iSearch Paper Format

Here are three more handouts I distributed related to the iSearch paper format. Remember, the iSearch paper is the story of your research told in a compelling way.





Also, we looked at the iSearch paper titled "Is Alcoholism a Disease" in class today. That paper, along with a few other samples, can be found right here.

Literature Circle Books

A reminder: I need all literature circle novels back as soon as possible.

iSearch Introductions

The iSearch paper is different from your standard research paper because it demands "processing information and compellingly communicating [this information]." Compelling means evoking interest in a powerful, irrestistable way. In other words, your content is good, and your storytelling is even better. The storytelling begins in your introductory section, which is usually 3/4 to 1.5 pages.

A good introductory section usually answers three questions:
* How did you become interested in the topic?
- tell a story. What happened in your life that made you want to investigate abandoned houses and their effect on a neighborhood? What made you interested in school violence? Self Mutilation? Pull your reader in by making it relevant.
* What do you know about the topic already? What do you assume?
* What is the specific question you will be trying to answer?

The most successful introductory sections will devote one or more paragraphs to the first question, one or more paragraphs to the second section, and get to the research question in the last paragraph.

Here's an introduction from one of my former student's papers, titled "What Drives Teens to Self Mutilate?":

When I Began to Wonder…

I first heard about self-mutilation as a sophomore attending high school when my friend showed me her arm and it had cuts going across it. She asked me not to say anything and I promised her Iwouldn ’t, but I felt a little bit uncomfortable asking her why she did it. I barely knew anything about it or why someone would consider hurting themselves. When I questioned others on this topic, they starred at me with weird expressions on their face, shook their heads, and walked away. I was left standing stunned and confused. I yearned to find out why someone may do it and most importantly what drove him or her to do it. When I finally grew strength to ask my friend why she did it, she told me she was having problems at home and it helped her cope with her problems on the inside and said “I did it with a razor.”

This completely drew me into the subject. I have heard about it before and ways of doing it. Some ways that I heard of self-mutilating were cutting with anything and everything, scraping or peeling skin, burning yourself, banging your head on a wall, constantly picking at scabs so they never heal, sitting in hot boiling water to savor the pain, or bruising themselves continuously. Ididn ’t know if this was a cry for attention or maybe if the person performing these acts on themselves was seeking death. Over the past two years, I have started developing my own ideas on self-mutilation. I would have never thought that I would know someone who self-mutilates.

I began to think of reasons that someone may do this, but a lot of it didn’t make sense because there are so many alternative ways in coping with your problems. I figured if you had a problem that you should speak about them with someone you trust, keep a journal, get a hobby to keep yourself busy, or read a book and listen to some music. You could also always talk to your parents and admit that you have a problem and see if they would take you to acounselor to teach you a better and safe coping method. I suppose some people were never taught how to control their emotions and believed that hurting themselves was their only way out. Arguing with a boyfriend or girlfriend may cause you to want to hurt yourself because you may feel that you’re worthless and unwanted. Fighting with family members and being put down at school on a regular basis will also cause a person to feel like nothing, having no friends, and take their anger out on themselves.

I was never aware of any signs of self-mutilation. I never knew if there were phrases someone would say to get attention, or way’s someone might act if they did it. If I see someone with a cut or some other type of foreign mark on his or her body, I now question it in my head wondering if it was done intentionally or if it was a complete accident. I am interested in finding out the answer to why someone may want to do something to hurt him or herself and what causes it?

If you're interested in reading on, the rest of the paper can be found here.

The Buffalo News Social Issues in the April 25th Edition

"Military deceit on Tillman allged"
Social Issue: Military Cover Ups, War and Its Rising Death Toll
Possible Research Questions: How often does the military misreport information on casualties and what possible reason might they have?
Why are officials not being fired or held accountable for these lies?

"Delphi Workers Brace For New Cuts"
Social Issue: State of the American Auto Industry, Possible Pay Cuts and Worker layoffs in the American work force, The decline of the American economy, Imported Japanese cars and their effects on the auto industry, Outsourcing
Possible Research Questions: What are the causes of the decline of the auto industry? Why does it seem like we are constantly laying off people?

