Thursday, September 20, 2018

Blog #2 - Your Life as a Reader

Due: Monday, September 24 by the end of the day.
Word Count: 300
Required: Include a link to your autobiography or, if you are able, embed it in your post using HTML.

Here's a video about how to embed a Google Slideshow into a blog post.

Introduction


Over the past two weeks, you've thought a lot about your development as a reader, not just as a young adult, but also as a small child. You've considered your parents' involvement in your reading life as well as some of the most positive and negative experiences you've had with literature. Just as importantly, you've come to see something about the reading lives of the people around you - your teachers, your parents, and your peers.

Questions to Consider


You may answer any, all, or none of the following questions and prompts. Do not treat these questions as a quiz. If you're answering more than one question, focus on blending multiple prompts into a seamless response.

The best responses will bring in links to outside sources, including videos, cartoons, photographs, and articles.
  • What conclusions can you come to about yourself as a reader?

  • What role did reading or story play in your life as a young child and what affect (if any) do you think it had on your development as a reader?

  • What do your positive and negative experiences with reading have in common?

  • If you were to create a program that would encourage people to read for enjoyment and personal growth for their entire lives, what would you do?

  • Why do you think people stop reading or fall "out of love" with reading as they get older?

  • What did you learn about your classmates' reading journeys? Can you come to any tentative conclusions based on your observations?

  • What do you think you'll discover in your research on reading?

  • How can reading be social?

  • What have you noticed about books you dislike? What have you noticed about books you really like?

  • What single book or story can you attribute with the key moment in your development as a reader?
Samples of Student Work:
Remember, these examples are of work done last year and represent only one possible way of completing the assignment. This is not the only way to do it. In fact, these are products of the first time this assignment was done and your project can be different and better than these models. 

Friday, September 7, 2018

Blog #1: What is Truth?

“Fiction is the lie that helps us understand the truth.”
― Tim O'Brien
Due date: Monday, September 10.
Minimum Words: 350
Remember to cite evidence from sources outside of your own opinion. 
We know that writers, especially non-fiction writers, are supposed to be loyal to the truth. That idea seems simple at first, but as we examine the concept more fully, it becomes apparent that truth is a difficult concept to define.
Here, Ken Burns, a respected American director of documentary films, talks about the difficulty storytellers can have with the truth and how filmmakers tell 24 lies per second to bring an audience closer to the truth.

Ken Burns: On Story from Redglass Pictures on Vimeo.

For the first week of Quest 8 English, we're discussing and expanding on your interpretations of the meaning of Truth. We'll come up with a wide variety of possible definitions and characteristics for the concept of truth, but we were unable to come up with a broad definition that could satisfy everyone. Your first blog entry should tackle this difficult situation.
Take a look at the following questions and respond in any way you choose on your blog. Try to include the word "Truth" somewhere in your post's title. Do not answer each of these questions like they are a quiz. Pick one, none, or a combination of questions and engage with them in a way that shows your developing viewpoint on the idea of Truth.
  1. What is truth to you?
  2. What should all readers and/or writers know about the truth?
  3. What does it mean to be loyal to the truth?
  4. In what ways can a writer best find and report the truth?
  5. Can you find or link to a story/video/podcast that exemplifies the pursuit of Truth.
Your response should be thorough and personal, capturing your unique voice and perspective. Try to write at least 350 words. A true blog will contain links to outside sources or responses to the thoughts of the other blogs in the class. 
Good luck.
Due date: Monday, September 10