April 20 - 24

Thanks for the lively debates and the high quality examples and evidence submitted in the Gender Debate Prep Worksheets so far! If you haven't already completed that, please submit it to Turnitin.com.

Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

MONDAY A Day/TUESDAY B Day: Offline, work independently. 1. Please watch the argument about beauty standards in advertisements called "Killing Us Softly 4" *(see warning below) and be ready to discuss your own opinions on the live Zoom class at the end of the week. 2. Next, complete the questions in the Discussion Tab marked "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."

*Killing Us Softly 4  IMPORTANT NOTE: the video contains graphic images that are not intended for anyone under age 14. Please view and listen at a time when young children are not present. If there are objections to the material, please e-mail me for an alternate assignment.  (The images of advertisements in the video, however, are easily accessible on billboards, in magazines, and definitely online.)

Due: n/a

Homework for Thursday/Friday: Watch "Killing Us Softly 4" and be ready to discuss the effectiveness of Kilbourne's argument, along with your own opinions at the live Zoom class on Thursday/Friday.

Complete the questions in the Discussion Tab marked "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."


WEDNESDAY (A Day only): Offline, work independently. Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class. (If you run into a paywall on the Wired.com site, please use login: mogilefskya@pvpusd.net, password: English.)

Homework: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question described in Wednesday's class work and post by Friday.  

THURSDAY B Day/FRIDAY A Day: Online Zoom class today! Log in at your designated time, (see the sidebar for times and login details). Verbal, live journal questions/activity about beauty standards and your personal habits, impressions, and expectations. Short presentation about media literacy when it comes to questioning the pictures and images shown regularly in our culture. Introduction to writing assignment: begin draft of argument essay. Go through requirements and argument essay rubric. All argument essays will require some research and credible sources for support. (Note: there should be time to choose a topic and begin an outline today. The outline won't be required for the grade, but strongly suggested.)

Here are your choices for essay prompts:
1. Women should be required to register for the draft the way that men do. Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions.

2. On a national level, the United States Government has responded appropriately to the Covid-19 crisis. Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions.

3. (Most challenging) The United States should require participation in contact tracing as a strategy to combat the Covid-19 threat.  Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions. This prompt will require some research, including articles such as this.


Due for both A and B days: Complete the question in the Discussion Tab section of Turnitin.com marked  "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."

Also due for A Day only - Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Homework for all classes:  Decide which essay topic you'll choose for the argument essay. You'll have time Monday/Tuesday to research, outline, and start typing a rough draft.

The website will be updated by Sunday night with next week's agenda. Have a good weekend!