Introduction to Pro/Con Research Topics
Handout: Tips for Narrowing Persuasive Topics
and tips for Selecting a Research Topic
Common Assessment
If you finish early, read Billy Budd or indie reading book
HW: Read Billy Budd (try to get through chapter 5 if possible--be through chapter 3 FOR SURE)...bring independent reading book, which you should be 1/4 of the way through.
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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
AP WRITING CENTER
Handout for reviewing your work prior to attending the AP Writing Center: if you fill this out ahead of time you can be seen first at lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays!
PARENTS' CORNER
First Day Parent Letter Fall 2016
Parent Homework Assignment (Optional)
Donation requests:
college-ruled notebook paper
blue or black ink pens
highlighters (esp. a multi-color set)
Kleenex
post-its (esp. small size)
Chaperone opportunity coming in October--stay tuned!
FOR RISING SENIORS: LETTERS OF REC
Dear Seniors in the Class of 2016,
Please complete this Letter of Recommendation Request Form and email your answers to me. I do not need your Brag Sheet. I will notify you within a week of receiving your request as to whether I will be able to write your letters in time to meet your deadlines. Thanks and good luck!
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mrs. Jennifer Pust
Santa Monica High School
Room H125
(310) 395-3204 ext. 71190
jpust@smmusd.org
Santa Monica High School
Room H125
(310) 395-3204 ext. 71190
jpust@smmusd.org
Thank you to everyone who has helped support my family this past year as I've been battling breast cancer. I am grateful to everyone who has reached out through email and social media to wish me well, and I hope to be pronounced in remission soon. In the meanwhile, I'm excited to be back and teaching!
About Me
- Jennifer Pust
- I have taught various grade levels of English for the past sixteen years, and spent five of those years teaching in San Diego. Currently I'm teaching 12th grade AP English: Literature and Composition, and 11th grade AP English: Language and Composition at Santa Monica High School.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
PARENTS' CORNER
List of Education Unit Texts
If you're making a foldable, or just want to make sure your notes are organized, here's the list of all of the texts from the unit:
Susan Jacoby's essay, “When Bright Girls Decide that Math is a Waste of Time”
William J. Bennett's essay, “What Really Ails America”
Neil Postman's essay, “Order in the Classroom”
Leon Botstein's editorial, “Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood”
Horace Mann's speech, “Report to the Massachusetts Board of Education”
Austin Channell's TEDx Talk, “Why Taking Choir Kept Me from Being Valedictorian”
Sir Ken Robinson's RSA Animate talk,“Changing Education Paradigms”
Benjamin Barber's essay, “America Skips School”
Malcolm X's essay, "Learning to Read," an excerpt from his autobiography
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s essay, "Delusions of Grandeur" (with an updated introduction!)
Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt, memoirs, The Pact
Recommended Websites for RH Paper
Recommended websites for Rhetorical Historical papers:
The New York Times Topics Page
Samohi Library page to access SIRS/Proquest Databases: You'll need the username and password!
Cagle.com: Daryl Cagle's index of editorial/political cartoons
American Rhetoric - index of historical speeches, complete with audio/video!
Pew Research Center - a nonpartisan fact tank with statistics and information about all sorts of wonderfully random things
For help with MLA Format and your working bibliography, consult these resources from Purdue's Online Writing Lab:
In-Text Parenthetical Citations
Or these resources from Diana Hacker and Bedford/St. Martin's:
General Works Cited Format - there's a pull-down menu for citation types and examples
In-Text Parenthetical Citations
And don't forget, there are some basic MLA reminders and samples beginning on page 35 of your binder reminder!
RESOURCES FOR ALL THE PRETTY HORSES
A translation of all of the Spanish in the book
Sample Rhetorical Analysis writeup for the "They rode out..." passage on page 30
Interview with Cormac McCarthy on Oprah Winfrey's show
Interview with Cormac McCarthy on Oprah Winfrey's show
Explanations from Wikipedia on horse tack (all of the saddle/bridle/reins parts, etc.)
Lyrics to the lullaby that gives the novel its title
An introduction to Modernism and Postmodernism
A crash course in Postmodernism from Wikipedia
Lyrics to the lullaby that gives the novel its title
An introduction to Modernism and Postmodernism
A crash course in Postmodernism from Wikipedia
HELP W/ LOCAL ISSUES
Having trouble thinking of topics? Try scanning these lists from previous year's students...
