Precede vs. Proceed

Posted: 19 Dec 2011 08:50 PM PST

Lazy pronunciation can wreak havoc on the language as word pairs like precede and proceed become confused. These similar-looking and similar-sounding terms, however, though not antonyms, face in opposite directions.

The origin of the former word is the Latin term praecedere (“go before”), while the latter stems from the Latin word procedere (“go forward, advance”). Interestingly, however, the prefixes share a sense: Pre- and pro- can both mean “before,” though pro- usually signals “in favor of.”

Each word is part of a family of inflections and terms based on it: One writes, for example, that a rainstorm preceded snowfall later that night, or that the preceding chapter of a book is longer than the one that follows it.

Precedent refers to a situation that serves as an exemplar for others that follow. It’s employed formally in law to refer to a rule or principle that serves as a reference for judgments in cases similar to those in which the rule or principle was first set forth. Informally, laypeople refer to “establishing a precedent” for anything from a habit to a protocol. Meanwhile, a precession is a “coming before.” (In physics and astronomy, this term refers to the alteration in the orientation of a rotating body’s axis.)

Inflectional forms of proceed are used to state that someone proceeded to act in some way or do something that they had not been doing previously, or that they are proceeding to do so now. The plural of the latter form is also a noun referring to the published minutes or records of an organization’s meeting.

Procedure, taken directly from French and referring to a sequence for accomplishing a task, is also based on proceed. Procedural can be applied as an adjective (while procedurally is an adverb), and it stands on its own (or modified as “police procedural”) as a noun referring to genre fiction that realistically portrays how an investigation or a similar process is conducted.

The Right and Wrong of Writing

Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:59 PM PST

Who or what determines what is correct form in writing, and what is incorrect? Many nations have an official body that regulates the national language to protect it from extinction or at least from degradation. (France’s Academie Francaise, in particular, seems to exist primarily to prevent pollution of the French language by importation of English words — let me know how that works out, mon amis). This paternal protection, however, does not extend to grammar and punctuation and the like.

The United States is not among those countries with prose police, but our library and bookstore shelves groan with dictionaries and grammar, usage, and style manuals as well as handbooks that guide us in our use of punctuation — and the Internet abounds with more of the same. These resources are not necessarily engrossing reading (unless you’re a word nerd), but they are exemplary models in practicing what they preach, and they are likely to be much more reader-friendly than the dread-inducing language arts textbooks of our schooldays.

Why, then, has the quality of writing declined so dramatically that we might benefit from an English Academy — one devoted not to language purity (which words we use, and which ones we don’t) but to monitoring the written form of that language?

The democratization of publishing is primarily responsible, I think. Because, thanks to the dramatic increase in options for businesses and organizations to disseminate information by way of text online and in print, and because of the ease of self-publishing the same media affords anyone with access to them, more and more people who don’t pay attention to such details are writing and being read, which of course exposes so many more people to the errors.

Thus, erroneous usage — not just in hyphenation, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanical mistakes but also in infelicities of grammar, syntax, usage, and other more substantial elements of writing — is multiplied virally because of the shift in the signal-to-noise ration: Fewer people are reading rigorously written and edited prose, and more people are reading writing crafted with less care. This, I believe, is the culprit in the decline of quality in published writing I’ve observed over the years both as an editor and as someone who takes a busman’s holiday every time I read for information or pleasure.

The reason for the decrease in consumption of meticulously produced content is twofold. Fewer people actively seek good writing. But equally culpable are the publishing industries, the erstwhile guardians of good writing, which compromise the quality of periodicals and other publications because they discourage labor-intensive practices necessary for producing high-quality writing, practices inimical to lean-business strategies that result in high profits.

This issue brings up a question I’m surprised people don’t ask more often: In the realm of writing, if so many people do something seen as wrong or nonstandard, doesn’t that make it right? After all, that’s how new laws are written and how societal mores changes. And that’s how language changes. So, if the majority of writers write, “You and me” at the head of a sentence instead of “you and I” (or reverse their preferences when the phrase is the object of a sentence), why is the former usage considered incorrect and the latter one deemed the acceptable way? The majority seems to beg to differ.

Because language doesn’t turn on a dime. For sanity to prevail, there must be a period of time between shifts in rules of usage and punctuation and other elements of writing in which we respond to “Everybody else does it” the way a parent would react to that type of justification uttered by a willful teenager: “Well, if everybody else went and jumped off a cliff, would you?” By the same token, we need to scold writers by saying, “Well, if everybody uses comma splices, does that mean you should, too?”

At the risk of seeming like a strict parent, that’s why I’m going to defend my rigor by saying that popular usage is not a standard. It is not a guidebook. And I will follow my own counsel: I will adhere to the rules (unless I have an indefensible reason to break one now and then), and I will exhort others to do the same.

Essay question for Last of the Mohicans

Choose one of the following to write about:

Why do you suppose Cooper gave the novel its particular title? Do the events justify the title?

Justify one's calling Cooper the first American novelist.

Give three reasons why the novel must be classed as romantic rather than realistic or naturalistic.

Cooper, like others of his time, believed in the idea of progress. Does The Last of the Mohicans suggest that he had any doubts or qualifications concerning that idea?

English 11 week of December 12

1st and 7th hour

Visual representation of the American Romantic literature period
Last of the Mohicans

2nd hour

Alas, Babylon Chapter 5-8

4th hour

Beowulf comparison essay

5th hour

Julius Caesar Act II-IV

All will take Passage Reading Test 3 on Tuesday.
Results should be back on Friday so we can chart our growth.

James Fenimore Cooper

Read a biography on James at http://www.online-literature.com/cooperj/

Read a short story called The Eclipse at http://www.americanliterature.com/SS/SS12.HTML

An article about JFC at http://external.oneonta.edu/cooper/articles/suny/1997suny-macdougall.html

Last of the Mohican's summary at http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/The-Last-of-the-Mohicans-Book-Summary.id-57.html

Works Cited Beowulf comparison essay

Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf a new verse translation. New York: WW Norton, Co, 2000.

Beowulf. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Perf. Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, and John

Malkovich. Warner, 2007.

50 Words for “Writing”

Posted: 10 Dec 2011 02:52 AM PST

As an unabashed proponent of reasonable elegant variation — the moderate use of synonyms to avoid tiring repetition of a specific word throughout a passage — I offer this assortment of terms for a piece of writing:

1. Article: This word, with the diminutive -le as a clue, refers to a small part of a publication (thus, the extension of the word to mean “thing” or “item”) — more specifically, a piece of nonfiction that appears in a periodical or on a Web site. (It also refers to a section of an official piece of writing.)

2. Brief: Breve, the Latin predecessor of this synonym for short, acquired the connotation of “summary” or “letter” when it was used in the Roman Catholic Church to refer to a missive less extensive than a bull. (That word comes from the Latin word bulla, “knob,” referring to the seal that ensured discretion.) Brief now refers to a legal summary — hence briefcase.

3. Causerie: This noun form of the French verb causer, “to chat,” directly borrowed into English, means “a brief, informal essay.”

4. Chronicle: This term, derived from the Greek term ta khronika (“the annals”), refers to a an account of a succession of historical events.

5. Column: This word originally referred to a vertical block of type on a page, echoing the original meaning of “pillar.” Early journalistic publications, which made no pretensions to objectivity, laid out various pieces of writing in distinct columns, hence the modern connotation of an article advocating a point of view.

