Friday, October 28

Introduced new vocabulary unit, on argument terms and fallacies.
Students wrote a timed essay to an AP analysis prompt.
COLLECTED the essays for a score and for a grade.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  November 4: Revised analysis essay is due by the end of the school day.  (Do NOT use Google Docs; print or hand write on paper, on every other line.)

Thursday, October 27

Grammar mini-lesson: Verbs vs. Verbals; Avoiding Passive Voice.

Groups met to share essays and observations on last night's reading assignments.
Shared observations with whole class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  November 4: Revised analysis essay is due by the end of the school day.  (Do NOT use Google Docs; print or hand write on paper, on every other line.)

EARLY DECISION APPLICANTS: Your revision will be prioritized for grading IF you communicate you need this to Ms. Bishop!

Wednesday, October 26

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Quick whole-class check in regarding last night's readings; discussed the idea of a central or extended metaphor or symbol within a piece of non-fiction writing.

Groups met to share essays and observations on last night's reading assignments.
Shared observations with whole class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.

EARLY DECISION APPLICANTS: Your revision will be prioritized for grading IF you communicate you need this to Ms. Bishop!

HOMEWORK for Thursday, October 27

Read the three essays "I Want a Wife" (344), "Not All Men Are Sly Foxes"(348) and "Our Barbies, Ourselves"(353) in your Bedford Reader.
Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In about 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

Tuesday, October 25

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Quick whole-class check in regarding last night's readings.

Groups met to share essays and observations on last night's reading assignments.
Groups selected one essay to share with the class; whole class listened and responded to shared essays.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.

EARLY DECISION APPLICANTS: Your revision will be prioritized for grading IF you communicate you need this to Ms. Bishop!

HOMEWORK for Wednesday, October 26

Read the three essays "Arm Wrestling with My Father" (144), "Shooting Dad" (152) and "Silent Dancing" (163) in your Bedford Reader.
Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In about 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

Monday, October 24

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Shared the October 10 New Yorker cover "Miss Congeniality."  Discussed what we were able to observe in the image, and what the image communicated to us through its details.

Students wrote paragraphs analyzing the image we had discussed.

Groups met to discuss and analyze another New Yorker cover (one per group).
Shared observations with the class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.

EARLY DECISION APPLICANTS: Your revision will be prioritized for grading IF you communicate you need this to Ms. Bishop!

HOMEWORK for Tuesday, October 25

Read the three essays "Videotape" (466), "The Capricious Camera" (359) and "Orientation" (324) in your Bedford Reader.
Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In about 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

Friday, October 21

NO HOMEWORK OVER THE WEEKEND.
Reminder: Final draft essays are due by midnight tonight; you must RESHARE them with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs for them to be counted as handed in.

Returned scored analysis essays handed in yesterday, and shared Considerations for Writing an Analysis Essay and What Are Rhetorical Strategies, notes derived from  Ms. Bishop's observations of what is missing from the essays so far.
Groups met to share their analysis essays and observations on last night's assigned homework with one another, giving and receiving feedback on how well it accomplished the task.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

What Are "Rhetorical Strategies"?

The task of an analysis essay is going to be some variation on analyzing the effects of a rhetorical strategy on developing an argument or supporting a purpose.

BUT WHAT ARE "RHETORICAL STRATEGIES"?  
Look for:

• Imagery (often used to evoke emotions)
• Diction (aka word choices)
• Syntax (how sentences are structured.  See your Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary for specifics)
• Rhetorical appeals:
• To reason and logic (logos)
• To emotion and humor (pathos)
• To character/trustworthiness of the speaker (ethos)

In your analysis essays, look for strategies, and write about their impact on the reader, and how that impact serves the purpose of the essay.

Strategy > Effects > Purpose.
Strategy > Effects > Purpose.
Strategy > Effects > Purpose.
Strategy > Effects > Purpose!

Considerations for Writing an Analysis Essay

• Identify PURPOSE early and clearly.
• Describe TONE using adjectives (usually relating to emotion: how much and what sort).
• Give examples, but link them clearly to a specific rhetorical strategy.
• Analyze, don't evaluate.
• Don't just summarize--connect the dots!

Remember that the task is to identify what rhetorical strategies are being used to create what effects in readers (often through TONE), and to explain how they support the purpose.

