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"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates

The Source

Resources for Language Arts

A Trevenen/Condor-Nest Publication

Teachers: Click here for a generic version of this assignment.
Home PageFreshman English Menu PageSophomore English Menu PageJunior English Menu PageSenior English Menu PageMenu Page for Archetypes and Motifs in Literature and CinemaMenu Page for MythologyMenu Page for ConnectionsMenu Page for MCAS InformationMenu Page for CompositionMenu Page for Information about Thomas Trevenen Congratulations! You have just been hired as a researcher for The Source, a webzine dedicated to providing the best resources for language arts students in the United States. As you know, we specialize in finding the best internet links that might help a student gain the most from his or her studies in the language arts. Your first project is centered around your own background. We are taking a high school English program from a typical school and using it as a template or guide for our readers. Your resume indicates that you are affiliated with Masconomet Regional High School of the North Shore area of Massachusetts. Since you are familiar with this school, please use Masconomet as the model of the typical high school and use its four year curriculum as the guide for finding the list of web sites that might aid students of that school. This will help us best determine how to help students from other schools.
 

Outline of the Project:

    The General Goals of the Project

    • Familiarize yourself with the total English curriculum of Masconomet High School.
    • Divide up the curriculum into categories that would be a major help for language arts students.
    • Find resources on the internet that will aid and entertain the language arts students.
    • Create a detailed document that categorizes and itemizes each of your findings.

    Familiarize Yourself with the Curriculum

    • Examine the syllabi of the English department of Masconomet High School.
    • Make a list of all of the works covered by the course of studies.
    • List the topics of study that are emphasized over the four years.
    • Include the electives.

    Divide the Curriculum into Categories

    • How could the courses be divided up into categories?
    • What are some of the general topics of Masconomet's four year English program?
    • What are the electives and what categories might they fit into or be divided up into?

    Find and Rate the Internet Resources

    • Find general resources for "literature" and "composition" and "speech." 
    • Find specific resources for some of the literary works studied or some of the specific topics offered for study by Masconomet.
    • Find only reliable sites. This is meant for high school students and will carry our recommendation and imprimatur with it. Our reputation in the field of education is strong and we want nothing to damage it. Please clear questionable sites with your editors. Your judgment on this matter is being judged.
    • Find entertaining sites as well as informative sites.
    • Discriminate. Don't just make a hodgepodge of web sites. Please pick sites that you think would be helpful and entertaining.
    • Find sites that you would use if you were still in high school.
    • Rate your sites according to the Web Page Evaluation Criteria Rubric. Click on this link and grade your sites.

    Create a Detailed Document from Your Findings

    • Prepare your document in Microsoft Word and save it as a web page.
    • Write an introduction or prologue to your list. It is difficult to create a comprehensive list of sites dedicated to all of  the language arts. Your introduction should indicate your plan of action. Make sure your list does not seem as if you simply chose the first sites you happened on. 
    • Outline your findings and list each category.
    • Under each category, place your annotated list. Make sure you describe the site clearly and completely and cite what is most useful for the Masconomet student. 
    • Make sure that you list you sites so that they create active links.
    • You will email the Word document (saved as a web page) to ttrevenen@masconometschools.org.
    • Keep a list of sites you did not choose. You may be asked to present this as proof of your extensive research.

    Compensation

    • (A) Promotion, bonus and a raise:
      • You have displayed an extensive knowledge of the four year curriculum of the English Department of Masconomet High School.
      • You have written an interesting introduction or prologue to your list of sites that indicates what you have chosen to focus on and why. This introduction will indicate your theme and plan of action.
      • You have found a minimum of twenty-five sites and many of them are either unique or such that any high school language arts scholar should have  your chosen site bookmarked.
      • You have annotated the list extensively and clearly. The highlights of each site are detailed. All of the links are active and working.
      • You have edited your document carefully and checked it for errors.
      • You have documented all information and images. Failure to do this will cost you in compensation and reputation.
    • (B) Bonus and a raise:
      • You have displayed an extensive knowledge of the four year curriculum of the English Department of Masconomet High School.
      • You have written a clear introduction or prologue to your list of sites that indicates what you have chosen to focus on.
      • You have a minimum of twenty-five interesting and useful sites.
      • You have annotated clearly and with detail. The highlights of each site are mentioned and all the links are active and working.
      • You have edited your document carefully and checked it for errors.
      • You have documented all information and images. Failure to do this will cost you in compensation and reputation.
    • (C) You remain employed:
      • You are aware of the four year curriculum of the English Department of Masconomet High School.
      • You have written an introduction or prologue to your list of sites. You may need to work on your focus and objective for your choices or perhaps you are not as clear as you need to be.
      • You have found a minimum of twenty-five useful sites.
      • You have edited your document and carefully checked it for errors.
      • You have documented all information and images. Failure to do this will cost you in compensation and reputation.
    • (D) You are on probation and may want to rethink your career choices:
      • You have failed to meet one or more of the above minimum requirements for keeping your new job.
      • Your work has indicated a lack of effort on your part. Your motivation may be in question.
    • (F)  Thank you for stopping in. The Unemployment Office is that way:
      • Perhaps you would like to stop by at the end of the day for some career counseling. While this is a failure, maybe this could be the first step to motivate you to turning your career in the language arts around.
      • Part-time positions are available after hours. This might be the way to work your way back into the company.

Glossary:

affiliated: connected to (Back to text)
curriculum: the courses for study (Back to text)
syllabi: an outline of a course of study (Back to text)
imprimatur: mark of approval; sanction (Back to text) 
annotated: supplied with notes that explain or give information or opinion (Back to text)

Copyright 2002 by Thomas Trevenen

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