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Remember: Don’t post your own writing here! Go to the home page for that.
Paragraph Assignment: Write a paragraph mimicking the style of the Rick Bragg excerpt that we read in class. DUE: Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Write a paragraph about the Richard Rodriguez essay we read aloud in class. DUE: Post to the appropriate column on the Home Page of this site no later than Friday, October 10, 2008 (post by 11:59 p.m.).
Write a paragraph mimicking Rick Bragg (the paragraph we read in class that begins “My parents were born in the most beautiful place on earth…”). DUE: Thursday, October 9, 2008 NOTE: Don’t post this assignment; instead, hand in a typed hard copy to me.
More details on above assignment:
Once you have completed about half of your book, post a comment under this column. Let us know how the book is going for you. (Examples of questions to consider: What’s going on in the book? Is it surprising? Is it not what you thought it would be? How is the writing? Complicated, easy, conversational, poetic, etc. What is the story like: Inspiring? Scary? Funny? etc. etc. And/or anything else that this book has you thinking about.
THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO READ LIKE AN ACADEMIC ESSAY; IT’S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF A PERSONAL JOURNAL ENTRY.
NOTE: Start your post with your name; followed by the title of your book in quotations marks ; followed by the name of the author; hit the return key and then enter your comments.
Example:
[your name here]
“The Brothers Karamozov” by Fyodor Doystoevsky
[your comment here]
I look forward to reading your comments!
–Michael
Part 1 of two-part assignment: Start reading the books you purchased. [NOTE: NEW DUE DATE: You should plan on completing the book three weeks from today (Wednesday, October 29th).]
NOTE: Don’t wait to start reading!! Try instead to read a little every day so that the deadline doesn’t sneak up on you.
Part 2: In at least one week’s time, post any comments you have about your book in the appropriate column for that (see home page). I just want you to share how the book is going. You’ll have another assignment added later. [DUE: Post comment on the first half (or so) of your book by Wednesday, October 22.]
ORIGINAL VOCABULARY CARTOON:
1. Choose one word from the book you are reading that you didn’t already know the definition for.
2. Create a vocabulary cartoon for that word, including: a) The word; b) the definition and part of speech (is it a verb? a noun? an adjective? an adverb?); c) a link word (or phrase); d) draw an original cartoon and write a caption for that drawing; e) use your vocab word in three original sentences. DUE: Thursday, October 23, 2008 (NOTE: You don’t have to, but if you want to use colored pens, pencils, crayons, etc., for your cartoon, that would be great.)
Assigned on Monday, October 27, 2008:
Research political issues (according to which sheet you were initially assigned to). Find out the facts as much as you can. Be prepared to report back to the class on Tuesday, October 28.
Assigned on Monday, October 27:
Do suggested edits (shown with circled numbers on the page) for your Rick Bragg paragraphs. Reprint final version of paragraph. NOTE: Attach your final copy to the copy I returned to you with my suggested edits. In other words, you will turn in TWO pages stapled together.
RESUME PROJECT:
By the end of class, Monday, November 24, 2008, you will submit an edited, “working” version of your resume. Make this version as good as you can possibly make it. (NOTE: You will also be required to email a copy to your advisor and “cc” me on that email.) I will grade these as follows:
NOTE: The FORMAT for your resume must EXACTLY follow the guidelines provided to you in class. (You will receive these specs soon.)
Total possible points for this assignment = 15 (see details below)
ERRORS(typos/mispellings/format errors/etc.)(On 10-point scale): Zero mistakes = 10 (A); No more than 2 mistakes = 8.6 (B); No more than 4 mistakes = 7.6 (C); No more than 6 mistakes = 6.9 (D); More than six mistakes = 5.9 (F)
STRENGTH OF WRITING (On 5-point scale): Strong verbs at beginning of bullet points; well-written bullet points (enough detail, good word choice, etc.); bullet points not too long, not too short (A = 5; B = 4.3; C = 3.8; D = 3.2; F = 2.8)
Final Project for Your Book
In reference to the novel (or nonfiction book) you have just read, please choose
ONE of the following and create a:
• Book cover (original), with a short review (a decent-sized paragraph)
• CD cover (original) with music you would provide for a suitable connection to the novel—either create an original song or track…or…write a short music review of the CD (decent-sized paragraph)
• Magazine cover and an article covering an issue in the novel (article must be at least a decent-sized paragraph)
• Movie poster, casting your choices for actors with short review (decent-sized paragraph)
• Picture collage representing theme or character development and at least one paragraph of analysis to go with your collage (decent-sized paragraph)
We will devote next Wednesday, November 26, 2008 to this project. You will only have this ONE class time to work on this project. It is therefore recommended that you bring any necessary materials from home in order to use your class time to the fullest. Any remaining work must be done as homework.
**Assignment is due Wednesday, December 3, 2008.**
EVALUATION will be based on:
*Relation to book = up to 5 points
*Writing skills = up to 5 points
*Creativity = up to 5 points
*Use of class time = up to 5 points
*Aesthetic appeal = up to 5 points
total possible points = 25 points
This assignment posted on January 8, 2009:
We won’t conduct book circles for the book you chose last. Instead, the assignment is as follows (read these instructions carefully!):
Here are details about a graded 2-part assignment: (DUE: Wednesday, January 14)
Find the column with the title of the book you are reading (if it’s not visible on this homepage, click the “ARCHIVES” link and you’ll find the right column). Then do BOTH of the following:
#1: Post a comment about your book in the appropriate column. This comment should be what you thought of the book, what your ideas were about it, what you agreed or disagreed with, whether you would recommend it or not and why, etc. This comment should be of a respectable size. (I want an analysis, not a summary.)
#2: Post another comment in response to something another student wrote about the book you read.
NOTE: In other words, you should post at least TWO comments. If you have any questions about this, ask me. I look forward to seeing your “online book discussion.” (I will review comments and mark off names to make sure that each student posted at least two comments.)
ALSO NOTE: If you like, feel free to post more than two comments. Although you don’t have to, maybe you want to post additional comments about other books you read before this latest book choice.