...Assessment Title: | The American Experience: SAT Style Argument Essay | Task: | Suggested Engagement Scenario: In order to be well-prepared for the SAT that you will take this year, it is important to practice the essay component of the exam. That is what you will do today.Part 1: Compose a 25- minute timed SAT style argument essay. Use the rubric to guide your response to this prompt: Is the American Dream possible for all people? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your position on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.Part 2: Review anchor papers with rubric, then determine your own score. (This does not replace teacher evaluation)Part 3: (optional follow-up) Compose a diary entry focused on the American Dream from the perspective of a Colonial Era immigrant. (W.# Narrative Task) | Standards: | RI.11.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information in order to address a question or solve a problem.W.11.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.L.11.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. | Materials: | Teacher Materials: * Teacher directions * Rubric | Student Materials: * SAT Style Essay prompt sheet ...
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...When people who write about history discuss that of the United States, they often consider how eminent this country is and the great deeds other people of that country have done. Historians who write about the history of America often write about how it has had a share of great heroes from Christopher Columbus, Woodrow Wilson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, etc.. Nevertheless, historians often seem to not remember to mention the real heroes of America like, for example, John Brown and the Native Americans. Much of the history that historians write about don't always show precision. Since many historians only write about one side of history, it only makes it worse by not revealing the factuality of history and creates an erroneous image of what really took place. Many of our nation's great leaders have been distinguished as individuals who have the best interest of the country and every action they take on behalf of the country befittingly. For instance, in the book, Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen, he writes, "Under [president] Wilson, the United States intervened in Latin America more often than at any other time in our history." (Loewen, 16). What reason did the United States have to start an intervention in countries that are diminuitive in size and population and are poverty-stricken? The only thing that the United States gained from the intervention of the poor Latin American countries was merely for their own well-being. They imposed...
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...In Sherman Alexie’s essay, “Superman and Me”, Alexie explains how his life is as an American Indian. He explains all of the consequences of being an American Indian and how most people considered them to be lower class and not as smart as others. During this time, American Indians were not taught how to read and write or really learn anything at all considering that they were identified as being “dumber” than the other kids by society. Sherman Alexie did not agree with being treated like this, he wanted to be smart, and he also wanted to learn. He taught himself how to read and write and when he got older he taught other kids how to read and write as well. In the essay titled “Superman and Me” it states, “I throw my weight against their locked...
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...------------------------------------------------- <img alt="Write an Essay Step 1.jpg" src="/images/thumb/a/a6/Write-an-Essay-Step-1.jpg/670px-Write-an-Essay-Step-1.jpg" width="670" height="503" id="55116424b262b"> ------------------------------------------------- 1 ------------------------------------------------- Research the topic. Go online, head to the library, or search an academic database. You may ask a reference librarian for help. * Know which sources are acceptable to your teacher. * Does your teacher want a certain number of primary sources and secondary sources? * Can you use Wikipedia? Wikipedia is often a good starting point for learning about a topic, but many teachers won't let you cite it because they want you to find more authoritative sources. * Take detailed notes, keeping track of which facts come from which sources. Write down your sources in the correct citation format so that you don't have to go back and look them up again later. * Never ignore facts and claims that seem to disprove your original idea or claim. A good essay writer either includes the contrary evidence and shows why such evidence is not valid or alters his or her point of view in light of the evidence. ------------------------------------------------- Ad 1. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- <img alt="Write an Essay Step 2.jpg" src="/images/thumb/c/cb/Write-an-Essay-Step-2.jpg/670px-Write-an-Essay-Step-2.jpg" width="670"...
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...Savard English 101 1 April 2015 The American Dream In 1931, James Truslow Adams published a book titled "The Epic of America". He states that the American dream is a "dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." Throughout the years since publication, the American dream was something many families were able to achieve, that is until, perhaps, starting around 2008 when the "Great Recession" hit. Many Americans lost their jobs due to the country's fourth-largest investment bank going bankrupt. There was a job shortage, many Americans were laid-off, income was falling, and poverty was rising. Seven years have passed and slowly America has been recovering, but has it recovered enough for the American dream to be alive? For the average American the dream is perhaps a owning a house, car, children, a stay at home parent, medical insurance, vacations, and savings for retirement along with savings for college tuition. In today's society, the American dream is unobtainable because a stay at home parent is rare, bills are a struggle to pay for, vacations are rarely taken, most are not able to save for retirement because of debt, and many college students have to work while in school to pay off their college tuition. The American dream is in fact alive, but out of reach for the average American. In the article "7 facts that show the American Dream is Dead", Eskow states, "There was...
