Incomplete Project Essay Outline

To receive a final project grade if you have not completed your independent project, you must submit a 2 - 3 page essay on your topic by Tuesday January 19th. The essay should support your thesis statement based on your project topic. The essay should follow the outline below and incorporate any research you have done using the Google Research Document and the interview you conducted this semester.

I. Introduction (one paragraph)

• State the thesis of your essay. What are you going to tell us about your topic.
• Identify a minimum of 4 main points that you will discuss to support your thesis.
• Transition into your first main point.

II. Body (four paragraphs)

• Identify and discuss your main points and support them with facts based on your research including quotes and paraphrases that you can cite. Your body paragraphs should analyze any information your discovered about your thesis statement to support your conclusions.

III. Conclusion (one paragraph)

• You need to re-state your thesis and summarize your conclusions to support your thesis statement.

For those of you struggling with identifying your thesis statement and developing an essay around your topic, it may help to look at Milaida's first draft of her project essay. I will highlight areas where Miliada has succeeded and areas where she needs to add supporting facts and conclusions.

A DANCER I AM

Moving, acting, jumping up and down, creating new moves, putting different steps in one sequence, and being artistic is my passion. Moving my body in different angles and forms is a way to communicate with others and show people a characteristic about you. To have this talent as your passion you must be open minded because this talent it’s just not in one form, but it comes in different shapes and form, so you need to be ready to open up to new styles of dancing.

(Main Point #1 - Milaida discusses her personal connections to dance to support her thesis that this her passion and that you must be open to new kinds of dancing)This been my passion for quite a long time maybe all my life. It's been so long I can’t even remember. I got accustomed to doing different types of dances including ballet, African, Merengue, stepping, Salsa, Hip hop, and even putting martial arts into dance. With a team or without I am still as good. This is not just an art form or a talent someone will just do for the fun of it, it’s also a form in which people from different cultures use to represent their identities. I am a dancer with a great mind full of art that I like to show my talent to the world and influence others with the same talent to show off they art work.

(Main Point #2 - Milaida uses two examples from her youth to show how she became a dancer) While still being young and shy going to the park with the family, me and my sister created a crowd and being in the center of it moving to Spanish music, dancing merengue and salsa, moving our feet and hands in the same ways and hearing the crowd applause made me happy to know I took a big step. It helped me overcome my shyness and still put on a show. In 3^rd Grade hearing there was going to be a Christmas show and they needed dancers, I went in to look of the dancers and joined the group, gave my ideas and even coordinated some moves in to the choreography. Joining a group is scary especially if you are shy but still I was curious so I joined the step team in school, it wasn’t so bad after all it helped me build up on my team work and leadership and become less shy. (This transitions into her next main point)

(Main Point #3 - Milaida expands on her experience with a dance group to support her last statement and becoming less shy) Being in a dance group can make you build up on being more social, working with a team, and developing leadership and commitment. Going to JHS it was my main place to shine and learn about different types of dances. Ms. Went, the dance teacher in my JHS, was a great teacher who put pressure on us to get things done and always be open to new ideas. In JHS I did many shows dancing, including African dancing, hip hop, or even acting. I learned the main steps of ballet and martial arts and put some of them steps in to the African dance. I been doing hip hop dancing with friends or by myself. It’s a great dance it’s where you mix in different movements and steps, high jumps and low, street dancing and break dance, to sexy pops and shakes. I love to party because in parties you always learn new steps and dances. For example, Reggae is a huge dance every where now and many people do it and that’s one dance I learn by going to parties. (here Milaida could say how dancing helped her overcome shyness and be able to dance socially at parties with other people. Dancing is a social activity)

