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The Easter Story

What do you know of the Easter story? What do you know of the Passover story? Please take five minutes to write the Easter story or the Passover story, using strong plot, setting, characterization, conflict, dialogue and other literary elements and devices.

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Supreme Court & Same Gender Marriage

SGMImages
Focus write: The Supreme Court is hearing a case today concerning marriage between human beings of the same gender. Two California men claim that California law banning their marriage is unconstitutional.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Supreme Court will decide if the California law banning marriage is constitutional or unconstitutional.
[Answer the three questions below, using R.A.F.T.]

— What do you think the Supreme Court will decide?

— If you were a Supreme Court judge, what would you decide? Why?

— What do you think the Supreme court SHOULD decide?

— Believe & Doubt: “the California law banning marriage is unconstitutional” [30.6.2014]

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Blue Tag on Their Big Toe :: Follow the Commas

From http://patronsofthepit.wordpress.com/2013/02/02/fire-and-ice-the-rise-of-the-snow-weber/

fireA Blogger wrote the following:

“. . . A frozen monument if you will, erected in a semi-stately homage, symbolic to all the keepers of the grill out there, who do not, and will not, save for a trip somewhere with a blue tag on their big toe, take the winter off…. A tale of fire and ice.”

1. What does the Blogger mean by “save for”? 2. What is the definition of “save,” used in this context? 3. What does the Blogger mean by “trip somewhere with a blue tag on their big toe”? 4. Is this “trip” literal,metaphorical or both? 5. What does a blue tag on a big toe symbolize or represent?
[Use R.A.F.T. in your response]

. . . to all the keepers of the grill out there, who do not, and will not, save for a trip somewhere with a blue tag on their big toe, take the winter off.

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Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and “Mule Bone”

In 1930, Zora Neale Hurston started working with Langston Hughes on a play which they named “Mule Bone,” a comedic depiction of Negro life in those days. Guess what? The play never saw the light of the day during the playwrights’ lifetimes. Do you know why? It’s because Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes had a giant dispute over credits. However, there’s a modern version of “Mule Bone” (now known as “Mules and Men”). It is in the form of a complete novel.

What have you learned about Zora and Langston that might explain why they argued?

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Dr. King and Social Media in the 21st Century

Before the onset of the computer age, letters, newspapers, phones and telegrams were among the communications tools used most frequently. During the 60’s when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was spreading his message of non-violence, attracting like-minded sympathizers as well as strangers to the cause of civil rights, he used those traditional means to get in touch and stay in touch.
Today, we use social media to stay in touch with the people we know as well as to get in touch with people we don’t yet know, for various reasons, including persuasion to our causes. Maybe we have a concern, like human rights, organic farming, the environment or war, or modern slavery. If we want to maximize the number of people we might contact who share our concerns, we use social media to reach out to them. If we think back to the use of Twitter to unite and reinforce the Occupy Wall Street Movement, or the Egyptian citizenry who used social media to schedule and stage marches, we realize that social media that ultimately toppled both a political party’s chances of success in our country and an entire government in Egypt.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was a philosopher and civic leader whose ideas were expressed eloquently. His amazing vision could be shared with like minded individuals as well as to persuade virulent opponents and those who opposed his ideas and philosophy. The changes in our country today owe Dr. King a large debt. President Obama is proof of King’s message that through hard work, perseverance and the ultimate sacrifice injustice can be overcome and justice brought to fruition.

But what if King had had Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc., to get his message out during the 1960s? How would King have persuaded his audience using appeals to ETHOS? How would he have persuaded his audience using appeals to PATHOS? How would he have persuaded his audience using appeals to LOGOS? Choose one or more of these appeals and explain how Kind would have used social media to get his message across.

In honor of Dr. King, think about the kinds and ways he would he’d make use of social media today. Then, please share your ideas with the rest of of us.

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0003. Describe your journey to school today.

Earlier during a focus-write, you wrote a richly descriptive narrative about your journey from home to school. You transcribed that description to MS Word, and uploaded the description to the class Moodle.
Open the MS Word document. Copy that description of your journey to school and paste it below. Be sure to add your first and last names and email address to the blog.