Ohhhh

We started class today thinking about the amazing things you have written about over the past couple of weeks. I mentioned the "Letting Go" essays and how so many of you put down some really powerful ideas; I'm seeing the emergence of some really strong voices in this class and I am very pleased. Our warm up involved looking at some Clyde Butcher photographs and writing a creative story where the image is the setting.  You shared your first lines by using a writeboard.

We then continued our work on storytelling by looking at the Powers of Ten video and exploring questions this short film raised.  Someone has said that seeing is believing, but this statement can easily be turned on its head:  Believing is seeing. So what do we believe that allows us to see the world around us a certain way?   Our next writing assignment asks for a photograph of something that is non-human that somehow is related to you as the observer.  The image will be accompanied by a text, an essay that will help us better understand that connection.  But if you don't believe the connection, you may actually miss it altogether--you may not see it.

the powers of 10 from Bomi Lee on Vimeo.

Homework
--Complete the following in MyWritingLab

• Subjects and Verbs
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Combining Sentences
• Consistent Verb Tenses and Active Voice
• ESL Concerns--Nouns  

--Take your South Florida photograph.

--Bring at least two pages of brainstorming to class on Thursday based on your best photograph.

--Read through Chapter 9 of Three Cups of Tea.

Everglades Trip (February 27)

For those of you participating in Saturday's trip to the Everglades, please fill out the travel release forms.  Have these to me by Thursday.  We will be meeting at the Coe Visitor Center at the main entrance of  Everglades National Park at 9am.

How to Get There (Click on View Larger Map for Directions)

View Larger Map

We will spend about 20 minutes in the visitor center and then entering the park by car.  We hope that we can leave as many cars behind.  Entrance to the park is $10 per car; please have change so that everyone in the car can split the cost.  

What to Bring

• Notebook and pen
• Camera
• Comfortable clothes (two pairs of shoes that can get wet; no flip flops)
• Water
• Lunch and snacks
• Sunscreen and bug repellent
• Curiosity

Storytelling

Today we explored our own writing as we interacted with the short film, A Thousand Words. The tension in the film reminded us of the role of suspense in good story telling and writing. It was also very interesting to watch everyone write without any difficulties. Most of you were able to come up with one page full of text without much of a struggle. Keep feeding the imagination! We turned our attention to an even greater story, that of our own South Florida and looked at images from our bioregion to begin to put together the story of this wonderful place we call home. If you are planning on attending the Everglades trip, make sure to sign up. Use the following form: Visions of South Florida.  


Homework

• Read Chapter 8 of Three Cups of Tea.
• Complete "Narrating" under Paragraph Development in MyWritingLab. Note the connection between this lesson and the exercise we did in class with the short film.
• Start thinking about the photographic essay assignment.

Submission

Tonight we explored the Muslim faith.  As we spoke about the five pillars, the theme that kept coming up is the role of trust in submitting one's life and will.  Chapter 6 of Three Cups of Tea ends with Greg Mortenson participating in the prayer life of his acquaintances in Rawalpindi.  In class we listened to the call to prayer and wondered.

After sharing what each group learned about Islam, we turned to writing about trust. The question for the night was the following: Who do you trust? I look forward to these paragraphs and will have them back to you by our next class.

Homework

Read Chapter 7 of Three Cups of Tea (expect a quiz)
Complete Subject Verb Agreement in MyWritingLab

Important Dates to Remember
Roots in the City (Service-Learning)--February 20
Everglades Trip (Optional)--February 27
Photographic Writing Assignment--March 9

Other
Finally, our campus has a very active Lit Club.  Please know that everyone is invited to join and participate.  The club meets every other Wednesday from 2-3pm.

Letting Go

Here's the plan for this evening:

• Marathon reflection.
• Short quiz on Chapter 5.  If you read, you will know.
• Discussion of the reading
• Return paragraphs from last week.
• Review
• New topic from Chapter 5:  What are you willing to let go to make your dream come true? 
• Brainstorm a response.
• Outline a draft.

Homework

• Read Chapter 6.
• Finish writing your essay.
• Complete Subjects and Verbs in MyWritingLab.

Service-Learning Announcement:

Roots in the City Garden-Saturday, February 20 from 9 to 12 noon.