Sample This I Believe Essays and Videos

I Believe In...

1.  Astronaut Dan Tani:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Y45hvLp8EHigh
2.  School Senior Young Woman:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JUhH-Pp43w
3.  High School Sophomore Young Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dt12AriFKM
4.  An Adult Health Care Worker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJpZnUjtorI
5.  High School Student Reflecting on a Middle School Halloween:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkFncqovL0&feature=related
6.  Excerpts:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB6ojPUIYpk
7.  High School Young Man:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k7lv7Z3stI
8.  High School Young Woman:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av2jgY8c85E

Music/Art Videos

Music/Art Video:  http://vimeo.com/40055232  

This video is better than a picture of the ocean.  A picture is a frozen moment in time.  The ocean is so alive, living and breathing and always moving so that she can move the ones who love her.  She literally moves the surfers, swimmers, and boaters.  And she emotionally moves the ones who are content to sit still on the shore.
(An aside:  Yep, I just referred to the ocean as a person.  That's called personification, btw.  And, no, you aren't allowed to use text language in your writing.  And that's called hypocritical when I do what I ask you not to do.  lol)   

I appreciate the time it took the videographer to create the mood so that I feel like I'm at the ocean--and in some parts, in the ocean. I wasn't crazy about the rocks in the ocean; I prefer the east coast.  And the video of the town, cars, and railroad tracks were depressing.  I wanted all the shots to be focused on the water.  But maybe seeing the less desirable things of this world makes the ocean that much more precious.

(I just discovered Josh Garrel on iTunes tonight. He's more obscure than the mainstream artists, but I tend to like obscurities.  The lyrics are weird. His voice blends in with the music and I didn't clearly hear everything, but here are the words I heard: "when the night comes and you don't know which way to go...through the shadows, you will find a road...like an owl, you will use your eyes... you were born for this...live a serpent and a dove, you will have wisdom and love...waiting for the light...take the flame tonight...cause the time, child, has time for you to go....you will never be alone...as you're sailing across the great divide...every story will be written soon...)

 

 

More to come...I plan to write about another groovy singer, JJ Heller.  I like this homemade video of hers:  http://www.jjheller.com/  ("The Boat Song")

 



Who I Am Essay

"We are shaped and fashioned by what [and whom] we love."  Goethe



        This initial writing about who I am reminds me of those dreaded introductions at social functions.   As an introvert, those gatherings exhaust me.   I'm more of a people watcher at those things than a participant.  I'd rather be with a few of my closest friends in a cozy spot instead of meeting people I don't "do life" with.  

       Maybe I don't like those initial introductions because I can't easily fill in blanks of the scripted conversations.  It goes something like this...

        "I'm (fill in female's name), wife of (fill in male's name) , mother of (children's name) and I'm a (fill in job title) at (fill in place of work).  And you are?" 
  

        And if I'm to follow that script, I would respond, "I'm Leslie Lucas, a forty-eight year old teacher at Hoggard High School." 

        Notice there's a couple of those blanks that I skipped.  Those blanks just haven't been filled in for me...yet. 

         I could add that I have a cat named Lucy (in honor of that girl who adores Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia) but that just perpetuates the old maid cat loving school teacher stereotype.  Not that there's anything wrong with that!

         That one comment about Lucy would be all it would take for them to hear about how much I love The Chronicles of Narnia and how I'd love to live in that book.  I would be polite and listen to their choice of book to live in, but I have a feeling that they would have moved on by that point.  I can't hide my weirdness for even five minutes.  So, you can see why I'm not a hit at large social gatherings. 

        Yep, I'd choose being in the woods with Aslan any day.

Amie and Mallory

      Usually, people hear the names Amie and Mallory in our initial conversations.  They are my nieces and the reasons I live moved to Wilmington nineteen years ago.    I've written in my welcome letter to parents and students that I aim to teach and to treat my students the way that I wanted my nieces taught and treated.  They know that I am for them...no matter what.  And they know I love them.  

      They have such a different sense of humor.  Even as children, they shared my sense of humor.  Scary.  



An older Amie and Mallory

        Ahhh...the beach.  

        My ideal summer weekday is to wake early on a sunny day, drive to the parking lot right before Shell Island and be the first one onthe beach.  I've stayed many days from 8:00 a.m. until 7:OO p.m.   I love having no plans except sitting on the beach, looking for shells, reading, and napping. 



More about Mrs. Maudie Finch later...

POST #2--Extra Opportunities

When you see EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES, realize that these are not required assignments. 

The Teen Ink Opportunities should appeal to those who naturally like to write and/or draw. Teen Ink provides a reputable resource of writings, drawings, photography, and opportunities for you to submit your own work.

OPPORTUNITY #1   
Download the current issue of the Teen Ink magazine at: http://www.teenink.com/Sample. In addition, request for a hard copy to be mailed to you.

Peruse the magazine and select one piece of writing (Editor's Choice with a red check) that inspires you to make a comment. Post the comment on www.teenink.com .  (You'll need to register in order to post.)
1. Make a copy of at least one page of posted comments, including yours.
2. Make a copy of the piece of writing.
3.  Look for the following writing traits in the writing
a. Ideas/Content
b. Organization
c. Voice
d. Sentence Structure
e. Word Choice
Highlight where you find the above traits in the writing you printed.  Label the trait in the margin.  Write the specific quality of the trait in the margin.  (Refer to your 6 Traits of Writing Handout for the qualities of each trait.)

OPPORTUNITY #2
1. Print two well-written book reviews (Editor's Choice with a red check) from http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/ . If possible, one review needs to be of a book that you have read. The other review needs to be of a book that you have not read. Bring the printed reviews to class.

