Sample Introduction Paragraph

Here is a sample introduction paragraph for the compare/contrast essay. Do NOT copy it word-for-word, but try to follow the basic format:

     When we think of a person committing suicide, we often think of someone taking a large amount of pills or jumping off of a bridge. A lesser-known form of suicide is known as “suicide by cop”. Suicide by cop occurs when a person intentionally causes a police officer to kill them as a way to take their own life. Examples of this can be found in works of fiction such as S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders as well as in real-life, as detailed in the article “Depressed Man Commits Suicide By Cop” by Frank Eltman.

FOLLOW THIS FORMAT:

• Introduce the general topic (Suicide by cop)
• Explain what it means
• Mention that it is present in both the book and the article (use titles and authors)
• Do NOT go into details of the stories in your introduction. Don't even mention Dallas or Moe in your introduction.

Compare/Contrast Essay

Your final draft for the compare/contrast essay of Dallas Winston and Moe Pergament will be completed in class tomorrow. You should bring in your outline and your Venn diagram as well as any notes or drafts your may have written. You can use all of these resources to help you write your final draft. You MUST have the book and the article with you for reference. Remember, the rubric is on the back of the article, so that will be attached to your final draft. Be prepared.

Introduction: Introduce the topic (suicide by cop). Provide the title and author of both works.

Body:
1 paragraph explaining the details surrounding Dallas' death.
1 paragraph explaining the details surrounding Moe's death.
1 paragraph comparing the two situations (similarities)
1 paragraph contrasting the two situations (differences)

Conclusion: As short paragraph restating the main idea.

Work on your "rough draft". Look up any words that you don't know how to spell. If you do all of the prep work, writing your essay in class should be much easier.

In addition to your essay, I will also be collecting your outline and your Venn diagram.

Extra Credit Project Update

The FAKEBOOK extra credit project will be due next Friday, February 8th. You can use the same template as the the last one, but you will need to modify the layout of the second page (or just create your own). The ALL ABOUT ME section should be removed. Move the BLOG section to the top of the page. This should take up about half of the page. You can add pictures to the bottom of the page if you need to fill the space.

Note about wall posts: The wall posts should seem as if they were written by the actual characters. Use their slang and style of speaking, not yours.

See me if you are having any problems.

Here is the rubric (I will give out copies in class if needed)

Fakebook Rubric:Fictional Character

           (page 1) 

Page contains a profile picture, biographical information, relevant status, friends list, and at least (3) wall posts from friends

   0          1          2          3         4         5         6         7         8         9        10

Wall posts include pictures, are from relevant “friends”, and make reference to important events in the book.

0                       3                     6                       9                  12                          15

 (Page 2)

Blog entry discusses a single, important event in the book life from his/her point of view. Blog entry gives a detailed description of the event as well as the emotions, feelings, and opinions of the character regarding the event. (approximately 1/2 page in length)

0                       3                     6                       9                  12                          15

Directions were followed, profile is neat, informative and free of errors. All parts of the task have been successfully completed. A strong effort is clear.

0          1          2          3         4         5         6         7         8         9        10

Total Points Earned: ___________      Project Grade (Total pts. X 2) _______________

Essay Assignment and Rubric

Essay:  (100 pts.) Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Dallas Winston and Moe Pergament. In your essay, be sure to:

·       Include an introductory paragraph in which you introduce the theme that connects the two stories as well as the titles of both the book and the article

·       Clearly discuss the circumstances of Dallas’s death including specific details from the book.

·       Clearly discuss the circumstances of Moe’s death including specific details from the article.

·       Compare and contrast the details of both stories

RUBRIC

Includes a strong introductory paragraph

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Clearly discuss the circumstances of Dallas’s death including specific details from the book

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

 Clearly discuss the circumstances of Moe’s death including specific details from the article.

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Compare and contrast the details of both stories

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Raw Score: ______                                                   Total Points (Raw X 5): ______


* If you lose the article, Google "Moe Pergament suicide by cop" and you should find it.

Compare/Contrast Essay

Today in class, we discusssed the connections between the deaths of (fictional character) Dallas Winston and (real-life person) Moe Pergament. You were provided with an essay assignment and a rubric. Follow the directions carefully. Work on a rough draft of your essay today. Be sure to follow the format/outline we went over in class. Use details from the article and the book in your essay. Tomorrow, we will spend some time in class revising it. The final draft will (most likely) be due on Friday. This is an important assignment. Do your best.

Extra Credit Opportunity

The following assignment is extra credit. It is optional. However, if you have received a failing grade in this class, it is HIGHLY recommended that you take advantage of this opportunity.

Create a FAKEBOOK page for a character from The Outsiders. The first page should follow the same format as the profile you created for your biography project. Do NOT, however, include a post from yourself. Instead, your page should consist of 3 or 4 wall posts from other characters from the novel. Each of these posts should make reference to events from the book.

The second page will be the same as the biography project except for the ALL ABOUT ME SECTION. Since we don't know the entire life stories of these characters, that section will be eliminated. You can fill the space by posting some pictures or other things that can be found on a typical online profile page. The LATEST BLOG ENTRY section should follow a similar format to the one in the biography project: describe an important event from your character's point of view and give his/her feelings and thoughts on the event. Follow the same guidelines for the likes and interests section.  The favorite quote should be something from the novel that is connected to your character.

The due date is to be determined, but likely it will be by the end of next week. A modified rubric will be posted soon. See me if you have any questions or concerns.

The grade for this assignment will replace your lowest 3rd marking period grade (except for a ZERO grade on a project).

I only want to see your BEST work. Don't hand in anything less.

The Outsiders

You must complete The Outsiders by Friday. We will be having an exam, an essay, and a project in the near future. Exact dates will be announced shortly.

