Language+Arts+800


 * Try not to look like this when you are doing your work. **

For this project, use this link to write your first paragraph. For your second paragraph, explain what affect the paragraphs in this link had on the way the writing sounded. What would the written language be like if there were no adjectives or pronouns? **Summarizing a Formal Essay **

Summarize this formal essay **Your summary will be evaluated by your ability to express these points:**
 * The topic sentence includes the main idea.
 * The summary is clear and concise.
 * The summary is about one-fourth to one third the length of the original.
 * It expresses the author's ideas, not a private interpretation.

**Report: Thesis Statement ** Use this web site to help you write a proper introduction paragraph. A Proper Introduction

**Formal Essay Outline ** In this project, you will begin writing your first formal essay. Start with this outline. Use your outline to write your rough draft.

**Researching to Persuade ** media type="youtube" key="-CU040Hqbas" height="315" width="560" Now it is time for you to write a persuasive essay. Follow these steps and use these resources to complete your excellent persuasive essay. Remember, you want your readers to believe that you are right and everyone else is wrong.

1. Brainstorm your ideas and research for facts and support

2. Fill in this outline with as much information as you can

3. Write you rough draft and use these examples for help

4. Email me your outline and post your rough draft to this lesson.

**<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 300%;">The Power of Words Project: Active Listening ** <span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;">Choose one of the speeches from this site and complete each of the steps below as you listen. <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Type the answers to these questions as well as any notes that you took about the speech in the box below. Be sure also to note the speech you chose.
 * 1) <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Pay close attention to the introduction. What key points will the speaker discuss? What predictions can you make about the content of the speech?
 * 2) <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Find the main ideas. What does the speaker want you to think or do as a result of this speech? What is the speaker's thesis statement or main argument?
 * 3) <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Analyze the body of the speech. How does the speaker prove each of his points?
 * 4) <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Review. Were your initial predictions correct?



<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 200%; text-align: center;">**SHORT STORIES** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">**//Use the directions listed below to complete these projects.//** <span style="color: #808000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">In this series of projects for this Odyssey Unit, you will be creating a short story, but not just any short story. Your short story will be a Choose Your Own Adventure short story. If you are unfamiliar with this genre of stories, click on this link and find out more. Here is one brief example of a blogger who started to write one about her own life. You could also do a Choose Your Own Adventure YouTube video. Here's how! media type="custom" key="21065530"

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Characters and Point of View <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; text-align: left;">

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: left;"> Every great author understands the importance of character development. A story would fall flat without strong characters. Think about what kind of characters you want in your story. Use this Character Sketch Worksheet to create a biography of your three main characters. Put them into paragraph form and send your character biographies to me. Then mark this assignment as complete with a note in the text box of the assignment saying that you have completed and emailed me all three sketches. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-align: left;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Prewriting the Plot <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The plot is all about action! What will happen in your story? How will you move the story along? How will you keep your readers glued to the words you would have them read? Once you have some ideas, fill out this Plot Worksheet using complete sentences with as much detail as possible and email it to me. Then mark the assignment as completed with a short message telling me you emailed your completed worksheet to me. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%; line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Prewriting Setting, Mood, Tone, and Theme <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Think about where you want your story to take place. It could just be one town or place, or you could have your characters travel to many places, even through time if you wish. Is your story dark, depressing, happy, suspenseful, or simply fast-paced and filled with action? Are your characters vikings, explorers, space men, or crazy bunnies that can break dance? You decide! When you have an idea, fill out this Literary Element Planning Worksheet and email it to me to complete this project. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Writing the Short Story

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">This is where the fun really begins! Look over the final tips listed on Odyssey for this project before beginning to write your short story rough draft. Please use either Microsoft Word or Open Office (save file as either a .doc file if you are using word or as an .odt file in Open Office) to write your drafts. Always check for grammar errors and have someone read your story back to you. Trust me, it helps. When you are satisfied with your first draft, email it to me and mark this project as completed on Odyssey.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Final Story Please don't end your story this way. It may frighten other little cherubs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Once you email your rough draft, I will review it and send you back comments to help you improve your story. Please review my comments and correct any mistakes I have illuminated for you as well as adding more details to make your story the best that it can be. When you are completely satisfied with the results, email me your final copy before moving on to the Special Project listed below.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 300%;">Special Project

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Now you get to turn your short story into a wiki like one of these! I can help with the big stuff, but in the end, your wiki/CYOA story should be awesome and accessible to the world. As you can tell, I love using Wikispaces. It has some really great help files to get you started, but feel free to use any wiki site you deem worthy as long as you put your full effort into it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">You may also choose to find other students who are working on this and combine your stories to make this project really interesting. I look forward to seeing your finished projects. This final project is worth 200 points, so make it good. When you are done, send me the link to your wiki.

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