(Main Point #4 - Milaida moves into adding some research to support her thesis and meet the project essay requirements. She still needs to cite some references. ) Dance is not a way to stress about being perfect, it’s actually a way to take stress off you, make you have fun, and learn new steps while you get better at dancing. Dance is not just not an art form, it also represents people from different places all around the world and it’s also part of history. Salsa is a distillation of many Latin and Caribbean dances. Each played a large part in its evolution and cultural diffusion. Merengue originated from Dominican Republic and Haiti. Salsa and meringue are two dances that mostly Hispanic cultures use to express themselves. Ballet came from Italy and migrated to France. African dance came from Africa and people also use this form of dance to celebrate festivals, funerals and even in compactions. Reggae is a blend of dance hall and cumbia, which are Latin American genres all together to make one dance with many different movements that first originated in Jamaica. There all different types of dances all around the world used to represent different cultured and used by people that enjoy dancing.

(Main Point #5- Milaida supports her earlier statements about why dance is an important art form) Dancing is not difficult just dance all the dances as long as you can and the sit and think what new moves can you create, it’s all about enjoyment and being artistic, having fun, and accomplishing the goal of the reason you dance. Dance is a talent that is also used to exercise and also way to reduce stress. I dance every day but it’s not just exercise or work to me, it just happens without me knowing. I dance while walking, standing still or even sitting down. Dancing it’s my passion and I love it. Dancing makes me happy when I am sad, makes me excited when am bored, and makes my feet move to the beat of my heart and the music in my head. I use every floor I step on as my studio. I believe there is no right or wrong time or place to dance, I practice everywhere at all times cause as we all know practice makes perfect but I am not in search of perfection because in dance one movement mistake can become a new step. Dance is moving in a pattern anyway and keeping your steps clean and neat. This talent sounds easy I bet but it sure isn’t, some people dancing is their talent and others just like the idea of dancing so they learn it.

For a long time now dance been my passion and I believe that it is my talent. Dancing is one characteristic of me that shows people who I am and what I love the most. Dance is a creation full of art through history with many different meanings. Dance was a part of cultural diffusion that helps different dances and people spread around the world. Moving, bringing art to the floor and creating shows is my passion and its all in dance. I am a dancer and that’s what I love the most.

Overall Milaida's essay sets out to explain why dancing is her passion and why it's important to her and the world. What she needs to add to the essay is a little more research about the history of the different styles of dancing. She can easily accomplish this by looking up websites and information about the styles of dance on the Internet. She needs to cite where she got some of her information by including the author's name after the quote or where she paraphrased her information in parentheses.

Please check the following rubric for more information how this essay will be graded.

Incomplete Project Blog Essay

If you do not think you will be able to finish your independent portfolio projects an alternative is to write an analytical essay for your blog to be presented with your senior or junior portfolio. In order to accomplish this you first need to define the thesis of your essay.
The thesis of your essay may be about the project or the subject of your project. For example, Shane would like to interview people about their different experiences in education. He could chose to write his essay about the small school movement in New York City while using some of his research in the paper. For example, asking teachers to compare their experiences between large schools and small schools might become part of his project. The thesis question of his essay might looks something like "Are small schools good for New York City students?" and his answer will depend on how his perspective develops through the research.
The paper is not meant to replace your project, but to help you organize the research you have already conducted about your topic. For example, Kanisha wants to create a portfolio of modeling photos based on Tyra Banks. How could Kanisha develop her knowledge about the model turned talk show host? Her thesis question might be "How did Tyra Banks achieve success through the media?" Again, her answer, will form a thesis statement supported by paragraphs of facts and opinions and a conclusion. Kanisha's thesis might be "Tyra Banks may be the next Oprah Winfrey having transformed her career from a supermodel into a talk show host." Kanisha then would support the statement by analyzing Tyra's rise through the modeling world into a supermodel, her work on America's Next Top Model, and finally her success in day time television.
These are only suggestions and Kanisha might want to write about how Tyra became a model or write a general essay on modeling as a career using Tyra as an example. Shane might want to write his essay about how people experience educations in New York. The topics of your thesis questions should reflect your interests, but develop a deeper academic research connection.
Your first assignment is to really think about your thesis by coming up with five different possible thesis questions. You must email me your list of thesis questions before class next Monday and list them in order of importance. I need to be able to respond to your thesis questions with feedback before you begin to write your essay, and I need to know which one your are most interested in. It has to be a question that will allow you to use your basic research and interviews so that you may begin to form a coherent thesis statement and support it with facts and your own opinions.

