Week at a glance October 28 - November 1, 2013

For the first time in awhile, we do not have an essay due this week.  We might think of this as our "bye week."  We'll start the week by talking about the results of the minor essays.  That will also set the stage for some reflection on Major Essay 2.  Rather than rushing right away toward a final draft of Major Essay 2, this week we'll take it slow, make some revisions, and take a very close look at the question of organization.  This week we will also take a look at several classic persuasive essays.  We'll wrap up the week with an analysis of a potentially dangerous form of persuasion: satire.

• Mon: Discuss the results of the Expository minor essays.  Read and discuss Jefferson 696-699.  For Tuesday, read Zinn 861-868.
• Tues: Discuss Zinn.  Satire discussion.  For Friday, read Ehrenreich 650-654 and Swift 831-838.
• Wed: Meet in the computer lab to make revisions on Major Essay 2.  Print specialized copies for Thursday.  For Friday, read Ehrenreich 650-654 and Swift 831-838.
• Thurs: Major Essay 2 peer review and organization exercise.  For Friday, read Ehrenreich 650-654 and Swift 831-838.
• Fri: Swift and Ehrenreich analysis due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance October 21 - 25, 2013

Parent/Teacher Conferences at WRHS

Wed 4pm - 8pm (find me in the library)

Thurs 8am-4pm (classroom) and 4pm - 8pm (find me in the library)

During this short week we will turn in and continue revising Major Essay 2.  We will also complete our first Persuasive minor essay.  The requirements of the essay will require students to create an argument based on their readings from last week.  Students will then need to support their argument with examples from the text and analysis.  Minor Essay 3a is due Wednesday.

• Mon: Major Essay 2 rough draft due to turnitin.com by 11:59:59.  Minor Essay 3a - discuss the assignment, the expectations, and the grading scale.
• Tues: Minor Essay 3a - continue shaping and creating the essay.
• Wed: Minor Essay 3a due by the end of the hour. Submit pre-writing work.  Submit the essay online to turnitin.com.
• Thurs: No school - P/T Conferences
• Fri: No school

Week at a glance October 14 - 18, 2013

This week we'll begin our unit over persuasive writing.  We'll start the week with an overview of persuasive writing, including honest and dishonest techniques.  Since it's tough to be persuasive without having adequate evidence to back up our points, persuasive writing tends to go hand-in-hand with research.  We will also therefore review how to find credible research sources and integrate them into an essay.  Students should be working on Major Essay 2.  We'll wrap up the week with a Major Essay 2 thesis evaluation day on Thursday.

• Mon: Review and discuss the Major Essay 2 assignment.  Begin Persuasion and Propaganda Notes.
• Tues: Finish Persuasion and Propaganda Notes. Discuss researching and integrating sources into an essay.  For Wednesday: read Carr 633-641 and Gatto 665-672.
• Wed: Discuss and analyze Carr and Gatto.  Continue shaping and creating Major Essay 2.  For Thursday: send Mr. Ritchie an e-mail containing your thesis statement for Major Essay 2.
• Thurs: Major Essay 2 Thesis Evaluation.  Continue shaping and creating Major Essay 2.
• Fri: No school - End of the 1st Quarter work day

Major Essay 2 rough draft due to turnitin.com

by Monday, 10/21 at 11:59:59

Week at a glance October 7 - 11, 2013

Looking at the submissions for Minor Essay 2a, it likely would be good to get just a bit more practice and do one more minor essay.  If there is one issue to highlight, it is a lack of focus on specific details.  We're still writing too broadly, saying things that any intelligent person could say about our topic.  That is getting the job done.  Adding voice and presence into our writing means adding examples, details, and analysis that would only be found in our individual essays.  So, we'll continue with one more essay.  Rather than taking a week to complete this last essay.  We will instead make it our in-class response for the week by working on it in class Wednesday-Friday.

• Mon: Read and discuss Levitt and Dubner 476-478.  For Tuesday, read Tuchman 584-598.
• Tues: Discuss and analyze Tuchman.  For Wednesday, read Orwell 528-537.
• Wed: Discuss and analyze Orwell.  Minor Essay 2b due by 11:59:59 to turnitin.com.  Minor Essay 2c assigned - due in class by the end of the hour on Friday.
• Thurs: Minor Essay 2c - continue shaping and creating the essay.
• Fri: Meet in Library Lab D.  Minor Essay 2c due by the end of the hour to turnitin.com. Assign and discuss Major Essay 2.  For Monday: select a prompt and topic for Major Essay 2.