I resolve to...

Sometimes, setting yourself up for success means setting goals. New Year's resolutions are goals that people set up at the beginning of each New Year to get themselves on track. Possibly because the New Year is a time of new beginnings - the days are getting longer, spring is on the way - people choose this time to evaluate their lives, and their priorities. Take a few moments to evaluate your life and the kinds of things that you would like to see yourself accomplishing in the coming year. Write a paragraph that explores some of the resolutions that you will make and try to keep. Remeber to focus on the areas of your life that are pertinent to you at this time in your life - education, occupation, relation, emancipation - and reflect on how you might enhance your life by setting some goals!

Betrayal

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Amir betrays his friend and servant two times. Once he fails to save Hassan from Assef's brutal assault, and then he frames Hassan by placing a watch and money under Hassan's mattress in the servants' shack where Hassan lives with his father Ali. Explain why one of the betrayals is a greater betrayal of Hassan.

The Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies

Students of William Golding's book, The Lord of the Flies, have stated that the story reveals a lot about human nature. Often highlighted is the idea that all people have a dark side that is covered by a veneer of civilization. In other words we all have the potential to be evil. The degree to which we are influenced by our upbringing determines how thick the veneer of civilization is - how well we can supress the darkness within us. Choose two characters and in two separate paragraphs compare/contrast their respective veneer of civilzation. (Imagine that veneer is a coating - how thick is the coating that covers up the darker side of each character?) In a final, reflective paragraph write about your own feelings regarding the depth to which your  own dark side is buried.

IRP in CSI Style

When you begin to compose your IRP think like a forensic investigator who is working backward… You are putting the analysis before the crime - the planning before the presentation! (Not to say that your presentation will be a crime!) THINK CSI!

C = Claim. Present a short speech where you include these points:

• Introduce yourself: “Good morning fellow students. I am ________________ …”
• State the topic you are presenting: “…and I’d like to present you with _______...”
• Explain your claim: “This is relevant because ___________...”

S = Support. Speak to your audience about your topic. This is the BULK of your presenation. 

§         Show your PowerPoint, ComicLife, or any other audio/visual aid. The following points you should either explain as the presentation is being given or should be part of the presentation:

1.      Prove why the topic you have chosen is important.

2.      Supply facts, anecdotes and statistics to strengthen your support.

3.      Include pictures, interviews, sound or video clips and tie these together to fully explore the topic you have chosen.

I = Impact. Tell your audience why your topic is relevant to them.

• State why the information you have shared is relevant to your audience.
• Explain how the information you presented might affect your audience.
• Thank your audience for their attentiveness and ask for questions.

The Coffee Write

The power of observation is only as good as the words you have to express what it is you see. Please transcribe your "coffee write" to your blog. Be sure to compose using Word and to spell and grammar check before uploading the file. You might want to have a peer read your work to ensure that it is both well written and engaging.

I stepped tentatively into the cafe, where the young woman was settled on a chair by the wall. Her gaze swept across the room to the door where I had just entered...

IRP (Independent Research Project)

We've talked about the independent research project and you've already had a chance to explore one area of interest in the form of selecting a non-fiction book. Please comment on your topic selection for the IRP and include comments on the following points:

1. What is your topic?
2. Why did you choose this topic?
3. What do you already know about this topic?
4. What ideas do you have regarding the presentation of this topic?
5. What kind of preparation do you feel you need to help you with preparing for your presentation?

Please read and comment on at least two of your classmates' Blog posts today! Your comments must be reflective - show that you have read and thought about their posts and comment constructively.

A Non-Fiction Fest!

Now that you have had time to read a good portion of your non-fiction books, take some time to write a post about what you've read. Comment on the content of your book, and on how much you are enjoying the book. Discuss for your reader the reading level and the interest level. For instance, is the book very technical? Would this book appeal to a general audience? Would the reader have to be from a particular demographic group, or have a particular interest in the subject?

Remember that your blog entries are accessible to the public so EDIT before posting your writing!

Congratulations to those of you who have included a PICTURE of your BOOK COVER in your blog! They look great.

Here is the book I chose to read: