Synthesis Essay Work

Use the PHONE approach to write this essay.


DECEMBER:  Use THIS DOC to plan a synthesis essay using the sources from this unit.

Quiz Practice Questions using Patrick Henry's speech

1.  Is Patrick Henry using SCHOLARLY LANGUAGE, STANDARD LANGUAGE, and/or LITERAL LANGUAGE? 

Provide evidence to your partner for your reasoning.

2.  What is the TONE to this speech?  How does his DICTION (word choice) convey this particular tone and help to emphasize his PURPOSE?

Provide supporting evidence to your partner for your reasoning.

3.  Identify a few places where PARALLELISM exists in Henry’s speech.

    Identify a few places where FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE is used by Henry.  

Why does he use these examples?  Why are they effective in helping him to achieve his PURPOSE?

Exploring Language Development

GATHER INFORMATION— Record these responses in your notebook or on a google/pages doc.

First, read "Word Power for Babies" from Reader's Digest 11/2014.
1.  While reading, mentally note ideas of strong interest or importance to you.
2.  At the end of reading, write about at least two claims made in this article that further teach us about the significance of language in human development.  For each, explain how the author uses evidence (and what type of evidence she uses) to develop and strengthen the claim.  Include at least three direct quotes or paraphrased references to the article in your response.

Then, read "Here’s Why Your Brain Needs You to Read Every Single Day" by Brandon Specktor.
1.  While reading, take note of the various ways that reading can be beneficial to one's brain over time.
2.  At the end of reading, comb back through the article and choose two of the hyperlinked scholarly articles used as resources to support claims made by this author (hint: do not choose from those in the first paragraph).  For each one, read the abstract description of the study, and explain how the focus of this study ties in with a claim being made by Brandon Specktor in his article.  In other words, justify why this source would be used to support ideas in the article.  Copy and paste in the MLA citation for this article as well (hint: all of these studies have a citation already created for you at the end of the abstract).

Finally, choose one of the TED talks below to watch.  
"Why Language is Humanity's Greatest Invention" by David Peterson
"How Language Shapes the Way We Think" by Lena Boroditsky
"Txtng is killing language... JK!!!" by John McWhorter
1.  While watching, take note of the perspective this speaker offers about the importance of language in our lives and throughout history.
2.  After watching the TED talk, write (a few sentences for each will suffice) about:
--what you believe to be this speaker's main purpose in delivering this talk
-- how this speaker uses history to frame his/her argument
--ways that data or visuals are used to emphasize his/her claim
--ways that emotional appeal and personal voice comes across in this talk

Etymology

Let's learn about how our language has taken form by reading:
pp. 63-66 in the purple textbook & Bill Bryson's The Mother Tongue (excerpt).

Following this exercise, learn more about colloquialism and dialect by reading and then discussing "Say What?" by Bill Bryson.

FRIDAY'S CLASS PERIOD:  During our short class on Friday, there will be time to discuss "Say What?" by Bill Bryson using the questions at the end of the selection (3 questions about "ideas and issues" and 3 questions about "writing strategies").
If you will not be in class for any reason, please answer these questions on paper for homework and submit them to the class inbox on Monday.

4 Ls TKM responses

Please create a google doc where you can record your responses for ALL FOUR of these prompts.
At the end, you will share this google doc with me via google classroom.

Follow THESE DIRECTIONS for the responses.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing

One of the three essays on the AP Lang exam is a RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY.

We will be studying the approach, construction, and evaluation process for this essay this week.

First, we will begin with close reading of the text.

Next, we planned out the essay.  Planning involves writing an opening paragraph, sentence-by-sentence, then focusing on two rhetorical elements to discuss the author's use of in the essay, and ending with a focus on why the author wrote this, his main purpose.

Then, we drafted the essay in a timed writing (40 minutes) and used the plan and reading passage to guide writing choices.

Next, we will be analyzing the Q2 rhetorical analysis essay & taking notes for improvement as well as editing the essays.

Using the process outlined in this presentation, use these student sample examples to examine strong writing for these points.  Then, take the time to adapt and edit your own essay.

End responses to memoir reading

Written response:  Please complete THIS FORMAL ESSAY in response to your reading of your memoir book, due by Tuesday, 10/22.

Discussions:  We will hold discussions over the next two class periods for you to share about the memoir you read and learn more about the memoirs that others read.  

On Wednesday, we will hold three small group discussions, centered around:

1. Exigence and Purpose-- What are some of the main aspects to this person's story and how it unfolds in the book? Why do you believe this person’s story was an important one for him/her to tell?  What motivated him/her to share this personal story with the reading audience?

