In Class Lab 10/15

Isabela Burns

10/15/15

Responses to page #138

  

Small Decisions	Affects	Information Gathered Beforehand	Large Decisions	Affects	Information Gathered Beforehand
What I decide to eat for lunch	Could affect if I decide to eat there again. Could also affect how often I eat at that certain restaurant.	-How hungry I am -What sounds good -If I enjoyed that certain restaurant before, or if I have heard good reviews. -How much money I am willing to spend	Deciding to join the Running Start program	Could affect my academic career	-The commitments and requirements -The affect it will have on my grades -The long term effect of the program
Deciding what to wear	Could affect how often I do laundry.	-The weather outside -The event or occasion to which I am wearing the outfit to	Deciding to drop my art class first quarter	Could affect which classes I will need to take next quarter	-How it will affect my grades -How it will affect my high school career -How it will affect my graduation requirements
Deciding which songs to listen to while driving	Could affect   my mood	-How long it will take to get to my destination -What mood I am already in	Deciding to move in with my Dad	Could affect my relationships with my family members	-New opportunities available in the new area -Reasons to stay/go

Responses to page #141

I am interested in a vacation to Maui, Hawaii. I checked out two websites, advertising the same hotel, Lumeria Maui Wellness Retreat. The first website I saw was hotwire.com, and the second I saw was lumeriamaui.com. I enjoyed lumeriamaui.com the most. This website had a moving slideshow gallery of images taken at the location advertised. It also had different options to look at, whether you’re interested in eating there, staying there, or just the activities that they provide. The second website was much more pleasing to the eye, with bright, yet soothing colors. It had a rather comforting and relaxing feel, which is what the website is trying to advertise about their retreat as well. The second website also had a room priced significantly lower than the first. I think that the first website would be more successful if it changed a few details. One thing the first website should change is the images they provide, though they are nice they do not even look like they are at the same location. The images do not create a special feeling, and the colors are not as pleasing as the other website’s. The second website, Lumeriamaui.com, has a collection of images that move by themselves, with creative and pleasing transitions in between. The first website has limited images and you must click on them to view them. I think that if the images, and how they format these images on the website, was changed, the website would be more effective.

Personal Narrative Rough Draft

Isabela Burns 

Personal Narrative Rough Draft 

Professor Begert     

   

             

Without my mom, I would not be as successful as I am today. She has taught me countless lessons, which have helped shape me into who I am today. She has encouraged me to go above and beyond academically and lets me know that she believes that I can do anything that I set my mind to, even when I don’t believe that myself. There is one memory I vividly remember from my childhood. This event has inspired me and helped me gain the confidence to approach learning new things positively, and with an open mind. I feel that this event has impacted not only my reading and writing, but rather my overall mindset while attempting to do something that is new or unfamiliar to me. 

As I lay in my cozy bed, I observe the shimmery castle mural on my bedroom wall, which was painted by my mom. I hear her footsteps, gradually getting louder and louder. I know why she is coming to my room. It is the time, right after she has made dinner, and changed into her thick pajamas and fuzzy socks. The time when she walks up to my room, "David Goes to School" in hand, and tries to convince me to read aloud a few pages from the story book, while we wait for dinner. The slow creak of the door lets me know she has arrived. She gives me that shy and hopeful smile as she always does. "Hey, buddy." she says as I quickly hide my face under the blanket. She walks over and sits by me on the bed, as I raise my stuffed animal, Rosie, up out of the blanket. Mommy laughs as I slowly peek at her, one eye first, and then the other. 

“I am not going to do it. You can’t make me.” I say knowingly. 

“I know but you should at least try.” She prodded. That’s what she says every night. I know that I can’t do it and so does she. 

“I can’t do it and it’s boring, Mommy.” 

“Bela, it’s fun. You will love it. It’s like a movie in your head, and you can take it anywhere! You can take it to school, or in the car, or even up in the treehouse. And soon you will be able to read your little brother bedtime stories, and he will sure love that.” I take that into consideration as I curl up next to her. She strokes my head and moves the hair out of my face. Suddenly, she perks up and opens the book. “How’s about I read a page you read a page?” she asks. “David’s teacher always said…” she looks over at me, waiting for me to finish her sentence. 

“Mommy, I can’t do it. Reading is for big kids and you know I’m only four years old.” I whine. 

