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Week #7: CBS Climate Change

Do the same thing this week as you did last week, only this week we're looking at candidate answers to the question on Climate Change.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/11/eveningnews/main3605907.shtml?source=search_story

Blog #6: CBS-Primary Blog

Go to CBS' website and find CBS News with Katie Couric. She is currently running a series called "Primary Questions" Click the text or video version of one of the installments:
Our first question to analyze has to do with loss;

Watch the video here http://search.cbsnews.com/?source=cbs&q=Primary+Questions+Loss

In your post: Note any clear rhetorical choices the candidates make while answering. At the end of your post, say which candidate you agree with most and why.

For responses, agree, disagree, but ADD something to the discussion, ask a follow up question, challenge an assumption. Do something other than "I agree with Aggy" and I don't mean "I totally agree with Aggy."

Good luck.

Blog #5: Value of testing

Post your "Value of Testing" essay.

Read someone else's paper, provide meaningful comments.

The grading for this post will be the opposite of traditional posts: 2 points for post, 10 points for reponses, so make them good!

Week 4 blog: Testing, Due Tuesday.

Read all of the articles on the following link. In your initial response, give your reactions to each (do you agree/disagree, why?). Support these reactions with personal details or relate them to other texts (from the website or our book).



In your replies to each other, add an example from your scholastic experience that either supports or challenges one of the author's claims.



http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/barnetbedau8e/pages/bcs-main.asp?v=&s=14000&n=00020&i=14020.01&o=

Week 3 Blog: Thanksgiving

In this week's post, type a thanksgiving speech. Use any of the rhetorical devices you feel appropriate

Weekly Post 2: World View

Create a post that defines your world view. Include any of the information that we discussed in class or anything else that is relevant.

For replies, since we know each other we can add, comment, or question people on the characterizations of their world view.

Have fun!!!

Quarter 2, Week 1: Surf's up!

Since we have a short week, I'd like to make this an easy blog.

Find another blog, website, or video (any online content will do) created by or for an AP Language and Composition class. Post the link and a review of it's content (maybe you want to compare it to what we do, or don't do, in our class).

Have fun surfing

Weekly post 9: Trick or Treat

Read the article about halloween in Anne Arundel county. Then respond by noting any logical fallacies used by either side, argue your support or disagreement briefly.

Then... create your own list of politically correct holiday names.
For example, Accidental Discovery and Genocide Day = Columbus Day

Week 8 Blog- Letter to the Editor

Let's draft letters to the editor regarding the news articles and this article we'll explore on Wednesday: For your post, paste your entire letter (150 words max!). Make sure you understand the stylistic requirements of the genre (just what is a letter to the editor?). For responses, give feedback. What works, what doesn't? Are there any logical fallacies? Is the evidence sufficient? How can the appeals to audience be more persuasive? etc.

Final Draft of your letter is due on Tuesday!!!

Make up Blog -- Trailers of blood.

If you missed a blog or scored lowly on one of the week's blogs do this one, remembering to post a response. It's on a topic near and dear to some of our hearts: mustangs. Ironically, the topic came up in chapter one of our text and last week's Newsweek. Read the article, respond by comparing it to the essay we read in chapter 1, then identify and challenge any assumptions the author made.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/42536

Weekly Post 7 - Oprah

Watch the Oprah Winfrey Show on Wednesday, October 17th, or read the transcripts found on the website:
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200710/tows_past_20071017.jhtml

After the show, discuss your reactions to Bill Cosby's message. Is it fair? What are his assumptions, biases, logical fallacies? Will his message be effective? How does the context of talking on the Oprah show to Oprah affect his message? What kind of evidence does he use?

Then, relate Cosby or Oprah's message to any of the essays we have or will read for Chapter two on freedom of speech and/or racist language.

Have fun!!!

Weekly Post 6: Fallacies in Immigration

Read the article (in the link). Note any logical fallacies used on either side of the argument. Then, in a well thought out and constructed response, state your beliefs about immigration in this area. Try to explore the rationale, or reasoning of your assertion about immigration. Is it based on anecdotal, factual, or fallacious evidence?

In your responses, challenge, qualify or defend the original post's assertion.

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-10-08-0143.html

Have fun!

Weekly post 5:

Sorry I haven't gotten this up, I keep getting detained.

Your assignment is to create an example for 4 of the logical fallacies, without identifying them. In responses, guess which ones they've created.

Here's the rhetorical situation: Student A needs to convince Mom A that his grades will improve.

Logical Fallacies Weekly Post 4

After reviewing the common logical fallacies, find examples of the satire they create. List the title, definition, and example of the fallacy.

Here's where to look: Choose a segment on the Colbert Report's website http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml
Watch the video and note the fallacies used.

You'll get points for finding as many fallacies as you can. You get double points for responding to posts finding fallacies the original post didn't find in that segment.

Blogging in Mr. Holt's class

I want to know what Mr. Holt and his students think about this blog. How is it better/worse than a course management system like Blackboard or Moodle?

Weekly Blog #4

Pick a teacher at your school (each a different teacher, please, you can't all choose me or Mr. Sellers), and then define the rhetorical choices they make to present their school "persona." These choices are not limited to verbal and non-verbal communication, but include clothes, appearance of room, actions, reactions of others, etc.

For example: He always stands outside his room to greet each of his students as they enter, but he is never smiling. What he is saying is: I have to be here and so do you.

9/13 end of class and homework

Sorry I ran out on you today, leaving you with Ms. Davis, but my daughter fell and got a concussion. Thank goodness everything is okay, but I had to meet her and my wife at the emergency room, which is never fun.

Anyway, I didn't get to
a.) collect your 9/11 worksheets. If you could please email them to me at rholt@hs.spotsylvania.k12.va.us I'd appreciate it.
b.) assign your homework: I was going to ask you to watch President Bush's speech to the nation tonight. If you get this email before he speaks, please take notes on his persona (Speaker choices, credibility, etc.), types of evidence he uses, and Appeals to audience (logos, pathos, and ethos).
-----------------IF you do not get to this blog in time: read, watch, or listen to the analysis of the speech. What Rhetorical terms do the analysts use (lists with their support)? How persuasive do they feel the speech was?

Thanks,

Mr. Holt

Week 3 Post:

Read the article (attached in a link) and respond by analyzing The Senatorial candidate using an Aristotiliean Triangle. What choices seem to be made representing Speaker: Audience: Subject? What is the general Context and how does that affect his message?

In responses analyze the choices your peers notice, by explaining how they work in concert with the other elements of the triangle and help create an over-all message.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20657198/site/newsweek/

Remember to proof read and respond specifically to the article posted.

Thanks and good luck,

Mr. Holt

Weekly post 1:

Let's start easy: why are you taking this course? What do you hope to get out of it? What impressions from the first day bolstered your confidence? Which scared you?

Weekly post 2: Too many AP courses?

The linked article defines a current debate and dillemma among educators and student alike: In this current political push for schools to increase the number of AP students (the scores on the tests are not factored into AYP results) how many AP courses is enough and for whom are these courses best suited?

Read the article closely, then write one response to the article. Your response should raise questions, challenge the content, author or evidence, or qualify or verify the content. Your response should NOT summarize the article. The best posts support their opinions with personal or cited evidence.

Then check back later and reply to at least one other post by the end of the day FRIDAY.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600738.html