Note-Taking Worksheet Due Tomorrow

The note-taking sheet for chapters 7-9 is due tomorrow. You should be finished reading chapter 9 in time for tomorrow's class.

Vocabulary Exam Tomorrow

As I explained last week, we will be having a vocabulary exam on Wednesday. All of the words are from the first 4 chapters of The Outsiders and are included on the worksheet we completed last week. I am not asking you to memorize definitions; I want you to understand the words when they are presented in context. That is a skill that is very valuable to a reader.

There will be 20 "questions" on the exam. Ten sentences with missing words will be given. You will be asked to complete the sentence by selecting the best word to fill in the blank. The other 10 words will need to be matched with the proper definition.

These are the words:

unfathomable
sophisticated     
apprehensive     
premonition   
defiance          
gingerly        
rivalry     
resigned    
ember    
elite      
 roughishly
nonchalantly

      sagely
      digested
      incredulous
      abide
      contemptuous
       aloof
       sheepish
       asset

USE THE VOCABULARY WORKSHEET AND A DICTIONARY TO REVIEW!

Reminder: Book Logs & Journals

As I explained to you earlier in the year, your book logs and journals need to be maintained regularly. It is a vital part of this class and an important step in improving your reading skills. When you finish a book, add it to your log, present the log and the journal entries to me, and I will sign for it. I will no longer be checking logs and journals of the entire class at one time. It is YOUR responsibility to bring these items to me each time you finish a book. If you fail to do so, I will assume that you have not been reading or writing in your journal, and you will receive a grade of ZERO for these requirements.

The 3rd marking period is upon us. It is time to step it up. I expect your best!

Homework: Read and Respond

Copy and answer the following questions:

•1. What was most likely the cause of the church fire? Cite specific evidence form the text in your answer.

•2. Why do you think Johnny and Ponyboy ran in to help save the kids instead of just watching?

•3. Explain the impact (if any) the church fire may have on each of the following situations:

ØJohnny’s trial

ØPonyboy’s relationship with Darry

ØThe feud between the Greasers and the Socs

Continue to read the book over the weekend.

Book Log Requirements

I will be checking book logs next week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

Be sure to include all books you have read this year on your log.

Fill out all of the required information for each book.

At this point in the year, you should have read a minimum of 12 books

Books over 500 pages count as 3 books.

Each book on your list should be labeled with the proper code.

•Book Log Codes: Enter the appropriate code to the left of the number for each book on your log:

•C.R. : Class Reading: this code applies to any book we have read together in class.

•I.R.: Independent Reading: this code applies to any books you read during the independent reading session in class.

•O.R.: Outside Reading: this code applies to any books read outside of class or at home.

•A.R.: Assigned Reading: this code applies to readings that I (or other teachers) have assigned you to do outside of class.

If a book counts for more than one book, indicate that in parentheses below the code

Example of what a log might look like:

I.R.          1. Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone…..

(3 books)__________________________________

C.R.         2. Various Memoirs………………………...........  

                _________________________________

A.R.         3. The Life and Times of George W. Bush

(2 books) _________________________________

I will ONLY sign for books that have been documented in your journals. Bring in your journals if necessary.
Our Class readings for this year (so far) have been:
The short stories we read in September (all 5 combine to count as 1 book)
Various Memoirs (1 book)
Poetry (1 book)
The Outsiders (1 book)
The only Assigned Reading you were given from me was the biography/auobiography

Book Logs

Over the next week, I will be inspecting your book logs. At this point, you should have read 12 books. Be sure to have your book log with you at all times. I will be giving you some additional information to include on your logs in class.

Homework: Word Work

Review the first 4 chapters of The Outsiders. Make a list of at least 10 words or phrases that may be unfamiliar. This can be a combination of vocabulary words and slang terms. For each word/phrase, indicate the page number where it can be found and explain what you think the word means. Use context clues, not a dictionary, to determine the meanings of these words.

Homework: Chapter 3

Finish reading chapter 3 of The Outsiders. Copy and answer the following questions:

1. Describe the encounter between the Greasers and the Socs that takes place in chapter 3. 

2. Compare and contrast Ponyboy’s relationship with Darry to his relationship with Soda? Provide details. Why do you think these relationships are so different?

3. Describe what happens when Ponyboy returns home late. 

Teaching Artist Residency

Monday will be our first session working with the teaching artist from Flushing Town Hall. Adam will be here every Monday through April to work with us on creating a theatre-based project connected to The Outsiders, and the work you do during these sessions will have a big impact on your 3rd marking period grade. I have done these residencies with Adam and other teaching artists in the past, and they have always been meaningful, educational, and a lot of fun. I expect everyone to give their very best. We are fortunate to have this opportunity. Let's make the most of it.

Homework

Read chapter 2 of The Outsiders.  Be prepared to discuss it on Monday. If you read ahead, do not give anything  away about what happens. You may use this book for your at-home journal entries if you wish.

Poetry Project Rubric

Your poetry projects will be graded using the following rubric:

Poetry book contains 8 to 10 poems of various styles and topics.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Includes pictures, drawings, etc. which accurately represent each poem.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Poems are well written and show a strong knowledge of figurative language

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Poetry book contains a cover, table of contents, and “About the Author” page.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Overall, the poetry book is well put together and shows that a strong amount effort went in to it.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Raw Score:                                                  Grade (Raw X 4)

Deadline Update

Happy New Year! Poetry projects are technically due today. However, if you need more time to complete or improve on your project, I will be accepting them up until Monday with no penalty. No projects will be accepted after Monday.

You were also given a packet to complete over the break. That packet is due on Friday.

Make sure 2013 is your best year yet!