This Week in Corner Ink

Wednesday Checklist

By the beginning of class Wednesday, make sure you hand in:

• your 1.5 - two page paper proposal (printed and double spaced with Google Docs) (Total Package = 200 points)
• Introduction of topic (25 points)
• Explanation of importance of topic (25 points)
• Essential questions and support questions (25 points)
• Short response to two articles (50 points)
• Correct in text citations (25 points)
• Works Cited (25 points)
• Also, make sure you have shared your proposal project in Noodlebib with my dropbox. I will check that you have completed two notecards (25 points).  

This points will be applied to the Writing Piece category of my gradebook, so it is very important that you get everything in ship shape.  

Lastly, you have two and a half weeks left in the third quarter stretch run.  Make sure you review the reading requirements for this stretch. Decide what you want to shoot for, make up a plan, and go for it.  

Wednesday is SSR.

Mr. Malley's Research Proposal

Running is great exercise.  The half marathon is a thirteen mile race.  The younger brother of the full marathon, it was most likely created as a stepping stone for those who lack the endurance to run the 26 mile race.  Each year marathons and half marathons are run by people in every city.  

Two summers ago I downloaded a program called Couch to 5K for my iPhone.  It touted itself as a program to help couch potatoes develop the endurance to run 5k, or 3.1 miles.  This program starts people off running for 90 seconds and then walking for 90 seconds.  It escalates until people can run the 3 miles without walking. I started the program and quit within two weeks.  Last January I began to run again, this time on a treadmill at my local YMCA.  This time I kept with it and eventually worked my way up to be able to run three miles without stopping.  I dropped fifty five pounds in the process.  

As I have successfully completed 5k and 8k races, I feel like it is now time to push myself towards the next challenge; the half marathon.  So, this May I will enter the Nissan Challenge Buffalo Half Marathon.  I’ve never run more than six miles so I know this will be a major challenge.  As such, I know that I need to do significant research if I am to be successful.

The essential question I will be trying to answer is how can I best prepare myself to run a 13 mile race.  I need to find a good plan to build myself up to that level.  I also need to know how to train the rest of my body to be successful, which will include a strength building regimen.  I need to determine how people build up the mental endurance.  Lastly, I want to know how people stay hydrated and any other tricks I need to know to help me run the half marathon.

In my preliminary research I’ve found a few interesting sources thus far.  Hal Higdon, a well respected marathon guru, has put out a guide to help people prepare for this race.  The article has a week by week program as well as a breakdown of things prospective runners should consider such as pace, rest, and cross-training.  What’s more, he offers some encouraging words, explaining “assuming no major problems, most healthy people can train themselves to complete a 13.1-mile race” (“Training for your First Half”).

Another article reinforced my belief that I have to train for this race, explaining that “The days of just “gutting it out” are long gone” (“How to Train”).  Apparently, I can’t just walk up to the line and tough it out.  This site has tons of links to helpful articles that I plan to investigate during my research.  

Rules for Writing Workshop

I want to remind folks about my expectations for behavior writing workshop.

1. It is to be quiet during writing workshop.  If you talk, you are driving out the thoughts of everyone else.  If you have to give a quick hand to the person sitting next to you, whisper.  
2. On that note, do not shout my name for help.  It is disruptive.  Daily you will grab a red cup.  If you need help, flip it upside down.  If you've figured it out, flip it right side up. 

Research Paper Proposal

And so it begins. This week, we begin your research paper. Well, almost. This week we will write the proposal.

But first, I need you to pick a good topic. For the love of Peter, Paul, and Eminem, pick a good topic.  Something you’re interested in. Please don’t pick the first thing that comes to mind. This is a perfect opportunity for you to figure out something you’ve always wanted to know or plan a course of action to conquer a problem or simply become a more well informed person in this world.  

As long as you can develop an essential question you can pick any topic you’d like. I’m thinking of all the topics I’ve had to look into lately.  For instance, in May I’m running in my first half marathon.  I’ve never run that far before. So, in order to prepare for that race, I had to do a ton of research to figure out the best plan to help prepare myself for that toil.  Here’s another example.  This week we bought a TV. I had to spend the entire weekend reading reviews, comparing prices, calling stores.  There was a lot of research involved.  Recently I also became really interested in the revolutions going on in the Middle East. Since it has piqued my interest I’ve read countless articles, watched a slew of videos, and had to do some pretty in-depth research in order to gain a basic understanding of the uprisings.

Why am I telling you this? Two reasons.  First, because people research all the time. We live in a 

complicated society. To keep up, you have to look up. Secondly, because I want you to think beyond the first idea that comes to mind (<bored student voice> “okay, time to do yet another research paper. I guess I’ll do global warming again” </bored student voice>.

Instead of that, why don’t you ask yourself, What do I need to know right now?

Here’s your assignment.  It’s due next Wednesday, March 23rd.

