Hello Musees,

Today is Wisdom Wednesday, February 26, 2014.  This week, we have been working on our Descriptive Essays.  Below are the requirements:

1. 1-2 pages
2. typed, double spaced, Aerial or Times New Roman font, 12-point
3. MLA formatting
4. creative title
5. use all elements of style that we have learned so far
6. DUE FRIDAY is a full rough draft, ready for peer review.  Peer review sheets will aslo be available tomorrow if you are finished then.  Every student must have a peer review and peer review someone else's essay
7. Final draft due MONDAY, MARCH 3RD. 
8. Submit to turnitin.com Monday morning together in class.

Have fun with this!  Use the models that we discussed, as well as ALL class notes.

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Thank you for all of your letters to me.  Below is my letter to you so you can get to know me.  :)

Dear Writing for College Students,

I have been teaching for 11 years and love it.  I do love teaching seniors because I feel it’s an exciting time in your life.  Next year, you will be going out into the world to college.  What defines me as a teacher is that I am big on teaching life skills and philosophy.  While the subject matter and skills are important, I love to guide students in their development and decision making skills as human beings.  I like to get to know my students so that I can help them learn in the ways that inspire them. I love to run, read, dance and write.

I am a philosopher at heart and will bring philosophy into just about any discussion.   I love the summer and the beach.  Bring me to a tropical environment anytime.  I actually did an internship for my first career on Tortola, one of the British Virgin Islands. I believe in understanding multiple perspectives.  I feel that people should travel and learn about other cultures as much as they can.  If you have the chance to study abroad in college, I encourage you to do so. The rewards are invaluable.  I also studied British Literature in England for a summer.  I love England.  I would move to London if it made sense in my life right now.  I am a great writer, but sometimes when I speak, I tend to go off on tangents.   If any of you have had me as a teacher, then you have witnessed this.

Some quirky things about me?  Hmmmm.  I’m addicted to coffee and I love brown sugar in my coffee.  I have a phobia of bees.  So far, I’ve avoided being stung.   My favorite animals are plovers and zebras.  Plovers because I identify with them (I can elaborate upon request) and zebras because I think they’re beautiful.  I love to cook.   I could live on a diet of fresh seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In fact, I would be happy living on a boat.

If I could be a full time student for the rest of my life, I would be happy.  I love to learn and believe that everyone should be a lifelong learner. I have been to three colleges, New York Institute of Technology for Hotel & Restaurant Management and Tourism, East Stroudsburg University for a change of career and Masters in English/Secondary and Professional Education, and StonyBrook University for a 2nd Masters in School District and Building Leadership.  I’m not sure what the next few years holds, but I am happy to still be teaching.  I am looking forward to this semester, and I hope you are, too.

Here’s to a fantastic rest of your senior year!

Sincerely,

Ms. Miller

The newly married Mr. and Mrs. float from the church doors into the shiny white limo that awaits them at the curb. As they enjoy their first 20 minutes of marriage on the ride to their reception site, they look out the window and observe “their” day: a day without a cloud in the sky, the color of pale blue for miles on end, and the sun shining brightly up above. They marvel at how the day couldn’t have been any better for a wedding day. As their eyes move from the bright sun to the moving cars that shared the road, they find themselves staring into an unexpected sight: a long, black hearse driving along side their limo. It was an odd site to see on such a blissful day, and as the hearse moved past them, the newly Mr. and Mrs. couldn’t help but wonder what the people in the black limo following the hearse, the family members of the deceased, thought about the day.

Your Task: (Please write your response in a new Word document):
To practice your descriptive ability, and keeping in mind the descriptive model critiqued Friday in class and for homework, describe the day from the perspective of either the newly married bride and groom traveling in the white limo, or the grieving family members of the deceased in the black limo. Try experimenting with the various Elements of Style in your response.

Hello Musees,

Today is Tuesday, February 11th.
 
Please post your 6 Word Memoirs by tomorrow morning.  Remember, your memoir should tell a story about you.
 
Today we will discuss ELEMENTS OF STYLE in writing.

1. What is style?
2. How do we define a person's style?
3. What are some styles that people may be classified as?
4. What do we measure them by?

Homework:
Read the excerpt "Huts on the Beach" from William Golding. 
On your handout, answer the following:
 

Read “Huts on the Beach,” opening to chapter three of William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies

• As you read, highlight and annotate the details Golding includes in his description: does he use more objective or subjective details? What elements of style do you pick up on?
• List what you believe Golding’s dominant impression is meant to be

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• After you have read the entire excerpt, find examples of Golding’s words and details that appeal to the following senses: visual (sight), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), auditor (sound), tactile (touch).

