Over Thanksgiving break...

1.  Read in memoir and complete third reader response by Monday, 12/1 (submit via email).
2.  Continue to update quotation log and log of voice/persona development--progress check on Monday, 12/1.
3.  Work on scaffolding plan and rough draft for creative writing piece, due by Wednesday, 12/3.
Use this description sheet to begin scaffolding plan.

For Tuesday, 11/25...

Discuss with your parents how you learned to read. Since they will probably have a stronger recollection of this experience than you do, ask them about how you learned to interpret and read letters and words, what types of questions you asked, what you were most interested in as far as particular books, stories you liked to be told (even if they were not read to you, just told by a family member), or what your favorite reading spots were when you were younger.
This is meant to be a fun activity, not stressful! If you are uncomfortable asking your parents, or if they do not have strong memories of the occasion, try to remember for yourself a time when you read something that made your imagination take flight or just made you feel alive and interested in another world.
Please bring these stories and experiences with you to class tomorrow to share (they need not be written down, just committed to memory well enough to be retold), and, if possible, the book or a few books that you enjoyed reading as a child!

Enjoy memoir reading time!

Enjoy your snow day and extra reading time for your memoir!
Remember, your next reader response is due on Thursday.
See you tomorrow!

Synthesis Prompt Creation for Social Issues

Use this document for help in the creation of a synthesis essay prompt to go along with the social issues topic highlighted in pink on your card from class today.  Please complete your synthesis essay prompt for homework this evening to the best of your ability.  Be sure you at least have your six sources ready to link to your document, even if the prompt is problematic for you.

Over the course of this week...

As presentations are underway, you should be working on the following reading assignments:
1.  Read and take notes on ch. 3, pp. 58-63 (DUE WED., 11/12)
2.  Read and annotate the following article (DUE WED., 11/12)
"Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov (speech delivered in 1948)

Also, for our next class project, you will be reading a memoir.  Consider the following statement to help you distinguish between a memoir and an autobiography.

"An autobiography focuses on the chronology of the writer’s entire life while a memoir covers one specific aspect of the writer’s life. So, if I chose to write about my complete life up to this point—including growing up in Cincinnati, my time in New York, the few years I spent in Chicago and eventually landing at Writer’s Digest—I’d write an autobiography. If wrote a book about the winter of my sophomore year in high school where I got my tongue stuck to an icy pole, I’d write a memoir." -- Brian Klems, Writer's Digest
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/memoir-vs-autobiography-2

Learn more about SOCIAL ISSUES topics, books, and authors

Find two speech topics (other than your own) that you would like to learn more about.
Do a little exploring through the links below, and write one paragraph for each topic about where your interests lie and new info. you have learned.

Links and articles related to recent social issues presentations:

"Beware Online Filter Bubbles" TED talk by Eli Pariser (Emily Baker's speech)

"Sparking Life" corresponding website to John Ratey's books (Lydia's speech)

What is Reviving Ophelia author Mary Pipher up to lately? (Kyra's speech)

All things Freakonomics! (Taylor's speech)

Melissa Harris-Perry's MSNBC blog with video commentary (Makayla's speech)

Learn more about Laurie Penny! (Kaylee's speech)

George Friedman presents about the next 25 years on CNBC (Emily Chau's speech)

"A Plant's Eye View" TED talk and blog entries by Michael Pollan (Anna's speech)

"Two Pleas for Sanity in Judging Saneness" NYTimes article about Saving Normal (Andrea's speech)

More stats about incarceration and children (Katelyn's speech)
Helping Children Deal with the Incarceration of Parents (Katelyn's speech)

Pope Francis' message about science and religion (Michael's speech)
Einstein's ideas about science and religion (Michael's speech)

Author Alan Weisman's commentary on The World Without Us (Jordan's speech)

All things Michael Pollan! (Anna and Michele's speeches)

Corruption in College Football video from co-author of The System (Zach's speech)

Read about Thomas Friedman, New York Times "Foreign Affairs Columnist," and his latest views on the world (Haley's speech)

Chris Hayes interview about Twilight of the Elites (Jacob's speech)
"How Meritocracy is Failing America" (Jacob's speech)

Susan Cain's Quest for Introverts (Emily Russcher's speech)

"What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains" video (Hannah's speech)

America's Strategies in the Current War Against Terror (Wes' speech)

A Musician Explains the Healing Affects of Music (Ashley's speech)


Salman Khan explains the origins and intention of Khan Academy (Brian's speech)

Link to the website created by the authors to go with this book and combat cyberbullying (Melissa's speech)

Social Issues Presentations

In preparation for your SOCIAL ISSUES PROJECT PRESENTATION, you should:

A.  Do a bit of research on your counterargument to someone else's claim (written on green card).
You will use this research to help prepare a countering question for this person's presentation.

B.  Begin searching for graphics that you would like to use in your presentation to help visually lead your audience through your speech.  These will also act as visual cues for you during the speech.

*NOTE:  You will eventually need to CITE all visual sources and the source(s) you used for your counter argument preparation, so be sure to at least keep a record of the places where you found your information.