MC All Day

Six more days left for the Lucy logs. I will have a box on Friday for you to turn in your work. You do not have to wait until the final deadline to do so!

Today's classes were centered around tips and strategies for the Multiple Choice passages on the AP Lang exam. I cannot reiterate enough the need to close read the passage, use process of elimination, and be aware of distracting answers. Remember, you need to score at least 50% on each MC passage to reach your goal of the day. 

1: We resumed MC passage 1, identifying the types of questions and eliminating distracting and incorrect answers to find the final results. Then, we flipped the process by reading and identifying questions prior to the passage reading. After finishing that passage, we looked at descriptive writing, which centers on imagery, theme, and mood, and dissected "Harvest Song" by Jean Toomer for its usage of the senses. For homework, you may do this as an individual or with a partner: construct a description of the school cafeteria utilizing imagery, figurative language, and diction to sculpt its world for one who has never entered its walls. 

3 & 7: The Queens and Earls met to discuss their rhetorical strategies and then your chart was collected. Then, we began our MC journey by talking about the test as a whole, looking at the four types of questions on the exam, and reviewing test-taking strategies that can help speed up time and improve accuracy. With passage 1, we close read the text first. With your multiple choice text, treat it as you would a rhetorical analysis passage. Then, you completed the MC passage, and we identified the question types. With our next passage 2, we flipped the process by reading and identifying the questions prior to close reading the passage. (Perfect score from NB in third hour!). When we resume on Friday, we will finish the explanation of answers in passage 2.

The Multiple Choice World

One week left to complete your Lucy readings and logs. Previous blogs have more detailed reminders.

1: We started off by sharing our Queen and Earl rhetorical analyses. Then, we jumped into multiple choice passages, which we will be completing throughout the remainder of the course. After going over general strategies, we discussed the importance of close reading a passage just as you would a rhetorical analysis passage. While this may seem to eat away at the time, it actually helps you save time when completing the question portion. For homework, time yourself - be honest this is a practice activity and your first AP-style passage - 12 minutes and complete the MC. We will go over the answers and other items tomorrow.

3 & 7:We watched/listened to/annotated the transcripts for Queen Elizabeth II's statement on Princess Diana's sudden death and Earl Spencer's eulogy for his late sister.

Transcript links: http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-speeches-by-women/queen-elizabeth-ii-speech.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/world/brother-s-eulogy-for-diana-the-very-essence-of-compassion.html
Video links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xc8ta-AtEM&t=255s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUy-wBwBvw

You were then assigned one of the speeches, in which you will analyze the syntax, diction, tone, pathos, logos, and ethos for the given speech.

Absentees, you can still do this at home! Create a chart on notebook paper. Column one will be rhetorical strategies, column two will be text evidence from the transcript, and column three will be analysis of the strategy. Do six rows - one for syntax, one for diction, one for tone, one for pathos, one for logos, and one for ethos. Izzy, you will be responsible for Earl Spencer's speech; Morgan, you will be responsible for Elizabeth II"s speech; Charlie R. you will be responsible for Earl Spencer's speech. In seventh hour, Crews, you will be responsible for Elizabeth II's speech.

The End of Rhetorical Analysis

As a reminder, the final deadline for the Lucy logs has been extended to Tuesday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m. Specific reminders are in a previous blog.

1: We watched/listened to/annotated the transcripts for Queen Elizabeth II's statement on Princess Diana's sudden death and Earl Spencer's eulogy for his late sister.

Transcript links: http://www.famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-speeches-by-women/queen-elizabeth-ii-speech.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/world/brother-s-eulogy-for-diana-the-very-essence-of-compassion.html
Video links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xc8ta-AtEM&t=255s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VUy-wBwBvw

You were then assigned one of the speeches, in which you will analyze the syntax, diction, tone, pathos, logos, and ethos for the given speech. Write down evidence from the text and then analyze its purpose. Matt, you will need to complete the analysis of those 6 elements for the Earl Spencer speech.

3 & 7: You shared your Democratic Debate fallacies with the class. That's all time permitted for us to do. Tomorrow, we will finish rhetorical analysis and start MC strategies.

