August 29, 2014

Learning Target: I will consider how the occasion of a political speech - its moment in history - affects its content, and how syntax - especially sentence length and parallel structure and antithesis - affects a speech's flow and the emphasis of certain ideas.

No homework - Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Bellringer:  JFK's Inaugural Address...Historical Context.Read the paragraph in the middle of page 72.  What do you think were some of the international and domestic challenges facing the US in 1961? Even if you are not positive, think about what was going on in the world and in the US at that time.  Consider also what had happened in the world in the previous 15-20 years (since 1941). Then we will listen to the first 6 mins and 10 sec of the speech and answer the following questions on pp 72-73: 5, 6, 8, 9, 11,12.

NF reading passage and questions


Didion Student Essays

August 28, 2014

Learning Target: I will continue to build my lexicon of rhetorical terms and use them reflect both critically and sympathetically on a variety of genres.

Quiz on Unit 2 rhetorical terms



In your journals... Reading a song...Mercy Street by Peter Gabriel: Poetry and song lyrics are often not as direct or logos driven as other forms of writing. Keep that in mind as you listen to this song.

What elements of the song and performance appeal to pathos? 
What elements of the performance establish ethos of the artist(s)?  
What word(s) would you use to describe the mood of the song? On a related note, what emotions or ideas does this song evoke for you? 
What words or phrases stood out for you? Why?

http://safeshare.tv/w/DxZPAJLhmp

NF reading passage and questions

Kennedy's speech on pp 69-72  followed by qusetions on 72-73

Didion Student Essays

August 27, 2014

Learning Target: I will identify rhetorical elements such as diction, syntax and mood in a written text, and connect those to how they support the author's larger purposes in that text.

Homework: 

Finish reading Chapter 2 in LOC and review the glossary of rhetorical terms.  Likely quiz tomorrow on chapter 2 and its rhetorical terms (15 points).

Bellringer: Rhetorical strategies, effects, and purpose in the Santa Ana Winds passage. (20 minutes) 

Referring back to pages 49-56, answer the following:

1) Diction and mood: Discuss what words would best describe the mood of the first and second paragraphs (you may use your own words or those mentioned in the textbook), and how specific word choices in the first and second paragraph contribute to the mood of those paragraphs?

2)  Syntax: Briefly discuss how Didion's uses of a long, cumulative sentence in the second paragraph on 49 suggests a building threat; also, briefly discuss how she uses shorter sentences later in the paragaph.

3) In the third paragraph, what is the primary technique Didion uses to demonstrate that "science bears out folk wisdom"?  

4) What do the author's of the textbook suggest the purpose of Didion's piece may be?

Pair and share, briefly discuss your answers to the bellringer.

Leave enough time to create an exit ticket with both your names on and answers (with the page number where your found the answers - pssst...it's the same page for both) to the following: According to the textbook,

1) What effect was Didion striving for in the piece?

2) How does she create that effect? 

4)

August 26, 2014 4AP

Learning Target:  I will continue to reinforce my developing knowledge of rhetoric and its lexicon of terms.

Bellringer: August 26, 2014: The Persona of Your Memoir Writer:  The persona of a writer or speaker is the face or self that a speaker shows to his audience.  It is essentially the personality that a person shows to others.  To quote our text, Lou Gherig is a famous baseball hero, but in his speech he presents himself as a common man who is modest and thankful for the opportunities he has. After having read a memoir, you should be intimately familiar with the author.  Here is today's challenge...Choose three adjectives to describe your author's persona (e.g., emotional, wise, honest) and then for each term, write a two to three sentences explaining why you chose that word to describe their persona in your memoir. 

• Pair and share...Find someone else who has read the same book as you and compare your impressions of the author's persona.

• Take rhetorical terms quiz

• Winston Churchill: The New Administration (aka.  Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat) from the 3 minute mark on Winston Churchill's New Administration speech

Homework: Read 49-59 of LOC

Peta image

August 25, 2014

Learning Target - I will continue to create a foundation for rhetorical awareness as a reader and writer.

Bellringer: Read the activity at the bottom of page 23 in The Language of Composition...Label the journal entry as follows August 25, 2014, Reading Images (p 22 of LOC) Then write a well developed paragraph (7-11 sentences) which answers the questions at the bottom of the page. (5 minutes)

Pair and share discussion

On pages 36-38, we have a list of rhetorical terms from this chapter.  One term is polemic.  Review that definition and then look back to the image at the top of page 25.  Do you think that image/advertisement is a polemic?  Why or why not? (4-6 sentences)

Pages 36-38 contains a Glossary of Rhetorical Terms.  One term is persona. In your own words, describe the persona of the character in your memoir.  In other words, describe the self, or personality, that they put across in their memoir.  Find and copy down one paragraph which captures their personality.

Homework: Study the terms on pages 36-38.  We will have a 10 point (multiple choice or matching) quiz tomorrow on those terms. Also, read pp. 38-48 in the LOC.

August 21, 2014 4AP Summer Reading

1. Summer Reading Reflection Assignment...On a clean sheet of paper, copy/rewrite word-for word a paragraph from your book  which you felt was especially interesting, significant, or which you could relate to in some way.  (Make sure to include the author's last name and the page number at the end of the quote.) Oh, at the top of the page, please write "An excerpt from title of book you read".

