(10th) Online Discussion #23

Welcome to the final discussion of the year! Please choose one to answer from the following topics:

1. What does it mean to be a successful person? Be sure to explain at least five character traits and three actions which can lead to individual success.
2. Explain three successful people whom you admire. What did they do to become successful? What could you do to achieve similar success? 

Directions:

• Choose a discussion topic, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th) Online Discussion #23

Welcome to the final discussion of the year! Please comment on one of the following discussion topics:

1. Choose three individuals (one living, one deceased, and one fictional) who display the qualities of a hero. For each individual, explain their heroic qualities as well as at least one heroic action they performed during their lives.
2. Describe a person (living, deceased, or fictional) who many consider to be a hero, and prove how he/she is NOT a hero using at least three examples from his/her life. 
3. Explain how a person can become an everyday hero; be sure to detail five qualities of an everyday hero, and give three suggestions about actions an everyday hero might take.

Directions:

• Choose a discussion topic, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th and 10th) Combined Discussion #22

April is National Poetry Month!

In celebration, our discussion this time centers around the sometimes simple, but more often complicated genre we call poetry.

You have two discussion options -- please read over the directions carefully before making a choice. If you wish to make an "A" on this discussion, please remember to comment on someone's post with more than "this is good/cool/interesting." 

Note: If you are unfamiliar with the term "Poet Laureate," please see this link for more information first.

Discussion Option 1 -- Access the link on NPR about America's Poets Laureate to learn a bit about poets who have received this recognition. If you discover one that you like, find a poem of theirs on Poets.org. Re-post this poem in your comment with the title and author, and answer these questions:

• Why did you like this poem?
• How do you think this poem reflects the author?
• Do you think that this poem proves that this poet deserves recognition of being Poet Laureate, and why?

Discussion Option 2 -- Access the link on NPR about America's Poets Laureate to learn a bit about poets who have received this recognition. Then, think about poets or lyric writers you personally enjoy. Answer these questions:

• If you could choose one poet to be next year's American Poet Laureate, who would it be, and why? This person could be dead or living. 
• Find a sample of this person's poetry on Poets.org or another web site and re-post it with title and author in your comment. 
• Explain how the poem you chose is proof that this person deserves the recognition of Poet Laureate.

NOTE: Any lyrics or poetry posted must have a maximum PG-13 rating, and any language must be starred out (like this --> *****). If in doubt, e-mail it to me and ask my opinion before posting, or choose another poem.



Directions:

• Choose a discussion topic, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, April 29, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th AND 10th) Combined Discussion #21

Welcome back, everyone!

I've been seeing lots of success with the recent combined discussions, so I would like to continue the trend for a while longer.

This week does involve a bit of reading, but fear not -- the articles in question are quite short.

As an extra, anyone who posts an answer in Shakespearean English (it must still make sense!) will get some bonus credit; you can find many glossaries online to help with this.

To begin, click the PBS website links to access the biographies of those living in Shakespeare's era. You are encouraged to choose and read at least TWO of the articles to help answer the discussion questions, chosen from the following list:

• Elizabeth I
• Henry VIII
• Ben Jonson
• Christopher Marlowe

Discussion Questions (choose only one):

1. Choose one of the biographies you read. Which (from your class play) characters' personalities do you believe might have been inspired by this person, and why? Explain your answer with evidence from the article.
2. Choose one of the biographies you read. Based on your understanding of Shakespeare and his writing, do you believe that he would have made this individual a hero or a villain in one of his plays, and why? Explain your answer with evidence from the article.
3. Out of the four biographies, which individual do you believe had the greatest impact on Shakespeare as a writer, and why? Explain your answer with evidence from your article.

Directions:

• Choose a discussion question, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so.  
• EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE THIS ANSWER IN (UNDERSTANDABLE) SHAKESPEAREAN ENGLISH!

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, April 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th AND 10th) Combined Discussion #20

Because both grades have begun a drama unit this week, I would like to make this another combined forum based on the themes and ideas of William Shakespeare's time.

Please choose one of the following discussion topics:

1. Based on your understanding of history and that of Shakespeare's characters, how have the roles of men and women stayed the same in our time? How have they changed? Please address both questions!
2. What kind of characters would be most loved by the nobility of Shakespeare's time, and why? Which characters would be more enjoyed by the lower classes, and why? Please address both questions -- feel free to use examples from your class play!
3. Based on your understanding of drama and Shakespeare's time, why do you think the stage directions in his plays are so minimal? Does this lack of direction help or hurt a play's director, and why? Please address both questions!

Directions:

• Choose a discussion question, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, April 01, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th AND 10th) Combined Discussion #19

Another combined discussion! In light of the recent Oscars showing (which some of you watched but others did not), I wanted to bring up a cultural question this time.

