Summary of Today's Discussion

Today we looked at two recent rants from Rick Mercer and discussed the techniques we saw with presentation style and camera work. We also watched our own rants and discussed what we like and what we could work on.

Here are the things we noticed in Rick's Rants

• consistent eye contact
• good expression in voice with dramatic pauses and emotion
• uses hand gestures to emphasize points
• the rant is memorized
• He walks around as he talks
• set in an interesting background
• He emphasizes main points and arguments when he stops walking suddenly 
• He ends with a strong sentence that is thought-provoking or a call for action
• the camera follows Rick from a constant distance of about a meter
• we see his upper body from a fairly consistent level of zoom
• both Rick and the camera walk at the same pace and with confidence
• the camera is generally at an angle
• the camera sharply goes to a 45' angle at the start of a point or to emphasize and then slowly rights itself
• A sharp camera angle often corresponds with Rick stopping walking to emphasize a point. 

Some of the things we liked in student rants

• we had confident speakers
• our speakers knew their information
• our speakers stayed focused during distractions
• people often made good eye contact
• we appreciated speakers who seemed to care about their topic
• we like when rants end with a strong sentence or call to action
• we like when the speaker's voice was loud and clear
• we prefer when the speaker is the centre of focus (there is no background silliness)
• The camera used interesting angles
• there were interesting settings

Some things we wanted to work on 

• memorizing more of our speeches
• maintaining more eye contact
• keeping focus
• pausing between points 
• emphasizing important sentences
• using more expression
• making sure the development of our argument is clear to all viewers

Rant Research: Rubrics for Note-Taking and Historical Roots

Note-taking sheet

	Excellent	Very Good	Satisfactory	Min. Acceptable
Socials: Select and summarize information from a variety of sources	4+ strong sources (more than Wikipedia or ask.com etc.) and consistent use of legend in note-taking sheet	3 strong sources (more than Wikipedia or ask.com etc.) and consistent use of legend in note-taking sheet	2 strong sources (more than Wikipedia or ask.com etc.) and some use of legend in note-taking sheet	Has sources but there are insufficient strong sources (more than Wikipedia or ask.com etc.)
Socials: Consider a variety of perspectives on a controversial issue	Clearly shows a strong understanding and excellent research of both sides of the argument with 4+ good sources	Shows good understanding and research of both sides of the argument with 3 sources	Shows some understanding and research of both sides of the argument with at least 1 good source that supports each side	Shows limited understanding and research of both sides of the argument

Historical Roots: Ex. What did laws, social structures, and viewpoints in the past do to contribute to this becoming an issue?

For this part, you should have been thinking about this as you have been doing your research. You have three suggested ways of presenting this information. If you have another idea, please speak with Beth.

1.       Write a couple formal paragraphs.

a.       In roughly 2 formal paragraphs, explain what the historic roots are for your present day issue.  Please use a legend and include your sources at the bottom. This should be posted to the blog.

2.       Oral presentation:

a.       In a presentation of at least 1 min 30 seconds, explain what the roots are for your issue. Make sure you state your sources.

3.       In your essay:

a.       if you think that this will be adequately covered in your essay, you are free to have it assessed with the essay. Make sure you give sources and fully explain it. This may be the most difficult option because you still need to work within the persuasive essay format.

	Excellent	Very Good	Satisfactory	Min. Acceptable
Socials: Analyze roots of present-day regional, cultural, and social issues within Canada	Shows a strong understanding of the historical roots of the issue with excellent analysis and understanding of key concepts and conditions. Excellent sources.	Shows very good understanding of the historical roots of the issue with lots of analysis and understanding of key concepts and conditions. Strong sources.	Shows some understanding of the historical roots of the issue with some critical thinking and analysis. Good sources.	Shows limited understanding of the historical roots of the issue with minimally acceptable critical thinking and analysis.

Novel Response and Goal Setting

1. Write a paragraph explaining your reaction to the book you have been reading. You should discuss weather or not the teenager character is believable based on your own experiences and knowledge of teenagers. This will be marked using the learning goal "Explains and supports personal responses to reading by making connections to prior knowledge and experiences" and with the updated "Basics" rubric. You must write in proper paragraph format (intro sentence, proof and explanation, closing sentence). Include the title and author of the book.

2. Goal setting: go into your Goal setting doc and update it based on your last oral presentation. Write your name on the board when you are done.

