HW: What’s your carbon footprint?

HW:  Monday, 2/8/2010

Due:  Tuesday, 2/9/2010

My Environmental Impact

Check out the following Carbon Footprint Calculators to calculate how much carbon your daily lifestyle choices and conditions creates.  There are a variety of Carbon Footprint Calculators featured in this link below.  Browse and choose the one that suits you best.

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/climate-change/stories/the-15-best-carbon-calculators

Print out a copy of your “results.”

President Obama’s State of the Union Address (Jan. 2010)

(Scroll down a couple postings to see HW notes for Thursday.)

LISTEN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FIRST STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS OF THE NEW DECADE

This speech, this rhetorical moment, is part of the unfolding history that you are living through and have been witnessing as a soon-to-be high school graduate, as part of Generation WE.  Twenty years from now, hopefully you will say to your children, your nephews, the next generation: “I was there. I was there for that election.  I was there for that speech.  I was there when…”

I was there means you were wakeful, literate and alive.  You could “see”, with your young adult eyes, what was really goin’ on.  You understood the “story” occurring around you, the way that often, you are also expected to know the “stories and works” of famous authors, novelists, poets, playwrights, etc.

Don’t surrender and relinquish your spot so quickly by not engaging NOW!  History is happening now.  The future is happening NOW!  The “chaos and the patterns” are happening NOW!

This isn’t about supporting Obama.  It’s about participating in your country, in the story of your country, in democracy.

…have you ever seen so many people applauding, standing up so many times signaled by the utterance of a few words!

President Obama’s State of the Union Address (Jan. 2010)

Text version here.

Complete State of the Union Address on Youtube here.

Figure skating, fur & a “change of heart”

What’s the connection between figure skating and animal rights activists?

I would’ve never guessed myself.

For enrichment’s sake, read the following article about a figure skater, his competition costume and animal rights advocates.

This “discourse” stuff is coming from all corners, even at the figure skating rink!  Check out what the person-in-question had to say about animals being used for fur, clothing, costumes, below.

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From Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding to “Toepick!,” we’ve long been suckers for a good ice skating drama. Luckily, ultra-fierce Johnny Weir rarely disappoints.

The men’s figure skater and star of new reality show “Be Good Johhny Weir” is under fire from animal rights group Friends of Animals for wearing a fox fur costume in a recent competition, the AP reports.

The group posted an open letter to Weir and contacted his costume designer, Stephanie Handler, to express their disgust at his use of fur and to ask him to stop wearing it, according to the source.

But something tells us they’re not going to like the skater’s response.

“I totally get the dirtiness of the fur industry and how terrible it is to animals,” Weir reportedly said.

“But it’s not something that’s the No. 1 priority in my life. There are humans dying every day. There are thousands if not millions of homeless people in New York City. Look at what just happened in Haiti.

(For entire article, go to:  http://www.stylelist.com/2010/01/27/johnny-weir-fights-backlash-over-fur-figure-skating-costume-controversial-comments/)

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And then more recently, this “change of heart…” oooops, I meant, “change of mind.”

Very curious to ask you:  what factors must often come to play for people to experience a “change of heart?”  What’s the difference between having a “change of heart” vs. a “change of mind?”  Is there really a difference?  On what terms, basis?

What factors do you think usually come into play in order for people to “shift” their perspective, expand their “single story”, transform their point of view?

HW: Thursday, 1/28/2010

HW:  Thursday, 1/28/2010

DUE:  FRIDAY, 1/29/2010

Critical Writing: Rhetorical Analysis of a Passage

Using the handout from today’s class focusing on Paragraph 17 of Rifkin’s A Change of Heart About Animals, write a “rhetorical analysis” based on this passage that identifies the rhetorical techniques employed by Rifkin to advance his point of view to the audience.

• What rhetorical techniques does Rifkin utilize in his conclusion?
• Explain how these techniques support/augment/strengthen the message he is attempting to deliver.
• What do these rhetorical techniques attempt to “do?”

Writing should be at least “2 paragraphs” in length and accomplish the task of identifying rhetorical techniques in the text and explaining their effects in advancing the author’s ideas and connecting with the audience.

Type it up or write it in pen.

Be prepared to share your writing in small groups to “read” what others stated as their analysis.

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HOW DOES A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS “WRITE” LIKE?

Pay close attention to the difference between Summary Writing and Rhetorical Analysis Writing.  Also, be attentive of “how it writes like,” by focusing on the italicized terms below.

Summary #1: Smith says global warming has negative effects and we should care about our
world’s future.

Rhetorical analysis #1: Smith provides multiple negative effects of global warming and punctuates
his sentences with exclamation marks; thus, he uses quantitative descriptions and punctuation to
create a sense of urgency in his readers to care about the planet’s status regarding global
warming.

Summary #2: Johnson has a lot of formal language throughout his paper and hardly any informal
words.

Rhetorical analysis #2: Johnson employs formal language throughout his essay.  For example, he
argues unequal funding in public schools creates a “horrific imbalance between affluent
communities and those that are impoverished” (27).  In using formal, academic writing, he
establishes himself as a credible and valid author (thus, creating ethos from the classical form).

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SOME TIPS & SENTENCE STARTERS TO GET YOU INTO “WRITING RHETORICALLY” BASED ON TODAY’S IN CLASS WORK.

(SENTENCES BELOW ARE NOT IN ANY LOGICAL ORDER)

Pay attention to the italicized words, active terms describing the function or work the text/rhetorical strategy is doing.  Discuss sentence by sentence, word by word or phrase by phrase, what is the text DOING?

