Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 9 (Oct. 24)

Greetings!

As with every week, I have a full agenda for our class period.  We started with a Quick Write, which was inspired by the fact that Oct. 24 is the 158th anniversary of the 1st transcontinental telegraph from Justice Stephen Field in California to President Lincoln in Washington, D. C.  I asked the students to list as many ways of communicating that they could think of, and we filled the board with our responses. 

Our Words of the Day were again unusual words.  Some could be decoded because they had familiar word stems, but for the others the students came up with creative definitions:

biblioklept -- fr. Greek, biblio, book; kleptes, thief -- someone who steals books

acnestis -- fr. Greek, knestis, spine -- the part of an animal's skin between the shoulder blades that it usually cannot reach.

octothorpe -- the symbol (#).  Note:  The origin of the word is disputed.  Some say it was a practical joke, and others say that it was named by Bell Laboratories to be used in telephone computing language and was named for the 8 legs of the symbol and for James Thorpe whom the originator admired.  

augend & addend -- fr. Latin augendum. to augment; addendus, to be added -- these numbers refer to numbers in an addition equation.  The first is the augend, and the second is the addend.

Students received their final drafts of the Process Essays and handed in their pre-writes and rough drafts of their Classification or Extended Definintion Essays.  I will go over these and hand them back next week for them to revise.

We had a great discussion about the end of our book, My Antonia.  I started by giving them some talking stems so that they could do the work of moving the conversation along without my direct involvement.  I have found that most students (and most adults, for that matter) need help in having productive discussions on academic topics.  They did a wonderful job, and we closed our work with this book with some thoughtful insights.  For the remainder of the semester, we will be reading selections from the prairie genre of literature.  Their assignment for next week is to read a portion of the first chapter of O. E. Rolvaag's Giants of the Earth and to highlight landscape descriptions that help set the tone or that are significant to the story.  They should also be working on their book projects.

We spent a considerable amount of time this week in Grammar discussion.  Most of the class did not do well on the worksheets relating to sentence patterns.  I did not do any pre-teaching of this topic, so it gave me a clearer picture of what the students know and don't know.  I told them that if they can show me that they understand this material, I will remove that low score.  With that incentive, they were pretty engaged as we talked about subjects, predicates, linking verbs, action verbs, predicate nouns, predicate adjectives, direct objects, and indirect objects.  I had intended for them to work together on the grammar assignment, but we ran out of time.  That assignment is at the bottom of this email.

Note:  For a review of the grammar discussion, read the Rocketbook Notes that Alyse took and that are attached below.

Assignments for Next Week:

-- My Antonia Final Exam

-- Ready excerpt from Giants in the Earth, highlighting landscape descriptions that help set the tone or that are significant to the story

-- Grammar Assignment

Links for This Week

Class Notes

SENTENCE PATTERNS WORK (on the blog)

SENTENCE PATTERNS WORK (on Google Docs)

Accountable Talk Discussion Stems

10-24 Student Notes

Giants in the Earth (on Google Docs)

Giants in the Earth (on the blog)

Have a great weekend!  Enjoy the weather before it turns cold!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Sentence Patterns Work

Sentence Patterns Work

On a separate sheet of paper, write the following types of sentences.

• Write 4 N-LV-N  sentences (also known as S-LV-PN)  
• Write 4 N-LV-Adj sentences (also known as S-LV-PAdj)
• Write 4 N-V-N sentences (also known as S-V-DO)
• Write 4 N-V-N-N sentences (also known as S-V-IO-DO)

EXTRA CREDIT:

Write compound sentences that follow these patterns:

• N-LV-N, and N-LV-N.
• N-LV-Adj, but N-V-N

Write a complex sentence that follows this pattern:

• Because N-V-N, N-LV-Adj

Giants of the Earth

GIANTS IN THE EARTH 

Book 1 

THE LAND-TAKING 

Toward the Sunset 

I 

Bright, clear sky over a plain so wide that the rim of the heavens cut down on it around the entire horizon. . . . Bright, clear sky, to-day, to-morrow, and for all time to come. 

. . . And sun! And still more sun! It set the heavens afire every morning; it grew with the day to quivering golden light--then softened into all the shades of red and purple as evening fell. . . . Pure colour everywhere. A gust of wind, sweeping across the plain, threw into life waves of yellow and blue and green. Now and then a dead black wave would race over the scene . . . a cloud's gliding shadow . . . now and then. . . . 

It was late afternoon. A small caravan was pushing its way through the tall grass. The track that it left behind was like the wake of a boat--except that instead of widening out astern it closed in again. 

"Tish-ah!" said the grass. . . . "Tish-ah, tish-ah!" . . . Never had it said anything else--never would it say anything else. It bent resiliently under the trampling feet; it did not break, but it complained aloud every time--for nothing like this had ever happened to it before. . . . "Tish-ah, tish-ah!" it cried, and rose up in surprise to look at this rough, hard thing that had crushed it to the ground so rudely, and then moved on. 

