November 12, 2007

November 12, 2007
"A Day in the Life of a Bird" or "A Day as a Bird"

Self-Starter: In your notebook, quickly come up with a caption for each of the numbered bird pictures that are passed around. A caption is a few words or a sentence or so that would show what the bird is saying or thinking.
Share some of them.

1. Go to the computer lab to write your essay, "A Day in the Life of a Bird." Draft, revise, edit, make it the best you can. Aim for a 4 or more on the overall scoring.

To get into GoMyAccess in the computer writing lab:
Click on the icon for Safari (Internet Browser).
You will be on the school home page.
Go to the lower right hand corner to click on GoMyAccess.
Log in with your username (firstnameSTUDENT#) and password (999lastname).
If your name shows up on the next screen, click on "Yes, this information is correct."
Go to assignments, and click START by the assignment "My Life As a Bird."

If you need help getting started, you might want to check out the "My Prewriting Tab," and look briefly at the Narrative Wizard or the Narrative Outline.
Go back to start typing.
Type up your story.
Submit and Final Submit. Check out your scores and the suggestions for improving it.
Revise and edit. Use "My Tutor" and "My Editor."

Note: When you use "My Editor," make corrections, then click on "My Editor" again to refresh it and see if you've gotten rid of some of the errors.

Don't forget that GoMyAccess doesn't like contractions like "don't" and "doesn't."
Do not use them.

You can also look at Writer's Models, and at Tutor and editor feedback after you have done a final submit.

Try to get your essay at least to an overall score of 4.
You do not have to print the essay. Just make sure you have done a final submit.