Sentence Composing #121 - #125 Appositive Phrases

Micro CERS Plus Prompt for The Diary of Anne Frank Act 1 Scene 3

Act 1, Scene 3

DEADLINE:  Due after Spring Break on Tuesday, 4/9/19 at 8:15 A.M. submitted to Turnitin.com.  You will have Monday, 4/8/19, as a Writing Lab Day when we get back.

NOTES:  1) Do not put your name on the paper so that we can keep it anonymous when critiquing.  2)  You may use the line number instead of the page number for your in-text citation of your evidence/quote.

In this scene, Mr. Dussel shares with the two families news about how bad things have gotten outside of their annex in the city of Amsterdam.

Some might argue that Mr. Kraler’s previous choice to not share bad news with them was a good one.  Sometimes it’s better not to know.  Others might argue that it’s better to know the truth about what is happening outside, even if it is awful.

PROMPT:  Do you believe that the Franks and the Van Daans are better off not knowing the bad news of what is happening on the outside, or do you think they are better off knowing?


PREWRITING T-CHART 

OPTION A  - PRO Better to Know How Bad it Is	OPTION B - CON Better Not to Know How Bad it Is

This Week's Agenda

Sentence Composing Slides #111 - #119 Adverb Phrases & Clauses

Assignment - Creative Paragraph #7

Due:  Wednesday, 3/27/19 by 8:15 AM

Creative Paragraph #7 – “Strange but Somewhat-True” – Semi-Autobiographical

Topic:  Write about something strange or weird that happened in your real life. You may embellish, or add some artistic liberties by changing things to make it more interesting.  

Length:  400 Words or more

Quality:  Free Writing – Fun (it’s okay if it’s a little sloppy / first draft)

Sentence Composing Connection:  

You do NOT need to use one of your sentence composing sentences, but refer to them for inspiration.  

Underline at least one Adjective Phrase or Clause.  

Underline at least one Adverb Phrase or Clause. 

Problems with Turnitin.com

Apparently our school computers are not playing well with Turnitin.com.  The semi-functional work-around is for students to attempt to upload their files from a different computer.

A call has gone into the Help Desk.

In the meantime, students will not be penalized for late work on your Anne Frank Micro CERS+ responses until this problem is resolved.

My apologies for the inconvenience.

- Mr. Chappell

Access to Google Doc T-Chart Template

Per some students' requests, here is a generic T-Chart on Google Docs for you to copy and paste into your own work:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1chdePUrxAGt6bi4WXwz416t7MsEPueTjosYJNuSlMKc/edit?usp=sharing

Anne Frank Micro CERS+ Act 1 Scene 2 Prompt

DUE Monday at 8:15 AM, 3/25/19.

The Diary of Anne Frank Act 1, Scene 2

In this scene, we learn that Anne had to give up her cat before going into hiding in the annex.  But Peter was allowed to bring his cat, Mouschi.

Think deeply about what the presence of the cat could mean in terms of their survival, in terms of starting off on the right foot with Mr. and Mrs. Van Daan, and in terms of fairness to Anne.

PROMPT:  Not knowing what happened behind the scenes, do you believe that Mr. Frank made the right choice in allowing Peter’s cat to be kept with them in the annex?  Or do you believe that Mr. Frank should have immediately told the Van Daans that the cat was not allowed?

Claim
Evidence
Reasoning
Counter Claim - New
Counter Reasoning - New
Rebuttal - New
Synthesis (Optional Advanced 3rd Option)


A+ Writing Tips:

Before you begin, create a T-Chart.  Capture and organize your thoughts.

Choose the best, single argument on each side of the T-Chart:  one side for the claim, and one side for the counter claim.

Look for good evidence in the form of a quotation from the play before actually writing.  It's often easier to write your reasoning having found good evidence first than to work backwards:  choosing your reasoning and then trying to find evidence to match it. 

