Everything Bad is Good for You : February 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

Sample Definition Essays

Here are several definition essays from last year.

Homework Definition

Chirping

Here is my example. I start off discussing my topic, "time," and then I focus on a personal experience, written as a personal narrative, that seeks to illustrate my personal definition of "time."

My Theme #2 (Time)

Here is another one of my favorites from last year.

Macie's "K" theme

Monday, February 20, 2012

New Assignment

here is the bonus beauty assignment for today.

Part 1 -

With a partner (or alone if you wish), please generate your own blog dedicated to your definition of beauty. On this blog I want you to create your own wikipedia article illustrating your personal definition of beauty (obviously, this is a fictitious wikipedia article. I don't expect you to actually log on and create your own wikipedia article. You may mimic the format of wikipedia though).

Part 2 -

Include the things from the beauty scavenger hunt on your blog. You may upload the pictures, imbed the music and video. You may insert links, embed a prezi . . . whatever you wish. This will be due on Friday.

Wow me with your inventiveness!

Here is the embedded scavenger hunt if needed:

Beauty Scavenger Hunt

Here are some of the past blog examples if you want to see what others did.

http://everythingbadisgoodforyou11.blogspot.com/p/beauty-blogs.html

Friday, February 17, 2012

Beauty examples

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Up coming events and due dates

Since we've been working on our Dumbest Generation projects in our own little silos, I thought I'd give an overview of upcoming projects and due dates, especially since most of you are without your cell phones right now.

Watch Crash (2/15 and 2/16)and apply Steven Johnson's theory of multi threads of narratives (this will be a short daily essay response, much like your telescoping / probing papers, and I will include an example of a particularly effective one) due (2/20).

Have the article "Pearls Before Breakfast" read by Friday 2/17 and be ready to discuss it. There will be a short essay on the concept of beauty due shortly too (not certain about the due date yet. I'll let you have some input on that). This article is a lead in to our next theme, a definition essay which we will really get into next week.

Dumbest Generation projects will be due and presented on Monday (2/20). This will give some of you the weekend to finish it.

Cell phone hiatus journals will be due Wednesday (2/23).

Look at all that wonderful multi-tasking going on! Steven Johnson would be quite proud of you guys (as am I).

A multi-thread example

Here is an example of a very good response to Crash. We are watching this film, which juggles several narrative threads in non-linear order, to test Johnson's theory that these complex stories are really cognitively challenging.

So I want you to watch the film, and as you do, keep track of two narrative threads or strands and then analyze how they are cognitively challenging as they intersect with other plot lines and demand more out of the viewer.

Multi Thread Movies

Cell Phone Hiatus Update

Well, three of you will done with your 48 hour cell phone hiatus in a little over two hours. The rest of you still have a grueling 24 hours without your precious cellular device.

Leave some feedback on how it's going.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Well, this is one way to discipline a child

. . . though I don't know if he is the best example either.

Thoughts?

Another possible topic for your Dumbest Gen Project

Here is a link to an interesting article on how to engage effectively with Twitter.

How can teachers use Twitter to make their boring old classes more engaging and interesting to these dang millennials?