English 2010
English 2010 is the class one needs to take after English 1010.
Profile Paper
Oh, the Activities You Can Do at Liberty Park!
Right in the heart of Salt Lake City, and stretching from 900 south to 1300 south at 500 east stands a huge, beautiful piece of nature: Liberty Park. In a city, one expects skyscrapers, taxis, and throngs of people racing to and fro. One does not expect, however, a park that spans several city blocks, with trees stretching their limbs higher and higher to the sky, or a mini amusement park, or a pond where you can feed the ducks.(Figure 1.1.) Breathing deep, the air even smells cleaner in Liberty than in other parts of the city. Fig.1 Trees Trees are abundant in Liberty Park. Source: Author If you are looking for a free place to exercise, you can do that at the park, too! People enjoy strolling, running, roller-blading, bicycling, and skateboarding. No need to worry about city traffic, inside the park there are wide sidewalks and narrower trails for park goers to enjoy. Worried about Fido's exercise? Bring him along! (Figure 1.2) Your dog will enjoy walking or running by your side, seeing other dogs, and even chasing birds in the ponds. Figure 1.2 A woman walks her dog. Source: Author The ponds are another exciting feature of the park. Many birds call Liberty Park home year round. They enjoy skimming through the ponds, playing in the water, and, of course, eagerly accepting bread from individuals and families. These birds know what they are doing, as anytime a person starts throwing out bread, a huge congregation forms around the bread givers. (Figure 1.3) Figure 1.4 Children feed the ducks. Source: Author Speaking of birds, if you enjoy observing more exotic birds, then you want to stop by the Tracy Aviary. No need to get in a car or on a bus to see the aviary-it is also located right inside the park! A bond passed in Salt Lake City in 2008 has allowed the Aviary to expand and remodel. They have completed the first phase of the project, and will keep adding to it for the next several years. (Figures 1.5 and 1.6) Figure 1.6 This is the new Tracy Aviary sign. Source: Author Figure 1.7 Flamingos congregate inside the Aviary Source: Author If you enjoy exercise, but prefer to do something in a group or team, then maybe you will enjoy the tennis and basketball courts! You can rent equipment or just bring your own and challenge your friends and family to a match. Winter is a better time to use the courts, as during the summer they are almost always full. Then, after the match, if you have worked up an appetite, you can use one of the grills provided and have a picnic! Figure 1.6: The Tennis Center. Source: Author Finally, there is an amusement park in there! Yes, you read that right, an amusement park. You can ride a ferris wheel or a tilt-a-whirl type of ride. In the summer, there are food stands open so you can grab a Sno-Cone or a hot dog while waiting for your turn to ride. (Figure 1.7) Figure 1.7: The Ferris Wheel Source: Author In conclusion, the next time you complain about not having the money to join a gym-go to Liberty Park! Feel the need to reconnect with Nature-visit Liberty! Kids driving you crazy whining about how bored they are-take them to Liberty! Whether you want to enjoy a quiet walk, go birdwatching, or enjoy a raucous game of basketball, Liberty Park is the place to be! Works Cited Hansen, Cauleen. All photographs. Review Paper
Review of A Discovery of Witches
For adults out there who are tired of teenage angst in supernatural literature, author Deborah Harkness delivers a truly engaging, wonderful, adult novel. A Discovery of Witches Book One of the All Souls Trilogy, is centered around Diana Bishop, the heroine of the book. Diana is a witch, in a long lineage of witches, who simply wants to do her history research at Oxford using only human means. However, when Diana is able to locate a magical alchemical manuscript, named Ashmole 782, that had been lost for centuries, it causes all manner of supernatural creatures to pursue her for the book and the knowledge contained in it.
