personhood . . ."

Good Morning! 

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due on November 17, 2014

*Text - "Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and 'Dignity' to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?"  Yesterday you gave this article a close reading and annotated it for main ideas paragraph by paragraph. Please respond to the questions on the handout.  Consider your point of view as you respond to these questions because you will be writing an essay that responds to all three articles that we have read.

*HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #9

"Of Primates and Personhood"

Good Morning! 

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  Book reviews are due on November 17, 2014

*Article of the Week #9 -- annotation and written response due Friday

*Yesterday you spent class time revising your personal essay.  I will be checking that revision to give you a final grade based on 50pts. 

*Text - "Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and 'Dignity' to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?"
 Gorillas in the Mist

*Activity 22 -- Noticing Language - Vocabulary 

*Reading the article-- as you read the article, annotate each paragraph for main ideas.

HOMEWORK: Article of the Week #9 

Revising Personal Essay

Good Morning!

Please get your netbook when you arrive. 

*Before we go on to the next aticle I would like you to carefully edit your Personal Essay.  I have made corrections and you are to complete the revision.  If you have less than 500 words, try to expand upon your thinking at some point in your essay.

*If you are done early revising your essay, begin the next article-- "Of Primates and Personhood:Will According Rights and 'Dignity' to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?"

Homework:  Independent reading.  Book reviews are due November 17th.

"Hooked on a Myth"

Good Morning!

 Happy Halloween

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin  Book reviews are due November 17.

*Article of the Week #8 is due --  annotation and written response.

*Using the summary template, write a summary of "Hooked on a Myth."  On the back of the template answer the following question:  Why does Victoria Braithwaite think that we should treat fish more like the way we treat other animals, such as birds and mammals?

HOMEWORK :  Independent reading   

"Hooked on a Myth"

Good Morning!

Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.

*Let's finish our discussion of "Letters to the editor in response to 'A Change of Heart about Animals.'"

*"Hooked on a Myth" -- Briefly survey the text and make a prediction of the article based on the subtitle.  Refer to the questions in Activity #17.  We will discuss these questions together.  As we read the article think of how it challenges your previous interpretation of fish behavior.

*Activity #20 -- Using the summary template, write a summary of this article.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #8

"A Change of Heart About Animals"

Good Morning!

 *Please quietly read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin. 

*"A Change of Heart About Animals"  -- before we leave this article I would like you to practice writing a summary of the article by following the format of the template I provide.
                       
*"Letters to the editor in response to "A Change of Heart about Animals" -- this is on p. 61 in your packet.  Read each letter and select the one that you agree with the most.  In your Writer's Journal respond to the one you chose. Explain why you agree. 

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #8


    

"A Change of Heart About Animals"

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin. 

*Text -- "A Change of Heart About Animals"
               Yesterday we read this text a second time and noted
                for each paragraph what the writer says and does 
                (content and purpose).  For Activity #10, respond to 
                the second set of questions (1-3).  Complete Activity
                #11 & #12.  Respond in your Writer's Journal.
            
HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #8

"A Change of Heart About Animals"

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin. 

*Article of the Week #8 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

*Text -- "A Change of Heart About Animals"
              Friday you completed Activity #4 & 5 in your Writer's 
             Journal.  Today we will read the text and complete Activity
             #8

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #8

Module #2, Activities #4 & #5

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin. 

*Article of the Week #7 -- annotation and written response is due.

*Text -- "A Change of Heart About Animals"
              Before we begin reading this text, complete Activity #4 &
              5 in your Writer's Journal. Your meaningful responses will
              help your rhetorical reading of the text which means that
              you will grasp not only what the writer says but how he
              says it.

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading

Module #2, Activity #3

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin. 

*Module #2 Packet -- Please complete Activity #3, "Exploring the Concepts of 'Persuasion,'" questions 1-4.  Respond thoughtfully.

Your responses in your Writer's Journal are to get you thinking and to give you ideas for discussing these questions.