New Deadline

Since we are a week behind schedule, or at least a week behind the schedule I would like us to be on, you will have a slight extension on your Lucy logs. The new deadline is Tuesday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m. You may turn these in as soon as you finish the assignment this week or early next week.

As with your previous writing prompts, if you are in school at any point on that day, the logs are still due in hard copy format. If absent, you are expected to turn in the assignment via hard copy before your next class session begins.

This is not a reward for those who have been procrastinating this assignment for four plus weeks.

You are still being graded on completion of the assignment and quality of logs on a 1-9 scale. These logs will be used for your first full argument essay in December and for future work in January when you no longer have the texts with you. Hence, your notes will be the evidence you need for successful completion of future assignments.

And, next week will be my favorite AP Lang day of the year: the Lucy discussion day! I hope you have a lot to say about Lucy, Ann, and all the themes of beauty, truth, pain, self-esteem, addiction, and friendship that these authors have introduced.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This blog contains an extra credit opportunity for those of you interested in earning some points while showcasing your knowledge of fallacies.

I have shared with each of you the Republican debate from last year. As with the Democratic debate in class, you may go through and identify a MAXIMUM OF 10 fallacies and explain why it is such in comment boxes. Once again, each student is allowed only 10 fallacies for identification. Since this is a shared document, you need to leave other opportunities for your classmates. 

Any extra credit work must be concluded by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27. Any posts with a later time will not be given credit. If for some reason you do not have the text in your school e-mail, you must contact me before the given deadline. I will be checking my e-mail -- but not every day during break.

Those Debate Fallacies

You have a week and a half to finish your two Lucy memoirs and complete the log. You were assigned this work on October 27, so at this point you should be well on your way to finishing your second book. For any of you considering not completing the activity, the log - and its specificity and thoroughness - will be worth a significant grade. You will be rewarded for reading and responding to every chapter of the texts.

1: We discussed the fallacies present in the Democratic debate transcript and noted several fallacies that all of the candidates used throughout their speeches.

3: I shared with all of you the Democratic debate transcript. You were then assigned a specific section to identify all of the fallacies present. You will create a comment box for each fallacy and explain how this reflects that type of fallacy. Natasha, you have pages 70-73.

7: We began class by creating slippery slope fallacies and sharing these via dramatic readings. Then, we finished up the last fallacies on the power point. Last, you were assigned a section of the Democratic debate, which was shared to all of you. For your given section, you are to create a comment box for each fallacy and then explain why it is one. This will be due at the beginning of the hour on Monday. Absentees, you will need to identify the fallacies on pages 70-73.

Back to Fallacy

In all classes, you received your Bird Prompt back and added notes to your portfolio regarding areas of improvement. In other news, I mentioned earlier that the next timed rhetorical analysis prompt would be a surprise some time this month. Alas, we are running out of time and need to do MC and argumentation before the semester ends. Thus, the timed prompt will be the passage on your final. So, you have to still complete it.

1: In groups, you received a specific 15 pages of the Democratic Debate from last year. Using our shared document, make comments when you see a fallacy, indicating the type and explaining why it is such. Finish this up for tomorrow' class when we will take a glance over your classmates' fallacious identification.

3: After a brief wrapping up of our presentation discussions, we crafted slippery slope fallacies together. If absent, this is just a fun activity so no make-up is needed. Then, we finished reviewing all the fallacies from your packet. Tomorrow will be about identifying these fallacies.

7: We created a hybrid discussion of autism and Malala in order to expedite our work today. Afterwards, we looked at slippery slope videos from Direct TV. Tomorrow, you will be constructing your own slippery slope, so start thinking of a view ideas that could be used for entertainment value. 

It Just Happened

Not to get all the AP Langers in a frenzy on this Sunday night, but I just read the first 9 essay of the year. :)

Presentation Finale

Did you realize that you have had the Lucy Log assignment for 3 weeks now and have only 2 weeks left until the deadline? I have heard rumors that several students have procrastinated their way into reading 2 full texts in 2 weeks, so be aware that you are being evaluated on the quality of notes as well as completion of the assignment.