Ashmole 782 deals heavily with the subject of alchemy, which is defined as: a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and concerned principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold... and an elixir for life (American Heritage). If you are not familiar with this subject, the author does a thorough job of explaining it in layman's terms, so you don't need to be an expert in history or alchemy in order to read the novel. Ms. Harkness herself teaches history for a California university, so the novel is very well-researched. As a matter of fact, the author did such a good job describing alchemy, she managed to pique my interest in the field of alchemy. I am now delving into researching more on this topic. Ashmole 782 is a widely known and desired text. The manuscript contains not only information on how each creature came into being, it also explains how to use alchemy to make the Philosophers Stone, an object that can make a person immortal. The text had been thought lost for hundreds of years, and had many complicated spells on it to keep it from being found and opened. Diana Bishop, who has been denying the witch side of herself, is able to retrieve it and open it with ease. After examining the book, though, Diana realizes it has magic in it: Relieved that it was closed, I stared at Ashmole 782 for a few more moments. My fingers wanted to stray back and touch the brown leather. But this time I resisted, just as I had resisted touching the inscriptions and illustrations to learn more than a human historian could legitimately claim to know....Aunt Sarah had always told me that magic was a gift. If it was, it had strings attached that bound me to all the Bishop witches who had come before me. There was a price to be paid for using this inherited magical power....By opening Ashmole 782, I'd breached the wall that divided my magic from my scholarship (Harkness). While the novel deals primarily with the witch Diana, and her struggle to meld both her human side and supernatural side, Ms. Harkness makes sure all of her characters are complex and unusual. Writing about supernatural creatures seems like an easy job, but Ms. Harkness add extra layers and dimensions to her characters, and is able to conjure up a complete view of each character. Details and setting are also finely etched and make it a fun read for anyone. She explores how the creatures (including witches, demons, and vampires) manage to maintain their otherworldliness while also hiding in plain sight, as it were, in a world full of ordinary humans. As one delves further into the book, the danger heightens, the plot speeds up, and also poses more questions as to what will happen next. Ms. Harkness also does something I have rarely seen in fantasy literature, and that is to explain how the creatures came to be by entwining creation history with DNA. Diana has very unusual DNA, which allows her to control the elements (fire, earth, water, and air). She also has the abilities of precognition (knowing the future) and psychokinesis (the ability to move physical objects using only the mind). These abilities add yet another layer to an already complex character, yet rather than detracting from the plot, it only enhances it. What would a supernatural story be without a supernatural romance? Diana's romantic interest is Matthew Clairmont, a vampire that is thousands of years old. He is present when Diana opens Ashmole 782 and much of the conflict between them comes from Diana's doubts about Matthew. On one hand, she is falling in love with him, and he is protecting her from the creatures that want to harm her for Ashmole 782, but on the other hand, she questions whether Matthew is interested in her or in the ancient text she has called up. One of the downfalls of the book, is, though, that this is supposedly going to be a trilogy. If you enjoy having a novel all wrapped up at the end, you will be disappointed, as it does set it up for the next novel. Also, the second novel will not be released until the summer of this year, so for people who are really impatient, they may not want to have to wait until summer to read the next book in the series, and then wait even longer for the final one to be released. This is a wonderful debut fiction novel from Deborah Harkness and has quite a few of the elements that make a good novel: action, suspense, danger, mystery, and romance. For people that are fans of history, there is plenty of it in the book, yet it is presented in a way that makes it interesting for the reader. After only one reading, it has become a favorite book of mine. I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in supernatural and historical plots, and would especially recommend this to anyone who is Pagan or Wiccan, as they will enjoy the religious rituals and facts described in A Discovery of Witches. Works Cited "alchemy." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 17 Feb. 2012. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alchemy> Harkness, Deborah. A Discovery of Witches Book One of the All Souls Trilogy New York: Penguin, 2011. Print. Position/Proposal Paper
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Banned Books In Libraries (This Paper Would Probably Be Banned, Too)
Here in America, people in general tend to think that everyone has many personal freedoms: who or what, if anything, to worship, the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, and the list goes on. There are librarians in America that believe some books should be unavailable to certain members of society, namely youth. Some of the public also support the library's stance to keep “adult material” out of the hands of youth. They not only decide that children should not have access to a particular book, they decide it should be banned from the shelves. Others believe that adults are fully capable of deciding what their children are exposed to, and want the option of checking out the book. Yet others believe youth should have access to any and all materials.
A banned book, is a book that has been deemed inappropriate for some audiences. Books that contain adult language, rape scenes, sex in general, racism, violence, and drug use are usually the ones that come under fire, although there are other objections as well. In order to get a book banned, one person, or several, steps forward to lodge a complaint. The American Library Association keeps track of this, and explains the process thusly:
Each year, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives hundreds of reports on book challenges, which are formal written requests to remove a book from a library or classroom because of an objection to the book's content. There were 346 recorded attempts to remove materials from libraries in 2010, and more than 11,000 attempts recorded since OIF began compiling information on book challenges in 1990 (Morales, 3).
Sometimes, though, a book is banned, not because of any complaints about it, but because librarians fear backlash from adults for having a banned book in stock. A survey by the School Library Journal offers up some insight into why, specifically, a librarian decides to ban a book:
…[They] asked 655 media specialists about their collections and found that 70 percent of librarians say they won't buy certain controversial titles simply because they're terrified of how parents will respond. Other common reasons for avoiding possible troublemakers include potential backlash from the administration (29 percent), the community (29 percent) or students (25 percent), followed by 23 percent of librarians who say they won't purchase a book due to personal objections (Whelan, 18).
