Complete Points of Interest Charts

Just a friendly reminder that I'll be checking your Points of Interest Charts for completion on Monday.

Sincerely,

Your Dumpster Diving English Teacher. Hey, at least I got 'em.

Mini Lesson #1: Ellipsis

Whenever you wish to remove a word, a phrase, a sentence, or more from a quoted passage, you should think about two things: fairness to the author being quoted, and making sure the sentence still makes sense (grammatically).

If you quote only a word or phrase, it will be obvious that you left out some of the original sentence:

In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy spoke of a "new frontier."

But when taking out material from the original sentence or sentences leaves you with a quotation that appears to be a sentence or series of sentences, you need to use an ellipsis, or three spaced periods, to indicate that your quotation does not completely reproduce the original.

For an ellipsis within a sentence, use three periods with a space before each and a space after the last.

EXAMPLE: (original sentence) Medical thinking, trapped in the the theory of astral influences, stressed air as the communicator of disease, ignorning  sanitation or visible carriers.

Quotation with an ellipsis in the middle: In surveying various responses to plagues in the Middle Ages, Barbara W. Tuchman writes, "Medical thinking . . . stressed air as the communicator of disease, ignoring sanitation or visible carries" (101-02).


Quotation with an ellipsis at the end: when the ellipsis appears at the end of your sentence, use three periods with a space before each, and then place the sentence period after the final parenthesis.

"Medical thinking, trapped in the the theory of astral influences, stressed air as the communicator of disease . . ." (101-02).

Now you try:

1. The ceremony honored twelve brilliant athletes from the Caribbean who were visiting the U.S. Leave out "from the Caribbean who were"

If you're unsure, come see me and I'd be happy to help.

New Documents On My Web Page

Hello everybody! I just wanted to let you know that the Points of Interest Chart, the essay topics, as well as my list of key ideas in Douglass's Narrative (file name: key ideas in Narrative) are now up on my school webpage. Also, if you lost your cheat sheet to rhetorical terms, I threw that up there as well. Click here for instant access.

Also note: Section 8-3, you were not assigned any work this evening. This means that you will have to be extra focused in our workshop tomorrow.

Have a good evening,

Mr. B.

Writing Workshop- Day I

PART I- Prewriting

Prewriting Reflection: Please respond briefly to the following questions: 

What is the main purpose of an introductory paragraph?

What does it mean to use formal language throughout?

What does it mean to have distracting grammatical errors?

What does it mean to express your ideas clearly?

What does it mean to develop your ideas?

1. Take a moment to read through the essay topics. Choose one that you think you can work with.

2. Next, take a moment to read through Narrative on your desk.

3.Begin selecting evidence that might be relevant to your topic.

4. Copy down a short quote on your Points of Interest sheet. Give yourself a general location of where your quote (evidence) is located. For example: Chapter 2, paragraph 4. That's called a citation.

5. Beside each citation, explain the rhetorical device being used.

What you'll need for Wednesday

So, because today's lesson was meatier than I anticipated, our schedule shifts a bit. Here's what you'll need for tomorrow's class:

1. The first drafts of your 2 Ten Percent Summaries, typed and of the appropriate word count/
2. Your best peer reviewing skills.

That is all! Enjoy your evening.

-Mr. B

Rhetorical Review and Peer Review Workshop

Your cheat sheet to rhetorical terms and devices:

Rhetoric-The art of persuasion in writing and speaking.

Logos-  Arguments that appeal to the head using logic, numbers, explanations, and facts. Through Logos, a writer aims at a person's intellect. The idea is that if you are logical, you will understand.

Ethos- Arguments that appeal to the conscience, ethics, morals, standards, values, principles.  Ethos also tries to persuade an audience that the speaker has a moral character and the ideas put forth can be trusted and believed.

Pathos- Arguments that appeal to the heart, emotions, and sympathy, usually through vivid imagery and figurative language.