6. Commentary: The Latin term from which this word derives, commentarius, refers to personal writing, but the modern sense is of an opinion piece.

7. Composition: This descendant of the Latin word compositionem (“putting together”) refers to the assemblage of sentences that constitutes a written effort, either in general or in the specific reference to a scholastic exercise.

8. Critique: A critique, as the name implies, is a work of criticism; the connotation is of a formal, erudite dissection of another written work (or any creative endeavor).

9. Diatribe: Interestingly, this word’s Latin precursor, diatriba, has the neutral connotation of “learned discussion.” A couple hundred years ago, it acquired the sense, now exclusive, of harsh criticism or complaint.

10. Discourse: The meaning of discursus, the Latin term from which discourse stems is “the act of running around,” suggesting the process of progressing through a written argument.

11. Discussion: Despite the resemblance of this word to discourse, there is no relation; the Latin origin is discussus, meaning “to break apart,” which led to the noun discussionem and its sense of “examination.”

12. Dissertation: The term from which this word’s Latin ancestor, dissertationem, is ultimately derived means “to take words apart”; the primary sense now is of scholarly writing that examines or debates an assertion.

13-14. Document: The Latin term documentum (“example, lesson, proof”) now has a generic sense of any piece of writing. Documentation, however, implies information provided to support or authenticate other writing, and is used especially in computing and in academic research.

15. Editorial: This word derives from the direct borrowing of the Latin term editor (“one who presents”). As the entry for column explains, all editorial content was originally subjective, but in modern journalism, the term refers to a statement of opinion by a periodical’s management or by a guest commentator. The latter variety is often relegated to an op-ed page. (The latter term is an abbreviation for “opposite the editorial page” — that being the sheet on which the publication’s own arguments are printed.)

16. Essay: The meaning of this word is “attempt” (it’s related to assay, which refers to a test of a metal’s purity), with an original connotation, long since muted by the quotidian ubiquity of the scholastic assignment by that name, of a written opinion presented for the audience’s approval.

17. Examination: The sense of “test” for this word (or for exam, the truncated form that has largely supplanted it) follows the original meaning of “test or judging in a legal context” (hence the judicial term cross-examination).

18. Exposition: This word derived from the Latin term expositionem (“something shown or set forth”) can mean “narration” or, more often, “explanation; the latter sense is employed in literary criticism to refer to the author’s technique in revealing background details.

19. Feature: This term, taken from Latin by way of French, means “a formation.” In writing, it refers to an article — specifically, usually a profile of a person, place, or thing, perhaps with a more conversational style, as opposed to a more straightforward news or informational piece or an opinion.

20. Guide: This word from the same term in French, originally meaning “one who shows the way,” refers to publications that inform readers about how to do something or where to visit. It may be extended to guidebook.

21. Memorandum: Taking directly from the Latin word for “(thing) to be remembered,” this word, and its abbreviation, memo, refer to an official note.

22. Minutes: This word, which stems from the Latin phrase minuta scriptura (literally, “small writing”), refers to a record of a meeting or a similar event.

23. Monograph: This word, which literally means “writing about one (thing),” refers to academic writing on a topic.

24. Narrative: The Latin term narrationem means “recounting,” and this word is a synonym for “story,” though it also specifically refers to storytelling style.

25. Polemic: This Anglicization of the French word polemique (“controversial”) means “a harsh response to or refutation of an opinion.”

26-28. Paper: This meaning — an example of synecdoche, in which the name for a material stands in for something made of that material (as in wheels as slang for car) — describes a scholarly written presentation. A variation is white paper, a piece of writing prepared for or by a government entity or a business to inform or persuade. By contrast, a green paper is a preliminary version of a white paper.

29. Proces-verbal: This French term meaning “verbal trial” is an unnecessary synonym for report — unless, perhaps, one wishes to mock the formality or pretension of a report.

30-33. Prolegomenon: This mouthful of a synonym for preface, taken directly from Greek, means “to say beforehand,” though it may be used in a more general sense than preface, which usually refers to a specific component of a book. (A book preface, by the way, is distinguished from the proximately placed foreword by the fact that it is the author’s statement of purpose, intended audience, scope, and content. A foreword, by contrast, is a recommendation from another person. There may also be an introduction, which orients the reader to the topic.)

34. Propaganda: This word, stemming from the Modern Latin word for “propagating,” was used by the Roman Catholic Church in the sense of disseminating the Gospel. Since then, it has acquired a derogatory connotation, referring to true, slanted, or fabricated information designed to promote one’s, or criticize another’s, position or ideology.

35. Proposition: Like many words on this list, proposition comes down almost intact from Latin — in this case, from propositionem, meaning “a statement.” In rhetoric, it is specifically the initial statement of an argument, or a point offered for consideration. It is also employed to refer to a type of referendum.

36. Rant: Alone among all the words on this list, rant is from a Germanic language, rather than Latin or Greek: Randten means to talk foolishly, and a rant is an emotional and perhaps irrational criticism in speech or in writing.

37. Report: This translation of the Latin word reportare, meaning “to carry back,” in noun form refers to a written or spoken account. More specifically, it acquired the sense of an investigative summary and, by extension, a scholastic exercise.

38. Review: This word, from the Latin verb revidere (“to see again”) by way of French (as the noun reveue) is used as a less formal synonym for critique (a written evaluation of a creative product).

39. Screed: This word (from the Old English term screde, “fragment,” and related to shred) needs context assistance, because it can mean “informal writing,” “a long speech,” or “a rant.” The last sense is the most frequent, but make sure, whatever usage you intend, that your readers will understand your intent.

40-41. Script: This derivation of the Latin word scriptum, “a piece of writing,” is versatile. It can refer to a piece of writing in general, to a set of instructions, or to a copy of a play, a screenplay, or a similar work, as well as to a brief computer program. It also has an informal connotation of an orchestrated version of reality that all associated parties are expected to adhere to. Manuscript literally means “a piece of writing produced by hand,” though now it has the more general meaning of a draft of writing at any stage of preparation, as opposed to a published version.

42. Study: Based on the Latin term studere, “to be diligent,” the verb gave rise to the noun meaning “evaluation” or “experiment” and then to a sense of a written account of the procedure. A case study is an account of a particular person, event, or situation.

43. Testament: Testamentum, in Latin, means “will,” as in the legal document, as does the English derivation, but it can also mean “a supporting statement.”

44. Testimonial: This word, derived from the Latin term testimonium, which originally referred to biblical scripture, came to mean “an attestation of the virtues of a person or thing.”

45. Theme: This word comes from Greek, meaning “something set down,” and is akin to thesis (see below), though it often refers merely to a student composition.

46. Thesis: Thesis stems from the same Greek root as theme (tithenai, “to set”); the former word, like the latter, means “something set down.” The formal meaning is of a piece of writing produced as a requirement for a college degree, but it also has a general sense of “a statement to be proved” and as such can refer to an introductory argument in a larger work.

47. Tract: A truncation of the Latin term tractatus, “a treatment,” tract has an often pejorative sense of a piece of propaganda (see above) or something reminiscent of such, often in pamphlet form.

48. Treatise: This word stems from a French derivation of the Latin term tractatus (see above) and refers to an argument that discusses and analyzes a topic.

49. Treatment: Treatment, which has the same root as treatise, is usually employed to refer to an outline or early adaptation of a screenplay.

