WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY- November 11th/12th

Ciao e tutti!
As I told you during class, I will be posting everything here and collecting most of it via Google Classroom. I had to post everything before I left, so find the appropriate date to help guide you. One thing builds on the next, so do it in order and do not jump ahead. Pay attention to WHEN AND WHERE things are due!
Be good! I'll miss you!

1. Review the following link on CLAIMS: Claims Handout
2. Review the 4 major ways to make a CLAIM arguable: Claims- 4 major types
3. Then open the following link on Thesis/claim practice: Thesis writing practice
- Copy this document to your Google Drive.
First, identify what is wrong with the initial thesis.
Second, rewrite the thesis. Push the argument while trying to adhere to our thesis/claim formula.
Third, tell me why your thesis is now an outstanding thesis (tell me specifically what it does).

There is one that mentions a book... just substitute any book or understand the overall premise of the statement. It doesn't matter about the specific book. As always, take good notes and be attentive to the instruction.

By the end of the hour, upload your document to Google Classroom.

4.      Practice writing a claim/thesis for the following topics..

Bronco Time
Technology in classroom
Professional athlete salary
American military
Writing instruction
Senior class community service
Student opinion in schools
Homework
Missouri
Reading

Now remember...
* Are you describing or analyzing?
* Are you thinking about the topic head on or from a different angle?
* What are your preconceived notions about the topic? Are you just passing them along?
* Where are you on Bloom's Taxonomy in your approach to the topic?
* Does the topic need to be adjusted?
* What is the intellectual question?
* Is it arguable? Are you showing YOUR VOICE in the content's world?

5.     Open up GOOGLE CLASSROOM. You will need to pick your FIVE BEST thesis statements. Open up the Google Document. Write the five best on the Google Document.

 HOMEWORK: Read the Toulmin Method of Argument link (found under “writing instruction” links). Take very good notes. 

There will be a QUIZ on FRIDAY- It will cover steps 1-4 of writing and everything involved with these steps. Review also very closely, the reading over argument and persuasion… plus the sole chapter on argument. 

Class today: Monday, November 9th

1. Review through the material in the following link: Indiana University- Thesis Statements
Supplement your current notes. This will talk you through the process of developing a topic, through identifying a strong or weak thesis statement.

2. You will be getting into small groups. In your group you need to work through the following:

•  Discuss the strengths of the following thesis statements: 

Examples of good thesis statements:

• "The ability to purchase television advertising is essential for any candidate's bid for election to the Senate because television reaches millions of people and thus has the ability to dramatically increase name recognition."
• The organizational structure of the United Nations, namely consensus voting in the security council, makes it incapable of preventing war between major powers.

What makes each sentence an effective thesis? (Check against your checklist)

3. Now, you will look to the board to your examples of class thesis/claim attempts. As a group, you will go through and critique the strengths and weaknesses of each statement. (Keep in mind, this is going to be a process of improvement. Be honest, but be kind). 

4. If you feel that they need revision, as a group, work together to revise the necessary components of each statement. (Notes and revisions are to be turned in as a group at the end of the hour).

FOR TUESDAY: Read in College Reader, Chapter 12- Pages 475-485. (Castle cover- 515-527) Take very good notes. This is the next development in argument. 

Due: Monday, November 9th

Review the fallacies... this is a good link that can help them resonate before building a claim.
Thou Shalt Not Commit Logical Fallacies

Write a CLAIM for the following class/paper scenarios:

Paper #1: given no information from prof. You come up with the class and topic.
Paper #2: Drinking alcohol
Paper #3: Who is the most influential person in a teenager's life?
Paper #4: Abortion
Paper #5: Math class (not as the topic.. this is the class you are being asked to write a paper for)
Paper #6: What is the most important issue of the 2016 Presidential Election?
Paper  #7: Art, PE, Band (You pick the class and you are to write a paper in that class)
Paper #8: Given no information from prof. You come up with the class and topic.
Paper #9: Sex

You will need to have your 9 claim statements when you come to class on Monday. Do you recognize the writing scenarios? However, realize that there are many things that have to happen before the final claim statement. What do you need to consider? Have you gone through the Steps of Writing?

A few of these are designed to be very difficult in developing an ARGUMENT... remember, argument, not persuasion.

This assignment is to practice the following things: 1. Recognizing a writing situation and being able to apply the Steps of Writing to move forward successfully.   2. Recognizing the difference between persuasive writing and argumentative writing.  3. Developing a solid argumentative claim.

Class today: November 2nd

Go Royals!!
Too much Trick-or-Treating lead to a five-year old with an ear infection. Boo.

1. You need to head over to Google Classroom. There are a couple of questions posted that will need to be answered first, but then you will also need to respond to another classmates responses, as well, on the first post. The first post is due by the end of the hour. The second is due by tomorrow morning (fully aware you do not have school).

2.Read and take notes over the following chart. This is a good chart to know to distinguish the difference: P V. A Chart

3. When you are done reviewing.. you need to read the two samples. In your notes, write down examples of the differences between the two samples. Point out specific examples... what they are doing and what the effect is..Persuasive and Argumentative article. Be ready do discuss this on your block day.

A couple of the links from Friday were not working. I have updated them.

Due: Monday, November 2nd

Look over your fallacies.. do you own them yet??

Read the following articles: Kansas Politics and Ebola Politics

Read through the articles and take notes at BOTH the examples of fallacies (and identify what type) and what you feel is the impact of fallacious writing- Just notes.

If you are still struggling with fallacies... here is a good two part article with commercials used to demonstrate the different types of fallacies: Fallacies Commercials Part 1   Fallacies Commercials Part 2 (Keep in mind.. I am not promoting political agendas or products.. it is a good tutorial)

3. Read through the following link on the difference between Persuasive and Argumentative writing: Persuasive V. Argumentative..  take good notes

This is a good chart to know to distinguish the difference: P V. A Chart

4. When you are done reviewing.. you need to read the two samples. In your notes, write down examples of the differences between the two samples. Point out specific examples... what they are doing and what the effect is..Persuasive and Argumentative article

Class: October 28th/29th

1. You will need to read and review the following document: The Differences Between High School and College Writing

As you read this, you need to truly take inventory of your current writing and the gains that you will need to make in the next few months. This is no longer "in the future". These are your current expectations of writing and thinking. The transition is not to happen from June to August. It has already started, but will completed Friday.

2. In your Reader for the College Writer, read/annotate pages 463-73. Study these pages. Study. Study. Become experts. Quiz on Friday. There will be a few questions from the "HS and College Writing" document, as well.

Final Draft Information

1. Due by 7:34 AM on October 26th to Turnitin.com. No late submissions. No excuses. You have already signed in to an account for summer reading.
2. Before beginning your work on your final draft, read through the following samples of suburb college admission essays. Reflect on the ultimate purpose of this paper. Think about how these samples achieve this purpose.

Sample #1 Connecticut College

Sample #2 Johns Hopkins University

Sample #3 University of Chicago

Think about the common thread between these essays. Is it the writing? Is it the voice? Is it the values that the author reveals? Is it all of these combined?

3. As you are looking at your own chosen draft, I would look at the narrative outline, again. Refresh on the appropriate, necessary structure.

4. Review the descriptive writing techniques and narrative writing technique notes.

5. Start the proofing process. Follow the same process that we have used in class. Be very thorough. Think about what your instructor has emphasized in our writing discussions. There are specific errors that are ranked under the "unforgivable" category... make sure that these have been weeded out!

6. Remember that the scoring of this paper will be an honest assessment of where your skills should be at this point in the semester, considering the instruction, assignments, practice, review, revision, etc. Present your BEST.