Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Class Work

1. Begin with the presentations of the GUM issues. Please return to your groups.
Assignment:

• That/which/who
• Punctuating Dialogue
• Possessives
• Numbers
• Punctuating titles
• Subject/verb agreement

Assignment: Prepare a poster or PowerPoint slide to share the rules. Provide a model sentence. Provide two "test" sentences.
2. Peer Editing of your essay

3. Peer Editing of the PowerPoint -

Here are the guidelines:
Slide #1: Title and Your Name
Slide #2: Identify the problem - make your claim
Slides 3, 4, 5: Explain the causes of the problem. This answers "because" and possibly gives evidence.
Slides 6, 7, 8: Explain the effects of the problem - This is more evidence.
Slides 9, 10, 11: Call to action - give the viewers concrete examples of what can be done and explain what difference their actions will make. (This section contains another claim, more reasons, and more evidence.
Slide 12: Works Cited page - This should look just like the Works Cited page in your essay.

A few more tips: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/10-tips-for-more-effective-powerpoint-presentations.html

http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/skills/presentations.aspx

4. Sign up for presentations.  You MUST have your presentation saved on a jump-drive or burned to a CD. That is the only way to move quickly from one presentation to another.

5. Tips for presenting to a group - Let's create a list before looking at the recommendations from other sources.
http://www.ehow.com/how-to_4845368_deliver-effective-speeches.html

http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu/resources/tipsheets/delivery/presentationdeliverytips.pdf


Homework

Note:  Our exam is on December 8th. You MUST come to the exam or you will not pass the class. This is listed in the EMCC handbook.

1. Finish your essay. It is due on Thursday.
2. Finish your PowerPoint. SAVE IT ON A JUMP DRIVE. The presentations are on Thursday.

Tuesday

Class Work

1.  Let's look at the Works Cited page. Please print out your page if you have not already done so.

• http://dianahacker.com/pdfs/Hacker-Daly-MLA-WC.pdf (Does your page look like this? If so, pat yourself on the back. If not, you probably missed a button on EasyBib. http://www.easybib.com/)

2. How is your essay coming along? What are your claims?  You will need two claims - one to prove a problem exists and one to prove that there is a solution.

3.Guidelines for a problem/solution essay: http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-problem-solution-essay

The draft is due on November 29th.  The final essay is due on December 6th.

4. Prepare a PowerPoint to share what you learned by writing your essay. These will be presented on December 1. A sign up sheet will be available on November 29th.

Guidelines:
Slide #1: Title and Your Name
Slide #2: Identify the problem - make your claim
Slides 3, 4, 5: Explain the causes of the problem. This answers "because" and possibly gives evidence.
Slides 6, 7, 8: Explain the effects of the problem - This is more evidence.
Slides 9, 10, 11: Call to action - give the viewers concrete examples of what can be done and explain what difference their actions will make. (This section contains another claim, more reasons, and more evidence.
Slide 12: Works Cited page - This should look just like the Works Cited page in your essay.


5.  GUM Group Work -

• That/which/who
• Punctuating Dialogue
• Possessives
• Numbers
• Punctuating titles
• Subject/verb agreement

Assignment: Prepare a poster or PowerPoint slide to share the rules. Provide a model sentence. Provide two "test" sentences.

Homework

See the green items above.''

Note:  Our exam is on December 8th. You MUST come to the exam or you will not pass the class. This is listed in the EMCC handbook.

Happy Thanksgiving! There is no class on Thursday, November 24th.

Thursday

Class Work

1. Submit the reaction to the presentation.
2. Back to "Saving the Songs of the Sea" - Save the Last Word for Me
3.  Look for claims, reasons, and evidence in "Saving the Songs of the Sea."
4. Using humor to make a point" "So Earth Had This Boyfriend" (Handout only)
5. Return papers. . . please check BlackBoard to be sure your grade shows. If you do not receive a paper and no grade is posted, please see me.
6. Taking a look at GUM issues - group activity - share the knowledge

• that/which/who
• punctuating dialogue
• possessives
• use of numerals vs. numbers
• punctuating titles
• subject/verb agreement

6.  What is your major research topic? At this point in time, what is/are your claim(s)? What are your reasons? What evidence have you found?

