Graveyard Words

Graveyard Words

 

“Don’t you dare put these words in your essays!”



 

1.) Vague references to numbers

Many                Lots                           A lot                        A bunch

2.) Words that are slang or colloquial language

 

 

Ain’t     Gonna         Back in the day               Nowadays         Really          Guy

Crap        Sucks          Kids                           Cause (as in because) Cuz   Dakine

 

3.) Vague references to specific items

Stuff           Things              Something             Anything    Dakine

 

4.) Vague references to emotions

 

Fun                Nice                Happy                  Sad                Mad

Good              Bad                 Awesome

 

5.) Weak verbs:

 

to get               to do              to make                          to have

  

getting                    does                       makes                                             has

gets                         did                         made                                              had

got                           doing                      making                                           having

 

to show              to be               to let

shows                         am                          let

showing                       is                           lets

shown                         are                          letting

showed                       were

                                   was

                                   being

  

Your Assignment:
 
Choose your worst offenders --at least one from each list of the five categories. 
 
List those words.
 
Next to each offending word, write a  more precise or powerful word that could replace the words you chose from the list.

Due Date: Tuesday March 31st.  Equals 50 points.

Being Unique with our Cultural Languages

Themes of Nature are Now Off Limits.  Pick another theme.

Your Assignment:  Due February 5th.  Worth 80 Points

Choose a different theme then the one you worked with last week.  Now think in terms of anything that applies to our cultural heritage.  AP readers will love reading about something that is very unique from the rest of the United States

1. Famous Person related to that theme (Think coaches, inventors, scientist, activist that aren't the typical person you would first think related to the theme.)
2. Literary or Nonfiction text related to that theme
3. Cultural Phrase related to that theme.
4. Quote that you will remember related to that theme (can be something your mom always told you--but avoid the Bible because most Bible verses unfortunately are cliche, such as: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  But if you know a bible verse or biblical phrase that is not well known, then that would be good to use.

Try to avoid repeating what someone else has posted.  This means you need to read the postings before you begin looking for evidence.  Students will not receive credit if their response reflects something someone already posted and it seems more than obvious to your teacher.  So read the postings, then do some research, and THINK.  Then post your response.

Themes of Nature are Now Off Limits.  Pick another theme.

Preparing for the Argumentative Essay
 

Theme	A “Local” Famous Person Dead or Alive	A Literary Text or Nonfiction work from a “Local” writer	Music/ Song Lyrics From a local artist	Personal Experience that reflects the nature of our islands	Cultural Phrase from our islands	Quote you’ll Remember From a “Local” person.  Does not have to be famous.
Nature
Role of Govern- ment
Impact of Media
The Value of Culture
Over-coming Adversity
Importance of Family
Concerns of Society
Political Justice
Moral Values

Making Your Argument Stand Out!

In order to receive a high score for your argumentative essay, students' essays must stand out from all the other essays that Reader/Graders read.  One way to stand out is to avoid cliches, typical evidence, and very popular quotes.  Remember, that the purpose for all of the essays is to show off a student's thinking skills.  To write well requires thinking. 

So how can you stand out?

• Avoid a formulaic response, i.e. the 5 paragraph essay that is nothing more than a list of three reasons that supports your opinion.  
• Use evidence that is not obvious; because this is the kind of evidence that almost all students in the nation will use.  
• Avoid typical quotes, such as: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" (President J.F.Kennedy).

No one can possible know what the argument prompt will be for the 2014 exam, but there are some general thematic categories that have been used over the years.  Below is a template for each student to start working on.  A hard copy will be given to you in class and later on you may modify this template in any manner as you see fit.

Your Assignment: 

Choose one of the themes listed below in the chart and complete the following columns: 

1. Famous Person related to that theme (Think coaches, inventors, scientist, activist that aren't the typical person you would first think related to the theme.)
2. Literary or Nonfiction text related to that theme
3. Latin Phrase related to that theme.
4. Quote that you will remember related to that theme (can be something your mom always told you--but avoid the Bible because most Bible verses unfortunately are cliche, such as: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  But if you know a bible verse or biblical phrase that is not well known, then that would be good to use.

Try to avoid repeating what someone else has posted.  This means you need to read the postings before you begin looking for evidence.  Students will not receive credit if their response reflects something someone already posted and it seems more than obvious to your teacher.  So read the postings, then do some research, and THINK.  Then post your response.  

Due Date:  Wednesday, January 22 by midnight.

Worth 80 Points  

(Note: this is worth a lot of points because its value is worth your effort)

Preparing for the Argumentative Essay
 

Theme	Famous Person	Literary Text or Nonfiction	Music/ Song	Personal Experience	Latin Phrase	Quote you’ll Remember
Nature
Role of Govern- ment
Impact of Media
The Value of Culture
Over-coming Adversity
Importance of Family
Concerns of Society
Political Justice
Moral Values

The Written Argument

The Written Argument:

Copy the following key terms and definitions related to the written argument

Claim: Your basic belief about a particular topic, issue, event, or idea

Counterclaim: A solid and reasonable argument that opposes or disagrees with your claim

Rebuttal: A written or verbal response to a counterclaim. 

The object of the rebuttal is to take into account the ideas presented in the counterclaim and explain why they aren’t persuasive enough, valid enough, or important enough to outweigh your own claim.

Support: Your specific facts or specific evidence used to support why your claim is true

Refute: Argue against a position or prove it to be wrong

Qualify: A “partly agree” stance in which you agree (in part) with another person’s

argument or position but also disagree with part of it. 