The ALA releases an annual list of books that are the “Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books.” They released their list for 2011 on the 9th of April, 2012. The reasons for them being challenged include the issues discussed previously, as well as religious objections. Here is the list:
Not all adults are for banning books, however. Some actually encourage children and teens to read banned books, in the hopes that the kids and teens will become better educated and better able to deal with the world at large. Book banning isn't just an American problem, though. Australian reporter Matt Wordsworth spoke to a person described in the article as “an American entrepreneur”, Justin Stanley, who wanted to “use banned and challenged books as a way to promote literacy among underprivileged teens.”
Stanley feels that by using the same reasons books are banned, kids can be encouraged to read more and grow their literacy skills and comprehension. He says that just telling a teen a book is considered to be one of the best novels of the century, doesn't encourage them to check out a book on that advice alone. However, if you tell a teen that there is a particular book that adults think has questionable content, it makes the curious to pick up the book and judge for themselves. Stanley likens this rebellion against society to the concept of “forbidden fruit”, if you are told you can't have something, it makes you want it more (Wordsworth, 1, 7, 10).
Another suggestion is for adults to trust their child's judgment when it comes to reading banned books. Lisbeth Clemens, a librarian in Montreal, Canada spoke to reporter Elizabeth Warkentin about trusting kids and engaging them in open dialogues about what they are reading, “I often come across boys, 13 or 14....who want to read adult books and who tell me they are reading them at home.”
Warkentin agrees with Ms. Clemens, and states : “Kids are usually the best judges of what books are right for their maturity level. Like adults, they will only choose to read a particular book when they're ready for it” (Warkentin, 10,11).
I hereby propose that no book should be banned. I trust that adults and children alike are capable of using their own judgments of what to, or not to, read. I feel that if a book has questionable content, parent and child should read the book together, and discuss any and all of the “banned” content. Children, after all, will one day be adults themselves, and by being open, honest, and engaging with your kids when they are young, can cause them to lead to a happier, more well-adjusted adult life.
One of the biggest issues I see, is that too often, children are not taught about sex, and books are banned for including it. The parents are embarrassed to discuss it, the schools fear lawsuits, the churches are against it. For some kids, their only exposure to sexual issues may come from banned books. Children are often raised in a culture where sex is viewed as dirty, sinful and shameful. In many banned books, sex is also treated in this manner. Although, much of the time, a character who has sexual encounters is able to examine the “Otherness” of sex and explore their own beliefs, stereotypes, and feelings about sex (Lewis).
As a child myself, I discovered banned books when Wal-Mart ran a special on classic literature books at the price of two for a dollar. I remember reading them and thinking, “Wow, this is a fantastic novel!” At the time, I had no idea the books were considered unfit for public consumption, I was just happy to have a book in my hands. My parents weren't that big into reading, although I do recall them objecting when I was twelve and starting reading romance novels, some of which did have some explicit sex scenes in them. I think one book I had was even thrown away by my mom.
The more banned books one reads, the more knowledgeable one becomes. It allows for people to engage more fully with each other, across races, culture, and religions. It also allows for people to gain greater insight about others and possibly even overcome previous stereotypes and prejudices. Banning books goes against the basis of the United States, in that there are so many freedoms allowed here, and if a book is banned, it stifles the freedom of expression people have fought for centuries to have.
I am including a way that, for those that agree with me, they can take action: Every year, many libraries across America participate in Banned Books Week, which is sponsored by the American Library Association. The ALA is against book banning, and holds a celebration of banned books the last week of each September. This year it will be held from September 30th to October 6th. Usually, they hold what they refer to as a “Read-Out” in Chicago, IL. This is where people gather to read banned and censored books. This year, they have decided to hold an online “Read-Out”, which will encourage people to participate worldwide by posting their own videos of themselves reading an excerpt of a banned book (ALA, 1, 1).
Works Cited
Hansen, Cauleen. “Photos of Banned Books From Personal Library.” 28 Mar. 2012. Photography.
Kallweit, Karoline. "Librarians Lead Fight Against Banned Books. "Global Information Network. (2010): 1-2. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <SIRS Issues Researcher>.
Lewis, Kati. "Finding Otherness in Your Characters." SLCC, Salt Lake City. 24 Mar. 2012. Lecture.
Morales, Macey. "2012 State of America's Library Report shows free access to information in jeopardy. "American Libraries Magazine. 9 4 2012: 1-3. Web. 10 Apr. 2012.
