Edge Essay Assignment and this weeks good reads

Cool post on space exploration and viability of life on other planets.

Edge Essay Assignment

Link to Urtak

Neil Gaiman's 8 Rules to Writing

Grains of Sand or Stars in the Universe?

For thise interested in mind amplification- Howard Rheingold's new book.

The Trouble with Intentions- Verlyn Klinkenborg

 Experienced writers know that every good sentence is retrieved by will from the forces of chaos

How about this opening paragraph from Robin Finn of the New York Times:

THERE are 383 aspirational keys in circulation in the Big City, each of them numbered and coded, all of them equipped to unlock any of four wrought-iron gates offering privileged access to undisturbed siestas or tranquil ambulation inside the tree-lined boundaries of Gramercy Park. At age 181, the only truly private park in Manhattan is lovelier and more ornamental than ever; yes, the colorful Calder sculpture swaying blithely in the breeze inside the fence is “Janey Waney,” on indefinite loan from the Calder Foundation.

 And...AP Writing Contest-2012-2013 Grammies
I may not give extra-credit but I do grant the wish of extra time.  Late Pass!  On way to grab it is through our weekly participation/ grammar exercise.  You will watch one vignette and write a brief description (1 to 4 sentences) that captures the tone.  The catch is that you must blend in at least one form of selected sentence structure while reflected pitch perfect connotation of the tone of the film.  How do you win?  You vote of course...After I tally all all the entries, I post them so you can review them and vote for the best one.  Let's be clear...you write, vote and gobble up class participation credit while honing your syntax.
This week's syntax move: participial phrase:

1. Pursing his lips, he struggled not to call out his professor's obvious error.
2. A lazy student, always looking for a corner to cut with his assignments, ironically, may do more work to get out of doing work. 

Remember to flex with strong verbs!

Find your class and get started.  Week 1- Anthony Mackie- Due Friday P.M.
Period 1       Period 5/6      Period 7/8