Thursday, March 28, 2013

Class Work
1. What is the difference between a necessity and a luxury?
2. At your table, make a list of luxuries. (2 minutes) Make another list of  necessities. (2 minutes)  which list is longer?
3. Are there any items on the "necessity" list that once appeared on the "luxury" list? (Best guess - no research required!)
4. Travel back in time to the era of your parents or grandparents. What has changed in 50 or 60 years? This might include activities as well as "things."
5. Look at pp. 197-200 in Wordsmith. Read the sample essay by Liz Pulliam Weston. Let's go over the questions together. (p. 200)
6. Turn to p. 225. Complete the "visualizing, planning, and writing" activities.
7. Now, practice differentiating between facts and opinions. (pp. 227-228)
8. Take a look at pp. 229-230...sometimes the same facts lead to different opinions. It is all in your point of view. (Parking issues)
9. Now, go back to the idea of necessity vs. luxury. Consider the list of "necessities" on p. 220. Do other items belong on the list? Your job will be to write an essay where you convince the reader to give up one item on the list. You must select a technology-based item that was not available in an earlier era.
10. Begin your research.

• Talk to three others about their use of your chosen item. Are your classmates willing to give up the item? Why do they like the item? Get the correct spelling of their names. You might want to quote them in your next essay.

Homework Pt. 1

• Think about how your life would be different without the item. Record your thoughts in MyCompLab. Write in paragraph form. First, explain what the item is and tell why you selected it. Second, explain how often you use the item. Now show how your life would differ without the item. (25 pts.)

Homework Pt. 2

• Get some numbers. How many people of households have/use your item?
• How much money is typically spent on the item either to purchase it or to keep it up and running?
• What are the ages of the typical users? Does it matter?
• Are there places in the world that do not have the item? How is life there different from life in the United States?
• Are there dangers associated with the item? What are they?
• Would you be willing to give up the item? Explain.
• Write a summary paragraph of your research. How is it going? What are you finding? Are you surprised by anything? Post in MyCompLab. (25 pts.)

Keep track of your sources as you investigate. Start an EasyBib project.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Class Work

1. Participate in a peer editing activity for the definition paper.
2. Let's get rid of sentence fragments once and for all!  See pp. 350-365 in Wordsmith. We will be going through the exercises together, in groups, and individually.
 However, before we start... http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/fragments.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/fragment_fixing.htm Read the paragraph. Identify and repair the fragments.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/fragments_add1.htm This is a good practice activity. Pair up as we do not have enough computers for this to be an individual activity.

Here is some additional information: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/620/1/

3. Homework:  Revise your "definition" essay and post the final copy in MyCompLab. It is due Thursday and is worth 100 points. You need to include a Works Cited page.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Class Work

1. Let's look back at the homework. How is your research coming along? Do you have a personal example/story to share? Did you define the term? When is the term most useful?
2. Crediting sources in the text. (In-text citations)
http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/mla_examples.cfm
3. Let's look at a sample paper using MLA in-text citations.
www.dianahacker.com/pdfs/hacker-Daly-MLA.pdf
4. This sample contains a cartoon. It is a good example of how to include pictures, charts, graphs, or art in your text. (Copy/paste the URL into the browser)

bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/pdf/Hacker-Orlov-MLA.pdf


Locate a picture, chart or graph that represents your word.
Write down all of the identifying information you can find such as the URL, painter, where posted, etc. You will need this for a Works Cited entry. (See www.EasyBib.com)
Also, describe the illustration or painting or cartoon in your own words. Post the entry and the description in MyCompLab. (10 pts.)

Go to MyWritingLab. Find the MultiMedia section. Click on Module W8: Research. Now, click on Topic W8.3 - Paraphrasing to Avoid Plagiarism.



