Synthesis and Discussion of #Takeaknee Sources

Intro: This week, we took an in depth look at the Take a Knee protests and the responses to it. We heard from various speakers and the contexts in which their messages were composed, received and adapted over time.

Task: Tonight, continue the conversation we started in class. You can answer one of the following questions or address a topic of your choosing. Feel free to repeat and refine a point you made if your shared in class.

EQ's: 

• Which subtopics or themes are emerging in this topic? 
• To what extent does the conversation about the #takeaknee protests reflect our society's current issues and conflicts?
• OR go your own way 

**Think about: 

-Ideas across sources

-Big concepts

-Significance: Political, economic, social, psychological, ethical/moral

Requirements

• Comment is fully developed; it’s the equivalent of one notebook page in length (250-350 words) 
• Begins with a very brief THEY SAY by summarizing the arguments of others without repeating them verbatim. For example, you may summarize the argument of a classmate or one of the articles. 
• Uses relevant vocabulary from the rhetorical situation and/or They Say, I Say 
• Includes evidence from a minimum of two of sources from class this week in either summary or direct quotes 
• Appropriate marker verbs "This demonstrates/implies/suggests" instead of "This quote shows" 
• Is developed logically. It is centered on one important idea and is organized into one or two cohesive paragraphs 
• Uses varied sentence structure and a conversational tone to engage the audience 
• Contains few errors in spelling, grammar, and conventions 
• On time (by 11:20 am tomorrow)

What are the meanings of the selfie?

Please type up and post your entry in the COMMENTS section of this post by 8:00 pm on Wednesday, Sept 19. By class on Thursday, type a 100-200 response to one of your classmates that agrees or disagrees with their points. It's important that you have a draft in google docs or some other platform in order to have a copy of your work. This will help you avoid any frustration if the blog doesn't post your entry. 

Prompt: Read the excerpt below from “The Meanings of the Selfie” by James Franco.


“The self-portrait is an easy target for charges of self-involvement, but, in a visual culture, the selfie quickly and easily shows, not tells, how you’re feeling, where you are, what you’re doing.


And, as our social lives become more electronic, we become more adept at interpreting social media. A texting conversation might fall short of communicating how you are feeling, but a selfie might make everything clear in an instant. Selfies are tools of communication more than marks of vanity (but yes, they can be a little vain).


We all have different reasons for posting them, but, in the end, selfies are avatars: Mini-Me’s that we send out to give others a sense of who we are.”


Task: Do you agree with Franco that selfies give others a sense of who we are? Write a brief (250-350 word) response agreeing, disagreeing or qualifying (a little bit of both) his claim. State your REASONS for agreeing or disagreeing and don’t forget to back it up with EVIDENCE. In order to receive full credit, your response needs to include a brief introduction in which you state your position and two paragraphs supporting your claim.

Here is a checklist to help you as you write. I understand that this is your first attempt at this type of assignment. Do your best.

• Briefly summarize Franco’s argument, using the templates from They Say, I Say and if it’s useful, the prompts at this link: They Say, I Say. 
• Respond. Do you agree, disagree, a little bit of both? Feel free to use “I” in this response.
• Provide reasons and evidence that support your stance. Evidence may include: 
• Personal experience 
• Expert opinions 
• Examples from history, current events, or popular culture 
• Observations 
• Hypotheticals
• Comparisons 

Once you draft the content of your blog post, use the additional checklist below to check and revise your WRITING: 

• My blog post is fully developed; it’s the equivalent of one notebook page in length 
• Is developed logically. It is centered on one important idea and is organized into one or two cohesive paragraphs 
• Uses transitions to connect my ideas 
• Uses varied sentence structure and a conversational tone to engage my specific audience 
• Contains few errors in spelling, grammar, and conventions 
• On time