Reading Group Project Deadline; Pop Culture: Comic Book History & Analysis

During period 7, please gather in your reading groups. Discuss your reading, then retire to the lab to work on and complete the requirements for your Book Club project:

• An author bio (including the book's summary) (1-2 pages)
• A copy of the book's review (1-2 pages...depending on the article you research)
• A list of discussion questions (1-2 pages...depending on the # of participants & length of questions)
• A list of resources (1 page)
• Autobiography extra credit writing (see previous posts for details. This is an on-going extra credit option)

Comic Books:

• Please turn in your homework: the KWL chart for parts 1-4 of this article: Comic Art & Graphics history.
• Please read and take notes (see graphic organizers, if you need them) on parts 5-9 of the same article.
• Please select a comic book from one of these sites. Download (or PREVIEW) and read. Apply what you read about in the linked article above to review and explain the comic book issue. You will be asked to review your comic, including the plot/story/characters appearing in the issue, the writers, illustrators, the historical/social context, etc. As you read, take notes to help you write about your chosen issue.
• The Digital Comic Museum
• Comicfest

Please turn in your group work today. Next class you will have your final session. I will collect your NOTES from your sessions at that time. Discussion questions, summary/bio, sources, and review will be collected today at the end of class. If your group finishes early, please attend to the homework.

HOMEWORK: Aim to complete your autobiography books (reading) by Monday, May 2. Complete reading and taking notes on Comic History (1-9). See above for link. Bring your notes to our next class.

Autobiographies; Reading Club Project; Comic History

During period 7, please gather in your reading groups. Discuss your reading, then retire to the lab to work on and gather information for your Book Club project:

• An author bio (including the book's summary)
• A copy of the book's review
• A list of discussion questions
• A list of resources
• Autobiography extra credit writing
• Research Comic Art & Graphics history here. Read and take notes (see graphic organizer: KWL chart) on parts 1 - 4. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY Extra Credit

Autobiographies, of course, are stories by writers about the writer's life or culture. You've probably been asked over the years to do a lot of these in English or creative writing classes. Even science, history, and language courses tend to throw this exercise at you. Writers should write what they know, after all, so who else knows your own life better than you?

This is an extra credit assignment because we've done similar assignments before. There are a few options for this, so here they are:

Some questions/prompts:

• What is interesting about the region where you were born or raised? How does your family history relate to the history of this region? Did your family come to that region for a reason?
• Write about your culture. Culture in this broad case is "the overall way of life, including the customs that come from your family's values and beliefs. Culture includes the holidays you observe, the customs you practice, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the games you play, the special phrases you use, the language you speak, and the rituals you practice."
• Think about the ways your family celebrates or observes certain days (birthdays), events (vacations, graduations, or holidays), and months or seasons. Tell your audience about these special moments. You could also write about your travels. For example: "What was the most special gift you ever received? What was the event or occasion surrounding that gift? Is there a certain food that you identify with a certain day of the year? Is there an outfit that you wear only during a special event? Have you ever ridden on a horse carriage? What about a hay wagon? A donkey or elephant? What about a limousine, train, mountain bike, eighteen-wheel truck, tractor, police car, power boat, sailboat, or ski lift? Where have you vacationed? How did this trip change or influence you as a human being?
• If you'd like, you can complete this project as a documentary. It need not be written traditionally, but you could make a short film of your experiences. Here's a student example of something you could do: Teen Point of View: Teens Around the World (2010) by former SOTA student Kadisha Phillips and Jack Scardino Travel Bowling. You could interview and record a member of your family, or even interview and film yourself! The possibilities are endless.

Tips/Advice:

• Your life is more interesting than you think it is. Enjoy telling a story about yourself.
• Use all your creative writing skills to tell your story. It's not the events that are necessarily important but how the story is told. Use imagery. Write well. Craft.
• Just like your biography project, the autobiography project should have a beginning, middle, and end. It should have dialogue and description and reflection.