50. Write-up: This informal term for a piece of writing can carry a connotation of a work with an unduly positive bias, so take care that the context communicates this intent or the lack thereof.

Archetype vs. Prototype

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 08:52 PM PST

What’s your type? Archetype and prototype are both suitable matches for referring to an exemplar — and then there’s stereotype — but among their senses are both similar and dissimilar meanings.

Before we go into details, let’s look at the root word: Type (from the Latin term typus, “image,” ultimately derived from the Greek word typos, “impression”) is defined as “a model,” “a distinctive sign,” “a set of distinguishable qualities.” Idiomatic usage for the word includes “type A personality” (indicating a high-strung person, based on popular perception of a discredited psychological theory), “casting against type” (referring to when performers are selected for roles they don’t superficially seem suited for), and “not my type” (dismissal of another person because of personal incompatibility).

In two senses, archetype and prototype are direct synonyms: They both mean “original pattern or model,” or “perfect example.” However, archetype (Latin, archetypum; Greek, arkhetypon), which literally means “first model,” also refers to C. J. Jung’s concept of an idea or image from the collective subconscious; it has a more intellectual connotation.

The prefix arch- denotes the most accomplished or high ranking of a type (archrival, archvillain), as does the suffix -arch (patriarch, hierarch); -archy is the basis for terms describing a system of government (monarchy) or an organizational scheme (hierarchy). Interestingly, because the prefix was so often employed, as in the examples above, to describe a nefarious person, arch acquired an adjectival sense of “mischievous, impudent.” (The arch in, well, arch, referring to a structural member, has a different etymology and is akin to arc.)

Prototype has the same literal meaning, but its primary sense is more utilitarian, referring to a standard configuration, the initial model of a constructed object, or an earlier version of an organism or a device. The proto- prefix is relatively obscure, occurring mostly in scientific terminology (protoplasm, “beginning molding,” and protozoa, “beginning animal,” are examples of its use most familiar to laypeople); the root word, as an integral part of a larger term rather than as a suffix, appears in protocol (from a Greek term meaning “first sheet,” referring to a code or convention dictating proper procedure).

Stereotype means “something that matches a fixed or universal pattern,” but unlike the other terms, it usually has a negative connotation: It refers to an idea, carelessly formed based on ignorance or bigotry, that one class of people generally understands to be, well, typical of another class.

Take the grammar challenge!

Go to http://www.dailywritingtips.com/check-out-our-tests-and-quizzes/ and try all of different grammar and vocabulary quizzes!

Alas, Babylon audiobook

Go to http://nitrodownloads.net/search/Alas%2C%2BBabylon%2Bby%2BPat%2BFrank%2B%28Audiobook%29

for a free download of the audio version of Alas, Babylon

English 11 week of December 5

1st hour:

Mon-Wed - Working with Longfellow

2nd hour:

Mon - Wed - Alas, Babylon chapters 3 and 4

4th hour:

Mon-Wed - First half of Beowulf with comparison essay outline

5th hour:

Mon - Wed - Julius Caesar Act 1 and 2

7th hour:

Mon - Wed - The Devil and Tom Walker

All English 11

Mon, Tue, Wed - Turn in Applying Reading Strategies packet

Thur - Viewing Cracking the ACT video

Fri - Reading Passage 3 assessment

English 11 week of November 28

Monday and Tuesday: Presentations during core focus; 4th hour: presentations of sound track

Tuesday: Reflection on presentation - written in single subject notebook; Passage test 2 results

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Assigned reading work (2nd hour: Alas, Babylon, 4th hour: Beowulf, 5th hour: Julius Caesar); Identifying main idea in passage.

1st and 7th hour will be working with the Elements of Literature book to improve Reading Strategies.

Reading passage practice part 2

Go to http://college.cengage.com/devenglish/resources/reading_ace/students/index.html

There are 20 practice tests just for you!!!

Affect vs. Effect

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 08:02 PM PST

Among the pairs of words writers often confuse, affect and effect might be the most perplexing, perhaps because their meanings are so similar. Affect, derived from affectus, from the Latin word afficere, “to do something to, act on,” is easily conflated with effect, borrowed from Anglo-French, ultimately stemming from the Latin word effectus, from efficere, “to bring about.”

Affect

The various senses of affect, each followed by a sentence demonstrating them, follow:

A noun meaning “mental state”: “In his report, the psychiatrist, noting his lack of expression or other signs of emotion, described his affect as flat.”

A verb meaning “to produce an effect, to influence”: “I knew that my opinion would affect her choice, so I deliberately withheld it.”

A verb meaning “to pretend” or “to put on”: “She tried to affect an air of nonchalance, though she was visibly agitated.”

Words with affect as the root, followed by their use in a sentence, include the following:

Affectation: A noun meaning “self-conscious behavior”: “The girl’s affectation of sophisticated maturity was undercut by the relentless snapping of her chewing gum.”

Affection: A noun meaning “kind or loving emotion”: “Her grandfather’s deep affection for her was obvious in his heartwarming smile.”

Disaffected: An adjective meaning “discontented, rebellious”: “Disaffected youth dismayed by the poor job market and the larger issue of a society that does not seem to value them have been joining the protest movement in ever greater numbers.” (This word is a case of an antonym that has outlived the original term from which it was derived in counterpoint; writers and speakers no longer express, in the sense of “favorably disposed,” that a person is affected.)

Unaffected: An adjective with two distinct senses: the literal meaning of “not influenced or altered” (“They seemed disturbingly unaffected by the tragic news”) and the surprisingly older, figurative meaning “genuine” (“The youth’s candid, unaffected demeanor appealed to her after the stilted arrogance of her many suitors”).

Effect

The various senses of effect, each followed by a sentence demonstrating them, follow:

A noun meaning “the result of a cause”: “The effect of the lopsided vote was a loss of confidence in the chairman.”

A noun meaning “an impression”: “The soft, gentle tone has a calming effect.”

A noun, usually in plural form, meaning “personal property, possession”: “Among the effects found in the deceased man’s pockets was a small book with his name self-inscribed.”

A verb meaning “to accomplish”: “His newfound sense of responsibility effected a positive change in her attitude toward him.”

Words with effect as the root, followed by their use in a sentence, include the following:

Aftereffect: A noun, usually in plural form, meaning “something that follows a cause”: “The aftereffects of the decision are still being felt years later.”

Effective: An adjective meaning “successful”: “The insect repellent was effective at keeping the mosquitoes at bay, which made for a pleasant outing.”

Effectual: An adjective meaning “able to produce a desired effect”: “Our conclusion is that mediation is an effectual strategy for obtaining a mutually satisfying outcome.”

The noun efficiency and the adjective efficient, though not based on the root effect, share its etymological origin and mean, respectively, “productivity” and “productive” in the sense of accomplishing something with a minimum of effort in relation to outcome. Efficacy (“the power to produce a desired effect”) and efficacious (“able to produce a desired effect”) are also related. Another, unexpected word of related origin is feckless (“weak, worthless”), which is rare and has lost its antonym, feckful, through long disuse. Feck is a shortened form of effect developed in Scottish English.

Speed reading exercises

Go to http://eslus.com/LESSONS/READING/READ.HTM for some speed reading exercises.

Reading passage practice

This is a must for you to complete!

Go to http://www.lavc.cc.ca.us/math/samples/english/reading/index.html.

