Writing Across Cultures

Complete The Hoober Bloob Highway . Then off we go to the lab for the rest of the period. We will return during 2nd period. Try T-RG-TS (or TARGETS): T : Trivia (remove trivial or unimportant material) R : Redundancies (remove redundant or repetitive material) G : Generalize (replace specifics of lists with general terms and phrases) TS : Topic Sentences (identify the main ideas & the topics that create the main ideas) A. Watch the following short animated film directed by  Chuck Jones   B. Take notes on the key or main points of the film. Add details. [consider using Cornell notes for this activity, but you can use any note-taking system you prefer...] We'll stop during the "commercials" to summarize and/or organize notes.  You will need your notes for our summary activity next class.' Addendum:  The film was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprise ; Fritz Freleng's animation production company. REMEMBER: You are writing a summary, not an analysi...

This morning, Ms. Wilkie will be here to speak to the class about the dual enrollment opportunity for this class. If you haven't signed up yet for dual enrollment, you only have a week left to do so. After that, you will still have to complete the college course, but you will only receive high school credit for it. If you are interested in signing up for dual enrollment, please check out this link and fill in the appropriate forms. You will need your personal data. MCC Dual Enrollment application . Summarize: Like any skill, the more you practice the better you become at that skill. Kathy Wilson: "Dude Looks Like a Lady" Try T-RG-TS (or TARGETS): T : Trivia (remove trivial or unimportant material) R : Redundancies (remove redundant or repetitive material) G : Generalize (replace specifics of lists with general terms and phrases) TS : Topic Sentences (identify the main ideas & the topics that create the main ideas) We are all different. In Psychology we...

I have jury duty today, so I will not be in attendance. Please follow the instructions I left with the substitute teacher. We will be reading two articles on Identity this morning. With time remaining in the classroom, please complete any of the following activities: Examine the text of the Namesake . Find examples of how the characters culturally identify themselves. Make a list for your notes/discussion of this novel. Complete chapter reviews of  the Namesake .  Complete or revise your "How it Feels to be Me" essay draft  Complete or revise your "identity poem" draft  Write any creative piece based on discussions, journal exercises, etc. Complete a story draft where you use multiple perspective, switching between 2 characters like  The Namesake . To do this, create and flesh out 2 protagonists with details. Use various techniques you have learned to inspire you. Use present tense. Start your story through the 3rd person limited viewpoint of your f...

LAB: (7:30 - 8:00 only) Please watch the following two videos and react to ideas within them in your writing: The Great American Melting Pot Who Am I? Then work on the following: Complete chapter reviews of  the Namesake .  Complete, revise or print out your "How it Feels to be Me" essay draft  Complete, revise, or print out your "identity poem" draft  Write any creative piece based on discussions, journal exercises, etc. Continue to write a story where you use multiple perspective, switching between 2 characters like  The Namesake . To do this, create and flesh out 2 protagonists with details. Use various techniques you have learned to inspire you. Use present tense. Start your story through the 3rd person limited viewpoint of your first protagonist. Stay close to this character as you describe a common conflict--such as having a baby, or losing a job, or dealing with the diagnosis of a sickness or disease, etc. As you describe the character's da...

This morning, Ms. Wilkie, our MCC liaison for Dual Enrollment has cancelled her visit due to an illness. We will hear from her soon. In the meantime, if you have any specific questions about the course, please write them down and I will send them to her to answer. If you are interested in Janice Harrington's reading at BOA, 3:00 is a workshop, 4:00 reading, and a dinner at Good Luck. If you are interested, please see Ms. Gamzon by Thursday to reserve a space/ticket. Extra credit, etc. LAB: Please review your summary of chapters 1-3 (or more) of the Namesake . Review what advice and comments you received from your workshop last class. Use this feedback and advice to plan how you might improve your summary writing. As you continue reading this book, please briefly summarize each chapter. You will use these notes to create your novel summary paper project--a required assignment that will be due when we finish the book. In the lab today, after your summary work, please work on...