“Bela, I know you can do it. You read this last night, I know you didn’t forget what these words say.” I smile as she looks over to me. She’s right. I know exactly what these words say. In fact, I probably have this whole book memorized after a whole week of my mom trying to convince me to read her this book. A whole week of her re-reading this book to me, looking over and facing the book towards me after each page. 

“NO DAVID!” I yell, so she knows I am frustrated with her. “No yelling, no pushing, no running in the school.” I say without even glancing at the page. 

“In the school?” My mom asks. 

“Yeah, she says no running in the school, mommy.” 

“Are you sure?” she asks as she points to the word. 

“House?” I half ask, half declare. Unsure of my decision. 

“Sound it out. H-A-L-L-S. Halls. No running in the halls.” She informs me. I knew that, I know I did. I can’t stop thinking about how pointless this is. I could be watching cartoons, or playing with my dolls. I listen to my dad and brother play together in the next room, their joyful squeals filling me with envy. 

“No more.” I say. I know it won’t be this easy but its worth a shot. 

“That’s what you said last night, buddy. Come on, I know you can do it. I bet you could finish the whole book tonight. I begin to daydream. I bet princesses who live in castles and marry princes don't have to learn how to read. I sure wish I was a princess.  

"I am a princess." I decide. 

"What? Oh, of course you are." She smiles at me. 

"Mommy, princesses don’t have to learn how to read. So neither do I. Because I am a princess." 

"Well, buddy, even princes and princesses need to learn how to read. In fact, they enjoy it, princesses love reading. Didn’t you know that?" I was caught off guard. Do they really? I mean I guess she is smarter than me so of course she knows what she is talking about. She knows everything. "You can't be a princess if you don't know how to read, Bela." 

"I can read." I glare at her. 

"Show me." She says as she hands me the book. As I begin, I am suddenly aware that I don't know what some of the words say. It's okay though, because mommy is a genius, and she knows which words I need help on. With quite a bit of assistance from my mom, I make it through the book. She beams at me as I shut the book loudly, and look up at her. "You did a very good job, buddy. I'm proud of you" 

"I told you I could do it." I said, realizing how determined I had been to not read. "I could do it again, and again probably like 12 times, all by myself." I then look at her and proceed to snatch up the book and stand on my bed. I begin yelling the words out as I jump up and down. I turn the pages with a wobbly hand. "NO DAVID!" I scream. Mommy is giggling and I know she is happy. I am happy too. I can read a whole book now. I can read it to my mom, and my dad, even my baby brother. I jump off the bed and race to the other room. I begin reading the book aloud and showing my dad the pictures. He smiles at me and my baby brother laughs as I show him the illustrations in my book. By now, I am all sweaty. My mom slowly walks into the room. 

"Dinner is ready, you guys." She smiles. 

"Can I read at the table?" I ask her. 

"Princesses don’t normally read at the table, but I'm sure we can make an exception." She winks at me. That night, I read "David Goes to School" aloud to our family at the dinner table. Everyone applauded me and asked for an encore. I was so excited I ran into my room and grabbed another favorite of mine, "Skippyjon Jones". I opened it up and asked my mom if she will help me that night and she agrees. I even call up my grandparents and read aloud to them while my mom held the phone up. I didn't know I could do it, but I guess mommy sure did.  

That night I laid up in my room, waiting to read the new book. I examine the wall, with its magical castle and moat wrapped around it. I clutch my stuffed animal, Rosie, telling her she will soon get bedtime stories, too. 

 Little did I know, within the next few weeks, I would be able to read every book on my bedroom shelf. Instead of my reading me a bedtime story, I would read her one. Sometimes, I even let her pick out the book. After deciding that I wanted to challenge myself, I began choosing harder, more advanced books and later novels. Reading became a habit, and even a hobby. I also began writing my own stories, in my pink cheetah print diary. 

 All of this reading and writing has really helped me excel academically. It has even helped me improve my vocabulary.If this event had not happened, I would not be as successful as I am today. I would not have gained the confidence, and inspiration to try new things with an open mind. I would not have learned that persistence is key, and to work hard to get what you want. This is a rather significant event in my life, and I feel it holds great value. It will also serve me infinite times throughout my life, making it an everlasting gift to treasure forever.

Five Characteristic Features in my Essay

A clearly identified event: What happened? Who was involved?
After a bit of refusal, I had finally learned to read a book all the way through. My mom had helped me with this. I will include this feature in my essay by clearly explaining the series of events chronologically.

