Homework for week of March 3

I am not going to check independent reading, but certainly keep track of any books you finish. We'll return to them at the end of the month.

This week is focused on getting a complete draft of your biography paper. In order to receive full credit each day, your draft must contain direct citation and have an arc, although you may choose to write in sections. In other words, no writing the big ideas and saying, "I'll fill in the quotes later."


Also, make sure you have your BIG idea question as your guide written at the beginning of the paper. I think you will find the mentor texts, both from The New Yorker and the student exemplars, as helpful guides. Return to them and see what the "literary moves" were and what allowed the writer to convey a complex idea about the character. We'll spend time in class writing, but you should expect to block out a significant amount of time at home as well over the next week and a half.

Sources: Remember to meet the standards, you must have a minimum of four sources: three people and one reliable secondary source. These must be cited in the text AND the transcriptions must be included in the final product. Students who exceed this standard will have more than four reliable sources.

Here is the rubric for the final product. Keep the indicators in mind as you draft: Biography rubric

Here are the specifics for benchmarks this week. I have included minimums, but I would encourage you to write when you have time, so you don't leave everything to the end.
ALSO, many of you have not completed the additional 30 minutes of interviews. You may want to take some time to fill in gaps and complete this work.

Monday: Draft biography. 1,000 words due Tuesday.
Tuesday: Draft biography. 1,800 words due block day.
Block day: Draft biography: 2,300 words due Friday.
Friday: Draft biography. 3,000 words due Monday
Block day of week of 3/10: full draft due (4,800 to 7,500 words)

Eventually, you will need transitions in your draft. Here are some suggestions for examples and when you might use them:
http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/qwrtcntr/resources/handouts/transitions.htm