Slam Poem

This post is for juniors only.

Your task for today is to complete a poem. By the end of the period, it should be written and printed out - triple spaced.

We've talked enough about subject matter that you probably already know what you want to write about. If you're still stuck, try one of the following:

• an "I Am" poem
• a "I Am From" poem
• try playing around with this website.

Just make sure all material is appropriate and safe for class, and don't write about anything you don't want to share.

This Boy's Life - the final essay

This post is for juniors only.

Now that you have written your three body paragraphs, your task is the following:

1. Compile your three body paragraphs into one document.
2. Insert transitions between body paragraphs 1 and 2 and between body paragraphs 2 and 3.
3. Write an introduction that includes a hook, a link, a thesis and a bridge.
4. Write a conclusion that briefly reflects on how Toby changes throughout the book and, more importantly, discusses the importance of individuals changing throughout their own lives.
5. Revise all spelling and grammar - paying special attention to the grammar we've covered in class (commas, etc.) as well as tense (present) and person (third only).
6. Print off and hand in.

Your introductory paragraph must include these elements:

• a hook that truly grabs the reader's attention (a quotation from another source, an interesting story, a specific rhetorical question)
• a link that ties the hook into the thesis and states the title and author of the book you are discussing
• a thesis along the lines of: "Toby has a life changing experience that changes him from one person to another."
• a bridge that states exactly what Toby is like at the start of the book, what the life changing event is, and what kind of person he becomes by the end.

Here are some note you might find helpful. (Click on the picture to enlarge.)

Toby Is...

This post is for juniors only.

So far, you've written two paragraphs about This Boy's Life. The first was...

What word or phrase best describes Toby in the first third of the book?

The second, of course, was...

What event or incident somewhere in the middle of the book most impacts Toby?

Here's the third...

In what way did that event or incident change Toby

from the person he was at the beginning of the book to the person he is at the end?

Include two correctly cited quotations in your paragraph. Make sure your paragraph has a clear topic sentence. Here are some of the required criteria for your paragraph:

• write in third person (not first or second)
• write in present tense
• avoid contractions
• set-up and explain both quotations

This Happened to Toby...

This post is for juniors only.

In a thoughtful, thorough paragraph, answer the following question:

What event or incident somewhere in the middle of the book most impacts Toby?

Consider things Toby says, things that are said to him, things he does, things that are done to or around him, etc. the event or statement does not have to be big or dramatic, necessarily. It just has to IMPACT him in an important, crucial way.

Include two correctly cited quotations in your paragraph. Make sure your paragraph has a clear topic sentence. Here are some of the required criteria for your paragraph:

• write in third person (not first or second)
• write in present tense
• avoid contractions
• set-up and explain both quotations

Hand Full of Nothin' Part 1

This entry is for freshmen only.

After "beating" Dragline in the fight (by getting pounded on),and after "winning" the poker game (with an inferior hand), Luke claims that "Sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand."

In the comments bellow, give an example (from another film, a book, a short story, etc.) that proves Luke is right, that proves that sometimes "nothin' can be a real cool hand."

Be sure to read all of the responses before yours; remember, no repeats!

Toby Was...

This post is for juniors only.

In a thoughtful, thorough paragraph, answer the following question:

What word or phrase best describes Toby in the first third of the book?

Include two correctly cited quotations in your paragraph. Make sure your paragraph has a clear topic sentence. Here are some of the required criteria for your paragraph:

• write in third person (not first or second)
• write in present tense
• avoid contractions
• set-up and explain both quotations

If you have any questions, be sure to consult an instructor.

Take This Advice...

This post if for JUNIORS only.

Last week you wrote advice to your younger, ten-year-old self. Below you'll find some of it - organized by the period in which it was written. Toby, from A Boy's Life, could use some of your advice. Your task is as follows:

Select a piece of advice from your class period that you think would best help Toby. Then, in a thoughtful, thorough, multi-paragraph, short essay, explain why and how that piece of advice would benefit Toby.

Use the following criteria as a revision checklist:

• correct spelling and capitalization
• multiple paragraphs
• specific details
• at least one cited quotation
• no first person (I, me, we, us, my, myself, our, mine, ourselves) or second person (you, your, yours, yourself, yourselves) - except when used in a cited quotation

Please ask a teacher if you have any questions.

PERIOD 1

• Good friends accept you for who you are: you don’t have to act like someone else to impress them.
• Never judge a person by how they look.
• Not everyone is going to judge you as harshly as you assume they will.
• Nobody stays around forever. Don’t let this upset you, because there are so many others to meet down the road.

 

PERIOD 3

• Make sure your parents know how much you care about them.
• Make sure you lean from your bad decisions.
• When your parents fight or divorce, make sure you remember that it’s not about you and it’s not your fault.
• You shouldn’t trust everyone. They should earn YOUR trust.

 

PERIOD 7

• Some things you might see as a huge problem to get upset about are actually very small. Don’t get upset because later on these things won’t matter to you.
• Telling the truth is better than lying. You might get yourself in trouble, but as long as the truth comes out, you won’t feel as guilty.
• Do not worry too much about mistakes, because making mistakes is part of growing up.
• Life is a pain. You will have a hard time adapting to new situations, but you will learn to deal with it.

Ready to Rumble?

This post is for freshmen students only.

There's an old saying, that "knowing is half the battle." The joke, of course, is, "What's the rest of the battle?" Fighting? Pain? Losing? Cats with laser beams?

Using this notion as a jumping-off point, address one of the following ideas in a thoughtful, thorough paragraph.

What 'battles' are being fought in Ellison's "Battle Royale"?

Who is likely to succeed in battle, and who is likely to fail?

Which battle is most worthy of being fought?

Which is least worthy?

We're not just speaking literally, here. We're speaking figuratively. Be sure to consider all the characters and conflicts: the narrator, his grandfather, the other contestants, the women, the men holding the event, the audience members. Consider the narrator's speech, his dream at the end, his hopes and worries. Consider that some conflicts are external, others internal. Consider that by the end of the story, some battles have been resolved while others have just begun.

Post your response in the comments section. Be sure to include your name so you can get credit. Remember, these are simply ideas - prompts to get you started. All I'm looking for, really, is some thoughtful, interesting discussion. Therefore, feel free to post additional comments in which you respond to your peers' comments. You might also consider checking back in to see if anyone has responded to your comments, so you can reply.

You can receive extra credit for each additional response.

Again, I'm looking for a discussion here, not simply a list of unconnected thoughts. So, make connections and claims, draw conclusions, provide evidence and explanations. I'll be checking in periodically.

In case you're interested, all of these paintings are by a guy named George Bellows, one of the 'Ashcan' artists.

Write a Little Letter

The following post is for juniors only.

Wolff expresses frustration at the limits of his self-identity as a boy. In other words, he as a man can in no way help himself as a boy; history cannot be rewritten. He writes:

“But the man can give no help to the boy,
not in this matter nor in those that follow" (Wolff 27).

Imagine what it would be like if you COULD go back and help your childhood self. What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

Write a letter to your 10-year-old self. You can offer advice, warnings, reassurances – whatever you think would have been helpful to you as a 10-year-old.

Your letter should be written in first person. It should be detailed and thorough. It needs to be multiple paragraphs and well organized. Employ correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. If have any questions, don't hesitate to ask a teacher.