First things first, however. Begin by reading these articles:

• "The Oscars Broadcast, Zooming Way Past Cheeky to Land Squarely on Crass"
•  "Seth McFarlane: Crude or Classy? Delightful or a Dolt? You Be the Critic"

We know of Seth McFarlane as the creator of American Dad, Family Guy and Robot Chicken. He also voices both Peter and Stewie Griffin on Family Guy. Many people were very surprised (and anxious) to see him hosting the famous Academy Awards -- and still others were excited. In light of his performance, our discussion this time focuses on the idea of jokes, what makes them funny, and when they start to become uncomfortable or insulting. 

As you read through the articles, consider these questions (choose only one to answer!):

1. When does a joke cross the line into "bad taste"?
2. Who in society decides what is "funny" and what is simply rude? How do we know where the line is?
3. Because we live in a nation which embraces free speech, does this give us the right to say exactly what we want, when we want (jokes included)?

Directions:

• Choose a discussion question, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, March 18, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

You're getting THREE WEEKS to answer, so please come back after your initial post and continue adding to the discussion! 

(10th) Discussion #18

Hello, Sophomores! To keep us all on track and thinking about those political campaign projects on which we are all working so hard, here's a politically-oriented discussion for you! 

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Step One: Go to www.voki.com Open this in a new window so you can refer to these instructions.

Step Two: Click "create" at the top of the page and design a voki character avatar using the "Customize Your Character" options.

Step Three: Click the "text to speech" option (it looks like a keyboard key) under "Give it a Voice" to open a text box. (If you have a microphone at home and want to use your own voice, go ahead!)

Step Four: In this text box, use the avatar to give you a positive endorsement; in other words, pretend that this talking head is a famous person, reporter or anything else talking about how you're going to be perfect for president/VP/whatever you're running for. Here are some ideas:

• Have a famous actor or sports athlete (if you can recreate the face closely enough) talking about what you would do for their industry.
• Have a corporate businessperson explain how you're going to help the economy and business in America/Texas.
• Have a reporter talk about the great things you're going to do about the issues that matter to you as a candidate.
• Have the leader of your political party explain why they want you to represent the party. 
• Get creative!!!

Step Five: Test your voki's audio by pressing the play button. Finish any last minute customizing, and then click "publish." Name your scene (the name doesn't matter) and click "save."

Step Six: You'll see your voki to the left, and a lot of programming gibberish to the right. Click the box where it says "Select Newly Created URL" and select "Standard Voki Link." A link will open in the box -- highlight this and paste it into your blog comment.

**VERY STRONG SUGGESTION** 

Paste the link into your browser, and BOOKMARK THE PAGE in case your comment messes up! Don't lose your work!

**You do not need to register with voki to complete this assignment**

Click this link for a sample voki: http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=7507151&height=267&width=200

_________________

Directions:

• Create your voki and post it into your comment. 
• DON'T USE YOUR REAL NAME! Use your pen name in the voki text.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times -- PREVIEW YOUR VOKI FIRST!
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your voki, but comment on a peer's voki as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, February 18, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close. 

(9th) Discussion #18

Welcome back, freshmen! We're back to short-answer format questions this week, with a focus on personal essays. I might suggest having your SAQR rubric handy to make sure you're going for a score of 3!

Step One: Go to this link and read the personal essay by Vint Cerf about respect. http://thisibelieve.org/essay/29294/

Step Two: Choose ONE of the questions below to answer, making sure all directions are followed.

__________________________________

Discussion Topics (choose only one!):

1. According to the author, what are some possible dangers of communicating only through types/written words? Use evidence from the text and explanation to support your answer.
2. Based on the author's writing, how do you think he would solve a dispute between two people? Use evidence from the text and explanation to support your answer. 
3. Based on the essay, what does the author mean by "respect?" What kinds of actions are those of a respectful human being? Use evidence from the text and explanation to support your answer.

Directions:

• Choose a discussion question, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, February 18, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close. 

(10th) Discussion #17

All right, sophomores! Time to look at some product advertising! Study the three images above before continuing on with this assignment. Consider your rhetorical triangle as well as any appeals or fallacies being made by the company.

___________________________________

Discussion Topics (choose only one!):

1. Explain the bias of the company in EACH AD (so talk about all three) -- what do they believe about their product, and why is this bias not exactly the truth? Prove your answer with evidence from the images. 
2. Explain the specific audience the company is trying to reach in EACH AD (so talk about all three). How does this compare to what the audience of Lego toys was 10-20 years ago? Prove your answer with evidence from the images and your background knowledge.
3. Explain the rhetorical appeals AND fallacies hidden in EACH AD (so talk about all three). Which was the most successful in conveying its message, and why? Explain using evidence from the images. 

Directions:

• Choose a discussion question, and answer it completely according to the directions. Indicate in your comment which discussion question you are answering.
• Use the pen name you provided at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct spelling and grammar at all times.
• In order to receive an "A," you must not only post your answer, but comment on a peer's ideas as well. Please remain positive and polite when doing so. 

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, February 4, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close. 

