Entries Tagged 'AP English' ↓

After a quick debriefing on the Photog in-class assignment, we’re going to talk a bit about argument. We’ll look at the opposingviews site and choose topics in small groups and note how arguments are created, how they use facts and logic, and what techniques are most persuasive.

Then, I’ll go through the Pecha-Kucha assignment, have students break up into pairs, and then use either procon.org, opposingviews, or the KCLS database (Opposing Viewpoints) to choose propositions.  One student will be for the proposition and another will be against. Also, see this site for examples of pecha kuchas.

Finally, I’ll give you class time to begin your research for your topic. Next week, we’ll talk about presentation construction.

HW: Have 5-7 sources and a rough outline of how your argument will proceed.

After we turn in our college essays, I wanted to take one last look at some examples from The Daily Beast. I’ll probably split them to different groups.

Then, we’re going to analyze some Malcolm X. Each small group will be  responsible for creating a short presentation that analyzes, compares, and contrasts one aspect of Malcolm’s rhetorical strategies in both “The Ballot or the Bullet” and “Learning to Read.” Here are the topics:

1. Sound-based rhetorical figures (alliteration, anaphora, etc.)
2. Persona
3. Kairos
4. Implied and explicit assumptions
5. Logical Argumentation
6. Framing, metaphors, and allusions

Then, we’ll start a new phase.  I’ll show you what a pecha kucha is and ask you to take a look at OpposingViews.com and look around for some good topics for pair debates.

HW: Choose topics. Use the Opposing Viewpoints database

First, let’s see the best college essay ever written.

Next, I’ll read an excerpt from David Foster Wallace and possibly have us share our own DFW-ellian sentences here. Here is the presentation I used.

Then, I want to give you some time to work on college essays while I do a little one-on-one conferencing.

Finally, we’re going to analyze some Malcolm X. Each small group will be  responsible for creating a short presentation that analyzes, compares, and contrasts one aspect of Malcolm’s rhetorical strategies in both “The Ballot or the Bullet” and “Learning to Read.” Here are the topics:

1. Sound-based rhetorical figures (alliteration, anaphora, etc.)
2. Persona
3. Kairos
4. Implied and explicit assumptions
5. Logical Argumentation
6. Framing, metaphors, and allusions

HW: Finish College Essay

Extra: See this blog–>Always Write Badly

We’ll start by getting our College Essay buddies together and talking about three issues in your writing:

1. Show don’t (just) tell
2. Complex sentence structure and sentence variance
3. Your 2 personal qualities

Then, we might take a walk. Turn ‘em in.

Period 5 needs to talk Civil Disobedience today as well.

Then, we’ll look at the AP exam: This is the 2007 exam. Take a look and we’ll take a look at it. Then, we’ll work in small groups to tackle the Scott Russell Sanders piece on Rushdie. Each small group should create a short Keynote that does these things:

1. Identifies at least 4 strategies and characterizes them.
2. Quotes a bit.
3. Then, analyzes the use of these strategies: the purpose, effectiveness, and the less-than-obvious elements of rhetoric.

Then, we’ll look at the anchor papers for that question.

Finally, I want to look at the Multiple Choice section of the AP exam and do one set of questions. Place your answers here.

HW: Read both “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X (in 50 essays and here) and read/listen to the “Ballot or the Bullet speech.” (text here, audio here) In a 200-300 word blog post, compare and contrast the rhetorical purpose, audience, and strategies in these 2 works.

HD Thoreau: creative use of neck hair

Hello, everyone. Let’s start with something fun and something grammar-y, uncomfortably combined.

One of my favorite critics–Sam Anderson–takes down Dan Brown.  Let’s read it first and talk a bit about the style and argument. Then, we’ll try to look at the sentences, marvel at the extreme use of colons, and try to write our own using the same structure. Go here for that.

Then, we’ll take a look at Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Read the first part (the first 13 paragraphs, stopping at the paragraph that begins “It is not a man’s duty”) and answer the following questions in a blog post.

1. Comment on the first paragraph. What would you call the claim of his argument? How does he use the Mexican War as support for this?
2. In paragraph two, identify a rhetorical strategy and then explain a possible reason behind Thoreau’s use of that strategy.
3. Identify the basic logical claim-warrant-fact/backing process in this essay? What is the chain of logic that Thoreau attempts to establish? What assumptions does make about his audiences beliefs, their commonplaces.
4. What obstacles does Thoreau face in terms of kairos? How does Thoreau attempt to deal with them?
5. How would you characterize Thoreau’s persona? Give an example from the text that shows him constructing it. Explain how this persona does or does not aid Thoreau’s purposes.
6. Note the use of framing (especially in paragraph 11). Explain what frame Thoreau constructs and how/why he does.
7. Thoreau believes that people should not participate in injustice but that they do not have to actively promote a more just world. What is the difference between these two concepts, and why does Thoreau make this moral distinction?

After a break, we’ll look at the college essays and talk a bit about what makes a good college essay. See this set of advice:

• Here is the advice from The College Board.
• Here are the most popular College Essays from TeenInk.
• Good Example of essays that worked
• All College essays should…
• Here is some advice from a admissions admin.
• Do these things even work?
• And if all else fails, write this essay.

After getting a writing buddy, we’ll start putting together our essays in class.

HW: First draft of college essay due printed