Monday, December 27, 2010

The Research Paper

I hope you guys are enjoying your break. Just some reminders:

A. The research paper must be printed and submitted in your classes on January 3, 2011.

B. The paper should be no less than 1800 words.

C. Ensure that you have followed your outline.

D. Save extra copies because we will refer back to them.

E. The paper is going to be edited in class by a peer and myself. Please understand if your paper is late you will not only lose points, but you will not be able to participate in class.

F. At this point please do not bombard me with emails as to what your topic is. There were TWO weeks spent working on your topics in class and the brainstorming process. It is time to be accountable and responsible for our materials.

G. Remember you should have a MINIMUM of SEVEN articles!

H. The paper must be in A.P.A. format and the references should be correct. Remember, the reference for a book is different from the reference of a periodical.


SEE YOU SOON!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

THIS WEEK

Driving Question: What evidence do I have that I am committed to learning?
Subject: English 11 British Literature Prepared By: Desiree’ Fuller


Overview & Purpose

The Power of Research

The purpose of this unit is to develop relevant research skills. Throughout this two week unit students will learn how to:

1. Select and shape a topic
2. Plan Research
3. Identify relevant Sources
4. Choose the best research tools, including primary and secondary sources.
5. Evaluate information and sources, including non fiction books, newspapers, periodicals, and Web sites.
6. Make source cards and take notes.
7. Paraphrase and summarize information
8. Avoid Plagarisim
9. Verify information, detect bias, and develop personal perspective.
10. Prepare to write their research papers over the holiday break.
ACT COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDS

Revise sentences to correct awkward and confusing arrangements of sentence elements.

Select the most logical place to add a sentence within a paragraph.
Identify the central idea or main topic of a written piece.
Determine whether a complex essay has accomplished a specific purpose.
Use conjunctions of punctuation to join simple clauses.
MMC

3.4
4.1
4.2.
3.2
2.1
1.5
1.2
1.3
1.4


Date/ Day of Week Objectives and Procedures Homework
Monday

Objectives:

1. Today students will receive and extensive over view of the requirements for the literary analysis paper.
2. Students will begin the brainstorming process by composing their opinions of the novel and develop their “Attention Getter” for the introduction
The Picture of Dorian Gray. Pages 1-200. Students are completing an independent study.

The literary analysis is due on December 10, 2010. Printed and submitted in morning meeting.




Materials Needed
• Paper
• Pencil.
• Computer
• Online Blogs
• Text Books

Tuesday
Objectives
Today we will

1. Provide context for exploring research questions
2. Use prior knowledge of history science, technology and literature.
3. Make connections to current events and personal interests.
4. Discuss the power of research
5. Differentiate between the biographical and the historical research paper.
6. Decide whether or not there are patterns in history.
7. Discuss how Science may or may not control our lives.
8. Discuss the times where literature mirrors real life.
Wednesday

Lecture: Developing a Research Focus.
1. Choosing and shaping a topic
2. Exploring topics and perspectives
Reteaching: Review of topics covered so far


Thursday


Lecture” Developing a Research Plan
1. Formulate Research Questions
2. Identification of Relevant Sources
3. Primary and Secondary Sources
Friday Submission: Literary Analysis
Lecture: Online Research
1. Evaluating and Choosing Sources
2. Finding reliable web sites.

Direct Application of what was learned.
Advanced Topics Development of 2010 version of Taming of the Shrew.

Contemporary Tragedies

Sunday, December 5, 2010

LIT ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions for Literary Essay

Prewriting: As you read, find quotes and write down page numbers, so you have them handy when you write the paper. Don’t wait until you have finished the novel to start.

Introduction: The beginning should introduce the book and your opinion of it.
Follow the ANT pattern for the introduction.

Attention-getter: The attention-getter should be general and interesting. It should draw the reader in. It should also connect thematically to the thesis.

Necessary information: You will need to state the author’s name, the title of work, and a brief plot summary.

Thesis: Here are two general rules about developing a literary thesis that will pass:

• You must have an opinion about this book —you may not just tell what happened. (See “Outside Links” on the Lit Analysis page.)

• Your opinion must be more in-depth than I liked it / I didn’t like it / it’s great / it stinks.

