Writing (Imaginative Arts Week)

 Writing (November IA Week)

1. You should have finished the book already!  If not, get it finished.

2. Write this paragraph from the book in your nicest handwriting. Try practicing your best print and your best italics or cursive.

Many hours later she buried him in the snow. The totem of Amaroq was in her pocket. Her fingers ran over it but she did not take it out. She sang to the spirit of Amaroq in her best English:

The seals are scarce and the whales are almost gone. 

The spirits of the animals are passing away. 

Amaroq, Amaroq, you are my adopted father.

My feet dance because of you.

My eyes see because of you.

My mind thinks because of you. 

And it thinks, on this thundering night, 

That the hour of the wolf and the Eskimo is over.

Julie pointed her boots toward Kapugen.

(Part 3, Page 170)

While the opening passage of a novel sets the tone, the final passage creates the impression the reader will take away. An unsatisfying ending can make a reader reevaluate all that came before, while a profound ending can elevate the reader’s experience of a book. The ending is an opportunity for the author to reinforce or deepen the main character’s development or invite speculation about what will happen next. 

3. Your paper should be all finished and edited.  If you didn't get to have a mentor read it last week, please have a parent read it and make corrections for you.  Make sure it has a title! Does it have an ending that is satisfying to the reader?  Finish your final draft and send it to me at tasha.eagar@gmail.com. I will post them for all to read!  I read some really great stories and I would love for others to see all the creativity!

4. Study ALL of the spelling words from Julie of the Wolves.  You may want to skim through the book and study some other words in case we get to that point again!

5. We are going to shift the work load, so there is not as much to do on History and Eureka week.  So... We are going to start the next paper this week.  Because you have the whole Christmas break to work on it, you should have time to get it done.  It will be due on Leadership week on January 7th.  You might want to get most of it done before the break!

We will be doing a research project. (This could double as a speech for speech and debate!)

There are a wide range of research topics.  I found these statements helpful. I want you to consider these as you decide what to research.

Your Level of Interest: Research papers are time-consuming; you will be spending countless hours researching the topic and related topics, developing several primary and secondary sources, and putting everything together into a paper that is coherent and accomplishes your objectives. If you do not choose a topic you are passionate about, the process will be far more tedious, and the finished product may suffer as a result.

Your Level of Experience: Being interested in a topic is great, but it is even more helpful if you already know something about it. If you can find a topic that you already have some personal and/or professional experience with, it will vastly reduce the amount of research needed and make the whole process much easier.

Available Information on the Topic: Be sure to choose a topic that is not only interesting but also one that has numerous sources available from which to compile your research. A researchable topic with several potential sources gives you access to the level of information you need to become an authority on the subject.

Your Audience: An interesting topic to you may not necessarily be interesting to your audience or whoever is reading your research paper. Before you begin, consider the level of interest of the person(s) who will be reading it. If you are writing a persuasive or argumentative essay, also consider their point of view on the subject matter.

There are different types of research papers that include:

• Argumentative Research Papers; where you research 2 sides of a topic and present both sides and then tell us why you believe in one side or the other.
• Persuasive Research Papers; where you persuade someone that what you are telling them is the absolute best!  Kind of like they do in advertising.
• Education Research Papers; Where you educate someone on a topic, lots of factual information.
• Analytical Research Papers; Where you analyze a topic and figure out what all the perspectives are. Perhaps analyzing a song and what it means.
• Informative Research Papers; Where you inform the reader about what you have researched. 

Informative papers are probably the easiest type, but you are welcome to choose any of the above.  Here is a website with a list of possible topics to choose from. Some of the topics are very controversial, but maybe you are interested in arguing one of those topics.  There is also a teen section on this website.

https://www.myspeechclass.com/good-and-interesting-research-paper-topics.html

You could also choose something as simple as researching about your favorite animal, but I want to know everything there is to know about it, and make it interesting!

Come to class prepared with your topic of research and the type of paper you will be presenting.  Also come with an outline.  Your outline will be similar to that of your narrative.  It should look something like this. Research Paper Outline You may print this and use it, or just use this as an idea and type it up. The major points may change along the way as you do your research, but you should have 3 points that you want to research.  The introduction, obviously will introduce us to your topic.  Right now, you just need to know what you are researching.  The introduction paragraph will become apparent as you start writing.  The thesis will tell us about the 3 major points you will be introducing and have a strong statement about the research. Your conclusion will wrap up everything you have researched.  Remember, we are just getting started.  You will research each of your major points in the coming weeks. Keep a record of the sources you use.  We will learn how to site sources next week.