Conclusions, as we have discussed, do not have to be ginormous paragraphs weighing down the end of the essay. In essence, the conclusion references back to the intro - such as the condition of slavery, the lack of education, the religious hypocrisy inherent in the prompt - and finalizes the paper with a last sentence.
If time permits, your conclusion can be in the ballpark of 1 (as in 1 amazing piece of syntax) - 3 sentences. If you note that time is running short, you may tack on the concluding sentence to your fourth paragraph. If any circumstance, you want to end with a period.
Remember, time is your friend. And if you still feel that time is an antagonist, embrace these words by Robert Orben: "Time flies. It's up to you to be the navigator."
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
The Middle
If the introduction engages the reader to continue forward, the middle paragraphs, the body, keep the reader from wandering off in the midst of reading.
As you ascend the levels of AP writing, you are aware that the topic sentence of each paragraph sets the organization and direction of the analysis: author + active verb + strategy + specific purpose.
Following the topic sentence, you will then explain the strategy via analysis and multiple examples of evidence. The evidence should occur from the entire text (close reading) and be spaced out in the paragraph. If you evidence dump everything into one sentence, then you are limiting your paragraph analysis. If you spread out the evidence throughout the paragraph, then you can analyze each example and its purpose. A high scoring essay has more than one example of evidence, and this evidence is non-sequential, i.e. spread across the entire text.
Speaking of evidence, you are aware that at this level of writing you are selecting key words and phrases to transition into your own writing. This negates the need for full sentence quotes (distracting to flow) and ellipses (distracting to grammatical structure). Simply put, imagine if you are analyzing a type of textual diction. If you give a full sentence quote, you are making the reader figure out what words you are analyzing instead of selecting the key words for the reader. Plus, full sentence quotes take up your time writing!
Citations, citations, citations. Guh (that has been my sound effect for the past week).
Citations go at the end of the sentence (13). Notice the period position, the lack of a pg. or a ln. or anything else that wastes time writing. And, once again, note that there is not a second punctuation mark prior to the parentheses.
And, last but not least, you want a concluding sentence to wrap up the whole paragraph. Do not end a paragraph with evidence. Instead, end with a sentence that reflects your understanding of the purpose and the strategy at hand.
The Beginning
As with our previous rhetorical analysis prompts, the introduction sets the stage for your eventual score on the AP exam. A strong, mature, error-free introduction suggests a 7, 8, or 9 is forthcoming. A bare, sloppy introduction suggests a 5 or below is in the offering.
The hook is important to set the context of the rhetorical analysis. For instance, many of you hooked the audience in using imagery and historical references to the inhumanity of slavery in the South. In two or three sentences, you created an understanding of the text context and the author's purpose.
While a hook creates the voice, never let the hook overtake the rest of the essay. For example, an analogy helps create a context for the audience. However, you must be wary of using an analogy that simplifies the content at hand (remember John Keats as the teenage girl waiting to be asked out for a school dance?) and results in a more immature understanding of the text.
In addition, you don't want your hook to be its own essay. Be cognizant that the audience wants the starter to confirm your writing prowess and lead them to what is most important: the rhetorical analysis of the show. A lot of you are writing masterful, artistic hooks - just remember you can be masterful and artistic without filling up the whole page.
Another significant part of the introduction is the identification of the title (punctuated properly) and the author (named spelled correctly). As you are analyzing a specific text and author, you need to indicate this in the introduction and then reference back to the author's name in every paragraph. You do not have to repeat the title after the introduction.
The thesis ties everything together in a beautiful bow for your reader. In class, we worked on creating a formula for thesis statements and topic sentences -- not to brag, but I think our work this year has been extraordinarily creative and dynamic.
Remember this?
Author + active verb + specific rhetorical strategies + mature purpose.
I expected to find such a thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph. Those of you that embraced active verb usage - throughout the essay - created mature, engaging writing that your AP audience wants to read. Those of you that clarified the type of diction, the type of imagery, the type of tone, even the type of anaphora gave the reader a sense of text understanding. Those of you that clarified the purpose and adjusted the diction to reference the prompt without regurgitating its diction encouraged the reader to enjoy something unique.
The hook is important to set the context of the rhetorical analysis. For instance, many of you hooked the audience in using imagery and historical references to the inhumanity of slavery in the South. In two or three sentences, you created an understanding of the text context and the author's purpose.
While a hook creates the voice, never let the hook overtake the rest of the essay. For example, an analogy helps create a context for the audience. However, you must be wary of using an analogy that simplifies the content at hand (remember John Keats as the teenage girl waiting to be asked out for a school dance?) and results in a more immature understanding of the text.
