Monday, January 10, Silent Focus

1. Monday, January 10, Silent Focus Hypothetical Situation: If you had to choose to live out the rest of your life as one animal (not a human being) what would it be and why? Give lots of details.

2. Tuesday, January 11, Silent Focus • Read: “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” and “O Do Not Love too Long” by William Butler Yeats • Write: What are these poems about? Write about a place that has special significance to you. Write a poem or journal entry offering love advice. What is the theme or lessons in either or both of these poems?

3. Tuesday, January 11, Silent Focus • Read: “She Thinks I Don’t Know” by Allison A. • Write: What is this story about? Write a poem or journal entry about a similar story or theme.

4. Thursday, January 13, 2011 • Listen: Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” • Write: What is this song about? What is the theme or lesson? Borrow a line and write your own.

5. Agenda • Word Power- Session 15 notes/ Session 2 notes • Conventions- The Semi-Colon/ Irregular Verbs • Writing ML #1 - Pre-Writing Strategies • Writing ML # - Understanding Thesis Statements • Read aloud/ Study Guide

6. Writing ML # - Understanding Thesis Statements • Thesis- the main point a writer wishes to express • A good thesis does two things: • It tells an essay’s topic. • It presents the writer’s attitude, opinion, idea or point about that topic. • Owning a pet has several important benefits.

7. Writing ML # - Understanding Thesis Statements • Thesis- the main point a writer wishes to express • A good thesis does two things: • It tells an essay’s topic. • It presents the writer’s attitude, opinion, idea or point about that topic. • Owning a pet has several important benefits.

8. Writing ML # - Understanding Thesis Statements • Thesis- the main point a writer wishes to express • A good thesis does two things: • It tells an essay’s topic. • It presents the writer’s attitude, opinion, idea or point about that topic. • Owning a pethas several important benefits.

9. Writing a Good Thesis • Write statements, not announcements • The subject of this paper will be my parents • My parents each struggled with personal demons. • Avoid statements that are too broad. • Disease has shaped human history. • In the mid-1980s, AIDS changed people’s attitudes about dating. • Avoid statements that are too narrow. • The speed limit near my home is sixty-five miles per hour. • The speed limit near my home should be lowered to fifty-five miles per hour for several reasons. • Make sure statements develop only one idea. • One of the most serious problems affecting young people today is bullying, and it is time more kids learned the value of helping others. • One of the most serious problems affecting young people today is bullying.

10. Persuasive Prompt • Our school board is considering taking the genre of science fiction out of the high school curriculum. Having just read Ender’s Game in our class, write a letter to them explaining either the value in keeping science fiction in the curriculum, or support their reasoning for getting rid of it. Use lots of evidence to support your thesis, and keep in mind your audience as you’re writing.

11. Writing ML # - Pre-Writing Techniques • Freewriting- jotting down in rough sentences or phrases everything that comes to mind about a topic • Questioning- generate ideas and details by asking questions about your subject • Make a list- also known as brainstorming • Clustering/ Webbing/ Diagramming/ Mapping • Preparing a Scratch Outline- Especially for planning an intro, body, and conclusion

12. Writing ML #1 - Pre-Writing Techniques • Making a list- also known as brainstorming • Freewriting- jotting down in rough sentences or phrases everything that comes to mind about a topic

13. Closing/ Homework • Persuasive Essay