Extra Credit for the Serious Writer.
Go to http://www.chickensoupforthesoul.com/
Then click on "Submit your story". Check through all of the opportunities
and select the one that fits for you. Follow their story guidelines
precisely. Once you are done, submit the piece. Send me an email with the
piece attached (20 points). If you get published, you will receive an
additional 100 points. Do not send them something thrown together and
haphazard. This is a company searching for excellence, so make sure you give
it the required respect. Pay close attention to the rules and regulations.
You may also want to read a few of the stories from a Chicken Soup book to
get a feel for what you are getting into.
*3rd quarter only
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Continual Extra Credit...see the All Purpose page for EC reading to prepare
for AP next year.
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NEW EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNTIES...posted 11/12/08
1. Two designers needed to update my room and make a comfortable
environment. Basically you need to dedicate an hour or so to making the
room look good using all of the projects we have done. (20 points)
2. Prepare a high class bulletin board concept and design. You and your
partner will decorate the bulletin board that hangs across the hall from my
room. I need to approve what you are doing. This should also be completed
in a timely manner. Since your work will hang on the wall for all to see,
the idea, design, and content must stand out. (30 points)
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Final Writing Folder Criteria:
1. Select the required pieces: one response to literature; one college essay
(I will put this in later for you); one research piece (Huck Finn paper...I
will plug this in for you also if needed); one analytical piece; one
creative piece; the following reflection.
2. Write me a detailed letter that has the following...
*an intro addressing your growth as a writer over the past year
*a statement (thesis) about yourself as a writer
*three or more body paragraphs that discuss how you got better with each
piece, problems you had writing them, and whether or not you have overcome
the problems with which you started the year. Use specifics from the pieces
you select.
*a conclusion that handles what your current weaknesses and strengths are,
what efforts you invested this year (tutorials, etc.), and what your exact
goals are for next year.
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The extra credit listed below for Finn will conclude in the following
manner. Each person who has elected to read the book must sign up with me
so I can establish the core group. The group will then be responsible for
meeting on two different mornings from 6:50 - 7:20 to hold discussions. One
member from the group must step forward and assume responsibility for
leading a discussion (two people overall). You must attend both sessions
and participate actively to gain the 50 extra credit points. The two people
who lead the discussions will receive an extra 10 points. The discussion
dates are 5/20 and 5/22.Please see me by 5/6 to sign up.
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***Extra credit for the HUck Finn unit***
Obtain a copy of FINN by John Clinch. The story details the life of Pap, and
it will open your eyes to see how this author fictionalizes the life of a
character we actually know little about. You will have to obtain a copy on
your own. I will post the point value and the response soon. Just start
reading.
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***Brand new extra credit chances...
1. Read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". Write a two-page piece that
details how this book serves as a form of human inspiration. Then go to
BN.com and write an online review of the book. Send me the link via email.
You will receive 40 extra credit points for this work. Due date: 2/29/08
2. See me for a copy of "A Hope in the Unseen". Read the book and then
draft a three-page piece that examines at least three critical quotations.
The discussions should delve into not only how the quotations serve to
reveal something about the book, but also how they reprsent a concern or
triumph in life. Focus on the latter. This work will earn you 60 extra
credit points. Due date: 3/7/08
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***New for the end of the second quarter..... (inactive!!!)
Go see the the film The Great Debaters. Afterwards, write a 500 word piece
on the power and possibilities of education. Make sure that this briefly
references the film while focusing primarily on the modern perspective.
Staple the movie ticket in the upper right corner of the paper before
submitting. Due by January 14th. 25 points extra credit.
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SECOND QUARTER 2007!!!! SEE # 3 BELOW!!!!
#1. NOT ACTIVE. For the first quarter of 2007. Any Honors III student may
partake
in the following. Read the novel Ordinary People by Judith Guest. Once you
have finished, you must arrange to take the associated test. You must
receive an 80 or above to get the 50 extra credit points.
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#2. NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE!!!Extra Credit for the avid drama reader (posted
12/20/06)
See me for a copy of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman". By Monday,
January 16th, have the entire play read and annotated. The notes should be
detailed and correspond to the ideas I expressed in class about how to
properly take notes while reading. After finishing the reading and the
notes, create a two-page response driven by a thesis you generate. The idea
cannot reflect any of the common themes and motifs discussed on sparknotes
or any other study aides. It must have orginality and perspective. The
reward for all of this extra effort is 80 points. Only work done to a high
standard will receive the credit. Any number of students can complete this
assignment. It is suggested that you get your copy prior to leaving for
Christmas break.
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#3. NOT ACTIVE!!!! Extra Credit for the avid reader (posted 12/17/07)
See me for a copy of The Scarlet Letter. Read the novel entirely and take
the associated test. Earn a 70 or higher for additional points. Because
this is clearly a large task, the reward is substantial.
69 OR BELOW = NO POINTS
70 - 79 = 35 POINTS
80 - 89 = 50 POINTS
90 - 99 = 70 POINTS
100 = 100 POINTS
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#4 ALWAYS ACTIVE: Here is an extra credit job that will never go away.
Look for grammatical errors out in public. Take a picture of one and write
a small explanation as to why it is incorrect. We will attempt to fill the
walls with society's mistakes. This is unlimited extra credit, but you
cannot merely repeat the same one a classmate already submitted.
Here is a checklist to review prior to submitting your final research essay.
Finalizing the Research Paper
Personal Checklist
Use the list below to help revise. Check off sections as you edit them from
your paper. Please include the list in
your portfolio.
_____ All awkward passage/word choice eliminated
_____ No contractions
_____ No passive voice
_____ Limited use of the verb ¡§to be¡¨
_____ No ¡§in order to¡¨
_____ No ¡§due to the fact that¡¨
_____ No ¡§a lot¡¨
_____ No conversational language/slang
_____ All in-text citations in proper form (structure and punctuation)
_____ No paragraphs ending in quotations
_____ Transitions from topic to topic
_____ All parts of the introduction are visible
_____ Paragraphs contain all required parts
_____ Direct quotations support each body paragraph
_____ Variety of sentence openings
_____ All adverbs and adjectives challenged
_____ All ¡§this, these, that, those, it¡¨ challenged
_____ All repetitious wording challenged
_____ Conclusion reaffirms thesis, makes connections, and offers a global
pers
pective
_____ No spelling errors
The following is a detailed list of words and phrases that have just been
deemed illegal by all who write formally in 216B:
very
in order to
due to the fact that
very
a lot
things
stuff
and what not
very
holla at ya
the reason why
O.K.
okay
"u" for you
Many more will find themselves upon this list as we spend additional time
together. If your responses become overtaken by these dreadful words, your
paper will suffer terribly. We may sacrifice it in the classroom to
the "God of Quality Writing" as a sign of peace. We may turn off all of the
lights and scream at it, warning it about the power of the delete key and
the long-forgotten eraser, as if to scare away these non-specific terms. If
the paper seems about to explode with these references, someone must jump on
top of it, as if it were a word choice grenade, and block the blast that
would undoubtedly cover the rest of us in countless generalities. Please,
in the name of smooth prose, edit well.