1: Saving the best for last - in presentation and discussion - we were treated to an in-depth look at autistic education. On Monday, we will be back to fallacies and introducing multiple choice strategies.

3: We completed our fourth discussion on Malala and the lack of education for 65 million girls across the world. We were then treated to a special report - with sponsors - on Boko Haram and their terrorist intentions across Nigeria. We only made it halfway through the discussion, so we will finish this on Monday. Then, we will return to fallacies.

7: Hmm...our class is ten minutes less and half of our class will be needed for assembly performances. Here is what I am hoping as of 12:57 p.m., we have our fifth presentation and we then spend the remainder of the time discussing our issue. Next week will be whatever is left over: discussions, fallacies, multiple choice. Endless possibilities! And don't worry -- we are not that far behind - in general.

At Least I Didn't Have to Leave the Room

1: Two more presentations completed today: Syrian Refugee and Malala, the representative of educational equality. We then crafted slippery slope fallacies and finished the review of fallacy types. Last presentation Friday.

3: After our discussion of autistic education, we moved into Syrian Refugees, which featured a historian, a presidential candidate, and a humanitarian. From the beginning of the presentation, our stars did not break character, reflecting logos, ethos, and pathos at appropriate times. (Even more impressive was the lack of notes or any aids to remember the information.) After our panel led the discussion, we ended class with the Malala and Girls' Education presentation, which resulted in all but the guys and me exiting the room to indicate the large amount of girls not allowed to enter the educational realm. We will briefly discuss this topic on Friday and have our last presentation.

7: Wowsa! Our presentations today were pathos, ethos, logos-filled spectacles of information, empathy, and conversation. Our Syrian Refugee presentation featured a skit in which our actors used actual dialogue from peers, teachers, and refugees to show the uneducated, empathetic, and first person perspectives surrounding this issue. (And, you knew your stuff - maps, facts, videos.) Our Autistic Education presentation started off with the adults, the representatives of the ethos-filled teachers and experts, and the three triplets, the very bright yet uneducated members of our society wanting to know more about why a classmate is different. As our three triplets morphed into teenagers, we were given direction on what we can do, how we can be empathetic to those diagnosed on the spectrum. Bravo!

As you may be aware, we have an assembly schedule during sixth and seventh hours on Friday. This will wreak some havoc on our class plans. After discussing this with the band (a lot of our class), we will start off Friday's class with our fifth class presentation. This way you will all be able to hear about Malala and girls' education across the world. Afterwards, we will have our discussion on autism with any students needing to leave early going first.

Starfish

1: Continuing with our presentations today, we now have more ethos on the starfish wasting disease, which was evidenced by photograph, video, and a skit featuring a stuffed starfish and Global Warming as a character. For the ending of our hour, we watched slippery slope videos to inspire your own slippery slope creations later this week.

3: Creativity and ethos abounded in our persuasive appeals presentation. Our Starfish group featured surveys taken by the scientific community, a skit with a marine biologist indicating parts of a starfish, and photographs and videos showing the disease and its devastation. Kudos to the group for handling an intense, specific q & a afterwards. Our Autistic Education group featured a diamond-like configuration for the skit, showing how parent, teacher, student, and school board have different perspectives that often "back" into one another. This group also had clear demographics in their survey, which helped expose the lack of ethos from all parties in education.

Tomorrow, we will have our discussion of autistic education followed by two more presentations. If time permits, we will be back to fallacies.

7: As with first and third hours, we were treated to the starfish group's presentation, which featured a rhyming poem showing the impact of the starfish and its family.

Presentations & Fallacies

1: After our Boko Haram presentation and discussion, we reviewed a few fallacies: Straw Man, False Authority, Equivocation/Half-Truths, Either Or, Appeal to Pity or Sentimental Appeal, Scare Tactics or Fear Mongering, and Oversimplification. We will continue with presentations and fallacies tomorrow.

3: Today's class centered around fallacies. We touched on the above ones mentioned under first hour's recap and slippery slope, which is best exemplified by Direct TV commercials. We will have 2 presentations tomorrow and a dual discussion on the topics.