Lab: Registration for MCC is now open. This morning, if you are going to sign up for MCC's Dual Enrollment program, you may go to the following website: MCC Dual Enrollment . Select: Dual Enrollment Registration . Please read and check the appropriate boxes about key points of the program. This is a timed page. You must read the appropriate information before the system will allow you to move on. From the drop down menu, select RCSD - School of the Arts. Choose MCC College Writing, taught by Bradley Craddock, College Composition WR (ENG 101-04p). The first course is worth 3 college credits and costs $210. This fee will be waived for students who get free and reduced lunch . Fill in the basic information. Please be accurate, as this information will be used to create your official transcript.  You will need to provide your Social Security #. You do not currently have an MCC ID. If you are eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch you must select YES. Otherwise, you will not b...

During period one: This morning write a poem about an aspect of your culture or a ritual or observation from one of your hegemonic groups. Your speaker should be the mouthpiece for your experiences. Don't feel like you need to grasp at the giant ideas--what does the experience you chose to write about mean? In a single "cultural" moment what does it mean to be you ? Or part of your group or clan or tribe or gang ? Or what might it mean to recognize your place in the world? What you'll need is a strong setting. How is your room (or a room in your house) a reflection of who you are and what your family values, for example? How is the setting significant to the speaker of your poem? If you can't answer this, make the setting significant. TIPS/RULES/GUIDELINES: Allow your speaker to witness a single significant action, tradition, or cultural moment that is unique to you, your family or family members, your group, your "homies" or your own personal...

One of the first skills you need to master for college is the summary. Here's an introduction to summary writing. There are a few videos below this material on the topic for those of you needing visuals.  From: Sandra Jamieson, Drew University Online Resources for Writers : Summary skills in college The ability to write an effective summary might be the most important writing skill a college student can possess. You need to be able to summarize before you can be successful at most of the other kinds of writing that will be demanded of you in college, and it is an important part of note taking, too.  Summary skills in daily life To answer questions such as “what was the movie about?” “how did the game go?” and “what did I miss in class today?” you must be able to summarize. Your questioner doesn't want to know every line and action in the movie, every play in the game, or every word from class;  the question asks you to select the important details and su...

LAB: Please read the very famous essay: "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston in class (or you completed it as homework as requested). I would suggest not starting your writing until you have read this essay. Creative Writing Task (for your quarter portfolio): Write a personal creative non-fiction essay on an aspect of you. Write an essay about your experience within a specific hegemonic group or culture that you identify with (one, perhaps, that you listed last time in class). This can be an examination of your gender, your "race" or "class", your heritage, your identity or involvement in a sub-group or minority, your religion, a family tradition, etc. Consider how you identify yourself. Consider what "mask" you put on or what group you define yourself by and think about where this mask initially comes from or why you are part of a particular "group". What part of your personality/tradition/culture is unique to...

Let's define  culture . What is culture? In your own words, describe this term. Share your response with a partner. In your notes/journal, brainstorm some cultural groups you belong to. What cultural groups (hegemonies) do you belong to? You will need this list a little later today. Brainstorming is the first step in the creative process. Brainstorm now! Now, let's read. I'll ask you to respond to what you're reading throughout this course. What sticks out for you as important or interesting in this article? Take 2 minutes and respond (in writing) to the article. Much of our class will use this technique to brainstorm ideas for stories, poems, plays, films, non-fiction and other writing projects. The fundamental idea of this course is to use our research and responses to a variety of topics to inspire our artistic and academic impulses. Secondly, it is a course that urges the artist to depict him or herself in relation to or as the other . We will be examining powe...

Welcome back! Writing Across Cultures - Course Criteria Teacher: Mr. Craddock Course Length: Periods 1/2, 40 Weeks  Blog address: writingxculture.blogspot.com Course Description:  This course introduces students to the field of cultural studies. Through research, reading and writing students will discuss and respond to works by noted writers from a variety of cultures around the world. These works will serve as a source of inspiration, style, and technique for the student in crafting his or her own writing, and as a source of themes and issues to be explored. Students will approach writing through the practice of research while analyzing different cultures, cultural ideas and philosophies.  This course also fulfills dual enrollment credit for MCC’s ENG 101 and ENG 105 courses. Enrollment in and successful completion of this course may provide students with either 3 or 6 real college credits. These credits are separate from the credit high school students ...