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Weeks 12 & 13: 12/5/16 - 12/16/161/3/2017 Greetings students and parents! I apologize for the late website update. The last two weeks before winter break, we worked on various elements of a character analysis essay on the novel Animal Farm. We worked on the following: 1. Examining the structure of a response to literature essay 2. Gathering information on characters from the novel 3. Studying the elements of intro paragraphs and compose an introduction 4. Studying the elements of body paragraphs and composing body paragraphs 5. Studying the elements of concluding paragraphs and writing a concluding paragraph The rough draft of the essay is due on our first day back from break (1/4/17). I have attached below all handouts on the essay given out in class during these two weeks. During these weeks, we also wrote on the following quickwrite prompts in class. In case you missed one, here they are: 12/7 Quickwrite: Expand on one of the following scenarios: -Hidden away in the back of the drawer… or -On the other side of the street... 12/9 Quickwrite: -My secret collection... or -The last time I saw him/her... or -Freewrite about a subject of your choice 12/14 Quickwrite: -All I have left is this photo... or -Suddenly, there was a sound... a sound I had never heard before. or -Freewrite about a subject of your choice. 12/16 Quickwrite: -A place I pass by every day… -Then, the lights went out… or -Freewrite about a subject of your choice.
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Week 11: 11/28 - 12/212/6/2016 Wednesday: On Wednesday, we took an AR test on the chromebooks. This took most of the class period. We then briefly discussed the novel, Animal Farm. I assigned a Grammar Practice worksheet for homework. It is attached below. Friday: On Friday, we began class with a quickwrite on the following prompt: -What is a feature of our society that you could see possibly becoming problematic in the future? Why? or -Vacation: What was the highlight of your break? After the quickwrite, students worked in groups on a worksheet/discussion guide for Animal Farm (it is attached below). Afterward we discussed the novel as a class. For homework, read the attached article on fake news stories vs. real news stories and complete the attached questions. Also, we will be beginning a character analysis essay soon. For the first step of this assignment, see the starred section of the final attachment below. Both of these items are due next class.
Week 10: 11/7/16 - 11/10/1611/14/2016 Wednesday: We began today's class with a quickwrite: Dream-catcher: Write something inspired by a recent dream you had. or The Vessel: Write about a car, ship, or other vehicle that can take you somewhere different from where you are now. Students shared out their responses to the quickwrite. I then collected all student quickwrites for LP 2. If you still have any of yours, please get them to me ASAP! Next, we went over the novel homework assigned last Wednesday. Lastly, I handed out and went over the homework for meeting week. It is attached below. This packet is due on 11/30.
Week 9: 10/31/16 - 11/4/1611/14/2016 On Wednesday: We began with a quickwrite: Themes: obscurity, uncertainty -Smoke, Fog, and Haze: Write about not being able to see ahead of you. or -Closed Doors: What’s behind the door? Why is it closed? We discussed student responses to the quickwrite. Next, students shared out their author reports on George Orwell that were due in today's class. Students then received the novel, Animal Farm, by George Orwell. We discussed some of the themes of the novel. Lastly I handed out the homework. The homework is to read the first four chapters of the novel and complete the packet (attached below) by next Wednesday. On Friday: This week has been anti-bullying week. We explored this topic in Friday's class. We began with a quickwrite on some positive and powerful traits: Resilience: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Overcoming: succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. -What is something you have overcome? Or, what is something you have seen someone overcome? -How have you shown or observed the trait of resilience? Next, we watched a video of an animated spoken-word piece that discusses bullying and its effects on people. It also touches on the theme of overcoming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY Afterward, we completed an activity on the topic of identity as it relates to bullying and stereotyping. It is attached below. There is no additional homework from today's class.
Week 8: 10/24/16 - 10/28/1611/7/2016 On Wednesday: Students began by sharing their Technology News Article assignments with their peers and with the whole class. Next, I handed out a selection of articles (with each table receiving a different article). Students worked to summarize the main points of the article and write their thoughts on the subject. Each table group then shared with the class the subject of their article and their thoughts on the article. Here are the articles we used: https://newsela.com/articles/europe-mars-landing/id/23264/ https://newsela.com/articles/nasa-mars-hawaii-experiment/id/21226/ https://newsela.com/articles/mars-2030-obama/id/22782/ https://newsela.com/articles/obama-mars-companies/id/23088/ Next, we watched a video on some literary key terms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_pxfifB6Co Lastly, I gave out a homework sheet on literary devices. It is attached below. On Friday: We began with a quickwrite: Alarm clock: Write about waking up. Feel free to dramatize this event heavily. Bonus points and high fives for the use of any literary concepts from the homework. Next, we went over the literary terms worksheet with an emphasis on the concepts of irony, mood, tone and theme. Next, students worked in pairs to create examples for the terms from the homework. The homework assignment from this class was to write an author report on George Orwell, the author of Animal Farm. We will begin reading Animal Farm next week.
