Nov. 30 In Class Writing

While I am not positive what I will do my speech on, but I think something on mental health would be good, since it’s a topic thats important to me and a big issue in todays society. I will probably spend most of my time practicing, since I don’t do a lot of speeches or presentations these days.

In this speech, Wendy Troxel does a good job of engaging with her audience. The entire time she’s speaking, she’s looking around the room, making eye contact with her audience and gesturing towards them. While she’s talking about the struggle of waking her teenage son up, her tone sounds empathetic towards him and other teenagers that don’t get enough sleep.

Nov. 18 In Class Writing

I read Jelo’s post, and we both started our response by writing about the moment Gregory described as the first time he felt shame. Jelo also wrote about Gregory probably experiencing shame before that, when he was forced to sit in the back of the class, in the chalk circle. Jelo also wrote about having similar experiences with being hungry and not being able to concentrate.

One of the most significant things to happen in our history was the Civil War. Soon after the North won, Lincoln was killed, and his plans to fix the post-war country never happened. Instead, his vice president Andrew Johnson was made president and put in charge of fixing the country. Johnson was racist and a former slave owner, and chose to forgive the Southern states and give them back their power. This inevitably lead to Jim Crow laws and oppression over former slaves that was basically slavery in itself.

Theres no way of knowing what might have happened if Lincoln wasn’t killed, but it’s likely that he would have been able to implement his plan and make a better post-war country. Many racial issues we have today can be traced back to this time period and the way that those in charge handled things, such as racism, systematic racism, and police brutality. People of color are still fighting for equality through BLM, and these are issues that could have and should have been addressed following the Civil War.

Nov. 16 Group Work

By Ailin, Ruby, and Henry
1. Excerpt from page 23 of an article in 2011 by William Ellis entitled “Culture in Transition.”World problems such as poverty, pollution, war, and hunger are inherent in the current system of world order based on nation-states and economic competition. They can be solved if people know and understand one another on a global, grass-roots basis. By developing people-to-people linkages irrespective of national borders, we can start to ameliorate global tensions and inequities.Student versions:
Is this plagiarism or not?
__N_William Ellis asserts that world problems such as poverty, pollution, war, and hunger are inherent in the current system of world order based on nation-states and economic competition (p. 23).
__Y__Global tensions and inequities can be solved if people begin to help one another on a grass-roots basis, moving beyond the current world order of economic competition (Ellis 23).
__N__Ellis (2011) argues that global problems are often a result of exploitation inherent in economic competition. He contends that “grass roots….people-to people linkages irrespective of national borders” can do much to ease global tensions (p. 23).
__Y__Economic competition is at the basis of many of the world’s problems (Ellis 23). Only by seeing ourselves as a single family without the separation of national boundaries can world tensions begin to be eased.
_N_Ellis (2011) argues that world problems are caused by overpopulation and that the only possible solution is an enforced tax on families who have more than one child (p. 23).
Original Text:Alaska’s wetlands provide many benefits including: food and habitat for wildlife, fish and shellfish species, natural products for human use and subsistence, shoreline erosion and sediment control, flood protection, and opportunities for recreation and esthetic appreciation.Hall, Jonathan V., W. E. Frayer, and Bill O. Wilen. Status of Alaska Wetlands. 4 Nov. 1997. Web. 12 Mar. 2011.
Y Student Version:Alaskan wetlands offer advantages such as erosion and flood control, homes and food for wildlife, and natural beauty and products for humans’ benefit.
2. Original Text: Assertive individuals tend to feel more in control of their lives, derive more satisfactions from their relationships and achieve their goals more often. They also will obtain more respect from, and inspire confidence in, those with whom they interact since they tend to be viewed as strong characters who will not be easily swayed.Hargie, O., Saunders, C., & Dickson, D. (2000). Social Skills in Interpersonal Communication. London: Routledge, p. 271.
N Student Version:Because they are not readily influenced, assertive people gain respect from others, and they experience success in guiding their own lives, nurturing good relationships, and achieving their goals (Hargie, Saunders, and Dickson, 2000, p. 271).
3. Original Text:A new to recycle bald tires has been developed by researchers at the University of Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station. Instead of hanging them on trees as swings, they’re using them as mulch around the base.“Tires Return as Mulch.” Popular Mechanics 94.2 (2000): 22. LEXIX-NEXIS. Web. 31 July 2011.
Y Student Version:A Popular Mechanics article notes that University of Georgia researchers have found a new use for worn tires: instead of having them on trees as swings, they’re using them as mulch (“Tires Return”).

Nov. 16 In Class Writing

One point mentioned in both readings is the importance of knowing who your audience is and how you can tailor your presentation towards them. They also talk about the importance of practicing until you are confident in your ability to present the information.

I read Ryan’s response, and liked that he gave an example from his own experience, about how a gun control argument in school didn’t work out because the presenter focused only on his side of the argument. Besides that we had pretty similar responses, and talked about the steps you take towards making a good presentation.

Nov. 11 Group Blog Post

Written by Jamye, Bryanna, and Henry

Greta talked about the emission levels today and the remaining carbon dioxide budget and that it’ll be entirely gone within 8 and a half years.

You can also tell by her facial expressions and her voice that she is genuinely mad and upset about what is going on.

Theres not a lot of body language to read since she is sitting down, but she is constantly scanning the room and making eye contact with people in the crowd.

 

Nov. 11 Writing

Similarities and differences in Rubys writing

  • We both wrote about using silence to build up anticipation
  • Ruby used an example from a meat advertisement
  • Ruby used the Simpsons as an example

Similarities and differences in Daisys writing

  • Used her own personal experience when talking about making an effective argument
  • Both wrote about using emotions in the argument
  • Daisy wrote more about the structure of arguments, while I wrote about examples

Oct. 28 In Class Writing

Ailin and Lillah-Aaliyah could both relate to Bich Minh Nguyen’s struggle of finding identity between two different cultures, something that I never experienced, so it was good to see how other people felt about this writing. We all agreed on what Mirando’s argument was, that multiethnic or multiracial youths can struggle to find their identity.

Looking at the feedback on my Essay Two, it is clear that I need to work on my APA in text citations and my references page. I can do this by rewatching the video on APA format, and apply that to my next essay. I could also support my claim by using more evidence and adding more sources.

Oct. 26 In class Writing

Some similarities between Ailin’s writing and mine is that we both acknowledged that even though Mrs. Wong is from a different background and speaks a different language, she manages to connect with her friends. Ailin also connects the story to her personal experience. This essay is different from typical traditional essays due to its storytelling and the fact that it makes its arguments through the story, not just by saying what it is.

 

Free Writing Essay Three

One topic I could write about is how producers are never credited on songs on Spotify. They arguably have the greatest influence on how a song sounds, but they are never listed as being part of the song. I’ll have to look into it some more, but it seems like it would be pretty easy to just add their name to the credits of songs.

Oct. 19: Parallelism

By Ryan, Olivia, and Henry

  1. My dog is not only friendly but also playful.
  2. We can go to the park or dance in the classroom.
  3. Jeremy likes to read historical, realistic and speculative fiction.
  4. When I went to the bar, I wanted to dance, drink, and punch on the rowdy faces.
  5. Buying a car is not a decision to take lightly nor be careless about.
  6. Tyler is for the legalization, not the criminalization of marijuana.
  7. Sally needs a new stove, dishwasher, and knives for her kitchen.
  8. My first grade teacher taught me how to write, how to read, and how to play tic-tac-toe.
  9. She will not admit it, nor will she apologize.
  10. The whole wheat pasta is better than the enriched wheat pasta.
  11. Literature classes teach students to analyze texts, think critically, and improve writing.
  12. Beets are just as nutrient rich as rutabagas; even though they are not in season.
  13. Drunk drivers are thoughtlessly taking the lives of other people in their own hands, risking their own lives, thinking only about their own pleasure and fun, and not considering the consequences of their actions.
  1. In order to convey the information correctly, the police officer spoke loudly to the crowd, told people where they should stand, repeated the information to help people remember, and gestured.

 

Writing for Oct. 19

In Ruby’s writing, she talks about the definition of visual rhetoric and why it is so effective. She also gives examples, from the Black Lives Matter fist to commercials about animal adoption. Ruby also talks about the pathos of visual arguments, something I wrote about as well, but besides that our writings are pretty different. I also talk about the ethos and logos of visual argument, while Ruby explains her examples in more detail, something I think I should have incorporated into my writing.

In Olivia’s writing, she explains what a visual argument is and how you can effectively make one. We both explain how to make a visual argument, and how to effective pathos can be, but she goes into more detail about the process of making a visual argument while I mostly talk about using ethos and logos as well.

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