For the first time, all classes have the same assignment, at different difficulty levels. With all the press given recently to the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, this seems like a good time for a lesson in journalism.
Lesson: A journalist, or reporter, is one who gathers and presents news to the public through news media.
News is information about recent events or happenings, distributed through print or broadcast media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and internet.
Reporters can sometimes choose what they cover, but are often assigned stories by their editor, who is the person in charge of the publication or broadcast program overall. Big news events (like the recent presidential inauguration) will involve many reporters, each reporting different angles and aspects of the central story.
Reporters usually prepare news stories through research, investigation, and/or interviews. They may look up information that is already publicly available, talk to people involved with the subject, talk to people about their opinions of the subject, and so on.
To prepare for an interview, a reporter usually arranges an appointment with the interviewee (person being interviewed) to meet in person, or sometimes to talk on the phone or by email. Some brief interviews are spontaneous. In any case, a good reporter will have prepared a list of possible questions, and will take detailed notes and/or record the interview for accuracy.
The most useful tools for a journalist are the standard reporter questions:
who?
what?
when?
where?
why?
how?
These questions are the essential basis for any news story, and are, in fact, tremendously useful for almost any type of writing. Good reporters ask as many of these questions in as many ways as are needed to tell the whole story.
To write a news story, a journalist will:
gather plenty of information about the story.
sift and sort that information.
- keep the best
- discard the rest
organize the flow.
add a hook. (Lead in with a catchy opener)
note the impact. (What's the big deal?)
tie it together and wrap it up. (good writing, transitions, conclusion)
double-check all facts. (names, dates, numbers, spelling, etc.)
Journalists not only inform the public, but they can influence society by the stories they cover and how they cover them. Since the US Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, Americans can say or write almost anything about anyone without getting into legal trouble, especially if what they say is true or at least a truly-held opinion. Because journalists have greater potential to use and misuse the freedom of the press, reputable journalists follow a code of ethics.
Ethics in Journalism:
Objectivity - Though reporters certainly have personal viewpoints like anyone else, they must not present their own opinions as fact. They must keep their opinions to themselves, and present the news in a balanced and objective way, fairly showing different points of view without prejudice.
(News outlets do include editorial opinion pieces and advertising, but they must be labeled clearly that way, never as news.)
Credibility of Sources -
News information should come from trustworthy sources as close to the subject as possible. Those sources should be accurately represented, correctly quoted, and properly attributed (given credit). [Note: Though this does not apply to this lesson, when a credible source has a good reason to remain anonymous, the reporter must protect the source's confidentiality.]
Factual Accuracy - Facts should be verified as much as possible. Things should not be reported as fact unless they have been verified. A journalist MAY factually report an individual's statement, even if the statement is an unverified opinion of the individual. A journalist may factually report that someone has been accused of something, but not that the person is actually guilty until it is proven.
Limitation of Harm - Sometimes, a reporter might obtain information or photos that would unnecessarily invade an individual's privacy, expose an innocent person to harm, compromise a legal investigation, or otherwise offend to no good purpose. A good journalist should weigh the public's right to know against the potential negative effects of revealing information.
A good news report gives information in a brief, clear manner. A great news report also tells a story in an interesting way.
Assignment:
Students are to write a news report of some aspect of the recent U.S. presidential election and inauguration of President Barack Obama, to be edited for a special edition class newspaper.
To treat this as a news assignment and not an editorial, students will need to set aside whatever personal feelings and opinions they may have, gather information, and write objectively. They may choose which aspect of the election or inauguration they wish to cover.
Younger students will probably write short news articles of straightforward, basic facts. Older students will probably write longer pieces about more sophisticated aspects of the Obama presidency.
We will not be doing original investigative reporting. Students may gather research info via print (newspapers, magazines, etc.) or electronic sources (television or internet), as long as they properly credit their sources. In fact, this is the main research avenue open to our students for this assignment, since they are not regular journalists with press credentials or access to inside sources. However, students must not plagiarize a previous news report. Rather, they may gather information from several different sources to use in writing their own articles.