...or email me for ideas! jpust@smmusd.org
Additional class notes from LAST YEAR's Guest Speakers:
REQUIRED TEXTS: SECOND SEMESTER
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave by Frederick Douglass
The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Lisa Frazier Page
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
HELPFUL LINKS FOR RESEARCH
Supports for reading The Scarlet Letter
Free audiobook podcast from iTunes
The Scarlet Letter: No Fear edition, which gives a "modern text" side-by-side with the original text
Online edition of the full text
Discussion Assignment Calendar (DRAFT)
HELPFUL LINKS FOR FALL RHETORICAL HISTORICAL RESEARCH PAPER
Final Essay Checklist
Rhetorical Historical Paper Scoring Guide
Handout on Conclusions
Sample Paper #1: Clare's, on the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill Affair
Sample Paper #2: Mari's, on Japanese-American Internment
Chart comparing the features of Clare's and Mari's papers
Handout on Conclusions
Sample Paper #1: Clare's, on the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill Affair
Sample Paper #2: Mari's, on Japanese-American Internment
Chart comparing the features of Clare's and Mari's papers
Earlier Handouts on Creating Research Notes:
Researchpalooza Assignment Directions and sample citations
Sample Researchpalooza Bibliography with annotations
Sample clean copy of Researchpalooza Bibliography in .doc format
SOAPSTone handout to help you analyze sources
SAD handout to help you analyze appeals in your sources
REALM Notes, Page 1 and REALM Notes, Page 2
Sample Researchpalooza Bibliography with annotations
Sample clean copy of Researchpalooza Bibliography in .doc format
SOAPSTone handout to help you analyze sources
SAD handout to help you analyze appeals in your sources
REALM Notes, Page 1 and REALM Notes, Page 2
RESOURCES FOR THIS I BELIEVE ESSAYS
The essay guidelines offered by NPR, which provides specific tips for writing a good essay
The original producers' invitation, which describes the purpose and focus of the project
And of course, you can scan the This I Believe website, http://thisibelieve.org/, for tons of sample essays that you may read or listen to--perhaps the best way to acquaint yourself with the project (and see what has already been written).
The original producers' invitation, which describes the purpose and focus of the project
And of course, you can scan the This I Believe website, http://thisibelieve.org/, for tons of sample essays that you may read or listen to--perhaps the best way to acquaint yourself with the project (and see what has already been written).
My "This I Believe" essay that I submitted last year, which is now part of the "This I Believe" database
COURSE SYLLABI AND FIRST DAY HANDOUTS
ELECTION ISSUES/CANDIDATES PROJECT
Description of Election Issues Project 2012
Directions for Annotated Bibliography
Directions for Annotated Bibliography
Sample for Print source using Official Voter Information Guide
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR RESEARCH:
GovTrack.us
Ballotpedia - California
MLA 7 information from Bedford St. Martins: this is a wonderful resource and seems to include almost everything you'd need to make your bibliography!!! Check this out if you're unsure how to cite a particular kind of text or source.
Description of Annotated Bibliography assignment
California Official Voter Information Guide
Los Angeles County Sample Ballot Lookup
League of Women Voters Los Angeles County Voter Information
League of Women Voters California Education Fund
Fact checking websites: FactCheck and Politifact
OntheIssuesGovTrack.us
Ballotpedia - California
Digitized print version of Oct 2012 California Educator magazine
Link to Audacity (sound editor)
Link to SoundBible - search for free, downloadable sound effects and music! Public domain - ok to repost on web
Link to Soungle - search for free, downloadable sound effects!
Link to Freeplay Music - search for free, downloadable background music by style or keyword. FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY.
AUDIO RESOURCES FOR COMMERCIALS:
Audacity Getting Started GuideLink to Audacity (sound editor)
Link to SoundBible - search for free, downloadable sound effects and music! Public domain - ok to repost on web
Link to Soungle - search for free, downloadable sound effects!
Link to Freeplay Music - search for free, downloadable background music by style or keyword. FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY.
