Week One

Class,

Please respond to the initial post by Monday, midnight and then respond to at least one classmate by Wednesday, midnight.

For the blog, you will be graded on your ability to post on time, follow directions and interact respectfully with classmates. Should you disagree with a classmate's reaction to a blog, please provide evidence to support your counter-argument (the rule of thumb in evidence for a claim is 2 or more reliable sources, and you can just mention the websites/magazine/newspapers/books/etc. in which you found your evidence).

Initial post:
Watch the video:

Please respond in paragraph form.

Watch the video once or twice and create a summary to the video. Please write 200 words or less.

Pretend you are describing the video to someone who has never seen it, and write as though you want to let this person make up her mind about the video (i.e. leave out personal commentary or opinion and relay only your basic interpretation of the video; please also leave out any overtly opinionated language).

Response to a classmate:

Read a post by one of your classmates and comment on that classmate's ability to summarize the video. Offer one compliment for the way your classmate expressed him/herself, and offer a suggestion for how your classmate might improve his/her interpretation. Remain respectful.

If you have questions, please let me know.

Welcome!

Each week, I will post a 21st century composition, and--based on the current unit--you will analyze and comment on that composition. Each student will also comment on at least one post by another classmate. Opinions are welcome, but are to be respectful and respected by all students, especially where the language in the posts is concerned. Any opinion presented as fact must have some sort of citation to back it up. Conversations may continue into the classroom, where time permits.