Toronto Star (Canada) n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.
Whelan, Debra Lau. “Books Are Being Banned in the United States.” Censorship. Ed.
Byron L. Stay. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt
from “A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship.” School Library Journal (1 Feb. 2009).
Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.
Wordsworth, Matt. "Banned Books Pitched to Teens."Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2012): 1-2. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. <SIRS Issues Researcher>.
Here in America, people in general tend to think that everyone has many personal freedoms: who or what, if anything, to worship, the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, and the list goes on. There are librarians in America that believe some books should be unavailable to certain members of society, namely youth. Some of the public also support the library's stance to keep “adult material” out of the hands of youth. They not only decide that children should not have access to a particular book, they decide it should be banned from the shelves. Others believe that adults are fully capable of deciding what their children are exposed to, and want the option of checking out the book. Yet others believe youth should have access to any and all materials.
A banned book, is a book that has been deemed inappropriate for some audiences. Books that contain adult language, rape scenes, sex in general, racism, violence, and drug use are usually the ones that come under fire, although there are other objections as well. In order to get a book banned, one person, or several, steps forward to lodge a complaint. The American Library Association keeps track of this, and explains the process thusly:
Each year, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives hundreds of reports on book challenges, which are formal written requests to remove a book from a library or classroom because of an objection to the book's content. There were 346 recorded attempts to remove materials from libraries in 2010, and more than 11,000 attempts recorded since OIF began compiling information on book challenges in 1990 (Morales, 3).
Sometimes, though, a book is banned, not because of any complaints about it, but because librarians fear backlash from adults for having a banned book in stock. A survey by the School Library Journal offers up some insight into why, specifically, a librarian decides to ban a book:
…[They] asked 655 media specialists about their collections and found that 70 percent of librarians say they won't buy certain controversial titles simply because they're terrified of how parents will respond. Other common reasons for avoiding possible troublemakers include potential backlash from the administration (29 percent), the community (29 percent) or students (25 percent), followed by 23 percent of librarians who say they won't purchase a book due to personal objections (Whelan, 18).
The ALA releases an annual list of books that are the “Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged Books.” They released their list for 2011 on the 9th of April, 2012. The reasons for them being challenged include the issues discussed previously, as well as religious objections. Here is the list:
- ttyl series by Lauren Myracle
- The Color of Earth series by Kim Dong Hwa
- The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
- My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy by Dori Hillestad Butler
5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
6. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
7. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
8. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
9. Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar
10. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Not all adults are for banning books, however. Some actually encourage children and teens to read banned books, in the hopes that the kids and teens will become better educated and better able to deal with the world at large. Book banning isn't just an American problem, though. Australian reporter Matt Wordsworth spoke to a person described in the article as “an American entrepreneur”, Justin Stanley, who wanted to “use banned and challenged books as a way to promote literacy among underprivileged teens.”
Stanley feels that by using the same reasons books are banned, kids can be encouraged to read more and grow their literacy skills and comprehension. He says that just telling a teen a book is considered to be one of the best novels of the century, doesn't encourage them to check out a book on that advice alone. However, if you tell a teen that there is a particular book that adults think has questionable content, it makes the curious to pick up the book and judge for themselves. Stanley likens this rebellion against society to the concept of “forbidden fruit”, if you are told you can't have something, it makes you want it more (Wordsworth, 1, 7, 10).
Another suggestion is for adults to trust their child's judgment when it comes to reading banned books. Lisbeth Clemens, a librarian in Montreal, Canada spoke to reporter Elizabeth Warkentin about trusting kids and engaging them in open dialogues about what they are reading, “I often come across boys, 13 or 14....who want to read adult books and who tell me they are reading them at home.”
Warkentin agrees with Ms. Clemens, and states : “Kids are usually the best judges of what books are right for their maturity level. Like adults, they will only choose to read a particular book when they're ready for it” (Warkentin, 10,11).
I hereby propose that no book should be banned. I trust that adults and children alike are capable of using their own judgments of what to, or not to, read. I feel that if a book has questionable content, parent and child should read the book together, and discuss any and all of the “banned” content. Children, after all, will one day be adults themselves, and by being open, honest, and engaging with your kids when they are young, can cause them to lead to a happier, more well-adjusted adult life.
One of the biggest issues I see, is that too often, children are not taught about sex, and books are banned for including it. The parents are embarrassed to discuss it, the schools fear lawsuits, the churches are against it. For some kids, their only exposure to sexual issues may come from banned books. Children are often raised in a culture where sex is viewed as dirty, sinful and shameful. In many banned books, sex is also treated in this manner. Although, much of the time, a character who has sexual encounters is able to examine the “Otherness” of sex and explore their own beliefs, stereotypes, and feelings about sex (Lewis).
