Writing 1 Class Notes -- Week 1 (August 25)

Greetings!

We had a great first class for our 2016 school year!  This is a great group of students, and I'm looking forward to this year.

This first week of classes is about taking care of the business regarding how the class is run.  I handed out a lot of papers, which you will find attached to this e-mail, inserted into the blog and on Dropbox.  As I told the students, they have multiple ways to find assignments and handouts should they be missing any.

We began the class with a Quick Write, which we will do every week.  The purpose of the Quick Write is to get the students in a writing mood.  Most of these are light-hearted; often they are connected to a current even or something that happened on that day in history.  The topic for today's Quick Write was the fact that it is National Banana Split Day.  Students could write anything about ice cream that they wanted.  We had some interesting ideas for specialty desserts.

Another key beginning-of-class activity is our Word of the Day.  This semester, we will be selecting words from my book of foreign words and phrases and the book Crazy English by Richard Lederer. Some of the words and phrases in the book are familiar, but the students will probably not be acquainted with many of them.  My goal is to expand their vocabularies and to pique their interests regarding words.  

Today's Words of the Day:

Today's words were those "thingamajig" and "whatchamacallit" kinds of words.

ferrule:  the cap at the end of the staff of an umbrella

pintle:  the verticl pin inserted in a hinge

aglet:  the plastic end of a shoe lace

chimb: the metal rim of a barrel

neb:  the curved tip on the wooden handle of a knife

opisthenar:  the back of the hand

After these beginning exercises, we got down to business with all of the handouts.  We went over, at length, my Classroom Policies for this class that included conduct, communication, and grading.  I especially talked about electronics and cell phone use in class.  More and more students have smart phones, and some find it difficult to keep them stowed away during class.  This year, if I suspect a student is using his/her phone, I will ask and then confiscate the phone if needed.  Parents will get an e-mail if this happens.  The students were in agreement with me, and I don't anticipate this being a problem with this class.

The rest of the handouts for today include: Writing 1 Syllabus, Animal Farm Introduction, Animal Farm Study Guide, Animal Farm Vocabulary Worksheet, Descriptive Essay, Animal Farm:  What Makes a Good Leader?

Note:  Some students already have copies of Animal Farm from older siblings; I'll reimburse $3.50 of the supply fee.

I gave a brief introduction to our literature selection, George Orwell's Animal Farm.  For next week, they are to read the Introduction handout and to write a short response to the question, "What Makes a Good Leader?"  On the handout, they can ignore the second set of writing assignments.

I also assigned them their first essay, a Descriptive Essay.  The handout explains that this essay is to choose a place or situation, observe carefully, and describe it using the 5 senses:  sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.  The rough draft for this is due next week.  It was asked in class whether this should be a standard 5-paragraph essay with an introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusions.  My response was that if that is a writing structure is familiar, go for it.  If writing essays is a new adventure, write 1 - 2 paragraphs.  I consider this essay to be their first writing samples.  We will talk more about thesis statements, introductions, conclusions, etc. as the semester proceeds.

The agenda for this week was full, so we did not have time to start the Parts of Speech Unit.  Next Week!

Assignments for Next Week:

-- Read the Classroom Policies and have parents read and initial.

-- Read the Introduction handout for Animal Farm

-- Respond to the question, "What makes a good leader?"

-- Write the rough draft of the Descriptive Essay

Links for this week:

(Note:  Most of these links are to the blog and are copies of the handouts for the week's class and discussions.  Occasionally I will include links to other helpful or interesting web resources.)

Class Notes

Class Policies

Writing 1 Syllabus

Animal Farm Introduction

Animal Farm Study Guide

Animal Farm Vocabulary Worksheet

Descriptive Essay 

Animal Farm:  What Makes a Good Leader?

Have a great week!

Mrs. Prichard

Animal Farm -- "What Makes a Good Leader?"

Animal Farm

Short Writing Exercises

Before Reading Animal Farm

Write a short response to the following question:

·         What makes a good leader?

o   Discuss character qualities and abilities that a good leader in any situation should have. Give specific examples.  How might you distinguish a good leader from a bad leader? (1-3 paragraphs; 75 – 300 words)

Choose one of the following:

·         When should a government be overthrown? (1 paragraph; 100 – 150 words)

·         Write definitions for satire, allegory, and irony.

Descriptive Essay

Definition

In a Descriptive Essay, the writer paints a word picture of a person, place, object, or event that appeals to one or more of the five senses (smell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight).  In this kind of essay, the writer works to give a clear representation of the object of his close observation and makes it clear why the subject is important.

Organization of an Observation Essay

Descriptions can be organized spatially (left to right, top to bottom); chronologically (in time order); or in order of importance (the thing that strikes you firs or that is dominant about what you are describing).

Thesis Statements

The thesis statement generally presents the subject of the description and/or establishes the tone or mood of the description.  It controls what details you will include.  It states why the subject is important.

