DAY 03 - CYCLE 01 - SEMESTER 02: 01-06-09

HANDOUTS FROM TODAY:

There were no handouts for today.

IN CLASS TODAY:

1. We began with Sentence Diagramming, going over "Exercise 6: Predicate Nominatives and Predicate Adjectives."  This is review for you, but some of the sentences were a bit tricky.  A good trick is to circle the subjects and verbs in the original sentence, as we did in the sentence: He became angry and silent and left the room. Once you have that identified, it's easier to pick apart the sentence and figure out where things go.  Also, don't forget the flow chart tricks!

1. 
2. Then, I checked your homework--a list of four reasons to consider Wes guilty or innocent of the charge of being liable for Frank's death.
3. Then, you were asked to consider yourself in one of four possible roles for the purposes of today's discussion, depending on how strong an opinion you had:
   Prosecuting Attorney: Your job is to convince others that Wes is accountable for Frank's death. That means you need to prove your case; you might be convinced of his guilt, but others are not, and your job is to get them to think like you do. How will you do that? Cater to their emotions? Show them through logical analysis of facts? Dazzle them with your clearly superior knowledge of the subject matter?
   Defense Attorney: Your job is to defend Wes from these charges, and prove to others that he cannot reasonably be held responsible for Frank's death. Like the Prosecuting Attorneys, you are out to make a compelling case that cannot be ignored. How will you convince others? Through an appeal to reason? An appeal to emotion? By demonstrating your own clearly superior insight into the novel's details?
   Character Witness: Your job is to provide evidence. When either of the attorneys make their cases, your job is to give back up by providing the evidence they seek, offering details, and if you can find them, citing specific passages for the attorneys to talk about. This requires a good sense of the book's details.
   Judge: Your job is to ask questions of the attorneys and witnesses in order to get a clearer picture and to force attorneys to make better, more compelling cases. You will need to listen carefully to discussion and ask good follow up questions, and be willing to demand substantiation from others: What makes you think that? But if that is true, then why this ?, etc.
   
4. We then discussed the charges, and I took notes.

CLASS NOTES:
Notes for today may be found here.

HOMEWORK:
WE WILL CONTINUE DEBATE ON FRIDAY.  We will spend the first 5 minutes devising a structure for making sure the conversation does not turn into a free for all.  Like a regular courtroom, we will allow both sides to make their cases in full, without interruption, and judges need to be impartial.

Homework for Friday, then, will be the following:

Using Wednesday's and Friday's notes to help you, you are to write a full summary of both the case for and the case against Wes.  That means you will have two summaries.  Each should outline both the argument and the key pieces of evidence.  No matter which side you agree with, do both sides justice, and represent them as fairly and thoroughly as possible. 

These documents will be extremely useful in the in class writing assignment in which you issue a verdict for or against Wes, making a case for your decision.  Your goal is to convince me that your verdict is the right one because it is reasonable given the facts of the case, inspires in me an appropriate emotional response to Wes's character, and demonstrates a firm command of the novel's evidence. You may use the 12-sentence format, or deviate from it as your argument requires, but your final product must have three pieces of evidence.

You will turn in both your summaries and your verdicts at the end of the period.