Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 7 (March 3)

 Greetings!

It was so good to see the students; including our week off and the week my son subbed for me, it's been 3 weeks since I've seen their smiling faces. 

Below are our Quick Write prompts for the day.  

• Tuesday, March 1, is National Minnesota Day!!  What do you like the most about Minnesota?  What might you say to convince someone to move to or at least visit Minnesota?  If you were to have visitors from a far away place come to Minnesota, what sights would you like them to see?
• Wednesday, March 2, is World Teen Mental Health Day.  What does it mean to be mentally healthy?  What do you do to be mentally healthy?  How do you help others who might be struggling with their own mental health?
• Friday, March 4, is National Grammar Day  (It’s “imperative” that we “march forth” on this day!)  Write either a rant or a praise about what you think of this system for understanding language and communicating with one another.

We usually do a quick Homework Check between our beginning of class activities and instruction.  Students can hand in their work for this week when they come to class next week.  With the exception of their rough drafts.  Those should be finished and put on the Google Classroom assignment for the Problem/Solution or Cause/Effect Rough Draft. 

Speaking of the  Problem/Solution or Cause/Effect Rough Draft, we took some time for each student to share about their topics.  The framework for this essay is fairly straightforward.  As we went around the class sharing topics, I was impressed with wide variety of topics and their good ideas.  I look forward to reading their rough drafts this week.

We turned our attentions to our short stories.  We watched a short Lego animation of a story that is assigned for next week, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country."   After that we broke into small groups to share funny stories that had happened in their lives.  It seemed that a number of the students had not read all of the stories assigned for this week.  When that happens, I often find a good "pop quiz" is in order.  

For our Grammar lesson, we're still learning about commas.  We've looked at commas with compound sentences, commas with complex sentences, and commas with introductory phrases/clauses.  This week, we are adding commas to sentences with appositives and phrases that "interrupt" a sentence.  We did almost half of the assigned work during class, so that students could ask questions.  

Have a great weekend.  

Blessing,

Mrs. Prichard

Assignments for Next Week

• Short Stories by Twain, Crane, Jewett, Gilman

• 2 Short Story Worksheets
  

• Week 7 - Appositive Phrases

• Week 7 - Appositive & Parenthetical Phrases

• Week 7 - Interrupters Phrases

Links for This Week

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 7 (March 3)

Quick Write (3/12)

Week 7 Short Stories -- Audio Versions

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 6 (March 4)

 Greetings!

We had a full day in class this week.  Breaks are nice, but I like it when we're back together.

For our Quick Write today, the students had options that came from their own suggestions:  1) If you could teach anything, what would you teach and why? 2) What is your favorite Bible verse?  Why? 3)  If you could bring someone back to life, who would it be and why? and 4) Discuss the benefits/evils of video games.

Our Words of the Day came from Ethan and Nina from Writing 1  -- 

italics -- fr. Latin italicus, "from Italy, Italian"  -- a type of print with lines sloping to the right  (Note:  This type of print was introduced in the late 1500s with an edition of Vergil, and it became known as the "italic type."

bombinate -- fr. Latin, bombitare, to hum -- to hum or buzz like a bee

Between our beginning of class activities and instruction, we do a quick Homework Check.  Along with misc. worksheets and other homework, I handed back the final drafts of their Mystery Stories.  These were AMAZING!  They did a wonderful job on this writing assignment.  During this time I also reminded them about my homework correcting practices -- I correct homework one day during the week before the next week's class.  All work that was handed in on time will get corrected, but if it was turned in late, it might not get corrected until the following week.

The students are on to their next writing assignment, which is either an Cause/Effect Essay or a Problem/Solution Essay.  (There are some resources listed in the links below.)  We talked briefly about this writing assignment.  If students are still unclear about what they want to write, they should check the sites below.

For our literature portion of the class, we started with our book, Great Short, Short Stories and looked at three stories by Russian authors (Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Pushkin)  Before some small group discussion, I asked the students to consider these questions:  1) When was a time when God became more than you thought He was; 2) When did you do something wrong and tried to justify it; 3) When was a time when you felt jealous of others and insecure about yourself.  All of these were connected to themes in our stories. I was delighted to here such thoughtful and wise responses coming from the members in the groups.  For next week, we will read stories by British authors.  

