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