More College Essay Fun!!

1. Last literary press conference panel

2. Silent conversation:
Read The New York Times article "Warily, Schools Watch Students on the Internet" and then write a post on your blog that answers this prompt:

HOW do you feel about the issues and examples raised in this article? Should schools monitor students’ social media activity? WHY or why not?

When you have done your post, visit the blogs of three other people and write a response to their posts.

3. College Essay Peer Review

HW: Set up an appointment with Ms. Leavitt or in the writing center before next Wednesday. 

Literary Panel

Also, check out the following link to see some literary panel examples from Ms. Peterson's class!

https://docs.google.com/a/rsu5.org/file/d/0BwZpx_M5DwBeU19kVHJONjVNWGc/edit?usp=sharing

Silent Conversation

http://nyti.ms/1fPUfhK

Watch the above video and then respond to one of the two following questions in comment on this post.

HOW does this video show that sometimes the facts can get lost in sensational news stories?

HOW does this video show how sometimes special interest groups can distort the facts of an event to further their own goals?

Writing Day

1. Opening moment: Cody

2. New Common Application Prompts: It's a first draft, so crank it out.

Pick a time to meet with Ms. Leavitt or make an appointment in the writing center to go over your drafts.

3. Literary Press Conference Assignment

4. Work on creating questions and Reading Response #5: due next class!

HW: 5 Press Conference Questions and Reading Response #5

Twitter Bios

Goals and agenda for today:

• Practice concise writing in preparation for the college essay

1. Michael opening moment

2. View The New York Times article "Twitter Bios and What they Really Say". Review the characteristics of a good twitter bio.

3. Write your own 160 character bio, paying special attention to word choice. Keep in mind that making strong word choices is often better than just using the fewest number of words, so choose carefully.

4. Email me your bio- I will be reading these aloud and you will be guessing whose bio is whose.

HW: Profile Revisions and Talk-Back due next class. 

Lit Circle #4 and Narrative 1st Draft

1. Ben Opening Moment

2. Ms. Peterson's class interviews us- 10 minutes

3. Reading Response Protocol #4: play around with the six-word memoir

4. Review what makes a good college essay 

5. Common app: new prompts! Pick one and start writing

http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/common-application-releases-new-essay-prompts/?_r=2

What Makes a Good College Essay?

• Having an anecdote or a story
• Having an engaging writing voice
• Organization
• Don't be pretentious
• Don't use cliches
• Being humble
• Including some of your interests
• Try to make it clever and different from everyone else's
• Word choice should sound natural- don't overuse big words but don't be too simple
• Have a focus in the beginning
• Try to make it funny or fun to read
• Be interested in what the school has to offer
• Be yourself

What Makes a Good College Essay?

1. Opening moment: Paul

2. This American Life: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/504/how-i-got-into-college

3. Review these 6 pieces of advice from The Huffington Post on how to write a great essay:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-hansen-shaevitz/the-best-advice-i-have-fo_b_3644712.html

4. Sample College Essays: 
http://apply.jhu.edu/apply/essays/#essay1

What makes these essays work?


HW: Profile Final Draft and Draft Letter and Reading Response #4

Personality Profile Revisions

Goals and Agenda for Today:

• Answer the question of how images can be a metaphor for the different facets of journalism
• Share career profiles
• Choose one profile to revise to second draft

1. Chanler Opening Moment

2. Reading Response #3: Journalism as Metaphor

3. Peer Review Career Profiles

4. Choose one profile to revise

Journalism as Metaphor

Sometimes an interview might be awkward but it isn't impossible.

When doing an interview you start off by asking small little questions that break the surface. Then you get into the "big picture" which is the big open ended question that sparks a good interview question. The big interview question is the lit up house and the lights leading to the house are the "scratch the surface" questions. 

Career Profile

Goals and agenda for today:

• Discuss personality profile assessment
• Begin drafting career profile

1. Spencer opening moment

2. Personality profile- writing tips, grading, writing time
Personality Profile Assessment

HW: Reading Response #3 and Career Profile 1st Draft

Silent Conversation and Writer's Workshop

1. Opening Moment: Quinn

2. Go to this link and then answer the following question on your blog: Do schools provide students with enough opportunities to be creative?

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/do-schools-provide-students-with-enough-opportunities-to-be-creative/?_r=0#more-137660

Comment on two other people's posts

3. Share first draft of "Favorite Mistake"

4. Work on interview questions/reading/revising

HW: Interviews due next class and revise "Favorite Mistake"