Outline Format for Weekday Classes

Your outline should adhere to standard MLA guidelines (typed, double-spaced, etc.) and should include the following parts:

I.          Summarize the relevant parts of the debate. In your outline, only include the basic sentences. Use a template for summarizing (e.g. “In [essay title], [author’s title] [author’s full name] argues...”).

II.        State your thesis in 1-2 sentences. Use a template for agreeing, disagreeing, or qualifying.

III.       State the topic sentence for your first body paragraph. Include a bullet point list of each supporting detail, e.g.:

            a.

            b.

IV.       Repeat the previous step for each body paragraph.

V.        State the 1-2 sentences that will be the “meat” of your conclusion. Use one of the templates below.

Conclusion Templates:

• ______________ is important because ______________
• In the end, what’s at stake with ______________ is ______________
• ______________ has significant consequences for ______________
• Although ______________ may appear trivial, it represents a larger problem of ______________

Homework for Saturday Class due 7/28

§       Finish reading and annotating Outliers

§       Post 3 comments/questions on Edmodo

§       Study vocabulary A501-625

§       Complete sections 4 and 8 of SAT Practice Test 1

§       Read and do exercises in Critical Reading Lesson 5 Packet

§       Write “Down with Homework!” response essay. 

Essay details:

1.5-2 pages, typed, MLA

In paragraph 1, briefly summarize Kohn's and Gladwell's positions using the summary template we discussed in class ("In [essay title], [author's title] [author's full name] [action verb, e.g. argues]...")

After summarizing Kohn and Gladwell, use one of the templates below to state your thesis

Use the body paragraphs of your essay to support your position and contribute something new to the debate. 

Templates for Disagreeing

§       X’s claim that _________ rests upon the questionable assumption that ____________________

§       In arguing ____________, X is mistaken because he/she overlooks  ______________________

Templates for Agreeing

§       X’s theory of _______ is extremely useful because it sheds light on the difficult problem of __________________

§       Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically boils down to ____________________

Templates for Qualifying (Okay, but...)

§       Though I concede that _______________________, I still insist that _____________________

§       X is right that ___________________, but he/she seems on more dubious ground when he/she claims that ________________________

Homework for Saturday Class due 7/21

1. Write a two-paragraph essay in response to chapter four of Outliers. In paragraph one, summarize Gladwell's theory of "cultural advantage"; in paragraph two, discuss how cultural advantage has helped you achieve a specific form of success in your life. Include two quotations in the essay using the four-part "Quotation Sandwich" we discussed in class (introduce, quote, interpret, analyze). The essay should be typed and MLA-formatted.
2. Complete sections 3 and 9 of Practice Test 1. 
3. Read Writing Lesson 4 and complete all exercises.
4. Post three comments and/or questions on Edmodo.
5. Study vocabulary A1-500. The cumulative quiz will be this Saturday.
6. Read and annotate Outliers chapters 5-7. (Don't forget to write a 2-3 sentence chapter summary on the first page of each chapter.)

Example Integrated Quotation

This is my response to today's in-class activity. Notice how all four "sandwich" elements (introduction, quotation, interpretation and analysis) are present in this passage.

Saki's short story "The Interlopers" explores the consequences of an archetypal, southern-style feud between characters Ulrich and Georg. Cultural theorist and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell considers an analogous feud in his book, Outliers. Here, Gladwell defines a "culture of honor" as a "world"--such as that of "The Interlopers"--"where a man's reputation is at the center of his livelihood and self worth." In this world, a man "has to be willing to fight in response to even the slightest challenge to his reputation" (167). In other words, an individual living in a culture of honor prizes his reputation above everything else, and is ready to fight to the death to protect it.

Reputation is key for both Ulrich and Georg, whose bitter fighting perpetuates a long-held family feud. Gladwell's "culture of honor" thesis goes a long way to explain the violent and sometimes irrational behavior of both men...