Thursday, April 14, 2016

Week 12

We have come to the end of our writing assignemnts for this year.  This week, we'll write essay 6.  I encourage you to continue to write essays using the tools we have learned so far between now and summer break.  If you plan to practice essay writing and are interested in ongoing online assessment, let me know.

There are two possible marks for this class: A and Incomplete.  To receive an A, all work must be finished and be marked with an A.  I will grade any incomplete work you bring to class next week.  Any work not submitted by next Thursday can be submitted online via my Canvas online classroom.  If you need to access Canvas for outstanding work, please email me for instructions. I will use the same fee per assignment rate as for my online coaching class

$5 - invention assignments
$5 - arrangement assignments
$10 -essay

Though we have officially finished our 12 week semester, I'd like to offer another class next week so that we can finish our discussion of books 1-6 of The Aeneid.   These books correspond nicely to The Odyssey - both tales of the wanderings of a national hero.

Reading

  • Aeneid - finish through book 6


Writing

  • Review the metaphors video.  Click on the "Metaphors be with you" picture to the right
  • Workbook pages 75-76
  • Write essay 6 from your outline (you must have an A on your outline before writing the essay). Use the essay 6 checklist and attach to your essay


Thursday, March 31, 2016

Week 11


IMPORTANT - No class next Thursday, April 7 due to travel.

April 14th - Week 12: Final elocution lesson and discussion of Aeneid books 4-5

April 21st - Week 13 BONUS CLASS: finish Aeneid discussion through book 6 + help session for unfinished work

Reading Assignment
  • Aeneid books 4 and 5
Writing Assignment
  • Check assignment record for I marks.  Get the work finished/corrected and ready to turn in.
  • Sort your A and N columns according to the instructions on pages 10-12
  • Guide to Refutation - pp. 66-67
  • Essay 6 Arrangement B Worksheet pp. 68-71
  • Essay 6 outline according to template on page 72







Friday, March 25, 2016

Week 9- redux (week 10)

We had a large number of students out this week for a variety of reasons.  Rather than introduce a new writing lesson and discuss chapter 3, we had a helps session.  There will be no new assignments this week, however, please check the assignment record for incomplete work.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Week 9

Reading Assignment

  • Aeneid book 3
Writing Assignment
  • Complete the Invention review worksheets I gave you in class today
  • Complete Relation worksheet, pp 79-80
  • Make an ANI chart and move as many ideas as possible from the above invention worksheets to your ANI chart.  You do not need to come up with 20 things in your I column this week since we're counting the review worksheets as your I column content.  
  • CHANGE from previous lessons - you'll need 30 points in each of the A and N columns for this essay



Thursday, March 10, 2016

Week 8

I'm looking forward to reading Virgil's magnificent epic, The Aeneid, with you all.  We're off to a good start.  I appreciate your keen observations today!  You found some noteworthy epic similes.  Watch for themes that seem important to our poet.  We mentioned destiny as one.  What others do you notice?

Reading Assignment
  • Read book 2 - follow instructions from last week.  Be sure to block your dialogue!
Writing Assignment
*Challenge assignment - imitate an epic simile
  • If you did not pass your outline today, please get a corrected version emailed to me ASAP!  I want you to be able to write your essay for next week, and your outline needs to be approved before you begin.  
  • Please check the assignment record for incomplete assignments from previous weeks. Find them, correct them, and bring them to class next week.
  • Complete pages 61-62 in your workbook to practice antithesis
  • Write essay 5 from your outline 
  • IMPORTANT instructions for handing in essay 5.
  1. Double space your essay (typed or handwritten)
  2. Indent (or tab) each new paragraph
  3. Copy the checklist from page 112
  4. Write your name in the top left corner of the check list
  5. Check your essay carefully for each item on the checklist and check it off
  6. Get a parent or another adult to proof read your essay for good mechanics and correct anything they find
  7. Staple the checklist to the front of your essay

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Week 7

We have come to the end of our journey with Odysseus. This week we'll begin reading Virgil's famous Roman epic, The Aeneid.

Reading Assignment

Book survey - flip through your copy of The Aeneid.  What parts does it have?  Did the publishers include any useful resource material?  What observations can you make about the general structure of the poem? Inside the front cover, list ten things you notice about the book.  

Read book 1
  • First, pre-read and highlight by scanning for names (pink) and settings(green).  
  • Block all the dialogue and write the name of the character speaking at the top of the block.  
  • Next, go back and read slowly and carefully.  
  • Use your yellow highlighter to follow the main events.   
  • Mark interesting parts in blue (at least one).  
  • Use your orange if you notice schemes or tropes we have discussed. 
  • Write one "should" question for book 1.
  • Be prepared to narrate any section.  The sections are already marked.  Each section begins with an illuminated letter (a letter printed much larger than the rest). 
Writing Assignment
  • Sort your most recent ANI chart on The Odyssey (the one I asked you to save) according to the instructions on pages 10-12 of your workbook.  When you are done, you should have a sorted A and a sorted N.  Clearly mark (I recommend highlighting) the best 3 main proofs and best 3 sub proofs under each main proof for BOTH your sorted columns. 
  • Select a thesis and complete pages 53-54
  • Pick out the content for your essay by completing worksheet pages 55-57.
  • Create an outline by substituting the content from pages 55-57 following the template on page 58.
Turn in guidelines
Make copies of your workbook pages or remove them from your workbook.  Do not turn in your book itself.  Staple each assignment separately.  Write your name in the top left hand corner of the top page.  

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Week 6


IMPORTANT REMINDER - We will not have class next week due to travel for the CiRCE Retreat

Next Class - February 25

Writing Assignment

  • Complete the Parallelism II worksheet on pages 43-47
  • Write Essay 4 from your outline (template page 42)
  • Copy the checklist on page 111 and attach it to your essay
  • Use parallelism in your exposition (4th item on the checklist)
  • Use and mark BOTH parallelism I and II in your essay.  One of them will be in the exposition.  The other can be in your sub-proofs, exordium, or amplification.
  • Use precise and active verbs.  Avoid being verbs (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) that are not needed for structure.
  • Have a proof reader sign your checklist
Reading Assignment

Read "The Odyssey" books 23-24

For each book:
  • Write down 5 key events
  • Write a "should quesiton"