Final Reminders

1 & 7 will have the AP Lang final on Wednesday; 2 & 4 will have the AP Lang final on Thursday.

While each section will have different multiple choice passages, the final will include these three sections: a rhetorical analysis prompt, 3 multiple choice passages, and a toolbox term test. You will be given the final packet at the beginning of the hour, and you will have until the bell rings to complete the exam. You will be able to choose the order of the sections for completion.

During Tuesday's class, we completed the second multiple choice passage. You have 48 hours to make up this passage if you were absent.

Lastly, you have one more item to complete: the Lucy Grealy argumentative essay. The deadline for this assignment is Friday, December 18, at 11:00 a.m. This will be in hard copy format and will not be accepted via digital means. If the essay is not turned in by this time, the result will be a zero. Turn in the essay as soon as it is complete!

MC & Lucy

First up today, we completed a multiple choice passage. Each hour's passage was different. If you missed the passage, you have to make this up in the next 48 hours for points. 

For the remainder of the hour, you worked on the Lucy argument. 

If you are using the "highly suggested" pre-writing steps, here are the remaining ones to complete.

1. Write a warrant for each of your evidence groupings. The warrant is the explanation of the claim and evidence or, in math terms, claim + evidence = warrant.

2. Write a counterclaim, which a secondary position for the topic. A counterclaim is not the opposite of the claim nor is it wrong. You may construct the counterclaim from scratch or choose one of the discarded claims from the initial brainstorming session.

3. List at least 3 examples of evidence for the counterclaim.

4. Write your rebuttal statement. A rebuttal exists to show how the original claim is superior to the counterclaim. A rebuttal does not "trash" the counterclaim. 

5. List evidence for the rebuttal. If you have 3 evidence groupings, you can take one of these groups and use for the rebuttal evidence.

6. Write a concluding statement.

As for organization of the essay, there are several means to constructing an argument. Here are the 2 most popular.

Option 1:

Paragraph 1: Hook/claim

Paragraph 2: Body Paragraph Evidence Grouping 1

Paragraph 3: Body Paragraph Evidence Grouping 2

Paragraph 4: Counterclaim 

Paragraph 5: Rebuttal (possible incorporation of evidence grouping 3)

Paragraph 6: Conclusion

Option 2:

Paragraph 1: Hook/claim

Paragraph 2: Body Paragraph for Evidence Grouping 1

Paragraph 3: Body Paragraph for Evidence Grouping 2

Paragraph 4 (or more): Counterclaim evidence 1 with Rebuttal evidence 1

                                      Counterclaim evidence 2 with Rebuttal evidence 2

                                      Counterclaim evidence 3 with Rebuttal evidence 3

Last Paragraph: Conclusion

The deadline for Ms. Lucy will be Friday, December 18, at 11:00 a.m. in hard copy only. 

Rhetorical Analysis Prompt Review for Final

Since we will be working on your Lucy argument during the majority of the class time, the blog will be the venue for review tips. Before commencing, I would like to remind you that on November 15, there were 2 blogs with reminders of how to improve distractions and write stronger essays. There were also links on those blogs to rules and practices to help you improve your writing. As this is a college-level and AP-level course, you need to take the initiative to improve any weaknesses via personal study, requested tutoring assistance or conference, and other proactive means.

• When you are given a rhetorical analysis prompt, you are focusing on the author's overall purpose and the strategies that the author selects. Even if "tone" is the emphasized strategy in the prompt, the author still uses exemplification, character diction, alliteration (slaveholders and savages connected, which creates a "s" sound or a snake-like representation of evil that connects to the religious elements), anaphora, hypophora, water and fountain motif, and dialogue to create her point. The above strategies were noted in my first read of the prompt.
• In addition, you are not summarizing the prompt. In a few essays, students began to review the relationship of Dr. Flint with Linda instead of emphasizing why Jacobs would use this anecdote to exemplify her master's hypocritical nature.
• The introduction should include the author and the title, which should be appropriately punctuated. Looking over the Jacobs prompt, there are still many of you using quotation marks for italicized titles, which is not helpful in the beginning of the essay. 
• The thesis directly answers the prompt and, in the majority of cases, indicates the specific strategies and the overall purpose of the text. 
• The body paragraphs rely on structure. In regards to structure, the topic sentence should indicate an author's strategy and explicate it purpose. As the focus is on the author's strategies, it is not the opportunity to ruminate on the given topic or paint background imagery. Start with the author and end with the author.
• The best supporting details slowly introduce each idea. Yes, you can dump all of your evidence into one sentence, but then your explanation will only be able to cover all those elements as a whole. Instead, bring in a piece (or two) at a time, explain the "why" factor, and then bring in another example of evidence to further support your original idea.
• The concluding sentence should reaffirm the strategy and purpose without regurgitating everything before. Instead, you could reaffirm the strategy's role and how this connects to the next strategy.
• Evidence-wise, the majority of you have improved immensely by using select words and phrases in your sentences and transitioning evidence into your writing. Reminders, though, are warranted. Do not use ellipses, do not use random commas, and do not use full sentences from the prompt. 
• Spelling is still a dodgy subject. A few suggestions for those who find this to be a weakness in their writing: practice spelling key rhetorical strategies and common tricky words, learn common spelling rules (http://www.zaneeducation.com/education/literary-arts/spelling-rules.php), and make sure you spell words from the prompt correctly.
• Words to learn how to spell to avoid further distractions: imagery, repetition, hypocrisy, derogatory, develop, separation, parallelism.
• As discussed in class and on earlier blogs, you must have control over apostrophes. 
• Be aware of what tone words you use for a writing. For example, several people felt that Jacobs had a "sarcastic" tone when discussing her  master and other white men's hypocrisy. However, "sarcastic" connotes that her attitude is insincere and attempting to create some type of biting humor. (It also reads like Jacobs is at fault in this circumstance.) Perhaps, she is disparaging, denouncing, or condemning their acts, which adds to her purpose in exhibiting slavery's wrongs.
• Do not use second person, which is directed to the audience's response and is a technique for persuasive writing and not rhetorical analysis writing.
• Active verbs provide a better sense of a writer's maturity. To be verbs are less mature and create passive or wordy constructions.
• Do not use rhetorical questions, which in my AP handbook is one of the "commandments" of AP writing. A rhetorical question requires your audience to do the work for you.
• An allusion is a reference to something well-known. A Biblical allusion is a form that references a specific Bible story, symbol, or well-known attribute. If one is writing about religion in general, there are not allusions present.  http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-allusion.html