Adverb Clause Subordinating Conjunctions

Adverb clauses contain at least one subject and at least one predicate.  They are groups of words that collectively act like an adverb, describing a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Adverb clauses begin with a subordinating conjunction as follows:


When does it happen?  (after, as, before, when, while, until)

     Example:  After the train entered the station, ...

Why does it happen?  (because, since)

    Example:  ... because the lights were out...

How does it happen? (as if)

     Example:  ... as if she was talking to nobody in particular.

Under what condition does it happen?  (although, if, though)

    Example:  Although he was struggling in math class, ...

Micro CERS+ Sentence Starters

FOR COUNTER CLAIMS:
“But some might instead argue that…”
“Yet many believe that…”
“However, one might incorrectly support the view that…”

FOR THE COUNTER REASONING:
“They might consider the fact that…”
“A common reason behind this line of thinking is…”
“This perspective may be rooted in the belief that…”

FOR REBUTTALS:
“Where this line of thought goes astray is in that…”
“What this perspective fails to understand is how…”
“At first this seems like a good argument.  However, when one considers…”

This Week's Agenda

Micro CERS+ with Counter Claim for Anne Frank Act 1 Scene 1

DUE:  Thursday Morning, 3/21/19, 8:15 AM

WRITING PROMPT

Act 1, Scene 1

A diary is traditionally a place where one can write down one’s own private thoughts:  one’s hopes and dreams; one’s fear and insecurities; one’s honest reflection upon personal issues like religion, morals, and philosophy, the day’s idle gossip, activities, romantic crushes, inner longings, secrets and joys.  It can be a means to “get it all out” and make sense of our lives and ourselves.

In The Diary of Anne Frank Otto tells Anne that, even though they are allowing themselves to be hidden within the Annex for the foreseeable future, she can be free “in her mind” through writing in her private diary.

Otto seems to argue that being able to write in her diary during this difficult situation will be a helpful tool to remaining free and staying mentally healthy.  And yet, neither Margot nor Peter are known to have kept diaries.  They don’t seem to need this survival tool.

Is Otto right?

Was the diary a helpful tool for Anne during her time in the Annex?  Or was her keeping the diary not particularly helpful or important at all?



COMBINED CLASSES / TEACHER MODEL


CLAIM
The play The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett tells the story of Anne Frank’s experience hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944.  During that time, Anne’s diary proved to be a helpful tool in combating loneliness, depression, and possible mental illness.

EVIDENCE
Otto seems to recognize the value of the diary when he returns to the annex after being the sole survivor of the family.

Miep.  Burn this?

(She hands him a paper bound notebook.)

Mr. Frank.  (quietly). Anne’s diary.  (He opens the diary and begins to read.)  “Monday, the sixth of July, nineteen forty-two…” (283).

REASONING
Clearly he felt that the diary was important, otherwise he would have burned it with the rest of the papers left behind.  After all, this is the last documented voice of his little girl.  For the better part of two years, she was taken from her friends and school.  She was unable to move around freely or talk to anyone other than those in the Annex and the two helpers.  They experienced nearly constant fear of being discovered.  It had to be very stressful and depressing.  The act of getting her feelings down on the page allowed her to gain perspective and to remain hopeful.  If she hadn’t had the diary, there’s a chance that she could have succumbed to depression – refusing to eat or talk to anyone.  She might have even thought about hurting herself.  That diary was a life preserver, without which she might have been lost in a sea of fear, loneliness, and depression.

COUNTER CLAIM
But some might argue instead that Anne’s time and energy spent writing in her diary would have been better spent engaging socially with her family.

COUNTER REASONING
They might state that time with family was precious, especially since she didn’t know that it was running out and that many of them were going to die.  If she had shared her private thoughts with her sister, Margot, they could have grown even closer with the time they had.  Instead, she poured her heart onto the pages of her diary which couldn’t offer any perspective other than her own. Who knows?  She might have even been mentally healthier if she didn't have the diary because she would have been forced to find the same connection in others.

REBUTTAL
Where this line of thinking goes astray is that Anne could have still written in her diary and had a strong connection to her family.  This isn’t an “either/or” situation.  It’s possible for anyone to have time to themselves and also still have close relationships with one’s family.  The argument is flawed.

SYNTHESIS 
There can be no doubt that having access to, and writing in, a diary made Anne’s life more bearable.  However, this may be particular to Anne as a unique individual and not to everyone.  Anne is introspective, highly social, and interested in gossip – traits that would lend themselves to benefiting from a diary.  But both Peter and Margot appear to have dealt with the same situation just as well without a diary, so it depends upon the person.  A better, more nuanced answer is that for some the diary would be helpful, but for others it would not.

Sentence Composing #111 - #115 (Adverb Phrases & Clauses)

Grammar Review
• An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
• Adverbs often end with a “–ly.” Also, “very” is a common adverb.
• Adverbs answer a question about: Whose? When? Where? Why? How? Which one? What kind? How many? and To What Extant?
• A phrase is a group of words used as a single part of speech that does not have a subject and a verb/predicate.
•A clause is a group of words that does contain a subject and a verb/predicate.

Common Adverbs Bank
Also, above, as, back, before, beneath, down, even, here, how , in, instantly, just, later, more, most, never, now, only, out, quietly, really, so, still, stubbornly, then, there, too, up, very, well, when

An adverb phrase is a group of words that act like an adverb (describing a verb, an adjective, or another adverb) and do not contain a subject and a predicate.

NOTE: an adverb phrase may also be a prepositional phrase at the same time, if that prepositional phrase is acting like an adverb

Examples: 

Britney answered with a smile.
(describes the verb telling how Britney anwsered)

They sailed across the lake.
(describes where they sailed)

By Wednesday Christopher will be finished.
(describes when he will be finished)

An adverb clause is a group of words that act like an adverb (describing a verb, an adjective, or another adverb) and does contain a subject and a predicate.

NOTE: an adverb clause may also be a subordinating clause at the same time, where the subordinating conjunction is an adverb.

Examples: 

They came after the storm ended.

The police will arrive immediately after you call.

https://youtu.be/49EsnvxVQec

https://youtu.be/NRS0qQeYJDI

https://youtu.be/fkooLJ9MWVE

Parent Permission Slips - Anne Frank Movie

Hello Parents,

Look for a permission slip for your child to participate in a screening of Anne Frank:  The Whole Story later this month.

The permission slips are due by Friday 3/15/19.

If you would prefer for your child to not participate in this educational activity, they will have the opportunity to do other educational work at that time.

Best,
Mr. Chappell

Parent Teacher Conferences Wednesday 3/13 and Wednesday 3/20

Hello Parents,

I am looking forward to meeting with you during parent teacher conferences this week!

Unfortunately, I  will be unable to attend the parent teacher conferences on Thursday night (3/14/19).

However, I will be in attendance and eager to meet you all on Wednesday.

For those of you who cannot make this Wednesday, I will be available in my room #205 on the following Wednesday (3/20/19) from 6 to 9 pm.  Feel free to drop in and say "Hi."

If you can't make either of the two conferences and have any concerns, please contact me at jchappell@birmingham.k12.mi.us.

Best,
Jonathan Chappell

This Weeks Agenda 3/11/19 - 3/15/19

Creative Paragraph #06 Instructions

Due Friday 3/8/19 by 3:15 pm

Students are to select an original sentence from #91 - #100.

Compose a series of dialogue exchanges between two or more speakers.

Integrate your original sentence somewhere in the paragraph -- it doesn't have to be at the beginning.

Make sure to start a new paragraph (press enter) and indent (press tab) every time a new speaker starts.

You will need a minimum of 5 back-and-forth exchanges, including your original sentence from your old sentence composing journal.

Weekly Agenda 3/4 - 3/8

Sentence Composing #101 - #109 (Adjective Phrases & Clauses)