Complete the quiz. If you get a 70% or less, read the article below on Closed Reading.

Good luck!

Close Reading of a Literary Passage

To do a close reading, you choose a specific passage and analyze it in fine detail, as if with a magnifying glass. You then comment on points of style and on your reactions as a reader. Close reading is important because it is the building block for larger analysis. Your thoughts evolve not from someone else's truth about the reading, but from your own observations. The more closely you can observe, the more original and exact your ideas will be. To begin your close reading, ask yourself several specific questions about the passage. The following questions are not a formula, but a starting point for your own thoughts. When you arrive at some answers, you are ready to organize and write. You should organize your close reading like any other kind of essay, paragraph by paragraph, but you can arrange it any way you like.

I. First Impressions:

• What is the first thing you notice about the passage?
• What is the second thing?
• Do the two things you noticed complement each other? Or contradict each other?
• What mood does the passage create in you? Why?

II. Vocabulary and Diction:

• Which words do you notice first? Why? What is noteworthy about this diction?
• How do the important words relate to one another?
• Do any words seem oddly used to you? Why?
• Do any words have double meanings? Do they have extra connotations?
• Look up any unfamiliar words. For a pre-20th century text, look in the Oxford English Dictionary for possible outdated meanings. (The OED can only be accessed by students with a subscription or from a library computer that has a subscription. Otherwise, you should find a copy in the local library.)

III. Discerning Patterns:

• Does an image here remind you of an image elsewhere in the book? Where? What's the connection?
• How might this image fit into the pattern of the book as a whole?
• Could this passage symbolize the entire work? Could this passage serve as a microcosm--a little picture--of what's taking place in the whole work?
• What is the sentence rhythm like? Short and choppy? Long and flowing? Does it build on itself or stay at an even pace? What is the style like?
• Look at the punctuation. Is there anything unusual about it?
• Is there any repetition within the passage? What is the effect of that repetition?
• How many types of writing are in the passage? (For example, narration, description, argument, dialogue, rhymed or alliterative poetry, etc.)
• Can you identify paradoxes in the author's thought or subject?
• What is left out or kept silent? What would you expect the author to talk about that the author avoided?

IV. Point of View and Characterization:

• How does the passage make us react or think about any characters or events within the narrative?
• Are there colors, sounds, physical description that appeals to the senses? Does this imagery form a pattern? Why might the author have chosen that color, sound or physical description?
• Who speaks in the passage? To whom does he or she speak? Does the narrator have a limited or partial point of view? Or does the narrator appear to be omniscient, and he knows things the characters couldn't possibly know? (For example, omniscient narrators might mention future historical events, events taking place "off stage," the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, and so on).

V. Symbolism:

• Are there metaphors? What kinds?
• Is there one controlling metaphor? If not, how many different metaphors are there, and in what order do they occur? How might that be significant?
• How might objects represent something else?
• Do any of the objects, colors, animals, or plants appearing in the passage have traditional connotations or meaning? What about religious or biblical significance?
• If there are multiple symbols in the work, could we read the entire passage as having allegorical meaning beyond the literal level?

Sample video presentations

Take a look at these for examples of good presentations skills

http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success.html

and

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Grammar ninja!

Try this web site to improve your grammar

http://www.kwarp.com/portfolio/grammarninja.html

A Short Quiz About Emphasis

Posted: 15 Nov 2011 08:52 PM PST

In each of the following sentences, there is a deviation from one of the conventions about how to convey emphasis in writing. Identify the error, and then check below for corrected versions followed by explanations.

1. “So-called ‘notification laws’ require businesses to notify customers when certain unencrypted customer data is improperly accessed.”

2. “Thus the question is not one of quality, but of quantity.”

3. “I suppose this was the moment when I was supposed to experience a sensation of ‘being one with the universe,’ but I just wasn’t feeling it.”

4. “With a strident vigor that arrested the attention of all present, she shouted, ‘YOU JUST DON’T GET IT, DO YOU?’”

5. “After seeing this movie, I just have one thing to say: ‘I want those two hours of my life back!!!’”

Answers

1. “So-called notification laws require businesses to notify customers when certain unencrypted customer data is improperly accessed.”

Explanation: Quotation marks employed to highlight a word or phrase, known as scare quotes, are almost invariably unnecessary, and are redundant to the phrase so-called. (Note that in the previous sentence, I didn’t enclose the introduced slang term “scare quotes” — as I explained, these quotation marks are superfluous. However, I did use quotation marks around the phrase in this parenthesis, just as I italicized so-called above — and here — because that’s how open phrases and words or hyphenated phrases, respectively, are styled when used as names of concepts rather than as the concepts themselves.)

2. “Thus the question is not one of quality, but of quantity.”

Explanation: Italicization of key words can be appropriate but is often overused. Use your judgment to determine whether your point needs such emphasis or whether you can rely on readers to get it without special treatment of words. Usually, they will, and if you doubt it, perhaps your point needs to be expressed more clearly.

3. “I suppose this was the moment when I was supposed to experience a sensation of Being One with the Universe, but I just wasn’t feeling it.”

Explanation: Using quotation marks in this case isn’t necessarily the wrong approach, and it’s appropriate if someone — a guru, for instance — previously used these words, but if the intent is mockery, sarcasm, or irony, it may not be effective. Using headline-style initial capital letters is the conventional approach for conveying such a tone.

4. “With a strident vigor that arrested the attention of all present, she shouted, ‘You just don’t get it, do you!’”

Explanation: Except in display copy (headlines, headings, and the like), using all capital letters is an awkward distraction. Let the narrative carry the emphasis; note that in the sample sentence, thanks to the expressive description in the introductory phrase, the quotation could even get by with a question mark alone (though, because it’s a rhetorical question, the exclamation point is suitable).

5. “After seeing this movie, I just have one thing to say: ‘I want those two hours of my life back.’”

Explanation: Again, let the narrative do the work. Multiple exclamation points have no place in writing, except to mimic a hormone-addled adolescent. And avoid even single exclamation points; usually, they’re extraneous, and if they’re not, they’re probably a crutch for inexpressive writing. Isn’t the deadpan tone implied by the lack of an exclamation point in the sample sentence above more effective than the impotent peevishness that an exclamation point would suggest?

Reading Strategies applied practice

Try using different Reading Strategies when completing this reading test

at http://www.studyguidezone.com/act_reading.htm

English 11 week of November 14

Mon - Reading Strategies quiz, Intro to project, students' brainstorm
Tues - Rough sketches due by end of class
Wed - Sketches returned with feedback - writing proofreading important!
Thur - Working on project
Fri - Working on project

Most will be working on a visual project of the reading strategies; however,
some students will concentrate on speed reading skills

4th hour will be completing a Beowulf writing project

All projects are to be completed by November 22!

A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction

Posted: 09 Nov 2011 08:57 PM PST

What’s wrong with these sentences? They each have syntax that creates an obstacle to clear understanding of the relationships of words or phrases to others. Revise them, and then scroll down to see my annotated solutions.

1. “People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear muggers and police looking for bribes.”

2. “Marc Antony was not to be depicted as a monster, but as a love-struck fool.”

3. “People no longer seem to care about owning movies, are decreasingly interested in going to the movie theater, and studios seem to be betting on the fact that the format, not the actual movie, is the selling point.”

4. “The company apparently wastes very little money on lobbying and political contributions—nor, obviously, on a public relations department.”

