This I Believe Personal Essay: Introduction
For this assignment you will write a personal essay entitled, This I Believe. A personal essay is focused on a belief or insight about life that is important to the writer. This will be a challenging assignment, but we will work together to guide you through the process.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when writing the essay:
Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.
Be brief: Your statement should be between 300-500 words. That’s about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.
Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.
Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don’t believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial “we.” Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.
Be personal: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.
Official Website: thisIbelieve.org
Featured Essays: http://thisibelieve.org/essays/listen/classic/
This I Believe: Rough Draft Peer Editing
Now that you have finished your This I Believe Essay, trade your essays with at least two of your classmates.
In a word document, two of your classmates should answer the following questions about your essay:
1. What is the central belief in the essay?
2. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
3. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
4. Is their story/experience that led to their belief clear?
5. Write down the Beginning, Middle, and Ending of the Story/Experience
6. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
7. Write down the specific words ("McDonald's" instead of "Restaurant")
In a word document, two of your classmates should answer the following questions about your essay:
1. What is the central belief in the essay?
2. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
3. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
4. Is their story/experience that led to their belief clear?
5. Write down the Beginning, Middle, and Ending of the Story/Experience
6. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
7. Write down the specific words ("McDonald's" instead of "Restaurant")
This I Believe: Rough Draft
Due Date: April 24, Lesson 8
Essay Essentials:
1. Introduction -
Try one of these strategies
Question:
“When was the last time you went without a meal?”
Quotation: (from someone famous or from someone significant in your life)
“Be careful were the last words my father said to me each time I left the house.”
Strong statement (that your essay will either support or dispute)
“If you eat enough cabbage, you’ll never get cancer.”
Metaphor:
“The starlings in my back garden are the small boys in the playground,
impressing each other with their new-found swear words. The crows all belong to the
same biker gang. You need to know their secret sign to join their club.”
Description (of a person or setting):
“Michael once mowed the lawns around Municipal Hall wearing a frilly apron, high heels, and
nylons, with a pillow stuffed under his sweater where he looked pregnant.
2. An introduction to you. Who are you? Where do you live? What do you do?
3. Your Belief Statement. Explain what your belief means.
4. A Quotation - Explain how your quotation relates to your topic.
5. An experience that led to your belief
Should Include
Vivid, Colorful, Specific details about the experience
Details about how you felt during that experience
Sensory Details/Imagery - Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
6. A restating of your belief statement in different words
7. Conclusion - How this belief continues to influence your life
Essay Essentials:
1. Introduction -
Try one of these strategies
Question:
“When was the last time you went without a meal?”
Quotation: (from someone famous or from someone significant in your life)
“Be careful were the last words my father said to me each time I left the house.”
Strong statement (that your essay will either support or dispute)
“If you eat enough cabbage, you’ll never get cancer.”
Metaphor:
“The starlings in my back garden are the small boys in the playground,
impressing each other with their new-found swear words. The crows all belong to the
same biker gang. You need to know their secret sign to join their club.”
Description (of a person or setting):
“Michael once mowed the lawns around Municipal Hall wearing a frilly apron, high heels, and
nylons, with a pillow stuffed under his sweater where he looked pregnant.
2. An introduction to you. Who are you? Where do you live? What do you do?
3. Your Belief Statement. Explain what your belief means.
4. A Quotation - Explain how your quotation relates to your topic.
5. An experience that led to your belief
Should Include
Vivid, Colorful, Specific details about the experience
Details about how you felt during that experience
Sensory Details/Imagery - Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
6. A restating of your belief statement in different words
7. Conclusion - How this belief continues to influence your life
This I Believe: Values Associations
Due Date: March 29, 2013
1. Choose 4 of the values below.
2. In 4 separate blocks, write down as many items as you can associate with these values: words, experiences, people, stories for each word. The more the better.
1. Choose 4 of the values below.
2. In 4 separate blocks, write down as many items as you can associate with these values: words, experiences, people, stories for each word. The more the better.
