Homework for Monday and Articulation

We were in the PAC Thursday and Friday for articulation, and we listened to the counselors give you the background you need in order to make your class selections for next year.  If you were absent for any of those days, you will need to see your counselor to get the articulation form.  This form needs to be completed and turned in to ME by February 21.  If you fail to turn in a form, your counselor will pick out your classes and there will be no changes.

We've also been working on the "I Have a Dream" chart, looking for the techniques Dr. King used in order to effectively present his argument. That chart will be due first thing on Monday.  Although we watched the speech in class, it might be helpful to watch it again.  Information that looks flat on a piece of paper might become more clear if you can hear the inflection in Dr. King's voice.  The "I Have a Dream" speech is famous, so it will be easy for you to find on YouTube.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Research

We'll be spending this week with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous "I Have a Dream Speech."  We'll be dissecting his speech, looking at his argument, his diction, his presentation skills, and his background.  We begin this investigation with some research into his background to find out what influenced him. How did he become such a great speaker?  What techniques did he utilize to make his arguments?  How can we incorporate our own experiences to find our own voices and to articulate our beliefs most effectively?

The first entry into your notebook for this new semester, titled "Martin Luther King Notes," should have a master list of information that the class shared on Dr. King.  If you don't have this list, get it from a classmate.

Also, remember to bring your Independent Reading Book with you every day; if you don't, you will receive a lunch detention.

Midterms, Book Reviews, and Reminder for Monday

We are in Midterm mode today, tomorrow, and Friday.  Make sure you bring your IRB on Monday; I'll be checking to see that you have your own book or a book signed out from my bookshelves.  If you don't meet this requirement, you will have lunch detention.

OVERDUE BOOK REVIEWS
Many of you still have not shared a book review; you may still due so, but you will lose 10 points for lateness.
 

Reminder

Just a reminder to bring your notebook on the day you take the Midterm for my class as I will be doing a Notebook Check (worth 100 points).

Book Review

You worked on your Book Review today.  Here is a link to the requirements.  I expect approximately one page, roughly 3-5 paragraphs.  Everyone responds to Numbers 1-3.  Parts A-F in #3 are for people reading fiction; part G is for people reading non-fiction.  The deadline is Saturday, Jan.18, at 2pm.

Have a great Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, and see you on Tuesday.

Info on Book Review and Midterm

Today was a "catch up" day.  We reviewed terms and concepts that will be on next week's Midterm, and I gave a preview on what will be expected on tomorrow's Book Review.  There was also some class time to get Notebooks up-to-date.   Here is a link to the terms and concepts for the Midterm.  

Tomorrow's blog will have the requirements for the Book Review.

Here is a list of what should be in your Notebook (Notebook Check will be on the day of the Midterm): Power Point Notes, Argument or Persuasion in 12 Angry Men, Argument or Not?, Logos Pathos Ethos Review, Logos Pathos Ethos Quiz, Jeremy Irons Questions, Support, Bob Costas, Connotation/Denotation, and Mood Paragraph.  You will find most of these assignments on past blogs.

Connotation/Denotation

In your notebook, under the heading Connotation/Denotation, write the following: A connotation is an association that readers might have with a specific word.  An example is the different associations brought up by the words "pride" and "arrogance."  While the two words have similar meanings, "pride" generally has positive associations while "arrogance" carries negative associations.  Denotation refers to the direct meaning of a word, usually the one you find in the dictionary.  There is no emotional association to the word.

Sensing the difference between connotation and denotation will help you detect bias in the articles you look at when you are researching your debate topic, and it will help you to notice if you and/or your debate opponents are using emotionally-charged words to make your points when you should be using logic.

There are two assignments that will give you some practice with this concept. 
Here is a link to the first assignment.  Write the answers on a separate piece of paper and turn it in.  Here is a link to the second assignment. Rewrite the paragraph in your notebook under the title, Mood Paragraph.

Bob Costas and Evidence

It's important to know the difference between ARGUMENT, REASON, AND EVIDENCE and how these terms work together in a debate.  In your notebook, under the title Support, copy the following:
ARGUMENT (CLAIM, THESIS)- The death penalty is never acceptable.
REASON (Supports the argument)- The death penalty targets the poor.
EVIDENCE (Supports the reason)- Statistics show this is true. (appeal-logos)
                                                         Capital punishment means that those without the capital get
                                                         the punishment. (appeal-ethos)

All of the above examples are from the Jeremy Irons Death Penalty video.

