I'm preparing this post before class so I can reference it when we are together today.
***We didn't get through as much as I had planned today, but I still want you to read through this post (and at some point the rest of the blog.***
Remember that we will meet in ATB 132 on Monday and Wednesday next week. Friday is workshop day.
Our commonly confused words lesson for this week is past vs passed. For Monday, write THREE complete sentences using each word correctly. This means write three sentences using PAST and another three using PASSED, for a total of SIX sentences.
We'll finish going over the sentence revision worksheet that you completed on Wednesday and spend some more time discussing editing and proofreading.
Finally, we'll begin looking at chapters 9 & 10 on conjunctions and prepositions and phrases.
These links may be helpful to review in clarifying the difference between coordinating and correlative conjunctions.
Here are some great exercises to test yourself on prepositions (once you click, scroll down a little).
Test yourself on conjunctions here.
FOR MONDAY: read chapters 9 & 10. You should also read through this post and spend time going through the links; it will reinforce what you've read in the book. Don't forget to write your sentences for Monday as well. For bonus points, on a piece of paper, tell me why proofreading is important. Turn this in as soon as you come to class Monday for the extra points.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Time Flies When You're Having Fun
Wow! Today's class went so fast; I'm sorry for rushing at the very end.
You did a great job working together on the revision worksheet. We'll finish going over that on Friday, so don't forget to bring them so I can collect them and give you credit for completion. Do you feel like doing those worksheets are helpful at all? Sometimes it's beneficial to take sentences out of the larger piece and focus on what's correct and incorrect to get a better picture of what's going on. Thank you for being cooperative and helpful with each other.
At the end of class I introduced you to chapter 25 (page 365), which is about explaining a process or telling someone how to do something. Read through the chapter for some ideas and then for Friday bring a typed piece explaining how to do something. This should be something you already know how to do. It can be like the example we talked about in class: how to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Or if there is something you do at work, like cleaning tables or running a mower, you could tell how to do that.
A good place to start may be making a list of the steps and then expanding that way. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Marc mentioned that he may write about how to do a household task like mopping the floor. That's a great idea!
Other topics students have written about in the past include: how to break up with a girlfriend, how to ask someone on a date, how to apply for a scholarship, how to find a good gym, how to put gas in your car, how to register for classes, how to bake a cake, how to install a car stereo, etc.
If you're struggling for ideas, don't hesitate to ask. I love brainstorming with students!
To clarify: THIS FRIDAY WE MEET IN ATB 132.
Next week we will be focusing on our writing a bit more and shifting workshops to FRIDAY. This means that you will need to do the Writing Center modules on your own time, since it closes at 2:00 Friday. The workshop time will be for writing and you will have freedom to choose where you do this work. We'll talk more about it in the near future; I just wanted you to be aware of the change. Note that this was on the schedule I gave you back in February.
If it ends up that Fridays don't work as well, we can always shift back to Monday. We aren't married to this and I'm more than willing to work it any day. This was just an attempt to meet the desires of everyone in class, having workshop on Monday for a while and then Friday. Also remember that if you ever want help or have questions, I am willing to meet during this workshop time or another day/time. You just need to ask. I don't have a formal office to hold office hours, but am always available before and after class for at least 30 minutes. However, I don't read minds and I never assume that because you aren't doing well in the class that you want me to help you.
Just in case, here is my contact information: slillich@jccc.edu is my email and 913-469-8500 ext 5418 is my voicemail.
You did a great job working together on the revision worksheet. We'll finish going over that on Friday, so don't forget to bring them so I can collect them and give you credit for completion. Do you feel like doing those worksheets are helpful at all? Sometimes it's beneficial to take sentences out of the larger piece and focus on what's correct and incorrect to get a better picture of what's going on. Thank you for being cooperative and helpful with each other.
At the end of class I introduced you to chapter 25 (page 365), which is about explaining a process or telling someone how to do something. Read through the chapter for some ideas and then for Friday bring a typed piece explaining how to do something. This should be something you already know how to do. It can be like the example we talked about in class: how to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Or if there is something you do at work, like cleaning tables or running a mower, you could tell how to do that.
A good place to start may be making a list of the steps and then expanding that way. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Marc mentioned that he may write about how to do a household task like mopping the floor. That's a great idea!
Other topics students have written about in the past include: how to break up with a girlfriend, how to ask someone on a date, how to apply for a scholarship, how to find a good gym, how to put gas in your car, how to register for classes, how to bake a cake, how to install a car stereo, etc.
If you're struggling for ideas, don't hesitate to ask. I love brainstorming with students!
To clarify: THIS FRIDAY WE MEET IN ATB 132.
Next week we will be focusing on our writing a bit more and shifting workshops to FRIDAY. This means that you will need to do the Writing Center modules on your own time, since it closes at 2:00 Friday. The workshop time will be for writing and you will have freedom to choose where you do this work. We'll talk more about it in the near future; I just wanted you to be aware of the change. Note that this was on the schedule I gave you back in February.
If it ends up that Fridays don't work as well, we can always shift back to Monday. We aren't married to this and I'm more than willing to work it any day. This was just an attempt to meet the desires of everyone in class, having workshop on Monday for a while and then Friday. Also remember that if you ever want help or have questions, I am willing to meet during this workshop time or another day/time. You just need to ask. I don't have a formal office to hold office hours, but am always available before and after class for at least 30 minutes. However, I don't read minds and I never assume that because you aren't doing well in the class that you want me to help you.
Just in case, here is my contact information: slillich@jccc.edu is my email and 913-469-8500 ext 5418 is my voicemail.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Adjectives and Adverbs
I realize this post is late. Something unexpectedly came up right after class Friday that prevented me from posting before I left the room, which is what I usually try to do.
Remember that today is workshop in the Writing Center. You should be getting ahead on those modules and using what you're learning as you do the writing assignments in class. Once we cover something, you are held accountable for putting it into practice. Carelessness and laziness are not excuses for repeating the same mistakes (over and over); if you need help or clarification, YOU have to ask.
On Friday we heard Jennifer and Dustyn's writing about their favorite people. Thanks for sharing! Reading our writing to each other is just another way that we absorb language. It all helps to improve our writing abilities.
We then reviewed the parts of speech and discussed adjectives and adverbs. If you haven't, READ CHAPTER 8 from your text book! There are practice exercises and samples that will review and perhaps clarify what we covered in class.
Remember that adjectives describe nouns and adverbs describe verbs. You should still read chapter 8 THOROUGHLY!
On Wednesday, in COM 319, there is a creative writing reading event at 11:00. Students and faculty are invited to read their writing. You are welcome to join in the reading, or you may also attend to observe and enjoy the creativity. As an extra credit opportunity, you can earn up to 25 points for attending and typing up a half-page reaction. In order to receive the points, this must be turned in by this Friday, April 1.
I hope your week is off to a good start, despite the silly snow. Browse through the site here for things you may have missed and to review important information. More extra credit will be available soon.
I'll see you all on Wednesday!
Remember that today is workshop in the Writing Center. You should be getting ahead on those modules and using what you're learning as you do the writing assignments in class. Once we cover something, you are held accountable for putting it into practice. Carelessness and laziness are not excuses for repeating the same mistakes (over and over); if you need help or clarification, YOU have to ask.
On Friday we heard Jennifer and Dustyn's writing about their favorite people. Thanks for sharing! Reading our writing to each other is just another way that we absorb language. It all helps to improve our writing abilities.
We then reviewed the parts of speech and discussed adjectives and adverbs. If you haven't, READ CHAPTER 8 from your text book! There are practice exercises and samples that will review and perhaps clarify what we covered in class.
Remember that adjectives describe nouns and adverbs describe verbs. You should still read chapter 8 THOROUGHLY!
On Wednesday, in COM 319, there is a creative writing reading event at 11:00. Students and faculty are invited to read their writing. You are welcome to join in the reading, or you may also attend to observe and enjoy the creativity. As an extra credit opportunity, you can earn up to 25 points for attending and typing up a half-page reaction. In order to receive the points, this must be turned in by this Friday, April 1.
I hope your week is off to a good start, despite the silly snow. Browse through the site here for things you may have missed and to review important information. More extra credit will be available soon.
I'll see you all on Wednesday!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday Workshop Day
I'll post from Friday's class soon, but in the meantime wanted to remind you that Monday is a workshop day. Do not go to ATB for regular class; report to the Writing Center to make some progress on your modules.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Full Day
We covered a lot of material today; I hope you will take some time to read through this post to review and refresh what was discussed.
We first got caught up on our sound-alike words. There is a section near the back of your text book that is devoted to common words that get confused because they sound alike. Today we covered the following:
Affect Versus Effect
Already Versus All Ready
Are Versus Our
While it is a good idea to learn the difference between these words, it's even more important to be aware of which ones you struggle to differentiate and then know where to look to find the answers. Simply guessing is not an option. These are things that totally change the meaning of what you are trying to say; it's imperative that you use the correct word.
We then briefly covered some capitalization rules and number rules. There are too many to remember, but, again, what's important is that you know where to look when you are writing, so that you may clarify and be certain that you are following the rules in these areas. Even the most skilled writer does not have every grammar and punctuation rule memorized. However, they do know where to go for the answers.
At the end of class we did a seven minute focused free-write about someone that is special to us. This could be a friend, relative, spouse, mentor, etc. The possibilities are really endless.