Honesty:
Integrity: Compassion: Love: Empathy: Respect: Faith: Knowledge: Wisdom: Freedom: Creativity: Dedication: Loyalty: Success: |
Self-Control:
Leadership: Confidence: Skill: Sincerity: Reliability: Patience: Flexibility: Responsibility: Hope: Charity: Prudence Cooperation: Enthusiasm |
This I Believe: Belief Essay Exploration
Due Date: March 31
1. Choose one of the values you chose in the earlier assignment.
2. Click on “Browse Essays” and find 3 essays that deal with your value. Some will have aired on NPR, others will not.
3. On the GRADE 10 BLOG, list the 3 essays you chose, and then
4. For one of the essays, write a summary (100 words or less) also on the GRADE 10 BLOG.
:
1. Choose one of the values you chose in the earlier assignment.
2. Click on “Browse Essays” and find 3 essays that deal with your value. Some will have aired on NPR, others will not.
3. On the GRADE 10 BLOG, list the 3 essays you chose, and then
4. For one of the essays, write a summary (100 words or less) also on the GRADE 10 BLOG.
:
This I Believe: Thinking about Beliefs
Due Date: March 31
Look at the following list:
______ Life is fair.
______ Words can hurt.
______ Police are your friends.
______ What goes around comes around.
______ How you act in a crisis shows who you really are.
______ Love conquers all.
______ An eye for an eye…
______ People learn from their mistakes.
______ You can’t depend on anyone else; you can only depend on yourself.
______ If you smile long enough, you become happy.
______ Miracles do happen.
______ There is one special person for everyone.
______ Money can’t buy happiness.
______ Killing is wrong.
______ Doing what’s right means obeying the law.
1. Choose one of the statements you most agree with
2. On the weebly blog, tell a story that either shows the belief in action or explains why you believes what you do.
On the Blog, include the belief statement and a story.
Look at the following list:
______ Life is fair.
______ Words can hurt.
______ Police are your friends.
______ What goes around comes around.
______ How you act in a crisis shows who you really are.
______ Love conquers all.
______ An eye for an eye…
______ People learn from their mistakes.
______ You can’t depend on anyone else; you can only depend on yourself.
______ If you smile long enough, you become happy.
______ Miracles do happen.
______ There is one special person for everyone.
______ Money can’t buy happiness.
______ Killing is wrong.
______ Doing what’s right means obeying the law.
1. Choose one of the statements you most agree with
2. On the weebly blog, tell a story that either shows the belief in action or explains why you believes what you do.
On the Blog, include the belief statement and a story.
This I Believe: Studying Examples
In class, we will listen and examine some sample "This I Believe" essays.
1. download the response chart here.
2. Go to http://www.thisibelieve.org/index.php Look at the column on the left.
A. Clicking on “Essays on NPR” will get you text and audio for many essays. You can read blurbs before you choose.
B. Clicking on “Browse Essays” will allow you to choose essays by theme. Some will have aired on NPR, others will not.
C. Clicking on “Advanced Essay Search” will allow you to narrow your search by age, theme, etc.
3. Choose at least two from “Essays on NPR” so you can both read and listen. Clicking on the links below will take you directly to the essays. You'll have access to text and audio.
4. In your group, you will complete the response chart for one essay following the example given.
5. By yourself, complete the response chart for another essay.
This I Believe: Inspirational Quotations
Think about your favorite quote that you consider to be "words to live by." Alternatively, you can search for a good quote based on a subject or theme here.
Be prepared to share them with the class on the due date. Think about times in your life where these quotes inspired you or helped you get through a hard time.
Literature Circles Book Guide
Due Date: April 14th
After you have finished your book, your group will use Weebly to create a reader's guide. Your reader's guide should have the following pages:
1. Author Information - This page should include essential biographical information important
to understanding the book as well as a list of other books he/she has written
2. Character List - This page should include a list of the major and minor characters with an
brief description of their personalities and roles in the book
3. Plot Overview - This page should include a short review of all the major/most important
events in the book. Think about the Plot Pyramid we discussed in class - exposition, big
event/inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
4. Chapter Summary - This page should include a summary of the most important events in
the chapter.