Students may also interview people they know. This would be good for a news article about different opinions and reactions to various aspects of an Obama presidency. They must be careful to quote their sources accurately.
Here are some possible news article ideas, though students may choose other news angles.
Obama's early family history and upbringing
Any of Obama's family members: father, mother, stepfather, siblings, grandparents
Obama's educational background and history
Obama's religious upbringing and beliefs
Obama's career before politics
Obama's entry into politics and his political affiliations and history
Obama's campaign; aspects such as fundraising, supporters, etc.
Obama's marriage, children, and family life
Michelle Obama (her original family, her education, her career, any aspect)
The role of the First Lady; Michelle Obama's role as First Lady
Children in the White House
Pets in the White House
The inauguration ceremony and day's activities
Obama's inauguration speech (impact, responses)
Record-breaking crowds at the inauguration
Responses and opinions of the inauguration
The end of Bush's presidency
The Bushes' departure from the White House and return to private life
The armored car used by the President
The role of the Secret Service in protecting presidents and their families
Air Force One
Obama's appointments (the people he picked) to serve in the administration
The decisions Obama made in his first few days in office
The role of race in the election
What Obama's election means to many black Americans
How those who did not vote for Obama view his presidency
What Christians think of Obama's presidency
The impact of Obama's presidency on the pro-life movement
The challenges facing Obama (economic crisis, Iraq, etc.)
and many more
I am not expecting ground-breaking journalism, but I do want the students to try their skills at reporting. They will be exposed to news media all their lives, so they may as well learn how journalism works.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
4th - 6th, January 16
Lesson:
We began with our five-minute brainwarmer writing exercise, then read aloud a few of those.
After that, I reviewed what we are looking for in our writing, especially a variety of sentence openers. With that list in mind, we read aloud and discussed the students' compositions.
Though most of the class wrote about the same topic, Davy Crockett, it was interesting to see how differently the students approached the topic.
One point that became evident as we evaluated the essays was the need to limit the scope of the topic to the size of the paper. This is an important lesson for any writer to learn: narrow the topic.
Many of the students dealt with that by highlighting one major aspect of the topic rather than attempting to cram a whole lifetime into a few sentences.
Assignment:
Students are to write another report on a different historical figure of their choosing.
They are to structure their papers to deal with their main points in a balanced way. The best way to accomplish that would be to limit their details to those they feel are most important to highlight their subject.
Students also have the option to write a longer composition than usual, though that is optional.
We began with our five-minute brainwarmer writing exercise, then read aloud a few of those.
After that, I reviewed what we are looking for in our writing, especially a variety of sentence openers. With that list in mind, we read aloud and discussed the students' compositions.
Though most of the class wrote about the same topic, Davy Crockett, it was interesting to see how differently the students approached the topic.
One point that became evident as we evaluated the essays was the need to limit the scope of the topic to the size of the paper. This is an important lesson for any writer to learn: narrow the topic.
Many of the students dealt with that by highlighting one major aspect of the topic rather than attempting to cram a whole lifetime into a few sentences.
Assignment:
Students are to write another report on a different historical figure of their choosing.
They are to structure their papers to deal with their main points in a balanced way. The best way to accomplish that would be to limit their details to those they feel are most important to highlight their subject.
Students also have the option to write a longer composition than usual, though that is optional.
7th - 8th Writing, January 16
For convenience, I am copying the post I originally made here
Lesson:
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
Lesson:
In this lesson, I taught the basic principles of persuasive writing.
Persuasion is the art of guiding and influencing others to think, feel, and behave in a desired manner. Persuasion involves establishing a need or problem, proposing a solution, supporting that solution with sound evidence and argumentation that will appeal to the audience, foreseeing and countering any resistance or opposition to the proposed solution, and issuing a clear call to action.
Persuasion involves:
ethos - an appeal from the authority and integrity of the writer (or speaker)
pathos - an appeal to the emotions of the audience
logos - am appeal to fact and logic
Logic without emotion may be dry or merciless, and may fail to stir many people to act or change.