In addition, you don't want your hook to be its own essay. Be cognizant that the audience wants the starter to confirm your writing prowess and lead them to what is most important: the rhetorical analysis of the show. A lot of you are writing masterful, artistic hooks - just remember you can be masterful and artistic without filling up the whole page.
Another significant part of the introduction is the identification of the title (punctuated properly) and the author (named spelled correctly). As you are analyzing a specific text and author, you need to indicate this in the introduction and then reference back to the author's name in every paragraph. You do not have to repeat the title after the introduction.
The thesis ties everything together in a beautiful bow for your reader. In class, we worked on creating a formula for thesis statements and topic sentences -- not to brag, but I think our work this year has been extraordinarily creative and dynamic.
Remember this?
Author + active verb + specific rhetorical strategies + mature purpose.
I expected to find such a thesis statement at the end of your introductory paragraph. Those of you that embraced active verb usage - throughout the essay - created mature, engaging writing that your AP audience wants to read. Those of you that clarified the type of diction, the type of imagery, the type of tone, even the type of anaphora gave the reader a sense of text understanding. Those of you that clarified the purpose and adjusted the diction to reference the prompt without regurgitating its diction encouraged the reader to enjoy something unique.
The Prompt Itself
When I opened each stapled gift from you to me over this holiday season, I was surprised to find so many blank prompts before me. While you were not evaluated on close reading skills, the lack of underlining, circling, and noting patterns of strategies did not assist some writers in organization or analysis. While it may seem to eat away time, taking 4-5 minutes to close read your given prompt will save you time and energy later. The close read, which we practiced in teams on the board on several occasions, allows one to mark the strategies and the multiple examples of evidence throughout the text. A strong close read naturally flows into the thesis, the topic sentences, the evidence, and the analysis necessary to give the prompt justice.
The prompt, based on Harriet Jacobs's narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, provided a brief background of the author and her purpose in writing, her narrative alias of "Linda," the title of the text, and a focus on her attitude towards slavery and the double standard of the slave owner's society. While the prompt featured tone (that would be attitude), a thorough, mature rhetorical analysis would not leave out all the rhetorical strategies that create this tone. Hence, the inclusion of imperative diction and syntax, enumeration, hypophora, juxtaposition, religious motif, anaphora, ethos with the personal anecdote, and pathos were all there in the text for you to identify and analyze. (For all of you overachievers, do note that those were possible options easily identifiable via close read. You would, as always, choose three as your main focus. Some successful essays would then bring in pathos to connect with the hypophora, for instance.)
While this may seem minor, the prompt also clarifies the title and the necessary punctuation for its usage in the essay. We have discussed this several times over the year, and the lack of punctuation, the usage of wrong punctuation, and the dual punctuation of titles creates a mighty distraction in your introductory paragraph. If it is italicized, you underline in your writing; if it is quotation marks, you maintain quotation marks.
Lastly, before I blog about the essay itself, a timed prompt is a fact of life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGS56qJ0xIw) in AP Lang and your eventual higher level courses. In truth, you need to embrace the timed prompt and make it your friend. Really! If you speak with former AP Lang students, you will hear about how timed prompts made them stronger writers -- once they stopped freaking out about the time element and allowed themselves to write with a combination of their mind and their gut.
If you would like to read more of Harriet Jacobs, check out this link to the full text of Incidents. As you could tell from the prompt selection, her writing evokes great pathos, imagery, and voice that makes her narrative all the more affecting.http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/jacobs/jacobs.html
The prompt, based on Harriet Jacobs's narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, provided a brief background of the author and her purpose in writing, her narrative alias of "Linda," the title of the text, and a focus on her attitude towards slavery and the double standard of the slave owner's society. While the prompt featured tone (that would be attitude), a thorough, mature rhetorical analysis would not leave out all the rhetorical strategies that create this tone. Hence, the inclusion of imperative diction and syntax, enumeration, hypophora, juxtaposition, religious motif, anaphora, ethos with the personal anecdote, and pathos were all there in the text for you to identify and analyze. (For all of you overachievers, do note that those were possible options easily identifiable via close read. You would, as always, choose three as your main focus. Some successful essays would then bring in pathos to connect with the hypophora, for instance.)
While this may seem minor, the prompt also clarifies the title and the necessary punctuation for its usage in the essay. We have discussed this several times over the year, and the lack of punctuation, the usage of wrong punctuation, and the dual punctuation of titles creates a mighty distraction in your introductory paragraph. If it is italicized, you underline in your writing; if it is quotation marks, you maintain quotation marks.