Other Social Issues:
Hamas - Uneasy peace in Israel/possible escalation
Guantanamo Military Prison: Unlawful imprisonment?
Queen: CO2 rise, Global Warming
Al Qaida: Terrorism
War in Iraq
Alligator: Personal Liberties vs. Animal Protection
Mexico City: Legalizes Abortion
Reliance on Oil and Unrest in Ethiopa
Shock Jocks: Going Over the Line or Hypersensitive?
Stem Cell Contraversy
Child P-rnography
FEMA Denial of Aid in Buffalo...fallout from October Surprise (Should FEMA be liable?)
First Niagara - Job Loss
Increasing Crime Rate in Buffalo
Crime on College Campuses
Random Attacks or Thefts
Overmedication for Depression
Increasing Sadness or Depression in American Society
Overdiagnosis of Mental llness
Abuse of Prescription Drugs
Rising Violence by Professional Athletes

iSearch Paper - Interesting Blog

One of today's "notable blogs" is Tumaini Kids!, a chronicle of orphans and vulnerable children in Kenya. Kids end up at this camp for one of four reasons. Here's a brief excerpt:

"What brings a child to Tumaini?"

There are four main reasons that the 170+ children have ended up at Tumaini, and why there are so many more hoping to enter.

1. Either one or both of a child's parents died of AIDS. A common misconception is that the term "AIDS Orphans" means that the children themselves are sick. This may not be the case. The term actually refers to their parents' cause of death, and can be used on a larger level to refer to the "Silent Crisis" behind this lost generation.

2. The child is orphaned for another reason.

3. The poverty level is such that a child's parents cannot support him or her.

4. The parents are mentally unfit to care for their children.

Looking into the extensive poverty in Africa, or AIDS in Africa, and its affect on children, may make an interesting iSearch paper.

Choosing a Topic, Generating a Question

I want to make sure you folks have a good idea how to generate a good research question after you have chosen a topic. A good research question is

* open ended. It will definitely not solicit a "yes/no" answer.
* specific and focused. People have written series of books about certain issues. Think about all of the aspects that relate to the issue of poverty. One could write a book. However, if you focus your question to look at an aspect of poverty, then you will not feel overwhelmed in your search and are more likely to find an answer.

Let's take a general issue and see if we can focus it into a couple of good research questions:

Period One
School Safety
Discounting heinous, mass killings, is regular school violence really on the uprise?
Have metal detectors shown to cause a drop in school violence?
How prevalent is horrific school violence in other countries?
What are schools doing to make their environments safer?

iSearch Paper Introduction

Here is the assignment sheet and general overview of your senior project. More to follow.

Today in the Computer Lab

Hello folks. Today we are in the computer lab. You'll be responsible for the following tasks:

• your final literature circle meeting (work must be handed in this class period for full credit)
• second blog response. Find a new topic on your individual UB blog, and post away. Make sure you put your first name, last initial, and period number at the end of your post.
  

Finally, all literature circle novels must be handed in by Friday.

Exporting Your Film

Hello folks. Today you should be finishing your film. By the end of the class today, I would like you to export your movies. Thing is, I would like you to export your films to two different formats. Here are some directions:

In the file menu, choose "File" then "Export"

When the following dialogue box pops up, select "Quicktime" instead of camera. Then, choose "Full Quality DV" under formats.


When the following dialogue box pops up, select "Quicktime" instead of camera. Then, choose "CD-ROM" under formats.


A few other notes:

• I keep a CD-ROM version so I can upload the film to uthtv.com. Here's my channel, if you'd like to look at films my AP students made this year. That way, you are free to watch your movie anytime you'd like, or download it for posterity's sake. If you have any reservations about my putting your film online, let me know.
• I keep the full quality DV version for posterity's sake. There's a possibility that, if your movie is stellar, I will show it to various groups in presentations or workshops.
  

Nikki Giovanni's Response to the Virginia Tech Tragedy

Nikki Giovanni is one of the most powerful living poets. She is a professor at Virginia Tech who, last year, had Seung-Hui Cho in her class. Here's a brief blurb. The video is embedded below. This from boingboing.net:

Video Link: Nikki Giovanni, an author and poet and professor at Virginia Tech, closed out the memorial convocation yesterday with an amazing and moving spoken word poem. The entire crowd at Cassell Coliseum breaks out into a "Let's Go Hokies!" chant afterwards. There's a shot of the football coach, Frank Beamer, crying.

Professor Giovanni actually requested that the killer, Seung-Hui Cho, be removed from her class when she taught him -- and threatened resignation if he wasn't. She also has "thug life" tattooed on her in Tupac's memory. (Not relevant, but cool.)