Reflecting on the paragraph you wrote earlier, write a well-developed (7-11 sentences) reflection paragraph explaining what you felt was important and/or interesting about this passage. Some questions you might consider as you write that paragraph:

What was it about the passage caught your attention?
What does it reveal about the personality and life of the author?
Did this textual quote appeal to you primarily through ethos, pathos, or logos and why?
Could you relate to it personally at any level?   

When you are finished, please give this to Mr. Wesley.

In your journal...
The letter from Ruth Marcus to The House of Representatives (p. 16) discusses the issue of technology on the floor of the House of Representatives.  She gently and humorously argues it is a distraction.

LT is currently considering allowing student to BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) and may start issuing tablets to students beginning next year.  What do you think about the use of smart phones and tablets in the classroom?  Should they be allowed or not? What are the pros and cons of their use in the classroom?
Should they be allowed but only under certain conditions?  If so, what conditions?  Write for approximately 7 minutes.

Homework:

Group Guidance tomorrow in Room 140 - come here first for attendance.

Bring your summer reading book and text book on Monday 

August 20, 2014

August 20, 2014 4AP



Dealing with the mentally ill in San Antonio

Listen to the NPR story

San Antonio Mental Health story


With a partner...

Did you feel the reporter established ethos? How so? What made the reporter of this story feel legitimate and trustworthy or not so much?

What about the police officer? Did he seem trustworthy?  Why?

The letter from Ruth Marcus to The House of Representatives (p. 16) discusses the issue of technology on the floor of the House of Representatives.  She gently and humorously argues it is a distraction.

LT is currently considering allowing student to BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) and may start issuing tablets to students beginning next year.  What do you think about the use of smart phones and tablets in the classroom?  Should they be allowed or not? What are the pros and cons of their use in the classroom?
Should they be allowed but only under certain conditions?  If so, what conditions?  Write for approximately 7 minutes.

Homework: 

Read pages 24-35 (but do not do the activities) in The Language of Composition in preparation for tomorrow.

Bring your Summer Reading book and your signed syllabus for tomorrow.

August 19, 2014

Open Book quiz...

Take out a piece of paper...

Write down one or two word which you think best describes each of the following...

1. Ethos
2. Logos
3. pathos

What do the letters in SOAPS stand for? 

4. S
5. O
6. A
7. P
8. S

9-15. (7 points)  Think about the last time you had a discussion or argument where you were trying to persuade someone to see something from your perspective or do something you wanted or needed them to do. What were the SOAPS of that argument and which appeal (pathos, logos, ethos) do you feel was most important in your attempt to get your point across.  In two or three sentences, explain why that appeal struck you as the most important part of your argument.

S
O
A
P
S

Ethos, logos, or pathos...Which was most important and why?

Grade your own paper...



Listen to the NPR story

San Antonio Mental Health story


With a partner...

Did you feel the reporter established ethos? How so? What made the reporter of this story feel legitimate and trustworthy or not so much?

What about the police officer? Did he seem trustworthy?  Why?

Homework: Read pages 11-23 in The Language of Composition in preparation for tomorrow.

Since I will frequently post assignments, blog entries, and helpful resources on my Google blogspot, it would be a good idea for you to create a Google account using your LT email address!   Due to LT technology policies, it is imperative that you use your LT email to create a Google account for this class. Also, please enter your LT email in the "Follow This Blog" box.

Having a Google account will also allow you to access files which I share with you from my Google Drive files.  I will make many of the assignments and supporting resources available through Google Drive, so this will definitely benefit you. Google Drive also allows you to collaborate with classmates on projects.

Video: How to create a Google account

August 18, 2014
IV AP Language and Composition
Mr. Wesley

·         Welcome – Sit wherever you would like.

·         Attendance (5 mins)

·         A little bit about me and my background with AP Language and Comp

·         Hand out syllabus and review

·         Distribute “The Language of Composition”

·         A little bit about you…Please take 10 minutes to complete the getting to know you

·         Tapping into what you already know: Think back a couple of years…what do you remember learning about ethos, pathos, and logos: Individually, take 3 minutes and write down everything you can recall – simple definitions, examples, etc. 

·         Homework: Read 1-10 in The Language of Composition (TLOC) …At the beginning of tomorrow’s class, you will have a bellringer journal writing prompt related to that reading.
 

Google Account

Since I will frequently post assignments, blog entries, and helpful resources on my Google blogspot, it would be a good idea for you to create a Google account using your LT email address!   Due to LT technology policies, it is imperative that you use your LT email to create a Google account for this class. Also, please enter your LT email in the "Follow This Blog" box.

Having a Google account will also allow you to access files which I share with you from my Google Drive files.  I will make many of the assignments and supporting resources available through Google Drive, so this will definitely benefit you. Google Drive also allows you to collaborate with classmates on projects.

Video: How to create a Google account

The work of art is invariably the creation of a new world, so that the first thing we should do is to study that new world as closely as possible.

Vladimir Nabokov

from Good Readers and Good Writers