 ________________________________________________________________________

**Select one of the following speeches below 

                                                                         (from the website: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/)

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gwbush911addresstothenation.htm

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barackobama/barackobamasyrianation.htm

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/richardnixoncheckers.html

1.  Read and listen to the speech.

2.  Use the SOAPSTone strategy to identify the speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject and tone of the speech.

3.  Respond to the following questions regarding the speech:

*What is the speaker's claim? What does he/she want you to believe?
*What reasons does he/she give for the claim?
What type of appeal does the author use? (emotional, authority, logic)
What devices does the author use to create the appeal? (diction, syntax, repetition)
*What facts, quotations, evidence and specific details does he/she provide to support the claim?  Cite at least three examples from the text.

Please email your response to: aplangkhs@gmail.com by Tuesday December 2, 2013, subject: Last name_Argument blog

HUMOR

How do authors use humor to achieve their purpose?

Read and copy the following definitions, and view all of the examples. 
(If you click on the photos, they will enlarge on your computer.)

 1.) IRONY: Language which states the opposite of the intended meaning.

Think:  What's ironic about this?

2.) SATIRE: a literary genre that uses irony, wit and sometimes sarcasm to expose humanity's vices and foibles, intended to change or reform something by ridiculing it.

Click on link below to watch a short clip of satire.  And then think: what does the author of this video want to change or improve?

http://www.theonion.com/articles/black-friday-deals,34532/

Think: What does the cartoonist want to change or improve?

3.) Epithet:  name calling or harsh incentive

Think: Why would this be offensive to some?

Click on the link to hear the discussion about the implications of naming a professional sports team after an Indian tribe.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/07/us/washington-redskins-name/

 4.) PARODY: Mockery by imitation

Think: How closely the graphics look compared to a real box of Grape Nut cereal.

                                                                         

  5.) SARCASM: A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound

 

                              

Your Assignment:

Now, visit The Onion website:  http://www.theonion.com/ .  Select one video or article and respond to the following tasks:  

 

 

1.  Identify the "humor" tool used by the author (using, but not limited to, the above) 

2.  State the evidence from the "text" that shows use of this device.

3.  Next explain how the evidence and the device support the author's purpose?  In your response be sure to identify the title and author of the article and/or video.

4. Avoid merely copying someone else's thoughts.  The purpose of the blog is to add another lesson that we cannot do within the classroom because there is not enough time.  And this should be minor homework for you compared to a math or science class.  Remember, the more time you put into "DOING" these assignments to the best of your ability, the more likely you will score high on the AP exam.  So there's a reason to the madness:)

 

Due Date: Tuesday, November 19th.  Worth 50 Points

"Once More to the Lake"

Reread E.B. White’s essay “Once More to the Lake.”  Decide what kind of Tone E.B. White creates.  You might decide that there is more than one tone; if so, then you would be noting what is called a shift in tone.  After you’ve identified tone(s), use the handout called D.I.D.L.S., and decide what strategy or strategies White uses to establish tone(s).  Once you have identified the strategy/strategies, then list your evidence to support it and write a brief phrase on the effect of the evidence you chose.  Remember, your job is to connect all of your evidence to Tone and discuss how each piece of evidence creates Tone.  To make your job easier, use the template below.  But before you begin, read this sample introductory paragraph for an AP response that highlights tone.

E.B. White takes us “Once More to the Lake” where he feels as though time

stood still.  He toys with the illusion that his son was him, and that he was his

father.  This illusion becomes too hard for him to resist; and at almost every

setting, White views the world through his son’s eyes. But by the end of White’s

essay, the illusion is broken.  Because of White’s tone of ______________ and

then __________, one can only wonder if this may be one of the very last times

he goes once more to the lake.

Notice that the paragraph highlights the name of the author, the name of the essay, and an ever so brief discussion on what happens within the essay.  The last sentence answers the prompt.

BUT, before beginning your response, here’s a little Lesson on one example of Syntax, called a Periodic Sentence. Perhaps E.B. White uses Periodic sentences to create Tone. 

Definition: Periodic Sentence=A long and frequently involved sentence, marked by suspended syntax, in which the sense [of the sentence] is not completed until the final word--usually with an emphatic climax.

Now read the following paragraph below and identify which sentence is the periodic sentence.  Within the periodic sentence, isolate the subject and the verb, then email Ms. Carlson the core sentence without all the modifiers.   First 10 correct responses wins a prize!  Contact Ms. Carlson at: aplangkhs@gmail.com.

"Upon every other stage the universal agent is love, by whose power all good and evil is distributed, and every action quickened or retarded. To bring a lover, a lady, and a rival into the fable; to entangle them in contradictory obligations, perplex them with oppositions of interest, and harass them with violence of desires inconsistent with each other; to make them meet in rapture and part in agony; to fill their mouths with hyperbolical joy and outrageous sorrow; to distress them as nothing human ever was distressed; to deliver them as nothing human ever was delivered, is the business of a modern dramatist."
(Samuel Johnson, "Preface to Shakespeare," 1765)

Hint, your verb= “is” and your subject happens to be a dependent clause (a group of words with a noun and a verb that do not represent a complete thought)

Definition for Periodic sentence and sample sentence was found at: http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/periodicsenterm.htm.  Click on the link if you would like to read more examples of Periodic Sentences.

Ready to tackle Tone?  Use the template below and copy/paste it into the blog. 

 

Tone is: _________________________________________________________________

Strategy Used is: _________________________________________________________

Evidence of this strategy is _________________________________________________

Effect of this evidence and how it creates tone is _______________________________

 ______________________________________________________________________

Assignment is Due next Tuesday, November 12th.  50 Points
No Need to Comment back to another peer, but it is helpful to read how everyone else viewed tone.  You just might learn something:)