2. Look for the following writing traits in the writing
a. Ideas/Content
b. Organization
c. Voice
d. Sentence Structure
e. Word Choice
Highlight where you find the above traits in the writing you printed.  Label the trait in the margin.  Write the specific quality of the trait in the margin.  (Refer to your 6 Traits of Writing Handout for the qualities of each trait.)

OPPORTUNITY #3
1.Log on to http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/heroes/ and print a well-written piece of writing (Editor's Choice with a red check). 

2. In addition, please post a comment about that writing on www.teenink.com . Please print a page of the comment thread, including your comment, and bring that to class with the piece of writing.  (You'll need to register in order to post.)

3.  Look for the following writing traits in the writing
a. Ideas/Content
b. Organization
c. Voice
d. Sentence Structure
e. Word Choice
Highlight where you find the above traits in the writing you printed.  Label the trait in the margin.  Write the specific quality of the trait in the margin.  (Refer to your 6 Traits of Writing Handout for the qualities of each trait.)

OPPORTUNITIES #4 and #5
See Six Word Memoir and Multiple Intelligence(s) Packet below under Class Downloads on www.classjump.com/MissLucas .

4. Six Word Memoir--Post your Memoir on your blog.
5. Multiple Intelligence Packet--Print and complete the parts of the packet that you complete.  Also, turn in a printed copy of your Personality Profile, highlight the parts that describe you, and write at least five anecdotes that support those parts.

OPPORTUNITY 6   
Research the background of a song or famous work of art.  Paraphrase the research you discover.  Turn in the printed copy of research, the link to your research, song lyrics/copy of art, and your paraphrase.  Post your discoveries on your blog.
Following is an example of research that I discovered about Munch's famous work, "The Scream."

I found out that the artist wrote the following poem in his diary during January, 1892. 

“I was walking along the road with two friends.

The sun was setting.
I felt a breath of melancholy –
Suddenly the sky turned blood-red.
I stopped, and leaned against the railing,
deathly tired –
Looking out across the flaming clouds that
hung like blood and a sword
over the blue-black fjord and town.
My friends walked on – I stood there,
trembling with fear.
And I sensed a great, infinite scream pass through nature.”
(Munch, 1892)
If you will research the information on the following link, you will find how this piece of art related to the time when the artist lived.  You will also find how it relates to today's world.  Print the information that is on this website.  Highlight the information that you think is important and then paraphrase what you read.  Turn in the printed materials and your paraphrase.  Link:  http://lukecore.hubpages.com/hub/The-Scream-by-Edvard-Munch-a-critical-analysis

OPPORTUNITY #7
Look at the college essay questions.   Add to that list by researching the current college/university essay questions.  Give me a list of new questions that you discover. Include where you found these questions. Answer one or more of the questions you found in a complete essay.  Post your answer on your blog.

OPPORTUNITY #8
Decorate Literary Terms to display in the classroom  (Must include the term, definition, and three examples.  The examples need to be from a piece we've read in class, your novel, and a movie.)  Decorate powerful passages of a book.

OPPORTUNITY #9
Write and submit a This I Believe essay in addition to the one that is required.  www.thisibelieve.com

OPPORTUNITY #10
Poetry Visual Projecthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZdYzEqAUfQ&feature=related
Record your voice reciting a favorite and meaningful poem.  Include visuals.  See the above link for an example. 

OPPORTUNITY #11
1. Log on to http://www.teenink.com/opinion/ and print a well-written opinion piece of writing (Editor's Choice with a red check)that would elicit class discussion. You may or may not agree with the writer. 
2. In addition, please post a comment about that article on www.teenink.com . Please print a page of the comment thread, including your comment, and bring that to class.  In addition, bring the opinion piece of writing. (You'll need to register in order to post.)
3.  Look for the following writing traits in the writing
a. Ideas/Content
b. Organization
c. Voice
d. Sentence Structure
e. Word Choice
Highlight where you find the above traits in the writing you printed.  Label the trait in the margin.  Write the specific quality of the trait in the margin.  (Refer to your 6 Traits of Writing Handout for the qualities of each trait.)


OPPORTUNITY #12
Read any of the articles that are posted on www.classjump.com/MissLucas and write at least a two one page response letters to an adult of your choice.  You write the first letter; they respond; you respond to their letter.  Turn in the article that you highlighted and noted.  Turn in the three letters between you and the adult.  (Two letters from you and one from the adult.)

OPPORTUNITY #13
Read any of the short stories and/or poems under the downloads and write response letters between you and another adult or between you and a peer.  

POST #1--First Nine Weeks Blog Requirements

FIRST NINE WEEKS POSTS :

1. (Optional) FAVORITE POETRY COLLECTION OR COMMONPLACE BOOK WRITINGS:

A. Include your link to your Favorite Poetry Collection or
B. Include a minimum of five of your favorite writings from your Commonplace Book and reasons why you like these writings. See the directions at http://www.classjump.com/M/MissLucas/?section=classes&class_id=127926 under Upcoming Events: Honors English Poetry Notebooks and Resources.

2-10. REQUIRED WRITINGS:

2.  Final Persuasive/Argumentative Research Essay
3.  Final Informal Essay “This I Believe” submitted essay
     (Technology Required Second Nine Weeks)
4.  Two Final Poems
5.  Two Final Literary Responses
6.  Rough Draft Cause and Effect Research Essay
7.  Rough Draft Narrative
8.  Rough Draft Definition Essay
9.  Final Nine Weeks Teacher, Class, and Self-Evaluation
10. Three Additional Writings of Your Choice
DUE DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED.

11. (Optional)  CHOOSE AT LEAST TWO ITEMS THAT DESCRIBE YOU FROM AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

• Song Lyrics with a link to the Youtube video
• Movie Clips
• Photography
• Books with pictures of their covers
• Artwork

Provide a developed and reflective paragraph explaining each choice.