The Final, Final

Your final Odyssey Essay is due on Monday. Here's what you need:

Complete, final draft including:
MLA heading
MLA pagination
Thematic title
Introduction including thesis w/ preview of three main points
3 body paragraphs, 2 PIEs in each
Conclusion which ends with same idea discussed in essay’s opening
Works Cited citation at bottom of final page

You also need:
Peer-evaluation sheet from Friday
Rough draft and paragraphs completed each day this week, (11/11-11/14).
Yellow checklist (on Edline if you've lost your copy)

The Whole Ball o' Wax

A COMPLETE rough draft is due tomorrow. That means:
an MLA heading, page numbers, a title, introduction, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion, and works cited entry.

As always, the rough draft must be typed.

BTW, the power point that I used all week as we discussed the essay is on Edline.

Body Paragraph #2

Complete your 2nd body paragraph for tomorrow. Work on choosing appropriate textual evidence and integrating in seamlessly in to your text.

Reminder--it would be a great idea to also go back and revise your introductions and 1st body paragraphs.

Moving On...

We finished the introduction and created thesis statements. Now it's time to create the first body paragraph. Transition from the introduction, and follow the paragraph outline provided today in class. Don't forget to include two PIES in your paragraph!

Also, a blog post (#2) is due by tomorrow a.m.

Introducing a Hero (or not)

Tonight your job is to work on prewriting for your essay on whether or not Odysseus is a hero. Your typed introduction--including thesis statement--is due tomorrow. Your introduction should include:

An attention-getter that makes a world-to-text connection (discuss one of the heroes that you wrote about for the hero assignment)

Your definition of hero

An introduction of The Odyssey and Odysseus

A clear, concise thesis statement that includes a subject, an opinion, and a preview of main points

Good luck!

What is a hero?

Today we did some online investigation to better answer that question. Only 3 people turned in their completed Hero Assignment from today (Molly from 1st hour, Swen from 3rd hour, and Rachel from 6th hour). So, for the rest of you, it must be completed by Monday.

You also received your 2nd quarter outside reading assignment today. Here it is (a word version is also on Edline):

Quarter 2 Outside Reading Assignment – 250 pages of text.
Our first quarter outside reading assignment is for you to read text, including novels, nonfiction books, periodicals, websites, weblogs, etc., totaling 250 (do your best to approximate the number of pages you read if you’re reading online texts). The texts you read should have literary merit and be age-appropriate.
Assignment Due Date
Blog #1 Sunday, November 9
Blog #2 Wed. November 12
Blog #3 Sun. November 16
Blog #4 Wed. November 19
Blog #5 Sun. November 23
Blog #6 Wed. December 3
Blog #7 Sun. December 7
Blog #8 Wed. December 10
Blog #9 Sun. December 14
Blog #10 Wednesday, December 17
Blogs #11 & #12 Posted by Sunday, January 4
Blog #13 Wed. January 7
Blog #14 Sun. January 11
Blog #15 Wed. January 14

The Blogging
You must post TWICE a week (by Wednesday and by Sunday). I've explained below what should go in the post. Wednesday posts—11/12, 11/19, 12/3, 12/10, 12/17, 1/7, 1/14—are due before school; Sunday posts—11/9, 11/16, 11/23, 12/7, 12/14, ¼, 1/11—are due by 11:59pm (i.e. before bedtime).

Free Response
A thoughtful response to the book of approximately 150 words. You must cite the selection, author, and page you're referring to. Some possible ways to respond to texts include: pick a quote and comment on its significance, make connections to the book (self, text, world, media), analyze the protagonist, pretend you're writing a letter—or blog response—to the author or main character, identify the thesis and supporting evidence (of nonfiction) and discuss the arguments from your perspective, etc. There are many, many ways you can do this.
You must attempt to use correct spelling and punctuation and capitalization

GRADING OF BLOG POSTS: Here's how the grading will work out of 75 points.
A -
You have all of the posts.You have always posted on time.
You post a thoughtful comment to a peer’s blog each week.
Your response was always highly thoughtful and reflective.
You used correct mechanics almost all of the time.

B -
You have all of the posts.You mostly posted on time.
You post a comment to a peer’s blog each week.Your responses were mostly thoughtful and reflective.
You used correct mechanics most of the time, but there are some glaring errors.

C -
You have 6-7 of the posts.You sometimes posted on time.
You post a comment to a peer’s blog most weeks.You responded to the book.
You have several errors in mechanics.

D -
You have about 4-5 posts total.You rarely posted on time.
You occasionally post comments to peers’ blogs.You somewhat responded to the book.
Your responses do not make an attempt to use proper mechanics.

F -
You have 0-3 posts.You did not do what was asked of you in the post.
You do not post comments on the blogs of your peers.
Your responses do not make an attempt to use proper mechanics.

**You will receive a separate grade for sharing your blog and leading the reading minute once during 2nd quarter.

The Odyssey Concludes

Odysseus has killed the suitors and reunited with his wife. As we wrap up our study of the epic, we will continue to explore Odysseus as a hero. We have begun a more indepth study of the text with the "test" that you began yesterday. Your homework tonight is to finish the "test." We will do more with the text as a whole tomorrow.