Week 7: 10/17/16 - 10/21/1610/24/2016 This week, we explored non-fictional texts on newly emerging technologies. On Wednesday: We explored the topic of "technology as a companion." We began with a quickwrite to an image. After students wrote, they discussed their responses and also considered this question: Does technology make us more connected, or does it make us more alone? Next, we watched a video and read an article on Toyota's new companion robot "Kirobo Mini." Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G__ruOOlv-Q Article: https://newsela.com/articles/toyota-talking-robot/id/22570/ After finishing the article, students wrote about and discussed the following questions: -Is this shift toward non-living, computerized companions a good thing? Do you think it is healthy? -Should we invent more devices that do more things for us, or not? -Do you think robot companions will help people with loneliness or make the situation worse and distance people further from each other? Your homework is to finish the final draft of the Personal Narrative assignment due Friday. On Friday: We began with a quickwrite: -Does the future of technology bring more fear or excitement to your mind? -What is some developing technology that is potentially frightening to you? -What is some developing technology that is exciting to you? Students discussed their responses. Next, we watched a video and read an article about advanced prosthetics technology that is currently being developed. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JcM6eel9Q0 Article: https://newsela.com/articles/mindcontrolled-prosthetic/id/15230/ Students then responded to the following questions about the article: -What kind of advancements has this team made in prosthetic technology? -How many people in the US could benefit from this technology? -What is an MPL? Explain. -Why is more work still needed to improve it? Your homework is attached below. It is due on Wednesday.
Friday, 10/1410/18/2016 We began Friday's class with a quickwrite and discussion on the following prompt: -Design a gadget, machine, or other creation that might improve the future. What does it look like? What does it do? In what ways could it benefit people? Then, for the remainder of the period, students took part in a peer critique session on the rough drafts of their Personal Narratives. This peer critique session was guided by a graphic organizer, which is attached below. The only homework is to complete the final draft of the Personal Narrative assignment by next Friday (10/21).
Wednesday, 10/1210/13/2016 Today's class began with a quickwrite on the following prompt: -Explain to someone why music, art, or computers are important to your life. Try to make them understand and appreciate your viewpoint. We discussed student responses to the prompt. Then, students received all of their graded LP 1 work. Next, we went over the homework packet that was due in today's class (assigned 9/30). Students shared their review assignments with their peers. Lastly, I assigned the homework. The homework was to read a professional film review by Roger Ebert that does many of the same things I asked students to do in their review assignment. Here is a link to the review: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/toy-story-1995 The response questions are attached below. They are due on Friday.
Week 5: 9/26/16 - 9/30/1610/4/2016 This was our last week of LP 1. On Wednesday: We practiced working with dialogue. We began with an overview of the proper formatting and punctuation of dialogue. Then, we continued with a dialogue-writing activity based on 4 images of people interacting (handout attached below). Students wrote original dialogue for each of the scenarios depicted. This assignment was turned in at the end of class. Students were given the last 15 minutes of class to work on the Personal Narrative rough draft due next class. On Friday: Students turned in the Personal Narrative rough draft at the beginning of class. We then took a break from our narrative unit and explored an informational topic: Spacex's recently-announced plan to colonize Mars. Over the course of the class, students watched a couple videos on Spacex's plan and the difficulties they may encounter in attempting to achieve their goal. Students also wrote their thoughts on several issues related to space travel and colonization. These written pieces were included in their Quickwrites for LP 1. At the end of class, I collected all student Quickwrites for LP 1. Lastly, I handed out the homework for meeting week. It is attached below and will be due on 10/12.
Week 4: 9/19/16 - 9/23/169/26/2016 This week, we continued our preparation for writing a personal narrative. On Wednesday: We began by going over the homework on showing vs. telling that was handed out last class. Then, we worked to prepare for the Descriptive Writing Assignment due Friday (this was handed out last week). We looked at the following: -Transitional words and phrases (handout attached) -A short lesson on the following sentence types: simple, compound, and complex (examples attached) -MLA formatting (handout attached) Your homework from today's class is to finish up the Descriptive Writing Assignment due Friday. On Friday: Students turned in the Descriptive Writing Assignment. Next, we explored plot structure and dialogue formatting in preparation for your Personal Narrative assignment. We looked at plot structure in the example of a short personal narrative. Students worked in groups to place the events of the short story onto a plot chart (handout and story attached). We then looked at how to properly format dialogue (handout attached). Lastly, I handed out the Personal Narrative assignment (Titled "Autobiographical Incident") (attached) as well as a narrative organizer (attached) to help plan some of your ideas before writing. The rough draft of your Personal Narrative assignment is due next Friday (9/30).
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May 2017
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