5. “He founded and ran the trade journal from 1987 to 1991.”

Answers

1. “People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear muggers — and police looking for bribes.”

Explanation: The original sentence construction implies that residents fear being shaken down for bribes by muggers and police. A confusing sentence structure is sometimes clarified by reversing the order of the listed items, but “they fear police looking for bribes and muggers” only replicates the problem; now, the concern is identified as police on the lookout for both extortion opportunities and hoodlums. However, giving the police objectives equal weight muddles the sentence’s meaning. Introducing parallelism inspired by the previous phrase — “they fear both muggers and police looking for bribes” — is better but still somewhat awkward.

A superior solution is to use the correlative conjunction “not only” and its companion phrase “but also,” which not only provides logical syntax but also strengthens the sentence’s impact by introducing the mundane followed by the unexpected: “People do not go outside their homes after dark, saying they fear not only muggers but also police looking for bribes.” However, the original solution offered above does so most simply.

2. “Marc Antony was to be depicted not as a monster but as a love-struck fool.”

Explanation: This syntax resembles the correct form of the “not only . . . but also” construction alluded to above. However, the phrase “was not to be depicted as a monster” works only if it is juxtaposed with an independent clause: “Marc Antony was not to be depicted as a monster; the intent was to portray him as a love-struck fool.”

Otherwise, the solution is to poise not directly after the verb (depicted), rather than before it, so that the alternatives are represented in parallel, one preceded by “not as” and the other following as. (The as before “a monster,” sundered from not, does not logically convey the opposing idea of the as before “a love-struck fool.”)

3. “People no longer seem to care about owning movies and are decreasingly interested in going to the movie theater, and studios seem to be betting on the fact that the format, not the actual movie, is the selling point.”

Explanation: This sentence expresses three ideas: movie ownership, interest in viewing movies in theaters, and studio perception that format is more important than product. But structurally, it implies that all three ideas will pertain to what consumers want. The presence of the third, studio-centric idea, however, means that the subject “people” pertains only to the first two ideas, which need to be linked with a conjunction, not a comma. (The studio idea is expressed in an independent clause.) Therefore, this is not an “a, b, and c” sentence, but an “a and b, and c” sentence.

4. “The company apparently wastes very little money on lobbying and political contributions. (It also, obviously, spends nothing on a PR department.)”

Explanation: Nor is associated only with negative expressions: “Neither you nor I is responsible”; “I didn’t get to see the movie, nor did I want to.” This sentence, though it refers to a company policy of minimalization of funding for certain activities, does not include a negative expression, so nor is incorrect.

For it to be appropriate, the entire sentence would need to be cast in a negative sense, as in “The company apparently doesn’t spend very much money on lobbying and political contributions—nor, obviously, on a public relations department.” But perhaps the clearest revision is one that divides into separate sentences the comment about contributions from the one about public relations.

5. “He founded the trade journal in 1987 and ran it from its launch to 1991.”

Explanation: The sentence structure implies that the consultant founded the trade journal during the given span of years as well as running it during that time, but founding occurs at a point, not along a time continuum, so the two actions — founding and running — need to be separated into distinct syntactical elements.

But if you are editing this sentence, rather than writing it, and don’t know the facts firsthand, you need to confirm the founding date; the founder didn’t necessarily run the journal from the beginning. (They might have taken the operation over from someone else who was originally in charge.)

---

Original Post: A Short Quiz About Parallel Construction
Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook.

7 More Fixes for Dangling Modifiers

Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:17 PM PST

Some time ago, I pointed out the perils of dangling modifiers, presenting sample sentences and offering annotated revisions. Unfortunately, my stock of such specimens, discovered in the course of my editing work and in leisure reading alike, has grown rather than diminished. I therefore here inflict another set of them on you, one of as many rounds as are necessary to finally eradicate dangling modifiers from the face of the Earth.

As a guest columnist for DailyWritingTips explained quite well in her post on the topic, “The dangling modifier is usually a phrase or an elliptical clause (a dependent clause in which some words have intentionally been left out), often at the beginning of a sentence, that either doesn’t modify anything specific in the sentence or modifies the wrong word or part of the sentence.”

Here’s a dissection of sentences entangled by dangling modifiers:

1. “Drawn from a series of wildly popular cookbooks, international culinary celebrity, Australia-based Steve James, presents practical versions of the world’s greatest vegetarian cuisine.”

The sentence implies that the celebrity in question is drawn from the cookbooks. Whenever you’re confronted with such a contextual contortion, start with the subject. While you’re at it, level the adjectival stack by relaxing the person’s description: “Steve James, an international culinary celebrity based in Australia, presents practical versions of the world’s greatest vegetarian cuisine drawn from a series of wildly popular cookbooks.”

2. “Once used to store ice, food, and alcohol, guests can still explore the mine and enjoy its cool temperature all year round.”

Guests can consume ice, food, and alcohol, but they can’t store it. That’s the mine’s job, so recast the sentence to say as much by, as in the previous example, simply starting with the subject, followed by the reference to its earlier purpose: “The mine was once used to store ice, food, and alcohol, and guests can still explore the tunnels and enjoy their cool temperature all year round.”

3. “Originally founded as a purveyor of trinkets for Japanese festivals and carnivals, the company’s rise to prominence began in the early 1970s.”

The use of a possessive form of a noun immediately after an introductory modifier is a screaming sign of a syntactical screw-up. The subject of the sentence is not “the company,” but “the company’s rise to prominence,” so it is the company’s rocket to stardom, not the company itself, that is incorrectly being identified as having been founded.

Recast the sentence so that the company itself, not its ascendancy, is the subject: “The company, originally founded as a purveyor of trinkets for Japanese festivals and carnivals, rose to prominence beginning in the early 1970s.”

4. “As your mortgage loan originator, you will receive the benefit of my lending experience and ongoing education to help guide you throughout the entire loan process.”

I’ve heard of self-service, but this is ridiculous. This sentence seems to be confused about the identity of my mortgage loan originator, who (in this case, anyway), inappropriately puts the customer first. The writer is offering their expertise, so the subject must be a first-person pronoun: “As your mortgage loan originator, I offer you the benefit of my lending experience and ongoing education to help guide you throughout the entire loan process.”

5. “While going to the bar one last time, my ‘Mike Johnson’ campaign sign accidentally falls out of my jacket pocket.”

The writer’s “Mike Johnson” campaign sign has obviously gone to the bar too many times already if it can’t prevent itself from falling out of his jacket pocket. The writer must introduce themselves into the modifier to make it clear that they, not the sign, are frequenting the bar: “While I’m going to the bar one last time, my ‘Mike Johnson’ campaign sign accidentally falls out of my jacket pocket.” (Also, the quotation marks around the candidate’s name are optional, but because those words are presumably featured on the sign, the marks are appropriate.)

6. “Bordered by Libya, Sudan, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic, the CIA list for natural hazards includes ‘periodic droughts and locust plagues,’ which places Chad in a proper biblical context.”

Chad, not the CIA list, is bordered by the other named nations, so why is it relegated to the end of the sentence? Introduce it, appropriately, in the introductory phrase: “The list of natural hazards for Chad, bordered by Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan, includes ‘periodic droughts and locust plagues,’ which places the nation in a proper biblical context.” (Notice, also, that I reordered the heretofore randomly listed names of countries alphabetically; for geographical entities, a sequence corresponding to relative location is also appropriate. Avoid arbitrarily ordered lists.)