As a child myself, I discovered banned books when Wal-Mart ran a special on classic literature books at the price of two for a dollar. I remember reading them and thinking, “Wow, this is a fantastic novel!” At the time, I had no idea the books were considered unfit for public consumption, I was just happy to have a book in my hands. My parents weren't that big into reading, although I do recall them objecting when I was twelve and starting reading romance novels, some of which did have some explicit sex scenes in them. I think one book I had was even thrown away by my mom.
The more banned books one reads, the more knowledgeable one becomes. It allows for people to engage more fully with each other, across races, culture, and religions. It also allows for people to gain greater insight about others and possibly even overcome previous stereotypes and prejudices. Banning books goes against the basis of the United States, in that there are so many freedoms allowed here, and if a book is banned, it stifles the freedom of expression people have fought for centuries to have.
I am including a way that, for those that agree with me, they can take action: Every year, many libraries across America participate in Banned Books Week, which is sponsored by the American Library Association. The ALA is against book banning, and holds a celebration of banned books the last week of each September. This year it will be held from September 30th to October 6th. Usually, they hold what they refer to as a “Read-Out” in Chicago, IL. This is where people gather to read banned and censored books. This year, they have decided to hold an online “Read-Out”, which will encourage people to participate worldwide by posting their own videos of themselves reading an excerpt of a banned book (ALA, 1, 1).
Works Cited
Hansen, Cauleen. “Photos of Banned Books From Personal Library.” 28 Mar. 2012. Photography.
Kallweit, Karoline. "Librarians Lead Fight Against Banned Books. "Global Information Network. (2010): 1-2. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <SIRS Issues Researcher>.
Lewis, Kati. "Finding Otherness in Your Characters." SLCC, Salt Lake City. 24 Mar. 2012. Lecture.
Morales, Macey. "2012 State of America's Library Report shows free access to information in jeopardy. "American Libraries Magazine. 9 4 2012: 1-3. Web. 10 Apr. 2012.
- "Book Banning, coming to a library near you?. "American Libraries Magazine. 6 9 2011: 1-3. Web. 15 Apr. 2012.
Toronto Star (Canada) n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.
Whelan, Debra Lau. “Books Are Being Banned in the United States.” Censorship. Ed.
Byron L. Stay. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt
from “A Dirty Little Secret: Self-Censorship.” School Library Journal (1 Feb. 2009).
Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2012.
Wordsworth, Matt. "Banned Books Pitched to Teens."Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2012): 1-2. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. <SIRS Issues Researcher>.
Group Multimodal Project
Group Multimodal Project: Journal and Reflection
Journal
The group for my multimodal project consisted of: myself, Kathy Thompson, Ashley Ockler, Cassie Bischoff, and Mele Moli. Our first meeting was held on April 2nd 2012 and everyone was there. Our group had been assigned to us by Ms. Briggs, and we brainstormed as to what topics we wanted to do for the project. We went around our group and listed the topics we had done for our previous papers. Mele suggested doing the project on students who deliberately stay back a year in school for extra sport activities. When I mentioned I had done a profile on Liberty Park, everyone appeared excited and the group decided that would be our project.
At our next meeting, Wednesday the 4th, we discussed how best to present the park, and what our purpose was going to be for our project. The decision was made to focus on the different aspects of the park that families could enjoy. Also discussed was if we would just use the information I already had on the park, or whether others would visit the park as well. We settled on making a field trip to the park, and each person would focus on one particular area of Liberty.
Unfortunately, Ashley lived too far away and Mele works quite a bit, so Cassie, Kathy, and myself decided that on Monday the 16th, we would visit the park together, and get pictures and ideas for our own particular areas. (Monday the 9th was the WSJ Conference, and I was sick Wednesday the 11th, but I did email everyone an update on my part of the project.) After class on the 16th, Cassie and Kathy followed me in Kathy's car to my house. (I live directly across the street from Liberty Park.) They parked their cars in my parking lot, and we walked over to the park.
Cassie had a professional camera with her, so the three of us spent approximately an hour and a half walking through the park. While there, Cassie decided she wanted to report on the Aviary, while Kathy wanted to focus on the Museum. Cassie snapped photos while Kathy and I pointed out the various attractions. It was a good opportunity to get to know some of my team members better, and have fun at the same time. The weather was nice, too, allowing us to take our time touring the park.
