Prompt Suggestions?

Recently, it has come to my attention that not all of the blog prompts that I assign are not always favorites of yours. That is quite alright with me, but I also do want your input.  So this blog is simple - it does not even need to be 250 words (it does, however, still need to demonstrate good writing conventions and thought). For your ninth and final journal of the first quarter, you need to suggest four possible blog topics for the coming quarters.  Sounds easy, yes?  However, for your journal to be graded, you must also include at, least one good paragraph with each of your prompt suggestions persuading me to use this prompt. Some of you you may be asking yourself, "What does Mr. B consider a good paragraph?" And in response to this question, I would tell you that you need at least four sentences (that are not simple sentences) to constitute a good paragraph. So to sum this up: persuade me to utilize the prompts that you suggest for upcoming blogs.  Good luck.

The Eighth (Not on the 8th)

I was thinking about numbers this weekend.  Part of that could be because the Browns committed twelve (yes, twelve) penalties this weekend.  If that weren't bad enough, they only completed 17-42 passes.  Anyway, as I thought about numbers and attempted to get past these woes, I remembered an article that I read in college dealing with reading statistics.  And guess what?  I was able to find this article.  It comes from the Washington Post and is titled "One in Four Read No Books Last Year." The article is a little dated, but if we were to extrapolate the data presented over the years since the article has been written we would surely find even more shocking results.

For your blogs this week, you will need to read the article and respond to the following questions:
-What is most shocking to you in the article?  Why?
-If you read, why do you?  If you don't, why not?
-What is your favorite genre to read?  Why?
-What is your least favorite genre?  Why?
-Do tablet (iPad, Kindle) affect the amount of reading people do?  Why or why not?

Remember, you need to write at least 250 words (shoot for four good paragraphs) and demonstrate good writing conventions.

Very

As I was sitting down to my cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch) and coffee this morning, I came across a quote that is not championed enough from the Dead Poets Society:   "Avoid using the word 'very' because it's lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted.  Don't use very sad, use morose.  Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do."  I then began thinking about your previous blog prompt - you know, that one you all complained about?  This blog will not be about Giant Mustard, however, it will be about Giant Ketchup!  Okay, okay, so I jest.

More than anything, the previous quote dredged up my hatred for word about which Mr. Keating (played by Robin Williams) is complaining.  And more so, about the difficulty of thinking.  If you google 'difficulty of thinking' you will get "about 57,300,000 results [in] (0.18 seconds);" you don't need to do this, because I already did. Henry Ford even notes the difficulty in thinking: "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it."

When we come in contact with a difficult activity, we are faced with two options: either give up, or practice.  Frankly, I am a fan of the latter because there is a great feeling of accomplishment after achieving something that seemed previously out of reach.  And let's be honest; how great is it to attain a feeling of fulfillment?

Continuing in this same vein, I am going to ask you to think for you blog prompt.  That's it.  Think.  You may be asking yourself "about what?" or be questioning my sanity, but I assure you this is your prompt.  You must write 250 words that demonstrate good writing conventions.  Pretty open-ended, eh?  Yes.  Take a chance.  Take a leap.  Meditate.  Think.

Oh, and one final note:  You may not use the word 'very.'

Elation: is there a word for that?

I am currently elated with the state of Cleveland sports.  Yes, this does not apply to all of you, but my excitement hopefully has spilled over (even if not for sport).  That being said, we have some wonderful blog topics coming your way this week.  At least one is set in the creative while the others may be a little more concrete.  This week, you will not need to do two blogs if you are in English 9 and English 10: you only need to do the English 10 blog. 

Now, for what you've all been waiting for:

English 10: We've just read "By the Water's of Babylon."  In this post-apocalyptic tale, John's quest should be obvious - you will want to remember the purpose of a quest.  In this case, John's quest is also a rite of passage, making this story a bildungsroman (a German word telling us that this is a coming-of-age story).  But, your prompt doesn't have to deal with that.  On his quest, John encountered many things that he was unable to name, or for which he did not have a word.  Your task is to write a short story from the point of view of something (I would choose my shark Herbie) that either goes on a quest or experiences something for which they do not have the words.

All You Others:  If the above topic seems like a fun choice to you, you may choose it as your blog topic.  If not, then I implore you to answer the following question from Tufts University's 2013 Application for Admission: "What does #YOLO mean to you?"  This should go without saying, but this needs to be school appropriate.  If you want my opinion of #YOLO, you need look no further than carpe diem.

Remember, you need to write at least 250 words while demonstrating good writing conventions.

Fourth and Long

It's a great day to be a Cleveland sports fan, and it's always a good day to be a Clevelander.  Because I'm excited about the Browns, Indians, and Ohio State, English 9 will not be writing a blog this week (it certainly has nothing to do with the Monster Paper that you guys are writing).  I'm also excited because fall television is back.  Some of you might be thinking to yourself: "What kind of English teacher watches a ton of TV?"  Well, I do.  I rather enjoy sitcoms (my Seinfeld and How I Met Your Mother examples are endless).  And this got me thinking; What can television and film do that text cannot?  What about the other way?  Guess what?  That was your prompt. 

Remember, you need to write at least 250 words and demonstrate good writing conventions.  Three to four paragraphs will be helpful in doing this.  If I were writing on this prompt, I would start by thinking about films that were based upon books and comparing these.

Another Shortened Week

It seems that we seldom have a full week of school around here!  Some of you probably enjoy that; me, well it depends.  There's not going to be any choice this week (or at least very little).  Let's get into it.

English 11: Why do you suppose that I chose How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Frost this year?  And why is it first?  When thinking about this work, what makes it difficult, but also, what makes it easy?  Are you enjoying this work? Elaborate.

English 10: Literary terms are important - why do you suppose that this is?  How do they benefit us (in this class and beyond)?  What is your favorite literary term?  Why is this?  If you could create a new literary term, what would it be and what would it mean?  What are you thoughts on Regina Brett's article "Words we Hate, Words we Love?" How does this article relate to this topic?

English 9: What is your opinion of Steve Harmon in Walter Dean Myers' Monster?  Use details from the novel to support you (I would think at least three).  Is Steve a reliable narrator?  Is Steve guilty? 

Blogging Along

It's time for your next blog.  I apologize for the delay in putting your prompts up.  This week English 9 will be writing on a different prompt than Everyone else (the three gentlemen in both need only write the English 9 post).  Finally, remember that your posts must be at least 250 words (shoot for at least four good paragraphs), utilize good writing conventions, and demonstrate thought put into the topic.

The English 9 prompt will deal with Monster by Walter Dean Myers.  Prompt: What effect does the style of which the novel is written have on the story-telling?  Steve uses two flashbacks - the first to his school's film club and the second to a scene in a park.  Find out about Stuyvesant High School.  How does this school compare to other schools in New York City? What dos this tell us about Steve?  How does the second flasback affect the story?

For English 10 and 11, you may select any of the following prompts or come up with you own. 
1. Write about something that shocked you within the first three weeks of school.  Why did it do so?
2. What is the best and worst thing so far about this school year?  How are you going to change the worst thing and make it better?
3. Within reason, what is something you really want to do or learn about in English?  Persuade me we should do this.
4. Pick a person from history or literature that you want to have a meal with?  Why did you pick this person and what meal would you have?