Lastly, before I blog about the essay itself, a timed prompt is a fact of life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGS56qJ0xIw) in AP Lang and your eventual higher level courses. In truth, you need to embrace the timed prompt and make it your friend. Really! If you speak with former AP Lang students, you will hear about how timed prompts made them stronger writers -- once they stopped freaking out about the time element and allowed themselves to write with a combination of their mind and their gut.
If you would like to read more of Harriet Jacobs, check out this link to the full text of Incidents. As you could tell from the prompt selection, her writing evokes great pathos, imagery, and voice that makes her narrative all the more affecting.http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/jacobs/jacobs.html
Meditations on a Theme of Harriet Jacobs
As I finish the AP Lang final today, I would like to jot down a few reminders for me to mention when we return for second semester and for you to consider for future rhetorical analysis prompts. Overall, the final grades have ranged the entire spectrum with some essays exhibiting the necessary elements of a mature, collegiate writer and some essays backtracking into habits that Santa would consider more naughty than nice.
Before I blog about the components of the Jacobs prompt, I have three links below to blogs from last year. You will find hints, reminders, and instructions regarding punctuation and prompt writing. As you will be writing arguments and rhetorical analyses, you will need to make sure you are not distracting the audience with a plethora of minor issues that detract from the content of your writing.
http://fznaplang.blogspot.com/2015/11/prompt-writing-tips-bird-edition-part-i.html
http://fznaplang.blogspot.com/2015/11/prompt-writing-tips-part-ii.html
http://fznaplang.blogspot.com/2015/12/rhetorical-analysis-prompt-review-for.html
Thursday, December 22, 2016
For Those of You Interested in an Advertising Career
As many of you may recall from last year, I visit classrooms in January to help pique interest in AP Lang and let students know all the options available to them junior and senior year. (Yes, I will be out of the room during that time, but you know you will have something to keep you busy.)
Another way to call attention to AP Lang is to create a poster that grabs the eye and provides key words that would attract a student to the course. And in the past years, our department chair has blown up this poster into a mega-poster that is on the English department bulletin board second semester.
With that in mind, I have a proposal, not a modest one, for my AP Lang students.
If you would like to make a poster for AP Lang, and perhaps earn 10-20 extra credit points (dependent on effort), create one advertisement and share/e-mail it to me by 7:00 a.m. on January 4. This will need to be in digital format.
You will find below some facts about the course that you may want to include; however, you can also bring in stuff you have learned or liked this semester to encourage a student to take the course. Remember, this is an advertisement and prospective students walking down the hall will not stop to read full sentence explanations. The winning poster will be selected by another teacher or staff member and will receive an additional 10 extra credit points.
AP Lang Facts:
Another way to call attention to AP Lang is to create a poster that grabs the eye and provides key words that would attract a student to the course. And in the past years, our department chair has blown up this poster into a mega-poster that is on the English department bulletin board second semester.
With that in mind, I have a proposal, not a modest one, for my AP Lang students.
If you would like to make a poster for AP Lang, and perhaps earn 10-20 extra credit points (dependent on effort), create one advertisement and share/e-mail it to me by 7:00 a.m. on January 4. This will need to be in digital format.
You will find below some facts about the course that you may want to include; however, you can also bring in stuff you have learned or liked this semester to encourage a student to take the course. Remember, this is an advertisement and prospective students walking down the hall will not stop to read full sentence explanations. The winning poster will be selected by another teacher or staff member and will receive an additional 10 extra credit points.
AP Lang Facts:
- Junior and seniors
- Full year course with
an objective to pass the AP Language and Composition exam in May
- College credit earned through
test scores and/or dual credit enrollment
- Curriculum focuses on
the components of the AP Language and Composition Exam: multiple choice,
rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and synthesis
- Close reading
strategies and analyses of short passages, varying literary genres, and
modes of discourse
- Non-fiction textual
emphasis: autobiographies, biographies, diarists, critics, essayists, and
writers of history, politics, science, and nature
- AP prompt writing
skills and practices to foster mature writing style and analysis
- Writings will include
expository, narrative, analytical, argumentative, and research-based
techniques
- Full-length texts are 2
memoirs during the school year
- No summer reading
Happy Holidays
I would like to thank my little elves for bringing me treats this week. I was sampling an array of pretzels, cookies, and candy while finishing up AP Lit yesterday. These presents are nothing compared to the gift I have all semester: teaching all of you.