Thursday, October 20

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Groups met to share observations from last night's essays, referring to graphic organizers and/or annotations.
Groups shared their analysis essays with one another, giving and receiving feedback on how well it accomplished the task.

COLLECTED one essay, from today or yesterday, to return with an AP score and a homework grade tomorrow.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Thursday, October 20

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Groups met to share observations from last night's essays, referring to graphic organizers and/or annotations.
Groups shared their analysis essays with one another, giving and receiving feedback on how well it accomplished the task.

COLLECTED one essay, from today or yesterday, to return with an AP score and a homework grade tomorrow.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

HOMEWORK for Friday, October 21

Remember, final draft essays are due by midnight!  RE-SHARE your essay with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs!

Read the three essays "Close Encounters with US Immigration" (570), "The FBI Is Reading over Your Shoulder" (579) and "How the USA Patriot Act Defends Democracy" (585) in your Bedford Reader.
Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

REMEMBER:

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Wednesday, October 19

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.

Groups met to share observations from last night's essays, referring to graphic organizers and/or annotations.
Groups shared their analysis essays with one another, giving and receiving feedback on how well it accomplished the task.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

HOMEWORK for Thursday, October 20

Read each of the following three essays, in your Bedford Reader textbook:

• "Fish Cheeks" (94)
• "Why I Stopped Being a Vegetarian" (546)
• "A Vegetarian Philosophy" (552)

Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

REMEMBER:

FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Tuesday, October 18

Short class due to early release schedule.

Reviewed the homework due tomorrow: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.  Some, but not all, of the nightly essays will be scored and graded, and one will be revised for a major essay grade for this class.

Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz.
Analysis of a visual text: viewed and discussed the New Yorker cover, "Shift."

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Monday, October 17

Assigned the first wave of what will be nightly homework: reading three assigned essays and creating annotations for them via Post-It notes or graphic organizers, AND writing one 40 minute analysis essay for one of the three essays.  Some, but not all, of the nightly essays will be scored and graded, and one will be revised for a major essay grade for this class.

Groups wrapped up discussion of the two model AP analyses of Hazlitt; whole class discussed relative strengths of the models.

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 21: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

HOMEWORK for Wednesday, October 19

Read each of the following three essays, in your Bedford Reader textbook:

• "On Compassion" (195)
• "Homeless" (200)
• "Pride" (503)

Also:

• Annotate each essay with Post-it notes and/or complete a graphic organizer.
• Choose one essay.  In 40 minutes, write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop their position and/or support their purpose for the  essay.

REMEMBER:

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 20: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Friday, October 14

Wrapped up discussion of the essay "On Laziness," paying particular attention to the questions:

• What effect is the author trying to create through his style?
• How does he create that effect? (Looking especially at syntax, diction, and imagery.)
• How does that effect serve the purpose of his writing?

Briefly discussed the archaic essay by Hazlitt, "On the Want of Money," paying particular attention to difficult vocabulary and to overall tone.

Groups shared their observations from their notes on Hazlitt.
Distributed two model AP analyses of Hazlitt; groups read them together and discussed strengths they observed in the student essays.

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 20: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

Thursday, October 13

Assigned homework for Friday, October 14, Hazlitt essay.

Wrapped up discussion of tone, tone policing, purpose and audience in writing.
Introduced new Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary unit; quiz Tuesday, October 18!

Groups finished discussion of Winston Churchill's speech, "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat," and shared paragraphs and observations with the class as a whole.
Class began discussion of the essay "On Laziness," paying particular attention to the questions:

• What effect is the author trying to create through his style?
• How does he create that effect? (Looking especially at syntax, diction, and imagery.)
• How does that effect serve the purpose of his writing?

Distributed archaic essay by Hazlitt, "On Money."

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 20: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

HOMEWORK for Friday, October 14

Read and annotate and/or create a graphic organizer for Hazlitt essay.  Be sure to identify unfamiliar words or confusing passages!

Wednesday, October 12

Homework check: paragraphs from yesterday's homework.
Assigned homework for tomorrow, Thursday, October 12.

Wrapped up discussion of tone, tone policing, purpose and audience in writing.
Introduced new Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary unit; quiz Tuesday, October 18!