Tips on Writing

– Have a purpose in mind for the description of your observation.  Are you trying to be objective, or are you trying to convey an attitude, opinion, or mood?

– If you are describing a person, try to help the reader see the person and his or her character by describing appearance, dress, mannerisms, actions, and/or speech.  Descriptive details can be used to suggest personality or character.

– If you are describing a place, scene or activity, you will need to select a physical perspective or viewpoint on the subject and stick to it.  Your perspective might be from a particular position, time, season, etc.

– If you are describing an object, try to help the reader see the object and its meaning to you.  Rely on the five senses to evoke the physical appearance and emotional association of the object.

– Do you have an emotional perspective of attitude toward your subject?  Keep it in mind as you select the words to describe the details.

Pitfalls

– Avoid disorganized descriptions.  If your description is haphazard, you will confuse your reader.

– Avoid inconsistent descriptions.  Don’t mix positive and negative perspectives; also don’t mix descriptions for varying viewpoints.

– Avoid generalizations and abstractions.  You want to recreate a specific person, place or event for your readers.  Give specific information.

Essay Guidelines

– Due dates:  Rough Draft due September 1; Final Draft due September 15

– Essay length:  at least 300 words (about 1 page)

– 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

Animal Farm -- Vocabulary Worksheet

INSTRUCTIONS:  For this book, you will compile your own vocabulary list.  As you read each chapter, choose at least one unfamiliar or interesting word and add it to your list.  You are responsible for finding the definitions and roots of the words.  Fill in the table below with your words. 

Week 3 (Ch. 1 – 2 )

Page	Word	Root	Definition

Week 4 (Ch. 3 – 4 )

Page	Word	Root	Definition

Week 5 (Ch. 5 – 6 )

Page	Word	Root	Definition

Week 6 (Ch. 7 – 8 )

Page	Word	Root	Definition

Week 7 (Ch. 9 – 10 )

Page	Word	Root	Definition

EXTRA CREDIT:  List the most unusual words that you’ve encountered in this book.

Page	Word	Root	Definition

Animal Farm -- Study Questions

Animal Farm

Study Questions

Before Reading Animal Farm

·         Read the handout “Introduction to Animal Farm.”

·         Watch the Introduction Slide presentation

·         Discuss George Orwell, the Russian Revolution, communism and socialism

Short writing exercises:

·         What makes a good leader?

o   Discuss character qualities and abilities that a good leader in any situation should have. Give specific examples.  How might you distinguish a good leader from a bad leader?

·         When should a government be overthrown?

·         Write definitions for satire, allegory, and irony.

Chapter I & II

Discussion:

·         Give the reasons for the animals’ rebellion.

·         What was the last straw for the animals?

·         Describe the “Beasts of England” song – imagery, message, emotions, dreams/hopes.

·         How is Moses, the raven, and his story of Sugar Candy Mountain significant?

·         Describe the reaction by the animals to the house.

·         List the commandments and the vices/faults they reveal.

·         Who will be the leaders of the animals?  Why?  Will they be good leaders?

Chapter III & IV

Before reading

·         What do you speculate the future of the animals and farm will be?

Discussion:

·         What is Squealer’s role and communication style?

·         Describe the difference between the pigs and the other animals.

·         Describe the Battle of the Cowshed and the roles that Snowball and Napoleon

Chapter V & VI

Discussion:

·         How would Snowball run the farm differently?

·         List the changes that have occurred at the farm.

·         What are Molly’s reasons for running away?

·         Describe the windmill controversy from Snowball’s point of view; from Napoleon’s point of view.

·         Explain the issue of trading with other farms.

·         Describe the animals’ work situation.

Chapter VII & VIII

Discussion:

·         How does the destruction and rebuilding of the windmill occur?

·         Describe the lies told about Snowball.

·         Explain the reasons for the animals not singing the hymn.

·         Describe the situation with the traitors.

·         Describe Napoleon as a leader.  Is he a dictator?

Chapter  IX & X

Discussion:

·         Explain the return of Moses.

·         Describe the whiskey incident.  Why is it humorous?  Compare the animals to humans.

·         What is happening to Boxer?  Why?

·         Explain the social order for the animals.

·         How does Orwell make fun of bureaucracy?

·         List the changes to the farm.

·         Describe the changes to the commandments.

·         Describe the changes in the appearance of the pigs.

Conclusion

Discussion & Activities

·         Explain how Animal Farm is a “fairy story.”

·         Describe the roles and activities of the sheep.

·         Give examples of peer pressure in the context of the book.

·         Compare your initial list of leadership skills with the animals at the end of the book.

·         Discuss the importance of education in the story.  Compare education with indoctrination.

·         Brainstorm a sequel.

·         Trace the defamation of Snowball’s character.

·         Why did Orwell chose the names?  How do they fit?

·         Develop a news story interview.

·         Write a timeline of events in the book.