Brainstorm Starters:
Think about the outlook of world presented by the author. Why did they have this opinion of the world? Does it address any important issues in a person’s life or in our society? What message was it trying to give the reader? Here are some examples:

Although over twenty years old, The Breakfast Club still demonstrates the difficulties and classifications teenagers face today.

Douglas Grath’s version of Emma offers viewers of romance films a bonus—a character that gets the guy and learns a valuable lesson about life.

Although clever and entertaining, Judd Apatow’s film The Forty-Year Old Virgin is distrurbing in its portrayal of someone who doesn’t have sex as bizarrely different.

After capturing the viewer’s hearts with a poingnant life-and-death family story, Nick Cassavete’s film John Q, disappoints audiences by turning into a political commerical.

Oliver Stone’s Platoon far exceeds any film he directed before or after.

Rocky III shows that when a person gets soft, they lose the goal of their dreams, because there will always be someone who wants it more.

Sense and Sensibility, as directed by Ang Lee, demonstrates the two ways women can handle emotionally difficult situations.


Body Paragraphs:
After the writer introduces the idea in the introduction, the bulk of the literary analysis paper becomes a place to prove that point.
If, in the introduction, the writer stated that “Oliver Stone’s Platoon far exceeds any film he directed,” the middle portion must now compare specific qualites of Platoon to Stone’s other films—Nixon, JFK, etc.

If, in the introduction, the writer stated that “Judd Apatow’s film The Forty-Year-Old Virgin is distrurbing in its portrayal of someone who doesn’t have sex,” the writer may in the middle discuss how our society is over-focused on sex, specific ways the main character is portrayed as an outsider to society, etc.

You need to provide four examples, so you will need to have four body paragraphs.
Follow the TIQA pattern:
Topic Sentence: this should have the topic of perspective taking and the limiting idea of whatever example you are providing in the paragraph.
Introduce example and quotes: Put the quote or example you are about to provide into context. You may not just put a quote down. You need to say something such as When Scout stands on the Radley’s porch, she says,“--insert quote ” (32).
Quote or example. You can quote from dialogue or narration. If the quote is thirty nine words or less, simply include it in your paragraph using quotation marks. If the quote is forty words or more, indent it and do not use quotation marks. Either way, you must put the page number—for example, (10).
Analyze the quote or example. After you have provided the example or quote, you must spend a few sentences explaining how the example or quote supports the topic sentence, which probably says that the character you are talking about has experience perspective taking. Then you need to explain what the character has learned. Provide examples that support that the character is better off. Or that good came from perspective taking.
Normally, you can repeat TIQA twice per paragraph. The T the second time stands for transition.

Conclusion
DO NOT start your conclusion paragraph with “In conclusion” or “To summarize” or any other overused phrase. Just write the conclusion
Restate your thesis. RESTATE, not rewrite. Say your thesis again but differently.
Move into a brief general discussion of the theme of perspective taking and its importance to our lives in general. How might the world be different if certain real people were to experience what some of these characters have experienced. Use specific examples from real life.
Clincher—Round off—your last impression to the reader should relate back to the attention-getter.

Post-Draft Work:
Your title must be original – it cannot simply be the title of the book or movie. See How to Make a Great Title.


Re-read to make sure your sentences make sense.


Absolutely do not use the first person (I, me, my). Do not use “I think,” “In my opinion,” and so on.

DO NOT. Let me repeat, DO NOT begin body paragraphs with such words and phrases as “first,” “second,” “third,” “to begin,” “next.” These are lame ways to transition. You may want to use, not overuse, “Another example of . . . is . . .”

LIT ANALYSIS

The 11th graders are working within new territory, The Literary Analysis.

Students were informed of this assignment on November 22, 2010. The Lit Analysis is based upon the novel "Pictures of Dorian Gray" written by Oscar Wilde.
However, the books were not issued to students who did not return the Frankenstein novel. Please check and ensure that your child submitted the novel and received the new one.

The Literary Analysis:

Due Date: December 10, 2010 in MORNING MEETING.
Format: American Psychological Association ( A.P.A)
Length: 1, 200 words ( 7 paragraphs, 7 sent. per paragraph)
Worth: 250 points
Papers must be typed AND PRINTED. Students have received enough notice in an effort to ensure that they can find a printer.

Papers will be considered late at 8:30am and points will be deducted. Students may turn in the assignment early.