7: Our entire class focused on the Boko Haram presentation and discussion. We will have our second presentation tomorrow and, maybe, get to know fallacies better.

Last Day of Class Prep

Next week begins our rhetorical appeals presentations! Hence, today was our last day of prep work. Make sure that you fulfill your duties to the team and read through the fallacy packet for Monday!

Prep Continues

Today's classes focused mainly on presentation preparations.

*You also received a fallacy packet today, which you will need to read for Monday's class. Remember, you do not have to memorize the packet, but having a working knowledge of the fallacies. I recommend annotating or highlighting definitions and anything you would like to recall for next week.

Presentation Work Day

The full hour was dedicated to prep work for your group rhetorical appeals presentation. Tomorrow will be partially group time and partially fallacy time. Plus, seventh hour has a vocab quiz to take.

Pathos, Pathos, Pathos

1: We looked at advertisements and a video to discuss pathos, audience, and the techniques utilized to create feeling and reaction from words and visualizations. Here is the link for the video if you would like to watch it again: http://www.today.com/video/jay-leno-takes-an-american-hero-for-the-ride-of-a-lifetime-798135875776. For our ending moments, you were assigned the group rhetorical strategy presentation, which will require logos, ethos, and pathos. On Wednesday, groups will sign up for day of presentation, which will run each class period next week (including 2 on the block day). In the meanwhile, you should be doing something over the next couple days to prepare for the presentation.

3: You completed the vocab quiz for unit 16. We then gathered on the floor to look at pathos in advertising, relying on a few old Nike ads and how they sold an idea of female empowerment instead of just shoes. For our ending moments, you were assigned the group rhetorical strategy presentation, which will require logos, ethos, and pathos. On Wednesday, groups will sign up for day of presentation, which will run each class period next week (including 2 on the block day). In the meanwhile, you should be doing something over the next couple days to prepare for the presentation.

7: We expedited the vocabulary review so that we could cram all the pathos we need into the remaining of the class: a photograph and its emotional reactions without a caption and with a caption; advertisements eliciting humor, melancholy, empathy, and a slew of emotions; a video creating more than one feeling using music, interview, images, and other techniques. The link for the video is above in the first hour recap. For our ending moments, you were assigned the group rhetorical strategy presentation, which will require logos, ethos, and pathos. On Wednesday, groups will sign up for day of presentation, which will run each class period next week (including 2 on the block day). In the meanwhile, you should be doing something over the next couple days to prepare for the presentation.

Building to Pathos

First and third hours had a deadline of 3:45 p.m. for their bird prompts today.

1: We finished up our team close read, constructing an introduction and conclusion for the Wuthering Heights prompt. If absent, you will need to turn in your body paragraph to receive completion credit. At the end of the hour, we looked at the following picture, identifying the content of the photograph and the feelings of the audience. http://www.snopes.com/photos/people/graphics/kevincarter.jpg. After our initial reactions, I read the caption regarding the photographer, which changes the pathos to anger, disappointment, and a slew of other reactions that change our focus from the impoverished, dying child to the photographer. Hence, words create power and impact the audience's focus and what they will feel, believe, and do.

We will continue with more pathos on Monday, and you will learn more about the group presentation.

3: After a vocabulary review for Monday's quiz, we spent the day on pathos. We looked at the following picture, identifying the content of the photograph and the feelings of the audience. http://www.snopes.com/photos/people/graphics/kevincarter.jpg. After our initial reactions, I read the caption regarding the photographer, which changes the pathos to anger, disappointment, and a slew of other reactions that change our focus from the impoverished, dying child to the photographer. Hence, words create power and impact the audience's focus and what they will feel, believe, and do. Then, we looked at advertisements and how a picture and a few carefully selected words create humor, sadness, empathy, or guilt. Last, we watched the following video featuring Jay Leno and a soldier, a perfect example of how varying pathos may be used to impact the audience. http://www.today.com/video/jay-leno-takes-an-american-hero-for-the-ride-of-a-lifetime-798135875776. Note how pathos is used via music, interviews, point of view, and other strategies throughout the video.

