Work on FIRST DAY

Be sure to bring in your eight editorials, your responses AND your rhetorical terms-to-know notecards ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS! We will be working beginning DAY ONE :o)

From here on out, our class blog will be found at http://crodsdreamteam.blogspot.com

Thanks :o) See you in a couple days! Looking forward to it.

Tipping Point New Extra Credit Question

The question in the post below this one is now closed, so do not respond. You can, however, comment on the questions in THIS post. You can address one or both questions. Here goes:

1. In the book, Gladwell discusses the "Broken Window Theory." Think of other examples in which this theory applies then comment on them.
2. Gladwell also mentions "transactive memory." Reflect on your family life or circle of friends then comment on this idea in regards to your family and/or friends.
   

Remember, your posts must be insightful, mature and grammatically ON-POINT!

Good luck with the rest of the book. You should be finishing this week!

The Tipping Point

Hello, students! You should be well into The Tipping Point by now. It's been quite interesting thus far. I especially like the part about Paul Revere, which has been a nice add-on to my previous knowledge of him and the onset of the American Revolutionary War. Cool stuff!

With that said, here is an extra credit question for you. Be reminded that I will not award extra credit if your answer is not backed with direct quotations from the book, nor will you receive credit for answers that are grammatically incorrect. My suggestion is for you to type your response in Microsoft Word, then proof and edit it there, then copy and paste into the comment section. OK, here is the question:

Think of the qualities of a CONNECTOR, MAVEN and SALESMAN. Name a modern-day person whom you believe to be a CONNECTOR, one you believe to be a MAVEN, and one you believe to be a SALESMAN. Be sure to support your answer with SPECIFIC details from both the book AND your observations. Please do not state the obvious. I want you to reach a little!

SMILE!

Summer Reading is Selected for AP Language

Here it is! Our summer reading for 2010 is Malcolm Galdwell's, The Tipping Point.

To quote Gladwell's site, "It's a book about change. In particular, it's a book that presents a new way of understanding why change so often happens as quickly and as unexpectedly as it does. For example, why did crime drop so dramatically in New York City in the mid-1990's? How does a novel written by an unknown author end up as national bestseller? Why do teens smoke in greater and greater numbers, when every single person in the country knows that cigarettes kill? Why is word-of-mouth so powerful? What makes TV shows like Sesame Street so good at teaching kids how to read? I think the answer to all those questions is the same. It's that ideas and behavior and messages and products sometimes behave just like outbreaks of infectious disease. They are social epidemics. The Tipping Point is an examination of the social epidemics that surround us." Click HERE to visit Gladwell's site to investigate further.

CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY AS EXTRA CREDIT QUESTIONS AND/OR PROJECT IDEAS WILL BE POSTED HERE!

Sample Editorial and Response

Below is an editorial from the NY Times, as well as a written SOAPSTone response. We wanted you all to see what one looked like. Not too difficult, right? Be sure to contact us if you have any questions. Remember, you can find editorials under the "editorial" or "opinion" menus of the sites.

Editorial - F.D.A.’s Secret Files - NYTimes.com


Response to the editorial (your one-page journal entry using SOAPSTone):

In “FDA’s Secret Files,” the author pleads with the FDA’s new task force to assist the agency in making better decisions regarding the safety of medicinal drugs and devices. The occasion that triggered the author to share his opinion appears to be the selection of this new task force. It is quite evident that he/she is addressing this group, however, the writer wants to inform the public of what is already transpiring within the Federal Drug Administration. Throughout the editorial, the author uses the word “secret” and “transparency,” which leads the reader to believe that the FDA is hiding information from the public. At the same time, he/she wants the truth to be told, and for light to be shed on the adverse affects of the FDA’s secrets remaining undiscovered. The author also uses paradox, which greatly illustrates the contradiction of the FDA’s purpose and their actual practices.

Ultimately, however, the author wants to save lives. He/She wants to reveal these secrets and solicit help from the task force – all to prevent prescription-induced deaths from plaguing the public. The writer presents the information in a way that arouses emotions within the reader. For example, the author describes tragedies that have occurred with babies and children because he/she knows that inequities committed against children seem to incite people to take action. Not to mention, the author is using pathos to motivate the task force. Basically, the author is expressing that they would not want the death of people on their conscience. Furthermore, the author uses “kairos,” a powerful persuasive tool, when he/she states, “we urge you.” In doing this, he/she is suggesting the task force take immediate action to benefit the public, which includes doctors, patients, consumers and parents. He/She speaks on our behalf to show how so many are affected by the FDA's actions, and how the task force can better FDA's policies on sharing information; thus, saving lives.

Getting it Stared

Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Rodriguez are here to get you ready for AP Language and Composition for the 2010-2011 school year!

SMILE!