Exemplification: It Still Exists!

After our vocab experts and tone review (I will be posting your updated tone word list in the next day or so), we met in groups to look at your CDQ charts. While we are back to argumentation, the skills of exemplification are still of the utmost importance. That means you will want a variety of examples that are thoroughly explained with specific detail. Exemplification does not go away -- it is now hanging out with argumentation on a full time basis!

Third hour, you will need to finish the MC passage that we started in class for tomorrow.

Those Amorous Birds and Vegetables

We started with our new vocab unit today and then followed this with Andrew Marvell's great Carpe Diem poem "To His Coy Mistress": https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44688. As everything is an argument, we read this poem to identify its purpose (yep, to seduce in a variegated way), its claim, its evidence groupings, and its warrant(s). Following this ill-advised method of gaining attention, we discussed a style of AP Lang argumentation: C (challenge), D (defend), Q (qualify). When given a quote, a theory, an argumentative prompt, your job is to determine first whether you will show its inaccuracy (challenge), supports its ideology (defend), or bring forth an ambivalent argument showing both sides of the measure (qualify). For homework, you are to choose one of the CDQ prompts and complete the chart for the specific prompt. Remember, these quotes come from Lucy and Ann, but the argument is not about Lucy and Ann. You need to bring your exemplification skills into play and use multiple examples. If absent, e-mail me for these two handouts so that you are prepped for tomorrow's class.

Tone Take 2

1 & 3: We began by copying down Unit 18 vocab, which will commence on Monday. Then, we did a little speed learning with our brand new set of tone words. Last, we looked at examples from your exemplification team essay. Argumentation resumes next week!

7: We began with our tone paragraph on dogs. Cicely, your tone word is dejected for this paragraph. After sharing a few biting, volatile, sentimental examples, we commenced to speed learn our new tone words. At the end of the hour, you copied down Unit 18 vocab words for Monday's new round of vocab experts.

Visionary Allusion Tones

1 & 3: We commenced class by working on the exemplification activity covering vision. Each group member composed a paragraph exemplifying one person (or idea or group or something) on a shared Google document. If absent, you will need to add your paragraph to the group document as soon as possible so that I may give feedback on your work as an individual and as a team. After the writing time, we shared our third allusion posters and then began our second round of tone words. First hour voted for pandas as the tone paragraph topic; third hour selected turtles for their tone paragraph topic. Jessica, your random tone word for the week is "cliched," which means a worn-out idea or overused expressions. Hannah, your random tone word for the week is "gothic," which means characterized by gloom, mystery, and the grotesque. Make sure that you compose that tone paragraph for Friday's class.

7: After a very long opening hour of guidance visits and vision writing, we were finally able to share our allusion posters - even if our last ladies had to rush their explanations (sorry).  We did not have a chance to start our tone paragraphs although we did choose dogs for our Friday topic. If you will be absent on Friday due to a previous engagement, stop by on Thursday for your tone word. Otherwise, I will just randomly draw one for you and post it on the blog.

A Vision

Exemplification can be broken into 5 steps:

• Brainstorming a plethora of examples from multiple subject areas.
• Constructing a thesis statement.
• Selecting the relevant examples.
• Determining the range (the ordering) of your examples.
• Writing specific, thorough examples in paragraph form. 

1: We read "The History Teacher" by Billy Collins and analyzed its meaning, purpose, relevant examples, and range. We highlighted the five steps of exemplification. We divided up into groups of 4, brainstormed examples of "vision," constructed a thesis statement, selected 4 examples - each from a different subject area, determined the range, and assigned an example to each group member. We will be continuing with this tomorrow, which will occur while you are running about to the guidance office for schedule meetings. In order to write strong examples tomorrow, you should research your assigned person for specific examples relating to his/her vision. After exemplification, we have allusion poster 3, tone paragraphs and words round 2, and multiple choice passage 3. 

3: Due to our guidance meetings today, we are a tad behind first hour's summary. At this point in the "vision" assignment, you are at the brainstorming stage of the exemplification. Feel free to add any examples this evening. We will pick up there tomorrow and then do everything mentioned under first hour's plans.

7: Same as first hour -- how about that?

Our First Full Week Since December

In all classes, we commenced with the vocab 17 quiz and the tone 1 quiz - a hybrid putting all of your vernacular to the test. Afterwards, we either moved into our second practice multiple choice passage (1&3) or shared our cause and effect paragraphs (7). Ideally, seventh hour then moved to the multiple choice passage as well.

