I was really impressed by all the ways you guys came up with to illuminate your poetry. How are the projects coming? If you are having trouble figuring out a passage or how you could represent a part of the poem, post a comment here and we can discuss it.

Remember, the rough drafts are due on Tuesday 25th. It is a check of your progress on the project and a chance to ask any last-minute questions.

This week we will be watching About a Boy on Monday and part of Tuesday. After we finish the movie, we will discuss the projects. Your illuminated poetry is due on Wednesday, and we will begin presentations then.

Your presentation should include the title, author, and any background information, any relevant history of the poem or piece, and an explanation of your work. We will conclude with questions from the class.

I hope everything is going well, but if you do have a concern, please email me.

See you tomorrow.

Your TP-CASTT worksheets are due tomorrow at the beginning of class. If you choose to do a poem or piece not listed in the handout you must email me before midnight tonight so I can okay it.

The dates on page three of the Illuminated Poetry handout are off. The Rough Draft is due Tuesday 25th and the Final Copy and Presentation will be Wednesday 26th. Sorry about the misprint.

If you did not turn in an essay today, please email it to me by 4pm today to avoid a late penalty.

If you cannot print your essay at home, please print it before school in my room or at one of the other computers around the building. I will not accept a paper turned in after the beginning of class.

As always, if you have any questions please ask.

Your rough drafts are due tomorrow (Wednesday). We will devote time in class to trading quotations and making sure everyone’s paper makes sense. You will type it at home on Wednesday, using your handy-dandy spell check to eliminate errors. The format is the same as always: 12pt Times New Roman, one inch margins, double-spaced, header (top left), title, page number (top right). Ask someone if you are unsure how to do this.

As always, if you have any questions please let me know.

I have received several messages from you guys about the essay we are currently writing. Here is a quick overview of what we went over in class:

An essay has three parts:
An Introduction
A Body
and a Conclusion

The introduction should be one paragraph long and contain several elements:
An introductory sentence containing the author’s name and the name of the work you are discussing.
Your thesis statement, or the point you are trying to make with your essay. This is the most vital part of your writing. Present a solid thesis statement and back it with the body paragraphs and you will have an amazing essay. This should be the final sentence of your opening paragraph.
Example thesis: Hornby’s characters explore what it means to be “cool” by adopting the actions of one another, though they soon realize that they are looking for connections, not cool in their lives.

The body of your essay is made up of all the paragraphs between the introduction and the conclusion.
Each paragraph of the body should contain:
A topic sentence. What is this paragraph going to be about? As you did with your thesis statement, sum up the point of this paragraph in the first sentence, then include your ideas/explanations. Your ideas and explanations should be backed with examples or quotations from the text.
Example topic sentence: The bullying Marcus endures at school highlights his outsider status.

Example quotation: Marcus’s relationship with Ellie was a matter of surprise for everyone. “Just about every kid in the room stopped . . . and turned around” when Ellie called to Marcus in the busy cafeteria (Hornby 170).

If you find yourself writing about several different topics in the same paragraph, break it into several pieces, making sure each new paragraph applies to your thesis. If it does not apply, chuck it or change your thesis. (This is why the outline is an important step; it is easier to throw out a bullet than a paragraph.)

The conclusion wraps up your essay. Briefly describe the points you made (without adding new information), and reflect on the point you’ve made.

Keep in mind the basic rules of academic writing:
Keep a formal tone (no slang, text jargon, personal anecdotes)
No personal pronouns
No contractions
12 point Times New Roman font
One inch margins all around
Header on the left
Page number top right

That’s it! Well done.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please email me.

[This page was WinsomeWiki’d on 4 Jul. 2009]