A Brief Tutorial of Punctuation Rules (you need to know the difference between independent and dependent clauses):

1. If you start a sentence with a dependent clause, you follow with a comma prior to introducing the independent clause.

2. Independent clauses do not need a comma before a dependent clause as it is unnecessary.

3. Commas are needed, however, surrounding any transitional expressions.

4. Semicolons join 2 independent clauses; they do not belong in place of a comma.

5. A comma used between 2 independent clauses is a comma splice, this sentence is an example of how not to punctuate a sentence.

6. A colon is a technique to announce an explanation: it is another means of varying syntax.
7. When you list items, examples, or strategies, use commas to indicate that you have a list.

The Next Phase of Argumentation

All hours followed the same agenda today.

1. In 3 groups, you discussed the Suellen Grealy essay and what you noted from homework reading.
2. We discussed counterclaims and rebuttals and their purpose in an argumentative essay. Remember, a counterclaim is a second position that you take on the given topic. It is not the direct opposite. As a result, you must treat you counterclaim as a viable, logos-based claim that will have evidence for support. With the rebuttal, you are explaining why the original claim is the stronger option of the two. You are not trashing the counterclaim or finding faulty logic in it --- if that is the case, you have created a straw man.
3. To practice claim, counterclaim, and rebuttal, we used the topic of the holidays. The following pictures shows a claim with evidence (note that we "grouped" our evidence together with numbers 1, 2, 3 to create organization), a counterclaim with evidence, and a rebuttal with included evidence. For all stages, you need evidence to validate your argument.

4. Following our holiday happiness and stress, you were assigned the Lucy argument in which you will be constructing an argument around this prompt: Who is the real Lucy Grealy?

5. During class, we brainstormed possible claims, selected a working claim, and commenced gathering evidence. When you walk into class, you will have all of your evidence for this working claim --- you may cull it from either memoir, Suellen's essay, online interviews, or other materials relating to Lucy. Last but not least, group your evidence by number so that we may work on warrants, counterclaims, and rebuttals during class next week.

You are welcome to work ahead on this or you may wait until class time. The final draft -- typed, hard copy -- is due by Friday, December 18 at 11 a.m.

Don't forget that if you need another eye on mechanics for your Teacher of the Year nomination, you may share or e-mail a copy for feedback.

And, the competition/review for the AP Lang final will be before school on Monday and Tuesday at 7 a.m. Try your hand at the buzzers and we spend quality time with the rhetorical toolbox terms.

Choices & Lucy

1 & 7: To begin class, you completed a multiple choice on "A Modest Proposal" that was created by another hour. In first hour's class, we did throw out 2 questions for accuracy so the multiple choice will be worth 33 points. For seventh hour, the total will be out of 36 points. Next, we spent time with Lucy and her family --- which is a surprise since Lucy and Ann spend the majority of their memoirs ignoring the existence of the Grealy clan. For homework, finish up the rest of Suellen's essay, or diatribe if you will. We will discuss the last page on Friday and then move on to counterclaims, rebuttals, and conclusions, or the remainder of the argumentative cycle.

2 & 4: We finished our first drafts of the educator/employee of the year nominations. If you would like to me to help with editing -- mechanics-wise -- bring, e-mail, or share a copy. After our drafting, you completed "A Modest Proposal" multiple choice constructed by first and seventh hours. The total will be out of 37 points. Last, we turned our attention to Lucy -- in her own voice and in her sister's opinion. For homework, finish reading and annotating the Suellen Grealy essay for tomorrow's discussion.

Don't forget the deadline for educator/employee of the year nomination is Monday, December 14.