HOMEWORK: Aim to complete your autobiography books (reading) by Monday, May 2. Complete reading and taking notes on Comic History (1-4). See above for link. Bring your notes to our next class.

PSA projects; Autobiographies

Please complete and upload your PSA projects to Youtube. Send me the URL link in the comment section below of this post.
Here's some help uploading if you need it:

• Upload video to Youtube (written instructions)
• How to Upload Video to Youtube

If your group has completed this step, please work on the following:

• Read your autobiography
• Prepare for your autobiography discussion
• Work on your autobiography reading group project:
• Find a review online for your group to read/discuss about your book
• Type up discussion questions into a single group list
• Find biographical information about the author, particularly info that is NOT covered in the book you are reading
• Start your optional (extra credit) non-fiction autobiography assignment (see below)

During the last 5 - 10 minutes of period 7, we will screen these film projects.

Student PSA's

• Tamaron, Karina, Isabella
• Alexis, Emily, Liana
• Sara, Carina, Alex, Kyra
• Thalia, Dan'nae
• Isiah, Nasmere, Sammy
• Jocelyn, Ellie
• Azana, Serita

AUTOBIOGRAPHY Extra Credit

Autobiographies, of course, are stories by writers about the writer's life or culture. You've probably been asked over the years to do a lot of these in English or creative writing classes. Even science, history, and language courses tend to throw this exercise at you. Writers should write what they know, after all, so who else knows your own life better than you?

This is an extra credit assignment because we've done similar assignments before. There are a few options for this, so here they are:

Some questions/prompts:

• What is interesting about the region where you were born or raised? How does your family history relate to the history of this region? Did your family come to that region for a reason?
• Write about your culture. Culture in this broad case is "the overall way of life, including the customs that come from your family's values and beliefs. Culture includes the holidays you observe, the customs you practice, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, the games you play, the special phrases you use, the language you speak, and the rituals you practice."
• Think about the ways your family celebrates or observes certain days (birthdays), events (vacations, graduations, or holidays), and months or seasons. Tell your audience about these special moments. You could also write about your travels. For example: "What was the most special gift you ever received? What was the event or occasion surrounding that gift? Is there a certain food that you identify with a certain day of the year? Is there an outfit that you wear only during a special event? Have you ever ridden on a horse carriage? What about a hay wagon? A donkey or elephant? What about a limousine, train, mountain bike, eighteen-wheel truck, tractor, police car, power boat, sailboat, or ski lift? Where have you vacationed? How did this trip change or influence you as a human being?
• If you'd like, you can complete this project as a documentary. It need not be written traditionally, but you could make a short film of your experiences. Here's a student example of something you could do: Teen Point of View: Teens Around the World (2010) by former SOTA student Kadisha Phillips and Jack Scardino Travel Bowling. You could interview and record a member of your family, or even interview and film yourself! The possibilities are endless.

Tips/Advice:

• Your life is more interesting than you think it is. Enjoy telling a story about yourself.
• Use all your creative writing skills to tell your story. It's not the events that are necessarily important but how the story is told. Use imagery. Write well. Craft.
• Just like your biography project, the autobiography project should have a beginning, middle, and end. It should have dialogue and description and reflection.

Extra Credit Projects are due by end of the marking period. But the sooner done, the better.

HOMEWORK: Continue reading your autobiography. Aim to complete by next week.

Autobiography Discussion #2; PSA

This afternoon, please gather in your autobiography groups and discuss the book you are reading. Take notes on topics you cover and discuss with your peers. Keep track of discussion questions. After 20 minutes, please return to the lab and complete your PSA projects.

Upload your PSA and send me the link so we can screen these Thursday.

HOMEWORK: Keep reading your autobiography. 

PSA Project: Day 4; Autobiography Project

During period 7, please continue working on your PSA projects. At the end of the period, please spend at least 20 minutes in small discussion groups based on your book groups. Discuss the novel you chose to read:

• Black Boy
• Burro Genius
• Breaking Night

Remember you will want to record your session. You may find the handout useful, if you need it. Keep all records of your group discussion. These will be handed in when we have completed the project.