5. Important Quotations - Choose 5 of the most important passages in the book that are
essential to our understanding of the book.
6. Vocabulary Words - Collect 30 important vocabulary words in the book. Include the
definition, the page number, the sentence you found it in the book and a picture to go with it.
7. Discussion Questions - Include 10 questions that will lead to an interesting discussion of
the meaning of the book. Do not include basic points of the book like, "What color is the
man's shirt on page 12."
8. Book Quiz - Write 20 multiple choice questions that cover the entire book.
Refer to my Outsiders Guide for Reference. I will update it when I have time. Although I use
Sparknotes in my example, all work must be your own writing. No work from other sites will
be excepted.
After you have finished your book, your group will use Weebly to create a reader's guide. Your reader's guide should have the following pages:
1. Author Information - This page should include essential biographical information important
to understanding the book as well as a list of other books he/she has written
2. Character List - This page should include a list of the major and minor characters with an
brief description of their personalities and roles in the book
3. Plot Overview - This page should include a short review of all the major/most important
events in the book. Think about the Plot Pyramid we discussed in class - exposition, big
event/inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
4. Chapter Summary - This page should include a summary of the most important events in
the chapter.
5. Important Quotations - Choose 5 of the most important passages in the book that are
essential to our understanding of the book.
6. Vocabulary Words - Collect 30 important vocabulary words in the book. Include the
definition, the page number, the sentence you found it in the book and a picture to go with it.
7. Discussion Questions - Include 10 questions that will lead to an interesting discussion of
the meaning of the book. Do not include basic points of the book like, "What color is the
man's shirt on page 12."
8. Book Quiz - Write 20 multiple choice questions that cover the entire book.
Refer to my Outsiders Guide for Reference. I will update it when I have time. Although I use
Sparknotes in my example, all work must be your own writing. No work from other sites will
be excepted.
I can Haiku, can you?
Due Date: March 24
Daily Grade
For this assignment, you will write 4 Haiku. Your poem will follow the Haiku form:
1. 3 lines
2. 5,7,5 syllables
3. Must include a Kigo, a word that gives a clue about the season you are writing about
Daily Grade
For this assignment, you will write 4 Haiku. Your poem will follow the Haiku form:
1. 3 lines
2. 5,7,5 syllables
3. Must include a Kigo, a word that gives a clue about the season you are writing about
Literature Circle - Vocabulary Power Point
Due Date: March 17, 24, 31
For your Literature Circle book each week, each group will complete a Power Point for 10 vocabulary words in your book. The Power Point will follow the same format as the one we did before.
For more information check the Wardlandia Wikispace.
For your Literature Circle book each week, each group will complete a Power Point for 10 vocabulary words in your book. The Power Point will follow the same format as the one we did before.
For more information check the Wardlandia Wikispace.
Connector Article
Due Date: March 17, 24, 31
Each week, one member of your group will write a Weebly post on a website or article that links the events, characters, ideas, themes in your Literature Circle Book to the real world.
Your post must include the following:
1. A LINK to the website or article.
2. A SPECIFIC reference to your book - A short quotation from the book with page numbers, a
brief summary, ...etc .
3. An explanation of no less than 200 words on how it relates to your book.
Each week, one member of your group will write a Weebly post on a website or article that links the events, characters, ideas, themes in your Literature Circle Book to the real world.
Your post must include the following:
1. A LINK to the website or article.
2. A SPECIFIC reference to your book - A short quotation from the book with page numbers, a
brief summary, ...etc .
3. An explanation of no less than 200 words on how it relates to your book.
Literature Circle Dates
Upcoming Literature Circle Dates:
March 22
March 29
April 8
You should complete your reading and finish your role sheets the night before the date of Literature Circle. Students who are seen doing their role sheets the day of the meeting will receive a zero for the day. I'm very serious about this.
March 22
March 29
April 8
You should complete your reading and finish your role sheets the night before the date of Literature Circle. Students who are seen doing their role sheets the day of the meeting will receive a zero for the day. I'm very serious about this.