Your Task:  Write a 1.5 - 2 page paper in which you do the following:

• Explain your topic.  What topic are you researching. (1 paragraph)
• Explain why this topic.  You could research anything you want.  Why are you researching this particular topic?  Why is this topic of personal significance to you? ?  Why is this topic important enough to research? (1 or more paragraphs)
• Explain what you hope to find out.  What is your essential question?  What supporting questions might you have to answer in order to answer this essential question? (1 paragraph)
• Find two articles about your topic for preliminary research. Instead of printing and annotating these articles, you will use Noodletools to create a notecard for each source.  You have a field for direct quotation, paraphrase, and “my ideas.”  Use them.  In your proposal, respond to these articles.  What interesting information did you find? Comment on that information.  Make sure to include correctly formatted parenthetical in-text citations. You will share this Noodletools project with the dropbox I have set up.
• Hand in a Works Cited page with citations for these two articles.

This week and early next week we will balance SSR/Independent reading and work on this paper.  So gear up.  Enjoy!

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

Hey folks.  This afternoon I finished The Girl Who Threw Butterflies.  I wrote a quick response to the novel that maxed out at 275 words.  When you finish reading your books you have responses due, so if you'd like to see a sample, feel free to read mine. 

Research Paper Topic

It is time to start thinking seriously about the topic you will choose for your research paper.  I invite you to pick any topic of interest to research as long as you can generate an inquiry question about this topic.  An inquiry question is one which:

• a question which requires the student to develop a plan or course of action. 
• a question that requires the student to make a decision  (source)

For example, you are free to do a research paper on football but you need to formulate a research question that will lead you to take a stance on an issue.  For example:

• NFL:  
• Possible inquiry question:  Should the NFL issue more severe punishments regarding hits to the head? 
• Possible inquiry question:  Should the NFL do more to protect it's small market teams?
• Possible inquiry question:  What should the NFL do to prevent it's players from taking performance enhancing drugs?
• Possible inquiry question:  What should the NFL do to help rookies and young players assimilate into the league and avoid common pitfalls like embarrassing arrests, etc. 

Here are some more sample essential questions:

• Why is the concept of cloning human beings controversial? (decision-making) 
• What invention of the 20th Century has had the greatest impact? Justify your response (decision-making). 
• Why was _________ the greatest home run hitter in baseball history? (decision-making) 
• Which credit card is best for me? (decision-making). 
• What plan could be developed to reduce the impact of zebra mussels on the Great Lakes ecosystem? Your plan can include three strategies. (developing an action plan)
• What is the best plan for losing 20 pounds? Your plan can include 3 strategies (developing an action plan) 
• What plan could I use to prepare for a 5K run? The plan can include 2 strategies (developing an action plan)

Independent Reading Project

Here is the independent reading project we went over this week.

Shelfari Directions

1.  Renew your Shelfari account.  Choose "I do not have an Amazon.com password" and put in the email you used to sign up for Shelfari. (It should be your Gaggle.net account.)
2.  Add any books you've forgotten to add.
3.  Change the search field to "members."
4.  Find Mr. Malley!  Request his Shelfari friendship.
5.  Find the last book you finished.  Click on "Recommend Book."  Choose Mr. Malley from the drop down box.
6.  Write one sentence telling me why you liked this book so much.
7.  Complete those steps and you've earned credit for today!
8.  If you have extra time, add your friends!

Article of the Week (3/7 - 3/11)

For the next article of the week I'm going to again ask you to find an article about a topic you are interested in, but this time I'm going to suggest that you find something related to your research project.  Also, this week, your article must come from the library database EBSCO: Eric.

Your Task

• Find an article about a topic that interests you from a library database.
• This article must be at least 1000 words (use wordcounttool.com to verify the length). 
• Print the article. Annotate the article. 
• Make sure there is ample evidence of your active reading. 
• Write a one page response to the article in your notebook.  This week, you must include one in-text parenthetical citation after a direct quote or paraphrased portion of the article.
• Create a citation for your article using Noodlebib. Print the Works Cited page. 

On Friday you will hand in:

• The printed/annotated article (25 points) 
• the one page response (25 points) with a correct in text citation (10 points) 
• the Works Cited page with one entry (15 points)

Checklist for 3/4

Check off the list of the following as you complete each portion of the assignment.  All of your work is due  in the beginning of class on Friday.

• I’ve found an article of at least 1200 words
• I’ve printed this article
• I’ve created a Works Cited page with a correctly formatted citation using Noodlebib
• I’ve read and annotated my article
• I’ve written a one page response to my article, being careful not to simply summarize but instead sharing my own thoughts, insights, and reactions to what the article says

Ignore what the original assignment sheet said about in text citation.  We'll broach that assignment next week.  

Getting In to Noodlebib

You should be able to figure out your username and password from prior years.  If for any reason you try and cannot, please follow these directions:

• Click "Create a Personal ID"
• Choose "An Account linked to a school/library subscription or trial"
• Enter the username and password.  I've written this information on the chalkboard.
• Complete the form:  Use your computer login as your personal ID and Password
• Click "Create a new project."  Choose "MLA Advanced"

Find your article.  Enter the citation information.  Create a Works Cited for your article of the week.  

Finding an Article

Today you are to hop online and find your own article of the week. The only requirement is that this piece of writing:

• be an article (as opposed to a story)
• be 1200 words (use the word counter tool to verify)
• be from a reputable news source (New York Times, Buffalo News, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, etc.  For this assignment you'll need to avoid blogs and websites of questionable accuracy.  Use your best judgement.)

By the end of the class, you'll need to print and bookmark the article.