Also on April 11th, since I was home sick, I emailed everyone an update on my contribution to the project, which was the Drum Circle. I had attended the Drum Circle on Sunday the 8th, and decided that, rather than taking some pictures of the Drum Circle, I would use my Smart-phone and film a few drum performances. I then uploaded the videos to my YouTube account and provided Ashley with the link to the videos so she could put it into our presentation, as she is our video editor.
Monday the 16th was our final meeting. Cassie, myself, Ashley, and Mele were there. Kathy was absent. We spent our time going over what everyone had done, and made sure Ashley had everything she needed. Mele confirmed she was working on describing events that take place at the park, and told Ashley she would send her all the stuff she had. Ashley went over the visual aspects with us, and we picked out particular photos we wanted to use for the presentation. None of us had heard from Kathy, so we are not sure if she will be there presenting. However, if she does not show up, we have backups planned.
Reflection
The group was formed by Ms. Briggs, but we all seemed to get along well. Mele was absent quite a bit, but at our last meeting, it appeared that she had been working on her part. Everyone was enthusiastic about our project, and was familiar with Liberty. Communication was done primarily through class meetings and email. We did also have the field trip. While there were slight hiccups (people not able to attend meetings, etc.), the group as a whole pitched in and did a substantial amount of work on the project with minimal prompting.
I was happy to provide a place for Kathy to park, and walk with them over to Liberty. Kathy contributed by doing the field trip, Cassie provided an excellent camera to work with (and took the photos), Ashley worked hard on all of the technical aspects of the project, and Mele, while we did not see a lot of her, apparently has been doing work on her own. My contributions were: communicating through email when needed, participating and facilitating the field trip, attending and reporting on a Liberty Park event, and making sure Ashley had everything she needed from me.
Frustrations were minimal, the only concern is not having any communication from Kathy as we go into the final stages of this project. I was frustrated with myself, because I am doing two other group projects for other classes. I have a difficult time keeping each group and project straight in my head. I am trying very hard to make sure I am keeping up with all of my groups, and contributing whatever is needed to have a successful project completed.
Journal
The group for my multimodal project consisted of: myself, Kathy Thompson, Ashley Ockler, Cassie Bischoff, and Mele Moli. Our first meeting was held on April 2nd 2012 and everyone was there. Our group had been assigned to us by Ms. Briggs, and we brainstormed as to what topics we wanted to do for the project. We went around our group and listed the topics we had done for our previous papers. Mele suggested doing the project on students who deliberately stay back a year in school for extra sport activities. When I mentioned I had done a profile on Liberty Park, everyone appeared excited and the group decided that would be our project.
At our next meeting, Wednesday the 4th, we discussed how best to present the park, and what our purpose was going to be for our project. The decision was made to focus on the different aspects of the park that families could enjoy. Also discussed was if we would just use the information I already had on the park, or whether others would visit the park as well. We settled on making a field trip to the park, and each person would focus on one particular area of Liberty.
Unfortunately, Ashley lived too far away and Mele works quite a bit, so Cassie, Kathy, and myself decided that on Monday the 16th, we would visit the park together, and get pictures and ideas for our own particular areas. (Monday the 9th was the WSJ Conference, and I was sick Wednesday the 11th, but I did email everyone an update on my part of the project.) After class on the 16th, Cassie and Kathy followed me in Kathy's car to my house. (I live directly across the street from Liberty Park.) They parked their cars in my parking lot, and we walked over to the park.
Cassie had a professional camera with her, so the three of us spent approximately an hour and a half walking through the park. While there, Cassie decided she wanted to report on the Aviary, while Kathy wanted to focus on the Museum. Cassie snapped photos while Kathy and I pointed out the various attractions. It was a good opportunity to get to know some of my team members better, and have fun at the same time. The weather was nice, too, allowing us to take our time touring the park.
Also on April 11th, since I was home sick, I emailed everyone an update on my contribution to the project, which was the Drum Circle. I had attended the Drum Circle on Sunday the 8th, and decided that, rather than taking some pictures of the Drum Circle, I would use my Smart-phone and film a few drum performances. I then uploaded the videos to my YouTube account and provided Ashley with the link to the videos so she could put it into our presentation, as she is our video editor.
Monday the 16th was our final meeting. Cassie, myself, Ashley, and Mele were there. Kathy was absent. We spent our time going over what everyone had done, and made sure Ashley had everything she needed. Mele confirmed she was working on describing events that take place at the park, and told Ashley she would send her all the stuff she had. Ashley went over the visual aspects with us, and we picked out particular photos we wanted to use for the presentation. None of us had heard from Kathy, so we are not sure if she will be there presenting. However, if she does not show up, we have backups planned.