After Monday's quiz, you will have your official group presentation assignment.

7: First, we continued with vocabulary experts. Then, you finished up the team close read, constructing an introduction and conclusion. If absent, you will need to turn in your body paragraph to receive credit for the assignment.

Heathcliff

Wow to first and seventh hour with their original, thorough team close reads of Mr. Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights! Throughout each section, you constructed characterization via dialogue, personification, enumeration, and the first person perspective of Mr. Lockwood, the nosy tenant wanting the scoop on his mysterious, black-eyed landlord. Ah, Heathcliff. Perfect excuse to plant a picture of Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c5/61/59/c561592718d81dbbca015b9093cb2193.jpg

Hey, AP Langers, you are a week into the Lucy assignment, which means if you are reading and logging a chapter a day, you are nearing your seventh chapter. If you have not checked out a book, you should do so immediately.

As for the Bird prompt, due dates differ according to your class. However, the rule are still the same: handwritten or typed in hard copy by the deadline. If you are in school at any point on that day, the essay is still due in hard copy by that time. If you are absent for the entirety of the day, you will e-mail/share/photograph your completed work and then bring in a hard copy for me the next day.

1: We started with Vocab Quiz 16, our last vocab unit for a couple of weeks as we wrap up rhetorical analysis and move into multiple choice. After going over punctuation and citation reminders, you received your Keats prompt. As mentioned in class, the majority of you have improved with analysis, but you still need to pay attention to the details so that you have no mechanical distractions in your writing. Next, you received the Bird prompt, your next 48 hour take-home prompt. Your deadline for this assignment is Friday, November 4, at 3:45 p.m. 

After all the above, we then did the team close read on The Wuthering Heights passage. Wowsa! For Friday, complete your individual body paragraph analyzing a strategy. We will finish the team essay that day and  move into the persuasive appeals.

3: After finishing our last vocab words, we completed our analysis of the Skylark and the Nightingale, noting the tone, diction, and other devices selected by the authors. Following the poetry work, I reminded you on how you need to use punctuation and citations correctly in your essays to avoid distractions. Remember, you want your content to be center stage and not your mechanical errors. With you next take home prompt, pay attention to your details and make sure you do not have any distractions that could downgrade your final score. The Bird prompt was assigned today with a deadline of Friday, November 4, at 3:45 p.m.

7: Fortunately, our dual drills did not take too much of our class time today. After four more vocabulary words, we spent the rest of the hour on our team close read of Wuthering Heights. As mentioned above, you rose to the challenge of connecting the characterization of setting and Mr. Heathcliff via Mr. Lockwood's first person narration. For Friday, make sure to complete your individual body paragraph for the prompt. If absent, you will need tow rite a thesis statement and then choose one strategy to focus upon in a body paragraph.

Your deadline for the Bird prompt is tomorrow, Thursday, November 2, at 3:45 p.m. 

November Begins

Make sure that you are not falling behind in your Lucy books. Check out a memoir before or after school and start working on your log.

1: We started with our vocab review of Unit 16. Some of you were passing more than normal, so make sure you study your words this evening. We shared our analysis of "Ode to a Nightingale" and how it compares and contrasts with our other Romantic bird, the skylark. At the end of the hour, we began our prompt tips, which will continue forward into tomorrow. Then, comes your Keats prompt, your new Bird prompt, a team close read, and more.

3: We found vocab experts again! We are not 12 words into the cycle, which means we will finish that unit tomorrow. For the remainder of the class, we worked our way through "To a Skylark," which we will conclude tomorrow with our last 2 partnerships. "Ode to a Nightingale" will follow.

7: We added four more vocabulary words, discussed ways to improve our prompt writing, added the Keats prompt to our portfolios, received our new Bird prompt, a take home prompt that will have the same parameters as before: typed or handwritten, two days time for completion, due by 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Remember, if you are here at any time on Thursday, the hard copy is still due. If you are absent the entire day, you will e-mail/share/photograph a copy of the essay and then turn in a hard copy the next day. We may start the team close read today? In any circumstance, we will be working on it tomorrow as well.