How do these elements of imagery add to the overall piece? What is their effect?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Good Morning, Musees,

Today is Monday, 2/10/14.  (If you were absent, please see me for assignments).

Do Now:

In an NCTE (National Council of Teacher's of English) blog, the following was stated:

"Many of us think of writing in two ways. One we spell with a little "w" -- it's the writing such as notes to ourselves, photos at our niece's wedding, text messaging with our friends, and maybe even reports for work. The other we spell with a capital "W" -- it's the writing that we do when we have an assignment in school or when we're feeling creative. But writing, whether big "W" or little "w," is integral to our lives in the 21st century and many, many people, young and old, are writing every day."

What do you think are the qualities of good writing? That is, what qualities should you focus on improving in Writing for College this semester in order to make your capital "W" writing "good"?  Please respond in a thoughtful comment of a paragraph.

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This week, we will be talking about writing style, expressing your own ideas with confidence, and using powerful words in your writing.  Put thought into them and make them count!


Six Word Memoir Assignment

Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in 6 words and he replied, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” In just these six words we're able to gain much insight into Hemingway's life and lifestyle. Even more, we gain insight into what he believed defined his life story. In true Hemingway fashion, there is an entire website dedicated to teens and adults uploading their own 6-word memoirs. Your first "mini-assignment" is to create your own six word memoir that you will then upload to this blog post.

What to do:
1. Visit the website called Smithmag and peruse the six word memoirs uploaded there by thousands of people. Start to get your mind rolling as to what words you will choose to define your life thus far.

2. Keep in mind that a memoir is an account of one's personal life and experiences, so start jotting down and brainstorming a list of words that come to mind when you think of your life thus far.

3. Show thought and creativity with word choice and syntax. Arrange and rearrange words to come up with a powerful six word memoir. How about using words that pack a punch rather than the average choices? Experiment with grammar and punctuation. Use semicolons, colons, dashes, periods, commas, etc. to help give strength to some words and/or phrases over others.

4. Remember, you can ONLY use six words; no less and no more.

5. Once your six word memoir is acceptable enough for you in defining your life thus far, post it to this blog post!

Due Date: TOMORROW! In order for this post to count, your Six Word Memoir must be uploaded by the start of class on Wednesday. 

  

Hello Everyone,

Today is Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Welcome to Writing for College. Congratulations! This is your last semester of High School English! Unfortunately, I am at a conference in Albany today and tomorrow. I had planned to meet you yesterday; however, Mother Nature thought differently.

I will get you all set up on our class blog and review our syllabus with you when I come back on Thursday. For now, please complete the following assignment:

Assignment:

Write a letter to me, Ms. Miller about you so that I can get to know you. Express yourself honestly. Please print out and hand in.

The letter should be about a page, give or take. (can, of course be more if you’d like)

Due at the end of the period. (I will write one to you, as well.)

Questions to Get You Thinking…and Writing

1. Who are you? What’s your name?

2. What defines you as a student? What defines you as a person?
3. As a teacher, what do I need to know about you in order to help you succeed academically this semester?
4. As a mentor, what do I need to know about you in order to help you achieve your personal goals this semester?
5. What interests or hobbies do you consider your passion? What is it you about this interest or hobby that thrills you?
6. What is your favorite book and what is it about this book that makes it your favorite? Has any book changed your life in some way? Tell me about it.
7. What comes easily to you with regards to writing? What presents a challenge for you?
8. What is your philosophy on life?
9. What ideas, people, places, activities, cultures, etc. have you wanted to learn more about but haven’t had the opportunity?
10. Who is your favorite person in the entire world?
11. Who would you most like to meet?
12. What is one thing that concerns you?
13. What makes you proud or what are you proud of?
14. Tell me about your short term goals (within the next year). What about your long term goals (within the next 5-10 years)?
15. What colleges are you applying to? Do you have a first choice? What might you major in?
16. Quirky Fact: What is one fact about you that makes you unique? For instance, do you have an obsession with watching Project Runway? Or, maybe you can bend all of your fingers backwards? What about a hidden talent? Any collector’s items that you’ve accumulated over the years?

p.s. If anyone would like to get in touch with me today or tomorrow, my email address is:
tmiller@smithtown.k12.ny.us