A Textbook Reminder:

Kindly bring your Language and Composition textbook to class on Wednesday, 30 March and on Thursday, 31 March. Failure to comply with this directive will result in a "zero" for the assignment. You will sit at a table-alone-or perhaps not-since others may also neglect to bring the text to class. Furthermore, you will not be permitted to share the textbook with a classmate.

Writing Thesis Statements

Guess what we are going to be working on this week?

An activity we will engage in-shortly-perhaps-sometime this week?

Synthesis Essay "Fishbowl" Activity

I would like to thank all of the students who participated "inside the fishbowl" and those students who sat patiently in the "outer" circle. I am "eagerly" looking forward to reading your observation sheets for this activity when you turn it in with the completed Synthesis Essay on Monday, 28 March (ALL BANDS-A-B-AND D).

Upon reflection, I should have intervened to redirect some students when they tended to dominate and not permit others to have their turn. Apparently, some students felt as though they were "on center-stage" and behaved accordingly. Also, please be advised that everyone who sat in the outer-circle will have his/her turn to sit "inside the fishbowl."

Sentence Collection Project Resource

Click on the link for a Review of the Parts of Speech which will help you with the grammatical analysis component of this project. In addition, there are resources located on the "side-bar" of this blog and on nicenet.org (you should have the class password for this site in your three-ring binder.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/definitions.htm

Sentence Collection

This assignment is due on Wednesday, 30 March as you enter the classroom. All the information you need to "successfully" complete this assignment is on the handout. If you have any questions, see me on Monday, 28 March during 37 1/2 minutes.
You must have "something" written-out about the sentence (see the questions listed under the "Goals" and the information listed under the REQUIRED format). I will not assist anyone on Tuesday, 29 March-the day-before the assignment is due-for parents reading this-I assigned this assignment on Wednesday, 22 March.

Synthesis Essay Assignment

A, B, and D Bands: Synthesis Essay on "Zero Tolerance" Due Monday, 28 March. A and B Band students must hand deliver the assignment to me even though the class does not officially meet.
This assignment must be HANDWRITTEN! ALLOCATE ONLY 40 MINUTES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT-TIME YOURSELF-DO NOT SPEND ANYMORE THAN 40 MINUTES ON THIS TIMED-WRITE.

Reading Directly From the Smart-Board...

I am at a loss for words...What puzzles me most of all is that this was the most common comment listed under "Grows" on your Student Evaluations-yet, this was the most common infraction for too many of you. There is some "irony" in this. I wonder what that could be? Since we have spent several class sessions observing the student presentations, I wonder why those who did not present were not more prepared? Imagine-you sat in your seat noting your classmates reading directing from the board-without making eye-contact-yet, you engaged in the same act when called upon to present...(Practice at home, use notes, use index cards-but to read directly...).

For the next presentation (last-marking period), I will request that you return to your seat if you begin reading directly from the board. Naturally, one-full letter grade will be deducted from your
presentation when you do present.

Semtence Collection Assignment

DUE WEDNESDAY, 30 MARCH AS YOU ENTER ROOM 404-Do not inform me that your printer has malfunctioned, do not inform me that you will email me the assignment later, do not hand me an excuse written by mom or dad, do not arrive late with the assignment in your hand (I can only assume that you used a printer elsewhere in the building-when there is a working printer in Room 404 for you to use prior to the day when an assignment is due-not when you enter the classroom.), do not place this assignment in my mailbox on the first-floor, do not... You will have this assignment word-processed (typed) using Times Roman 12pt Font, You will email this assignment ONLY IF YOU ARE ABSENT, You will report to me during 371/2 minutes for tutoring for assistance if needed,
You will not plagiarize-copy a classmate's sentence(s), You will not... (I wonder if there is a rhetorical device (s)...)

A Room of One's Own
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/woolf/virginia/w91r/

Hamlet
http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/MobHaml.html

BRING TEXTBOOK

TO CLASS ON MONDAY, 7 March (D-Band) and on TUESDAY, 8 March (A and B Bands)

Sample Synthesis Essay

A Note About Assignments:

Amazingly, the most "disgruntled" students in response to a specific grade are those who did NOT follow the criteria posted and/or provided on a "handout." You may NOT complete an assignment "your way" when Diedrich has indicated a specific structure and/ or format for an assignment! Review what has been posted-Re-read what was written on a handout prior to speaking with me during 371/2 minutes. Also, ask to read a classmate's assignment to determine why he/she may have received a higher grade.