Reflection
The group was formed by Ms. Briggs, but we all seemed to get along well. Mele was absent quite a bit, but at our last meeting, it appeared that she had been working on her part. Everyone was enthusiastic about our project, and was familiar with Liberty. Communication was done primarily through class meetings and email. We did also have the field trip. While there were slight hiccups (people not able to attend meetings, etc.), the group as a whole pitched in and did a substantial amount of work on the project with minimal prompting.
I was happy to provide a place for Kathy to park, and walk with them over to Liberty. Kathy contributed by doing the field trip, Cassie provided an excellent camera to work with (and took the photos), Ashley worked hard on all of the technical aspects of the project, and Mele, while we did not see a lot of her, apparently has been doing work on her own. My contributions were: communicating through email when needed, participating and facilitating the field trip, attending and reporting on a Liberty Park event, and making sure Ashley had everything she needed from me.
Frustrations were minimal, the only concern is not having any communication from Kathy as we go into the final stages of this project. I was frustrated with myself, because I am doing two other group projects for other classes. I have a difficult time keeping each group and project straight in my head. I am trying very hard to make sure I am keeping up with all of my groups, and contributing whatever is needed to have a successful project completed.
Reflection on Course
The English 2010 course is fun, dynamic, and focused on detail. I took this class not only because it is a graduation requirement, but also because I genuinely enjoy writing and love taking any class that further hones my writing abilities. For this course, I was required to write three papers using specific guidelines and MLA format. Ms. Briggs assigned activities throughout the semester in order to enhance my skills not only as a writer, but as an editor as well.
Every paper had a process. First, I would read my textbook that explained the different genres of writing that I was going to be doing. It was also required that I would do some activities that the text suggested. Next, I was given a few days to think of a topic I wanted to write about. Then I was handed a “Messy Planning Page”, so named because it was a place to put all my thoughts, concerns, and questions on. It also worked as an outline of sorts, where I could plan the paper itself. I would then write the paper and bring it in for peer reviews, where someone reviewed my work and I theirs. All of this was then turned in to be graded.
The first paper I did was a profile. When I had done profiles before, I had always profiled a person. However, Ms. Briggs came to class one day with a previous student's paper to show me an example of a profiled place. This was very exciting to me, as I immediately thought of profiling Salt Lake City's Liberty Park. I live near the park, so it was a convenient location, and I knew I would be able to take pictures and create great visuals for the paper.
The paper-writing process went well, and I tried to make it resemble a magazine spread, which I believe I accomplished. It was also an excuse to mix work with pleasure, as I loved walking around the park and taking various pictures. Researching the park wasn't hard, I combined my past experiences at Liberty, with my observation skills, and some internet research to construct a informational paper on what all activities were offered there.
The second paper I tackled was a review piece. In this paper, I needed to discuss a tangible item, such as a book, movie, etc. Being the bookworm that I am, I chose to review a novel. I chose a novel that was a fairly new release, A Discovery of Witches Book One of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I did this way, because I know classic books like Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, Where the Red Fern Grows, etc. had been reviewed to death. By choosing a newer book, I hoped to provide a fresh perspective on book reviews in general.
I had already read the novel previously, so I was familiar with the text. My Wiccan background allowed me to provide background information on some of the book's topics. I also enjoyed the fact that the book dealt with some actual, and factual, topics, so not only was I reading an entertaining novel, I was also learning. I did some research on the internet about a few of the topics the book discussed, so I could present a more thorough review.
The final paper I had to write was a position/proposal. For this one, I had to explore several sides of an issue, discuss what those sides were, state my own position, and propose a solution to the problem. I chose to research the topic of libraries banning books. I am passionate about everyone having access to any and all books that they want to read. My argument was that adults were certainly capable of deciding on their own what to, or not to, read. In the case of children reading so-called banned books, I argued that parents should be the ones deciding if a book was appropriate for their child to read, not an institution.
This was the hardest paper for me to write, because I had to analyze and discuss positions that I deemed unacceptable. I had to explain these positions while remaining neutral about them, until I got to my proposal. It was difficult to not just type up an argumentative essay, but I think I did well on the paper. I also have many banned books in my personal collection, so I decided to add a visual element to the paper by taking pictures of some of them.
At the end of the semester, I was required to do a group multimodal project. I was put into a group consisting of some of my fellow classmates. We were to pick a subject and give a presentation on it. My group liked my profile paper, so we chose that. A few of us went to the park and took lots of pictures. We also had a Powerpoint that we showed the class. For my part of the project, I decided to cover the weekly drum circles that are held there. I decided to film a couple of short videos of people drumming in order to really showcase that aspect of the park.