For our Grammar lesson, we're still learning about commas.  We've looked at commas with compound sentences, commas with complex sentences, and commas with introductory phrases/clauses.  This week, we are adding commas to sentences with appositives and phrases that "interrupt" a sentence.  We did almost half of the assigned work during class, so that students could ask questions.  

Have a great weekend!  The weather looks like it will be marvelous!!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Assignments for Next Week:

• Cause/Effect OR Problem/Solution Pre-Write and Rough Draft
• Short Stories: Read Dickens (45); Wilde (189); Kipling (101); Munro (140)
• Short Stories Questions (both sides -- for one story or for 2 separate stories)
• Wk6 - Appositive Phrases
• Wk6 - Appositives & Parenthetical Phrases
• Wk6: Commas with Interrupters

Links for This Week

Class Notes

Examples of Cause/Effect Essays

Organizing a Cause/Effect Essay

How to Write a Problem/Solution Essay

A Sample Problem/Solution Essay

Tamera M. Prichard

Writing Instructor at CHAT

Writing 1, Writing 2, Writing 3

ACT Prep, British Literature

Problem/Solution Essay

Definition

            In a problem-solution essay, you analyze a problem and propose a method for solving it. The problem you choose to analyze should be one that offers some challenges but is still possible to resolve. A

problem-solution essay should have the following characteristics:

• a problem that needs to be solved

• a thesis statement that identifies the problem and points toward the solution

• identification of several possible solutions

• specific facts, details, examples, and reasons indicating why one solution is best

• an analytical tone     

Thesis Development

            Your thesis may vary depending on what your topic is, who your audience is, and how much information you have.  Your thesis will state clearly what you perceive as the problem and your suggested solution to the problem.  

Organization

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement.  Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement. Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.   

Tips on Writing

– Make sure you clearly explain the problem.  The “hows” and “whys” of the issue should be accurately clarified.

– Include information about the cause of the problem, especially as it relates to the solution you intend to put forth.

– Alternate solutions can be mentioned; if they are failed ideas, it will further strengthen your argument.

  

Essay Guidelines

– Due dates:  Pre-Write due February 27; Rough Draft due March 5; Final Draft due March 19

– Essay length:  500 – 700 words (between 2 and 4 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

Problem/Solution Essay

Definition

            In a problem-solution essay, you analyze a problem and propose a method for solving it. The problem you choose to analyze should be one that offers some challenges but is still possible to resolve. A

problem-solution essay should have the following characteristics:

• a problem that needs to be solved

• a thesis statement that identifies the problem and points toward the solution

• identification of several possible solutions

• specific facts, details, examples, and reasons indicating why one solution is best

• an analytical tone       

Thesis Development

            Your thesis may vary depending on what your topic is, who your audience is, and how much information you have.  Your thesis will state clearly what you perceive as the problem and your suggested solution to the problem.           

Organization

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement.  Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement. Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.           

Tips on Writing

– Make sure you clearly explain the problem.  The “hows” and “whys” of the issue should be accurately clarified.

– Include information about the cause of the problem, especially as it relates to the solution you intend to put forth.

– Alternate solutions can be mentioned; if they are failed ideas, it will further strengthen your argument.

Essay Guidelines

– Due dates:  Pre-Write due February 19; Rough Draft due March 5; Final Draft due March 19

– Essay length:  500 – 700 words (between 2 and 4 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

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 5 (February 13)

Greetings!

