Journal Topic Suggestions

I'm trying to come up with a lot of options to help you get moving in your journal. Keep checking in; I'll keep adding things.

Some people are doing great in their journals, but others are having trouble getting started, so I'm starting to post suggestions.         

• For this Thursday, aim to have at least 10 pages.
  
• However, if you have been stuck and are just getting started, try for 6. I'll help you get caught up. 

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS:

TV & Internet

Watch Dancing with the Stars. Describe the dances. Evaluate them -- what score would you give them & why? Evaluate the judges. Do you agree or disagree with them?

Watch your favorite TV program or a movie. Describe the action as it happens. Evaluate the acting & the photography. 

Watch your favorite sport and describe the action. Put yourself in the shoes of a sports writer. What would a reporter say about this game?

Track down YouTubes of your favorite singer, dancer, actor, athlete. Again, describe as objectively as you can; then give your objective response.

Politics

Choose an issue or candidate to follow in the news. Follow a two-step structure: 

• Report the information that you have found. Evaluate the information: How reliable is it? How objective is your source?
  
• Discuss your subjective response to the information that you have found?

Women's Issues

I found a great PBS website entitled Women, Power, and Politics. It a number of topics, videos, and even a poll that you can vote in:

•   http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html (here's the poll)
•   http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/437/index.html (the larger website)

You as Researcher

Be a people watcher. Go someplace where there is a lot of human action. Write down what you see. You can reflect on it, or just stick to observations. We'll actually be doing some of this later as an assignment, but you can get started now if you would like.

Interview people about their lives: We'll brainstorm in class about questions that you could ask.

Write a family history. Choose a family member (or members) and tell their story. You can do some interviewing for this if you'd like.

Thinking Back

What do you miss -- or not miss -- the most about high school? 

Think about people who have been important influences on your life. Who are they? What did they do that mattered to you? What are their priorities and commitment?

GETTING PERSONAL

Write a letter to someone who did you wrong. Tell them what you think!! (You don't need to send it!)

Write a letter to someone who has contributed to your life in important ways. Describe their contribution and tell them what kind of difference it has made to you.

Be aware: If you want to write about personal topics, I don't need to read them!! I just want to see that you are scribbling the pages. You can show it to me from four feet away. If I see the pages filled with ink, they will count.

ACT Prep

Start thinking ahead to the ACT school-based topics. What needs were met, or not, in your high school: 

• Physical (health & safety)
• Relationship (friendship and belonging)
• Growth (free choices: intellectual, creative, spiritual, altruistic)

Assignment for Tuesday 9/23

Be sure to bring in 3 neighborhood newspapers. We will be analyzing them in class.

People who had already written their "texting" letter: 

1) Revise your letter based on the feedback that you received.

2) Write a reflection on 

• what you learned from your classmates
• what you changed in your revision and why

Note: Proofreading for grammar is not revision. Revision involves rethinking and reorganizing your ideas.

People who had not already written their "texting" letter:

Complete the letter for Tuesday.

Make sure that you have --

1)  an introduction that clearly states your thesis

2) 2 or 3 body paragraphs, each one --

•  containing a topic sentence that gives ONE reason for supporting your thesis
  
• developing that reason and not wandering to any other topic

3) a conclusion that sums up the argument and lets the reader know that you are wrapping up 

Write a paragraph reflection stating -- 

• what was easiest about writing the letter
• what was hardest
• what you learned

Assignment for Tuesday, September 16

1. Based on the analysis that you did in class, make three or more revisions to your original letter. Options:

-       clarify your thesis

-       create a more interesting introduction

-       clarify your topic sentences

-       add elaboration to a body paragraph

-       get rid of irrelevant information in a body paragraph

-       create a two-part or three-part structure in a body paragraph

-       revise your conclusion to include brief mention of the points you have made

-       add an action request to your conclusion

 

2. Write two paragraphs reflecting on your writing process.

-       first paragraph: reflect on what was easy and what gave you difficulty in writing this letter 

-       second paragraph: describe the revisions that you made

a.     what changes did you make?

b.     why did you make each one?

Submit –

-       your original draft

-       your revised version with your revisions highlighted

-       your typed two-paragraph reflection

 

Double space! Put your name at the top!

 

Thinking Ahead:  Neighborhood Newspapers for 9/23

Every neighborhood has some kind of local newspapers. You can find free ones in public places like laudromats. There are inexpensive ones in your local convenience stores. For Thursday, 9/23, you need to bring in three of these newspapers. Even though they are not due yet, it will be easier if you go ahead and get started now.

Assignment for Thursday 9/4

Our group writing project on Thursday will be based on a New York Times article, "Another Ali Enters the Ring." There are four writing options at the end. You can use them to fill up some of your 5 journal pages for this week.

Getting Started on Your Own Blog

First you need to set up a free Google account. 

Next, go to the blogspot starter page. You'll use your Google user name and password to sign in. Follow their set-up instructions:

• Give it a title.
• Give it an internet address. Click on the Check Availability link to make sure no one has already taken that name. Create a new one if it was already taken.
• Copy the weird verification letters into the box.
• Go to the next page and choose a design template. You can revise the colors and design to suit you later.

Your blog is set up! You can go ahead and experiment with posting now, or you can wait till we work on it together in class.

Comment on Comments

Over the course of the semester, you will be responsible for commenting on at least 12 postings on my blog and commenting on at least 12 of your classmates' postings. You will be responsible for printing them up to submit with your portfolio.

This is not texting! Make sure that you proofread for spelling and punctuation. You are presenting yourself to your classmates. Put on your best shoes!

Poem for Thursday 9/4

This is a Shel Silverstein poem.

You can add a comment to the poem: Have you ever done this?

Or you can write your own version: