W1, #4: VISUAL VOCAB STORY

Set-Up: Every week you will be given a series of random images and 10 new vocabulary words (to prepare you for an upcoming quiz) that will require you be able to use the words ‘in context’ or to use them to write a short story.

Vocab for the Week of 8/25:

• ameliorate – to improve
• bolster – to support; reinforce
• capricious – fickle, prone to making sudden changes
• erudite – scholarly; very knowledgeable
• garrulous – talkative, wordy
• intrepid- fearless
• malicious-deliberately harmful
• prevaricate – to lie
• reticent – uncommunicative; inclined to silence
• wary – very cautious

Challenge:

• pick (1) of the (3) images found below
• write a paragraph+ description (or story) based on it using all 10 of the words on the list
• add the part of speech in parenthesis [note: you have to look this up based on the definition]
• make sure all words are used so that the definition is understood/implied

Length: There is no set length, but make sure that you use all 10 words. You are free to write sentences that do not include any of the word to help you develop the overall description/story.

Hint: Go with the image that a) either grabbed your eyes first or b) seems to have a hidden story in it.

Image #1 (link: http://tinyurl.com/67hpxv):

Image #2 (link: http://tinyurl.com/6yf57k):

Image #3 (link: http://tinyurl.com/5hg9w7):

W1, #3: RE-IMAGINGING THE ISSUE OF FAILURE

Set-Up: In Clay Shirky’s recent book, Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations, the university instructor/economic consultant makes the following — slightly radical — statement (pg 236) about the evolution of collaboration & innovation on the Internet (and how it affects businesses and other traditional organizations):

“Failure is free, high-quality research, offering direct evidence of what works and what doesn’t.”

Challenge: React to this statement in terms of

• how it is currently perceived (by teachers/students) in school
• how it should be perceived in school (by teachers/students), and
• how it might be perceived (by teachers/students) in school in the future

Feel free to consider reality and theory on this one, no matter how you answer.

Length: 7+ sentences (minimum).

Hint: Obviously the statement appears to be an contradiction in terms of how students typically believe school responds to their work.

That being said, you are free to explore why this might be a new way of looking at the being a life-long learner in/out of school.

W1, #2: RUMOR HAS IT

Set-Up: It is quite possible that you’ve heard something from last year’s students — accurate or not — about:

• this class in general
• the work we’ll do this year
• the books we’ll read/analyze
• the writing assignments
• what it takes to be successful overall
• even a bit about “that teacher guy” up in front of the room

At the same time, you may be entering this class with zero assumptions. Either way, you undoubtedly have at least one question you’d like to ask as you prepare to start the year.

Challenge: Write one question you want to ask Mr. Long or one ‘rumor’ you’ve heard about the class.

Length: Follow this question/rumor up with 4+ sentences as to why you want to know the answer. You may add anything else that may be on your mind as long as it helps me come to know you a bit.

Hint: Other than the obvious choice to be ‘appropriate’, there is no limit as to what you can ask or share here. Whatever helps you get your footing in this class so that you can be successful over time — or just have a curiosity answered — is the key to this entry.

W1, #1: YOUR 10-MONTH VISION

Set-Up: So often a teacher starts the academic year by stating his/her goals for the class. Rarely, however, is a student asked to identify goals of his/her own (esp. since you a student ‘has to’ take the class. Let’s change the traditional game a bit so that I can keep an eye on ways to design this class to serve you as an individual (both in and out of school).

Challenge: Please identify (5) goals (or hopes) you have for ENG 10 that start with the following:

• “As a writer over the next 10 months, I want to be able to…”
• “As a thinker (in class conversations & in private) over the next 10 months, I want to be able to…”
• “As a student-in-general over the next 10 months, I want to be able to…”
• “As a human being over the next 10 months, I want to be able to…”
• Bonus: something completely unexpected you want me to know about that may be of value to your presence in this class over time and my ability to help you succeed/learn.

Length: 1 sentence (min) for each goal, but I’m far more interested in the ‘quality’ of your explanation than counting sentences.

Hint: The more specific you are, the more I can customize things over time.