To practice these concepts, we watched a Bob Costas video about the Washington Redskins. I'm having difficulty getting the video on my blog, but you can find it on YouTube.
Here is a link to a transcript of the video.  In your notebook, under the title Bob Costas, answer the following questions: 
1. What is the argument?
2. What are the reasons?
3. What is the evidence?
4. What are the counterclaims?
5. What is the conclusion?

For more practice, there was another handout about the influences of music on teenagers.  A link to the article is here, but you will need to get a copy from me when you return to class.

Socratic Seminar

Looking at yesterday's work on the Jeremy Irons Death Penalty chart, I noticed a lot of incomplete work, especially in the Appeals column and the Counterclaims column.  In the Appeals column, make sure you give an example of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos.  In the Counterclaims column, make sure you find pro-death penalty examples (and Jeremy Irons does mention pro-death penalty viewpoints--they're not obvious, but they are there; read the transcript closely).  Finishing the chart is HOMEWORK for the weekend, due first thing on Monday.  You can find links to the video and the transcript on the Thursday, Jan. 9 blog.

Today we had a lively Socratic Seminar on the death penalty.

Jeremy Irons and the Death Penalty

Some practice today with recognizing argument, evidence, appeals, and counterclaim.  

First, click on the link to the Jeremy Irons Video Anticipation Guide.  Decide if you agree or disagree with each statement before you watch the video.

Next, click on the image of Jeremy Irons below to watch the video.  If you're having difficulty following what Mr. Irons is saying, here is a link to a transcript.

Then, click on this link and fill out the chart (you might need to recreate the chart in your notebook).
Once you've completed the chart, answer the following questions (in your notebook, under the title Jeremy Irons Questions).
1.What are the positive aspects of the video that are convincing and engaging?
2. What are some questionable aspects of the video that make you think of the other side?
3. Do you believe Jeremy Irons makes a clear argument against the death penalty, even if you don't agree with his viewpoint?  Explain.

Finally, go back to the Anticipation Guide and see if your opinions about the statements have changed.  If you did change, write down how did that happened.  What did Mr. Irons say to change to your mind?

Argument or Not? Logos, Pathos, Ethos Review and Quiz

Continuing the work on argument, click on this link ; follow the directions and in your notebook (titled Argument or Not), write down your responses. See me for the answers.

Reviewing Logos, Pathos, and Ethos, click on this link.  Read each paragraph and write down the clue words for each appeal.  Do this work in your notebook under the title Logos, Pathos, Ethos Review.  You'll need to scroll to page 3 to find the paragraphs.

Finally, using the previous link, scroll to page 4 and take the short quiz.  Write your answers in your notebook under the title Appeals Quiz.

Argument and Persuasion in "12 Angry Men" + (Terms List)

Today we front-loaded some terms for the Argument Unit; click on this link to see the words and the definitions.

Also, in your quest for finding the differences between argument and persuasion,  you took another look at the play 12 Angry Men, finding one example of argument and one example of persuasion, explaining your choices in your notebook under the title Argument or Persuasion in 12 Angry Men.  A complete copy of the play can be found on a link in my Dec.5 blog.

DUE DATES: Metamorphosis is due Jan.17.  You must turn in the copy of the story in order to receive the extra credit.  If you took a copy and are not going to do the assignment for extra credit, please turn in the copy of the story as soon as possible.

                  A book review of your Independent Reading Book will be due on Jan.17, so make sure you have a book finished by that time.

                  For those of you who missed the 12 Angry Men test, make-up times are today, tomorrow, and Friday from 2:30-3:30.  There is no make-up on Thursday

                  
                  

Argument vs Persuasion Powerpoints

 WELCOME BACK!

Today we start a new unit: Argument.  Different ideas come to mind when the word "argument" is used.  Look at the following two powerpoints (here for powerpoint #1) and (here for powerpoint #2) and take notes in your notebook; you can write Cornell Notes or make a T-Chart, whichever works for you.  We will be spending the next few weeks analyzing articles and speeches in preparation for the end-of-the-unit assignment: debate.

If you took a copy of Metamorphosis, the extra credit work is due Friday, Jan.17.  You must turn in the copy of the story to get the credit.

Also, work on finishing your Independent Reading Book, as a book review will be due on Friday, Jan. 17.