 2. “Snapshot” book talk with time to read from books to one another-- What specific part (“snapshot”) of his/her story do you think you will remember long past this reading?  Why will this part stick with you? What qualities of his/her writing style (diction, details, imagery, figurative language, syntax, etc.) stand out to you from this section of the book?--nominate a “snapshot” you appreciated deeply at the end of this discussion

3. Audience-to-Writer connections--In what ways did this author influence your views of the world/humanity?

On Thursday, we will hold a full-class discussion, using elements from THIS PRESENTATION in our discussion.

*If you are absent during either of these discussions, I will have you make them up with others who were also absent next week.

Welcome to class!

In my absence, please work on the following:

1.  Work on your creative exigence, imagery and symbolism activity (described in the posting below).  This is due by Friday.

2.  Work on the appeals assignment which is due on Thursday, 9/26.

3.  Read in your memoir book and complete response #3.

Exigence, Imagery & Symbolism In-Class Work

Create a pictorial representing your exigence in a particular part of your life.
Choose something you are passionate about.
Consider what it is that prompts and drives you to do this--even when it is hard, heartbreaking, exhausting, etc.
Now, think about a symbolic representation for this exigence.
Next, draw this exigence symbolically and add in a favorite quote about this exigence or create your own six word memoir.
Finally, on the back, personally explain your pictorial and how it is symbolic of a personal exigence, and why that exigence motivates you.  Think "big picture" as you write this!

I will post finished products on the whiteboards for display, so please do your best.  My example is posted here. (I did not draw this myself...)

Generative writing and mentor text study

Generative writing: Pick a famous quotation about patriotism and write in response to it 

Mentor Text: “A Nation’s Strength” poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson linked here

This week's schedule

Mentor Text Study for today

This week, we will be using September 11, 2001 memoir pieces, including Lisa Beamer's memory of that morning from Let's Roll and Rose Arce’s "Teaching My Child about the 9/11 Attacks"

To learn more about Todd Beamer's moments on the plane, please read this memoriam article about his heroic acts.

Here is this week's schedule as well.

Agenda and Syllabus

Here is the course syllabus for your reference.
Please read this over to be clear on the content, grading procedures, and classroom policies for this school year.

Additionally, here is the agenda for the next two weeks.

The assignment "How to Read like a Writer" is due Tuesday, 9/10.

The Great Gatsby reading schedule

Please follow this reading schedule as you read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Read ch. 1-4 by Tuesday, 5/21
If you find it helpful, you could record ideas on this guide to help you track important characters, elements of setting, and main events, etc.  We will do some responses to this reading at that point.

Read ch. 5 & 6 by Fri., 5/24
We will do some responses to this reading at that point.

Finish reading the book by Wed., 5/29
We will do some final responses to this reading at that point.

FINAL RESPONSES to The Great Gatsby due Thursday, 5/30

Preparing for the essay writing...

Use these presentations from throughout the year to help you prepare for writing essays on May 15th, AP Lang exam day:
Q1 synthesis essay
Q2 rhetorical analysis essay
Q3 assertion essay

Also, use this site for AP CENTRAL released exam resources to practice with prompts of your choosing.

If you will be absent on the half day, please follow these directions.

Pinwheel chart directions

The Difference a Day Makes...

Use this document to guide your study of this important 24 hours in American history, and the speeches delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.

Article about WHY this speech mattered to the audience: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/04/martin-luther-king-last-31-hours-the-story-of-his-prophetic-last-speech

Rhetorical Analysis Timed Essay

Please give yourself no more than 50 minutes to complete this rhetorical analysis writing.

Time Travel to meet your pre20th century author!

Use this doc to guide your letter writing to your pre-20th century author!

This letter is due on Tuesday, 4/23.

Kennedy's Inaugural Address

Read the speech through once to determine author purpose.

Read a second time, focusing on:

LOGICAL ARGUMENTS/POINTS BEING MADE—CREATE A FLOWCHART OF IDEAS

Read a third time, focusing on one of these aspects:

AUDIENCE CONNECTIONS—IDENTIFY WAYS HE LOOKS TO CONNECT WITH HIS WIDE AUDIENCE

DICTION—IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT WORD CHOICE AND WHY IT IS IMPACTFUL

SYMBOLISM AND IMAGERY—IDENTIFY HOW THIS IS USED, WHAT IS BEING EXPRESSED SYMBOLICALLY AND WHY IT IS BEING EXPRESSED FIGURATIVELY AND NOT LITERALLY

CONTEXT—LOOK FOR WAYS THAT CONTEXT AND WORLD EVENTS OF THE TIMES IMPACTED HIS IDEAS THROUGHOUT THE SPEECH

Finally, use THIS PRESENTATION to effectively analyze the rhetorical techniques used by Kennedy to achieve his purpose in this speech.

Pre20th century author research

Use this presentation to guide your research of your pre20th century author.

