These lessons conclude Unit 1 "Education"

 

Fri, Nov 4

 

DUE: n/a

HMWK:

• READ the overview for Unit 3 in the syllabus
• READ in CA Luther Standing Bear "What the Indian Means to America"
• ANSWER "For Discussion" #5 and "For Writing" #1

TODAY: Rhetorical terms exam (mid-term) 

 

Mid-term exam - see the Rhetorical Terms list for review.

 

Thu, Nov 3

 

DUE: Reflection on units 1-2

HMWK: PREPARE for rhetorical terms vocab test (mid-term) FRIDAY

TODAY: rhetorical terms challenge (exam prep)

 

Brief discussion: What was the value of the reflection, if any?

 

MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE  - NOTES FROM BOTH CLASSES

 

Rhetorical terms games as exam prep

 

Wed, Nov 2

  

DUE: For each reading in Unit 2 "Us and Them" identify a unique rhetorical characteristic, whether it be a rhetorical technique aptly used or a rhetorical appeal well-made 

HMWK: 

1. PREPARE for a rhetorical terms vocab test (mid-term) on FRIDAY
2. DUE THURSDAY - Create a reflection on units 1 and 2:
1. What "truths" do you now understand about the nature of education? Explain, and refer to specific readings.
2. When rhetors wish their audience to feel part of a group (Unit 2: Us and Them), what type of rhetorical appeal do you feel is key? Explain.
3. What rhetorical techniques can you identify on sight? Which authors used these techniques? If you wish, you can create a chart or table to express your knowledge.
4. Choose a rhetorical technique you understand well. Why would an author use this technique? What effects would it potentially have if used effectively?
5. Make a statement about the wide style of readings we have experienced. Express in words why some are more difficult than others, and propose strategies you can use to overcome difficulties with challenging readings. 

TODAY: Rhetorical techniques review

 

Review of rhetorical techniques, authors, unit themes, and "big ideas"

 

Tue, Nov 1

 

DUE:

• Education essay FINAL DUE BY 2:15pm 
• Borkat reading - As a satire, Borkat aims to point out a "wrong" in society or human behavior. What is at the center of Borkat's target? What type of humor is Borkat's? Slapstick/silly? Serious/dark? Hyperbole? Understatement? Explain.

HMWK:

1. For each reading in Unit 2 "Us and Them" identify a unique rhetorical characteristic, whether it be a rhetorical technique aptly used or a rhetorical appeal well-made 
2. PREPARE for a rhetorical terms vocab test (mid-term) on FRIDAY
3. DUE THURSDAY - Create a reflection on units 1 and 2:
1. What "truths" do you now understand about the nature of education? Explain, and refer to specific readings.
2. When rhetors wish their audience to feel part of a group (Unit 2: Us and Them), what type of rhetorical appeal do you feel is key? Explain.
3. What rhetorical techniques can you identify on sight? Which authors used these techniques? If you wish, you can create a chart or table to express your knowledge.
4. Choose a rhetorical technique you understand well. Why would an author use this technique? What effects would it potentially have if used effectively?
5. Make a statement about the wide style of readings we have experienced. Express in words why some are more difficult than others, and propose strategies you can use to overcome difficulties with challenging readings. 

TODAY: Satire; intro to the synthesis essay

 

Prepare to submit your polished final draft with the following steps:

 

(Copy these steps down if you plan to submit your essay later today. If you have your essay now, then follow the steps now.)

 

1. Give it one last read, and correct any careless mistakes you may have missed
2. Ensure your name is at the top of each page in case papers are separated
3. Underline each TAS structure, and in the margin, indicate what structure number you are using
4. Bracket the lines where short sentences are used for effect. In a short phrase in the margin, declare the desired effect of the short sentences
5. Do the same as #4, except where you purposefully employed longer sentences
6. At the top of page one, in the upper margin, explain your choice for narrative perspective, and its desired effect
7. Identify any use of figurative language by noting it in the margin next to where it appears
8. Identify your allusion in the margin as HAL (historical allusion), BAL (biblical allusion), MAL (mythological allusion)
9. Place a question mark in the margin next to any rhetorical question
10. At the end of the paper, under the last line, comment on the following: Understanding that your teacher cannot grade effort, describe the amount of effort that went in to this written piece.

