December 1

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Research Report (Bring your drafts to class this week even if they're not finished, so we can work on places you're stuck or just not confident.)
• Continue developing your character

November 3

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Continue working on your research paper.  Ideally, you should be finishing up your notes and conducting your interview this week.

October 27

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Continue gathering sources, begin taking notes for your report, and brainstorm 15 possible questions for your interview.  Use the questions you asked yourself and your outline to help you develop relevant questions.
• Continue developing your character 

October 20

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Begin the pre-writing process for a 5-8 page research report.  Use the handout to help you.  Begin gathering sources.
• Continue creating your character

October 13

Homework

• Writing Minutes 
• Pearl Harbor Essay (5 paragraphs)
• Continue creating your main character if you have time

October 6

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Pearl Harbor Outline
• Continue tying your character's history to his or her character traits and/or quirks

September 29

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Finish your humorous essay (if necessary)
• Continue creating your character.  Think about how your character's past influenced his or her character traits and quirks.

September 22

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Use your outline to compose your humorous essay.  This is an extremely creative essay, which provids you with great opportunity to explore the essay form and your own style.  Sometimes, however, it can be intimidating, as there are fewer "rules" to follow.  Just do your best and have fun!
• Continue creating your character.  Spend a moment thinking what flaws your character may have.    

September 15

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Continue developing the four aspects of your fictional character.
• Create an outline for a humorous essay.  Use whatever form of pre-writing works best for you.  Bring your pre-writing to class next week (I'd like to see what form of pre-writing works for each of you) 

September 8

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Write an essay (whatever you think an essay is) about any topic you choose (This can be fiction or non-fiction, serious or humorous). I am not expecting you to complete your pre-writing and an entire essay; my design is to determine how far you can get in your writing process in the 100 minutes you have been given.  Your essay, or part of an essay, will be graded simply pass (you turned it in) or fail (you didn’t turn it in). 
• Writing Expectations can be found here.

March 24

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (If you were Coyote, how would you catch Roadrunner?)
• Persuasive Essay (If necessary)
• Literary Criticism
• Create your working thesis statement (we did this in class)
• Find passages in the novella that support your thesis statement
• Begin finding other critical resources for your paper

February 4

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Freewriting (You are a cartoon character)
• Continue / Finish persuasive rough draft (Bibliography and notes will be added separately)

January 21

Homework

• Writing Minutes
• Descriptive, Narrative, or Expository 2nd draft
• Persuasive essay (gather sources, outline--positive and counter arguments, anecdotes--, begin writing)

January 14

Homework

    ~Writing Minutes
    ~ Freewriting (...it was hidden away in the old attic....)
    ~ Descriptive, Narrative, and Expository Essays (if necessary)
    ~ Persuasive prewrite (Think up three positive arguments and three counterarguments.  Chose your best three supports and create an outline. Continue gathering resources and begin taking notes.)

January 7

Homework
    ~Writing Minutes
    ~ Freewriting (Trade places with your favorite fictional character)
    ~ Descriptive, Narrative, and Expository Essays (if necessary)
    ~ Persuasive prewrite ( choose subject, clarify your opinion, choose whether you want to persuade thought or action, begin gathering resources)
    ~ Find one example of propaganda and one example of persuasion