Writing+Skills

= Welcome to Writing Skills: =

9/22/2010
Ok, so we're having a little trouble getting into the lab to complete the assignment from 9/20/2010 (below), so we are also working on this review writing assignment.

Assignment for Monday, 9/20/2010
Go ahead and play this quick little video from Mr. Wondra (I know you want to). Just play it once though. I'd hate for you to irritate the sub and get a detention. Which is very possible. So, just once. Seriously.

This 30(ish) second video is mostly a test to see if you, the student, can actually view it. If you can't, don't sweat it. Move on to the instructions below--quickly.

media type="file" key="mrwondra_-_Writing_Skills.flv" align="center" width="360" height="270"

Some places to find reviews? Try: 3. You may use any of the above items, or you may choose a new one, but, using this "[|ReviewComponents.pdf]" as a guide, begin to write a review of your own. It may be either a favorable (like it) or unfavorable (don't like it) review. __**Before you begin, be sure to do some prewriting by creating a mind map.**__   See you tomorrow! Mr Wondra  2nd assignment--9/10/2010: = = Pick up either a __Relationships__ book or a __Junior Greats__ book from the classroom. Choose any of the stories in it to read. When you are finished reading it, use the handout to plan a comic strip that summarizes the story you read. After I have approved your planning sheet, use the Comic Creator to create a comic strip that summarizes the story you read.
 * 1) Go back to Shelfari.com and try to log in again. If you are successful, proceed to upload the books you've read from your list by first searching for those books in the search bar near the top of the page.
 * 2) If you finish with #1 (or can't do it), the next thing I want you to do is go on a little internet scavenger hunt. Once you find an item, read it, and then go ahead and bookmark the page so that you find it and use it later. We are going to start to learn about "reviews," what they are good for, and how to write one. So, to begin, I'd like you to find one of each of the following:
 * A favorable book review
 * A non-favorable book review (not the same book)
 * A movie review
 * A review for a product (could be a skateboard, or a video game, or some kind of gadget). Make this a review of a product that you might already have or be interested in getting some day.
 * Two reviews (one favorable, one non-favorable) for the same thing. It could be the same book, movie, or product, but you must find both a review that recommends (or likes) it, and one that does not recommend (or dislikes) it.
 * Shelfari.com (surprise surprise) for books
 * Amazon.com for just about everything. Find a product, book, etc and scroll down to view the reviews.
 * Rotten Tomatoes for movies
 * Consumer Reports for just about every product under the sun. This is a big site. I recommend you use the search box in the upper right hand side of the screen.

Important Concepts:
 * Summarizing
 * Planning

1st assignment--9/1/2010:
Log in to Moodle Use Google Docs to:

Write a letter describing the best day (or week, or thing that happened) this summer. You are writing this letter because you would like to encourage the reader (parent, sibling, friend, friend’s parents, teacher, coach—whomever) to support whatever it took to make this special day happen—so you can do it again.

Be sure to list examples and details from what happened as well as how these things made you feel. Also, be sure that your letter here contains the answer to each of the following questions:


 * What was special or out of the ordinary about this event?
 * How was it different from normal days?
 * Why was this experience valuable?

Share that Document with me.