Good Morning Musees,

Happy Friday!  Please work on your research paper over the break.  I am creating a website in my weebly account for resources for you to use over the break for research.  Please use them to guide your research.  In the account, will be all of the documents from the assignment drive, as well as handouts discussing MLA format, in line citing, paraphrasing and direct quoting, etc.

The website is:
millertimeenglish.weebly.com
Under WFC

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or need guidance over the break. I will be working from home. :)

Your rough draft is due on Thursday, January 2, 2014.  Your interview will be due Friday, January 3rd. Please submit the cover sheet as well as your notes from your interview.

Please make sure that you have shared your googledocs document on which you are working so that I may check out your progress or assist you if needed.

My email address is tmiller@smithtown.k12.ny.us

Have a wonderful holiday!
Ms. Miller

Good Morning Musees,

Today is Wisdom Wednesday, December 18th.  I will be at a curriculum writing workshop at West tomorrow, so you will have a sub.  Please diligently work on your research paper both in and out of class.  Everyone should have the following by the end of this week: (Friday evening)

1. A minimum of 20 notecards (but in reality, you should have more than this)
2. Your working thesis statement written, either:
    a. in a google docs working document that is shared with me (this can be your working paper), or
    b. in the thesis statement section of your dashboard

3. A detailed working outline either:
    a. in you Notecard board, or
    b. on your working google docs document that is shared with me

4. An introduction paragraph with your working thesis and some kind of hook.  Remember, your introduction will generally introduce the focus you will take in your paper.

 
The above info does not include your works cited in Noodle Tools and your annotations of articles from last week.

Your rough draft is due the day we come back.  It must be completed, but will be rough, meaning:
You will have one week to peer edit, self edit, revise your content and transitions, reorganize, refine, insert the correct in-text citation elements, print your work cited, edit for spelling and grammar, etc.

Have a great two days, and I will see you Friday!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

Happy Monday!  Today, we will discuss the thesis statement and outline.
Please review the due dates for each part of the paper.

Your working thesis statement is due tomorrow.

Your outline is due on Thursday (this week)...

Your Introduction paragraph is due on Friday...

Plug away in and out of school.  I have taken away any other assignments so that you may work on your research project. 
Have a great day!
MM

Hello Everyone,

We are currently deep into our Research Papers.  Please stay tuned with the documents posted on the assignment drive.  These are all from class lessons and resources for you to use in your papers.

The point breakdown and due dates must be heeded.

At this point, go to the assignment drive and look at the lesson for Tuesday, December 10th.
Read this and make sure that you are up to speed. 
Due Thursday 12/12 - All 7 sources, printed (either on googledocs or hard copy), and annotated.
Due Friday 12/13 - Your 15-20 Research Questions printed out.

Please remember.  You must work on this outside of class.  There is homework all this week.

Have a great day!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

Happy first day of your two-day week!  Today we will have our first discussion about your research paper and project.  Your homework this long weekend is to complete your career research inventory.  You may begin this in class at the end of today and during class tomorrow. 

You will be working on your research paper, participating in mini-lessons and homework assignments to strengthen your skills, writing in your Writer's Notebooks, which you will receive back after Thanksgiving break, and blogposts responses.

The research paper and project will be due sometime in the first two weeks in January and then presentations will begin. 

I will give you more process due dates as we go along. 

I want you to have fun with this project! 

MM

Hello Musees,

Today and tomorrow you may work diligently and independently on your Expository Essays.
On the table, are Peer Review Sheets, one pile for Cause and Effect Essays and one pile for Compare and Contrast Essays.  Please use the correct Peer Review Sheet for the paper that you are READING.

You may write all over your peer's essay while you are reading and carefully read and fill out the Peer Review Worksheet.  This is a VALUABLE tool.