Groups met, read through and discussed Winston Churchill's speech, "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat," considering purpose, audience, tone, and the specific language and rhetorical strategies Churchill uses here.
Group members began sharing their paragraphs; groups will report on their observations and share their favorite of the paragraphs with the whole class tomorrow.

DUE DATES

TUESDAY, October 18: Glossary of Style Elements vocabulary quiz
FRIDAY,  October 20: Final drafts of reflective essays/Common App essay due.  (Re-share with Ms. Bishop via Google Docs by midnight.)  THIS IS A CHANGE.

HOMEWORK for Thursday, October 13

Read in your packet from "Talking with the Text"(44) through page 68.
Annotate and/or use a graphic organizer with a close reading of the essay, "On Laziness."

Tuesday, October 11

Assigned homework for tomorrow, Wednesday, October 12.

Discussed the purpose in "The Myth of Tone Policing" and considered it's probably message: while dismissing an argument based on its tone is a mistake, so is refusing to debate a point at all based on the emotional impact of the subject matter.  (Do we agree? Disagree?  Are some subjects not open to debate?)

Read the essay "Activism: You're Not Doing It Wrong," and considered its tone, its intended message, and its intended audience.

Discussed the relationship between the tone of a piece, the intended audience for a piece, and its purpose.

HOMEWORK for Wednesday, October 12

Read Chapter 2 of your handout packet, pages 39--44.
WRITE UP ONE PARAGRAPH of analysis of "Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat."

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17: FINAL DRAFT of the personal reflection/Common App essay is due.

Friday, October 7

"The Myth of Tone Policing" vocabulary quiz.

Returned scored responses to the Chapter One Culminating Activity.
Discussed message and tone in the moon landing texts, and specific language, details, and imagery that provide support for our ideas.

Thursday, October 6

Students noted their ideas about purpose and "The Myth of Tone Policing," and set them aside.
Students wrote in response to the Chapter One Culminating Activity from their handouts.

COLLECTED Culminating Activity analysis essays for an AP-style score.

DUE DATES

Friday, October 7: "The Myth of Tone Policing" Vocabulary Quiz.

Wednesday, October 5

Assigned homework for Thursday: finish reading Chapter One in the handout, reading the last selections carefully.  Come prepared to write!

Checked in about vocabulary we generated from the yesterday's essay, "The Myth of Tone Policing," and distributed a Quizlet list for Friday.

Groups shared their annotations and discussed

• Significant-seeming information on Speaker, Occasion/Context, or Audience
• Suggestions of tone
• Rhetorical appeals (to authority/character, reason, or emotion)
• Likely PURPOSE of the work.

Whole class discussion, analyzing the essay together.

DUE DATES

Friday, October 7: "The Myth of Tone Policing" Vocabulary Quiz.

HOMEWORK for Thursday, October 6

Finish reading Chapter 1, "An Introduction to Rhetoric," in your handout.
Come to class prepared to write!

Tuesday, October 4

Discussion of ideas in yesterday's homework: how tone and appeals to authority/character, reason, and emotion applied to the texts in the reading.
Discussion of visual texts as argument.  Shared simplified version of the SOAPStone organizer.

Read and annotated the essay, "The Myth of Tone Policing," looking for

• Unfamiliar vocabulary
• Significant-seeming information on Speaker, Occasion, or Audience
• Suggestions of tone
• Rhetorical appeals (to authority/character, reason, or emotion)

Whole class shared challenging vocabulary; groups discussed probable meanings for the words we identified.

Groups will continue with a discussion of their other annotations and observations tomorrow.

DUE DATES
Friday, October 7: "The Myth of Tone Policing" Vocabulary Quiz.

Monday, October 3

Assigned tomorrow's homework.
Wrapped up discussion of tone in  Jamaica Kincaid's essay, "The Ugly Tourist."

Read and discussed the comic strip "No, We Won't Calm Down" by Robot Hugs at the Everyday Feminism blog; considered SOAPS/tone as they apply to this essay in comic strip form.

Students took notes on the rhetorical appeals, Ethos, Logos, and Pathos, and how they relate to other elements of rhetorical analysis.

HOMEWORK For Tuesday, October 4

Read pages 7--29 in your Language of Composition handout.