In Paragraph 17, Rifkin states that human ethics have in fact been evolving throughout time; our ethics have consistently moved in the direction of extending  empathy to more and more inclusive domains of protecting life.  Through the use of a historical perspective, Rifkin explains how…

The author presents creates a logical lens for the audience to “view” this almost natural evolution of human empathy expanding beyond itself.  With clarity, he states…

By utilizing phrases such as________  Rifkin intends for the audience to _________

Through the use of _______, Rifkin acknowledges that…

Rifkin employs the rhetorical strategy of “pathos” several times in this passage.  Key phrases such as ______ are

Rifkin gently prods the reader of this text to consider the fundamental logical implications of this new phase of research.   Clearly, when Rifkin states _______ he is in fact pointing to ________.

Rifkin creates an unquestionable sense of “rightness” when he declares _____________.  In doing so, he pushes the reader to adopt the idea that ____________.  Ultimately, this approach to ________ constructs an opportunity for Rifkin to _____________.

HW: Tuesday, 1/26/2010

HW:  Tuesday, 1/26/2010

DUE:  Wednesday, 1/27/2010

(Remember, tomorrow is a modified day, so we will be taking the practice questions from the EPT — make sure you have a pencil for the scantron.)

1)  Critically read the following online article and make sure to pay attention as well to all the side bars and additional links provided with this online text.

Interview with Jeremy Rifkin: Fears of A Brave New World

(from UNESCO.ORG)

2) Complete the Rhetorical Box Think Sheet provided today.  Use  Rifkin’s “A Change of Heart About Animals” text as the focus text for this analysis.  What rhetorical strategies does he use as a writer to create his intended effect/purpose? 

Here’s a bit more about Critical Reading & Rhetorical Analysis.

HW: Friday, 1/22/2010

Practice:  Identifying & Explaining Rhetorical Appeals

DUE: Monday, 1/25/2010

Identify examples of “pathos, logos and ethos” as you closely and critically “read” the following two clips.  Record your critical text observations on the Think Sheet provided on Friday.

• CLIP 1:  The Meatrix (Parts I, II, II 1/2)
• You can locate these Meatrix clips on Youtube as well.
• CLIP 2:  Meat the Facts

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This issue of animal treatment, the “beef culture” and the implications of our eating/consumption patterns on our planetary health and well-being is a discourse that has begun to take center stage only recently in our popular discourse.

Do you remember the “food crisis” issues that affected various areas of the world in the last few years?

Do you recall “diseases” such as Mad Cow, swine flu, E.Coli, etc.?

Here is a small sampling of additional online sources about this issue that you might like to view to enrich your background knowledge:

• Nature, Animals, Humans:  Earthlings ~ a documentary
• Meat & Global Food Crisis (Youtube)
• The True Cost of Food (Sierra Club)

A “Racially-Biased” Camera?

Can digital cameras be affected by “race?”  Read the “text” below and make a determination for yourself.

Just goes to show how the ”technology of racism”, which we can insist hearkens to our less-aware past,  still powerfully colors what goes on even in our uber-evolved 21st century!

Things that should make us go hmmm…

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Face-Detection Cameras:

Users’ Racism Charges Explained

Nikon isn’t the only big brand whose consumer cameras have displayed an occasional – though clearly unintentional – bias toward Caucasian faces. Face detection, which is one of the latest “intelligent” technologies to trickle down to consumer cameras, is supposed to make photography more convenient. Some cameras with face detection are designed to warn you when someone blinks; others are programmed to automatically take a picture when somebody smiles – a feature that, theoretically, makes the whole problem of timing your shot to catch the brief glimpse of a grin obsolete. Face detection has also found its way into computer webcams, where it can track a person’s face during a video conference or enable face-recognition software to prevent unauthorized access.

Source:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100122/wl_time/08599195464300

SENIOR PORTFOLIO 1/22 DEADLINE

Just some quick reminders for your 1/22 Senior Portfolio Deadline:

1)  Cover letter accompanies your resume or job application.  This “written product” is different than your Reflective Letter of Introduction.

2)  The audience for your Reflective Letter of Introduction will be the panelists assigned to “evaluate” your Exhibition/Presentation once your capstones and/or portfolios are complete.

3)  Valuable, additonal information about your 1/22 deadline is posted on the MHS website under Student Life.   Check out the outlines and other guiding questions related to your portfolio.

Resources for Due Date _3 – Jan 22nd.pdf

See you tomorrow.

HW: Thursday, 1/21/2010

REVIEW!  REVIEW!  REVIEW!

HW:  Thursday, 1/21/2010

Review examples of Ethos, Logos & Pathos in the Rifkin text.  This approach to the text is called RHETORICAL ANALYSIS, which mimics the LITERARY ANALYSIS you have done at length in previous English classes.  Because expository / non-fiction texts are put together differently, then the analytical lens is necessarily distinct.  Nonetheless, the critical thinking work persists whether literary or non-fiction in nature. 

Good luck with completing any last minute Portfolio tasks.

Friday, we will invite a handful of you to a Socratic style discussion around Rifkin’s text and issues pertaining to his credibility (ethos).

HW: Wednesday, 1/20/2010

THINKSHEET:  DICTION, AUDIENCE EFFECT & APPEALS

HW:  Wednesday, 1/20/2010

Complete the second page from today’s Think Sheet.  Practice identifying examples of diction (strategic, purposeful word choice) from Rifkin’s text.  Remember, he’s an economist by training and expertise, though he is writing about animal behavior and its implications to us as humans.  What does Rifkin do to “achieve his intended effect” — making the audience sympathize with the topic of this article?

The specific, strategic moves he composes into his text are part of the “diction” of the text.

Re-read the text with this “lens of analysis” into the text’s composition.

Also, you will need to refresh your memory on the three main rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos and logos.

Examples of pathos and logos are usually much easier to discern.  Ethos tends to be a bit more subtle in its presence and effect.  Give it a go and see what you “SEE” as a critical reader and thinker!