Friday, April 29, 2016

Writing work day

Goal: Finish your draft of your essay.
Scroll down and add the calendar.

Agenda:
Read
Review lessons from yesterday
Make progress on your draft

Today is all about working on your essay draft.

The grading period ends next week. Here are some of the other things happening next week.

Monday May 2, 
Extreme Sports Essay draft due. 
We take the California Healthy Kids Survey

Tuesday May 3, 
Writing Response Groups for feedback on your essays

Wednesday May 4,
Book reviews due. Be sure you already have one posted to Goodreads.

Thursday May 5, 
Teacher Appreciation Day :)
English Journals Due, self scoring day.

Friday May 6, 
Mrs R. will be at a conference periods 3-6.
Socratic Seminar make up 2:20 PM

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Evidence and Opposition

Why would anyone jump out of a
 perfectly good airplane? 
Goal: Work on adding evidence to your essay. Focus on correctly quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing the words of others with citations.

Agenda
Read
Using the words of others
Objections and Counter-Arguments
Writing time


Using the words of others:
  • