Monday, November 9, 2015

Research Papers, Inteview Deadline, Final Draft Deadline

The following research paper rough drafts have been graded. You can read the comments on Turnitin.

Period 1: Joud, Harout, Levon, Maria, Edgar C., Maryjane, Kimberli, Nayeli, Sharon, Tania, Diana, David, Missael, Brian, Shyanne, Edgar P., Esmeralda, Marvin S. and Nicole

Per. 5: Andrew, George, Demian, Karen, Amber, Grace, Avo, Kimberly M., Erika N., Carlos, Andrea, Mild and Marina.

The deadline to interview an expert is Nov. 30. That gives you Nov. 23-25 when we have days off, but most people are working. Everyone has Nov. 26 and people may or may not be working on Nov. 27. Show me your notes after you have completed the interview. Keep them so that you can use them in your final draft, due Dec. 4.

Friday, October 30, 2015

Rough Draft Due on or before Monday, Nov. 2 at the end of class

The deadline for the Senior Project research paper rough draft is Monday, Nov. 2. This is a school-wide deadline. All seniors in all small learning communities have the same deadline.

Your research paper should be 8-10 pages plus the Work Cited page. It should be double spaced, 12 pt type, Times, Times New Roman or Cambria type, with one-inch margins on all sides.

It is important that you turn in your rough draft. Without a rough draft you will not be allowed to turn in a final draft. Without a rough draft and a final draft, there is no way to pass the class.

Shmoop Video on Writing a Conclusion

http://www.shmoop.com/video/writing-a-killer-conclusion

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Letter of Intent

Your letter of intent is due on Turnitin.com before midnight on Monday, Sept. 7.
The class ID is 10581290 for period 1 and 10581353 for period 5.
The class password is Room424 for period 1 and Room424 for period 5.

Friday, July 31, 2015

Welcome to ERWC

Greetings Seniors,

You are enrolled in the Expository Reading and Writing Course, formerly known and Expository Composition. Instead of having one semester of writing and one semester of literature, you will have a year of ERWC. That's because so many California students are entering college having to take a remedial English class. Remedial means you didn't learn what you were supposed to learn in high school and you have to review it before you can go on to college English. You pay for a remedial course, but it earns you no credit, so you want to avoid this at all cost (pun intended). This course is intended to get you ready for college English as well as for the reading and writing you will be required to do in the workplace.

The good news is the Senior Project time frame has been extended. Senior Project Presentations are scheduled for March 3, 2016. This will give you more time to work on your 20-hour project, more time to perfect your slides and more time to practice your speech. This should result in better prepared, more relaxed students and a more meaningful experience.

We will discuss this in more detail in class. I look forward to meeting you all on Sept. 18!

Friday, February 27, 2015

The Stranger Philosophical Journal

You will be keeping a philosophical journal as you read The Stranger by Albert Camus. You may get a special notebook or use notebook paper and staple the entries together. Each entry should be at least a half a page of standard size notebook paper; if you use a smaller notebook, adjust accordingly. Write each entry on a separate page. There will be 15 entries, including three separate entries over one weekend. Journal entries will be posted on the board each day. The entire list is as follows:
1. In existentialism, each person gives subjective meaning to his or her own life through his or her own actions and decisions. Thus, existentialists place great emphasis on individual freedom. In The Guest, the Arab chooses prison over freedom. Freedom can be liberating or frightening. Can it be isolating to be completely free?
2. In The Guest, Daru doesn't want to take sides. He thinks he can escape responsibility by letting the Arab decide his fate. Can you really avoid making decisions in life? When is not making a decision a decision in itself? Give examples.
3.Read chapter two of The Stranger. On pg. 21, Meursault says, "I don't like Sundays." Compare how you feel on a Friday afternoon with how you feel on a Sunday afternoon. Is there a difference? What is it?
4.On pg. 21, Meursault says, "I cut out an advertisement for Kruschen Salts and stuck it in an old notebook where I put things from the papers that interest me." Cut out pictures, ads, articles that interest you from a newspaper or magazine and paste them on a separate page in your journal.
5. Read chapter three of The Stranger. On pages 27-28, Salamano says, "He's always there." Comment on the love/hate relationship in your life. (sibling, computer, etc.)
6. On page 39, Meursault realizes the sound he hears is Salamano crying. If you heard someone crying (neighbor, friend, stranger), what would you do?
7. Read chapters four and five of The Stranger. Choose one of the following journal entries:
Have you ever been disappointed in a goal? What did you do? Give up or try again?
Does adversity make you stronger?
Is marriage a serious thing? What does marriage mean to you?
What is your impression of Paris? Do you want to visit there?
What is your impression of old age?
What is your best physical quality? What if you lost it?
8. Read part II, chapter 2. "There are some things I've never liked talking about." (pg. 72) What are the things you don't like talking about? Why? If nothing, why are you able to talk about everything?
9. Read part II, chapter 3. "It was just chance." (pg. 95) Comment on the role chance has played in your life.
10, 11, 12:  Keep a diary for the weekend. You must have at least an entry for Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. (see weekend entries file in the box for complete instructions.)
13. Read part II, chapter 4. "My fate was being decided without anyone so much as asking my opinion." (pg.98) Have you ever felt this way? Explain.
14. Read part II, chapter 5. "Maman used to say you can always find something to be happy about." (pg. 113) How do you find things to be happy about? What makes you happy?
15. Read Albert Camus's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. "Each generation feels called upon to reform the world." (handout pg. 526) Does this observation apply to your generation? Why or why not?

Friday, February 6, 2015

Poetry Trilogy

Your assignment is due on or before 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11 on Turnitin.com
Your essay will compare three poems by at least two poets on the same theme (such as love, loneliness, nature, imagination).
Following your essay, on a separate page of the same document, include a paragraph or two of biographical information on the first poet. This must be in your own words. I will be checking the originality report on Turnitin. Plagiarism will result in a zero on the entire assignment.
Following the biographical information, reproduce the poem and annotate it. Include at least three annotations, identifying literary terms.
Do the same for the other two poems.

You may want to read Analysis a Poem document in the modern literature folder in the box.

Creating Infographics

You may want to check this out for creating your presentation slides. https://piktochart.com