Tomorrow, we will begin exemplification - yes, example writing. This will help you with selecting and thoroughly explaining examples for our return to argumentation. Be prepared with your ethos-level: you want to have examples from all of your subject knowledge to assist in a mature, engaging argument.

Goodbye to the Greatest Show on Earth

1 & 3: In order to practice cause and effect writing, we completed an organizational chart on the causes and effects of the closing of Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus. Translating this into a more conducive form (yep, paragraphs), your groups composed an intro hooking the audience into the background of the event and the imagery connective to the circus and two body paragraphs that indicated the causes and effects. After readings samples -- or all of them depending on class time - we then reviewed vocabulary and tone words for your quiz on Monday.

7: I'm writing this in advance of seventh hour, so fingers crossed that this will cover the whole show. Ideally, we reviewed vocab/tone words for the quiz on Monday, we finished our second round of allusion posters, and we commenced our cause and effect work by constructing an organizational chart of causes and effects.

All Those Tone Words

1 & 3: Reviewed vocab and tone words (quiz on Monday), shared allusion poster 2, and started our cause and effect work with the circus.

7: Reviewed vocab and tone words (quiz on Monday), completed multiple choice passage A, and started allusion poster process.

First Hour Tone Words:

• irreverent
• earnest
• insolent
• seductive
• erudite
• nihilistic
• elegiac
• sardonic
• enervating
• effusive
• trite
• incredulous
• diffident
• gauche
• hubristic
• reticent
• bantering
• gothic
• cliched
• simple

Third Hour Tone Words:

• demoralized
• candid
• choleric
• malicious
• formal
• empathetic
• jejune
• jingoistic
• resigned
• facetious
• nostalgic
• cynical
• concrete
• fatuous
• apprehensive
• forthright
• caustic
• informal

Seventh Hour Tone Words:

• whimsical
• obsequious
• pompous
• kowtowing
• macabre
• laudatory
• sentimental
• derisive
• ambivalent
• apathetic
• volatile
• scathing
• pretentious
• poignant
• archaic
• colloquial
• wistful
• dejected
• disdainful
• polemical
• provocative
• pedantic

Averaging a Solid 7

1 & 3: We started off by reviewing our class tone words. Then, we completed the first MC passages, which reminded me that you should always stick with your first answer. Urgh! I can't wait until 7th hour tomorrow to bolster my MC average. As a perfectionist, a 7 just irks me!

7: Your class finished the last three vocabulary words and reviewed around the circle. Then, we spent some quality time with our class tone words by speed learning, reviewing, and checking meaning. Those tone words will not go away -- they are here to stay for the next few days. For homework, make sure to jot down notes on the closing of Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus after 146 years. You will need to have the causes and effects for this event.

It's All a Blur Really

Navigating through all my classroom visits today, I believe this is what happened in AP Lang Land in first and third hours.

1. You completed the last three vocab words and reviewed these around the circle.
2. You had the enviable task of speed learning your way through 20 or 18 tone words, respectively.
3. You tested your knowledge of these tone words in the circle.

Homework: Compile the causes and effects of the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus closing its tents after 146 years in business. Jot down notes so you have a working knowledge for tomorrow's class.

Seventh hour's college visit lasted a little longer than the other hours, so we a wee behind of the other classes. We spent the hour on tone, in which you received a tone word and composed a creative paragraph on "body image" as the topic. At the end of the hour, you had the opportunity to read some of your classmates' writings. I forgot to tell your class about homework, so it will have to wait a day. However, if you would like to get ahead of the game, check out the assignment above for first and third hour.

AP Lang's Worst Bad Dates

What a plethora of horrible dates in class today! For future reference, Aaron, Skylar, and Tim proved to be horrendous daters - with French accents, double dating, and a dog named precious. We had a lot of "animals" in the hours as well between barking and cat bloggers. You put on an enjoyable show for me!

After the performances, we added four more vocabulary words and then shared our allusion posters. 

First and third hour began tone work by drawing their tone card of the week and writing a paragraph depicting the feeling in the writing.

Prepping the Process

The majority of the hour was spent on prepping for the process analysis "bad date" skit. We did have a moment for vocab and to discuss your options for senior year courses. Lots of fun stuff ahead tomorrow with the skits, allusion posters, and your first tone paragraphs.