When we return second semester, we will review your final, return to vocab experts for 5 more units, concentrate on argumentation, create allusion posters, and have weekly tone immersion.
I hope your holidays are relaxing, fun, and not full of too much argumentation. However, if you do find yourself in a merry fight, make sure to use enough evidence to support your claim and consider the counterclaim before your rebuttal.
When we return second semester, we will review your final, return to vocab experts for 5 more units, concentrate on argumentation, create allusion posters, and have weekly tone immersion.
I hope your holidays are relaxing, fun, and not full of too much argumentation. However, if you do find yourself in a merry fight, make sure to use enough evidence to support your claim and consider the counterclaim before your rebuttal.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Lucy Argument Deadline
Not to sound like a broken record, but tomorrow is the last day to turn in the Lucy argumentative essay. After prewriting in groups on the block day, organizing evidence, working during Friday's class, and having all of this week to tweak and ask for feedback, it is time to turn in your essay regarding Lucy's persona. The final deadline - for all students - is 11 a.m. on Thursday. This will only be accepted in hard copy format, so make sure it is delivered and placed in the proper box by the deadline. As the fine print mentioned on the assignment sheet, students turning in this assignment will have the option to revise the essay when we start school in January to improve their score. However, those not turning in the assignment by this deadline will not receive this option.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Semester Final - Not So Fast
Today was our final, which featured a rhetorical analysis prompt and a multiple choice passage that should seem very familiar to you at this point. Third time is a charm for some of you?
While the final exam is complete and ready to be part of my holiday break plans, AP Langers, you are most likely still working on the last assignment for the semester: the Lucy essay. Remember, the final deadline is 11 a.m. on Thursday. As specified on the assignment handout, this is a hard copy only assignment and must be delivered by this time for credit.
P.S. Any of those still needing to complete "A Modest Proposal" Multiple Choice from Monday's class, you have until Thursday to make it up.
P.P.S. If you officially nominated a teacher or employee -- which about 50 of you did -- check your school e-mail today. In order to help out Mrs. Leacox, you will need to share your essay with her prior to leaving on break. The e-mail explains everything, and we thank you in advance from saving her from retyping all of your essays.
P.P.P.S. This is turning into a high school note. Am I the only one who would continue adding postscripts instead of just starting off another note?
P.P.P.P.S. While we will spend two weeks away from AP Lang Lang, I recommend checking the blog during the holiday season. Just hinting and all.
While the final exam is complete and ready to be part of my holiday break plans, AP Langers, you are most likely still working on the last assignment for the semester: the Lucy essay. Remember, the final deadline is 11 a.m. on Thursday. As specified on the assignment handout, this is a hard copy only assignment and must be delivered by this time for credit.
P.S. Any of those still needing to complete "A Modest Proposal" Multiple Choice from Monday's class, you have until Thursday to make it up.
P.P.S. If you officially nominated a teacher or employee -- which about 50 of you did -- check your school e-mail today. In order to help out Mrs. Leacox, you will need to share your essay with her prior to leaving on break. The e-mail explains everything, and we thank you in advance from saving her from retyping all of your essays.
P.P.P.S. This is turning into a high school note. Am I the only one who would continue adding postscripts instead of just starting off another note?
P.P.P.P.S. While we will spend two weeks away from AP Lang Lang, I recommend checking the blog during the holiday season. Just hinting and all.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Modest Proposal MC
Today's class centered around multiple choice questions for "A Modest Proposal," which you created for other classes to complete. If you were absent, you will need to schedule a makeup time for this multiple choice exam before we leave for holiday break.
Final is tomorrow --- had a lot of fun cramming this evening with you!
Final is tomorrow --- had a lot of fun cramming this evening with you!
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Cocoa & Cram Plus More!
Just making sure you all have this post! It looks like it was inadvertently deleted from my AP Lang blogger.
I will be participating in the Cocoa and Cram study sessions on Monday between 5-8 p.m. and all of my students are welcome to join me for review.
To give you a sense of what that would involve, I will be offering assistance for three classes at once.
For AP Lang, we will focus on rhetorical analysis prompts and multiple choice passages. I will have sample rhetorical analysis prompts, which we will close read, select strategies, and create mock outlines to review essay structure for this purpose. I will have multiple choice passages, which we will use to practice close reading skills and accuracy of answer. I will also have my rhetorical toolbox cards if you would like to play memory games. While you do not need to know every definition for the final (though, I would be happy if you did), it helps to have the main rhetorical strategies and modes of discourse ready for application on the exam.