Homework:  Article of the Week #7 -- annotation and written response

Module #2, "A Change of Heart About Animals"

Good Morning!

Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  

*Module #2 -- Please have your Writer's Journal out. Yesterday we finished reading "Three Ways to Persuade."  I asked you to respond in your journal to the questions that follow each part. We will finish discussing this today.

*Module #2 Packet -- Please complete Activity #3, "Exploring the Concepts of 'Persuasion,'"  Questions 1-4.  

Your responses in your Writer's Journal are to get you thinking and to give you ideas for discussing these questions.

Homework:  1.  Independent reading  2.  Article of the Week #7

Module #2, "Three Ways to Persuade"

Good Morning!

Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  

*Module #2 -- Please have your Writer's Journal out. Yesterday we started reading "Three Ways to Persuade."  I asked you to respond in your journal to the questions that follow each part. We will finish the last part today.

Exploring the Concept of Persuasion:  Aristotle says that the art of rhetoric is the art of finding the available means of persuasion."  
*What does it mean to persuade someone? 
*Does persuasion give belief without knowledge or that which gives knowledge?  
*What is the difference between "knowledge" and "belief"?  
*Is "proving" different from "persuading"? 
* Does proving lead to  knowledge while persuading leads to belief?

HOMEWORK:  1. Article of the Week #7  2. Independent reading

Module #2 -- The Rhetoric of the Op-Ed Page: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

 Good Morning! I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.  

*Module #2 -- Please have your Writer's Journal out.   Start on a new page and write at the head of this new page: Module 2: "The Rhetoric of the Op-Ed Page: Ethos , Logos, and Pathos."

If we are to learn to participate in a democratic society by forming and supporting our own opinions - we need to be able to evaluate the opinions of others, Op-Ed resources then are an essential resource.

We will spend time reading and responding to a variety of articles that will ask us to do some of the following activities:

* Analyze how ideas, events, and/or narrative elements interact and develop through out a text

* Analyze the writers use of rhetorical devices and strategies

* Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text 

* Contribute to an ongoing conversation in ways that are appropriate to the academic context

* Write reading based arguments using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence

Activity 1:   Read the title of "Three Ways to Persuade" by John R. 
                   Edlund.  What do the three terms "ethos," "logos," and 
                   "pathos" mean? Respond in your Writer's Journal.  
                   Now read the article and respond to the questions
                   that follow each part.  (We will stop after each part
                   and discuss your responses).

Homework:  Independent reading and Article of the Week #7

 

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

Please get your netbook when you arrive and read quietly until we are ready to begin.

*I have been asked to give you the following survey.  Please go to my blog and click on the following link: WASC Student Survey

*Personal Essay -- we spent this week working on this essay and you were asked to work on it for homework.  You should have turned in a hard copy yesterday.  If you have not done so, please take care of getting it printed out today and turned in.  PROOFREAD carefully before printing.  I also would like to take a look at it before you print.

*For those of you who have turned in a hard copy of your essay, I would like you to share it with a partner.  The partner will carefully proofread it for errors and provide other feedback. 

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive. Read quietly until we are ready to begin.

*Personal Essay -- your fully completed draft of your essay is due today.    Your essay should be no less than 500 words.  Ideally, your essay is between 800 - 1000 words.  I will give you some time for editing.  PROOFREAD carefully.  Since this is such a small class, I will permit printing it out here, if you have not done so yet.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #6 -- annotation and written response.

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

*Please get your netbook when you arrive. Read quietly until we are ready to begin.

*Personal Essay -- your fully completed draft of your essay is due today.   Yesterday some of you read your essays in a group.  Today I would like you to work with a partner for editing your essay for errors.  Final draft of your essay is due tomorrow.

HOMEWORK:  FINAL draft of your Personal Essay

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

Please get your netbook when you arrive .

*Independent Reading -- Please read quietly until we are ready to begin.

*Personal Essay -- For today I asked you to have a fully complete first draft. I see that several of you need more class time for writing and some of you have completed, or nearly have completed your essay.  Those with complete drafts will share their work with another student for feedback.