Process Analysis

1. We began our vocab experts for unit 17.
2. You voted on what MC passages your class will have for the next week or so. (We will do the first one tomorrow.)
3. You have a better understanding (I hope) of process analysis, which can be classified as directional (replication such as a cookie recipe) or informational (non-replication such as an article on brain surgery). We read a sample essay regarding bike riding as not only fabulous exercise but as symbolic of the growing independence of women.
4. You formed groups to create your own directional analysis on how to be a bad date. You must have at least 20 steps for this directional skit, which you will work on tomorrow for approximately half the class.

If absent, we will figure out how you will be part of a skit tomorrow during class.

Wednesday is our fun day featuring the skit, allusion posters, tone paragraphs, and vocab.

Hodgepodge

As with everything second semester, we will be jumping around between writing, multiple choice, allusions, tone, and vocabulary. Par example...

1. In a five minute span, you brainstormed a list of topics for our future tone paragraphs on an index card. Absentees, you can complete this task for Monday's class. Topics can range from serious to funny, specific to vague.

2. We discussed tips for argumentative writing in regards to the Lucy essay (previous blog) and expectations for those wishing to take the revision option. The revision will be due at the start of class on Monday in hard copy form with the original draft attached. (If absent today and wishing to revise, you will need to see prior to class starting on Monday for further information; if absent all day on Monday, you will need to contact me with instructions for turning in the assignment.)

3: You received the allusion posters assignment - in which you will create one allusion poster a week for four weeks. If absent, you can either e-mail me for a copy and your four allusions or ask for this information prior to class on Monday.

4. You copied down vocab unit 17 -- it's back -- and we will start vocab experts on Monday.

C'est finis.

Brevity

1. You organized all of the term and definition cards as a class.
2. We close read the prompt and passage from the final (see notes and tips on previous blogs).
3. You received your final and analyzed your score.
*7th hour also completed topic cards at the end of the hour.

Tomorrow will begin with the Lucy argumentative essay, which you may choose to revise. Specific details during class. I highly recommend that those of you in between grades or those of you just wanting to see how high a grade you can achieve in AP Lang take the opportunity to revise the work.

Those Lucy Essays

I have 10 Lucy essays left to peruse this evening and so far the 8 stack is the largest of the essays. In order to prep those wanting to revise the essay for a higher score, here are a few reminders to help you attain a 9 on this assignment (which MB, NS, SG, TK, and KH did). We will discuss the revision option details during Friday's class (absentees, don't fret, we can chat next week). Remember, the revision option is for those students who turned in the essay by the deadline.

Reminders:

For this essay, four to five paragraphs is not enough to form a thorough argument with the following components: a specific claim, multiple examples per paragraph, warrants ending each paragraph, a separate counterclaim with evidence, a separate rebuttal with evidence, and a final conclusion.

With evidence, sticking a full sentence quote in the middle of a paragraph is distracting - as is double punctuating your cited sentences.

Citations are (author page number) or (page number) or (author), depending if you are rotating back and forth through multiple texts or focusing on just one. For instance, (L. Grealy 99) or (99) if it is clear what text is in use. For Suellen's article, since you do not have paragraph numbers indicated, you just need her last name (S. Grealy).

Announcing you have a quote is a distraction. A quote is what you put in the essay, and it does not have to be announced such. Also, there is no need to announce your counterclaim or rebuttal with these terms; the audience should tell via your diction and transitory elements.

The WOW factor earns the 9. What is "wow" this time around? As with every essay, a strong hook and conclusion will create the context of your writing and engage the audience through the entire writing. What really made the "wow" for this reader: how rhetorical terms popped up in your argument. Even though the writers were not analyzing the purpose of tone, several writers mentioned tone -- with specific tone words -- to further their argument of Lucy's character. Other terms mentioned to add extra oomph to your vernacular were diction, tone, juxtaposition, and hypophora (nice RK).

Back to the ever dwindling stack. Oh, since you have the option for revising, I somehow restrained myself from commenting all over your essays (you don't know how difficult that is -- how much I want to underline the WOW stuff and circle areas you need to revise). When you receive the essay, you will find a number and one tip at the top. As mentioned, we will go over all the details if you choose to revise - which I hope some of you will do and boost your overall score on this essay.