Reminder:  Remember all of the things that we have learned and apply them to your essay.  For example:

• paragraph structure for C & E and C/C essays
• transitional words and phrases
• variety in sentences
• answering the "so what?" question
• incorporating elements of style into your essay
• avoiding personal pronouns
• supporting your claims with examples
• avoiding the taboo comma splices, fragments and run-ons
• using MLA format

Your essay will be due Monday morning when you first come in.
It should include from bottom to top:

1. outline
2. draft 1 (this will be written on by your peer)
3. peer review sheet
4. draft 2 (final draft)

Of course some of you may have drafts in between.
** If you were absent any days this week, we did the following:
Assignment drive, under RULES OF GOOD WRITING:
Tips to Avoid Personal Pronouns (word document, four pages)
Clauses (pp)
Run-ons (pp)
Avoiding Sentence Fragments (pp)

Have a fab day!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

It's Tuesday. November 19th.  Today we will review sentence structure.  Woo Hoo!
Today and tomorrow... grammar review!
As this is much needed, we are doing a review on sentence structure.
Expository essays will be the assessment for this.  They may be due Thursday or Friday. If you do not have your Draft 1 completed, please do so for homework tonight.

MM

The grammar powerpoints, personal pronoun handouts and writing tips are all located in the assignmment drive under the folder RULES OF GOOD WRITING.

Good Morning and Happy Monday, Musees,

The due date for your Expository Essays are postponed until the end of Wednesday.

Here is the reason:

Today and tomorrow for the first 15 minutes of the period,  we will be reviewing
1.) Avoiding personal pronouns in your academic writing
2.) sentence structure, avoiding comma splices, run-ons and fragments

TYour peer review sheets will be available tomorrow. :)
Have a great day! 
MM

Good Morning Musees!

Today is Thursday, November 14th.  Please work on your expository essays.  See yesterday's post for instructions.  Remember, an outline is required.

Go back to your notes to make sure you apply the characteristics of Compare and Contrast OR Cause and Effect.

Have a great day!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

Today, we will review some Cause and Effect and Compare/Contrast characteristics, as well as some reminders about thesis statements and paragraph organization.

Assignment:  Choose either a Cause and Effect Essay OR a Compare/Contrast Essay.  You may choose any topic that you like.  The requirements are to go back and review all of your notes and the information that we learned about this type of essay, and apply these in your writing.

Reqirements:

• 2 pages
• MLA style
• Outline required
• Peer Review required
• Due Tuesday, November 19th
• You will have tomorrow, Friday, the weekend and Monday to work on this.  You may use the first half of Tuesday to finalize.

Good Morning Musees,
 
I am out today. Please print your compare/contrast paragraphs and peer review with a partner.  Answer the following questions either on your peer's paper or on a separate sheet.  You may write on your peer's paper.  Then conference with each other and do your revisions.  The final is due tomorrow.  Please submit all copies.  Have a great day.  MM

Peer-Editing Worksheet: Comparison and Contrast

 Read your partner’s paragraph and answer the following questions in complete sentences. 

 1.         Does the paragraph have a clearly stated thesis/topic sentence? What is it?   Does the thesis emphasize similarities, differences, or both?

2.         Does the paragraph treat the same or similar points for each of its two subjects? List the points discussed below.

First subject                                                                 Second subject

1.                                                                                 1.

2.                                                                                 2.

3.                                                                                 3.

                       

3. Are these points discussed in the same order for both subjects?

4.         Are transitional words and expressions used appropriately to make the points of comparison and contrast clear? List the transitions that are used.

5.         Are additional transitions needed?  If so, where?

6.         How does the author “hook” the reader?

7.         Does the author provide an interesting conclusion that leaves the reader thinking?

8.         Does the writer include sufficient examples to allow the reader to clearly understand the basis of comparison and stated comparisons and contrasts? Give an example of how the writer does this.

10        Does the author answer the “so what?” question?  Is there a purpose for this comparison/contrast?  

11.       What could the writer add to this paragraph?

12.       Are all points relevant?  What could the writer take out of this paragraph?

13.       Reread the paragraph and make any grammatical/surface area corrections. 

Good Morning Musees,
 
I am out today. Please print your compare/contrast paragraphs and peer review with a partner.  Answer the following questions either on your peer's paper or on a separate sheet.  You may write on your peer's paper.  Then conference with each other and do your revisions.  The final is due tomorrow.  Please submit all copies.  Have a great day.  MM

Peer-Editing Worksheet: Comparison and Contrast

 Read your partner’s paragraph and answer the following questions in complete sentences. 