Emotion without logic may be shallow at best, and may fail to produce lasting change.
Persuasion without ethos becomes propaganda, manipulation, or brainwashing.
We discussed how to structure and support an argument, how to choose the best terms to define one's arguments, how to understand and counter opposing viewpoints, how to gain the trust of the reader (in part by not alienating the reader with overblown claims, unsupported absolutes, or inflammatory language), and how to move the reader along to the desired conclusion.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay on a topic of their choosing, whether a political, moral, or practical policy issue. This must be a topic about which decent, honest people may disagree, and which calls for and allows for a change of mind or behavior.
9th - 12th Writing, January 16
Lesson:
Students had read and made notes on the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell. We spent the class period discussing the story, particularly how the author's choices contributed to his desired effect.
Assignment: Each student will compose a five- paragraph literary analysis essay on the selected short story. The main body paragraphs will discuss the setting, character, and theme of the work.
Students had read and made notes on the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell. We spent the class period discussing the story, particularly how the author's choices contributed to his desired effect.
Assignment: Each student will compose a five- paragraph literary analysis essay on the selected short story. The main body paragraphs will discuss the setting, character, and theme of the work.
Monday, January 12, 2009
4th - 6th Writing, January 9
Our first class back from our Christmas break was exuberant and delightful. I was happily surprised that quite a few students had done the optional extra credit writing.
Lesson:
We began again with our brief Brainwarmer exercise, which the students seem to enjoy. Many of the students read their stories aloud to the class afterwards.
For the main part of the lesson, I showed the class an easy formula for answering simple essay questions such as those which may be found in textbook chapter reviews or quizzes.
Subject: Turn the question around to make it a statement beginning with what or who is the subject.
Sort: What sort (category, classification) of person/place/thing is the subject?
Specifics: What specifically is important about this subject in this context?
For example, suppose the question asks Who was Louisa May Alcott?
Subject: Louisa May Alcott was
Sort: a nineteenth-century American author
Specifics: who wrote Little Women and other novels.
In another example, if the question asks What is photosynthesis?
Subject: Photosynthesis is
Sort: a biochemical process
Specifics: whereby plants use produce food energy from sunlight.
This basic pattern provides easy answers which are appropriate for simple questions that can be answered in one sentence. In addition, these answers can serve handily as topic sentences when paragraph-length responses are needed.(With a slight expansion of specifics, these answers become thesis statements for longer essay answers.)
Students will face many essay questions from now through college, so this practice should help them tremendously.
Assignment:
Write a strong paragraph in response to the essay question, "Who is [historical person of choice]?"
Use the pattern above (Subject, sort, specifics) to form a topic sentence.
Write the rest of the paragraph as usual, with solid information arranged in sensible order, with a variety of sentence openers, and lively, vivid word choices. Be sure to finish with a concluding sentence. Add an interesting title.
Since so many students were happy to discuss Davy Crockett when we used him as one of our class examples, I suggested him as our homework topic. In that case, students would write a paragraph answering the question, "Who is Davy Crockett?"
Other students asked to write a paragraph answer to "Who is Louisa May Alcott?" or "Who is Laura Ingalls Wilder?" That is fine. In fact, students may choose any historical figure for this assignment.
NOTE: This is not meant to be a big research project. I do not want the students to start from scratch reading and writing about someone with whom they are unfamiliar. I prefer they write about someone they have already studied, ideally someone who interests them.
Students this age tend to begin these assignments in minute detail like they might have read in a book-length biography. Partway through the process, when they have written three-fourths of a page just about their subject's birth and early childhood, they suddenly realize they are rewriting a book, so they hastily sum up their person's adulthood, accomplishments in a few scant sentences. The result is comically imbalanced. Therefore, I cautioned the students against starting their paragraphs with overly detailed information. Instead, they will need to choose the pertinent details that tell the essential story of their subject in a balanced way.
Lesson:
We began again with our brief Brainwarmer exercise, which the students seem to enjoy. Many of the students read their stories aloud to the class afterwards.