Also see pp. 283-287 in Wordsmith
6. Short Practice... Write a paragraph for your Definition paper and include a quotation from a classmate. Give credit to the classmate within the document. Also, create a Works Cited entry for that quotation. Post your work in MyCompLab AFTER I have looked at it. Post before you leave class. 10 pts.
7. Let's review some guidelines for writing a successful Definition Essay.
Go to the MultiMedia Library in MyWritingLab. (Note: this is not the same space as MyCompLab) Look for the MultiMedia Library. Then, loook for W7 - Essay Development. Now look for Topic W7: Essay Development Definition
8. You are now ready to write your definition essay. Be sure you include a quotation, a picture, and a paraphrase in your essay. Your original draft might not include these. Document correctly using the MLA guidelines. Crreate a Works Cited page that contains only the works actually referenced in your essay. The draft is due on Tuesday. Post in MyCompLab. 25 pts.

Tuesday, March 20, 2013

Class Work

1. Welcome back!
2. Let's look at one more sample definition essay: "A Few of My Favorite Things"
3. More information about definition essays: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/definition.html
4. Let's look at your charts. Do you have enough information to write an essay?  If you no longer like your topic, it is OK to change. Here are some suggestions:

• Fads
• Helplessness
•  An epiphany
• Empowerment
• Idiomatic expression such as "six feet under" or "everything's coming up roses."
• Hypocrisy
• Inner peace
• War
• Peace
• Etc.

It is time to write. For 10 minutes put what you know about your topic into words. You may use the "word" from your chart. Now....write....no talking. If you run out of things to say, look back at your chart.

Now, share at your table.

Note: MyCompLab is not working with Internet Explorer. Try FireFox or Chrome.  All homework assigned today is due before class on Thursday.

5. Research is going to come next. What do you need to know about your topic? Write five questions for research.  Post your topic and questions in MyCompLab. 10 pts.

6. Homework: Conduct research for homework. Visit at least three sites and look for the answers to your questions. Create an annotated bibliography of EasyBib or other citation site. Post in MyCompLab 15 pts.  
www.easybib.com

7. Let's look at another  sample essay:

• pp. 168-169  in Wordsmith - "Manners"

8. Homework: Read "Bound by Tradition" on pp. 168-169. Answer the four questions on p. 169. Post your answers in MyCompLab. (20 pts.)

Note: MyCompLab is not working properly with Internet Explorer. Try FireFox or Chrome for a problem-free experience.

Class Work

Sample definition essays:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/classification.htm

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2307020/Sample-Definition-Essay-What-is-a-Yankee

We did not get to this on Tuesday. Today is a good day to start. Decide what to define. Fill in the "definition" chart. Keep track of your sources. Bring the completed chart to class on Thursday. Note: You can copy the chart and paste it into a Word document if you wish to type.

Chart:

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Quotations:	Dictionary Definition	What it is NOT: (Negative definition)
The word in history:	Word/Concept to be defined: Personal Definition:	The word in literature/art/media:
Synonyms:	The word in the news:	How classmates define the word:

Write a draft of a definition essay. The draft is due in MyCompLab by March 19th, our next class.


Happy Spring!

Tuesday

Class Work

1. Let's learn to include more details in writing - rock activity... listen for instructions. If you are absent, see me when you return.

Homework: Take a look at the information about your rock. Turn the list into a paragraph or two. Get excited about your rock! Make it sound like it is valuable or important. Pretend that you are trying to sell your rock. Describe it in such a way that someone would be willing to buy it from you.

Post your finished paragraphs in MyCompLab under Rock. This is worth 50 points.
2. Writing summaries... Look back at
www.srs-pr.com/rambos.pdf

You are going to write a summary with the others at your table. There should be 4 to a group. All must contribute.

• You will need someone to type.
• You also need a group leader who will make sure all students contribute.
• The group leader and the typist must also contribute.

Before you begin, let's review the guidelines for writing summaries:
http://www.enotes.com/how-write-summary-how-to/how-write-summary

When you are finished, Print the group summary. Include all names on the page.

3. Sample definition essays:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/classification.htm

Decide what to define. Fill in the "definition" chart. Keep track of your sources. Bring the completed chart to class on Thursday. Note: You can copy the chart and paste it into a Word document if you wish to type.

Chart:

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Quotations:	Dictionary Definition	What it is NOT: (Negative definition)
The word in history:	Word/Concept to be defined:       Personal Definition:	The word in literature/art/media:
Synonyms:	The word in the news:	How classmates define the word: