(credit to LD for the title)

We’re gathering resources for our next synthesis question:

Read the following sources carefully.  Then write an essay in which you develop a position on whether Lincoln Logs or Legos better promote creativity in children.  Synthesize at least three of the sources for support.

Post your info on Lincoln Logs or Legos below.  Remember, this is not an assignment for credit, but simply a chance for us to create our own question.

I’m wasting away here, guys.

Your assignment today was to begin annotating Martin Luther King’s "Letter from Birmingham Jail."  This is a near-perfect example of a solid argument, one that carefully balances the rhetorical triangle while employing a myriad of rhetorical figures. You’ve gotta love that.

Your job for tonight is to annotate passages you find interesting (see your handout "AP Review Through Vocabulary" for why this is important, as well as how to do it), and mark the appeals to emotion, to logic, and from Dr. King’s character.  (Highlighters work well for this.)

We will discuss our reactions in class tomorrow.

I’m just beginning to look over your drafts now, so I will post any advice later as another post, but I thought I would get this up now.

Here are our notes from the board today, which are essentially a review of the devices.  Focus on your papers; comment if you have any questions. Oh!  Here is the official website, which features the trailer and such.  (Note the awards listed; what do they do for the argument?  Anything?  Keep authority in mind.)

We will be writing drafts of our analysis of Maxed Out this weekend.  You should write it as you would an article analysis, with a summation of the argument in the first paragraph, an analysis of the argument (not the topic) in the body paragraphs, and a concluding statement of the movie’s persuasiveness.  This assignment is worth 80 points (think a month’s worth of article analyses), so spend some time on it.  Here are our notes from the board:

While we didn’t get as far as I would have liked, this (coupled with your notes) should give you a good starting point.  Think of the above as an annotation of the movie; you won’t necessarily structure your analysis this way, but it is a good summation of the movie’s structure and the argued impact of many negative influences.

As always, if you have any questions please post a comment for the good of all or send me an email:

Yesterday, we chose to read and discuss Don Delillo’s White Noise.  Unfortunately, because it is an amazing book and the world is against us, there is a shortage of copies in Tulsa.  For your convenience, here are the number of books and their locations around the city:
Border’s 81st: 6
Border’s Midtown: 3
B&N 41st: 1
Steve’s Sundry: 0
Gardner’s Used Books: 0
Waldenbooks in Promenade: 0

Grab a copy if you have a chance.  I’ve ordered five more copies from B&N at 41st, but they will take around a week to come in.  I’ll let you know when they arrive.

We will begin this unit with shorter works that are thematically related to White Noise. The first of these will be "Raj, Bohemian" by Hari Kunzru (originally published in The New Yorker), a short story about modern identity and consumer culture.  As we dive in, feel free to bring to class anything you feel will supplement our discussions.

Remember, article analyses are due every Tuesday and Thursday.

Enjoy your weekend.  Go outside!  Read near an open window if it’s raining!