Link to JewelBeat - search for downloadable music - 99¢ a song gives you licensing permissions to use on web.
More recommended audio sites
BIBLIOGRAPHY RESOURCES:
Link to KnightCite bibliography generator : use MLA 7 style and make sure you're logged in!
More recommended audio sites
BIBLIOGRAPHY RESOURCES:
Link to KnightCite bibliography generator : use MLA 7 style and make sure you're logged in!
Link to BibMe bibliography generator: use MLA 7 style.
REMEMBER: bibliography generators are only as smart as the information you put in--when possible, enter information "manually" to reduce mistakes!
OWL at Purdue - MLA 7 2009 Guidelines: This is an amazing website with all of the information you'll need to succeed on your bibliography. This is the one I use when I can't remember how to cite something. :-)
MLA 7 information from Bedford St. Martins: this is a wonderful resource and seems to include almost everything you'd need to make your bibliography!!! Check this out if you're unsure how to cite a particular kind of text or source.
Description of Annotated Bibliography assignment
VOTER INFORMATION NIGHT AT SAMOHI!
Wednesday October 24th at 6:30pm in the Cafeteria
Come hear students present information about 2012 Ballot Candidates and Issues!
Light refreshments provided by the PTSA
Questions? Contact Meredith Louria
SAMPLE SCRIPTS IN MLA FORMAT
Sample Student Script in proper MLA format and following script conventions
(names changed to protect students' privacy)
REVIEW FOR THE AP TEST
For all essays:
A LIST OF MAJOR TEXTS READ/DISCUSSED THIS YEAR:
ADVERTISING AND GENDER UNIT
"The Female Body" by Margaret Atwood (McGraw-Hill Reader)
"Being a Man" by Paul Theroux (McGraw-Hill Reader)
"Why Men Don't Last" by Natalie Angier (McGraw-Hill Reader)
Killing Us Softly 4, documentary film by Jean Kilbourne
NATURE/ENVIRONMENT
"Americans and the Land" by John Steinbeck (McGraw-Hill Reader)
"The Solace of Open Spaces" by Gretel Ehrlich (McGraw-Hill Reader)
excerpt from "Owls" by Mary Oliver (handout)
from "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" by Henry David Thoreau (handout)
NOVELS
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
EDUCATION
"America Skips School" by Benjamin Barber (McGraw-Hill Reader)
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read" by Francine Prose (handout)
"Best in Class" by Margaret Talbot (handout)
"A Talk to Teachers" by James Baldwin (handout)
"Learning to Read and Write" by Frederick Douglass (McGraw-Hill Reader)
"Learning to Read" by Malcolm X (handout)
Waiting for Superman, documentary film by Davis Guggenheim
Changing Education Paradigms, an RSA Animate talk by Sir Ken Robinson
RESOURCES FOR FALL RESEARCH PAPER - RHETORICAL HISTORICAL
PROJECT HANDOUTS:
Description of Assignment & Step One: Research Proposal
Sample Research Proposal
Source Guidelines
Introductions
Sample Body Paragraphs and Instructor Notes
GOOD SITES TO BEGIN RESEARCHING:
The New York Times Topics page - look here for your topic--you'll find a wealth of resources!
Link to the Samohi Library page to access the SIRS and ProQuest databases - you'll need your login and password.
METHODS FOR RESEARCH NOTES:
SOAPSTONE method and SOAPSTONE sample
Historic Document worksheet method
Cornell Notes method
RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT READING BOOK:
Search for independent reading book:
Santa Monica Public Library
Los Angeles Public Library
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Description of Assignment & Step One: Research Proposal
Sample Research Proposal
Source Guidelines
Introductions
Sample Body Paragraphs and Instructor Notes
GOOD SITES TO BEGIN RESEARCHING:
The New York Times Topics page - look here for your topic--you'll find a wealth of resources!
Link to the Samohi Library page to access the SIRS and ProQuest databases - you'll need your login and password.
METHODS FOR RESEARCH NOTES:
SOAPSTONE method and SOAPSTONE sample
Historic Document worksheet method
Cornell Notes method
RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENT READING BOOK:
Search for independent reading book:
Santa Monica Public Library
Los Angeles Public Library
Amazon
Barnes & Noble