Homework

What do you think about Global Warming? What would you claim? What are your reasons? What evidence do you have to support your belief? Write these down. Bring the list to class on Tuesday.

Continue with the research on the topic of your choice. Keep track of your sources on EasyBib or other Works Cited creation help. Print a paper copy. I will be checking the formatting.

Take a look at "How to Write a Critique."
See: http://www.cccmyc.edu.hk/subject/eng-dept/sba/doc/Writing%20a%20Documentary%20Review.pdf and
http://www-english.tamu.edu/pers/fac/muana/docureview.pdf

Class Work

1. Discussion of An Inconvenient Truth - please refer to your Q/A sheet that is due today.
2. "The Bounty of the Sea" - what do you think?
3. "Saving the Songs of the Sea" - class activity
4. We will be going to the Center for Teaching and Learning to participate in a lecture on The Technological History of Cherokee Writing.  For homework, write a reaction to the presentation. This should be a paragraph or two. What did you learn? What do you think?

Homework
1. Continue working on your research.
2. Write your reaction to the presentation. See #4 above.

Tuesday, November 8. 2011

Class Work

Reminder: You must post the homework from Thrusday on MyCompLab today.

1. Begin by reading "The Bounty of the Sea" by Jacques Cousteau. Even though it is short, Cousteau makes powerful claims. Answer the Questions for Close Reading for homework. Submit your answers on MyCompLab. (Handout only)

2. View An Inconvenient Truth. It is a documentary. Watch for the following:

An Inconvenient Truth – Questions

After viewing the documentary, answer the following questions. This is due on Tuesday, November 15, 2011. Bring your answers to class. The questions are also available as a paper handout.

1.       Why does the film open and close with serene images of nature: lush green leaves and a gently flowing river on a sunny day, followed by Al Gore’s voice-over about this peaceful place? What is the impact on the viewer?

2.       In this film, Gore narrates a moment in 1989 when his six-year-old son dropped his father’s hand, ran into the street, and was severely injured. How does this personal story relate to Gore’s mission?

3.       Much of the film consists of scientific facts and charts. Think back and answer the following:

·         Why do we have global warming?

·         What is the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature?

·         How does global warming contribute to an increase in the number and severity of storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons?

·         How can global warming cause both violent precipitation as well as droughts?

4.       Explain the significance of each of these references from the film:

·         The findings of core drills

·         The thawing of the permafrost, the splitting of the Ward Hunt ice shelf, and the disappearance of the Larson ice shelf

·         The Arctic ice cap disappearing

·         The image of a canary in a coal mine

·         The image of the frog in the cooking pot

5.       Cite three ecological consequences of global warming in the animal and plant communities.

6.       Gore used quotations from several memorable people.  Explain how they apply to the topic of global warming.

·         Mark Twain: “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know; it’s what we know that just ain’t so.”

·         Upton Sinclair: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Consider citing specific ways that this statement is illustrated throughout this film.

·         Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow in Science magazine: “Humanity already possesses the fundamental scientific, technical, and industrial know-how to solve the carbon and climate problems.”

7.       Explain the significance of the film’s title An Inconvenient Truth.

Homework

1. Submit the answers to the Questions for Close Reading on MyCompLab. They are due on Thursday, November 10, 2011.

2. Continue working on your own research. Be sure to keep track of your sources!

         

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Class Work

Looking back - something new on body art . . . http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/power-your-future/visible-tattoos-other-corporate-no-nos-193828198.html

1. Let's take a look at "Let's Talk About Sex" by Anna Quindlen. 9Write Now, pp. 203-205
Look for: claims, reasons, and evidence. (See p. 202 in Write Now.) Is the topic arguable? Are there two sides? What is Quindlen's main point? Where is it stated?

 How did Quindlen handle opposing points of view? Is she likely to convince the opposition? Explain.2. Visual arguments - what do you see? p. 211

3. Group Activity- each group will be assigned a topic. Decide which side your group will argue.(p. 212 - #2) Convince us. using the broad topics assigned, develop a claim. What evidence is available? (Search the Internet. Search the sources available in My Comp Lab. Search what is available in the library resources. You may NOT include Wikipedia as a source.) Is there enough information? See p. 202 to review Claims, reasons, and evidence.