Parallelism-Using similar word patterns to emphasize and link ideas. It also adds rhythm, balance, and clarity.

Analogy-using a familiar concept to explain a complex idea.

Allusion- A brief reference to an event, person, place, another story, or document.

Paradox: A contradictory statement that nevertheless is true, or which reveals a truth. Example: jumbo shrimp.

Anecdote: A brief personal story, usually found in nonfiction, to help illustrate a point.

Irony: A contrast between what is expected to happen, and what actually happens.

On your peer’s paper, make note of the following:

1. Sentence fragments

2. Run-on sentences

3. Lack of punctuation/capitalization

4. Awkward sentences or phrases

5. Lack of smooth transitions from one thought to the next (are there transition words/phrases? i.e. rather, furthermore, in addition, also, therefore, however, moreover, on the contrary, as a result, etc.)

6. Can you identify the S.A.T. (Source--italicized, Author, and Title of the chapter) 

7. Is the word count appropriate?

**On your peer’s paper, answer the following in complete sentences:

1. What did the writer do best with his or her summary?

2. Where could the writer improve?

HW: Your 10 Percent Summaries, typed and all necessary changes made, to be handed in tomorrow, with your notes.

Homework Reminder

Hello folks. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't any confusion regarding what you need for tomorrow's (Tuesday, Nov.27) class.

1. A typed first draft of your 2 Ten Percent Summaries. Remember: the two passages you had to summarize are already included in the packet.

2. Your notes will not be up for review. Therefore, you do not need your I.D.E.A.S. notes for tomorrow's class. These will be due on Wednesday with your final draft and peer reviewed first draft.

If you need a copy of the project outline, head over to my Siena page and scroll to the file that's titled "IDEAS for Summarizing."

**Students who were absent either today or the day before break, report to my room (120) during flex or lunch to take the quiz on chapters 6-9.

Irony: Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen

Today, we are going to watch a masterful interpretation of O. Henry's short story "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." This will most likely be the highlight of your Thanksgiving week, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Think about it: Be sure to note the irony. What idea or message is being communicated through the use of irony?

Project over the break: You have some work to do over the break. Everything you need to know is in the project packet you received in class. Forget the packet at school? Click here to get it (file name: "I.D.E.A.S for summarizing")

You also have to read Narrative, Chapters 6-9. Please read my ten percent summary of Chapter 5 first though. Click here.

For Chapters 6-9, Microsoft Word version, click here.
For an online PDF, click here.

Enjoy the turkey. Be sure to wear your turkey hats.

Chapter 4- TYPED IREEC

Today you will be looking at an IREEC paragraph based off the first chapter of Narrative. Please mark up the following on your copy (yes, the paper actually belongs to you):

1. Circle the thesis statement
2.Underline the sentence that introduces the quote
3. highlight the explanation
--Answer on back: How does this explanation relate back to the thesis statement
4. Underline the sentence that introduces the quote
5. highlight the explanation
--Answer on back: How does this explanation relate back to the thesis statement
6. Circle the concluding sentence

HW:

 In IREEC format, please address how Douglass uses ethos to argue against the institution of slavery in chapter 4. Please type this assignment, since we will be using it in a workshop.

Chapter 3-Douglass

Agenda:
1. Angry Email Sheets- 5-7 minutes
2. Angry Email-Logos and Ethos (Thesis statement for a short paragraph)-10-15 minutes
3. Chapter 3- Questions, Comments, Concerns? Think-Pair-Share: Irony at work (10-15 minutes)
4. Homework for next class


***HW: Read Chapter 4 of Narrative.

Angry Emails and Chapter 3

Agenda:
1. Take a copy of the "Angry Email," written by Mr. Bodensteiner
2. Read the email out loud to each other. Read a paragraph each.
3. Answer the questions on the "Angry Email" sheet

 New rhetorical term:

Irony: A contrast between what is expected to happen, and what actually happens.

examples of irony: An olympic swimmer who drowns in his bathtub.
                             A serial killer who has written books on public safety.

