Over the course of the Thanksgiving break I would like you to read the essays written by other students and write comments to help them improve their writing. The comments that appear in these blogs will be in English; first cut and paste the phrase that you are referring to and then suggest a better way. Explain why you think the change is necessary.
As in any classroom situation, be sure to be polite and considerate. Do not make the mistake of believing that there are lesser standards of conduct for our interactions on the internet: You will be held responsible for your actions. Also sign your name so that I can give you participation credit. I expect you to write solid comments on at least 5 different blogs. 5 solid comments is the minimum for a C.
For this first round of reactions we will NOT comment on the content, but just on the grammar and syntax to help make the writing more readable. Some common errors to look for:
(1) search for unconjugated verbs-- should they be unconjugated?
(2) make sure verb is conjugated for the right subject (that is, no "tú tengo" )
(3) agreement of adjectives with nouns
(4) ser/estar issues
(5) ACCENTS!!
(6) GENDER!!!
(7) confusingly worded sentences (suggest an alternative)
You will write three informal paragraphs in response to Horacio Quiroga's A la deriva. I prefer that you explore the themes of the story and relate them to our own world. Make it personal; feel free to include personal anecdotes (as long as they are relevant). If you have another idea, such as relating Quiroga's worldview to something you are reading in English class or a topic that you have studied in History, go for it! Three paragraphs in response to Quiroga's A la deriva... that is the assignment.
You will be able to revise later, and you will benefit from the comments of classmates. For now, concentrate on getting your ideas out. Spend some time brainstorming and developing your ideas before actually sitting down to write your first draft. After having thought about your subject, you should be able to write a first draft in less than 40 minutes.
¡Buena suerte!
Here is a list of code that will help you organize your writing:
type <br> to skip a line.
type <br><br> between paragraphs so that there is a wide space
type <b> your text here </b> to make that text bold
Any color you want for backgrounds, text, whatever. Go to
http://jemimap.ficml.org/style/color/wheel.html and once you find the exact color you want write down the 6 digit number/letter (hex code) of that color. Replace the color code in the css document, or for text include this html code before and after the text:
<font color="#your hex code here"> YOUR COLORED TEXT HERE </font>
PLEASE DO NOT USE ITALICS!!! (Italics are used only in the end to record the date and will automatically show up in red, small text).
