Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Power of Metaphor

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

There’s an interesting study just out about how different metaphors affect our interpretations of stories. Here’s the story from Psychology Today blogger David DiSalvo: First, the researchers asked 482 students to read one of two reports about crime in the … Continue reading →

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Iowa City Test Prep Wrapup

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

On Saturday, ten dedicated AP Lang & Comp students drove down to the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City. We spent a few hours taking a practice test at the Iowa Memorial Union, so everyone could get used to … Continue reading →

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Saturday Test Prep Session

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

We will be at the Iowa Memorial Union from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. There’s a big, open, study area on the main floor. You should be able to find us. There’s a parking ramp across the street. If that’s … Continue reading →

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The Straw Man

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

Without necessarily endorsing the politics behind it, I thought I’d share this blog post by Jonathan Chait at the New Republic. Chait argues that MSNBC commentator Joe Scarborough is guilty of using a straw man in a recent editorial. Reading … Continue reading →

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Reading Notebook Assignmets for Monday

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

You should write a notebook entry on Anthony Bourdain’s episode of No Reservations that we saw. Please address these questions: * According to the show, what does Paris, and more specifically food in Paris, mean? * How does the show … Continue reading →

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Frank Deford on ACL Injuries

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

Here’s the Frank Deford story we listened to in class.

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Food and Science

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

Required Reading (1 NB entry apiece, please, by Jan. 24) Eric Schlosser, “Why the Fries Taste Good,” from Fast Food Nation (preview through Google Books). Monsanto, Inc.’s official response to Food, Inc. Brendan Koerner, “Red Menace,” from Wired Magazine (2010). … Continue reading →

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Food and Health

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Dr. Ayers

An essay from Newsweek by Michelle Obama. The Jamie Oliver TED talk, which we watched in class. A response from Daniel Engber in the online mag Slate. A website and petition from myfoodmychoice.org. Here’s a blog post by Richmond Ramsey … Continue reading →

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Recent AP Goings-On

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Dr. Ayers

The topic over the last week has been “Education.” We started off watching Ken Robinson’s talk about “changing educational paradigms” (see previous post for video), then read Price’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read” and Baldwin’s “A Talk … Continue reading →

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Sir Ken Robinson

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Dr. Ayers

On Thursday, we watched this video in class. It’s by educational researcher Sir Ken Robinson, and it opens our discussion of education:

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