You will also be evaluating this author's writing style.
Look for a few representations of his/her writing, which might include letters, speeches, essays, etc.
If you find a longer work (such as a book), you may want to decide on 2-3 pages only to read, in order to gather a sample impression of his/her writing.

Use the wkst. given out in class to take a closer look at this author's writing and determine consistent attributes of his/her writing style.

Choice essay to go with m.c. test corrections for +5

If you choose to, you may respond to one of these prompts to earn +5pts. on your m.c. test.

PROMPT ONE:
Consider this concept set forth by this turn-of-the-century author:
"It is injurious to be always treated as if something were the matter with us. It is health-giving to be dealt with as if we were healthy, and the man who imagines his wits are failing becomes stronger and sounder by being entrusted with a difficult problem than by all the assurances of a doctor...
Fright is often prior to an object; that is to say, the fright comes first and something is invented or discovered to account for it. There are certain states of body and mind which are productive of objectless fright, and the most ridiculous thing in the world is able to provoke it to activity. It is perhaps not too much to say that any calamity the moment it is apprehended by the reason alone loses nearly all its power to disturb and unfix us."
In a well-developed essay, consider the position this author takes concerning the relationship between health and fright.  Then, write an essay in which you develop your own stance on the connection between health and fear.  Use appropriate, specific evidence from your observations, reading, and experiences to develop your claim.

PROMPT TWO:
Keep a diary/journal for one week about your experiences and responses to the events of that week.  Then, in a few paragraphs, reflect on how the act of journaling affected your interpretation of these events and how/if it impacted the way you approached decisions, etc. as the week continued on.

PROMPT THREE:
Write a personal reflection essay about the ways that you remember being involved or invited into conversations with adults in your family or at your church when you were young , and how this impacted your social interactions with friends and family as you grew older.  Try to be specific and descriptive in your recollection of these moments.

PROMPT FOUR:
Write a personal essay about a time that you had to make a particularly difficult decision.  Describe the problem that was at hand, and why it carried such weight for you.  Then, explain the thought process you went through and the considerations you contemplated before arriving at your final choice.

Shaped by our Experiences

Today, we will read a bit about how views and values can be shaped by experiences.

• First, let's read this article to explore some data as to how early childhood experiences shape us going forward.  You could also read this article.
• Next, read one of these pieces and write a short summary of what you learn about how his/her experience has shaped his/her views:
•  Ricky Jackson's opinion piece about how his experience as an innocent man on death row has shaped his views on the death penalty.
•  Reyna Grande's opinion piece about how her childhood experiences with immigration shaped her views on the subject as she grew older.
• Christine Yared's opinion piece about how her experience as a high school student in Parkland, Florida during the Feb. 14th school shooting has shaped her views on guns. 
• Then, complete this personal response in 2-3 paragraphs:  What is one experience in your life that has shaped your views, principles, choices, or future direction?  Describe why this experience has had such an impact on you.

Influence of others

"Choice:  A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr." by Alice Walker
http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/Faculty/Zobel/documents/ChoiceTEXT.pdf

1.  Why did Alice Walker feel compelled to write this tribute?  What does she hope others will leave her piece contemplating about the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.?
2.  What are some of the most successful writing strategies this author uses to bring her purpose across?  Pick specific lines/ideas for support.
3.  Choose one example that Walker included which you felt was strongest for exemplifying her claim(s), and explain your choice.
 
Unexpected hero: http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/robert-downey-jr-saved-grandma/

1.  Why did Dana Reinhardt feel compelled to write this?  How does she go about achieving this purpose, and giving her audience a new lens through which to view Robert Downey, Jr.?
2.  What are some of the most successful writing strategies this author uses to bring her purpose across?  Pick specific lines/ideas for support.
3.  Choose one example that Reinhardt included which you felt was strongest for exemplifying her purpose, and explain your choice.


"Influence of others" articles:  Go HERE  to learn more about more everyday heroes who influence others and the world in big ways.  These are articles and videos, so you may want your earbuds out so you can watch the video clips.
Finally, choose one story to read from the seven listed below.  Take notes and be prepared to share his/her story with someone else.

1.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/feed-leftover-food-homeless/
2.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/mobile-shower-helping-homeless/
3.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/sleeping-bag-coat-help-homeless/
4.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/i-wish-my-teacher-knew-student-letters/
5.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/volunteer-crisis-heroes/
6.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/threshold-choir/
7.  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/angel-flight-pilot-heroes/

If you are further interested, here is another endearing article you can read about the influence one person can have on another:  http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/love-letters-to-strangers/

Motivation

In class today, we watched Dan Pink's TED talk  "The Puzzle of Motivation" (here is the written transcript).  Then, we discussed the ideas he presented about motivation using this doc with questions and extension readings.
Homework is to complete the individual response and read and take notes on one of the additional readings.