A stocky, broad-shouldered man walked at the head of the caravan. He seemed shorter than he really was, because of the tall grass around him and the broad-brimmed hat of coarse straw which he wore. A few steps behind him followed a boy of about nine years of age. The boy's blond hair was clearly marked against his brown, sunburnt neck; but the man's hair and neck were of exactly the same shade of brown. From the looks of these two, and still more from their gait, it was easy to guess that here walked father and son. 

Behind them a team of oxen jogged along; the oxen were drawing a vehicle which once upon a time might have been a wagon, but which now, on account of its many and grave infirmities, ought long since to have been consigned to the scrap heap--exactly the place, in point of fact, where the man had picked it up. Over the wagon box long willow saplings had been bent, in the form of arches in a church chancel--six of them in all. On these arches, and tied down to the body on each side, were spread first of all two handwoven blankets, that might well have adorned the walls of some manor house in the olden times; on top of the blankets were thrown two sheepskin robes, with the wool side down, which were used for bed-coverings at night. The rear of the wagon was stowed full of numberless articles, all the way up to the top. A large immigrant chest at the bottom of the pile, very long and high, devoured a big share of the space; around and above it were piled household utensils, tools, implements, and all their clothing. 

Hitched to this wagon and trailing behind was another vehicle, homemade and very curious-looking, so solidly and quaintly constructed that it might easily have won a place in any museum. Indeed, it appeared strong enough to stand all the jolting from the Atlantic to the Pacific. . . . It, too, was a wagon, after a fashion; at least, it had been intended for such. The wheels were made from pieces of plank fitting roughly together; the box, considerably wider than that of the first wagon, was also loaded full of provisions and household gear, covered over with canvas and lashed down securely. Both wagons creaked and groaned loudly every time they bounced over a tussock or hove out of a hollow. . . . "Squeak, squeak!" said the one. . . . "Squeak, squeak!" answered the other. . . . The strident sound broke the silence of centuries. 

A short distance behind the wagons followed a brindle cow. The caravan moved so slowly that she occasionally had time to stop and snatch a few mouthfuls, though there was never a chance for many at a time. But what little she got in this way she sorely needed. She had been jogging along all day, swinging and switching her tail, the rudder of the caravan. Soon it would be night, and then her part of the work would come--to furnish milk for the evening porridge, for all the company up ahead. 

Across the front end of the box of the first wagon lay a rough piece of plank. On the right side of this plank sat a woman with a white kerchief over her head, driving the oxen. Against her thigh rested the blond head of a little girl, who was stretched out on the plank and sleeping sweetly. Now and then the hand of the mother moved across the child's face to chase away the mosquitoes, which had begun to gather as the sun lowered. On the left side of the plank, beyond the girl, sat a boy about seven years old--a well-grown lad, his skin deeply tanned, a certain clever, watchful gleam in his eyes. With hands folded over one knee, he looked straight ahead. 

This was the caravan of Per Hansa, who with his family and all his earthly possessions was moving west from Fillmore County, Minnesota, to Dakota Territory. There he intended to take up land and build himself a home; he was going to do something remarkable out there, which should become known far and wide. No lack of opportunity in that country, he had been told! . . . Per Hansa himself strode ahead and laid out the course; the boy Ole, or Olamand, followed closely after, and explored it. Beret, the wife, drove the oxen and took care of little Anna Marie, pet-named And-Ongen (which means "The Duckling"), who was usually bubbling over with happiness. Hans Kristian, whose everyday name was Store-Hans (meaning "Big Hans," to distinguish him from his godfather, who was also named Hans, but who, of course, was three times his size), sat there on the wagon, and saw to it that everyone attended to business. . . . The cow Rosie trailed behind, swinging and switching her tail, following the caravan farther and farther yet into the endless vista of the plain. 

"Tish-ah, tish-ah!" cried the grass. . . . "Tish-ah, tish-ah!" . . . 

  

II 

  

The caravan seemed a miserably frail and Lilliputian thing as it crept over the boundless prairie toward the sky line. Of road or trail there lay not a trace ahead; as soon as the grass had straightened up again behind, no one could have told the direction from which it had come or whither it was bound. The whole train--Per Hansa with his wife and children, the oxen, the wagons, the cow, and all--might just as well have dropped down out of the sky. Nor was it at all impossible to imagine that they were trying to get back there again; their course was always the same--straight toward the west, straight toward the sky line. . . . 

Poverty-stricken, unspeakably forlorn, the caravan creaked along, advancing at a snail's pace, deeper and deeper into a bluish-green infinity--on and on, and always farther on. . . . It steered for Sunset Land! . . . 

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 8 (Oct. 10)

Greetings!

Even though we were on the edge of Fall Break this week, students engaged well with the material and our discussions.  For the Quick Write, I gave them these three National Days as options:  National Bring your Teddy Bear to Work Day (10/9), National Cake Decorating Day (10/10), and National Free Thought Day (10/11).  We had some great comments on favorite childhood toys, fancy birthday cakes, and conversations we have in our heads.

