Guneet Kaur

Welcome ESOL-Reading Connections WeBLOGgers!!!

Welcome Students:

From now to the end of the school year, Ms. Kaur's ESOL Reading Connections classes will be taking part in a writing program which will help them develop their writing and grammar skills as well as explore their interests by sharing their writings with a real audience. Students, you will be using this very 'BLOG' to post your writings to the internet.

A 'BLOG' is a special type of web page that can be created and easily updated using a web browser. Each new entry has its own date and each entry has a comments section where visitors can post responses for the author. These days many people around the world use blogs to share words and pictures.

The blog assignments will be part of your grade. You are expected to treat blogspaces as classroom spaces. Language that is inappropriate for class is not appropriate for our blog.

So, let's resolve to make learning a fun-filled experience!!!

Blog Assignment 7: Martin Luther King, Jr.

The third Monday in January is a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. Write three facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Write one opinion about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Blog Assignment 6: Literature Review

A Literature Review presents the reviewer's opinion of a story.

• Many literature reviews begin by expressing the reviewer's opinion.
• Review should present reasons that support the writer's opinion.
• Linking words/transition words connect the details so that the reader can understand the message more clearly.
• The last sentence sums up the writer's opinion.

Prompt: Explain your opinion of "The Fall of the House of Usher"  by Edgar Allen Poe. Did you think it was an excellent, average, or weak story?

Blog Assignment 5: Cause & Effect Paragraph

A cause is a reason something happened. It answers the question Why did this happen?

An effect is the result. It answers the question What happened?

Words like because of, why, caused, since, and as a result often signal a cause-and-effect relationship.

Prompt: People everywhere seem to have cell phones. Discuss the effects of the popularity of the cell phones. In what ways have they made life easier? How have they made life more difficult?

• Begin the paragraph with a topic sentence.
• State the causes and effects in logical order
• Include as many causes and effects as necessary.
• End the paragraph with a concluding sentence

Blog Assignment 4: Compare-and-Contrast Paragraph

Compare and Contrast means to find how things that are alike and different.

• When you compare, you tell how two or more things are alike or similar.
• When you contrast, you tell how two or more things are different.

• Signal words indicate when comparisions and contrasts are being made: same, different, also, but however,etc.

Writing Prompt: 'FRIENDS TILL THE END' - Think about two friends. How are they different from one another? How are they alike? Compare and Contrast two friends.

Blog Assignment 3: Narrative Paragraph

Narrative Writing tells a story about a true or made-up event.

• A narrative paragraph often tells about an event.
• Narrative writing contains details that support, or tell more about, the event.
• The details should be written in sequence, or time order.
• Linking words, or transition words, connect the details so that the paragraph reads smoothly.
• A good narrative ends with sentence(s) that summarize how the writer feels about the event thus making the writing more personal.

Writing Prompt: Tell about a time when you experienced severe weather.

Blog Assignment 2: Expository Paragraph

Expository writing gives information about a topic and explains it.

1. A good expository paragraph begins by stating the topic - it tells what the paragraph is mostly about. Often there is one sentence - called the topic sentence - that clearly states the topic.

2. When we read, we look for details that support the main idea. Similarly when we write an expository paragraph we include details that support the topic. One way to organize details is to list then from most important to least important.

3. Conclusion restates the idea in the topic sentence and signals the end of the paragraph.

Writing Prompt: Explain how immigration has changed your neighborhood.

Blog Assignment: 1 - Shoot for Success

I think that all young people have the great power to change the world. Decide on achievable goals for this year. Then list three detailed actions you plan to take to reach each goal.

Check out the example below:

HEALTH GOAL: TO MAKE THE SWIM TEAM

Action 1: Eat nutritious foods.

Action 2: Make atleast 'Bs' to be eligible to try out.

Action 3: Complete 25 practice laps each day.