Agenda, October 31

• Due Now: "Me Talk Pretty One Day," by David Sedaris 
• Due Wednesday: Complete Says / Does analysis for "Me Talk Pretty"
• Due Friday: Optional revision of Fear Narrative. Highlight changes in new draft. Clip new draft on top of all previous drafts. Do not let your synthesis essay suffer in order to revise your narrative.
• Due Monday: Fear Synthesis.    
  

Agenda:

1. Revision Notes
2. Fear Essay Question
3. Sedaris's purpose
4. How is Sedaris different from what we usually read?
5. Says / Does

Agenda, October 27

• Due Monday: "Me Talk Pretty One Day," by David Sedaris  
  

Agenda:

1. What now?
2. Now presenting ... Mr. Stull and the Databases!

A Frightening List

Watergate	Reconstruction
AIDS outbreak	Executive Order 9006 (Japanese Relocation)
America’s refusal of Jewish refugees in the 1930’s and 40’s	9/11
The war on terror	The Red Scare
Stock Market Crash	Assassination of Abraham Lincoln / Slaves freed
HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds broadcast	War on Drugs
Contagious diseases (ebola, zika)	Panic of 1897
WW II	Civil Right Movement
War of 1812	Civil War
Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire	KKK march on Washington, 1925
Emmett Till murder	Lynching (1860-1960)
Kennedy Assassination	School shootings era (late ‘90s – present day) / mass shootings
Pearl Harbor	Cold War / “Mutually assured destruction”
Contemporary police shootings / BLM	Vietnam War
Assassination of MLK	Oil spills
American Revolution	Boston Marathon Bombing
“Know Nothings”	Alien and Sedition Act
The Trail of Tears	American-Indian Wars
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki	Civil Rights Bus Boycott
2016 Election	Fear of Syrian refugees
Gulf War (both 1st and 2nd)	Scarlet Fever
Cuban Missile Crisis	Kent State Shootings
Little Rock Integration	Massacre
The War on Terror	Korean War
Black Panthers	Feminist Movement
Anthrax Scare	Y2K
1973 Oil Crisis	Hurricane Katrina (amongst other natural disasters)
Washington DC burns down (1814) and the Great Chicago Fire (1871)	San Francisco Earthquake
Apollo 1 Launchpad Fire / Challenger Explosion	Salem Witch Trials

Agenda, October 26

• Due Now: "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space," by Brent Staples.
• Due Now: At least five moments of profound fear in American history. Strive for variety. Bring a document you can hand to your teacher.
• Due Tomorrow: Come to class ready to research!  
  

Agenda:

1. Fear Collection
2. Argument o' the Week
3. The Purpose of Just Walking
4. Says / Does

Agenda, October 25

• Due Now: "Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell. Take good notes.
• Due Tomorrow: "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space," by Brent Staples.
• Due Tomorrow: At least five moments of profound fear in American history. Strive for variety. Bring a document you can hand to your teacher.  
  

Agenda:

1. Fear Synthesis Essay Questions
2. Synthesis Paragraph Highlights
3. The "Elephant" in the Room
4. Says / Does

Fear Synthesis Prompt

Fear Synthesis Essay

Due Monday, November 7th

Task: Considering several of the pieces we have read in this unit, write an essay that answers the question, “How has fear shaped the American psyche?” In order to answer this question, you’ll need to clarify your understanding of the American psyche, examine several moments of profound fear in our country, and make connections between those moments and our country’s current state of mind. Support your claim with direct quotations from multiple texts (a minimum of three sources from class, plus two additional sources from independent research), properly formatted in MLA style.

Typed. Double Spaced. Twelve point. No blank lines between paragraphs, except to indicate a major shift in tone or setting. Three – six pages. Don’t forget a title.

Required:

·      Underline and label examples of three different rhetorical strategies.

·      A minimum of two synthesis paragraphs.

·      A minimum two additional sources from independent research.

·      Properly formatted Works Cited Page.

Suggested: End with a plan of action for the future. How can we / should we most effectively respond to fear? Employ anaphora in your conclusion.

Audience: 1) The editor of a nationally published magazine. 2) The well-educated readers of that magazine. 3) Yourself.

Purpose: 1) To explore historical reactions to frightening events. 2) To draw conclusions about the impact of those reactions on contemporary society. 3) To suggest a plan of action for the future.

How to approach this paper:

·      Develop an opinion on this subject.