 1.         Does the paragraph have a clearly stated thesis/topic sentence? What is it?   Does the thesis emphasize similarities, differences, or both?

2.         Does the paragraph treat the same or similar points for each of its two subjects? List the points discussed below.

First subject                                                                 Second subject

1.                                                                                 1.

2.                                                                                 2.

3.                                                                                 3.

                       

3. Are these points discussed in the same order for both subjects?

4.         Are transitional words and expressions used appropriately to make the points of comparison and contrast clear? List the transitions that are used.

5.         Are additional transitions needed?  If so, where?

6.         How does the author “hook” the reader?

7.         Does the author provide an interesting conclusion that leaves the reader thinking?

8.         Does the writer include sufficient examples to allow the reader to clearly understand the basis of comparison and stated comparisons and contrasts? Give an example of how the writer does this.

10        Does the author answer the “so what?” question?  Is there a purpose for this comparison/contrast?  

11.       What could the writer add to this paragraph?

12.       Are all points relevant?  What could the writer take out of this paragraph?

13.       Reread the paragraph and make any grammatical/surface area corrections. 

Happy Friday Musees!  (Is it Friday already?)

Today, we will continue our discussion of Comparing and Contrasting.

Homework due Tuesday
Write a compare and contrast paragraph about  a topic of your choice.
Brainstorm/outline your thoughts first.
Have this printed out for peer review first thing Tuesday morning.
The structure should be consistent and obvious to your reader.

1. Remember to have a purpose
2. Remember audience
3. Remember transition words and subtext
4. Remember elements of style (word choice, action verbs, colorful adjectives, show don't tell, figurative language, dialogue, etc.)
5. Remember to try more sophisticated sentence structure (complex, compound, and complex compound sentences)
6. Remember to play with more sophisticated vocabulary (but don't over do it! :))
7. Remember your voice!
8. Rememeber your topic/thesis.

Good Morning Musees,

Happy Wisdom Wednesday...

Today's discussion will focus on the philosophy and structure of compare and contrast paragraphs.  Soak in the information you learn today.  Underline and annotate your handouts.  Think about how comparing and contrasting is part of your daily thought process throughout your life.

Your homework tonight is to think of a topic that you want to write a paragraph on and brainstorm ideas.  Have some brainstorming notes to work with tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will dig deeper into the different ways you can structure and express your ideas in a coherent, meaningful sophisticated way.

There is a Compare and Contrast Folder in the Assignment drive with documents for this unit in it.

p.s. Your Writer's Notebook is due today.  :)

Have a great day!

Good Morning Musees,

Happy Monday. This week we will discuss various ways to express comparison and contrast.  BUT FIRST,

Do Now:  Please immerse yourself in the following grammar and usage exercises.  See how you do!  :)  Then we touch base and reflect.

1.      Clauses, sentences and fragments

http://www.uvu.edu/owl/infor/test_n_games/practice_tests/fragments.htm

 

2.       Usage

http://www.uvu.edu/owl/infor/test_n_games/practice_tests/usage.htm

3.      Punctuation

http://www.uvu.edu/owl/infor/test_n_games/practice_tests/punctationandmechanics.htm

 Today, we will read information about the philosophy behind compare and contrast paragraphs.  We will continue with this on Wednesday.  Your homwork is to complete your Writer's Notebook for submission on Wednesday.  :)

Have a great day and a fantastic day off tomorrow!

MM

Happy Halloween Musees!

Please work on the assignments that are due tomorrow.
1.) Cause and Effect Paragraph
2.) Blog response to Malcom Gladwell's article on shopping.
3.) Writer's Notebook due Wednesday, November 6th.