Once your group has a claim, provide a reason as an explanation in support of your claim. (Answer "why?" Use "because.")

Now, find some evidence. Look for facts, statements, remarks from authorities, statistics, etc. Numbers speak volumes!

Be ready to share with the rest of the class.

4. What is your topic? Are there others in the class working on your topic? Join together as a group to discuss.  If you have a "stand alone" topic, you with join with others to share.

• What sources did you locate. Justify each as a "good" source. What makes it the best?
• What does the opposition know?
• Will you be convincing a friendly or hostile audience?  How old are they? What is their experience with the topic? Why do they need your information? What do they know about your topic already? Is age a factor? What do they need to know to be convinced?
• Share your paragraph about the audience with the group. (Submit this paragraph.)

5. Review the student sample on pp. 216-229. Look for claims, reasons, and evidence. Make a list of each. What did you find?

6. Take a look at p. 91 for a list of other terms associated with arguments. Pay careful attention to claims, reasons, evidence, and appeals.

Homework
1.  Read "Meltdown: Running Out of Time on Global Warming" pp. 92-99. Notice the flow charts.  
2. Review the guidelines for writing arguments:
http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/argument.html ( Review the information about writing arguments. Read one of the student samples at this site. List the claims, reasons, and note the evidence. You may do this as a flow chart if you wish.)

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/argument.htm (This site also has the "Cry Wolf" essay with annotations. It guides you through the essay with questions and comments.)

3. Continue working on the research for your topic. Write a thesis statement. This is your major claim. Submit your thesis statement on MyCompLab. The link is ready for your work. Also tell me your reasons and note the most important information found to date.
 
Use this form:
Thesis/claim:
 
Reasons:
 
Evidence:

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Class Work

1. Let's look at the homework. What topics are of interest: at school, in the neighborhood, in the valley, in the state, across the nation, around the world? At your table, create a list of at least five for each of the categories listed. Check the magazines. What are the "big" topics?

2. Did you find a topic of interest to you? Why did you select that topic? Why is it important? What do you hope to change?

3.  Look for a topic - see pp. 206-207 in Write Now. Select a topic to support or refute. Complete the "Ask Question & Make Decisions" questions with your topic in mind.
4. This was the homework: #1 Read the editorials for at least two days. Make a list of the topics of interest. Select one letter and discuss its success or failure to convince. What topic did you select? Why?#2. Complete this question as written in the book. What was your favorite t-shirt, bumper sticker, or billboard "argument?" What made it effective?#3. Instead of writing a paragraph, make a +/- list. What are the arguments for your selected topic? What are the arguments against your selected topic? Take out your +/- list and share it with your group. #4 Complete #4 as written in the book. What did you find? What arguments are effective?

Let's discuss.

5. Let's take a look at "Let's Talk About Sex" by Anna Quindlen. 9Write Now, pp. 203-205
Look for: claims, reasons, and evidence. (See p. 202 in Write Now.) Is the topic arguable? Are there two sides? What is Quindlen's main point? Where is it stated?

6. How did Quindlen handle opposing points of view? Is she likely to convince the opposition? Explain.

7. Visual arguments - what do you see? p. 211

8. Group Activity: p. 212 - #2. Convince us. Select one of the broad topics listed or select an agreed up topic for your group. Develop a claim. What evidence is available? (Search the Internet. Search the sources available in My Comp Lab. Search what is available in the library resources. You may NOT include Wikipedia as a source.) Is there enough information?

Homework
1. Follow the guidelines on pp. 213-214 to help you study your topic. Your job is to become an instant expert on the topic of your choice. You must have at least five good sources. You need to identify the opposition and know what they believe and know.

2. Determine if you will be writing for a friendly or hostile audience. Write a paragraph describing that audience. How old are they? What is their experience with the topic? Why do they need your information? What do they know about your topic already? Is age a factor? What do they need to know to be convinced?

3. Read the student sample on pp. 216-129. Look for claims, reasons, and evidenc. Make a list of each.