It was a fun project to work on, but as with any group, there was one person who didn't do their part. It wound up being OK, though. I was able to come up with a short speech on the spot about a particular park feature. I feel the entire presentation went well, despite being short one member.
All in all, this was a comprehensive course that allowed me to really work on my writing skills and enhance my knowledge of different writing genres. I learned that it helps to sometimes incorporate visuals into papers, in order to enhance people's understanding of what my paper is about. Ms. Briggs also provided me with some citation websites that have been extremely helpful to me all semester, so much so that I have shared the websites with other people from different classes. I regained some of the joy in my writing, as Ms. Briggs allowed me the freedom to choose my own topics, as long as I followed some guidelines. It was a great course, and if I had to take it again, I would!
Every paper had a process. First, I would read my textbook that explained the different genres of writing that I was going to be doing. It was also required that I would do some activities that the text suggested. Next, I was given a few days to think of a topic I wanted to write about. Then I was handed a “Messy Planning Page”, so named because it was a place to put all my thoughts, concerns, and questions on. It also worked as an outline of sorts, where I could plan the paper itself. I would then write the paper and bring it in for peer reviews, where someone reviewed my work and I theirs. All of this was then turned in to be graded.
The first paper I did was a profile. When I had done profiles before, I had always profiled a person. However, Ms. Briggs came to class one day with a previous student's paper to show me an example of a profiled place. This was very exciting to me, as I immediately thought of profiling Salt Lake City's Liberty Park. I live near the park, so it was a convenient location, and I knew I would be able to take pictures and create great visuals for the paper.
The paper-writing process went well, and I tried to make it resemble a magazine spread, which I believe I accomplished. It was also an excuse to mix work with pleasure, as I loved walking around the park and taking various pictures. Researching the park wasn't hard, I combined my past experiences at Liberty, with my observation skills, and some internet research to construct a informational paper on what all activities were offered there.
The second paper I tackled was a review piece. In this paper, I needed to discuss a tangible item, such as a book, movie, etc. Being the bookworm that I am, I chose to review a novel. I chose a novel that was a fairly new release, A Discovery of Witches Book One of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I did this way, because I know classic books like Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, Where the Red Fern Grows, etc. had been reviewed to death. By choosing a newer book, I hoped to provide a fresh perspective on book reviews in general.
I had already read the novel previously, so I was familiar with the text. My Wiccan background allowed me to provide background information on some of the book's topics. I also enjoyed the fact that the book dealt with some actual, and factual, topics, so not only was I reading an entertaining novel, I was also learning. I did some research on the internet about a few of the topics the book discussed, so I could present a more thorough review.
The final paper I had to write was a position/proposal. For this one, I had to explore several sides of an issue, discuss what those sides were, state my own position, and propose a solution to the problem. I chose to research the topic of libraries banning books. I am passionate about everyone having access to any and all books that they want to read. My argument was that adults were certainly capable of deciding on their own what to, or not to, read. In the case of children reading so-called banned books, I argued that parents should be the ones deciding if a book was appropriate for their child to read, not an institution.
This was the hardest paper for me to write, because I had to analyze and discuss positions that I deemed unacceptable. I had to explain these positions while remaining neutral about them, until I got to my proposal. It was difficult to not just type up an argumentative essay, but I think I did well on the paper. I also have many banned books in my personal collection, so I decided to add a visual element to the paper by taking pictures of some of them.
At the end of the semester, I was required to do a group multimodal project. I was put into a group consisting of some of my fellow classmates. We were to pick a subject and give a presentation on it. My group liked my profile paper, so we chose that. A few of us went to the park and took lots of pictures. We also had a Powerpoint that we showed the class. For my part of the project, I decided to cover the weekly drum circles that are held there. I decided to film a couple of short videos of people drumming in order to really showcase that aspect of the park.
It was a fun project to work on, but as with any group, there was one person who didn't do their part. It wound up being OK, though. I was able to come up with a short speech on the spot about a particular park feature. I feel the entire presentation went well, despite being short one member.
All in all, this was a comprehensive course that allowed me to really work on my writing skills and enhance my knowledge of different writing genres. I learned that it helps to sometimes incorporate visuals into papers, in order to enhance people's understanding of what my paper is about. Ms. Briggs also provided me with some citation websites that have been extremely helpful to me all semester, so much so that I have shared the websites with other people from different classes. I regained some of the joy in my writing, as Ms. Briggs allowed me the freedom to choose my own topics, as long as I followed some guidelines. It was a great course, and if I had to take it again, I would!