Task 1: What’s New?  Current Events Review

1. Each member of your group must choose a different topic from the list below.  

   1. Current events (local, national, or international news)

   2. Politics and government (local, national, or international)

   3. Entertainment, pop culture, or sports

   4. Science and technology

2. Each student must find a current news article about the topic (published within the last 15 days) from Allsides.com, Associated Press, National Public Radio (NPR), or Reuters.

   1. When you find the article, access the Padlet for your class period.

   2. Write your FULL NAME in the title and paste a link to the news article.

   3. Provide a brief summary of the news article (4-5 sentences).

   4. Provide a personal reflection (4-5 sentences)  

      1. Why is this event important? 

      2. How does this impact your life, nation, and/or world? 

   Task 2:  Respond to ONE of your classmates.  

   1. Choose ONE of the articles to read.  Choose an article about a topic that you don't know much about.  The purpose of this task is to learn something 😊.

   2. Respond to your classmate by explaining how this topic impacts your life, nation, and/or world.  

   3. You MAY NOT repeat what your classmate wrote, but you may make a connection to your peer's reflection.  

Elements of Style Analysis

1. Diction, Language, and Imagery

• What do you notice about Hurston’s diction and the types of figurative language that she uses? Include specific examples.

• Describe the writer's use of imagery and descriptive details.

• How do these help convey Hurston’s message about her racial identity?

2. Tone

• Provide examples of the author's words and details that convey a specific tone.

• If applicable, note the tonal shifts made by the author’s word choice.

• How would you describe the author’s tone?

• What effect does this tone have on the audience?

3. Sentence Structure and Syntax

• Describe how the writer arranges her words, sentences, and phrases in the text.

• Explain how the author uses punctuation.

• How do the sentence structure and syntax convey the author’s purpose/message about her identity?

Please type your FULL NAME as the Subject. 

Task One:  Find a recent political cartoon (published within the last seven days) and upload the image to the Padlet. 

•  If you are unable to upload the image, post a link. 

• The subject of the cartoon is your choice.    

• Try to find a cartoon that was not posted by a classmate. 

Task Two: Write a one-paragraph analysis of the cartoon. 

• In your topic sentence, state the CLAIM (include a THAT clause).  

• Explain HOW the details support the claim.

Task Three: Respond to at least one of your classmates' posts. 

• You may respectfully disagree with your classmate or address details that your classmate did not include in his or her response.  

• Feel free to discuss your observations about the cartoon itself.

  • For example, do you agree with the cartoonist's (author's) argument? Explain.

  • You may comment on the cartoonist's argument, bias, and/or and political leanings. 

• Explain the artist's tone. Please see the AP Language and Style guide.

• Do not write anything lame like "good job" or "I like your post."  Your response must demonstrate both thought and effort.