Tone Mapping

Today's class focused on tone shifts via the vehicle of tone mapping. For each text, you identify the shifts, label each section a different tone (synonyms allowed), select two words to make a range, and then construct the tone map for analysis. For instance, "Siren Song's" fluctuating and seductive tones bespeak of the speaker's argument and her goal to "win" the man's attention, soul, and life. During the last portions of class, you began tone mapping "On My Own." At this point, you are your partner are identifying the tone words for each section. Bring back for Thursday's class -- and enjoy the zoo, you lucky seniors!

Dance Fever

In the most fascinating tone skit I have ever witnessed, we had competitive dancing courtesy of Alexis and Anthony. In a memorable turn, team positive brought in body language to add to their words and tones for the performance. Not to be forgotten, team negative -- and their poor pizza - gave us a range of tones showing a combative group.

Next week, we will work with tone maps -- looking at all the minute shifts in writing.

Emerson's Educational Diction

What a lovely little discussion on Emerson, his diction, and his perspective on education!

For homework, compose your assigned paragraph that will analyze diction and utilize quoted material from the source.

If absent, you will need to construct a thesis statement analyzing Emerson's diction; this thesis statement should be akin to what we worked on in class yesterday: author + verb + specific types of diction + purpose. Then, you will need to choose one example of diction from this thesis statement and write 1 body paragraph.

Diction

For now, we will shelve the syntax essay for when it is accessible. To pass the time, we focused on analyzing diction by looking at short and long quotes and how to create mature, sound thesis statements indicating an author's purpose.

• MM exploits exhausted, disappointing diction to humanize sex symbols.
• AC enlightens the reader with lugubrious and lively diction to express her views on life.
• BD implements inspiring, hunger-filled diction to encourage the audience to pursue dreams rather than money.
• TJ plants direct, bold diction to state how one has to sacrifice for freedom.

For homework, close read Emerson's "Education" and look for significant diction, patterns of diction, and any other strategies that may be utilized in the writing. 

Simply Sherman

The majority of our class focused on looking for syntactical patterns in Sherman Alexie's "Superman & Me," which commenced with more complex constructions and then ended with a plethora of simple, anaphoric sentences.

For tomorrow, you are writing a 3-4 paragraph essay on the following prompt: How does Sherman Alexie utilize syntax to reflect his purpose in "Superman & Me"?

Superman Syntax

After finishing the identification of syntax on the handout, we read "Superman and Me" by Sherman Alexie for its purposes per paragraph. In groups and for homework, you have been assigned 1-2 syntax types to highlight throughout the essay. We will be reconvening in groups tomorrow, and you will be able to share your findings and analyze patterns in syntax. Absentees, you will have to wait until tomorrow for a hard copy of the essay.

Syntax, Syntax, Syntax

To start the hour, you shared your Senioritis rhetorical analyzes with the class and then turned in the work to me. Then, it was time to learn about the six main forms of syntax that you may use in our future work: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex, cumulative, and periodic. Yes, you can still bring in forms of parallelism, hypophora, and the rest of the terms you now have on your chart. To end class, you were highlighting sentences and identifying types of syntax. We will finish that handout on Monday. Then, we will be reading a text and identifying purposes and syntactical styles.