Extra Credit for the Serious Writer. Go to http://www.chickensoupforthesoul.com/ Then click on "Submit your story". Check through all of the opportunities and select the one that fits for you. Follow their story guidelines precisely. Once you are done, submit the piece. Send me an email with the piece attached (20 points). If you get published, you will receive an additional 100 points. Do not send them something thrown together and haphazard. This is a company searching for excellence, so make sure you give it the required respect. Pay close attention to the rules and regulations. You may also want to read a few of the stories from a Chicken Soup book to get a feel for what you are getting into. *3rd quarter only *************************************************************************** Continual Extra Credit...see the All Purpose page for EC reading to prepare for AP next year. ************************************************************************** NEW EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNTIES...posted 11/12/08 1. Two designers needed to update my room and make a comfortable environment. Basically you need to dedicate an hour or so to making the room look good using all of the projects we have done. (20 points) 2. Prepare a high class bulletin board concept and design. You and your partner will decorate the bulletin board that hangs across the hall from my room. I need to approve what you are doing. This should also be completed in a timely manner. Since your work will hang on the wall for all to see, the idea, design, and content must stand out. (30 points) ***************************************************************************** Final Writing Folder Criteria: 1. Select the required pieces: one response to literature; one college essay (I will put this in later for you); one research piece (Huck Finn paper...I will plug this in for you also if needed); one analytical piece; one creative piece; the following reflection. 2. Write me a detailed letter that has the following... *an intro addressing your growth as a writer over the past year *a statement (thesis) about yourself as a writer *three or more body paragraphs that discuss how you got better with each piece, problems you had writing them, and whether or not you have overcome the problems with which you started the year. Use specifics from the pieces you select. *a conclusion that handles what your current weaknesses and strengths are, what efforts you invested this year (tutorials, etc.), and what your exact goals are for next year. ************************************************************************** The extra credit listed below for Finn will conclude in the following manner. Each person who has elected to read the book must sign up with me so I can establish the core group. The group will then be responsible for meeting on two different mornings from 6:50 - 7:20 to hold discussions. One member from the group must step forward and assume responsibility for leading a discussion (two people overall). You must attend both sessions and participate actively to gain the 50 extra credit points. The two people who lead the discussions will receive an extra 10 points. The discussion dates are 5/20 and 5/22.Please see me by 5/6 to sign up. **************************************************************************** ***Extra credit for the HUck Finn unit*** Obtain a copy of FINN by John Clinch. The story details the life of Pap, and it will open your eyes to see how this author fictionalizes the life of a character we actually know little about. You will have to obtain a copy on your own. I will post the point value and the response soon. Just start reading. *************************************************************************** ***Brand new extra credit chances... 1. Read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". Write a two-page piece that details how this book serves as a form of human inspiration. Then go to BN.com and write an online review of the book. Send me the link via email. You will receive 40 extra credit points for this work. Due date: 2/29/08 2. See me for a copy of "A Hope in the Unseen". Read the book and then draft a three-page piece that examines at least three critical quotations. The discussions should delve into not only how the quotations serve to reveal something about the book, but also how they reprsent a concern or triumph in life. Focus on the latter. This work will earn you 60 extra credit points. Due date: 3/7/08 **************************************************************************** ***New for the end of the second quarter..... (inactive!!!) Go see the the film The Great Debaters. Afterwards, write a 500 word piece on the power and possibilities of education. Make sure that this briefly references the film while focusing primarily on the modern perspective. Staple the movie ticket in the upper right corner of the paper before submitting. Due by January 14th. 25 points extra credit. *************************************************************************** SECOND QUARTER 2007!!!! SEE # 3 BELOW!!!! #1. NOT ACTIVE. For the first quarter of 2007. Any Honors III student may partake in the following. Read the novel Ordinary People by Judith Guest. Once you have finished, you must arrange to take the associated test. You must receive an 80 or above to get the 50 extra credit points. ***************************************************************************** #2. NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE!!!Extra Credit for the avid drama reader (posted 12/20/06) See me for a copy of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman". By Monday, January 16th, have the entire play read and annotated. The notes should be detailed and correspond to the ideas I expressed in class about how to properly take notes while reading. After finishing the reading and the notes, create a two-page response driven by a thesis you generate. The idea cannot reflect any of the common themes and motifs discussed on sparknotes or any other study aides. It must have orginality and perspective. The reward for all of this extra effort is 80 points. Only work done to a high standard will receive the credit. Any number of students can complete this assignment. It is suggested that you get your copy prior to leaving for Christmas break. **************************************************************************** #3. NOT ACTIVE!!!! Extra Credit for the avid reader (posted 12/17/07) See me for a copy of The Scarlet Letter. Read the novel entirely and take the associated test. Earn a 70 or higher for additional points. Because this is clearly a large task, the reward is substantial. 69 OR BELOW = NO POINTS 70 - 79 = 35 POINTS 80 - 89 = 50 POINTS 90 - 99 = 70 POINTS 100 = 100 POINTS ***************************************************************************** #4 ALWAYS ACTIVE: Here is an extra credit job that will never go away. Look for grammatical errors out in public. Take a picture of one and write a small explanation as to why it is incorrect. We will attempt to fill the walls with society's mistakes. This is unlimited extra credit, but you cannot merely repeat the same one a classmate already submitted. Here is a checklist to review prior to submitting your final research essay. Finalizing the Research Paper Personal Checklist Use the list below to help revise. Check off sections as you edit them from your paper. Please include the list in your portfolio. _____ All awkward passage/word choice eliminated _____ No contractions _____ No passive voice _____ Limited use of the verb ¡§to be¡¨ _____ No ¡§in order to¡¨ _____ No ¡§due to the fact that¡¨ _____ No ¡§a lot¡¨ _____ No conversational language/slang _____ All in-text citations in proper form (structure and punctuation) _____ No paragraphs ending in quotations _____ Transitions from topic to topic _____ All parts of the introduction are visible _____ Paragraphs contain all required parts _____ Direct quotations support each body paragraph _____ Variety of sentence openings _____ All adverbs and adjectives challenged _____ All ¡§this, these, that, those, it¡¨ challenged _____ All repetitious wording challenged _____ Conclusion reaffirms thesis, makes connections, and offers a global pers pective _____ No spelling errors The following is a detailed list of words and phrases that have just been deemed illegal by all who write formally in 216B: very in order to due to the fact that very a lot things stuff and what not very holla at ya the reason why O.K. okay "u" for you Many more will find themselves upon this list as we spend additional time together. If your responses become overtaken by these dreadful words, your paper will suffer terribly. We may sacrifice it in the classroom to the "God of Quality Writing" as a sign of peace. We may turn off all of the lights and scream at it, warning it about the power of the delete key and the long-forgotten eraser, as if to scare away these non-specific terms. If the paper seems about to explode with these references, someone must jump on top of it, as if it were a word choice grenade, and block the blast that would undoubtedly cover the rest of us in countless generalities. Please, in the name of smooth prose, edit well.