The Cause and Effect Essay must be in MLA format. :)

Please do a peer edit with someone.  You don't have to fill out a seperate sheet.  Just use the Cause and Effect checklist and write on your peer's paper and briefly conference with him/her.

Have a great day and if you are not going to be here tomorrow, have nice and safe weekend.
Ms. Miller

Hello Musees,

Happy Wisdom Wednesday...

Please work on your:
Cause and Effect Paragraphs due Friday
Your blog post due Friday
Your Writer's Notebooks


IMPORTANT NOTE:  Writer's notebooks will be due next Wednesday, as the end of Quarter 1 is Friday, November 8th.

If you were absent yesterday, please make up the class assignment blog.

Have a great day!
MM

THINK AND WRITE TOGETHER ACTIVITY (CAUSES OF LEADERSHIP AND SUCCESS)

Please copy and paste your group paragraphs here. :)
Have fun!

WFC – Ms. Miller

 

Good Morning Musees,

Today we will discuss some more characteristics of Cause and Effect and you will work on a group activity that puts you in "Cause and Effect" mode.  This is due today. :)
Please go to the assignment drive.

 

 

Blog Post Due Friday:

Have fun! The Science of Shopping

Every day spaces manipulate our behaviors to gain a certain, desired effect. Shopping is no different; in fact, this is where major department and specialty stores can entice you to buy without even advertising their merchandise. Read SECTION 1 of the following article from The New Yorker, "The Science of Shopping," and respond to the ideas presented. How much of this do you believe to be true? How does it make you feel to know that you are manipulated in this way or that there is the intent to do so? Respond in a thoughtful blog post and discuss a store you've been to that either supports or refutes the article's content.  p.s. Think about cause and effect!

********************************************************************************
Due Friday

Cause and Effect Assignment:

1. Brainstorm your ideas for cause and effect.
2. Write a simple cause and effect paragraph.
3. It must contain all elements of “cause and effect”
4. Use the checklist on the “cause and effect” packet you received.
5. You may use one of the prompts given or make up your own.
6. Have one person peer edit your paragraph to make sure you followed the checklist and check for grammar and sentence structure.
7. Due Friday.

Good Morining Musees,

This week, we are learning the process of writing about cause and effect.  We will first practice with writing cause and effecct paragraphs this week. 

You will receive several informational handouts that explain the thinking process behind the concept of "cause and effect."  You are responsible for reading, mastering and applying this information. 

Note:  Being absent from class does NOT EXEMPT you from participating and knowing this information... just a reminder.

Additionally, this week, we will be doing some grammar and sentence structure exercises.  Graduating from high school and moving on to higher level education requires the correct application of a comma.  :)... spoken out of love.

Have a great day!

After we discuss the info in your packet, you will choose a topic with a partner and brainstorm some causes and effects.  What type of layout would you have for you analysis?

Homework:  Please take time to write in your Writer's Notebook.  It will be due during the in a couple of weeks.

Hello Musees,

Tomorrow will be a catch up and fun day.  We will not begin our Cause and Effect Unit until Monday.  You have unitl tomorrow to hand in everything regarding Process Analysis and College Essay.  See previous posts for information regarding Essay Sandwiches (hard copies) and turnitin.com.

Have a great day!

MM

Essay Sandwiches:
From bottom to top, start with your brainstorm and add all pieces of your process on top until you get to your Final Draft (this will be on top). Staple everything together.

Your conference with me and your revision from that may be closer to the bottom or the top, depending upon when we conferenced.

For example:

Brainstorm
first draft
conference with me w/my writing on your paper
Revision
Peer conference
Revision from peer conference
Conference w/ self
Revision from Conference with self

Some of you may have more than one conference with me if you made appointments outside of class.
Some of you may have drafts that other teachers, friends or family edited.

PUT IT ALL IN.  YOU ARE BEING GRADED ON PROCESS.  :)

Good Morning, Musees,

It's Tuesday, October 22nd.  Please work on your Process Analysis Essays today.  Peer Review Sheets are available on the big desk in 205.  Everyone must participate. 