When you complete your discussion, go back to working on your PSA projects. These will be due Tuesday at end of lab.

PSA Project: Day 3; Autobiography

Today, before we head back to the lab to continue working on the PSA project, please gather in your 3 separate groups based on the book you are reading:

• Black Boy
• Breaking Night
• Barro Genius

Together discuss what you've read so far. For those of you who haven't started yet, you will want to get going on the book. We'll complete the reading in about 2 weeks. Plan your time.


Your group's task: Together you will write your own BOOK CLUB discussion questions and create a discussion group guide similar to those used in reading clubs.


The components include:

• Information about the author or publishing history. Since these are autobiographies, this will be a short synopsis of the book, most likely.
• A short summary. Answer: what's the book about?
• Critical reviews. Find a review for the book. Reviews can be found online.
• Topics to discuss (discussion questions). All members in the group should come up with a minimum of 2-3 discussion questions.
• Extended reading list. A list of other similar books or films that a reader might enjoy.
• Notes from class discussion. Usually not required in a casual book club, but each discussion session should be logged with members present and a short summary of topics discussed. This can be a bulleted list. I recommend sharing this responsibility.

Give credit to the author(s) that completed each section of the book club. Your group only needs one info page, one summary of the book, one review, one list of discussion topics (but each author of a discussion question should be indicated in brackets or parenthesis), one reading list, but several pages of notes based on discussion meetings. Each class period you will be asked to hold a short discussion group meeting. All this is due in approximately 2 weeks.


Sample discussion questions:

• What made you want to read this book?
• What motivated the author to share his/her life story? How did you respond to the author's voice?
• Do you think the author is trying to elicit a certain response from the reader? If so, what reaction might it have been? Did reviewers have a similar reaction? Is this the reaction you had while reading? Why or why not?

LAB: PSA Project. Please work on your PSA project in the lab. Help your group members complete the project for a Friday deadline.


HOMEWORK: PSA projects! If you haven't filmed them yet, and you plan to complete your project, please film your PSA project. Also, keep reading your autobiography.

PSA Project: Day 2

PSA Project:

More sample models:

• "A Cry for Help"
• Impaired Driving

Use your time in the lab today to work on your PSA project. Use your script/notes to complete your research and sound script for this project.

I would suggest you separate tasks. Someone could conduct research (get the facts!), someone could write the script (what words appear in the PSA, or write a brief voice over (VO) script), someone could find photos or graphics to illustrate your topic's points, someone should keep track of the time, someone could manage the editing, someone could research sound files to use as background music for your PSA, someone should make sure all members of the group are being productive, etc.

Divide up the responsibilities fairly. Use your partner's strengths! Help each other where needed. Set tasks and meet goals.

Begin working to create your PSA.

Select photos, images, pictures, graphics, data, facts, etc. to support your project. Work together to put your film together. Use your time in the lab today to make progress on your PSA project.

Tomorrow, during 7/8 period please go to Ms. Lawson's class to discuss your propaganda posters with her class.

LIBRARY: Since we cannot get the book I want at the moment (we'll come back to it), let's move ahead and read our memoir. You may choose any one of the three memoirs to read:

• Richard Wright's Black Boy, 1937
• Victor Villasenor's Burro Genius, 2004
• Liz Murray's Breaking Night, 2010

Each are about 300 pages. Each has an introductory note, preface, or prologue. Each is an autobiography. Each deals with growing up in adversity or in an urban setting. Begin reading your selected book if you find yourself not busy making your PSA.

HOMEWORK: Film your PSA. Begin reading your autobiography. (Aim to read about 20-30 pages per day...)

