Library Day

Good Morning!

You do not need your netbooks.

After I take attendance, we will go to the library.

You need your ID. 

If you already have a book, bring it.

You can read in the library.

 

1. Now that we're back, we'll read for ten minutes! This will be a daily thing. You must bring your book.
2. One of the Common Application questions asks the following: "Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?"
   
   Let's look more closely at this through writing.

One thing to keep in mind is that you need to tell a story and/or paint a picture. How can you create the most vivid picture for your reader?

Letter to a Friend

Over the past week you've read two articles, watched a few TED talks, and worked to respond to those texts using your own thoughts and experiences.

At this point, I want you to forget about making the perfect essay.

Today, write a letter to a trusted friend or family member

Some ideas to get you started:

• Ask for advice about your ideas and explain why you need the advice
• Explain why you are prepared for the next stage of your life
• Describe your concerns
• Tell about an even that shows your skills, including strengths and weaknesses
• Write questions you have about the next stage of your life and answer them 

Write without consulting your notes. Write freely. If you feel like you've written all you can about an idea. Try tackling it from another angle. Let yourself get side-tracked. It is a letter to a friend, after all.

The goal is to produce as much as you can. It doesn't matter how good it is. Just push your ideas further.

Don't Stop Writing.

Reminder:

You need to make sure the assignments in your Writer's Notebook are completed.
This includes:

• 9/19 - Letter to a friend
• 9/18 - Reflective Questions about the texts
• 9/16 - Three Truths and Freewrite
• 9/11 - Angel Perez Advice/comments table and description of a time you were "less than perfect."

If you don't know what these are, scroll down to check the blog posts from those days, ask me, or email me.

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There is one change that's going to be made starting Monday.
Each day when you come to class and are waiting for your computers to load, we will take the first ten minutes of class to read.

"For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and much exercise of his own style." (Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries, 1640)

I have reserved time for you to go to the library on Monday if you need a book (You will need your ID). You are also welcome to bring one of your own. Either way, you will need to bring a book to class every day starting Tuesday.

Truth and Intellect

Truth

Sarah Kay is a well-known spoken word poet. Her TED talk is called "If I Should Have a Daughter..."

She invites us to seek truth within ourselves, asking us what truly matters and why.

In your Writer's Notebook

1. Begin a new entry at the top of the page that you label with today's date.
2. List your three truths.
3. Wait for more directions.

If you were absent, you are still responsible for this:

Watch Sarah Kay's to the 6 minute mark (or thereabouts), write down your three truths, and write for 10-15 minutes starting here: "One truth I know without doubt....."

You have to be in class. You're missing important pieces of our learning.

Intellect

We're going to be looking at a new reading today over the course of today and tomorrow. This one is called Hidden Intellectualism. It is not easy, and that's okay. 

Before we get to it:

How would you define or characterize an "intellectual?"

Click here for the essay when I tell you to

It is view-only. You'll need to make a copy for yourself that you can annotate/edit.

Today we're only going to be looking at the first two paragraphs and the last paragraph together.

Reading with Purpose

Yesterday you left class with a homework assignment to ask someone you trust about the words you ranked and to take down notes

Right now I would like you to reflect on that through writing (on that paper). What did you learn from your discussion? Do you agree with what they had to say? Why or why not? How might this help you with your own sense of self?

Once you have logged onto your netbook, please make your way to this blog.

Create an English Journal

1. Create a new document in Google Docs.
2. Name it with your period# Full Name Writer's Notebook (i.e. 2 Alyssa Black Writer's Notebook)
3. Share it with Ms. Black using her gmail address.

Today's Text

Today we will be previewing and reading an article by Angel Pérez called "Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail."

• Click here to get the view only copy. You will need to click File and then Make a Copy so that you can edit it.
• Preview it: What do you think Pérez's message will be?
• Read the article "with the grain," meaning you will want to read with the lens that Pérez has a perspective or idea that can expand your thinking in a positive way. For now, read as if all of his advice is good advice.
• Underline or highlight the best advice Pérez gives about how to represent yourself.

Once you have read and highlighted the best advice Pérez gives, make a chart that looks like this one in your Writer's Notebook. Make sure you label it with the date.

You should have up to pieces of advice, including your responses. You will have some time to share your thoughts with those around you.

The last thing:

Write a one-page description of an evident or moment when you were less than perfect and explain to a reader what your response says about your character, values, or potential for work or study.