·      Gather evidence (from our texts and from research) to support your opinion. This is an argument; therefore, personal experience is valid evidence and first person is an acceptable POV (when used effectively).

·      Create clear, defensible topic sentences.

·      Draft paragraphs with two quotations to support your topic sentences.

·      Draft paragraphs with an eye towards ethos, pathos, and logos.

·      Proofread to ensure your quotations are properly formatted and cited. For this essay, “you will need to include the author’s name in your parenthetical citation” (Kline 1).

·      Create your Works Cited page.

Agenda, October 24

• Due Now: "Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell. Take good notes.
• Due Now: All narratives returned to me, either completely revised, only rhetorical devices revised, or unrevised. If you have revised your essay, highlight all changes in your NEW DRAFT. Clip - don't staple - your new draft on top of your old draft.
• Due Wednesday: "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space," by Brent Staples.  
  

Agenda:

1. Teach this poem ...
2. Fear Synthesis Essay
3. The "Elephant" in the Room
4. Says / Does

Agenda, October 21

• Due Now: "Why Don't We Complain?" by William F. Buckley, Jr.. Take good notes.
• Due Monday: "Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell. Take good notes.
• Due Monday, 10/24: All narratives returned to me, either completely revised, only rhetorical devices revised, or unrevised. If you have revised your essay, highlight all changes in your NEW DRAFT. Clip - don't staple - your new draft on top of your old draft.
  

Agenda:

1. The Toulmin Model
2. Six Expert Groups
3. In conclusion ...
4. Argument o' The Week OR Teach this poem ...

Agenda, October 20

• Due Now: "Why Don't We Complain?" by William F. Buckley, Jr.. Take good notes.
• Due Now: Write a synthesis paragraph that answers the question, "What do Americans fear?" Draw your evidence from Edwards, McCarthy, Steinbeck, or Miller. Typed. MLA.
• Due Monday, 10/24: All narratives returned to me, either completely revised, only rhetorical devices revised, or unrevised. If you have revised your essay, highlight all changes in your NEW DRAFT. Clip - don't staple - your new draft on top of your old draft.
  

Agenda:

1. Period 4: Move chairs
2. Synthesis Paragraph Topic Sentences
3. What does Miller think it means to be an American?
4. Evaluating Miller's claim
5. Let's Complain in small groups
6. In conclusion ...
7. Period 4: Earthquaaaaaake!

Agenda, October 18

• Due Now: Reread the commentary sections in The Crucible.  Collect 5 (or more) quotes that would help you answer the question, "What does Arthur Miller think it means to be an American?" You will need either the school's copy of The Crucible or access to this link. 
• Due Thursday: "Why Don't We Complain?" by William F. Buckley, Jr.. Take good notes.
• Due Thursday: Write a synthesis paragraph that answers the question, "What do Americans fear?" Draw your evidence from Edwards, McCarthy, Steinbeck, or Miller. Typed. MLA.
• Due Monday, 10/24: All narratives returned to me, either completely revised, only rhetorical devices revised, or unrevised. 
  

Agenda:

1. Synthesis Paragraph Questions?
2. Establishing sources
3. Embedding quotes (quote the evidence instead of the assertion)
4. What does Miller think it means to be an American?
5. Evaluating Miller's claim
6. Teach this poem
7. Period 5: Move chairs

Agenda, October 17

• Due Now: Reread the commentary sections in The Crucible.  Collect 5 (or more) quotes that would help you answer the question, "What does Arthur Miller think it means to be an American?" You will need either the school's copy of The Crucible or access to this link. 
• Due Thursday: "Why Don't We Complain?" by William F. Buckley, Jr.. Take good notes.
• Due Thursday: Write a synthesis paragraph that answers the question, "What do Americans fear?" Draw your evidence from Edwards, McCarthy, Steinbeck, or Miller. Typed. MLA.
• Due Monday, 10/24: All narratives returned to me, either completely revised, only rhetorical devices revised, or unrevised. 
  

Agenda:

1. Your fear and you
2. The return of the essays
3. The Synthesis Paragraph
4. What does Miller think it means to be an American?

Some thoughts about grades on essays ...

• A good essay is not necessarily a good story.
• Good writing is not always enough to make a good story.

• A "bad" grade does not mean your story was written badly.
• A "bad" grade does not mean I don't respect your story or your writing.
• A "bad" grade does not mean you are a bad person.