A clearly described setting: When and where did it happen?
This event happened at one of my previous houses, specifically in my bedroom. This event happened during a weekday evening, after I got home from school, before dinner time. I will include this feature in my essay by telling the reader when and where the event happened, as well as add important descriptive details to my narrative.

Vivid, descriptive details: What makes the story come alive?
I will use vivid, descriptive details such as crackling and cozy. These, and many other details will make the story come alive, and help the reader have a clear image in their minds of the setting I am describing, so they can better understand and relate to my narrative.

A consistent point of view: Who's telling the story?
I will include this feature by constantly telling the story from a first person point of view, so the reader is aware that I, the narrator, experienced this event first hand.

A clear point: Why does this story matter?
I will include this feature by explaining the significance of this story to me, and sharing with the reader how this event has affected my writing and reading throughout my life.

Annotations - Literacy: A Lineage

The author opens by describing the hardships she would face, if it hadn't been for her "literacy guardian", her father. The author begins by sharing with us a personal tradition shared by her and her father. She tells of the Sunday morning bike rides they went on, and how the bell tower. She also tells of the poem etched at the bottom of the bell tower, and how her father would "inevitably" read it aloud to her. She recalls how she had memorized the poem, so often read to her by her father. After the author recalls how her father has inspired and encouraged her love for reading and writing, she tells the story in chronological order. She uses vivid details such as "I would recite the poem to myself, even when the weather was cold and my breath made the air foggy." ( Page 133, paragraph #1) This, and many other details as well, help paint a vivid picture in the readers' mind. The author focuses on her own personal experiences from her childhood, and how they affected her later in life. The author writes from a first person point of view, letting us know she experienced these events first hand. On page 135, the author expresses the main points of the story. She tells how the event has affected her writing, and how she will continue to receive joy as long as she lives, from the love for language and literature, that her father has passed onto her. At the very end of the narrative, the author quotes the poem, that her father had recited to her, as a child, which connects the beginning of the story to the end.

First Essay Prewriting

Isabela Burns

1.       “When she opened the front door, the whole street looked like a river, and water poured in. She described it as “rushing like the Colorado River”. Page 129 paragraph 3.

2.       “What do you want me to do?” I say. “You’ve got to come to me. I can’t come to you. Who knows what mental state you’re in?” The skunk looks at me. Page 157 paragraph 3.

3.       Soaking- Page 129 paragraph 2

Bulky- Page 129 paragraph 4

Heavy- Page 129 paragraph 4

Rocking- Page 130 paragraph 1

Heat- Page 130 paragraph 3

Essence- Page 131 Paragraph 3

Cramped- Page 130 paragraph 4

Swollen- Page 130 paragraph 4

4.       When I wrote a story about my first time I lost a tooth, and the teacher “published” my book, and shared it with the class.

Learning to make a web page.

When I finally read “David Goes to School” aloud all by myself.

5.       I want to share this story because it shows how I have progressed since this event, and how this event impacted me and my writing today.

6.       I can assume the readers will have similar past experiences that they can relate to while reading this story.

7.       I want to project an accomplished, and slightly humorous attitude. I want the readers to understand my experience and see how it helped me with my writing later in life.

8.       My narrative will be typed on the computer and turned in both digitally, and printed as well.

9.       I see my pink walls in my princess themed bedroom, and the castle mural my mom had painted on the far wall.  I see my mom beside me, and the book “David Goes to School” on my lap.

10.   I can hear our fire place crackling downstairs, and the screams of my delighted little brother playing with my dad in the other room. I hear my dog chewing on a toy, and the fan of my fish tank in my room gently blowing out air.

11.   I smell the smoke and fire from downstairs and the pot roast in the crock pot, that will be served for dinner that night.

12.   I feel a little irritated with my mom, who continues to prompt me to read this book, when I know that I cannot. Still at the same time I feel cozy in my bed and excited for dinner. Also very eager for my mom to finally tell me something along the lines of “We can try some more tomorrow, you can be done for tonight.”

13.   I taste the stale gumballs from our gumball machine, that I still continue to eat when my mom isn’t looking, even though she says they’re too old to be eaten, and that they are just for decoration now.

