Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Announcements and Reminders:  If needed, we will go to Lab 211 for Cave Time again.  Important:   This Friday, we will take the post-test for the district writing test.  Next week on Tuesday and Thursday we will take the State Core (SAGE) writing tests on argument and on informational writing. Come to school well-rested and having eaten well.   Try very hard not to miss those days.

Today’s Agenda: 1. Prepare your essay for revision and editing.  (This is due and will be handed in before the end of class.) 2. Revising and editing your Gettysburg Essay  Revising and Editing for Informational Writing   pages 23-29 If you wish to enter your Gettysburg essay in the contest, pick it up from the bottom wire basket as soon as it is available. The packets are mostly alphabetical.  Go to http://gettyready.org/  with your parents, by Friday at 5 pm.  Check these items:  Introduction Conclusion Transitions Word Choice Variety of Sentences Editing for Conventions:  SMILE!      Sentences -- Make sure each sentence has a subject and an action.      Marks  -- End each sentence with a punctuation mark.      Indents -- Indent each new paragraph.      Letters -- Start each sentence with a capital letter.      Editor -- Use any editing program available, and check your own spelling, etc.       (Spelling -- Double-check for the word you tend to misspell.) 3.  Crafting an Argument  The Situation:  You are at a store with a friend. The clerk at the store forgot to charge your friend for one of the items your friend purchased. Your friend realizes this as you are walking out of the store. In looking back to the register, there is already a long line. What will you tell your friend?  Decide how you will advise your friend and list five or more reasons to support your advice.  Also list arguments someone who would disagree with you would make.   Your friend should go back and pay. Your friend should not go back and pay. The Set-Up:  Hot Seat  There are four seats available.   You must be in one of those seats to speak.   Once someone has spoken, you may tap that person out and take his or her place.  You will earn more points if you use one of the sentence starters provided.  When you are not in a hot seat, you are taking notes on what is said by those who are. To earn points, what you say must contribute something new and valuable to the conversation.   Be Kind. Counter Argument/Concession Words Transition Words and Phrases to Present Other's Ideas 4. Phrases and Clauses?  Blog Review of Phrases and Clauses 5. If time, Individual Reading

If you were absent: See above. Write a draft of your Gettysburg essay in your packet. Revise and edit it using  Revising and Editing for Informational Writing   pages 23-29 Turn it in to Ms. Dorsey ASAP! Study the following situation and list arguments for both sides: To Pay or Not to Pay.docx Use some of the sentence starters.

Teacher notes:
What types of Argument Writing do we do?
Argument
Persuasive
Motivational

Original version:  You are at the mall with a friend. The clerk at the store forgot to charge your friend for one of the DVDs your friend purchased. Your friend realizes this as you are walking out of the store. In looking back to the register, there is already a long line. Your first thought is that this wasn't your friend's mistake. Maybe something like this will teach the clerk a lesson about being more careful. Then, your friend mentions  how hungry you both are and that the money just "saved" could feed you nicely. What will you tell your friend? 

Another debatable topic: Tattle-Tale or Good Citizen?