(From Ha Jin's "Saboteur")
A man with acute hepatitis is wrongfully accused and arrested for sabotage. The entire time he's in jail, he constantly speaks of his innocence. He's forced to sign a confession, and is finally released. Upon his release, anger and bitterness consumes him, and he orders food from several different places, only eating several bites of each item. Within a month, over eight hundred people contract acute hepatitis. Six died of the disease, including two children. The irony: He becomes a saboteur, the very thing he so passionately denied, and also harms innocent people (just like him in the beginning of the story) in the process.

HW: Read Chapter 3. Think about the ways that Douglass uses irony to express how slavery makes people do irrational things (irrational=unreasonable). In your notebook, jot down an example of irony that you've found in the chapter and how Douglass uses logos to argue against the institution of slavery.

Slave Songs

HW: In IREEC format, discuss 2 myths of slavery that Douglass argues against. Remember: a myth is a false or inaccurate belief, widely accepted as truth.

FREE STYLE FRIDAY:

As you may or may not know, many of the slave spirituals served as the foundation for what we know today as the Blues. Think of something that really stresses you out or breaks your spirit. Write a blues song that expresses your pain.

Follow this format:

I ain't got no sleep and I've been working all day
I ain't got not sleep and I've been working all day
Gonna find some place to rest these blues away

Key Rhetorical Terms for Chap. I of Douglass Narrative

HOMEWORK:
Please read Chapter 2 of Douglass' slave narrative (click here for microsoft word version, here for online PDF) and don't forget to do the following on a separate piece of paper:
1. Please write 3 things you learned about life on the plantation
2. Chose an important sentence. Explain why you think it's important.

Key Terms for Chap. 1:
Purpose
Audience
Anecdote
Allusion
Logos
Ethos
Pathos
Paradox
Parallelism

Frederick Douglass Narrative CHAPTER 1 HOMEWORK

IREEC- The format of a well-constructed body paragraph

Indent the first line of your response.

Restate the question—what are you trying to argue in your response?

Example-provide an example from the text that supports your argument. This will be a quote from the text.

Explain your quote—how does it support your argument? (the point you’re trying to make)

***(THEN REPEAT THE LAST TWO STEPS: PROVIDE ANOTHER EXAMPLE WITH ANOTHER EXPLANATION)

Conclude your paragraph, revisiting your main idea.

Answer the following question in IREEC format: In the first chapter, Frederick Douglass discusses some pretty heavy themes: loss of identity, how slavery works to break apart the family unit, and “the bloody scenes” of planation life. Who (audience) do you think he is trying to inform of these themes and what is his purpose?

For the microsoft word version that we're reading in class, click here.
Here is an online link to Frederick Douglass' narrative, Chapter I. Click Here.

Introduction to Rhetoric

We are going to begin our next unit today: Rhetorical Criticism

First, it'd be helpful to learn what rhetoric means--

rhetoric-The art of persuasion through speaking and writing.

Whenever we look at the rhetoric of someone's writing or speech, we try to identify 4 basic elements:

Purpose- what is the speaker arguing?

Audience-Who is the message intended for?

Style- what's the author's attitude toward his/her subject. We look for word choice (diction), images, and patterns)

Structure- How is the information organized? What types of ideas are introduced first. How about in the middle? What does the speaker finally conclude? Why does the order of these ideas matter?

An  easy way to remember those four elements: P.A.S.S.

The use of rhetorical devices/strategies appeal to audiences in 3 ways:

Logos

Appeals to the head using logic, numbers, explanations, and facts. Through Logos, a writer aims at a person's intellect. The idea is that if you are logical, you will understand.

Ethos

Appeals to the conscience, ethics, morals, standards, values, principles, justice 

Pathos

Appeals to the heart, emotions, sympathy, passions, sentimentality.

Hope you enjoy your new language "toys." We'll certainly have some fun "playing" with them in class.