 

Discussion of Borkat and satire

 

Discussion of group work from the ZOMBIE SYNTHESIS. 

 

Mon, Oct 31 - Boo!

 

DUE:

• "Education" essay FINAL DUE BY TUES. 2:15pm
• READING: LC Ch3 
• Which sample from LC Ch. 3 helped you best understand the purpose of the synthesis essay? Discuss that sample and its relationship to the chapter as a whole. 1/2 to 1 pg. 

HMWK:  

• READ online by Borkat: "A Liberating Curriculum" (1993); 
• As a satire, Borkat aims to point out a "wrong" in society or human behavior. What is at the center of Borkat's target? What type of humor is Borkat's? Slapstick/silly? Serious/dark? Hyperbole? Understatement? Explain.

TODAY:

• ZOMBIE SYNTHESIS!!!

 

Fri, Oct 28

 

DUE: "Education" essay

HMWK:

• Essay revision - FINAL DUE BY TUES. 2:15pm
• READ: Chapter 3 in LC "Synthesizing Sources: Entering the Conversation"
• ANSER: Which sample from LC Ch. 3 helped you best understand the purpose of the synthesis essay? Discuss that sample and its relationship to the chapter as a whole. 1/2 to 1 pg.

TODAY: Peer review

 

Peer review session on "Education" essay

 

Thu, Oct 27

 

DUE: Talbot's "Best in Class" and answer: What would Talbot have to say to Emerson? To Francine Prose?

HMWK: "Education" essay

FOCUS: Views on education

 

Discussion on the various views of education from Talbot, Alexie, Emerson, Prose, Malcolm X, and Holt

 

Wed, Oct 26

 

DUE: Emerson R and S # 6, 9, 10, 11

HMWK:

• DUE FRIDAY: "Education" essay
• READ Talbot's "Best in Class" - ANSWER: What would Talbot have to say to Emerson? To Francine Prose? 

TODAY: rhetorical questions, sentence variety, analogy, allusion, the imperative, pronouns and narrative perspective

 

Discussion on Emerson Qs 6, 9, 10, 11

 

Investigation of "Education" essay particulars

ADDITIONAL HELP W/ THE ESSAY 

• You need to review all of the essays we have read in the “Education” unit, including Emerson, Prose, Alexie, Malcolm X, and others. For each, consider the author’s message(s) about the nature of a “true” education and the purpose/effect of education. Take a few brainstorm moments to write key concepts from each author. 
• EXAMPLE: Emerson: Focus on nature – let nature take its course; there is a desire to learn and a desire to impart learning; genius and drill must work in concert and not be at odds 
• Using these thoughts gleaned from the readings, you should balance their assertions against your own feelings about education. To what extent have you agreed w/ each author? Disagreed? Use the essays and your own opinion to develop a working definition for “education” and what it means to “become educated.” It's entirely expected that you'll use summary, paraphrase, direct quote from the authors to help develop your definition.  
• The working definition likely will comprise one paragraph of your essay (as you must answer the question “What is it to be educated?”)  
• The majority of the material in the essay will be comprised of a first-person personal narrative relating the story of a time when you were educated (received an “education”). For this segment of your essay, you can choose any part of your life, no matter how large or small. The key to success is to marry the story to the definition and vice-versa. In other words, the way you learned in the personal story should match your idea of how learning happens in your definition. The way you know you learned in the story should match your idea of how you know someone learns in your definition.

 

Tue, Oct 25

 

DUE: 4 dialectical journal entries from pgs 105-108 in Emerson

HMWK: Emerson R and S # 6, 9, 10, 11

TODAY: dialectical journal purpose and discovery; new essay assignment

 

Discussions spurred by dialectical journals

 

• Lots of discussion surrounding the unseeming marriage between practice and nature - the paradox is that the two must work together to create the genius. Without the practice and foundational knowledge of a discipline, the student has no way to express new insights.
• Be sure to review E's idea of Nature and its role in education.
• Note his use of ANALOGY over and over again in the essay. His analogies carry meaning and purpose. Can you identify one analogy and state its specific purpose w/in the confines of the essay?