For AP Lit, we will focus on multiple choice passages, which will allow us an opportunity to practice close reading skills and accuracy. The passages will be a hybrid of prose, poetry, and drama since your final will be a full AP Lit MC test. I will also have the poetry cards and the literary toolbox list to review the terms.
For Advanced Composition, we can review the styles of writing, grammar and punctuation rules, and tips for the final. We will be going over all of the above during class on Monday, so if you have any remaining questions about the final, we can work together during the cram session.
And, since I will be at school between seventh hour and the cram session, I will have my room open during that time for student use.
So, what exactly is student use? Since all of my students are working on some type of essay, you are welcome to use the computers starting at 2:30 p.m. until around 4:50 p.m. when I will need to close up the room for the Cocoa & Cram study sessions. I will be prepping and grading and dealing with textbooks (have you turned in all of your novels yet?) and possibly running errands here and there, but I will be available to answer any questions you have regarding the essay.
And, starting at 4 p.m., any AP Lang and AP Lit students are welcome to come and play with the AP Lang and Lit Cards to help prep for the final. I will even bring my AP flashcards to help you study. This will primarily be student-led review, but I will be in the background for any clarifications or questions that you may have.
Remember, all essays for all of my classes have a deadline of 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 22. The essay must be in hard copy and must be delivered by this time or the grade will be a zero -- no exceptions.
In all circumstances, I hope the aforementioned opportunities will help you with the finals and your last essays of the semester!
I will be participating in the Cocoa and Cram study sessions on Monday between 5-8 p.m. and all of my students are welcome to join me for review.
To give you a sense of what that would involve, I will be offering assistance for three classes at once.
For AP Lang, we will focus on rhetorical analysis prompts and multiple choice passages. I will have sample rhetorical analysis prompts, which we will close read, select strategies, and create mock outlines to review essay structure for this purpose. I will have multiple choice passages, which we will use to practice close reading skills and accuracy of answer. I will also have my rhetorical toolbox cards if you would like to play memory games. While you do not need to know every definition for the final (though, I would be happy if you did), it helps to have the main rhetorical strategies and modes of discourse ready for application on the exam.
For AP Lit, we will focus on multiple choice passages, which will allow us an opportunity to practice close reading skills and accuracy. The passages will be a hybrid of prose, poetry, and drama since your final will be a full AP Lit MC test. I will also have the poetry cards and the literary toolbox list to review the terms.
For Advanced Composition, we can review the styles of writing, grammar and punctuation rules, and tips for the final. We will be going over all of the above during class on Monday, so if you have any remaining questions about the final, we can work together during the cram session.
And, since I will be at school between seventh hour and the cram session, I will have my room open during that time for student use.
So, what exactly is student use? Since all of my students are working on some type of essay, you are welcome to use the computers starting at 2:30 p.m. until around 4:50 p.m. when I will need to close up the room for the Cocoa & Cram study sessions. I will be prepping and grading and dealing with textbooks (have you turned in all of your novels yet?) and possibly running errands here and there, but I will be available to answer any questions you have regarding the essay.
And, starting at 4 p.m., any AP Lang and AP Lit students are welcome to come and play with the AP Lang and Lit Cards to help prep for the final. I will even bring my AP flashcards to help you study. This will primarily be student-led review, but I will be in the background for any clarifications or questions that you may have.
Remember, all essays for all of my classes have a deadline of 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 22. The essay must be in hard copy and must be delivered by this time or the grade will be a zero -- no exceptions.
In all circumstances, I hope the aforementioned opportunities will help you with the finals and your last essays of the semester!
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
A 35-year-old Sneaker
Oops on me...I posted this under Advanced Comp for Tuesday's class. Sorry for the delay.
Third hour has inspired me to take personality quizzes today, and I am not sure how to take the results. Thus far, I have the mentality of a 35-year-old (not too far off there), I am a sneaker (I question this quiz because the highest number of shoes one would own is 30. 30!), and I am Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice.
Onto what we actually did in class today...the feedback portion of the teacher and employee essays. Remember that the deadline for the official nomination is Friday, December 16. If you need some more editing, make sure to share with me and clarify why you are sharing with me.
First hour, for those that did not have a chance to show me their essays, you will need to do so either after school today or prior to class on Wednesday.
Third and seventh hours, for those that did not have a chance to show me their essays, you have three options: after school today, prior to school on Wednesday, or during the first 15 minutes of class time.