 

TIME person of the year work DUE WED., 3/27

Follow this plan as you study your chosen TIME person of the year/runner-up.
This assignment will be due on WED., 3/27.

Education unit end writing, assertion with a synthesis twist essay

Please complete a well-developed essay in response to this essay prompt OR this writing prompt.

This writing should turned in by Tuesday, 3/19.

Use this pres. to continue with the editing process begun in class.

Education around the World

Use this doc to guide your research in this section.

While researching, use this process to access credible and relevant sources on www.mel.org.
1.  click on eresources
2.  go to "all subjects" pulldown
3.  click on "newspapers and journals"
4.  click on "n" -- newspaper source plus
5.  write in your topic, then search
6.  click on "full text"
note: citation is provided for you, which is a great benefit!

Responses to Book One (due by Friday, 3/8)

Question stems to use to create and answer inquiry questions to go with your book:

• How do/does/did...?
• What procedures or actions...?
• What problems...?
• What happens when...?
• What is/was the role of... in...?
• What is/was the difference between...?
• What causes/caused...?
• What are/were the effects/results of...?
• How/why did... decide to...?
• Who/what influenced...to...?
• What is/was the relationship between...and...?
• What are the competing sides...?
• How does/did... change...?

(question stems from The Thoughtful Researcher-- Libraries Unlimited)

Contemporary education article (read one for Monday)

Each author below has musings on contemporary education and new ways to approach education that are worth reading and considering.  Please read at least ONE of these articles and bring notes with you about this article to class on Monday.  You will be able to use these notes for an in-class writing.  You should take note of both general, summarized ideas from the article and record quotes of particular interest or that strike a chord with you while reading.

1. "The Value of a Pointless Education" by Jay Parcells (2013/2014)
2. "Non-academic skills are key to success but what should we call them" by Anya Kamenetz (2015)
3. "The Gift of Boredom" by John Spencer (2018/19)
4. "Nine Competencies for Teaching Empathy" by Michelle Borba (2018)

Tasks for this week...

This week, we are focused on looking at parallelism and other syntactical elements, and various pre-20th century writers' views on education.  We will be familiarizing ourselves with various terms of importance from ch. 3 in class as well:
parallelism
parallel structure  

The works we will be reading include:

• Francis Bacon's "Of Studies" and Samuel Johnson's "On Studies" (a response to Bacon's work) using this doc as we discuss
• Emerson's "On Education":  in-class reading using D.A.N.C.E. skills and discussion with this application activity
• Quotes from Henry David Thoreau about education & this modern perspective on Thoreau's education views

Multiple-choice practice:
Khan Academy
Common Lit-- this is for practice only, not a required assignment:
Common Lit 4th hour-- code PY96LB
Common Lit 5th hour-- code NVDBJ7
Feedback and correct answers will be given after you complete the assignment and I "grade" it on the program (usually within 24 hrs. of completion).

Welcome to class!

In my absence today, here are your directions:
Please take out your notes from the tasks posted HERE.
Divide into smaller groups with each of the articles represented (one red articles reader, one green, and one orange).  Take time to share and teach one another in your group what the articles you read were about, and take notes as you learn about their assigned articles.
Then, go on to share about the main ideas and intentions of the TED talks each of you chose to watch.  

Once all have shared, head back to your seats to work silently and independently for the remainder of the class period.  Read and take notes on the ideas given about links between education and citizenship in this article.

Finally, pull ideas and sources together to respond with a synthesis writing about the role of education in a democracy. This essay can be typed or handwritten and will be due on Tuesday, 2/12.

Tasks for this week

HERE are the reading tasks for this week with due dates added in.

Also, continue to read in your inquiry-based project book, and plan to have reading time for this book in class on Thursday and Friday.

Stay warm!

Hope you are all staying warm! 
HERE are directions for this week, so we can stay on track.
Please email me with any questions you might have.
See you later this week!

Sites for activity

the site provided for TONE.

Read HERE about six common structural types (Capote piece)

Read HERE about how to structure and map out an essay (Alcott piece)

Welty model creative writing memoir piece

Read Eudora Welty’s memoir piece "Listening to Words" and discuss rhetorical
techniques used and why they are effective.

Begin planning your own memoir writing piece about the importance of words in your life.

The plan is due on Monday, and the final draft will be due on Wed., 1/9.

Questions you may be asking yourself:
Details-- How can I include details that I do not remember well in my memoir?
Structure-- How should I structure my memoir? What should I include in it?
Tone-- What tone do I want to set and how do I achieve it?
Imagery-- How can I intentionally and effectively include imagery?
Diction-- How do I pick the right words that will place the reader there in the moment?
Figurative Language-- How is figurative language helpful in expressing meaning?
Figurative Language-- What are some types of figurative language I could add in?