Blog 14 - Midterm Thoughts

DUE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2013

Now that you have persevered through at least a section of high school midterms, write a detailed account of the experience. As usual, your response should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs. Things to ponder:

·         How much study/prep time did you allow per subject? Did you spread your time out evenly? Explain your rationale.

·         While taking the test, what were your thoughts and feelings? Did you realize that you forgot elements afterward? Did you study the “wrong” material?

·         Specific to THIS class, what were your strategies? Did you research facts/examples beforehand? How much time, honestly, did you spend on preparation? How did you use the 2 class periods (when I was out)? Please be honest.

·         Overall, evaluate the midterm week thus far – including the actual tests, studying, papers, as well as the remaining classes that are going on.

Midterm

Persuasive Essay Questions – Choose one of the following persuasive topics and write an essay developing your point of view on the issue.  Read the topic carefully and organize your thoughts before you begin writing.   

Option 1
Young people seem very conscious of wearing “trendy” or “brand name” clothing, especially the kind endorsed by sports figures or associated with popular musicians. Does this behavior reinforce or argue against the idea that “clothes make the man [or woman]”? Support your answer with specific examples. Make sure your thesis includes both your opinion and the reasons that support your perspective.

Option 2
Occasionally, students in elementary school are allowed to advance to the next grade even though they have not successfully completed the lower grade. Advocates of “social promotion” think that keeping a child in a grade for longer than a year hurts his or her development and self-esteem. Write an essay stating your opinion on this issue, making sure to support your opinion with convincing reasons.

Option 3
In some countries every young person must serve two years of military service. Should we have a similar policy in the United States? Write an essay stating your position on this issue and supporting it with convincing reasons. Be sure to explain your reasons in detail.

Option 4
Recent news reports have called attention to school violence. Your high school is concerned about potential situations that could arise. They are considering purchasing hidden cameras, metal detectors and other security devices. The money for these purchases will come from the students' activities budget, which could have an effect on upcoming social events. Many parents, students and teachers are questioning the proposal. In an attempt to hear the voices of as many students as possible, your principal suggested that concerned students write him a letter expressing their opinions about this situation. You decide to write a letter.

Midterm Review Mini Essay - Using Incidents, Examples and Quotations

Directions: Choose one of the following topics and write an argument either supporting or opposing the issue presented.

Option 1:
High School Success
What is the single most important thing students need to know to succeed in high school? Write a letter to convince an incoming student to follow your advice so that he/she may succeed. Use specific reasons and examples in your letter. You must include one paragraph detailing an incident, one that uses a quotation and one that utilizes an example/fact. Remember to explain your support and introduce it thoroughly.

Option 2:

Physical Education
Many students object to the requirement of taking physical education, saying that it is not necessary. What do you think? Should P.E. remain a required course at your school? Write a letter to convince your principal of your point of view using specific reasons and examples. You must include one paragraph detailing an incident, one that uses a quotation and one that utilizes an example/fact. Remember to explain your support and introduce it thoroughly.

Option 3:

Foreign Language Learning
In our increasing global society, many people feel that all students should be required to learn a foreign language before graduating from high school. Do you agree? Why or why not? Write a letter to convince your principal of your point of view using specific reasons and examples. You must include one paragraph detailing an incident, one that uses a quotation and one that utilizes an example/fact. Remember to explain your support and introduce it thoroughly.

Elaborate with Incidents, Examples and Quotations WORKSHEET

CLICK ME for the worksheet.

Blog 13: History Remembered

DUE TUESDAY JANUARY 22
The twentieth century saw great change. In your opinion, what is ONE change that should be remembered about the twentieth century? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.
Additionally, for the second paragraph, choose another historical era (from any country and any time period). Explain an invention, achievement or idea that, according to you, changed history. Again, detailed examples and specific explanations are key to receiving full credit (Don't allude to an incident or generalize).

Please do not repeat the information provided by other people. Be creative and original.

Revising Literary Analysis

Revise and edit your paper:

-          Use signal phrase: explain the circumstances surrounding the quote; what is happening in the story

-          Format quotes properly

-          Analyze the quote – DO NOT just paraphrase what it says. Explain what the quote reveals about character. What part of the personality does it relate to? Make an assumption about the character?

-          Use quotes from both stories, at least one from each

-          Make meaningful connections between the stories

Conclusion:

-          In addition to restating the thesis, include: what the reader learns by reading the story? A message or lesson about human nature/society/behavior.

I very much agree with the statement that individuals should do things even if they do not like it.  Not all life lessons are learned through fun ways like watching the latest episode of Barney or Elmo, two shows that have ingrained moral lessons in every show.  I have learn through two personal encounters that an individual must persevere through unpleasant experiences in order to learn important lessons.  Moving and attending school are two experiences that most dislike, but both teach very important lessons and skills.

The summer before 7th grade was challenging time for me as I had to cope with moving from my beloved East Brunswick to a new foreign town called Dunellen. I reluctantly packed my bags and said  good bye to my beautiful house.  Although I did not realize it yet, moving would teach me very important lessons.  Moving has taught me to understand that not everything is permanent.  You can suddenly move, because it is easier for your sister to commute to school.  I have learned to become more open to change and even embrace it, because I  never know what may happen in the future.  Moving to Dunellen turned out to be a great change as I have met many wonderful new people who have became not only my friends, but my family as well.

Face it, most children dislike going to school.  Early mornings, constant homework, and short weekends would make anyone find school an unpleasant experience.  What most people do not realize is that school teaches many important skills and lessons aside from textbooks and homework.  School requires interaction among other students and teachers which allows a student to develop effective communication skills.  Students must learn how to be a team player and cooperate in group projects.  Listening to directions is another important skill taught in school.  All these learned skills will help an individual succeed in college and the workforce.

Blog 12: Entertainment vs. Necessity

Due Tuesday January 15, 2013
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? People should sometimes do things that they DO NOT enjoy doing. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer in a minimum of 2 well constructed and creative paragraphs. Make sure to include specific scenarios or details. Think about the answers to the following in formulating your response?

• Can the things we do not enjoy sometimes teach a valuable lesson?
• Is it merely a waste of time when you have to do something you don't like?
• In life, are there specific situations that you may not enjoy but that you have to participate in anyway? Why?
• How would you deal with a situation that you do not enjoy?

Literary Analysis and Quotations

Literary Analysis from Lina Ell

Integrating Quotations Worksheet

Click on the image to download the worksheet.

Lit Analysis Student Example

Blog 11: "Social" Networking Sites

Due Tuesday January 8, 2013

One way to understand social-networking sites like Facebook, [Instagram, Tumblr] and Twitter is to consider that younger digital natives are not necessarily being exhibitionists when they post photographs of themselves and share personal details there. Instead, these users are living a life in which consciousness is spread out evenly over two platforms: real life and the Web. Rather than feeling schizophrenic or somehow pathological, digital natives understand that these two realms divide the self much as speech and the written word divide language, a division that humans have lived with for a long time without going bonkers.

(Sarah Frere-Jones, "Living on the Radio," The New Yorker, April 20, 2009)
 

Blog Post: Do social-networking sites enhance a young person's social life or serve as a substitute for a real social life? Support your position with arguments and examples. 

A minimum of 2 paragraphs, as always, is required with at least a 2-3 sentence response to someone else's blog post--building upon it, disagreeing with it, or re-thinking it.