Creating Your Blog

As you come in, meet with your group. Make sure that your blog title is free of errors. Make sure your eventual URL is short and memorable.

Today we are going to:

1. Create a blog.
2. Choose a template.
3. Add authors
4. Add Mr. Malley as an author (jcmalley@buffaloschools.org)
5. Add your quotation as a page element


Tonight each of you must:
* check your email and accept the invitation to join the blog. This should be the last time you have to use email in this process.

Newsweek Perusal

We will be getting a regular subscription to Newsweek. Today I'd like you to browse through the November 26th issue. Take a 30-40 minutes. Read a few articles. Browse at your own pace. When you are finished, I'd like you to use the comments section on this post and share a little about one thing you've read.

Step One: If there are any comments posted by your peers, read them.
Step Two: If the comments involve the article you've read, feel free to respond to your peer.
Step Three: If there are no comments, share a little bit about the article. One or two sentences summing the article up, and 2-3 sentences about something you found to be interesting.

This is a 25 point assignment.

Email Me!

Remember, your homework for Thanksgiving break is as follows:

1. Sign up for an email account, if you do not already have one. Yahoo and Google both offer great email services that are free and have many free services. Google would work best as you'd have a shortcut for the next step.

2. Sign up for a Google Docs account.

3. Check your email. Click on the Google Account verification email.

4. Send me an email at mrmalley04@yahoo.com or jcmalley@buffaloschools.org. Let me know that you've successfully signed up for both and include your name.


Enjoy the turkey.

7th Annual Day Before Thanksgiving Riddle Challenge

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Last year a record fell. This year I've added questions and revamped the whole process. Here are the rules:
No groups of more than four
No cheatin'
No cheatin'
No cheatin'
One answer sheet per group

Working diligently on this task will get you 25/25.
Breaking the all time record will get you 50/25.
Coming in first place, but not breaking the all time record, will net you 40/25.
Coming in second place will net you 35/25 points.
Coming in 3rd place will net you 30/25 points.

Opening Activity 11/20

Open your notebook to the next blank page. Then, describe this scene in one sentence that employs at least two vivid, descriptive details.

Mix and Match Day

You guys clash so well it's almost natural.

Quarter One Grades

Here are your grades for the 1st quarter. Remember, look to the grade report I gave to you a few weeks ago. Your ID# can be found in the upper right hand corner.

Period One
Period 4/5

Period 6/7

Period Nine

Opening Activity

In your notebook, skip a line and label this entry

"The Real Prompt #4"

You are now 1/4th of the way through your senior year. What are your impressions so far? Has it been everything you hoped and more?

Extra Credit Assignment #1

If you have an active email or Google account, then do this assignment:

Directions for "Extra Credit"*:

Today you're going to sign up for Google Docs, compose a brief document, invite me as a collaborator

1. Go to Google Docs.
2. If you have a Google Account, use it to sign up for Google Docs. If not, create a Google account. The directions are there. Follow them step by step.
3. Once you have Google Docs opened, create a document.

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In this document, type something along the lines of



Hi Mr. Malley!
- {Your Name]

4. In the upper right hand corner, click on "Share".

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5. Invite me as a collaborator by typing the following email address into the box: jcmalley@buffaloschools.org. Then click invite. No message is necessary. Click "send."

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Step One is Complete! If I get that email/notification, you earn yourself an extra 25 points to your total point value.

Today's Extra Credit Assignment #2

Extra Credit Assignment #2
If you don't have an email address or Google Account, do this assignment:

1. Read the following article from Rolling Stone. (Click to enlarge.)
2. When you have finished reading the article, use the comments section of this post to address the following issue:

Downloading is killing the record industry. You know the story about illegal downloads. Now, such artists as Radiohead and Saul Williams have offered their CD's on the internet for an optional donation. Furthermore, this article delves into deeper problems facing the recording industry. If you were "Joe Record Executive," what steps would you take to help revive the industry?

___


3. After your answer, put your first name, last initial, and period. All of this information is required to earn the other 50 points of possible extra credit. Only reasonable answers will be credited.


* This is an extra credit grade, but will it is mandatory that you do it if you've finished with your college essay.

____________________________________________
Hiatt, Brian and Knopper, Steve. "Big Chains Psh CDs Off Shelves". Rolling Stone Magazine Rolling Stone LLC. Issue 11039 - 11/15/2007/

Opening Activity

Creative Prompt #4

Open up your notebook to the next blank page. Take three minutes to address the following prompt:

"Most people are conformists*."

Do you agree? Disagree? How does it relate to high school?

* comply with rules, style, standards, or idea

Opening Activity

Stanford is one of the nation's most prestigious universities. As an opening activity, choose one of the following two essay topics and start to formulate your answer.

1. Take out your notebook and turn to the next available page.
2. Copy down one of the following two prompts.
Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
3. Write a paragraph addressing the question.




For your own reading pleasure, here are the rest of the Stanford essay topics:

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.

Opening Activity

Directions:
1. Grab a half piece of an index card.
2. Put your name at the top.
3. On the index card, answer the following questions:

• What experience will you be writing about?
• What qualities will you be highlighting?
• Do you have any questions about this assignment?
• Where are you in the process? (Brainstorming, drafting, information seeking, etc.)

College Essay - The Assignment Sheet and other Project Materials

Here are the class handouts for the project:






Here is the illustration we worked with in class:

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Opening Activity

Directions:
Open your notebook to the last entry
Skip a line.
Label this entry "Free Writing - Prompt #2."
Copy the following prompt:

Write about a time as a child when you played in one of the following: a treehouse, a cornfield, a construction site, a junkyard, an abandoned house or barn, a stream, a cemetary, a swamp, a pasture, OR railroad tracks.

Time: 5 minutes