The final essay will be posted on your blog supported by relevant images and links to your sources. We want to make the essay and interactive and dynamic text that takes full advantage of the Internet.

Digital Collage

Today and tomorrow you will continue to experiment in Adobe Photoshop by creating a digital collage for your blog. The collage should include a background, a minimum of 5 images you find on the Internet, a text layer, a layer effect, a filter effect, and a drawing/painting layer. The theme of the your digital collage should relate to the theme of your project and convey why you care about the project in the first place. There is a list of tools and tips on the board to help you, but we will revisit the project soon. If you are really struggling with Photoshop ask Gavino or Gary for help as they have been very good working in the program.

Procedure:

• Open up Adobe Photoshop in the applications folder.

• Create a new file 600 x 600 pixels. (File>New)

• Reset all the palette locations using Window>Workspace>Reset palette locations.

• Use the Paint Bucket or Gradient Tool to create a colorful background for your image.

• Open up Safari or Firefox and COPY and PASTE 5 images you discover on the Internet that you want to include into your digital college into NEW FILES. Save them as image1, image2, image3, image4, image5.

• Use the marquee and lasso tools to select areas of the images that you want to include in your blank canvas. Use the feather tool to soften edges on 2 -3 of the images.

• Remember, each time you paste in Photoshop it creates a new Layer. Make sure you select the layer you want to manipulate.

• Arrange your images using the Move Tool (black arrow).

• Apply a Filter effect to at least one of your image layers.

• Create a new Painting layer using Layer>New>Layer and try and use the paintbrush/drawing tools to unify parts of your collage.

• Use the Type Tool to add a relevant phrase, quote, or word to your collage.

• Apply a layer effect to your type using Layer> Layer Style > and choose one of the options.

When you are finished working for the day on Thursday SAVE the file as yourname.PSD in photoshop format.

When you are finished working for the day on Friday SAVE the file as yourname.psd and then SAVE FOR THE WEB as yourname.JPG and choose the JPEG option.

Post the file to your blog using the IMAGE option in your post and UPLOAD the image. It will appear in your post. Title the post Digital Collage. Please post your image even if you are not done. I will be checking them over the weekend and need to see whatever progress you were able to make in class.

Holiday Reading Assignment

"When others trust us, they give us greater leeway because they feel we don't need monitoring to assure that we'll meet our obligations."

This is a nice quote from the reading that connects directly to the idea of self-regulation.  When you are given a project or an assignment, there is an expectation of trust that you will complete the work.  It connects also to your project, your goal setting, and my trust in you that you will meet your goals instead of coming up with excuses.

When you come back on Monday after the break, please bring back the reading on trustworthiness with a written response to the idea that stands out to you the most.  Which one do you think is the most important, difficult, or challenging?

• Honesty

•Integrity

•Reliability

•Loyalty

 

Based on the do now, which was to define honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty in your own words, write a one page response on how your definition or understanding of ONE of  the terms connects to the text.  

• What is similar or different about your understanding of the term and the definition in the text?
• What do you agree with or disagree with in the text? (pull a quote)
• Describe a moment in your life where your own honesty, integrity, reliability, or loyalty was challenged (write about the term you selected).  What was the situation?  How did you respond? 
• Why does trustworthiness have four parts? What makes it so complicated? Based on your understanding of all the terms, try and make a connection between the one you have selected one of the others.  
  

You can write your response on the back of the packet.  Please bring it with you next Monday.

Goal #2 Reflection and Goal #3 Setting

Today, leave a comment on Goal #2 explaining whether you met the goal or not.  If you met the goal, be prepared to show your evidence.  I will be checking during class today.