HOMEWORK:  Personal Essay -- fully completed draft is due tomorrow 

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

*Independent Reading -- Today is the first day of the second grading period.  Hard to believe that the first six weeks went so swiftly!  Today begins independent reading each day.  Please have your book daily and begin reading at the bell.

*Article of the Week #6  -- annotation and response due on Friday

(Handout) 

*Personal Essay -- we will work on the personal essay today.  I asked you to worked on this over the weekend.  A fully complete first draft is due tomorrow.  

HOMEWORK:  Personal Essay

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

Please get your netbook when you arrive.

*Article of the Week #5 is due

*NOTE:  We resume independent reading on Monday.  Please be ready with your selection.  Stop by the library today and check a book out.

*Personal Essay -- today you will be working on your personal essay.  I would like you do have a fully completed draft by Tuesday.  You will have time in class on Monday.  Please work on your ideas over the weekend.

HOMEWORK:  1. Independent reading book  2. Personal Essay

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

*Writer's Journal Check --  Please get your Writer's Journal out for me to review

*Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive.  Yesterday you created a new document and named it Period 2 Personal Essay.  THEN, you shared it with me (abaltrushes@gmail.com).

*Yesterday we looked at some samples of the personal essay.  For homework I asked you to begin writing. The structure of the essay is for you to decide -- you have seen how you might proceed by referring to the samples that we read.  Remember to consider the elements of  the rhetorical framework for purpose, audience, situation, and persona.

 Rhetorical Framework

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #5 -- annotation and written response due tomorrow.

Personal Essay

Good Morning!

*Writer's Journal Check --  Please get your Writer's Journal out for me to review

*Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive.  You are going to create a NEW document, and you will name it Period 2 Personal Essay.  THEN, you will share it with me (abaltrushes@gmail.com).

* Personal Essay Samples -- Yesterday you read four samples of personal essays.  In groups you were assigned an essay and questions to respond to as a means of critiquing the essay.  The groups will briefly share their responses.

* Today you will be begin writing  -- Please select one of the following  topics:
   
1. Describe the world you come from -- for example, your family, community or school -- and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

2.  Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution, or experience that is important to you.  What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

Career/work path:

 If you are choosing to write a letter of introduction, then you are telling prospective employers about yourself, your abilities and talents, interests, goals, values, and  what you have to offer.

Option 1: Just start writing. Forget about structure and organization because you can figure that out later. Writer's that choose this option should feel ready to write. They should know which essay they want to write and have a good idea what they want to present in their essays.

Option 2: Take some time to sketch out your paper using a planning chart like the in the Personal Statement Prompts file. It may be a good idea to use the mentor text statements or to choose a prompt. Try out different approaches and/or subjects. Draw on what you studied, read, and written over the past few weeks to find a sense of purpose for your essay.Now write.

 If you are choosing to write a letter of introduction, then you are telling prospective employers about yourself, your abilities and talents, interests, goals, values, and  what you have to offer.

 Rhetorical Framework

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #5 -- annotation and written response

Personal Statement Essay & Letter of Introduction

Good Morning!

NOTE:  I will be checking your Writer's Journal tomorrow

*Activity #22 & #23 --  I asked you to look over these activities to start thinking about your writing task.

CSU Personal Statement Prompt

*Handouts: Writing Prompt, Rubric, and Sample Personal Essays

HOMEWORK:  Writing a first draft 

Module 1, Activities 22 & 23

Good Morning!

I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

*NOTE: The Goodreads book reviews must have a time stamp of no later than Oct 6.  You have until midnight tonight!

The grading period ends this Friday, Oct 10

*Article of the Week #5 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday.

*Activity #20 --  in your Writer's Journal you have written 10 FAQ 
   
Career-bound students:
     1.  The kinds of skills or abilities they need to enter their career
     2.  The outlook for getting work
     3.  The common tasks associated with the work
     4.  Pay for specific jobs

College-bound students:
     1.  Deadlines and admission requirement
     2.  Financial aid requirements or opportunities
     3.  The process of selecting a major and the opportunities for 
           particular majors
     4.  Details of life in the town where they would like to go
          to college.