We'll probably watch this in class today (tomorrow), as it speaks to both poetry and social consciousness. If you're interested, I have one of her books of poetry in my class, Blues for All The Changes. She's got a great poem about Allen Iverson that I'll post tomorrow, as I can't seem to find it online.

PSA's Day Two

Here's a few pics. I like the hard work I saw today, as it seems we're making good progress. Remember, we have two more days to finish these films up. The next literature circle date will be Monday, although we will be meeting in the computer lab. Make sure to finish your novels, as on that date only part of the class will be dedicated to lit circles. Half of the period will be reserved for responding to the blog.

iMovie Basic Tutorial Image

Use this picture as a reference. Click on it to enlarge. It expains the basic options on the main iMovie page, and will help you get around a bit.

One Shot Poems & Childhood 2.0

Our films are up (finally). Access my Uthtv channel at this link. Enjoy.

iMovie - Camera Advice for Beginners and Veterans Alike

Hey folks, I have rules I want you to follow when filming:

1. Be careful with the camera. They have moving parts, glass, and are fragile.

2. The viewfinder kills batteries. Quickly. Only open it while filming.

3. Plan your shots carefully. Be aware of:
* background
* lighting
* camera stability
* time - keep shots 3-5 seconds long

4. You must import your footage by the end of class. Leave yourself 8-10 minutes.

iMovie - Saving the File in the Correct Folder

Folks, I need you to save your PSA to a specific location.
Here are the steps:

1. When iMovie opens, choose "File" and "New Project"
2. Give your iMovie a name...make sure your period number and book name is in the file name.
3. You need to save your file in the Shared folder in your hard drive. The path is "Hard Drive" then "Users" then "Shared". Here's a few pics:

If you this small box appears....

Then click on the blue box with the down arrow. This will enlarge your drop down box, and make it easier to find your folder.


4. Lastly, you need to provide me with the username and password of the student who volunteered to save the file under their username. Therefore, if someone is absent, other group members can continue working on the film.

1913 Webster's Searchable Online Dictionary

Many modern dictionaries will omit definitions of words that are no longer common. A cool resource I found quite a few years ago is the ARTFL Project: 1913 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. This thing got me through many a Shakespeare paper, and I believe you will find it helpful, especially if your poem falls early in the packet. I'm also adding this to the sidebar for later reference.

Mike O. - Here's Your Independent Poetry Project

Sir, you are to create a blog and maintain it during class time.

Here are the guidelines:

• Create one post per poem
  
• In each post have the following:
• copy and paste the text from the poem (you can find it online)
  
• A link to the poet's Wikipedia page and Poets.org page
• Your response to the poem - In your response I want you to identify the speaker and situation. Then, I want to see a short response to each poem. In each response you are to explain what meaning you found in the poem, as well as how you arrived at that meaning.
  

Due Dates: I would like you to follow the presention shedule, for the most part. Most likely, you will be 3-4 days behind. This project will take care of the poetry journal aspect, as well as the annotations, as well as justification for class time.

To substitute for the presentation, you have a choice. You can write a 2-3 page paper explicating one of the poems, OR you may write a paragraph for each poem analyzing how the author used one device to create meaning (tone or theme).

Lastly, you need to invite me as an administrator, so I can provide you with some resources. Also, I will be regularly checking on your work and commenting.

I think this be a great idea, and a wonderful opportunity to create a pretty neat resource.

Poetry Professor - Wednesday, April 3rd

We've probably talked about a few terms today that you don't recognize, so I'm defining them for you, with examples:

couplet - two consecutive lines of verse that are joined by rhyme

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy.
My sin was too much hope of thee, loved boy;
- "On My First Son"
Ben Johnson

pun - a word that has a double meaning, both of which are pertinent to the subject. In the lines below, exact means to obtain, which plays into the banking metaphor, but also means inflicted (death is inflicted by the plague), and means precise, which death is. You can't be "kind of dead." Thus, the word has triple meaning. In the second example, delivery means the soul is escorted from life, but also means "to be birthed," as the soul is in the afterlife.

Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay,
Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.
- "On My First Son"
Ben Johnson

And soonest our best me with thee do go,
Rest their bones, and soul's delivery.
- "Death Be Not Proud"
John Donne

Apostrophe - I know we talked about this before, but apostrophe describes when the poet addresses someone dead, absent, or a personified object. Donne is talking to Death, and Johnson is talking to his dead son.

"Death be not proud..."