(9th) Discussion #17

Welcome back, freshmen. I have an interesting challenge for you this time which involves the following materials:

• your notes about sonnets
• the poems/lyrics you chose for your poetry project
• some creativity! 

___________________________________

Your job is to turn a stanza (or two) of one of your chosen songs/poems into a sonnet. Below is an example from the winner of a contest given by the Washington Post:

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heavens yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt
Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.
        -- by "William Shakespeare" (Jeff Brechlin)

Sound familiar? Here are the original lyrics:

You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in, and you shake it all about!

...and so on. You see? Note that this is not a true sonnet, because it has only 10 lines. However, you get the idea!

___________________________________

So, here are your instructions in detail:

1. Choose one of your poems/songs that you were asked to find for class.
2. In your post, please give us the title of the work, the stanza(s) you are using, AND the sonnet you created from those lines.
3. Please choose between ITALIAN, SHAKESPEAREAN, or BLANK VERSE style of sonnet, and do your best to follow the style.
4. Don't worry about using weird language like in the sample! Use the language of the lyrics/original poem as much as possible. 

If, by chance, you have completely forgotten everything about sonnets and your notes are unavailable, here are a couple of handy links:

• http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-a-sonnet.html
• http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index.php?title=Three_types_of_sonnet 

___________________________________

REMINDERS:

• Use your pen name when posting. 
• Follow all directions for your assignment. 
• To achieve an "A" score, complete your assignment, AND comment on a peer's sonnet. 
• Please TRY this!!! You are using a pen name, and comments are meant to be helpful, so if you make an error on your sonnet or it's not "perfect," IT'S OKAY!!!! 
• Have fun with this! 

This assignment is due on  Monday, February 4, 2013 at 5:00 PM. At 5:00 PM comments will close.

(10th) Discussion #16

Sophomores, please note that during this semester the discussions will be structured differently. Every two weeks a new discussion will be posted; you must comment on each post.

This means that you will make three posts per six weeks; you may comment at any time during the two-week period that the post remains open. 

Do not e-mail me posts after discussions have closed!

Also, these discussions will require some reading, so do not skip over the selection(s) I give you!

You must answer using short-answer question format learned last semester in class. Begin with your thesis/main idea, and then explain your answer using your own ideas as well as quotations from the text.

It is highly encouraged that you respond to the posts made to your peers in addition to making your post; you may agree/disagree with this person, and explain why. Students wishing to achieve an "A" for the assignment will follow this suggestion.

__________

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/political-ad-tracker/most-recent

Copy and paste the above link into your browser to watch the following political advertisements from the 2012 presidential elections:

• Mitt Romney "Failing American Workers"
• Barack Obama "Since When?"

__________

Discussion topic choices:

• (#1) Explain which candidate appeared to be most defensive about this topic, and explain why you think so.
• (#2) According to what you see and hear in the advertisements, which of the two did you find most persuasive, and why?
• (#3) Which rhetorical appeals/fallacies did you recognize in these advertisements, and how did they affect your ability to believe the content of the advertisements?

Directions:

• Answer all questions in the comments section of this blog using the pen name you provided to me at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct grammar and spelling at all times when making your comments. No textspeak!
• Please tell me which discussion topic you have chosen in your comment.

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, January 21, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.

(9th) Discussion #16

Freshmen, please note that during this semester the discussions will be structured differently. Every two weeks a new discussion will be posted; you must comment on each post.

This means that you will make three posts per six weeks; you may comment at any time during the two-week period that the post remains open. 

Do not e-mail me posts after discussions have closed!

Also, these discussions will require some reading, so do not skip over the selection(s) I give you!

You must answer using short-answer question format learned last semester in class. Begin with your thesis/main idea, and then explain your answer using your own ideas as well as quotations from the text.

It is highly encouraged that you respond to the posts made to your peers in addition to making your post; you may agree/disagree with this person, and explain why. Students wishing to achieve an "A" for the assignment will follow this suggestion.

__________

Sonnet II by William Shakespeare

When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,
Thy youth's proud livery so gazed on now,
Will be a totter'd weed of small worth held:
Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days;
To say, within thine own deep sunken eyes,
Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.
How much more praise deserv'd thy beauty's use,
If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine
Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse,'
Proving his beauty by succession thine!
   This were to be new made when thou art old,
   And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold.

__________

Discussion topic choices:

• (#1) Explain how Shakespeare uses imagery and metaphor to compare life to warfare.
• (#2) Explain how Shakespeare feels about beauty in this poem.
• (#3) Explain the lesson of aging Shakespeare is trying to convey through this poem.

Directions:

• Answer all questions in the comments section of this blog using the pen name you provided to me at the beginning of the year.
• Use correct grammar and spelling at all times when making your comments. No textspeak!
• Please tell me which discussion topic you have chosen in your comment.

Due Date: This post will remain open for comments and discussion until Monday, January 21, 2013 at 5:00 PM; after this time comments will close.