 Activity #22 & Activity #23 -- Please read through both activities today.

HOMEWORK: Please read through activities #22 & 23.  Tomorrow we will start composing a draft.

Book Review

Good Morning!

Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive.

*Article of the Week #4 is due -- annotation and written response

*Goodreads Book Review -- you have a copy of the book review rubric.  Your mission today is to complete the review on Goodreads and to send me the link to your published page by filling out the Book Review Form for URL under "Important Links" on my blog (Baltrushes.blogspot.com).  PLEASE skip some space between each paragraph and indent your three paragraphs.

 
*NOTE: the end of the grading period is next Friday, Oct 10

HOMEWORK: Book review on Goodreads is due on Monday.

Module 1, Activity #19

Good Morning!

*Please get your assigned netbook when you arrive and read quietly while it powers up.

*Book reviews are due on Monday, Oct 6th.  If you are unsure on how to write your review on Goodreads, please ask for my help.  Please follow the book review rubric. I will give you class time tomorrow to write your review on Goodreads and to submit it to me.

*Activity #19 -- Please look at this activity before you begin your web search on either careers or colleges.

HOMEWORK:  Independent book review

Module 1, Activity 19

Good Morning!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin 

*Book reviews are due on Monday, Oct 6th.  If you are unsure on how to write your review on Goodreads, please ask for my help.  Please follow the book review rubric. I will give you class time on Friday to compose your review on Goodreads.

* Activity #15 -- one more group to share their article.  Review of articles. Each of you should have completed Activity #15 in your Writer's Journal.

*Activity #16 -- Write about whether it is best to go to college right away or move into work.

*Activity #19 -- Please refer to this activity in your packet.  You are going to be generating 10  FAQ based on your research of websites that relate either to the world of work or college.

HOMEWORK:  Independent book review is due on Monday, Oct 6

Module 1, Activity #15

Good Morning!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin 

*Book reviews are due on Monday, Oct 6th.  If you are unsure on how to write your review on Goodreads, please ask for my help.  Please follow the book review rubric. I will give you class time on Thursday and Friday to compose your review on Goodreads.

*Activity #15 -- In your group you have read an article and have done the following:

1.  Provided a brief summary of the document's argument

2.  Recorded important quotes or information that the writer 

     provides

3.  Explained what you think is important about the document 

HOMEWORK: Independent reading book review is due by next Monday, Oct 6th.

Module 1, Activity #15

Good Morning! 

I hope that you had an enjoyable weekend!

Please read quietly until we are ready to begin. NOTE: Your book review is due Oct 6th -- a week from today.

*Book Review Rubric -- your review will have three paragraphs.  Please skip some space between each paragraph

*Goodreads review  -- Friday you made me a friend on Goodreads.  If you are unsure how to do your review on Goodreads, please ask me for help.

*Article of the Week #4 -- annotation and written response is due on Friday

*I am ready to collect your annotated copy of "Hidden Intellectualism"  which will show a thorough annotation of main points and other comments.

*Activity #15 -- Jigsaw Reading of Four Articles

HOMEWORK:  Book review is due Oct 6th (next Monday)

Goodreads

Good Morning!

Please get your netbook when you arrive

*Article of the Week #3 is due -- annotation and written response.

*Book Review Rubric

*Book Reviews -- Posting book reviews on Goodreads. 

GOODREADS -- Please create a Goodreads account today and make me your friend.  (Use your Google account information). I will show you how to write a review.

Go to www.goodreads.com.  Sign in using Google account -- username and password.  Once on the HOME page of goodreads, CLICK on FRIENDS.  Then GO TO "add friends" and type in my email address (abaltrushes@gmail.com).  Back on the HOME page type the title of your book in the search box and then click on the title that appears.  Find where the book is rated with stars and click on the stars.  You will see the word "review" appear.  Clicking on "review" will take you to where you will write a review on
your book.   

