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Monday, September 13, 2010

College App Essay Samples/ Unicorns Miss the Boat / Robert's Cow Problem

Grade 12
  • Handed backponse letters. (Don't lose them! They will go into your portfolio!)
  • Assigned peer review groups. Discussed peer review process.
  • Shared the following valuable links:
  • College Board
  • College Confidential
  • U.S.News & World Report
  • A+ Options for B Students
  • Questbridge (QuestBridge is a non-profit program that links bright, motivated low-income students with educational and scholarship opportunities at some of the nation's best colleges. QuestBridge is the provider of the National College Match Program and the College Prep Scholarship.)
  • Distribute sample app essays. Discuss the love letter to the University of Chicago.
  • For Wednesday, read all the sample essays, identify examples of personal voice.
  • Tomorrow: First peer review session.
Grade 10:
  • Journal: Select a moment from this past weekend and describe it in as much detail as possible. (Note: a moment is no more than a few seconds.)
  • Check in hw.
  • Discuss journal assignment and the importance of being able to use 'specific details from the passage' when writing essays.
  • Finish reading and annotating "The Last Unicorns."
  • Copy model outline:
  • Title: “The Last Unicorns”
    Author: Edward Hoch
    I. The “Big Four”

    A. Characters: Shem, bearded man, Noah

    B. Theme: saving the unicorns

    C. Plot: Shem tries to buy unicorns. Bearded man says no. Shem tries to steal them. BM stops him. Shem tells Noah, can’t save unicorns.

    D. Setting: Long ago, green fertile valley, farm, raining/ Tone: Gloomy

    II. Plot Breakdown

    A. Motivation: Save the unicorns

    B. Conflict: BM won’t give them up

    C. Complication: SAA

    D. Suspense: Why does Shem want the unicorns?

    E. Climax: Shem trying to steal the unicorns

    F. DĂ©nouement: Shem talking to Noah

    III. Analytical Elements

    A. POV: Third Person

    B. Techniques: allusion to the story of Noah in The Bible. Also strong language identifying tone: dark, gloomy, dismal.
  • Homework: Read and annotate "There Will Come Soft Rains."
Grade 9:
  • (See first three bullets under grade 10)
  • Review definition of "Shaker."
  • Start reading chapter 1 of The Day No Pigs Would Die.
  • No HW.

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