For the main part of the lesson, I showed the class an easy formula for answering simple essay questions such as those which may be found in textbook chapter reviews or quizzes.
Subject: Turn the question around to make it a statement beginning with what or who is the subject.
Sort: What sort (category, classification) of person/place/thing is the subject?
Specifics: What specifically is important about this subject in this context?
For example, suppose the question asks Who was Louisa May Alcott?
Subject: Louisa May Alcott was
Sort: a nineteenth-century American author
Specifics: who wrote Little Women and other novels.
In another example, if the question asks What is photosynthesis?
Subject: Photosynthesis is
Sort: a biochemical process
Specifics: whereby plants use produce food energy from sunlight.
This basic pattern provides easy answers which are appropriate for simple questions that can be answered in one sentence. In addition, these answers can serve handily as topic sentences when paragraph-length responses are needed.(With a slight expansion of specifics, these answers become thesis statements for longer essay answers.)
Students will face many essay questions from now through college, so this practice should help them tremendously.
Assignment:
Write a strong paragraph in response to the essay question, "Who is [historical person of choice]?"
Use the pattern above (Subject, sort, specifics) to form a topic sentence.
Write the rest of the paragraph as usual, with solid information arranged in sensible order, with a variety of sentence openers, and lively, vivid word choices. Be sure to finish with a concluding sentence. Add an interesting title.
Since so many students were happy to discuss Davy Crockett when we used him as one of our class examples, I suggested him as our homework topic. In that case, students would write a paragraph answering the question, "Who is Davy Crockett?"
Other students asked to write a paragraph answer to "Who is Louisa May Alcott?" or "Who is Laura Ingalls Wilder?" That is fine. In fact, students may choose any historical figure for this assignment.
NOTE: This is not meant to be a big research project. I do not want the students to start from scratch reading and writing about someone with whom they are unfamiliar. I prefer they write about someone they have already studied, ideally someone who interests them.
Students this age tend to begin these assignments in minute detail like they might have read in a book-length biography. Partway through the process, when they have written three-fourths of a page just about their subject's birth and early childhood, they suddenly realize they are rewriting a book, so they hastily sum up their person's adulthood, accomplishments in a few scant sentences. The result is comically imbalanced. Therefore, I cautioned the students against starting their paragraphs with overly detailed information. Instead, they will need to choose the pertinent details that tell the essential story of their subject in a balanced way.
7th - 8th Writing, January 9
I was pleased to resume classes with these students after our long vacation. They were more confident in their most recent writing, and we are ready to move on. I intend to start literary analysis with this class soon, which most of them are eager to begin, as well. First, however, we need to address academic essay questions and then persuasive writing.
Lesson:
I showed the class an easy formula for answering simple essay questions such as those which may be found in textbook chapter reviews or quizzes.
Subject: Turn the question around to make it a statement beginning with what or who is the subject.
Sort: What sort (category, classification) of person/place/thing is the subject?
Specifics: What specifically is important about this subject in this context?
For example, suppose the question asks Who was Louisa May Alcott?
Subject: Louisa May Alcott was
Sort: a nineteenth-century American author
Specifics: who wrote Little Women and other novels.
In another example, if the question asks What is photosynthesis?
Subject: Photosynthesis is
Sort: a biochemical process
Specifics: whereby plants use produce food energy from sunlight.
This basic pattern provides easy answers which are appropriate for simple questions that can be answered in one sentence. In addition, these answers can serve handily as topic sentences when paragraph-length responses are needed. With a slight expansion of specifics, these answers become thesis statements for longer essay answers.
Of course, most questions at this grade level are not so simple, so we also discussed how to answer more complex questions. I stressed that students should be careful to read the question accurately, being certain that they fully understand all that is being asked. In fact, it often helps to underline key words which call for a particular type of response. We discussed many of these, such as:
classify
compare
contrast
define
describe
discuss
evaluate
explain
identify
list
outline
prove
relate
review
state
trace
etc.