Both essays are due on Thursday.  Please submit to turnitin.com as well as your hard copy. 
On Friday, we will being Cause and Effect Essays, another type of expository essay.

Period 1 - 6953235
Period 6 - 6953245

Password - muse

There are two assignments currently listed: 
1. College Essay Final Draft
2. Process Analysis Essay

I will continue to conference today.

Have a wonderful day!
Ms. Miller

Happy Friday, Musees!

Please work on your Process Analysis Essays today.  I will be conferencing with students all period today, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

2 (give or take) pages, MLA format.  Please create a catchy title for your essays.


Your College Essays will be due on Thursday, along with the Process Analysis pieces.  (I EXTENDED THE DATE TO GIVE YOU MORE TIME).

Have a fabulous weekend!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

Do Now:  Please share your ideas from last night's homework with you partner.  Discuss how you would set up your process analysis essay.  Would it be directive or informative?  What mode of critical thinking would you use? (chronological, simultaneous, or cyclical)?  What subtext, context, transitions, tone, theme, point of view, literary tools would you use?

Next, please read pgs 214-216 in the pdf document "Process Analysis: Explaining Step by Step" that we worked with yesterday on the Assignment Drive.

Next, please choose a topic and begin your brainstorming process for your process analysis essay.  You will work on this today, tomorrow, and Monday.  Peer Review sheets will be available Monday and Tuesday.  Your final Process Analysis Essay will be due next Thursday.

Note:  Please see the MLA format page in the Assignment Drive as a reminder of the format for all English papers.

Have a great day!
MM

The Perfect Date is on the Horizon...

Move with a partner and put your ideas together from last night’s homework: Describe, step by step, how to prepare the perfect date (or if you did "how to prepare for the perfect date, that's fine, too).  Work on the computer to come up with a working paragraph in Microsoft Word. Remember, you must be clear, detailed, and organized (and appropriate!!). When finished, copy and paste your final paragraph into a comment box of this post. Be sure to list BOTH of your names so that you each get credit for this blog post. Remember, your ideas will be posted for all to read, so be sure to be concise and, again, APPROPRIATE!

 

You have 10-15 minutes to do this.

By the way, what type of process analysis is this?  Directive or Informative?

 

Next, please go to the assignment drive and open the pdf document "Process Analysis: Explaining Step by Step." : Let's look at a sample process essay.  We will be working with this document today and tomorrow, so if you would like to save it to your googledocs or traveldrive, please feel free to do so.  Otherwise, it's available on the assignment drive.

 

Homework tonight:  Brainstorm for tomorrow's class activity.  Describe a step by step, a really, really, bad day that has happened to one of the characters on your handout.  Think about what subtext you would include.  Be ready to discuss with your partner tomorrow.

 

In addition, choose a topic that you will write your process analysis essay on.  Will it be directive or informative?  What type of critical thinking will you use for your analysis?  How will you use literary and language tools to add subext, context, perception, tone, theme, transition, etc.

Good Morning Musees,

It's Tuesday, October 15th. We are beginning our Unit on Process Analysis this week. You will be working your rough draft for this paper each day while I continue conferencing with College Essay material.

Today's activities will take the period. Your homework is to Brainstorm for the following:
How to Prepare the Perfect Date

See you tomorrow!

Final drafts of your College Essay are due this week. Everyone's must be in by Friday. :)

Have a great day!
MM

Hello Musees:

Please follow the instruction that I discussed in class Wednesday.  (Also refer to Wednesday's blog post).  If any of your peers were absent, please fill them in.

Also, below is the article to read and respond to by Friday at the end of the day. :) 
Have a great weekend!  See you Tuesday!

MM


Are You Rude?!?!

From Oprah.com...
"Fed up with the rude behavior you experience day in and day out? Is it aggressive driving, co-workers who don't wash their hands or smokers who use the sidewalk as their personal ashtrays? What about the sales clerks who ignore you -- then act like they own the store when you finally get their attention?It's time for a return to civility!"

