April 30

 

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (Today I woke up in Ancient Egypt)
• Use your outline to write a 5 paragraph essay on the subject of your choice!  (Remember we added a new dress-up:  Adverbs!)

April 16

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (A recipe for invisibility)
• Begin working on a 5 paragraph essay on the subject of your choice!

1. Choose subject

Typically choose something you are interested in or have encountered before the paper was assigned. This way you have a framework, however scanty, with which to interact with the material.  If you know you have a paper due for another class, I have no problem with you using that paper for this class as well.

2. Ask yourself questions

This helps you determine what aspects of your subject interest you, and they may be used for brainstorming topics later on.

3.  Skim source

Determine what information is contained in your source.  You may be interested in how to train elephants, but your source may not mention that topic.  This way you have some idea about what information is available to you before you create your outline. 

4.  Brainstorm topics

Always come up with some extras.  If you need three body paragraphs, brainstorm at least 5 options just in case.

5. Create outlines

Decide on topics. And create your note-taking outline.  It should look like this:

I.  Topic 1

1.

2.

3.

4.

(5).

(6).

II.  Topic 2

1.

2.

3.

4.

(5).

(6).

III.  Topic 3

1.

2.

3.

4.

(5).

(6).

Remember, an outline is a guide and may be altered at any time before the final draft!

6.  Read your source thoroughly and take notes.  Try not to copy unless you plan to use the words as a quote!

April 9

NO! NOT A SNOW DAY?

Snow days afford us an opportunity to catch up on assignments.  The current unit has included the following assignments.  This week is a good time to finish and turn in anything that may be missing!
     3 Paragraphs
          ~ Ancient Greece
          ~ Ancient Rome
          ~ Celts (with topic and concluding sentences)
5 Paragraph Essays (3 body paragraphs, 1 introductory paragraph, and 1 conclusion paragraph)
          ~ Ulysses S. Grant
          ~ Tree Frogs
          ~ Ghana (This was due today)

Please feel free to email any assignments once they’re completed.

April 2

 

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (Frankie the world’s fastest slug)
• Finish rewriting the Grant paragraph.  (We started this in class.) Remember to think about the sequence of the sentences.  Find or add dress-ups and openers. Add topic and concluding sentences.
• Use your outline to finish writing about Ghana. Keep in mind the sequence of your facts.

March 26

 

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (Finish this AFTER your outline and notes!)
• Create Outline, take notes and write an essay on Ghana (Because of its length, this week’s source will require you to choose which pieces of information you want to include and which you don’t.  You will have two weeks to complete the whole assignment.) 

March 19

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Add a strong verb and a quality adjective to each sentence from the board.  You’ll need to finish the last sentence.  Choose two to rewrite with a prepositional opener.
• Create an outline for an essay about Tree Frogs from the source provided*
• Write 5 paragraph (1 intro, 3 body, 1 conclusion) essay from your outline on Tree Frogs*
• 2nd or 3rd draft of narrative summary (Choose “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” OR “Rikki-tikki-tavi” OR “The Rescue of Maid Marian") Many of you have completed this assignment.

* Some of the class was given extra time to complete previous assignments and are not required to complete this assignment.

March 12

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Writing Exercise
  • 5 adjectives to describe water
  • 5 verbs to replace run
• 2nd or 3rd draft of narrative summary (Choose “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” OR “Rikki-tikki-tavi” OR “The Rescue of Maid Marian")  Some of you have completed this assignment.
• Add an introductory and concluding paragraph to your Ulysses S. Grant essay

 

Note:  The class has now been introduced to all the structures necessary to write an essay or any other piece of non-fiction writing.  The rest of the year we will be focusing on style.  This includes not sounding like your source, sequencing, and flow.