3. Work on your essay for your rant. You should have your intro done and be well onto you second paragraph.

Research Format

As a class we will develop an outline for how to research the topic of your rant. It will be posted here.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15LMcYrQAJqyalwXV8S51IJrSNEKBXy0j4ZGn8XVTIOw/edit?usp=sharing

Rant Topics

Rant Topics

In your rant, you will need to pick a topic that allows you to:

• defend a position on a controversial issue after considering a variety of perspectives
• analyse roots of present-day regional, cultural, and social issues within Canada

We will develop the requirements for the rant over then next couple of weeks. At this stage, you should be doing some basic research on areas of interest to you.

• You will be picking a modern regional cultural or social issues within Canada (may also be worldwide). 
• You will need to find information from both sides of the issue and some background about the deeper historic roots of the issue. For example, if you want to do women in the media, you will also go back to look at the history of women's rights. 
• You should be looking to see if there is good information about the topic online (more than Wikipedia or ask.com). 
• When you find a good source, paste its URL in a doc in your NLC folder. 

Over the next couple of days you will be asked to pick a topic that you think you can research and argue well based on your preliminary searches. 

Feedback and Thinking About Rants

Reminder of our questions for this project:

How can we build a media campaign to express our voices to a public audience?

•  What is the difference between speaking for yourself and having others speak for you?
• How are different viewpoints presented in the media?
•  How does the media influence concepts of self and others?
• What are the elements of different forms of media?

Class Outline

1. Silent Reading

• If you did your 1 min wonder last week, please go back and fill in your goal setting journal. I will give you your mark on the rubric.

2. "Basics" rubric: Some edits I see.

3. Hand back feedback from blog posts. Please go through and edit your posts. If you think you mark should be adjusted, please come speak with me and bring your rubric.

4. Read over the blog posts of all other students. Please comment on at least 3 giving two things you like. You may not be able to post comments on all blogs.

5. Pick your rant topic!

In your rant, you will need to pick a topic that allows you to:

• defend a position on a controversial issue after considering a variety of perspectives
• analyse roots of present-day regional, cultural, and social issues within Canada

We will develop the requirements for the rant over then next couple of weeks. At this stage, you should be doing some basic research on areas of interest to you.

• You will be picking a modern regional cultural or social issues within Canada (may also be worldwide). 
• You will need to find information from both sides of the issue and some background about the deeper historic roots of the issue. For example, if you want to do women in the media, you will also go back to look at the history of women's rights. 
• You should be looking to see if there is good information about the topic online (more than Wikipedia or ask.com). 
• When you find a good source, paste its URL in a doc in your NLC folder. 

Over the next couple of days you will be asked to pick a topic that you think you can research and argue well based on your preliminary searches. 

Miss Representation

You will look at devices in the film "Miss Representation" to help you learn about how to apply persuasive devices to your own work. You will watch the film "Miss Representation" paying attention to the device your group is focusing on.

After-Viewing

Blog Post

After viewing, you will create a blog post explaining what the device you studied is and how it is represented in the film. This will be used to teach devices to other students.

Steps

1. Discuss with your partner the different examples of the device seen in the film.
2. Come up with a few good examples of how the device is seen in the film.
3. Share your examples with another group for feedback.
4. Develop a written work "basics" checklist and rubric.
5. Write a blog post. It should include:

• the definition of the device
• the title of the film
• the argument (thesis) of the film summarized in a sentence
• examples of how the devices is seen in the film
• an explanation as to how this device is used to help develop or argue the filmmaker's perspective

6. Send Beth the link to your post (from 'View Post'). These will be collected and posted in one section.

Blog Post: Devices

		Excellent		Very Good	Satisfactory	Min.  Acceptable
Socials: select and summarize information from sources		Fully and thoroughly identifies all necessary information from the source		Identifies all necessary information from the source	Identifies most information from the source, some may be misunderstood or omitted	Identifies some of the information from the source
Reading and Viewing: recognize and explain how persuasive devices shape viewers’ construction of meaning to support filmmaker’s argument		Identifies an example of the device and fully explores how the filmmaker uses it to advance his/her argument		Identifies an example of the device and connects its use to the filmmaker’s argument	Identifies an example of the device.	Identifies an example of the devices. May not be fully correct or misinterpreted.
Oral: use strategies to understand, recall, and analyse texts to identify main points		Accurately identifies the filmmaker’s argument in concise terms		Accurately identifies the filmmaker’s argument	Somewhat identifies the filmmaker’s argument	Identifies the main points in the film without phrasing it as an argument. May be incorrect or misinterpreted.