Click on the link to continue reading the article, "Are You Rude? Maybe You Should Think Again" and blog a thoughtful response to its content. Feel free to comment on other student's posts to enhance your own (if applicable and appropriate).

Good Morning Musees,

Today is Wednesday, October 9th.  Please work on your college essays.  The assignment is as follows:

When you submit your final essay sandwich next week at some point, in chronological order from botton to top:
First brainstorms and drafts
Any revision from a draft that I looked at (some of you will have this, some won't)
Peer Review Sheet from your peer
Revision from Peer Review (This will be Draft 2 or 3 depending upon your personal process)
Conference with yourself sheet
Revision from Self Conference

Basically, put everything together from first to last (bottom to top)
Your final draft (the one you submit to turnitin) will be on top.

Thursday and Friday:

• Continue working on college essay process
• Complete the blog post that will be posted Thursday morning (due by end of Friday)
• Work on your Writers Notebook  (You should have at least half of your prompts done by the end of this week)

I have decided that we will being Process Analysis Essays on Monday.
Have a great rest of the week!

Happy Friday Musees!  Today, you know what to do... Revise, Conference, Edit and Enhance.  Have fun, and Have a fantastic weekend.

By Monday, everyone should have a solid draft to work with for a class anonymous activity. 

No blog post this weekend.
MM

Good Morning Musees,

Today is Thursday. Continue working on your college essays (you know what the process is by now).  Everyone should have peer edited by the end of today.  Most of you have already. 

I would like to meet with only those people who have not conferenced at all yet first today.  Then I will move on to those of you who are getting a 2nd conference.

For homework and/or during class today, please read the packet on CONCLUSIONS. Underline and highlight the main points.   We will come together and discuss them first thing tomorrow.

PEER EDIT AND SELF CONFERENCE SHEETS are on the table.   IF you are absent, please remember to check the blogs from the previous days to make sure you receive all handouts, material from lessons and blog assignments. 

Next week, we will begin Process Analysis.

Have a great day.

Ms. Miller

Hi Everyone,

Good Morning!
It's Tuesday, October 1st.  Once again, you may use the period to do independent or peer edit work.  I will continue to conference throughout the day.  I am available throughout the week by appointment.  After school always works best for me.  I will spend 15 (no more than 20 minutes) per student.

Also, I posted a model of a former student's Descriptive Essay on the assignment drive.  Please check it out and look at the student's writing style and use of description to describe her subject.   It is a great model of descriptive techniques.

Remember that a characterization of YOU must come through in your essay. 

Have a great day!
Ms. Miller

Good Morning Musees,

It's Monday, September 30th.  I am going to leave you alone today to work on your essays and conference with me.

The steps for your college essay are:
Draft 1 completed by tomorrow the latest
Peer Review
Revision completed by Wednesday (Draft 2)
Self Check and Final Revision completed by Thursday.
There will be mini-lessons occurring all week and interesting handouts for your enjoyment (yes, I know. :))

If you have finished early, take the time to continue to make your essay stronger.  Consider all of the descriptive techniques, show don't tell, adjectives, verbs, avoiding wordiness, grammar and mechanics, syntax, appropriate diction and point of view, get some more peer reviews, etc.

P.S. Please have essays 3 an 4 of our samples read for discussion tomorrow morning.

Have a great day.
MM

Happy Friday Musees:

Do Now:  Discussion - Essay Two (Switzerland)
Read Essay Three and Discuss
Hooks and Leads

Please work on your Draft One of your essays.
Draft One Teacher Conferences begin Monday.  Those that gave me their essays will go first.
Monday - Peer Editing.  Please have your completed Draft One Essay printed Monday morning for your Peer Edit and Conference.
Also remember to peruse Essays That Work and comment on the blog for Monday. :)
Have a great weekend!
MM

Good Morning Musees,

It's Thursday, 9/26/13

Do Now:  Please read Essay One of the sample essay handed out to you in the beginning of the period.  Also read the admission's officer's comment.  Then, let's discuss.  What did you think.