14.   Mom- She is persistent, always trying to get me to read this book. Though she is still tender and caring. She offers me treats, and tells me if I finish the book I could read to my baby brother, which he would enjoy. She is in a plain tee shirt and cozy pajama pants, as well as thick wool socks, because our hard wood floors are cold in the winter. She smells like seasonings, and various ingredients from making dinner, which is now stewing in the crock pot downstairs. She is tired from today’s work, but still has the energy to try and help me with my homework, and to help me learn to read. She is eager for me to learn how to read. She says reading is like a “movie in your head”. She has slightly darker circles under her eyes, and yawns often, even though it is only 5:00 in the afternoon.

15.   “Mom. I can’t read that book, it is for big kids.”

“You can do it, come on try the first page. You got all the way to the third page last night, I know you can at least read the first page.”

“Mom, I don’t want to.”

“Bela, don’t you want to learn to read? You can read to your brother and he will love it!”

“Mom, I never ever want to learn to read. I will never read my whole life.”

“You have to learn how to read someday. Reading is like a movie in your head. And you can take it anywhere, in the car, to school, to the treehouse.”

“I would rather watch a movie.”

16.   My mom is attempting to teach me to read. I had picked out a book, which at first, I was overjoyed to learn how to read. I had loved when my mom would read me that book before bed, and it always made me giggle. She had told me I could read it myself, and I could even read it to my brother. It sounded like a good idea at the time, considering I had not done much school work involving reading and writing. As I began, I realized it wasn’t as easy as my mom made it look. I told her I would prefer her to read it to me instead. She would tell me that I would have to learn to read someday. She explained how nice it would be to go into first grade the next year and already know how to read. All week, she had brought me the book and asked me to read her a few pages. At first I would always refuse, after learning how hard it was to read. I would tell her I didn’t understand why I had to read it to her, considering she already knew how to read. Night after night of refusing to read, I finally gave in. I sat with her in my bed, as we sounded out the words together. Eventually, I had the whole story memorized. I could tell you the story without even opening the book. I was so proud of myself, reading the story to my family, teachers, even my stuffed animals.

17.    

This event is significant to me and my writing now. It has given me the confidence in myself to work hard to accomplish my goals, knowing that I can do whatever I set my mind to. This experience has also encouraged me to try to learn new things, and to keep an open mind while doing so.  If this event had never happened, I might not have the skills and confidence in my writing that I do today. After reading that first book, I was encouraged to begin reading new books.  After, I began reading longer, more complicated books. I enjoyed reading, and it helped me as well. I feel that all the reading I did when I was younger has really helped me excel in school throughout my life. If I had not read that first book, I wouldn’t have had the confidence and enthusiasm to continue reading.  This narrative is also significant because it helps me share a vivid memory that I have of my early childhood. Throughout my life I have enjoyed reading and it has given me something to do to pass time. It has also helped me by improving vocabulary. I feel that beginning reading at such an early age has helped me. When assigned to read for class work or other assignments, I have been able to do so with ease, and occasionally even enjoyed it.

Rhetoric Definition Part 2

After reading others classmates' definition of rhetoric, I still define rhetoric as a language that is used to effectively influence or persuade whoever you are communicating with. I believe my classmates and I, have similar definitions of rhetoric. There were no conflicting ideas in our definitions, as they were all somewhat alike. Some classmates focused on the way rhetoric comes across through different languages, and some focused on how some people are grounded to their beliefs if they use rhetoric methods. I mainly focused on the fact that rhetoric is a language used to persuade or influence people.

Rhetoric Definiton

In my opinion, rhetoric is a language that is used to effectively influence or persuade whoever you are communicating with. There are various steps you need to take in order to think and act rhetorically, and after practicing these steps they will become habits. Once they become habits and you begin thinking and acting rhetorically you will be able to help yourself negotiate throughout life, helping yourself get your point across to people respectfully, and with ease. It will help you persuade others and convince them. While thinking or acting rhetorically, you will need to listen to others, and be willing to accept their opinions with an open mind. You will need to consider why the person ( or people ) believe what they do and understand where they are coming from. You will also need to do the same with yourself, considering what you think and why you believe that. You will need to research your topic, looking at every argument that has been made about that topic, and considering them as well. You will  also need to give credit to others, and acknowledge the work of others and how it influenced you. Giving credit can be done formally or informally, depending on your purpose and context. Using your imagination is a key step in thinking or acting rhetorically, which can lead to new ideas and great insights. The Merriam Webster dictionary describes rhetoric as "the art or skill of speaking or writing formally and effectively especially as a way to persuade or influence people". This means that while thinking or acting rhetorically, you will possess the ability to effectively convince someone , or persuade them.