Today and tomorrow...more words

Today in class, we went through a peer rubric to edit down our 400 wordy words.

You can find it here.

We also shared our essays.

Tomorrow, I'm out.  You will work to make your essay simpler, utilizing the suggestions of your peers.  It needs to be 100-150 words maximum.

You will also read and annotate the story, "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway.  I will check both on Friday.

See you then!

<3,

Rock

Words, words, words...

Today we read Chuck Klosterman's ruminations on the value of "knowing" Harry Potter.

I also asked you to write your own wordy, 400-word (or more!) version of this.

Link to the article here.

Link to the prompt here.

Tomorrow, you will let another human in our class read your pop-culture wordiness.  Be ready...

Prom Time!?

Really, though, no.  It's still winter.  Or fall.  Whatever.

Dr. Clarke sent me the link so you can vote for this year's Prom theme.  Click here.  Jr and Sr votes are the only ones that count.  Once only.

Curious Incident Final Essay

In April of 2004, a bit after Curious Incident had become the wildly popular book it is today, Mark Haddon(its author) said:

"...But the book, I hope, does something more than that. The legs aren't quite the same length. It isn't entirely comfortable. It's about how little separates us from those we turn away from in the street. It's about how badly we communicate with one another. It's about accepting that every life is narrow and that our only escape from this is not to run away (to another country, another relationship, a slimmer, more confident self) but to learn to love the people we are and the world in which we find ourselves.

As Christopher, my main character, says: 'People go on holidays to see new things... but I think that there are so many things just in one house that it would take years to think about all of them properly.'"

This, Madden goes on to say, is what the book is really about. 

Explain this quote, and how it “is what the book is really about” in a well-crafted, 5-7 paragraph essay, complete with specific examples and quotes from the book itself.

DUE: November 15, 2016 by 11:59PM to erock@gehrhsd.net

Due Dates, and Yucky stuff

First of all, some stuff:

Today, your journal was due.  Updated list on the right.
I also collected your fantasy day writing.  We started it Friday in class, based on our reading of chapter 229.

You should be done the book.  We will look at the final essay on Wednesday.

Last, but not least, look at this infograph that lets you see exactly WHO is making your food, and WHAT ELSE they're making.  I feel mildly disgusted.

Thinking Like Christopher: A Writing Assignment

You are being tasked with a little writing assignment.  It is described below:

Christopher has a mind that does not use figurative language very frequently. I’m not

sure that neurotypicals grasp how frequently we rely upon metapor, simile, etc.

Tonight you need to take an activity or experience (it can be anything you do at home or with friends, but it must be one that involves dealing with other people). Experience it and analyze it as Christopher would. Write a half page about it, using no figurative language and presenting it as Christopher would. 

This is due tomorrow during class.  We will share them(if you want).  It can be handwritten or typed.

Curious Jokes

Today in class, we discussed the beginning of the book and what makes something funny.

If you missed it, the question are below.  I will check these tomorrow in class.

1.  Write down your favorite joke.
2.  What makes this joke funny?
3.  Tell me about a joke that is not, in your opinion, funny.
4.  Is funny subjective?  Why or why not?
5.  Why is Christopher unable to decipher "funny?"

Please continue to read tonight, and all this week.

Beowulf Test

The format will be simple:

A piece of text, a few questions, and a short answer relating to our modern ideals.

It shouldn't take you the entire period; I was hoping to get your new books to you tomorrow as well.

If not, we'll finish it out on Thursday.

Review the basic plot of Beowulf, what made him heroic, and enjoy your night.

From Today...

The paragraph for your modern ideals is due the day you present.  It should include:

• The name of the thing: author, title, where found, etc.
• A description of how it is reflective of our society's ideals.
• How has it been received by society?  Is it controversial, universally loved, or other?

7-9 sentences, typed or handwritten.

Fix your letters and have them done for Wednesday.  We may share them in class if you want.

Over the weekend...

So MANY things.  So here's a list:

Your college essay draft, by 11:59PM tonight.  Many of you did this.

Your Letter to Younger You:  Rough draft on Tuesday, final on Wednesday by 11:59PM.

Also, for Tuesday:

You should bring, to class, an image, song, story, book, etc. that embodies 21st century American culture, good or bad.

Most importantly, you should be able to defend choosing it, which you will begin to do in class and finish for homework.  These analyses will be presented to the class on Thursday and Friday.  That is detailed here.

Letter to Younger You

Maybe I was a little unclear today.  Sorry.  I'm blaming it on the sudden air-conditioning.

Here is a link to the directions.

We will talk about this letter in class over the next few days, but just in case you forget, the final draft is due digitally( erock@gehrhsd.net ) to me by 11:59PM Wednesday, September 28th.

Happy soul-searching!

<3,

Rock

College essay: rough digital drafts

So....

Today we peer edited to the best of our abilities.  You hopefully received real feedback.  This week, you're going to type and ready your essay for its first hand-in.  It is due to my email by Friday at 11:59PM.

Also, for Thursday, you need to bring in a picture of younger you.  The age range should be 3-9, and in the best version of life, it should be a moment you remember.  It is going to be the basis for our next, personality-driven assignment.

Tonight, we write.

Don't forget to start your common app essays; the link is below.

The introduction is all I need, but you are welcome to write more.

We will peer edit in class tomorrow as soon as your journal is finished--no shyness tolerated!

****Don't choose a topic based on how "easy" it seems.  Instead, choose based on how much you like the prompt and/or your ideas for it.

The Prompts : )

Welcome...back?

So this is pretty awkward.

I spent a large part of my career(okay, all of it), pretending that freshmen were always going to be my ONLY charge.

And here we are, some of you all-too-familiar with my quirky likes, obnoxious laugh, and obsessive tirades.

In case we have not met or seen eachother...it's nice to see you.  I anticipate a wonderful year.

For the rest of you?

I'm deeply sorry.  It should have happened to the Class of 2018.  2019?  I don't know, but not you.  Let's just try our best to get through this.

Expectations, rules and all that mumbo-jumbo are linked on the right.

<3, Mrs. Rock