7. “Since releasing their 2002 debut, the biggest criticism directed at the band has been that they couldn’t replicate their raucous live energy in the studio.”

Is “the Biggest Criticism” the name of the band? No. The unnamed band released the debut, so the sentence must be heavily revised to shift “the band” to immediately follow the introductory modifier: “Since the release of their 2002 debut, the band has been the subject of criticism, primarily that it couldn’t replicate its raucous live energy in the studio.” (Also — in American English, at least — a band is a single entity and should be referred to by single pronouns.)

---

Original Post: 7 More Fixes for Dangling Modifiers
Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook.

10 Intensifiers You Should Really, Absolutely Avoid

Posted: 07 Nov 2011 08:49 PM PST

You are not hereby forbidden to employ the following adjectives according to their casual connotations, but to strengthen your writing, try limiting usage to that which most closely reflects their literal meaning:

1. Absolute: The original sense of absolute is “ultimate,” but now it is weakly used as an intensifier (“It was an absolute riot!”). Minimize, too, usage in the connotations of “outright” and “unquestionable” and reserve it to mean “unrestrained” or “fundamental.”

2. Awesome: Originally, something awesome inspired awe. Now, the most mundane phenomena are exalted as such. Try devoting this word to truly spectacular sensations alone.

3. Fabulous: This adjective, derived from fable, once referred to sensory stimuli one might expect to encounter in a flight of fancy. It’s long since been appropriated to describe extravagant fashion sense or, more mundanely, notable accomplishments, but it is most potent when restricted to describing phantasmagorical phenomena.

4. Fantastic: Avoid using as a synonym for excellent; senses such as “unbelievable,” “enormous,” and “eccentric” are truer to the source.

5. Incredible: As with fantastic, usage of this word has strayed far from the original meaning of something that does not seem possible. Only if a story literally cannot be believed is it authentically incredible.

6. Magnificent: Something magnificent was originally grand or sumptuous, exalted or sublime, but the word has been diminished in impact by its exclamation in response to merely commendable achievements. Reserve usage to describe things of stunning impact.

7. Real: This term derives from the Latin term res, “thing, fact,” and should be used only to denote genuine, actual, extant, practical phenomena; minimize its use, and that of the adverb really, as a synonym for complete or completely.

8. Terrific: Terrific, originally referring to something terrifying, has long been rendered impotent by use as a synonym for great, but try to reserve it for such descriptions as “a terrific crash.”

9. Very: The most abused word on this list — and one of the most in the entire English language — comes from the Latin word for “true.” Consider restraining yourself from using it in writing except to convey verity, precision, and other adjectival connotations, rather than the adverbial sense of “exceedingly.”

10. Wonderful: Use when a sense of wonder is involved, or at least when there’s an element of surprise, not just to suggestion a reaction of delight.

---

Original Post: 10 Intensifiers You Should Really, Absolutely Avoid
Your eBook: Click here to download the Basic English Grammar ebook.

English 11 week of November 7

Monday and Tuesday: Strategies for Reading packet
Wednesday: Foldable for types of reading questions
Thursday and Friday: Vocabulary work

4th hour: reading Beowulf

Writing a reflection

Use the link to read how to write a reflection: http://www.ehow.com/way_5184362_tips-writing-reflection-paper.html

Social Media

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SuNx0UrnEo&feature=youtube_gdata_player and view an interesting video

Beowulf audio version free

I'm not sure if this is the poetry version, however, it will give you the same story if it's prose:

Go to http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19633 to download what format you need.

Happy reading!

ACT Reading Test

It's important to understand what the ACT reading test consists of; therefore, please read the information at http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions/readdescript.html

ACT English test tips

Look at the following links

http://www.universitylanguage.com/guides/act-english/

http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions/engdescript.html

http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/subtests.html

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-act-english-test-dos-and-donts.html


Compile the information into 1 page - easy to read tips for "Taking the English test for ACT". Please save in your English 11 digital portfolio AND please print.

Seamus Heaney

Please read this interview about the New Beowulf...

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june00/beowulf.html

English 11 week of October 31

1st hour
Mon: Finish Of Mice and Men movie. Work on attention grabber for Friendship essay
Tues: Finish draft of essay
Wed: Dialogue about draft- write final draft
Thur: Strategies for reading
Fri: Types of questions foldable

2nd/5th hour
Mon: ACT English poster
Tues: Finish poster; English practice on Internet
Wed: Strategies for reading
Thur: Strategies for reading
Fri: Types of questions foldable

4th hour
Mon: Beowulf intro; reading
Tues: Beowulf
Wed: Strategies for reading applied to Beowulf
Thur: Strategies for reading applied to Beowulf
Fri: Strategies for reading applied to Beowulf

7th hour
Mon: Of Mice and Men movie
Tues: Finish Of Mice and Men movie - dialogue about ending
Wed: Timed writing on Friendship regarding George and Lennie
Thurs: Strategies for reading
Fri: Types of questions foldable

5 Rules About Conjunctive Adverbs

5 Rules About Conjunctive Adverbs - DailyWritingTips

---

5 Rules About Conjunctive Adverbs

Posted: 25 Oct 2011 08:02 PM PDT

Many words and phrases are similar in function to the conjunction and, but they’re not exact replacements; they even belong in a different grammatical class — adverbs. But because of this similarity, they’re called conjunctive adverbs or adverbial conjunctions. When considering using any of the special adverbs discussed below — the simplest and most common among this subclass — with or in place of and, keep these rules in mind:

1. “As Well As” Stands Alone

The phrase “as well as” serves to distance a phrase from a preceding item or list of items:

“Bioethics addresses issues of medical administration, medical economics, industrial medicine, epidemiology, legal medicine, treatment of animals, as well as environmental issues.”

Because “as well as environmental issues” is a separate phrase, the preceding list requires its own conjunction before the final item: “Bioethics addresses issues of medical administration, medical economics, industrial medicine, epidemiology, legal medicine, and treatment of animals, as well as environmental issues.”

2. Clauses Share Conjunctive Adverbs

The presence of a conjunction in a subordinate clause obviates the need for another one in the main clause:

“In addition to managing the application server and the database, the company also tackles Web applications.”

When you begin a sentence with a connector, do not introduce another later in the sentence: “In addition to managing the application server and the database, the company tackles Web applications.”

3. Conjunctions and Conjunctive Adverbs Clash

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, in a sample sentence demonstrating the definition of also, allows the combination “and also,” as shown in this construction:

“I did check-in procedures when they were first arrested and also checked them for weapons and such before they went into their rooms.”

However, I see no point in retaining also and recommend its deletion: “I did check-in procedures with them when they were first arrested and checked them for weapons and such before they went into their rooms.”

4. Let Etc. Carry Its Own Load

A similar redundancy can occurs with etc.; fortunately, few people commit this error in their writing, but in searching for examples online, I found many company names following the “Widgets and Etc.” model. Etc., an abbreviation of the Latin et cetera (hence the pronunciation), means “and so on,” and so forth,” “and the like,” so preceding it with and is redundant.