I used the Words of the Day part of the class for a different kind of activity.  I gave them three unusual words (oblivescence, cacozelia, and busticate) and asked them to come  up with definitions for at least 2 of them.  We had a wide range of silly options and some that came pretty close to the real meanings.  (You can follow the links to find the definitions.)

Students have been assigned to write either an Extended Definition Essay or a Classification Essay.  They were to have worked on the the Pre-Write for today, but it does not need to be handed in until they hand in the rough draft on Oct. 24.   I briefly covered a few topics:  how long should a paragraph be; where should the thesis statement go; and how to divide the essay into paragraphs.  Some students inquired about writing both types of essays.  They may do this, and they will get double the points.  If students are thinking about doing this, they should remember that both essays should be strong essays, not 2 "half" essays.  This is a great option for students who want extra practice writing.

We are nearing the end of our book, My Antonia, and are now discussion Antonia and Jim as adults.  As I used questions from the study guide to direct our discussion, I noticed that it was the same students who were answering the questions.  Many students have valuable thoughts in their heads that they could contribute but hesitate to do so, especially in a large class.  Over the course of the year, I will be including instruction related to group discussions so that the students can become more autonomous in moving the topics forward among themselves.  

The Final Project Proposals were due this week, and a few students mentioned that they felt the need to change their earlier proposals.  These students can send me an email that answers the questions on the form (go here to see what those are.)  We will do the presentations on Nov. 11 and Nov. 28.

We talked again about what makes a sentence, especially its basic elements and how independent and subordinate clauses are different.  (See Week 5 for equations and diagrams.)  Many times what goes wrong in a sentence is that the subject and verb aren't working together, or students write a dependent clause thinking it's a complete sentence.  The homework they have for this week includes a worksheet for finding subjects and verbs and one for finding compound subjects and verbs.

Assignments for Oct. 24

-- Read pages 154 - 175 of My Antonia

-- 2 worksheets:  Subjects and Predicates and Compound Subjects/Predicates

--Pre-Writes and Rough Drafts of Extended Definition and/or Classification essays.

Links for This Week

Class Notes

oblivescence, cacozelia, and busticate

Final Project Proposal Form

Week 5

Have a great break!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Classification Essay

Classification Essay 

Definition 

Classification has to do with sorting things into groups.  When you classify, you generally break a subject down into the most meaningful parts.  Think categories or varieties.  You may also classify a subject by explaining how it fits into a larger category or grouping.  When writing an essay of classification, your goal is to help readers better understand the whole (your topic) by presenting the parts.  Your goal may also be to show how your subject fits into the larger scheme of things.   

Thesis Development 

The thesis statement should name the subject (what is being classified), the mode of classification (classify, group, kinds), and the categories.  The thesis often includes the differentiating characteristics. 

Examples: 

• Electricians are classified as foremen, journeymen, and apprentices based on their education experience, and salary. 

• Nurses can be classified as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or nurse assistants.  These nurses can be differentiated based on their education, salary, and duties. 
• Tennis enthusiasts are aware of the three types of racquets:  wood, graphite, and steel.  These racquets differ in price, flexibility, size, and durability. 

Organization 

Classification is a rather easy pattern to use because it is so structured. Once you’ve decided on your topic, its categories, and their differentiating characteristics, it is a matter of plugging in the differentiating characteristics in the same order for each category.  You must be careful to keep everything in the same order that you listed in your thesis.  When you do this, the essay almost writes itself. 

Classification essays are structured first by category (classes or types you have divided your subject into), and then by differentiating characteristics (the ways your categories can be distinguished from one another). 

Examples: 

I. Introduction with Topic Sentence or Thesis 

II.  Category #1 

A.  Characteristic #1 

B.  Characteristic #2 

C.  Characteristic ## 

D.  Characteristic #4 

III.  Category #2 

A.  Characteristic #1 

B.  Characteristic #2 

C.  Characteristic ## 

D.  Characteristic #4 

IV.  Category #3 

A.  Characteristic #1 

B.  Characteristic #2 

C.  Characteristic ## 

D.  Characteristic #4 

V.  Conclusion 

Tips on Writing 

• Determine the purpose of your classification.  Are you intending to inform your reader about the differences or to persuade him that on category is superior to the rest? 
• Determine the categories of your classification, making sure that there is no overlap in the categories. 

• Determine the differentiating characteristics. 
• Outline your essay and make sure you present the characteristics in the same order. 

Pitfalls to Avoid 

• Avoid oversimplification, stereotypes, or misrepresentation. 
• Avoid overlapping categories.  Make sure the categories are clearly different from each other and that your types fit into only one category. 
• Avoid missing categories.  Make sure your categories account for all the types in your subject. 

Essay Guidelines 

• Due dates:  Pre-Write due October 10; Rough Draft due October 24; Final due November 7 
• Essay length:  700 – 900 words (about 2 – 3 pages) 
• Rough drafts can be typed or hand-written, but must be double-spaced. 
• Final draft format:  

• Typed (if this is not possible, please let me know) 
• 1 inch margins 
• Name and date on the upper right hand corner 
• Number the pages on the lower right hand corner 
• Title centered above the text of the essay