Third hour has inspired me to take personality quizzes today, and I am not sure how to take the results. Thus far, I have the mentality of a 35-year-old (not too far off there), I am a sneaker (I question this quiz because the highest number of shoes one would own is 30. 30!), and I am Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice.
Onto what we actually did in class today...the feedback portion of the teacher and employee essays. Remember that the deadline for the official nomination is Friday, December 16. If you need some more editing, make sure to share with me and clarify why you are sharing with me.
First hour, for those that did not have a chance to show me their essays, you will need to do so either after school today or prior to class on Wednesday.
Third and seventh hours, for those that did not have a chance to show me their essays, you have three options: after school today, prior to school on Wednesday, or during the first 15 minutes of class time.
The Counterclaim & Rebuttal Arrive
Now that you have had the opportunity to write an argument regarding the teacher and employee of the year (remember, the deadline to turn in your essay is Friday), we will not focus on the elements of the argument that are not conducive to your previous essay: the counterclaim and the rebuttal.
The counterclaim is a second position for the given topic; it is logical, it has evidence, it is researchable, which means that you are not creating a straw man counterclaim.
The rebuttal is the reaffirmation of the original claim's position and how it is the stronger option in comparison the counterclaim. The rebuttal is not there to trash the counterclaim. When writing the rebuttal, you should include new evidence to help support your claim even more and leave your reader with a strong reminder of your argument's focus.
We practiced this on the board today by utilizing claim evidence (remember to group like evidence together so that you have plenty of examples for each paragraph), constructing warrants for 2 of the evidence groupings, exemplifying a counterclaim and choosing 3 examples of support, and writing a rebuttal statement that includes our last evidence grouping.
Pictures of first and third hour work...
After this practice of argumentation, we returned our gaze to Lucy. First, we discussed her sister Suellen's essay regarding the "hijacking" of grief by Ann Patchett. Then, we watched, or rather listened to, an interview of Lucy, which you may find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYgEYhAd1c&t=561s. Last, you worked in a group to brainstorm a list of claims regarding Lucy Grealy.
Back to solo time, you received your Lucy logs and the last essay assignment of the semester: the argument determining Who is the Real Lucy Grealy? If absent, you can stop by tomorrow for a hard copy, or you can e-mail and I will send you a digital one. As I am encouraging you to work ahead on this assignment, you are more than welcome to write the essay in advance of our Friday's class work day. The bare minimum required for Friday would be your claim, the list of your evidence, and the grouping of your evidence.
The counterclaim is a second position for the given topic; it is logical, it has evidence, it is researchable, which means that you are not creating a straw man counterclaim.
The rebuttal is the reaffirmation of the original claim's position and how it is the stronger option in comparison the counterclaim. The rebuttal is not there to trash the counterclaim. When writing the rebuttal, you should include new evidence to help support your claim even more and leave your reader with a strong reminder of your argument's focus.
We practiced this on the board today by utilizing claim evidence (remember to group like evidence together so that you have plenty of examples for each paragraph), constructing warrants for 2 of the evidence groupings, exemplifying a counterclaim and choosing 3 examples of support, and writing a rebuttal statement that includes our last evidence grouping.
Pictures of first and third hour work...
Back to solo time, you received your Lucy logs and the last essay assignment of the semester: the argument determining Who is the Real Lucy Grealy? If absent, you can stop by tomorrow for a hard copy, or you can e-mail and I will send you a digital one. As I am encouraging you to work ahead on this assignment, you are more than welcome to write the essay in advance of our Friday's class work day. The bare minimum required for Friday would be your claim, the list of your evidence, and the grouping of your evidence.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Teacher/Employee of the Year Argument
In all classes, we did a speedy review of argumentation, focusing on the claim, evidence, and warrant components.
A claim is one position (of many possible) that you will attempt to prove in an argument. A claim should be original (not obvious), engaging, specific (not vague), logical, debatable, and hypotactic. Words to avoid in a claim are "should" and "should not," which create a persuasive purpose instead of a logical argument.
Evidence comes from statistics, facts, historical documentation, expert research and opinion, and, if it fits and you have ethos, personal anecdote.
A warrant is the evaluation or connection of the claim and evidence. If you are looking at this mathematically, claim plus evidence equals warrant.
How does organizing a paper look with the aforementioned argumentative components?
When writing an introduction, you now have your claim instead of your thesis statement (it acts in the same manner to clarify the paper's main idea and purpose).
When writing each body paragraph, you now have a sub-claim acting in place of your topic sentence, which indicates the focus of this paragraph; you now have an evidence acting in place of supporting details; you now have a warrant acting in place of your concluding sentences.
