Inquiry Topic

This week I started to think of a topic for the major inquiry project. I decided that the topic I wanted to focus on was childhood cancer. I did some research and I am planning on working with Levine Children's Hospital. I hope to help raise money for the hospital by doing different fundraisers. I also would like to visit the children in the hospital and spend time with them during their stay. I hope to help raise both money and awareness for the hospital by doing this project. I am actually very excited about doing this project and I am looking forward to getting started to help and try to make a difference.

Week 2

This week in English we went over what rhetoric is and how we use rhetoric to persuade our audience when writing. We learned how to analyze different images such as political cartoons and we also viewed advertisments. As a class we analyzed the ads and determined what the rhetorical situation was. The rhetorical situation includes determining who the audience is, what the motivation, purpose and constraints are in that specific ad. We also went over how to write a strong thesis statement and why it is important to have a good thesis statement when you write. I have been taught these things before but I enjoyed going over the different rules with a different teacher because it gave me a better understanding and was also taught in a more fun manner. I also have a better understanding of what constraints are because I always get confused when I have to use them in my writing or have to determine what that certain person's constraints are.

The cartoon is addressing two different issues. The first is being that congress is sinking fast. The cartoon shows that half of the captial is under water already. It shows someone saying "mission accomplished" because it is showing after everything that has been done in congress that it being sunk was done on purpose due to the decisions that have been made. The second issue that the cartoon is poking fun of is the recent cruise ship that sank and no one really knew what to do when it was sinking. This cartoon is pointing out that congress does not really know what they are doing which is causing it to sink.

Reading and Writing

        I read different materials each day. Whenever I am on the computer on Facebook, Twitter, on my email, or looking at the news on Yahoo I am constantly reading.  I do not tend read many books on my own unless they are assigned. However, there are some books that I do enjoy reading such as memoirs. I like to read about other peoples lives because and their experiences because it fascinates me.
     I also write different things each day. Majority of my writing is done through Facebook, Twitter, and texting. I was also on my high school's yearbook commity so I had to write a lot of copy. I tend to be a better writer in school when I get to choose the topic I write about because I am more interested and excited to write about a topic that I chose.