Inverted Word Order - usually, in the English language, sentences follow a patter...subject-verb-0bject (Mr. Malley taught the class). Poets mess with word order for effect and to add formality.

And soonest our best men with thee do go (Inverted (actual))
And soonest our best men go with thee (Regular)

Juxtaposition - an poet sets two contrasting elements next to each other to achieve effect. For example, the rage and misery of death along with the softness and innocence of Johnson's son creates sympathy in the reader.

I know we didn't talk about couplet or juxtaposition, but we will...so here's your introduction.

Explication of "Schoolsville" - Billy Collins

I presented this explication of "Schoolsville" in class today.

“Schoolsville” depicts a teacher, most likely Collins, looking back and taking stock of his career. The poet imagines his place within this imaginary town, and his place in the universe is closely entwined with that of his students and profession (Editor's Note: I have described the speaker and occasion.).

Collins assumes a humorous tone towards his students and teaching, and this is achieved in a few different ways. First of all, the scene is he describes is absurd. He places his students in a variety of stereotypical situations based on exaggerated versions of their high school selves. The student who always aimed to please is a business owner and town leader. His description of him “always” having his hand up is a hyperbole. Another example of hyperbole is the description of the girl who “signed her papers in lipstick.” The girl did not really sign her paper in lipstick, but was so concerned with her appearance that it seemed like it. There are more exaggerations in the poem, such as the allusion to Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter. Obviously this is taking it to the extreme. (Editor’s Note: In this paragraph I have described how the author uses hyperbole, an allusion and stereotypes to achieve a humorous tone.)

Inherent in Collins’ humorous tone is a feeling of hopelessness. Although the speaker is describing the scene tongue in cheek (sarcastically), most of his characterizations of students are negative. Students are “sweat[ing] the final and, even after all these years writing “disorganized essays” and reading them aloud. They don’t walk with purpose but “zigzag”(diction). Collins compares the girl as “brushing her hair like a machine,” which suggests repetition and absence of feeling and emotion. The creative writing students have not found a purpose in life, and sit in a circle playing a “lute.” A student hands in a “term paper fifteen years late,” while others have trite questions about mundane things like double spacing. Even the one student who worked hard to achieve in high school, the hand raising pleaser, has been relegated to the job of clothing store owner and low level politician. No student has gone on to do great things, at least none that he mentions. (Editor’s Note: In this paragraph I have attempted to show that the tone is not simply humorous, but hopeless as well. This is achieved by the author’s characterization of his students, diction, a simile, and more hyperbole.)

It is too simple, however, to state that Collins dislikes his experience. He has nurtured his vision. He is not separate or condescending, because the speaker thinks himself just as absurd as his students. In the last two stanzas, the narrator shifts from talking about the students and starts to describe himself. His home is a stereotype of anywhere small town, USA. He lives in the traditional small village home, a “white colonial” at the corner of two streets that appear in every town across the country (Maple & Main). His house has ivy and a porch swing. However, this depiction of the picturesque existence of Schoolsville is disrupted by the action that sometimes takes place within the house. The speaker imagines himself as having lost his grip on reality, and is teaching to an absent audience. This image reinforces the hopelessness and absurdity of his actions. Not only is he teaching to no one, but he is doing things that carry negative connotation, such as lecturing, quizzing, and reprimanding. (Editor’s Note: In this paragraph I have described how the author shifts in the last two stanzas to describe his place, which helps convey the theme. He uses more stereotypes and imagery to characterize himself.)

This poem written mockingly, and probably does not reflect Collins’ consistent vision of the teaching profession. It more than likely captures him at a dark moment, and the poet used his usual humorous style to look back on his years teaching. This humorous tone and depiction of his students vs. his depiction of self helps helps cement the theme of the poem. Although the speaker has had little effect on his students, they certainly have made him lose his grasp on reality. (Editor’s Note: In this paragraph I try to tie it all together by capturing the theme of the poem in light of all of the devices. In the words of Ras the Exhorter, “This be my conclusion, mahn.”)

And here's my explication of Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est." This one is probably a little bit weaker, although it was easier to explicate.

In this poem Wilfred Owen is depicting the horrors of war. Owen died on the battlefield in World War I, so we can assume that he is the speaker. This is a poem of experience; the high level of imagery suggests that the poet experienced horrors such as this while at war. The theme of the poem is expressed in Latin in the title and repeated in the last two lines. Owen flatly says that people lie when they claim that it is sweet and fitting and honorable to die for your country.