 

Responses to E Qs 1, 2

 

Review of anchor papers from The College Board for the Paine essay. These papers are FILED FOR YOUR REVIEW in the classroom.

 

Short-Form Fomal Essay assignment: "Education"

 

Mon, Oct 24

 

DUE:

• READ Emerson from Education 
• ANSWER "Questions on Rhetoric and Style" (R and S) #1, 2, 4 

HMWK:

• Write 4 dialectical journal entries for the second half (pgs 105-108) of Emerson 

TODAY: paradox; figurative language; dialectical journal

 

Discuss Emerson and prompts 1, 2, 4

 

Dialectical Journals (in addition to the link, check out the overview and samples on pgs 42-43 in LC)

 

What’s literal language? Language taken at face value as true, just like denotation of a word - its strict dictionary definitions.

 

Figurative langauge is different - consider:

 

It’s raining cats and dogs.  – figurative language (specifically an idiomatic language)

 

The metaphor in paragraph 11 suggests that some things that are true in theory (truth = the flight) are not so easily put into practice (the difficulty, or “crippled” Practice). So first the theory, which sounds good, then the practice – the application – is “crippled.”

 

Paragraph 9 – look for the sentences dealing w/ the doctor and carriage maker. Then the comparison to the young man.

 

The student knowledge-seeker	The imparter of knowledge
Young doctor	The surgeon w/ the new surgery
Workmen of the carriage-makers	New pattern from NY
Young man w/ the love of poetry and fine images	More learned friend

 

Emphasizes similarities between the sciences and the arts in proving the truth of his opening statement in the paragraph.

 

P10 – “lower your flag and reef your sails to wait for the dull sailors” – what kind of fig lang? What does it mean? Who does Emerson address as “you?”

 

Teacher needs to let the slower students catch up. The teacher is the captain who had been sailing along to new lands – new discoveries. NOW, however, the teacher needs … Here, it’s about the difficulty of the teacher to slow teaching for the large group and abandon lofty goals to focus on the mediocre.

 

P14 – “.” What’s Emerson doing w/ this word choice? What does he suggest has adventure – a daring venture since the words connote piracy or other dangerous and lawless activity? School, learning, education, teacher – the captain. Nice analogy, yes?

 

NOTES "TRANSLATED" INTO DIALECTICAL JOURNAL FORMAT

Quote	My response
Para 14 - But smuggle in a little contraband wit, fancy, imagination, thought	I see his use of words that connote piracy, but I’m not sure what he’s comparing to the daring, dangerous, lawless piracy. Here, the student makes a best guess at the meaning behind the author's word choice.
Para 10 - lower your flag and reef your sails to wait for the dull sailors	I can totally relate to this idea b/c I’ve been in classes where there were “dull sailors” and the teacher had to slow down for the mediocre while I was waiting to move faster. Here, the student makes a connection between the text and his/her own life experience.
P13 – the allusion to Columbus and Newton	This is a(n) historical allusion used to emphasize or suggest a similarity between these famous explorers/scientists/observers and … every child? They all have in them the natural ability to do these things. Here, the student grasps the author's use of historical allusion to emphasize a similarity.

 

Fri, Oct 21

 

DUE: Alexie reading + response to question

HMWK:

• REPLACEMENT for Alexie precis: WRITE 1/2-1 page EVALUATION of your TIMED ESSAY based on the SCORING GUIDELINES. Use QUOTES from your essay to show EXAMPLES of your LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE and PROPOSE A SCORE FOR YOURSELF.
• READ Emerson from Education 
• ANSWER "Questions on Rhetoric and Style" #1, 2, 4 

TODAY: narrative perspective; sentence length; AP essay scoring

 

Alexie in-class questions: #2, 4, 5, 6

 

Investigation of AP essay scoring guide on Paine piece

 

Thu, Oct 20

 

DUE: M-c practice test answers

HMWK:

• Read Sherman Alexie's "The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me"
• ANSWER: Do you believe that if you choose what you read, this will account for the influence of books on your life, as suggested by Alexie's text?

TODAY: Identifying questions stems on AP m-c tests 

 

Discussion of the m-c selection on "Familiar Style"

 

Wed, Oct 19

 

DUE: Qs 1-4, 5, 7, 9 for Prose (Rhetorical List!)

