How to write a good thesis…

Today I want you to spend some time thinking about the thesis of your Che essay. In any essay of this sort, a powerful and interesting thesis statement is paramount to the overall success of your writing. Here’s what I want you to do:

1. Spend some time reading the helpful hints at the links below. Pay special attention to the links comparing a bad thesis to a good one. How do you think your thesis compares?

Thesis Links:

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/thesistatement.html

http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/thesis.html#Is%20It%20a%20Thesis

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/Thesis.html

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml

2. Once you’ve read about the characteristics of a good thesis, take some time to write one of your own—or revise the one you already have.

Post this to your blog. (Labels: Writing, Do Now, Theme #6, Che)

3. Once you’ve shared your thesis, take some time and travel to the blogs of your peers in your group. Take some time to read their thesis statements. Leave a comment for them, giving specific, constructive feedback. Help them improve their statements, knowing that they will be helping you in return.

Write Your Own Do Now

Time to think like an English teacher. If you were teaching your class, what would you assign as a Peru-based Do Now for this section of reading?

Post this Do Now, why you chose it, and an image on your blog.

Then, go to 1 classmate's blog, and complete his/her Do Now in the form of a comment.

Essential questions...

As some of you may recall, your essential question for the year is: who do I want to become, and what impact do I want to have on the world around me?

Today, I want you to take some time and answer these questions (in a blog post) from the perspective of Che.

Who did Che want to become? What impact did he have on the world around him?

Notice, this question involves both looking at the young Che--his hopes, his dreams, and his ideals--as well as the later Che--his actions and his legacy. And don't be afraid to offer a bit of judgment--his impact might be open to debate depending on your point of view.

Labels: Che, Do Now, Writing

Chilean 6-word Memoir

Today I'd like you to spend some time with your group adding events to your Dipity from the reading AND Chilean history.

But first, as a warm-up, I'd like you to do some "pre-search" on Chile's interesting political past.

Your goal? A 6-word memoir.

Please include an image to make your memoir come alive!

Labels: Do Now, Writing, Chile

Che in Chile...

Choose one of Che's exeriences in Chile and explain how it might have influenced his later life. What impact did this experience have on him? How might this experience have shaped his political ideals? Be sure to include a quote and an image in your post.

Label this post: Do Now, TMD, Che, Chile

American 6-word Memoir

Begin today by heading here and reading the American 6-word Memoir.

In a blog post of your own, write a 6-word memoir for America. Please pay special attention to the following:
Diction (word choice)
Detail (facts, observations, incidents)
Imagery (verbal representation of a sensory experience)
Syntax (grammatical sentence structure)
Tone (expression of attitude)

How have you incorporated these attributes of voice in your 6-word memoirs?

Include an image with your post, and be prepared to share and discuss with a neighbor and the class.

Label/tag your post "Do Now", "6-word", "Writing"...

Personal Ideology?

Last week, we spent some time thinking and blogging about Che's ideology. Today, I want you to spend some time thinking about yours.

What is your personal ideology? Are there any ideals or values that you would go to great lengths to defend? If so, what are they and why? If there are none, why not?

For example, I believe that there are certain ideals that transcend our ability to define them--goodness, beauty, love, justice, etc. While we can never truly "know" the true definitions of these ideals, we must act in such ways that we believe comes closest to them. As long as we all try our best, we can never go wrong. If our intentions are authentic, and our results are generally consistent (we all make mistakes), then we can all say we are living "the good life".