Over the weekend, you:
- Kept a food diary and defined "healthy eating." (Discussion)
- What is "healthy eating?"
- Read a presidential inaugural address and noted persuasive techniques. (Table Talk)
How technology has changed our lives?
1. Entertainment
2. Romance
3. Communication
4. Education
5. Health
6. Travel
7. Religion
8. Politics/Government
9. Family
10 Food
This is the assignment:
Technology – Friend or Foe?
For this essay, you are writing to convince the opposition. Consider
the dangers and advantages of technology. Consider mental and physical health
along with changes in society. For this
essay, you must pick a side. Think
of this essay as a debate on paper. You must know what the opposition thinks,
but you do not support that point of view.
I.
Introduction –
a.
Identify the specific technology you will be
discussing – cell phone, computer, automobile, dishwasher, microwave, GPS, video
games, etc.
b.
Capture the attention of the audience in the
normal way with startling statistics, an interesting anecdote, a quotation from
an expert, lines from a song or poem, a thought provoking question, etc. In
short, make sure that what you say makes the reader want to know more.
II.
In addition, state your thesis – make your point
of view clear!
III.
The body of the paper will do several things –
a.
Convince the reader that they either need or do
not need the technology.
b.
Provide a brief history of the specific
technology you plan to discuss. What was life like before its invention? When
was it invented? How has it evolved? What is its story?
c.
Provide clear evidence to support your point of
view. You must have proof from at least four of the following:
i.
At least three experts/sources. You may use the
articles studied in class and articles that specifically relate to your chosen
technology.
ii.
A current news source such as a newspaper or
magazine article or news cast.
iii.
An interview with at least one user.
iv.
A personal anecdote.
v.
Lines from literature – poem, short story, or
novel. “There Will Come Soft Rains” was
a homework assignment. You may use other
SciFi literature.
vi.
A work of art
vii.
Strong statistics from an expert source.
The body of the paper will be
several paragraphs in length.
IV.
Conclusion –
Wrap it up for the readers. Leave them with a call to action to either
give up or get the gadget you are supporting. Be sure they know why they need
or do not need one. Consider:
a.
Convenience
b.
Cost
c.
Safety
d.
Environmental impact
e.
Impact on society
f.
Ethical concerns
Let's get started - Your first step is to select something from technology. What is your favorite gizmo or gadget? (Discussion)
Now, locate a work of art that features your chosen favorite!
Looking
at Art -
- What is the title of the work? How does the title help you to understand the message? What is the message?
- What is the most obvious image in the work. To where is your eye drawn?
- Look at the colors. Are they symbolic? Would the message be different if the colors were different? Explain.
- Study the shading and shadowing. How do these elements impact the overall message?
- Who is the artist? When was the work created? Is the artist's message about a specific event? What was going on in the world when the work was created? Is the art universal - speaks to people of all times and in all places in all places, or is it limited to the audience for whom it was created?
- How does the work relate to the 20th and 21st centuries?
Here is an example:
You have 30 minutes in class to work on this today. On Wednesday, you will need to have the work of art showing on your computer and talk to others as they drop by as they visit our class art gallery.
Articles of interest
What are the five most important points in this article? To what extent do you agree or disagree with these points?
Has technology impacted human ability to think? (In class activity)
Homework
Discover the history of your chosen technology. (Three sources required. One must come from the school library - on-line or hard copy.)
Create a practice Works Cited page.