Teacher of the Year Nominations

During today's class, you worked on constructing an argument for Teacher of the Year. First and seventh hours finished the task today. Second and fourth hours will have an additional 15 minutes on Thursday to complete. Remember, my feedback during the assignment time is necessary for you to earn your points for this assignment.

While I am currently in second hour, I am quite impressed with the teacher arguments thus far. I learned a great deal about my fellow teachers and, from anecdotal evidence, feel blessed to have such a staff at this school. I hope I will hear many of these essays in January!

More CEW

Please read your specific hour's information.

1. We responded to the speaker of "His Coy Mistress," by writing a poem utilizing a claim, evidence, and warrant. Following that activity, we branched into the Educator/Employee of the Year argumentative essay. For the assignment, you will construct a written nomination that utilizes a claim (the "why" that person should be nominated), evidence (personal anecdote and also overview examples), and warrants (concluding sentences). This essay will be a one draft affair and 3-4 paragraphs. After you receive feedback, you may then redraft to construct a polished, vivid essay for official nomination - the deadline is December 14. Any nominating essays that are read during the January announcement will receive extra credit. You will have all class on Tuesday to work on this assignment and receive feedback from me. Then, we will return back to Lucy and multiple choice passages for the remainder of the week.

2. We finished examples of evidence and reviewed the function of warrants in argument. Then, you read "To His Coy Mistress" and identified the claim, evidence, and warrant of the speaker. For any remaining information, read first hour's synopsis. We will go over the requirements of the assignment, and you will write the essay during class tomorrow.

4: We reviewed claims by looking at my Advanced Composition's Honey Boo Boo argument examples. Then, we looked at how evidence and warrants help construct an argument through examples and "To His Coy Mistress." With partners, you then constructed a response utilizing claim, evidence, and warrant to show how the mistress would react to such a proposal. During our last moments of class, I introduced the Educator/Employee of the Year assignment with the expectation that you brainstorm a list of evidence for your nominee. We will go over all the requirements and time plan tomorrow. If you want a preview of the assignment, check out first hour's paragraph.

7: Read the information under first hour.

Discussion in the Dark

Don't forget that Lucy Logs are due by 3:45 p.m. on Friday. If you neglected the assignment, you can still turn this in for half credit on Monday.

Today was our discussion in the dark regarding Lucy, Ann, their books, and beauty in society. We will continue more with the texts next week.

Description & Argument

Some of the following may vary according to class, so make sure that you are looking at your particular hour. In the upcoming week, your first argumentative assignment will be choosing teacher or employee of the year and using specific examples to justify your claim. Start thinking about your nominee.

1: You turned in your Modest Proposal Multiple Choice passages. Then, we worked in groups to construct an image-filled description of the cafeteria. I found the additions of zeugma, juxtaposition, personification, alliteration, and other devices to create the mood of the description, something this mode of discourse requires. Next, we looked into three parts of argument: claim, evidence, and warrant. If you need a highlight package or want to look at what we read in class, go here: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/english/mwollaeger/cdw.htm. In order to work on identifying claim, evidence, and warrant, we read Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." Euphemisms aside, this Carpe Diem poem features an argument and utilizes much imagery to do provide evidence. For Friday's class, we will be discussing Miss Lucy Grealy in a free form discussion. Then, we will continue with argumentation by replying to Marvell's speaker -- using our own claims, evidence, and warrants, of course! Logs are due by 3:45 p.m. on Friday.

7: Read everything above for first hour. In addition, you started in partners the response of the addressee to Marvell's speaker in "To His Coy Mistress." In poetry form, you will create her response by utilizing a claim, evidence, and warrant. We will finish this in class on Friday.

2: You turned in your Modest Proposal Multiple Choice passages. Then, we worked in groups to construct an image-filled description of the cafeteria. I found the additions of zeugma, juxtaposition, personification, alliteration, and other devices to create the mood of the description, something this mode of discourse requires. Next, we looked into two of the three parts of argument: claim and evidence. If you need a highlight package or want to look at what we read in class, go here: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/english/mwollaeger/cdw.htm. Don't forget that logs are due by 3:45 p.m. on Friday.

4: Read second hour above for the highlights of what we did today. We only made it through claims today and will resume argument tomorrow.

Test Maker

You are now in the brains of the test maker, the ones we revile for creating impossible multiple choice questions that make us choose the best answer and not the correct answer. For 20 minutes of today's class and 20 minutes of the next class, you are to create 8 multiple choice questions with 5 possible answers for "A Modest Proposal." You should vary the difficulty of questions from detail-oriented to challenging, include questions for the overall passage and specific paragraphs, and provide the correct answers. Make sure you use the paragraph numbers indicated in the textbook. When you complete the task, whether via digital or hard copy means, you will turn this into me and these questions will be used for another hour's MC test.

For the last moments of the hour, we read Toomer's " Harvest Song," identified sensory imagery, and analyzed the impact on the text. We will continue with descriptive writing during the next class.

After all of the above is completed, we will be starting argumentation --- you may recall that claim, evidence, warrant scenario.

Lucy Logs are due by Friday at 3:45 p.m. You are expected to be in class to turn this in.