Blog Post 2: Respond to Ideas

1. Create a formal paragraph (topic sentence, support, closing sentence) describing your reaction to the film. Include a image or link to another site.
2. Extension: Support your idea and learn more by visiting some of these sites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24522060
http://www.cbc.ca/player/AudioMobile/As%2BIt%2BHappens/ID/2412250245/ (7:30 mark)

Blog Post: Response

	Excellent	Very Good	Satisfactory	Min. Acceptable
Writing: explains and supports personal responses to texts by  making connections with prior knowledge and experiences
Oral: identifies and analyzes purpose and messages in the film

Class Terms from Rants

Allusion (Pandas, Scientists, Relapse, Teen)

a reference to another literary work, or a person, place, event, or object from history, literature, or mythology, esp. as an artistic device.

Anecdote (Scientists, Relapse, teen, snow)

A short but real story

Appeal to authority (Pandas)

Appeal to authority where it is argued that a statement is correct because the statement is made by an authority figure

Hyperbole (Pandas, Snow)

an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally

Irony (Pandas, Scientists, Relapse)

Expressing one’s self, by means of language that normally means the opposite.

Repetition (Teen)

the act of repeating

Rhetorical questioning (Relapse, Snow)

a question asked to produce an effect  and not to  get an answer.

Sarcasm (Pandas, Scientists)

The use of irony to mock or convey contempt

Simile (Scientists, Teen)

comparison using like or as

Slang (Snow)

Very informal usage in vocabulary.

Tone (Pandas, Relapse, Teen, Snow)

The way the speaker's voice sounds or the author's attitude towards subject.

Sentence Types

Declarative Sentences (Pandas)

a sentence that makes a declaration

Exclamatory Sentences (Relapse, Teen, Snow)

Any sentence expressing sudden emotion

Imperative Sentences (Scientists, Teen, Snow)

A type of sentence that tells people something that is absolutely necessary or required.

Interrogative Sentences (Scientists, Relapse, Teen, Snow)

A type of sentence that asks a question.

Sentence Fragment (Pandas, Scientists, Relapse)

A section, or piece of a sentence that can be used as an example or to drive a point.

Rant Lesson 2 Wednesday

Since we have been busy with many unexpected items, I am combining earlier classes into this one so we have a outline of today's class.

Class Outline

1. Silent Reading
2. Presentations by Gabe C, Kiera, and Landon.
3. Journal 

• Use the same journal you used for the last activity (what others said about you).

• Make sure your journal is in your NLC folder. Beth will comment on it. If you do not have comments please ensure Beth can see it.

• Write at least 5-10 full sentences answering:

• What was difficult or challenging about the Express Yourself activity?

• What were you impressed by or surprised about in someone else's work?

• Do you think you really expressed yourself to your best ability here? Why or why not?

4. Twitter activity

You will use Twitter to tweet out reflections from the class or share something you think others would find interesting, using the NLC twitter account as your platform.

• Hashtags

• Pictures

• Links

When you take your turn posting to twitter, write your name on the calendar.
What are some examples of things we can reflect on via twitter?

5. Rants continued

• Get in your groups again. This time, use dictionaries, textbooks, online, to come up with definitions for each of your devices  you hypothesised about yesterday. In your shared doc (share with Beth) write down the definitions for each.

• Go back to the rant and find an example of each of the devices. 

• Find another group that has one of the same devices as you. Compare definitions and examples. Come up with a shared definition and list both definitions on a shared doc. Move around the room and do this for all devices.

• You were sent a shared doc with further instructions on devices.

Rant: Devices and Techniques

Class Outline

1. Silent Reading
2. In groups of 2 or 3, watch a few examples of Rick Mercer's Rants from Youtube.
3. As you watch and after each film, brainstorm with your group all the things he says and does to argue his point and convince his viewers. 
4. With your group, you will be given a rant and a list of devices. Watch the rant and come up with a hypothesis as to what the definition of each device might be, and what one example of that device is in the rant.

Videos

Pandas

• Appeal to authority
• Allusion
• Declarative Sentences
• Hyperbole
• Irony
• Sarcasm
• Sentence Fragment
• Tone

Scientists Muzzled Again

• Allusion
• Anecdote
• Imperative Sentences
• Interrogative Sentences
• Irony
• Sarcasm
• Sentence Fragment
•  Simile

Relapse/Question Period

• Allusion
• Anecdote
• Exclamatory Sentences
• Interrogative Sentences
• Irony
•  Rhetorical questioning
• Sentence Fragment
• Tone

Teen Suicide

• Allusion
• Anecdote
•  Exclamatory Sentences
• Imperative Sentences
• Interrogative Sentences
• Repetition
• Simile
• Tone

Snow Day

• Anecdote
• Exclamatory Sentences
• Hyperbole
• Imperative Sentences
• Interrogative Sentences
• Rhetorical questioning
• Slang
• Tone

        

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