Owen’s bitter tone starts off in the first stanza with his description of the conditions in which the soldiers lived. A typical soldier’s march is described. Owen employs multiple similes to describe the soldiers. The “old lie,” or romantic vision of war, would most likely depict jovial soldiers marching and chanting military songs. This scene is quite different. He describes the soldiers as “beggars under sacks” and “hags” and “drunk with fatigue.” All of these comparisons convey the wretched condition the soldiers are in. Owen’s bitterness is further conveyed by his description of the soldier’s movements. They are trudging “bent” and “knock-kneed,” “cursing.” They lack even boots and are marching “asleep.” These imagery suggests the pain and agony of the soldier experience. Beyond the relentless marching, they have to avoid seemingly sentient bombs. When the shells miss these soldiers the weapons seem “disappointed.” This detail, which is a peek inside the perception of the soldier, conveys the low level to which their spirits have sunk.

The horrific nature of war is further emphasized by the next final three stanzas. A soldier does not get his gas mask on in time to avoid mustard gas exposure, and is suffers its effects. Throughout the rest of the poem, this victim, this soldier, is described in inhuman ways. His body contorts as if “floundering like a man in fire or lime.” The author’s choice of the verb “floundering” calls to mind fish flopping on a deck, gasping for air. Later, Owen describes the grotesque effects of the gas on the soldier. His eyes “writhe,” a word usually reserved for snakes. His face is compared to a devil’s “sick of sin.” These inhuman comparisons continue. The noises emitted from the dying soldier are “obscene of cancer” and bitter as “the cud of vile, incurable sores.” The cancer comparison is obvious, and cud is the partially digested food a cow regurgitates for further chewing. These comparisons and descriptions are employed to further illustrate the graphic violence which disproves the ironic title of the poem.

Finally, the poet destroys the myth of romantic accomplishments on the battlefield by personalizing the experience and challenging the legions of people who still proclaim high military honor and glory. He addresses his reader directly, and bitterly mocks these people. Obviously a person who enthusiastically sells this notion of war is ridiculous, and anyone who exploits the natural tendency towards adventure that children and teenagers exhibit is pathetic.
Owens lived and died in the trenches of World War I. In “Dulce” he describes vividly and graphically the horrors of war in order to mock purporters of this lingering myth.

AP Lit: Death of a Salesman Update

We will no longer be reading Death of a Salesman. I've thought about it, and there just isn't enough time to jam in another work before the exam. We wouldn't be able to give it due diligence.

Instead, we are going give more attention to exam preparation. To any of you who started the play, I apologize.

PSA Storyboard

I am not going to provide you guys with a storyboard until you show me a voice over narrative. Essentially, your finished PSA will consist of three elements: film, voice over (narration), and music. I want you to start with your voiceover. Today in groups, your job is to do the following:

1. Plan your film.
2. Write your voice over narration.
3. Start to plan your shots.
   

Signing Up for a Blogger Account

I need you folks to sign up for a blogger account in order to comment on discussion blogs. Here are the steps:

1. Go to rm305.blogspot.com (done!)
2. Find the link to your book's discussion blog in the sidebar.
3. Choose a post and click "comments"
4. This screen should appear. Click on "Sign Up Here"
   

5. Now you should be at this screen. Fill out the necessary information. If you don't have an email address, then you'll have to fudge. I'm going to ask you to make one up. But, write it down, because this is what you'll use to sign into your account.

6. Now you should be ready to post comments.

Discussion Blogs

Attention: Updated!

As I told you folks, some UB graduate students are reading these books as well, and they are creating blogs to collect pertinent information and to host discussions. The blog addresses are as follows. You will also be able to find these in the sidebar.

Pretty Birds
1984
Feed
Enrique's Journey
Persepolis

Ok, now...your responsibility is as follows: You are to discuss the book in the comment areas of these blogs. Each time you post, end the post by putting your first name, last initial, and the period of your English class. The first post is due Thursday, April 5th.

Grading guidelines:
Folks, I am changing my requirements for this portion of your project, because we are running short on time. If you post multiple times, I will give you full credit. If you post once, I will give you 90/100 pts. You must post to the discussion once.

In an ideal situation, here are the criteria that make for good discussions:

• student posts under different questions
• comments are insightful and developed
• comments have appropriate tone and awareness of audience
• student discusses book...comments not only on the original question but also to other student's viewpoints