By the way, style guides recommend using one of the English forms in favor of the Latin abbreviation. If you’re going to ignore this sensible advice, at least punctuate the sentence correctly by preceding the abbreviation with a comma: “Symptoms of alcohol abuse are identical to those of heart failure due to viral infection, high blood pressure, etc.” If etc. occurs mid-sentence, punctuate after it as well: “Symptoms of alcohol abuse are identical to those of heart failure due to viral infection, high blood pressure, etc., so it is easily misdiagnosed or missed.”

5. Take Care in Placing Too

Too can be situated in various places in a sentence, depending on the sentence’s intended meaning:

“Too, I think mediation should be considered.”

However, it should not start a sentence: “I think, too, mediation should be considered first,” in which the placement of too clearly indicates that the writer is expressing an additional thought, is the correct syntactical arrangement. “I think mediation should be considered, too,” while also correct, is ambiguous: It could mean the same thing, or it could signal agreement with another person’s opinion. “I, too, think mediation should be considered first” unequivocally communicates the latter meaning.

But don’t let the injunction against the adverbial conjunction too at the head of a sentence deter you from beginning one with the pure adverb too: “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

Character recipes

Use the templates at http://www.hp.com/hho/hp_create/cards-recipe_cards.html
to create your recipe

Of Mice and Men audio files

go to http://dedicationtechnologies.com/oman/ to find out and download Of Mice and Men, the audio version.

English 11 week of October 24

October 24: Make sure you have turned in your outline; Watching Grammar Follies, reading time.

October 25: Dialogue with teacher about outline during reading time. Work on and share attention grabber.

October 26: Finish draft in class. Submit to teacher.

October 27: Watch grammar video, reading time. 1st and 7th hour: Of Mice and Men movie

October 28: Dialogue with teacher about draft. Self edit.

Note: Daily this week 1st and 7th hour will be doing additional work with Of Mice and Men.

Phrases in your writing

---

7 Classes of Phrases Phrase is such a banal term for two or more words that convey an idea that it may surprise you that there are seven types of phrases, with variations. Here, with pertinent phrases in sample sentences formatted in boldface, is a rundown of the categories: 1. Absolute Phrase An absolute phrase is a modifying parenthetical or subordinate phrase of a root sentence that includes a subject but does not have an acting verb so cannot stand on its own as sentence: “Having said that, she back-pedaled and denied the accusation.” 2. Appositive Phrase An appositive phrase is one that restates a preceding term, or expands or explains it, in a parenthetical statement. There are three variations of appositive phrases: “Her dog, a bull mastiff, looks ridiculous with a pink bow stuck to her head” features a noun phrase. “His favorite hobby, knitting, is rather unusual for a man” includes a gerund phrase. “The Tahitian’s ambition, to become an ice skater, is unexpected” has an infinitive phrase. Note that these three types of phrases are explained below; the distinction in the phrase types as applied above, as opposed to the types described below, is that each type serves as the basis for an appositive phrase; on their own, they need not be appositive, or set off. 3. Gerund Phrase A gerund phrase includes a verbal, a hybrid that functions as a noun (or adjective). There are three distinct functions: “Juggling knives is not recommended as a relaxation technique” includes a gerund phase as the subject of the sentence. “I’m going for a long walk off a short pier” features a gerund phrase as the sentence’s object. “She’s saving up for a vacation in Antarctica” has a gerund phrase as the object of a preposition. 4. Infinitive Phrase An infinitive phrase includes the word to and a verb as the basis of a modification of a root sentence: “His effort to pass the bill doomed his political ambitions” includes an infinitive phrase that functions as an adjective modifying the previous noun. “He plans to see the movie” features an infinitive phrase that functions as the sentence’s object. “To write of the experience is to dredge up unpleasant memories” has an infinitive phrase that functions as the sentence’s subject. “To say as much is to admit guilt” includes an infinitive phrase that serves as predicate nominative, or a substitute subject. “I went to the store to buy some ice cream” features an infinitive phrase that stands as an adverb (modifying the verb went). 5. Noun Phrase A noun phrase consists of a person, place, or thing and any modifiers: “This is a grammar lesson.” It may include one or more adjectives (as grammar modifies lesson here). It might include a noun and a modifying clause: “This is a lesson that explains the various types of phrases.” It might take the form of one of three other types of phrase: infinitive, participial, and prepositional. (The infinitive phrase is discussed above, and the latter two types are described below.) Many noun phrases are continuous; they consist of words in sequence. However, a noun phrase may be discontinuous, meaning that it is broken up into more than one element: “This lesson is one that explains the various types of phrases.” 6. Participial Phrase A participial phrase consists of verbals ending in -ing or -ed, or another irregular form of a verb, and serves as an adjective: The participial phrase in “Having been lied to before, I was wary” modifies the word I. The phrase may be parenthetical within a sentence, too: In “You, knowing what you now know, are in a better position to judge,” the participial phrase modifies the word you. 7. Prepositional Phrase A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and a noun or pronoun that serves as the preposition’s object, and often one or more adjectives: “I went for a walk in the dark woods.” Prepositional phrases are often located at the head of a sentence. “When the sun went down, I hurried back.”

Essay of Comparison

Hours 1, 2, and 7 English 11:

Students analyze Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiment; Students will compare each through purpose.

Purpose: Position of people; motivate people; grievances

Hours 4 and 5 English 11:

Students analyze Hammurabi’s Code and the Twelve tables of Law; Students will compare each through purpose.

Purpose: Use political power to create common bonds between people

Review Essay of Comparison (Siebranek 193-197)

Wednesday: Venn diagram

Thursday: Outlining

Friday: Wrap up outline - dialogue with teacher

Monday: Writing

Friday: Writing

Focus on Future

ACT is more than just another test. It is a predictor of your future.

You are to research schools that you are interested in and email me:
aluttke@homeoftheshamrocks.org

1. Name of school and location (city, state)
2. ACT score minimum requirement to apply
3. Scholarships offered by that school that have an ACT requirement.

To find schools do a google search

Google search: "Top colleges and universities for ...(use the name of your career pathway)"

OR

you can visit https://www.collegetoolkit.com/colleges/browse/act_composite/michigan/26.aspx

you can visit http://fairtest.org/university/optional

OR

you can find out schools for skilled workers at http://www.breakingthroughcc.org/overview/breaking-through-strands

IF YOU HAVE TIME

Check out:

ACT state scholarship at http://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/0,1607,7-128-38193_39939-6189--,00.html

Basic information
http://www.collegebound.net/college-search-school-guide/?referer=http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=CZm_RIEqYTvWeM8S8sQLS4_yJBsW1-ugB1fOS3h7yuZK8XggAEAIoA1C68dSp-f____8BYMnGrYmQpLQSkAECyAEBqgQYT9AyQcYHC7_jott_JEVvU3fH4Urw2WVA&sig=AOD64_2_Wfh7FN8NdWnmGYyGdK0eZuxHhQ&ved=0CA8Q0Qw4Cg&adurl=http://www.collegebound.net/college-search-school-guide/clickcount.php%3Fid%3D13155833%26goto%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.collegebound.net%252Fcollege-search-school-guide%252F&rct=j&q=Top%20colleges%20and%20universities%20based%20on%20michigan%20career%20pathways&campaign_id=13155833&fromclickcount=true&

Semicolon and Colon practice on your own

Go to Grammar book and try at quiz: http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/semicolons_and_colons_1.asp

Quia is another favorite site of mine; if you are not comfortable using your own name then create one! Try this quiz at http://www.quia.com/quiz/280221.html

Comma practice on your own

Try this http://www.ghc.edu/faculty/winsor/grammar/unit3/u3quiz.htm for more practice

Also, Chomp Chomp has wonderful quizzes with comma splices at http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm.