After you have finished reflecting on your previous goal post your #3 project goal.  You're third goal should be something that you can complete over the holiday and come prepared to show next Monday.

The second marking period ends next week, and we will be having project conferences to evaluate your progress.

• Leave a comment on last week's 2nd goal.  Did you complete it?  What is the evidence?
• Post a 3rd project goal on your blog to complete over the holiday.  

Self-regulation and continuous learning

Working independently or within a group is something that requires a lot of each you. In order to be successful in college you must be able to set and meet goals to become a self-directed learner. What does that mean?

Imagine it's your first day in class in college and a professor says, "write an 800 word paper on Government due in one month?" How would you do it? What are some steps you might take to meet the professor's demand? Write down some of the steps you would take to accomplish this paper. Add the most important one as a comment on this post.

Self-Regulation is an important part of assessing your own progress on any given task. To self-regulate you must take control and responsibility your work.  Hopefully, in college and with your own digital portfolio project you will be pursuing an area of study that you value and would want to learn about outside of school.  To help you self-regulate you have to set some basic goals, know when they have been met, and if they meet necessary standards. 

Part of of this process of self-regulation first requires you to think about your own style of learning. A self-regulating student or worker doesn't wait for other people to get them started, but uses inquiry and experimentation to accomplish their own goals.  Answer the following questions on your blog in a new post.  Copy and Paste them into your blog and answer the questions honestly and thoughtfully:

1. What is the best environment (home, school, work, library, etc.) for your learning? Where do you work the best?
2. Where do you choose to study? (If you don't study, why not?)
3. Where do you choose to work creatively? Where do show your individuality?
4. How do you work with others (school, teams, work, family etc.)?
5. What is your favorite way of learning (listening, looking, doing, experimenting, etc)?
6. What do you think are your talents or strengths (drawing, writing, speaking, problem solving, etc,)?
7. Where do your personal interests lie (sports, arts, music, dance, socializing, etc.,)?
8. When do you check for accuracy and precision in your life or work?
9. Are you persistent in developing your work or accomplishing things in your life?
10. What will you work on independently in class tomorrow?

Self-regulation begins with your own internal reflection on how you learn and work best. Once you start to realize your strengths you can start to work towards those on your own.  When you become a self-regulated learner engaged in continuous learning, you would have something to do everyday in school even if there were no teachers to tell you what to do.  

Searching for an Expert and an introduction

Today, before you do anything else, write a brief and polite introduction to any potential experts on your topic area that you may end up interviewing.  In one paragraph, introduce yourself, your project, and the purpose of your email, which is to ask the expert some questions you have about your project/topic area.  The introduction should be well written in proper English with no slang or texting shortcuts.  It should have a greeting "Dear expert (for now)", a body, and a salutation "Sincerely, your name".

Send me your introduction and your 7 interview questions to mr.powhida@gmail.com.  Then, for those of you who do not already have someone to interview move onto the next step. I will review your introduction and questions and send it back if there any corrections/changes.  Then, when you discover some experts to contact you can send out your questions.  

How do we find experts? While there are some experts in the school that you can contact, everyone in here can start searching for an outside expert to ask for help and briefly interview with your questions. In fact, one of the best ways to gain new knowledge is to interview a person. That way, they share their knowledge in their own words, which means they are putting that knowledge in their own words from their perspective. This is a higher order of thinking that just giving you a list of facts and/or advice.

To start your expert search, you should begin by searching locally in Brooklyn and New York City in general for people with careers related to your field. For example, Brandon might search for chefs, television, New York

Let's look up the results that pop up and see if we can find contact info like an email address for Brandon.

Now that you've seen it's possible, spend some time trying different combinations of keywords in Google and see if you can find as many contacts to email your interview questions.  Save any contacts you find in your Google Research Worksheet in a new box and label it Expert Contacts Include the person or business's name, email address, and area of expertise.