As you may note, essay structure does not change with an argument.
Today and for tomorrow's class, you will be working on your argumentative essay on whom you would nominate for teacher or employee of the year. Since this is not a timed prompt, I would recommend keeping the writing to 3-4 paragraphs. I also recommend having one paragraph detail the nominee's work and impact to all people at the school and then one paragraph detailing how the nominee has impacted you specifically.
One draft will be required for this assignment. Before the end of class time tomorrow, you will show me your draft, and I will give you feedback. At this point, you have finished your requirements for the points.
However...if you intend to nominate this person officially, you will need to revise your work (I am here to help proof for you), fill out a nomination form, and turn this in by Friday, December 16, to Mr. Sutton's office.
If your essay is read during the announcement of the nominees, you will receive 25 extra credit points for next semester.
A claim is one position (of many possible) that you will attempt to prove in an argument. A claim should be original (not obvious), engaging, specific (not vague), logical, debatable, and hypotactic. Words to avoid in a claim are "should" and "should not," which create a persuasive purpose instead of a logical argument.
Evidence comes from statistics, facts, historical documentation, expert research and opinion, and, if it fits and you have ethos, personal anecdote.
A warrant is the evaluation or connection of the claim and evidence. If you are looking at this mathematically, claim plus evidence equals warrant.
How does organizing a paper look with the aforementioned argumentative components?
When writing an introduction, you now have your claim instead of your thesis statement (it acts in the same manner to clarify the paper's main idea and purpose).
When writing each body paragraph, you now have a sub-claim acting in place of your topic sentence, which indicates the focus of this paragraph; you now have an evidence acting in place of supporting details; you now have a warrant acting in place of your concluding sentences.
As you may note, essay structure does not change with an argument.
Today and for tomorrow's class, you will be working on your argumentative essay on whom you would nominate for teacher or employee of the year. Since this is not a timed prompt, I would recommend keeping the writing to 3-4 paragraphs. I also recommend having one paragraph detail the nominee's work and impact to all people at the school and then one paragraph detailing how the nominee has impacted you specifically.
One draft will be required for this assignment. Before the end of class time tomorrow, you will show me your draft, and I will give you feedback. At this point, you have finished your requirements for the points.
However...if you intend to nominate this person officially, you will need to revise your work (I am here to help proof for you), fill out a nomination form, and turn this in by Friday, December 16, to Mr. Sutton's office.
If your essay is read during the announcement of the nominees, you will receive 25 extra credit points for next semester.
Friday, December 9, 2016
So We Start the Argument
For all classes, your homework is to figure out whom you would like to nominate for teacher or employee of the year. You should jot down notes on how this person impacted the school as a whole and how he or she impacted your specifically. You will use this to construct an essay, which you may then officially submit.
1: After the tech survey, we reviewed the parts of an argument, emphasizing claim today. The claim is objective and states one position on the given topic. A claim is original (not obvious), engaging, specific, logical, debatable, and hypotactic. Monday's class will be the evidence and warrant portions.
3 & 7: After the tech survey, we completed MC Passage 5 - the last practice MC.
Off to spend my weekend with Lucy and Ann...
1: After the tech survey, we reviewed the parts of an argument, emphasizing claim today. The claim is objective and states one position on the given topic. A claim is original (not obvious), engaging, specific, logical, debatable, and hypotactic. Monday's class will be the evidence and warrant portions.
3 & 7: After the tech survey, we completed MC Passage 5 - the last practice MC.
Off to spend my weekend with Lucy and Ann...
Survey Link
Do our school district a favor and take this survey by the end of the day Friday: http://survey.fzsd.us
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Discussion in the Dark Day!
Ah, my favorite day in AP Lang today: Discussion in the Dark, a chance to discuss the Lucy books with an emphasis of what is said versus what we look like. Concentrating upon our words, we could share out thoughts on Lucy, Ann, and their child-mother relationship. While we did verge into addiction, body image, and psychology, the focus of each hour was solely on the portrayal of Lucy and the various versions of our protagonist from first and third person.
Meanwhile, all classes finished "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, which I have linked here: https://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/modest.html. I chose this version as paragraph numbers are indicated on the left side of the pages. Do note that this version has footnotes.
For homework - due by 2:25 p.m. on Friday, you will need to create 10 Multiple Choice Questions for "A Modest Proposal." These questions will be shared or e-mailed. Make sure you have 5 choices, vary the degree of difficulty to incorporate factual, technical, analytical, and inferential questions, use paragraph numbers for references, and include an answer key.