Activity #13: Respond to the following questions:

1.  Explain why you are prepared for the next stage of your life.

2.  Describe your concerns.

3.  Tell about an event that shows your skills, including strengths
      and weaknesses.

4.  Write questions you have about the next stage of your life and 
      answer them.

  
HOMEWORK: Book Review posted on Goodreads is due Oct 6th. 

"Hidden Intellectualism"

Good Morning!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin.  Tomorrow we will review using Goodreads which is where you will be posting your book reviews.  

*"Hidden Intellectualism" -- please finish reading and annotating this article

*Suggestions for Activity #12:  Please do the following for this activity:
1.  State the main argument of this essay. Be clear

     and elaborate a little about this main argument.

2.  State whether you agree or disagree and EXPLAIN.

3.  Has this article changed the way you define      

     yourself in relation to the idea of intellectualism?
     Has this article been useful to you in defining your
     intellectualism or does this article have no relation to your
     personal agenda (going to work or going to college)?
   

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week # 3 -- annotation and written response due

                         

"Hidden Intellectualism"

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.

*"Hidden Intellectualism" --  If you have not written a response to Activity #11  from my blog yesterday, please do so.  I am expecting to see a good paragraph written in response to what I asked.  Please annotate as we finish reading, noting main ideas.  I will be collecting your copies of the article to see the notes that you have been taking.

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #3

"Hidden Intellectualism"

Good Morning!

*Please read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.

*"Hidden Intellectualism" -- In your Writer's Journal please do the following and label it Activity #11:

Respond to what we have read so far by 1. explaining the meaning of the title "Hidden Intellectualism"  2. explaining the writer's arguments about intellectualism and 3. writing down the thoughts you have -- questions, observations, ideas, comments, stories, things that the text reminds you of, or whatever comes to mind.  (You might want to review what we have read so far from yesterday). 

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #3

                 

"Hidden Intellectualism"

Good Morning!

*Please quietly read your independent reading book until we are ready to begin.

* Article of the Week #3  -- annotation and response is due on Friday. (Handout)

* Activity #10: Understanding Key Vocabulary

* "Hidden Intellectualism" -- we will begin to read this today and will stop throughout the text to discuss.  Take notes as we discuss this essay.

HOMEWORK: Article of the Week #3 is due Friday

Module 1, Activity #9 & #10

Good Morning!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin

*NOTE:  I hope that you are keeping up with the activities because I will be checking as we get towards the end of the grading period.

*Article of the Week #2 is due --Annotation and written response

*Activity #9: Which of the following quotes best matches your

definition of an intellectual?  Write down the quote and explain.

                    
                   * "The demand for certainty is one which is natural

                         to man, but nevertheless an intellectual vice."
                        (Bertrand Russell)  

                   *  "An intellectual is a person who takes more words 

                           than necessary to tell more than he knows."
                         (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
                   *  "An intellectual is someone whose mind watches 

                           itself." (Albert Camus)     

Respond to the following question: Do you consider yourself to be an intellectual or anything about yourself to be intellectual?

*Activity #10 -- to be completed in the packet 

HOMEWORK:  Independent reading

Module 1, Activity #9

Good Morning!

*Please read quietly until we are ready to begin

*NOTE:  I hope that you are keeping up with the activities because I will be checking as we get towards the end of the grading period.

*Activity #9:  You have selected three people whom you regard as intellectuals.  I want more contributions today to this question.

Explain why you think they are intellectuals. Define what an intellectual is.  Which of the following quotes best matches your

definition of an intellectual?  Write down the quote and explain.

                    
                   * "The demand for certainty is one which is natural

                           to man, but nevertheless an intellectual vice."

                   *  "An intellectual is a person who takes more words 

                           than necessary to tell more than he knows."

                   *  "An intellectual is someone whose mind watches 

                           itself."        

HOMEWORK:  Article of the Week #2