English 11 week of October 10

Monday: Comma videos, inclass writing, comma practice
Tuesday: Comma stations in library
Wednesday: Comma practice; Semicolons and colons work
Thursday: Comma wrap up; Semicolon and colon work
Friday: Semicolon and colon wrap up; Assessment on commas/tense/semicolons

Please note: 4th hour read Of Mice and Men and will be doing additional work with that during class this week.

Lab work for Thursday, October 6 Semicolons/Colons

Go to http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/practice_semicolon_quiz.htm and try the quiz

Now listen to some Mozart at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi8vJ_lMxQI

But wait! There's more at http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/semicolons_and_colons_1.asp

Watch a video on semicolons and colons at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfFgDeldSm4

One more time at http://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/punctuation/quizzes/Comma.htm

English 11 week of October 3

Monday: Detailed writing review, Semicolons and Colons
Tuesday/Wednesday 1-5: Independent Reading strategies, Semicolons, Colons
Tuesday 7th: Independent Reading Strategies, Semicolons, Colons
Wednesday 7th: Silent Reading, Reading Record
Thursday: Writing correction, punctuation assessment (semicolon, colon)
Friday: Transitions

Punctuation saves lives!

7th hour English 11 detailed writing September 29

Using your reading of Ben Franklin's Autobiography answer:

What inferences, conclusions, can you make about Franklin's attitudes and beliefs, based on his plan to achieve moral perfection?

attitude is defined as feelings or actions

beliefs is defined as faith, morals, or truth

Write for 20 minutes

Type, double space

Email a copy to yourself

5th hour English 11 detail writing for September 29

Using the article create a detailed writing on

Why were hieroglyphics important for the Egyptians

Allow 25 minutes to complete this writing

Type this writing, print it and email it to yourself

Use (Singh) to reference the reading

Use Cambria, double spaced, and 12 point font

English 11 week of Sept 26

Monday: Lab work on commas, test taking skills, and grammar

Tuesday: Comma assessment, Prequiz punctuation, Intro colons and semi colons

Wednesday: Colons, semi colon wrap up, Talking to text. Homework: finish reading with talking to text

Thursday: Writing about reading - typing, saving in H: English 11 digital portfolio

Friday: Silent reading, turning in reading record.

Monday lab expectations

1. Go to http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm, read and complete the 9 quizzes, both on commas and punctuation.

2. Go to http://www.testinfo.net/act/act-tips.htm and read ALL the information regarding test taking tips.

3. go to http://www.lumosity.com/brain-games/flexibility-games/word-bubbles and try the brain game.

4. finish your day with www.freerice.com. Try the vocabulary and grammar. It's a challenge, but a worthy cause!

5. Try commas at http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm

Of Mice and Men audio files

go to http://dedicationtechnologies.com/oman/ to find out and download Of Mice and Men, the audio version.

Proficient Readers are Strategic Readers

Successful readers set a purpose for reading and draw on prior knowledge, experiences, and a variety of strategies to make meaning from text. They continually monitor their comprehension and, as needed, will stop and revisit their “tool kit” of reading strategies to gain a better understanding of what they are reading. Proficient readers often find themselves questioning or reorganizing text, summarizing, analyzing, and making connections to other subjects and contexts (National Institute for Literacy 2007).
Struggling readers, by contrast, are challenged by expository text because they rely on too few or ineffective strategies, do not monitor their understanding, or cannot transfer strategies used in casual reading to academic texts. When reading is unsuccessful or laborious, it ceases to be motivating. Consequently, struggling readers avoid reading and often have difficulty learning in many subject areas.
Teachers cannot control the knowledge and experiences that students bring to the classroom. But they can help students access or retrieve knowledge about a particular subject to help them make connections to the new knowledge to which they are about to be introduced. Teachers cannot wave a magic wand and double students’ vocabulary overnight but can provide them with tools to unlock the meaning of unfamiliar words. And teachers can provide opportunities for students to use new words in meaningful contexts. Teachers may not be able to alter the syntax or structures of text, but they can provide students with strategies to understand how text is organized.
To accomplish the task of helping students become proficient readers and learners, teachers need to have strategies at hand. A selection of the most useful strategies to assist struggling readers composes the remainder of this guide.

English 11 week of Sept 19

Monday: Revising Reading log; Reading
Tuesday: Video clip - The Knights Tales; Reading
Wednesday: Semi colons; Colons - pretest
Thursday: Detailed writing on a quote
Friday: Video clip - The Knights Tale; Reading

Reader's log Tone

Overall feeling or effect created by a writer's use of words.

Serious
Mock serious
Humorous
Satiric (sarcasm)

Tone is primarily conveyed through diction (words), point of view (narrator), syntax (style of writing with phrase, clauses, sentence lengths) , and level of formality.

Reader's log

Your name:
Title of Book:
Author:
Genre:
Length of time reading this week:

What is the tone of your book?

8+ sentences that give examples and explanation of the tone.

Adverb game!

Try this game to test your skills with adverbs!

Click on the word and post your results in comments!

English 11 week of September 12

Monday - Adverbs review; homework: Adverb concerns/questions

Tuesday - Reading work, Commas; homework: Reading work finished

Wednesday - Commas, Writing on reading, Memory practice

Thursday - Comma wrap up, Writing; homework: Reading 20 minutes

Friday - Assessment, Reading, Reading log

Items needed by Friday

3 ring binder - you can use it for more than one class - I do not check binders
Single Subject Notebook
Book

English 11 week of Sept 6

Tuesday: Syllabus
Wednesday: Syllabus, Writing, Exam
Thursday: Adverbs, Video, Reading
Friday: Reading, Book Check, Reader's log

4th hour: Homeless issues Fighting Hunger

This lesson encourages students to investigate domestic hunger in the United States as well as in their own communities and offers resources to support youth in the fight against hunger.

Conduct online research.
Use the Internet to define and research the terms hunger, malnourishment, and food insecurity:

Hunger is the uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food; the recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food. Many scientists consider hunger to be chronically inadequate nutritional intake due to low incomes (i.e., people do not have to experience pain to be hungry from a nutritional perspective).

Malnutrition is a serious health impairment resulting from substandard nutrient intake. Malnutrition may result from a lack of food, a chronic shortage of key nutrients, or impaired absorption or metabolism associated with chronic conditions or disease

Food insecurity is limited or certain unavailability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

Look into the following research topics related to hunger:

• Reasons hunger exists in the "land of plenty"


• Causes of hunger in local communities


• Connection between hunger and poverty

Share findings via email with me. Remember to cite your information!

Suggested Online Resources for Student Research - copy and paste into Google search:
Klein Foundation's Hunger Service Learning Center
What's your hunger IQ?
www.endhunger.com
www.hungerinamerica.org
Twelve myths about hunger
A Blueprint to End Hunger (PDF)
Hunger statistics
Childcare plan to aid homeless

Extension Activity

Discuss why your local area needs programs and services that respond to people in need of food. As a class, brainstorm ways to help provide food for those experiencing need.

Write a short essay or journal entry that reflects new insights and personal responses to a lesson learned.

Unbirthday Box images

Right click your image and "save as" in your English 11 digital portfolio