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...English 1020 Prof. T. M. November 24, 2009 Still I rise: Against all Odds Maya Angelou is an accomplished African-American author, poet, historian, and civil rights activist in the United States. Growing up in the South, she continues to face greater challenges for both being black and a woman. Most of her literary works, if not all, provide not only messages of oppression, and moments of unhappiness, but have a rich context of triumphs, resilience and hope. Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise” can be viewed from both cultural and historical perspectives. As a source of inspiration, the poem shows African Americans and women that the human spirit can transcend difficulties. In her poem, “Still I Rise,” Maya Angelou includes sturdy themes of racial oppression, personal value, cultural pride, and fervent optimism To observation of racial oppression as a theme in Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise,” can be view from a historical perspective base on diction used through out the poem. DiYanni states, “The older form of historical criticism, still in use today, insists that a literary work be read with a sense of the time and place of its creation….Understanding the social conditions and the intellectual currents of that time and the world illuminate literary works for later generations of readers” (2166). It is not a secret that racial oppression against African Americans originates from slavery. The residue of racial oppression is not just about physical bondage, but also mental and social...
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...“I have decided, or rather I decided several months before it started, or may be several years say, not to write propaganda in this war at all. I am willing to go to it and will send my kids to it and will give what money I have to it but I want to write just what I believe all the way through it and after it. It was the writers in the last war who wrote propaganda that finished themselves off that way. There is plenty of stuff that you believe absolutely that you can write which is useful enough without having to write propaganda….If we are fighting for what we believe in we might as well always keep on believing in what we have believed, and for me this is to write nothing that I do not think is the absolute truth.” -To Maxwell Perkins, Finca Vigia, Cuba, May 30, 1942 It would be nice to designate the Second World War with a factual title, such as The Good War, or The Best War Ever, but in retrospect neither of these titles would be an honest opinion to the military or the civilian victims of the war. Historians and journalists alike, being that one cannot be the other and therefore should never be confused but for the instance of the following should be entitled to the same mistakes, insinuate that the portrayal of the Second World War was an accurate one without the tremendous censorship and propaganda that transpired out of the First World War. Undoubtedly, to believe such an apparent statement of propaganda would be to dismiss the actions and the transformation of...
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...The article “American Scholar” by Emerson calls upon the youth of America to create their own literature, and become individuals in society rather than to simply believe in the things they are expected to think and believe in. Emerson calls on the fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa to become individual thinkers and scholars, Emerson tells them to keep expanding their minds and ideas. The article is used to inspire and address young Americans to create their own ideas, and without the influence of previous works, and British literature, in the hope to revitalize American literature and poetry. Through the use of metaphors, similes, repetition, imagery, as well as metonyms Emerson reinforces his idea that one should be a scholar by nature, rather than by literature. Emersons use of metaphors convey his idea that one should be an individual thinker rather than rely just on the works of others to create his ideas and beliefs. “…when the victim of society, he tends to become a mere thinker, or, still worse the parrot of other mens thinking” (Emerson 470). the use of this quote portrays Emersons idea that men have come to completely relying on the works of others, and that Man is no longer and individual thinker. He encourages these young men of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity to become individual thinking men, and to base their ideas on nature and the society they live in, since one cannot base present society on a later society. Emersons idea on what a scholar should be is that one should...
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...At any given time, thousands of minors under 18 are placed in the American prison and judicial system. Many of them are like Steve Harmon, the protagonist of Walter Dean Myers’ novel Monster. Monster is a complex look at the American prison and judicial system. The novel follows Steve Harmon, a 16 year old on trial for felony murder. In jail, Steve stays quiet and writes in his journal, trying to avoid confrontation. In court, he and his attorney work to gain the jury’s favor in order to have Steve found innocent, which he is, at the conclusion of the novel. Based on statistics, though it should be noted that Steve’s not guilty plea is unlikely, Monster accurately portrays a real life experience in the American prison and judicial system by including violence in jail, the possibility of severe punishment, and a racial makeup similar to that of an American prison. While in jail, Steve is surrounded by violence, true to the experience of innumerable others in a similar situation. One instance where Steve experiences this is on the second page of Monster when he writes “This morning at breakfast a guy got hit in the face with a tray. Somebody said some little thing and somebody else got mad. There was blood all over...
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...others to chip in for pizza, but she has her skills from English class to help her in her mission! Our story begins… Mary: (writes on whiteboard) “Thesis: We should order a couple of pizzas for dinner tonight.” Mary: (looks over at the people watching TV) Guys? What do you think? Chris: Maybe. What do the rest of you… hmm, maybe we’d better wait for a commercial. Well, I’m paying attention. Why pizza? Mary: Uh… hmm. Chris: Also, since when do you have a whiteboard in your living room? Mary: (writes) “Pizza was a regular dinner in my family, growing up. My brother and I were always happy when our parents said, ‘Pizza night!’ Both our parents worked, which meant that there was often no one with much time to cook. They enjoyed the break from cooking, and we all enjoyed the pizza (and the break from washing dishes). We’d only have it once every couple of weeks, though, so we never got tired of it. Basically, pizza is great.” Chris: o_O What was that? Mary: I was showing that pizza is delicious! …And time-saving and stuff! Chris: …Where did you talk about pizza being delicious? I just saw a story. Mary: In the middle! I said we all enjoyed the pizza. Chris: Um. I barely even noticed that part. And what’s all the other stuff doing there? Mary: Okay, fine. You want me to focus on enjoying the pizza? Chris: Well, yeah. I mean, you’re trying to convince us to order pizza tonight, right? Does it matter if your family used to have pizza...