HMWK:

• Examine the m-c selection and your previous answers. Determine what answers you wish to keep and which to change. Come with ideas tomorrow.

TODAY: Wrap-Up of Prose: Understanding audience; rhetorical questions; locating evidence 

 

Discussion on questions 5, 7, 9

 

Tue, Oct 18

 

DUE: "Caged Bird" Qs on Rhetoric and Style #1-4

HMWK:

• "Caged Bird" Qs on Rhetoric and Style #5, 7, 9

TODAY:  "Caged Bird" discussion: ethos, connotative language, assumptions, logos, induction vs deduction

 

Discussion on Prose's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read"

 

Mon, Oct 17

 

DUE: "Caged Bird" read, Qs on Rhetoric and Style #1-4 complete

HMWK: "Caged Bird" Qs on Rhetoric and Style #5, 7, 9

TODAY: AP timed essay prompt

 

Timed AP essay

Papers returned

Grades discussed

 

Thu-Fri, Oct 13-14

 

DUE THU:

• Read Cleese's "Axis of Evil" and in 1/2-1 page, analyze 2-3 of his examples and link them to the humorous effect in the piece. Use quotes and analysis!

DUE FRI: 

• Beah speech (as described in Monday's lesson)

HMWK:

• DUE FRI: Exercise 3 pgs 171-172 - bring completed
• DUE MON: Read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read" and answer "Questions on Rhetoric and Style" #1-4
• DUE TUE: "Caged Bird" Qs on Rhetoric and Style #5, 7, 9

TODAY: appositives, punctuation and appositives, exercises

 

Thurs:

• Debrief PSAT if necessary
• Read LC 167-170 on appositives
• Groups produce replies to Exercises 1 and 2 (if they're quick, they can try exercise 3 for less homework) 

 

APPOSITIVES – Various purposes and examples

• Provides further specificity:  My charming wife – love of my life – welcomed me home yesterday with a steaming bowl of winter stew and aromatic multigrain bread, perhaps my favorite cold-weather meal.
• Clarifies w/ an explanation:  It greatly surprised me that the freshmen – those diminutive, usually clueless sprites – succeeded in winning the pillar competition.
• Clarifies w/ a proper noun:  The bicycle handed down to me by my uncle Roger has served me with strength and reliability.
• Clarifies w/ an explanation:   In my free time I serenade ailing, abandoned animals with my sultry trombone, gently vibrating the air with a casual selection of , those tunes we all know and love.
• Clarifies w/ a definition:  John Cleese wrote a satire that plays on the title “Axis of Evil,” the term assigned by President Bush to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea.
• Provides further specificity:  The Axis of Evil was originally comprised of three nations: Iran, Iraq, and North Korea.

 

Fri: 

• Groups re-assemble to check homework on Exercise 3
• Groups produce replies to Exercises 4 and 5
• Small reflection on appositives -
• What purpose can appositives have in writing?
• On what assignment that we have written so far would you have used an appositive, if you knew about its effect at the time? Explain.

 

Copy this checklist on the back of your Beah speech:

Rhetorical technique: _________________________________ on pg. ____ paragraph ____ is ... ___ Correct ___ Incorrect ___ Credibility/trustworthiness ___ Connotative language and/or logic ___ Audience is (easily; mostly; somewhat; not) identifiable in the course of the speech  ___ Purposeful sentence pattern

 

1. Fill in the rhetorical technique name on the checklist, and indicate page/paragraph #. Underline the technique in the paper itself, and label the technique (i.e. “antithesis”) in the margin.
2. Underline the sentence(s) you crafted purposefully to follow TAS patterns.
3. Mark “ethos” in the margins next to sentences where you aim to establish credibility and trustworthiness
4. Mark “pathos” next to sentences w/ connotative language, and underline the specific words you think have strong connotations
5. Mark “logos” next to sentences where logic is incorporated.
6. Tell me who your intended audience is by writing “Audience: ________________” and filling in the blank at the top of page 1.

 

TWO TASKS OVER WEEKEND:

1. Read “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” and answer Qs 1-4 under “Rhetoric and Style”
2. Finish Exercise 3 from Appositives