PSA Project

PSAs (Public Service Announcements) were originally used by the War Advertising Council (...can you make connections here to propaganda?...) created in 1941, to encourage American to join the war effort in Europe. The War Council (and later Ad Council, after the war) began a large campaign to influence American society on many fronts. Perhaps inspired by propaganda films such as Reefer Madness, the campaigns focus on education (social messages and needs of a country or political system).

 

Check out these public service cartoons from the UK: Charley Says...

 

These short films were supplied to broadcasters free of charge to use whenever they wished. American broadcasters created several short PSA educational videos in the popular School House Rock videos. Here are a few...

 

Tea Party
I Got 6
Interplanet Janet
The Great Melting Pot
The Body Machine
Where the Money Goes

 

"The usefulness of PSA as a cost-free means to fill the gaps in fixed-duration commercial breaks left by unsold advertising airtime led to their being used regularly and extensively in the 60s, 70s and much of the 80s," and are sometimes called: "fillers". PSA's are still being produced. Broadcasters are, however, turning to third-party filler material and paid advertising to deal with unused airtime.

 

Here are few more modern examples:

• Define Yourself
• Screen For Life

The ease of publishing material on the internet has created a plethora of PSA announcements. Messages are only limited by our creativity.


The PSA Project
Please complete the following steps (in order) to prepare for your project!

1. Please take 10 minutes at your computers to check out these links:

• Go to Ad Council website to look over sample PSAs.
• Here are some links to AWARD-WINNING PSAs and to a sample SOTA student model of a PSA.

Watch a few of these to get some ideas of your own.

2. When time is called, please get into groups of 2-4. I encourage you to work with new people. If you do NOT have a partner, please see me to be assigned a partnership. Please make sure your partner(s) have some ability using Moviemaker or Adobe Premiere. A group that doesn't have anyone who is tech savvy can be very frustrating! Avoid this now by working with skilled peers, as opposed to your best friend with whom you always work! Our goal is collaborative learning, not perfection. Don't sweat the grade. Work with someone new!

3. Together use the Persuasion Map Handout to design your message using a strong thesis and reasons with facts and examples to support your argument.

4. Then work on your PSA outline handouts (see packet & instructions). Work together on an idea and flesh it out on the graphic organizers. Make sure you communicate effectively. Don't just assume the loudest or most talkative student has the only answer.

I would suggest you separate tasks. Someone could conduct research (get the facts!), someone could write the script (what words appear in the PSA, or write a brief voice over (VO) script), someone could find photos or graphics to illustrate your topic's points, someone should keep track of the time, someone could manage the editing, someone could research sound files to use as background music for your PSA, someone should make sure all members of the group are being productive, etc.


Divide up the responsibilities fairly. Use your partner's strengths! Help each other where needed. Set tasks and meet goals.


5. When your group is ready, begin working to create your PSA.


HOMEWORK: None. If you have time, you could begin filming/preparing your PSA.

Logical Fallacies Activity

How are you being manipulated by the media? By politicians? By friends? Logical fallacies often occur in our daily lives: we see them at political rallies, we hear them on the internet, we read them as tweets or editorials, we read them in the newspapers, we write them in essays for English class, etc.

Logical fallacies are errors in logos: an appeal to the intellect. When a speaker or writer wants to persuade you, they may often use logical fallacies to appeal to your emotions.

Today, before we get into our groups for the logical fallacies activity, please take 30 minutes to view the following videos. Take note of what argument the speakers are making. Try to notice anything amiss. Pay attention to the "teaching" portions of the videos to learn to hear/notice logical fallacies:

1. Comedy of Fallacies (10 minutes)
2. Trump Analysis: Logical Fallacies (20 minutes)
3. Test your knowledge. Watch this ad and look for logical fallacies: Ted Cruz Campaign Ad (2 minutes)

After 30 minutes, please gather in your assigned groups, and complete the logical fallacies Group Collaboration. At the end of class today, we will stop and report out what we found. Please complete and turn in the Group Activity Worksheet with your group's answers for participation credit.

HOMEWORK: None.