Students should pay special attention to any question with more than one part, to be sure to answer completely. For example, an essay question might ask What was humankind's greatest invention, and why? A response that only names or describes a significant invention without discussing its valuable impact on human culture misses the point completely.
Assignment:
Write a five-paragraph essay in response to a question from your other schoolwork this week. (This can be from history, science, literature, etc. Many students are taking the Starting Points course, so that would coordinate well.) Be sure to include the question being answered.
Lesson:
I showed the class an easy formula for answering simple essay questions such as those which may be found in textbook chapter reviews or quizzes.
Subject: Turn the question around to make it a statement beginning with what or who is the subject.
Sort: What sort (category, classification) of person/place/thing is the subject?
Specifics: What specifically is important about this subject in this context?
For example, suppose the question asks Who was Louisa May Alcott?
Subject: Louisa May Alcott was
Sort: a nineteenth-century American author
Specifics: who wrote Little Women and other novels.
In another example, if the question asks What is photosynthesis?
Subject: Photosynthesis is
Sort: a biochemical process
Specifics: whereby plants use produce food energy from sunlight.
This basic pattern provides easy answers which are appropriate for simple questions that can be answered in one sentence. In addition, these answers can serve handily as topic sentences when paragraph-length responses are needed. With a slight expansion of specifics, these answers become thesis statements for longer essay answers.
Of course, most questions at this grade level are not so simple, so we also discussed how to answer more complex questions. I stressed that students should be careful to read the question accurately, being certain that they fully understand all that is being asked. In fact, it often helps to underline key words which call for a particular type of response. We discussed many of these, such as:
classify
compare
contrast
define
describe
discuss
evaluate
explain
identify
list
outline
prove
relate
review
state
trace
etc.
Students should pay special attention to any question with more than one part, to be sure to answer completely. For example, an essay question might ask What was humankind's greatest invention, and why? A response that only names or describes a significant invention without discussing its valuable impact on human culture misses the point completely.
Assignment:
Write a five-paragraph essay in response to a question from your other schoolwork this week. (This can be from history, science, literature, etc. Many students are taking the Starting Points course, so that would coordinate well.) Be sure to include the question being answered.
Friday, January 9, 2009
9th - 12th Writing, January 9
It was great to be back after a long break. We will be picking up the pace this second semester, since the students are ready for more challenging writing.
Lesson:
We embarked on our study of literary analysis this week.
First, we discussed basic dramatic structure:
Exposition - intro to setting, main characters, situation (Older works often devote a chapter or more to this, though modern writers usually shorten this or skip it altogether to begin the story in medias res, in the middle of things.)
Complication - the inciting moment that sets up the conflict
Rising action - the unfolding of the conflict leading up to a crisis
Crisis - moment of decision when protagonist commits to a course of action
Climax - peak point of conflict; turning point
Falling action - unraveling/aftermath of conflict
Resolution - also called denouement; conclusion
Moral - sometimes clearly stated in older works; seldom included in modern works
Though not every story has all these elements fully developed, nearly every work will have rising action, climax, and resolution, at least.
In a short story, the dramatic structure is efficiently condensed, with nearly every word or detail packed with significance, which makes short stories an excellent genre for literary analysis.
Next, we defined and discussed essential literary terms and devices, such as:
setting
character (especially protagonist and antagonist)
theme
conflict (of various types, man vs. man, man vs. nature, etc.)
point of view
and more.
I explained the general structure of a five-paragraph literary analysis essay, with intro and concluding paragraphs framing the three body paragraphs devoted to setting,character, and theme.
Assignment:
Students are to analyze a short story from those provided. I suggested that students read their selections three to five times. The first reading is for the story itself; the subsequent readings are to ferret out the various literary elements, especially as they relate to setting, character, and theme. Students will make notes, highlight passages, etc., in preparation for writing an essay next time.
Lesson:
We embarked on our study of literary analysis this week.
First, we discussed basic dramatic structure:
Exposition - intro to setting, main characters, situation (Older works often devote a chapter or more to this, though modern writers usually shorten this or skip it altogether to begin the story in medias res, in the middle of things.)
