Just Mine Now

Here's a good article to read, " For Poor, Leap to College Often Ends in a Hard Fall ," in The New York Times.   Why do you think I'm suggesting this?  Perhaps an analysis of the appeals present as well as how well it supports its claim.  It's also something to keep in mind when you feel you're being overwhelmed in class.   As I always say, "There's method to my madness!"  No I'm not being unreasonable, or intimidating, or displaying some kind of attitude.  Your best interests are always on my mind, even during vacation!

I'll be adding a few links here over winter break to aid you revise your synthesis essays as well as help you become more well-informed about responding to the synthesis question.  Here's the first: What is a Synthesis Essay ? - Bellevue College (this is a pdf file)   Another general website, an introduction, but possibly useful, if not now, in future synthesis essays:  Synthesis Information

Only your MC assignment and the study guide questions for Walden plus your own MC questions, one for chapter 5 and another for chapter 9, are due tomorrow.  The Walden journals will be due either at the end of this week (more than likely) or the beginning of next week (not so likely). 

Don't forget that there are some links related to Walden on the class's home page .  Some include notes about the text, so you might want to keep this in mind should you become confused while reading, or would like a fresh look at the text (reading the analyses of others). 

Something that has found its way to my inbox today that describes rhetorical strategies you might consider using when writing your position paper can be found here .   This website often offers pages that can be helpful for this class.

Here's the website I wrote on the board today, one that I hope you visit so that you can familiarize yourselves, and that will help you craft those stellar questions to ask: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/ .  His name is Mr. Rabe. Remember the assembly is Thursday, 4th period, so please be prepared.

As promised since paragraphs aren't numbered on the copy you have of "The Clan of One-Breasted Women." Paragraph 7 begins with "'Diane, it is one of the most spiritual experiences....'" Paragraph 34 begins with "I cannot prove that my mother, Diane Dixon Tempest, or my grandmothers, Lettie Romney Dixon and Kathryn Blackett Tempest, along with my aunts contracted cancer from nuclear fallout in Utah." Paragraph 38 begins with "One night I dreamed women from all over the world...." Paragraph 48 begins with "The women continued to sing louder and louder....'" If you have any questions, shoot me an email.

I will be posting a few links here related to what we will be studying in class for a few days.  You can choose to read these at your leisure, perhaps write a rhetorical precis on one of the articles.  The first article is linked below.  More will follow later in this post.  " Radioactive Remains | The forgotten story of the Northwest's only uranium mines"  Nevada Test Site Oral History Project  The Atomic Testing Museum National Cancer Benefits Center

All of the following information is found at the Pro/Con website.  Below are some links that may be helpful as you begin to draft your position paper as required by the Presidential Campaign Project: 2012 Presidential Candidate Positions on 68 Issues Should the federal deficit be reduced without raising any taxes? Should voters be required to show voter identification in order to vote? What you should note in looking at this website is the wealth of information present.  If you look at the list on the left, many more links are available to follow, including transcripts from the debates, speeches, etc.  This provides more information for you to use other than that which you have found when completing the Commonplace Book assignment and visual analysis.   Remember this is only one resource.  Others have been provided in the past. One other resource to consider: Media Literacy: Media/Politics . Fact Check Presidential Debate (10/16/2012).

After reading your arguments regarding beauty, I see work is needed.  Here are a few links to introduce you to the two major forms of argument in AP English Language and Composition: Argument (in general): Argument  Sample arguments with fallacies (UNC) Toulmin Model: Toulmin model The Toulmin Model of Argumentation Toulmin model (PowerPoint) The Toulmin Model The Toulmin Model (Prezi presentation)  The Writing Guide : The Toulmin Method Rogerian Model: Rogerian Argumentation (an extended explanation) Rogerian Argument (Writing Commons, text online) Rogerian Argument (Prezi presentation) Many more examples are available out there that can be found through a Google search. 

Here you'll find an article through The New York Times that you might want to peruse when you have time.  It gives a decent background to what rhetoric entails.   If you have any questions, you should know the drill by now.  Beginning a conversation here at the blog might be a good idea so you all have a point of reference throughout the year.  

I've started placing links on the right of this blog to help you through your AP English Language journey this year.  I'll be adding more as the year progresses.  If you need something, please let me know.

An article has appeared in the current New Yorker magazine (August 8, 2012), Do We Care if Politicians Lie ?  It may give you some perspectives to consider when choosing the presidential candidate to follow for your campaign project.