We had another full class time this week. I'm always amazed at how quickly our time goes.  Our Quick Write titled "Reel Time."  This past week, Shirley Temple died, and I was remembering how our family enjoyed her movies.  I had the class write about either the first movies they remembered watching OR a movie watched over and over again.  Many of them have the same memories of the same movies

Below are our Words of the Day:

acumen -- (from Latin, acuere to sharpen) noun; shrewd, sharp perception 

avoirdupois -- (French)  referring to a system of weights in which 16 ounces is a pound

vol au vent -- (French) a very light puff pastry filled with meats and a sauce

farrago -- (from Latin; meaning a mixed fodder) a confused mixture, jumble, hodgepodge

I handed back a lot of papers this week.  We looked at the Final Exam for the Sherlock Holmes stories.  They were to write whether or not they thought Holmes was a hero.  I scored these essays by counting specific comments and examples.  The more they wrote, the more points they acquired.  We discussed our answers; though many of them held opposing opinions, they each did a wonderful job supporting their ideas.

Our next book is a collection of short, short stories, and we read three stories by Russian authors:  Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Pushkin.  We took time and discussed all three.  For next week, we will read short stories by British authors.

As I corrected the grammar worksheets, I saw that we needed more practice and work with gerunds.  In class we partly completed another worksheet with gerund phrases.  They are to complete it and hand it in next week.  The worksheet is attached and is on Dropbox.

They handed in their Final Drafts of the Problem/Solution Essays and are to write their pre-writes of the next essay:  Cause/Effect Essay.  

Assignments for Next Week

-- Read the following short stories:  Dickens (p. 45); Wilde (p. 189); Kipling (p. 101); Munro (p. 140)

-- Fill out one side of a worksheet for each story.

-- Grammar worksheet -- Gerunds

-- Pre-Write for the Cause/Effect Essay

This Week's Blogs:

Class Notes

Cause/Effect Essay

Short Story's Theme

Short Story's Setting

Short Story's Characters

The Short Story

Have a great weekend.  Make the most of the winter!

Mrs. Prichard

Problem/Solution Essay

Problem/Solution Essay

Definition

            In a problem-solution essay, you analyze a problem and propose a method for solving it. The problem you choose to analyze should be one that offers some challenges but is still possible to resolve. A

problem-solution essay should have the following characteristics:

• a problem that needs to be solved

• a thesis statement that identifies the problem and points toward the solution

• identification of several possible solutions

• specific facts, details, examples, and reasons indicating why one solution is best

• an analytical tone     

Thesis Development

            Your thesis may vary depending on what your topic is, who your audience is, and how much information you have.  Your thesis will state clearly what you perceive as the problem and your suggested solution to the problem.  

Organization

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement.  Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement. Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.   

Tips on Writing

– Make sure you clearly explain the problem.  The “hows” and “whys” of the issue should be accurately clarified.

– Include information about the cause of the problem, especially as it relates to the solution you intend to put forth.

– Alternate solutions can be mentioned; if they are failed ideas, it will further strengthen your argument.

–  

Essay Guidelines

– Due dates:  Pre-Write due January 23; Rough Draft due January 30; Final Draft due February 13

– Essay length:  500 – 700 words (between 2 and 4 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

Problem/Solution Essay

Problem/Solution Essay

Definition

            In a problem-solution essay, you analyze a problem and propose a method for solving it. The problem you choose to analyze should be one that offers some challenges but is still possible to resolve. A

problem-solution essay should have the following characteristics:

• a problem that needs to be solved

• a thesis statement that identifies the problem and points toward the solution

• identification of several possible solutions

• specific facts, details, examples, and reasons indicating why one solution is best

• an analytical tone       

Thesis Development

            Your thesis may vary depending on what your topic is, who your audience is, and how much information you have.  Your thesis will state clearly what you perceive as the problem and your suggested solution to the problem.           

Organization

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement.  Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.

            The simplest way to organize a problem-solution essay is to begin by identifying the problem in the first paragraph, leading up to your thesis statement. Present the solution that you think works best, explaining why it is the most promising one.           

Tips on Writing

–   Make sure you clearly explain the problem.  The “hows” and “whys” of the issue should be accurately clarified.

–   Include information about the cause of the problem, especially as it relates to the solution you intend to put forth.

–   Alternate solutions can be mentioned; if they are failed ideas, it will further strengthen your argument.

–    

Essay Guidelines

–   Due dates:  Pre-Write due January 23; Rough Draft due January 30; Final Draft due February 13

–   Essay length:  500 – 700 words (between 2 and 4 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