For Homework tonight, please read Essay Two on this hand out.  Write down your thoughts for discussion tomorrow.

Continue working on your College Essay in and out of school.

I will be sitting at the table Conferencing (10 minutes per person max.)  The sign up sheet is at the table.



Homework due Monday (Aside from working on your college essay):

Essays that Worked!

Follow the link to a page at Connecticut College's website. This site is unique in that it provides links to college "Essays that Worked." That is, these essays "worked" in getting that student accepted to the school. There are essays from as early as last year, thus the essays are current! Please peruse the essays that "worked" (listed on the right hand of the screen) and write a thoughtful blog post that answers the question, "Why do you think this essay worked?"

In your response be sure to list which student's essay you are responding to.

Read This!

Wow. This article really opened my eyes up to some things, so I'm sure it will open up yours, too! Make sure you read every word. No blog post required for this one... just some food for thought!Top 10 Myths of College Admissions

 

 

Happy Wisdom Wednesday:

 

Today, we will discuss your homework readings.

I would like you to spend most of the period brainstorming and beginning to write down thoughts (it doesn't have to be perfect today) for your college essay.  You should know which prompt you are writing to.  Remember your audience and purpose.  Remember all of the descriptive and style techniques we learned last week.

 

After you have something down, in the next couple of days, we will spend time reading some sample essay from other students, as well as what admissions officers had to say about them.

 

Homework due tomorrow:  See yesterday's post.  Remember, choose three and comment.  Don't forget to label which articles you comment on. 

 

 

Hello Musees,

Today is Tuesday.  Your Final Descriptive piece is due half way through the period today.  Please:
1.) Submit to turnitin.com
2.) Staple everything together (draft 1 on bottom, then peer edit sheet, then final draft on top) and place on the "big desk."

Next, due tomorrow:

1. Complete College Essay Brainstorming Sheet
2. Check out the new Common App prompts for this year and choose one that you will write your essay on by tomorrow morning.  You may even begin to brainstorm.
3. Read and annotate the articles "Don't Be Bland" and "Your Essay Makes a Difference"  Be ready to discuss these tomorrow morning. 

 Due Thursday: See blog post below, "College Advice From People Who Have Been There Awhile"

College Advice, From People Who Have Been There Awhile

By click on the following link, College Advice, you will be brought to an opinion page of the NY Times. At this page there are a variety of short articles providing advice on college from "people who have been there awhile." Read three (3) of the opinions listed and respond in a thoughtful blog response. Be sure to respond to and name all three of the articles you read in order for this blog response to count as one of your required blogs for the quarter.

 

Suggested readings: "Don't Alienate Your Professor," "Play Politics," and "Go the Wrong Way"

 

Hello WFC Crew,

Today is Monday, September 23rd.  Please work on your peer editing today.  Peer Edit Worksheets can be found on the "big desk."  Use your time wisely and peer edit with someone who in the same time frame as you. Please do not wait 20 minutes for your buddy to finish.  The purpose of peer editing is to share perspectives and offer constructive criticism.  Take advantage of this.  It is a growth process.

Your final draft of your Descriptive Piece is due tomorrow at the period half-way mark.  We will spend the second half of the period on college essay material. 

Due Wednesday (I am giving this to you know for those who have completed their descriptive piece)
Complete the Brainstorming Worksheet for the College Essay.

Have a great day!
MM

Hello WFC students,

Happy Friday!

Today: 
1.) Quick 3-minute tips on using colorful adjectives and action verbs in your description
2.) Explanation of peer review sheet
3.) Handout of descriptive essay rubric, checklist and editing key

Reminder:  If you are late for or absent from class, please make sure that you receive and read all information and handouts.  All information and skills discussed in class are expected to be reflected in your work!

Today's goal: Complete your descriptive piece and peer review and edit.
Final copy due on Tuesday to turnitin.com
Then, COLLEGE ESSAY.  YAY!

HAVE A FAB WEEKEND.
MM