Complication - the inciting moment that sets up the conflict
Rising action - the unfolding of the conflict leading up to a crisis
Crisis - moment of decision when protagonist commits to a course of action
Climax - peak point of conflict; turning point
Falling action - unraveling/aftermath of conflict
Resolution - also called denouement; conclusion
Moral - sometimes clearly stated in older works; seldom included in modern works
Though not every story has all these elements fully developed, nearly every work will have rising action, climax, and resolution, at least.
In a short story, the dramatic structure is efficiently condensed, with nearly every word or detail packed with significance, which makes short stories an excellent genre for literary analysis.
Next, we defined and discussed essential literary terms and devices, such as:
setting
character (especially protagonist and antagonist)
theme
conflict (of various types, man vs. man, man vs. nature, etc.)
point of view
and more.
I explained the general structure of a five-paragraph literary analysis essay, with intro and concluding paragraphs framing the three body paragraphs devoted to setting,character, and theme.
Assignment:
Students are to analyze a short story from those provided. I suggested that students read their selections three to five times. The first reading is for the story itself; the subsequent readings are to ferret out the various literary elements, especially as they relate to setting, character, and theme. Students will make notes, highlight passages, etc., in preparation for writing an essay next time.
Monday, January 5, 2009
4th - 6th Writing, December 12
Lesson:
Since it was the last class before Christmas vacation, I chose not to teach significant new material. Instead, we practiced a quick technique called Brainwarmers. Brainwarmer activities are meant to be a fast and fun way to write creatively and quickly. We will be doing more of this from now on, so I will explain it more later.
Assignment:
I did not give any assignment for this class.
Students may, at their option, write for extra credit. They may rewrite any previous assignment for a higher grade, or they may write anything they please, including poetry, fiction, longer essays, etc. However, that is completely at their discretion, not required.
Since it was the last class before Christmas vacation, I chose not to teach significant new material. Instead, we practiced a quick technique called Brainwarmers. Brainwarmer activities are meant to be a fast and fun way to write creatively and quickly. We will be doing more of this from now on, so I will explain it more later.
Assignment:
I did not give any assignment for this class.
Students may, at their option, write for extra credit. They may rewrite any previous assignment for a higher grade, or they may write anything they please, including poetry, fiction, longer essays, etc. However, that is completely at their discretion, not required.
7th - 8th Writing, December 12
Lesson:
As planned, students spent the class period writing timed definition or compare/contrast essays. This was the quietest class session of the year for these students, but also, by far, the most intense.
Assignment:
I did not assign homework.
Students may rewrite any previous paper for a higher grade, if they choose, but that is entirely optional.
As planned, students spent the class period writing timed definition or compare/contrast essays. This was the quietest class session of the year for these students, but also, by far, the most intense.
Assignment:
I did not assign homework.
Students may rewrite any previous paper for a higher grade, if they choose, but that is entirely optional.
9th - 12th Writing, December 12
Lesson:
Common wisdom posits that the best way to learn is to teach. Another axiom tells us that it is easier to spot our faults in others than in ourselves. Perhaps both of these statements come into play during class read-arounds. Evaluating their classmates' writing and making suggestions for improvement helps students to turn a more objective eye on their own efforts.
I had expected to collect the students' most recent persuasive essays and issue a new assignment. However, the students all said that the previous read-around session had helped them tremendously, which I could see for myself when I quickly scanned their newest essays. The class also said that, though they felt more capable and confident with persuasive writing, they still needed more practice. Looking over their work, I concurred.
So, we spent a brief portion of this class period reviewing a few tips, such as organizing one's points for greatest impact, and choosing terms which would advance one's case without offending one's reader.
After that, we spent the remainder of the period in class read-arounds of their most recent persuasive essays.
Assignment:
Students were to take home and revise their latest persuasive essays.
