WEEK 2
GOOD MORNING!
IMPORTANT:
IMPORTANT:
1. I wasn't clear in that first post about recording your answers for exercises. I do need to see your work, so this week I've included those instructions with the assignments. "Record" means write out your answers in the doc as you're working. "Post" means give me your score (label it and put it somewhere I can see it easily).
2. The essay grade always reflects where I think you are in the process. So a first draft typically will be scored in the 50-70 range. That means you're 50-70% on your way to the final draft. In other words, don't freak out; it's a process.
1. Revise the helmet law essay from last week. Yes, you may use (and maybe you should use) the usual word processing helps like grammar review and spell check.
2. ACT q set #2 - take 10-15 minutes to complete it then go here for review. For each wrong answer write out an explanation on why you got it wrong. Record your answers in the doc and post your score.
3. Watch this semicolon and colon video. Complete Review C on .783 and Posttest A on .784. For both exercises EXPLAIN WHY you're using the punctuation. Record your answers in the doc and post your score. (See #4 below for answers)
4. Watch this video for review/corrections of exercises from #3 and #4.
5. LBGB work. Our work in LBGB for this course will involve 1) reviewing the big ideas (I won't make you re-read entire chapters); and 2) practicing the definitions and Style & Usage items that we skipped in HSW1.
6. Watch this video on the perusasive essay. This is how the old ACT essays were set up, so I'll refer to it that way. Our purpose is just to see the structure of a persuasive essay.
There's about a minute missing that talks about the first body paragraph. Sorry - just pause it at that point and read the screen carefully. Also, at the end of the video I mention a gender-separated classrooms essay. IGNORE IT. This was a video I made a couple of years ago, and we started out with a different topic. We'll be doing the gender essay this week. Just pay attention to how a persuasive essay is set up.
Also, though I don't mention this in the video (Yes, I need to just make a new video), you need to acknowledge a counter-argument, an argument from the opposing side, and then refute it (i.e, take the opposition's best argument and knock it down). I used to teach that you could include this idea anywhere in the essay, but I've since decided that making the counter-argument and knock down its own body paragraph is more effective. Here's how such a paragraph might look for the pop prompt you just watched:
Some may argue that pop consumption is a public health issue, similar to the safety of drinking water, and therefore the government has a duty to enact laws like this [That's the counter-argument. What follows is the knock down]. But that simplifies the argument too much. Yes, over consumption of pop or any highly sweet drink or food is having an adverse effect on many people. But just because it is widespread doesn't make it a public issue because not everyone is effected by the behavior. Whereas we all suffer the effects of bad drinking water or poor air quality, only those who choose to do so suffer from over-consumption of pop. This issue may be widespread, but it is simply not a public-health issue, and therefore the government has no business making laws regarding it.
Here I've explained the opposition's point, and then I showed how it doesn't work. That's how you have to deal with a counter-argument. And remember, the only point of doing that is to help YOUR argument. You're better off not dealing with a counter-argument at all than to present one and leave it intact.
7. Write a persuasive essay on the following prompt:
It’s been proposed in your school district that students in grades 8 through 12 be separated into classrooms by sex. Proponents believe that this will allow students to focus better on their schoolwork. Opponents feel that such measures would fail to prepare students for the real world. In your essay, take a position on the issue. You may write about either of the two points of view, or you may propose a different point of view. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.)
[In the last years gender itself has become a debatable issue (for some), for our purposes, you may ignore the whole gender confusion madness and simply deal with the idea of separating boys and girls.]
(IT'S ALL DUE BY 5:00 pm FRIDAY.)
This week we'll look at chapter 1. Here's your work:
A. Conjunctions: define the three types and write an original sentence for each.
B. Define conjunctive adverb. Write three sentences (note the punctuation pattern in my examples!) using three different CAs. Here are a few to choose from:
in addition, accordingly, furthermore, moreover, on the other hand, similarly, also, hence, namely, still, anyway, however, nevertheless, then, in fact, besides, incidentally, next, thereafter, certainly, indeed, nonetheless, therefore, consequently, instead, now, thus, finally, likewise, otherwise, undoubtedly, further, meanwhile
Make sure the word you're using is WORKING as a conjunctive adverb. Many of the words in this list can be used as other parts of speech.
C. Explain the difference between these pairs and use each correctly in a sentence:
all together / altogether
___ and I / ___ and me.
6. Watch this video on the perusasive essay. This is how the old ACT essays were set up, so I'll refer to it that way. Our purpose is just to see the structure of a persuasive essay.
There's about a minute missing that talks about the first body paragraph. Sorry - just pause it at that point and read the screen carefully. Also, at the end of the video I mention a gender-separated classrooms essay. IGNORE IT. This was a video I made a couple of years ago, and we started out with a different topic. We'll be doing the gender essay this week. Just pay attention to how a persuasive essay is set up.
Also, though I don't mention this in the video (Yes, I need to just make a new video), you need to acknowledge a counter-argument, an argument from the opposing side, and then refute it (i.e, take the opposition's best argument and knock it down). I used to teach that you could include this idea anywhere in the essay, but I've since decided that making the counter-argument and knock down its own body paragraph is more effective. Here's how such a paragraph might look for the pop prompt you just watched:
Some may argue that pop consumption is a public health issue, similar to the safety of drinking water, and therefore the government has a duty to enact laws like this [That's the counter-argument. What follows is the knock down]. But that simplifies the argument too much. Yes, over consumption of pop or any highly sweet drink or food is having an adverse effect on many people. But just because it is widespread doesn't make it a public issue because not everyone is effected by the behavior. Whereas we all suffer the effects of bad drinking water or poor air quality, only those who choose to do so suffer from over-consumption of pop. This issue may be widespread, but it is simply not a public-health issue, and therefore the government has no business making laws regarding it.
Here I've explained the opposition's point, and then I showed how it doesn't work. That's how you have to deal with a counter-argument. And remember, the only point of doing that is to help YOUR argument. You're better off not dealing with a counter-argument at all than to present one and leave it intact.
7. Write a persuasive essay on the following prompt:
It’s been proposed in your school district that students in grades 8 through 12 be separated into classrooms by sex. Proponents believe that this will allow students to focus better on their schoolwork. Opponents feel that such measures would fail to prepare students for the real world. In your essay, take a position on the issue. You may write about either of the two points of view, or you may propose a different point of view. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.)
[In the last years gender itself has become a debatable issue (for some), for our purposes, you may ignore the whole gender confusion madness and simply deal with the idea of separating boys and girls.]
(IT'S ALL DUE BY 5:00 pm FRIDAY.)