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...The African American Literature unit shares the stories of many peoples lives through novels, poetry, essays, articles, and films. Many of these people were put in a rough situation because of of how they started out in life. many of them come from poverty which can restrict the opportunities they have in life. Economics play a key role in the African American literature as it effects the lives of many people. This was found in pieces of literature such as the article "How Poverty and Racism Persist in Mississippi", the novel The Water is Wide, and the poem "Note on Commercial Theater". First, the article "How Poverty and Racism Persists in Mississippi" shares the story of the author and his life as a child growing up in poverty. He tells about the struggles he went through such as only eating beans for days on end and constantly being hungry. As a child that just seemed ordinary to him as he didn't know anything else. As he is now grown up and a writer for The Atlantic, he knows different and is able to recognize the position of what he was in. Not only did he live that life, but many others did as well. Thirty two percent of African Americans in Mississippi live in poverty which is much higher than the national average....
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...part in literary break found in the traditional 19th century? Yes her poetry came forth with boldness during this time. Her writings were so unique it made her readers capture and believe what she was writing about. Within her poems, she demonstrated mixed feelings in her writings, although she uses imagination to communicate with particular ideals in some poems. During the early 1900’s many poets decided to get away from the normal way of writing American Poetry. By doing this many poets began to write in different styles other than the traditional American way to write poetry. Three criteria’s we can elaborate on in regards to great poetry would be first, the work is relevant to normal life situations. Second, the poetry work is worth reading and is comforting to read. Third, the poets all had great ideas to write on. Walt Whitman had his part in the literary break which causes American Literature to gain new styles of writing poetry. He was a journalist who wrote to fulfill the needs of his audience. He often time would write poetry that would run on and on. Whitman and Dickinson new ways of writing poetry has brought about a great change in our modern literature classes. This new style of writing qualified them both to be listed as great poets during their time. Darlene 2 “Dickinson’s poetry is also considered to be a radical departure from tradition...
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...Ida B. Wells was a journalist and activist that led an anti-lynching battle in the 1890s. She was born a slave in 1862 to James and Lizzie Wells in Holly Springs, Mississippi. At six months old she was decreed free by the Union. Ida’s parents were involved in the Republican Party during Reconstruction. At the age of 16 her parents and one of her younger siblings died in the Yellow Fever outbreak. By the year 1882 she and her siblings that survived moved to Memphis, Tennessee with an aunt. Her brothers found work as carpenters while she continued to further her education at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. During the month of May in the year 1884, Wells reached her turning point. Wells bought a first class train ticket and was told to move to the car for African Americans, Wells refused on principle. She bit one of...
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...special cultural qualities of poor students and students of color. It’s true that the United States of America is made up of many ethnic and racial groups, and many of them have special ways of thinking and expressing themselves. But the key to success in this country is learning standard literacy, which is common to everybody. You really can’t succeed in America if you don’t first master this common language that we all share. The simple question raised in the famous Newsweek cover article in 1975, “Why Johnny Can’t Write,” was: Are American children learning to write, and if not, where is the problem? This is a simple question, and it cannot be avoided, as Roach does, by accusing the author of that article, Merrill Sheils, of trying to alarm people about something that she doesn’t really prove, using the few examples of bad writing she has in the article. The fact is that American school children don’t write very well, and Roach knows that. Thousands of studies and journal articles since 1975 have confirmed this sad fact. Roach cannot avoid this reality by agreeing with Humpty Dumpty that “words can mean whatever Humpty wants them to mean.” Nor does she make her case by quoting a letter to Newsweek replying to Sheils’ article as follows: “If u cn rd this, why should I learn 2 right like u do?” This kind of cute mis-spelling proves nothing. People write like that today in emails and Twitter, but it is not because they are illiterate. I am absolutely certain that the person...
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...Born a slave in 1862, Ida B. Wells-Barnett was the oldest daughter of James and Lizzie Wells. The Wells family, as well as the rest of the nation's slaves, were freed about six months after Ida's birth, thanks to the Emancipation Proclamation. However, living in Mississippi as African Americans, they faced racial prejudices and were restricted by discriminatory rules and practices. Wells-Barnett's father served on the first board of trustees for Rust College and made education a priority for his seven children. It was there that Wells-Barnett received her early schooling, but she had to drop out at the age of 16, when tragedy struck her family. Both of her parents and one of her siblings died in a yellow fever outbreak, leaving Wells-Barnett to care for her other siblings. Ever resourceful, she convinced a nearby country school administrator that she was 18, and landed a job as a teacher. On one fateful train ride from Memphis to Nashville, in May 1884, Wells-Barnett reached a personal turning point. Having bought a first-class train ticket to Nashville, she was outraged when the train crew ordered her to move to the car for African Americans, and refused on principle. She was then forcibly removed from the train. Wells-Barnett sued the railroad, winning a $500 settlement in a circuit court case. But that decision was later overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court. This injustice led Wells-Barnett to pick up a pen to write about issues of race and politics in the South...
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