Common wisdom posits that the best way to learn is to teach. Another axiom tells us that it is easier to spot our faults in others than in ourselves. Perhaps both of these statements come into play during class read-arounds. Evaluating their classmates' writing and making suggestions for improvement helps students to turn a more objective eye on their own efforts.
I had expected to collect the students' most recent persuasive essays and issue a new assignment. However, the students all said that the previous read-around session had helped them tremendously, which I could see for myself when I quickly scanned their newest essays. The class also said that, though they felt more capable and confident with persuasive writing, they still needed more practice. Looking over their work, I concurred.
So, we spent a brief portion of this class period reviewing a few tips, such as organizing one's points for greatest impact, and choosing terms which would advance one's case without offending one's reader.
After that, we spent the remainder of the period in class read-arounds of their most recent persuasive essays.
Assignment:
Students were to take home and revise their latest persuasive essays.
AP Writing, December 11
Lesson: As is typical for an AP class, we discussed the selected literary readings. Our main focus for this class was the author's craft --- why he or she might choose a particular point of view or setting or pacing, etc. I encouraged them to look past whether they like the story, past the overall theme or impact, into whether or how the author's choices work effectively. Our aim was to evaluate the stories not as readers but as writers.
By way of example, when I listen to music, I enjoy it (or not) based simply on whether it appeals to me. If I think about it more, I might say it depends on the overall sound, especially the melody and lyric, and perhaps the mood. I usually don't hear more than that unless I make a deliberate effort. However, my husband and children who can work a soundboard and play various instruments (among them, guitar, bass, drums, piano, clarinet, mandolin, harmonica) easily hear much more than that. With their musical sensibilities more attuned, my family cannot help but hear each instrument, how it contributes to the overall sound, and how the production values affect the mix. They can appreciate the skill (or notice the lack thereof) in a musical piece, whether the style suits them or not.
Likewise, literary analysis is not about how we like a story, but, rather, how the author weaves the various literary elements into a finished composition. It is linguistic 'backwards engineering.'
Assignment:
Students were to submit their literary analysis papers for their selected short story.
By way of example, when I listen to music, I enjoy it (or not) based simply on whether it appeals to me. If I think about it more, I might say it depends on the overall sound, especially the melody and lyric, and perhaps the mood. I usually don't hear more than that unless I make a deliberate effort. However, my husband and children who can work a soundboard and play various instruments (among them, guitar, bass, drums, piano, clarinet, mandolin, harmonica) easily hear much more than that. With their musical sensibilities more attuned, my family cannot help but hear each instrument, how it contributes to the overall sound, and how the production values affect the mix. They can appreciate the skill (or notice the lack thereof) in a musical piece, whether the style suits them or not.
Likewise, literary analysis is not about how we like a story, but, rather, how the author weaves the various literary elements into a finished composition. It is linguistic 'backwards engineering.'
Assignment:
Students were to submit their literary analysis papers for their selected short story.
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed all the festivities with family and friends as we took a break from our routines to celebrate the birth of Christ. Though this past year has had its share of challenges, the Lord has been most kind, and life here is good.
One way in which God has been gracious to me is through you all. I am so thankful for our writing classes! The process of teaching is deeply satisfying to me, and even more so because these students are so delightful. I appreciate their diligence and their positive attitudes.
Now the new year has begun, and with it a new semester of writing classes. Though Christmas vacation was a welcome holiday, I am ready to get back to business. I hope you all feel the same, since classes resume this week.
The students have made tremendous progress in their writing so far. Building on that foundation, we will be picking up the pace in the second semester. I am confident that these young writers will more than meet the challenge.
One way in which God has been gracious to me is through you all. I am so thankful for our writing classes! The process of teaching is deeply satisfying to me, and even more so because these students are so delightful. I appreciate their diligence and their positive attitudes.
Now the new year has begun, and with it a new semester of writing classes. Though Christmas vacation was a welcome holiday, I am ready to get back to business. I hope you all feel the same, since classes resume this week.
The students have made tremendous progress in their writing so far. Building on that foundation, we will be picking up the pace in the second semester. I am confident that these young writers will more than meet the challenge.
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