FOR FRIDAY: Type and polish this free-write.
It should be roughly half a page in length (it's ok if it's longer).
The format rules are the same: double-spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman, 1" margins. As I mentioned in class, I don't enforce these just because it's my preference to read papers in this format. These requirements are the most basic guidelines when typing any paper. This course is to prepare you for future classes where you will be required to write. If you have questions or need help learning how to format, JUST ASK! We can spend a few minutes familiarizing you with how to do these basic functions.
We first got caught up on our sound-alike words. There is a section near the back of your text book that is devoted to common words that get confused because they sound alike. Today we covered the following:
Affect Versus Effect
Already Versus All Ready
Are Versus Our
While it is a good idea to learn the difference between these words, it's even more important to be aware of which ones you struggle to differentiate and then know where to look to find the answers. Simply guessing is not an option. These are things that totally change the meaning of what you are trying to say; it's imperative that you use the correct word.
We then briefly covered some capitalization rules and number rules. There are too many to remember, but, again, what's important is that you know where to look when you are writing, so that you may clarify and be certain that you are following the rules in these areas. Even the most skilled writer does not have every grammar and punctuation rule memorized. However, they do know where to go for the answers.
At the end of class we did a seven minute focused free-write about someone that is special to us. This could be a friend, relative, spouse, mentor, etc. The possibilities are really endless.
FOR FRIDAY: Type and polish this free-write.
It should be roughly half a page in length (it's ok if it's longer).
The format rules are the same: double-spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman, 1" margins. As I mentioned in class, I don't enforce these just because it's my preference to read papers in this format. These requirements are the most basic guidelines when typing any paper. This course is to prepare you for future classes where you will be required to write. If you have questions or need help learning how to format, JUST ASK! We can spend a few minutes familiarizing you with how to do these basic functions.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Warm Monday
It's the first day back after break and we had a hard-working group here today.
The group worked on a revision worksheet in class, and we went over it on the board at the end. It was good to see the importance of taking the time to proofread and revise carefully before turning writing in to be graded. Even little things, like typos and misspellings, can totally change the meaning of what we are trying to communicate to our readers.
At the end of class, I handed out a worksheet on identifying fragment and complete sentences. Chapter 14 in your book will be very helpful in completing this. We'll also work with this more later in the week, but do your best to finish this worksheet on your own. It will give you an idea of how much work you will need to put in on your own.
Think about the following statements:
A sentence is a group of words that communicates a complete thought.
The words in the sentence should be in an order that makes sense.
Begin every sentence with a capital letter, and end with the correct punctuation mark.
Beware of Facebook status sentences. We have talked about this many times this semester.
Examples: Going to the store after school. Headed to Barley's after work tonight.
These are both fragment sentences; they are missing the subject (answers the question: who or what is doing the action?). Though these are accepted sentences in conversation and on Facebook, and the subject is understood, they are not technically correct/complete sentences.
I'm going to the store after school. We're headed to Barley's after work tonight.
The group worked on a revision worksheet in class, and we went over it on the board at the end. It was good to see the importance of taking the time to proofread and revise carefully before turning writing in to be graded. Even little things, like typos and misspellings, can totally change the meaning of what we are trying to communicate to our readers.
At the end of class, I handed out a worksheet on identifying fragment and complete sentences. Chapter 14 in your book will be very helpful in completing this. We'll also work with this more later in the week, but do your best to finish this worksheet on your own. It will give you an idea of how much work you will need to put in on your own.
Think about the following statements:
A sentence is a group of words that communicates a complete thought.
The words in the sentence should be in an order that makes sense.
Begin every sentence with a capital letter, and end with the correct punctuation mark.
Beware of Facebook status sentences. We have talked about this many times this semester.
Examples: Going to the store after school. Headed to Barley's after work tonight.
These are both fragment sentences; they are missing the subject (answers the question: who or what is doing the action?). Though these are accepted sentences in conversation and on Facebook, and the subject is understood, they are not technically correct/complete sentences.
I'm going to the store after school. We're headed to Barley's after work tonight.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Back to Reality
Happy Spring!
I hope everyone had a relaxing break; I know I didn't.
At our last Friday class before break, I collected your typed narrative assignments and gave a quiz. If you were not in class, you missed out on 20 points.
Remember that we will meet in ATB 132 all week this week--NO WORKSHOP TIME.
I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow and hearing about how you spent your week off!
I hope everyone had a relaxing break; I know I didn't.
At our last Friday class before break, I collected your typed narrative assignments and gave a quiz. If you were not in class, you missed out on 20 points.
Remember that we will meet in ATB 132 all week this week--NO WORKSHOP TIME.
I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow and hearing about how you spent your week off!
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