• A "bad" grade reflects the fact you are expected to write with the same skill level as someone who is two years older than you and who has had two more years of writing experience and instruction.
• A "bad" grade indicates that you missed one or more of the purposes of the assignment.
• In general - and beware the dangers of hasty generalizations - the less I have to say about your essay, the more work you need to do. That's not always the case, but it is generally true.

As you consider revising, consider the following:

1. Am I satisfied with the quality of my writing?
2. Do I think I can improve my story?
3. Do I think I can make the changes Kline suggests?
4. Do I want to?

Revisions are due on Monday, 10/24. I'd advise conferencing with me before revising.

Agenda, October 12

• Due Now: "The Trial of Arthur Miller," by John Steinbeck (handout). Take good notes. 

• Due Monday: Reread the commentary sections in The Crucible.  Collect 5 (or more) quotes that would help you answer the question, "What does Arthur Miller think it means to be an American?" You will need either the school's copy of The Crucible or access to this link.    
  

Agenda:

1. Argument o' the Week
2. First, second, third ... in Steinbeck
3. Remind me to collect your notes

Agenda, October 11

• Due Now: Reread "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes. 
• Due Now: "The Trial of Arthur Miller," by John Steinbeck (handout). Take good notes. 
• For this weekend, you will need either the school's copy of The Crucible or access to this link.    
  

Agenda:

1. First, second, third ...
2. Whole Class Steinbeck

Agenda, October 10

• Due Now: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Now: Reread "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes. 
• Due Tomorrow: "The Trial of Arthur Miller," by John Steinbeck (handout). Take good notes.    
  

Agenda:

1. Fearless Titles
2. TEP Revision
3. McCarthy's Purpose
4. First, second, third ...

Agenda, October 7

• Due Monday, 10/10: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Monday: Reread "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes. 
• Due Tuesday: "The Trial of Arthur Miller," by John Steinbeck (handout). Take good notes.    
  

Agenda:

1. Fearless Questions
2. Exploding the Moment
3. Anomalies in Good Night, and Good Luck
4. The Mysterious Second Column
5.  TEP Revision

Agenda, October 6

• Due Monday, 10/10: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Now: "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes. 
• Due Monday: "The Trial of Arthur Miller," by John Steinbeck (handout). Take good notes.    
  

Agenda:

1. Fearless Questions
2. Zooming In ...
3. The Big Ideas in Good Night, and Good Luck
4. The Mysterious Second Column

Agenda, October 5

• Due Monday, 10/10: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Thursday, 10/6: "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes.    
  

Agenda:

1. Fearless Questions
2. Show, Don't Tell
3. Good Night, and Good Luck

Agenda, October 4

• Due Monday, 10/10: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Thursday, 10/6: "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes    
  

Agenda:

1. Fearless Questions
2. What's the committee (period 5 only).
3. Good Night, and Good Luck

Fearless Narrative

Fearless Narrative

Due Monday, October 10

Write a three – five page narrative about a time when you faced a fear. This fear may be small or significant, in school or out. Your fear may be physical or psychological. It’s not important whether you were successful in conquering your fear; your essay is about the process, not the result.

Typed. Double Spaced. Twelve point. No blank lines between paragraphs, except to indicate a major shift in tone or setting. Three – five pages. Don’t forget a title.

Required: Include three different rhetorical strategies, underlined and labeled. You may write the labels by hand or you may use the footnote function on your word processor.

Required: A header with your name and the page of the essay in the upper right hand corner (which is part of MLA format anyway).

Suggested: Four possible structures. 1) Begin at the end, then explain how you got there. 2) Alternate narration of the action with reflection on the action. 3) Traditional beginning, middle, end narration. 4) Something too cool for me to think of.

Audience: 1) An educated reader. 2) Yourself.

Purpose: 1) To explore the impact of fear on personal development. 2) To identify effective or ineffective strategies for facing fear. 3) To tell a good story.

Excellent topics are not limited to major events. Sometimes great wisdom lies in exploring the little details. Write about an experience you remember vividly and can describe honestly, even if you weren’t successful in your endeavors.

Agenda, October 3

• Do this weekend: Who was Senator Joseph McCarthy? Why is he important?
• Due Monday, 10/10: Write a narrative about a time you faced a fear. Typed. MLA format. 3-5 pages. 
• Due Wednesday, 10/5: "Enemies Within," by Senator Joseph McCarthy (handout). Take good notes    
  

Agenda:

1. Narrative Brainstorming
2. Just the facts, ma'am.
3. Good Night, and Good Luck