1: You were the only class to finish our last practice MC passage. From this point forward, all the MC passages will count for grades.
Meanwhile, all classes finished "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, which I have linked here: https://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/modest.html. I chose this version as paragraph numbers are indicated on the left side of the pages. Do note that this version has footnotes.
For homework - due by 2:25 p.m. on Friday, you will need to create 10 Multiple Choice Questions for "A Modest Proposal." These questions will be shared or e-mailed. Make sure you have 5 choices, vary the degree of difficulty to incorporate factual, technical, analytical, and inferential questions, use paragraph numbers for references, and include an answer key.
1: You were the only class to finish our last practice MC passage. From this point forward, all the MC passages will count for grades.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Modestly Multiple Choice
Jeez, I don't want to give away everything with "A Modest Proposal" as all the classes are at different points of Swift's satirical essay. Such great fun!
Today was the deadline for the Lucy Logs and that box sure looks heavy! I will be perusing these over the next few days so that you may have those back for your eventual argumentative essay. More to come on that next week!
1: We spent the hour delving into Swift's satirical, hyperbolic solution to the hunger of Ireland. At our last moments, we found the real argument, the easy methods to solve the situation without resorting to babies! Tomorrow, we will finish the essay, you will find out about the related assignment, you will complete our last practice MC passage, and then, hopefully, our Lucy discussion.
3: We completed MC passage 4, starting with the questions this time and then utilizing class voting to practice process of elimination and accuracy of answers. In our last 15 minutes, you were transported to Ireland's poverty in the world of Swift, a world of hyperbolic means to solve the famine and death of the melancholy subjects of beggar mothers and children. We will finish that up tomorrow, then do many other items that our listed on the board. We are moving through that agenda!
7: Due to time constraints, we only made it through MC Passage 4 during class today. Satire for Wednesday.
Today was the deadline for the Lucy Logs and that box sure looks heavy! I will be perusing these over the next few days so that you may have those back for your eventual argumentative essay. More to come on that next week!
1: We spent the hour delving into Swift's satirical, hyperbolic solution to the hunger of Ireland. At our last moments, we found the real argument, the easy methods to solve the situation without resorting to babies! Tomorrow, we will finish the essay, you will find out about the related assignment, you will complete our last practice MC passage, and then, hopefully, our Lucy discussion.
3: We completed MC passage 4, starting with the questions this time and then utilizing class voting to practice process of elimination and accuracy of answers. In our last 15 minutes, you were transported to Ireland's poverty in the world of Swift, a world of hyperbolic means to solve the famine and death of the melancholy subjects of beggar mothers and children. We will finish that up tomorrow, then do many other items that our listed on the board. We are moving through that agenda!
7: Due to time constraints, we only made it through MC Passage 4 during class today. Satire for Wednesday.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Choices, Choices, Choices
Just a last reminder that the Lucy Logs deadline is tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. If you are at school at any point of the day, this assignment is due in hard copy format. The Lucy Logs were assigned on October 27.
1: We resumed class with MC Passage 3 and why the answers were correct. Then, we completed MC passage 4. Tomorrow will be about satire, our next mode of discourse.
3 & 7: First, we listened to samples of cafeteria descriptions, focusing on sensory details and the mood. Following this motif-filled writing, you completed MC Passage 3.
1: We resumed class with MC Passage 3 and why the answers were correct. Then, we completed MC passage 4. Tomorrow will be about satire, our next mode of discourse.
3 & 7: First, we listened to samples of cafeteria descriptions, focusing on sensory details and the mood. Following this motif-filled writing, you completed MC Passage 3.
Friday, December 2, 2016
The Description
1: We shared the majority of our cafeteria descriptions, which emphasized many a clever and graphic motif. Afterwards, you completed MC Passage 3. For homework, be able to explain why the answers for the passage are correct.
3 & 7: We finished analyzing why the answers were correct for MC Passage 2. Then, we read "Harvest Song" by Jean Toomer to identify the sensory details in the poem. Third hour wrote a description of the cafeteria and turned this in at the end of the hour. Hence, absentees will need to write an image-filled description for Monday. Seventh hour will either write the assignment either as a soloist or a duo.
3 & 7: We finished analyzing why the answers were correct for MC Passage 2. Then, we read "Harvest Song" by Jean Toomer to identify the sensory details in the poem. Third hour wrote a description of the cafeteria and turned this in at the end of the hour. Hence, absentees will need to write an image-filled description for Monday. Seventh hour will either write the assignment either as a soloist or a duo.
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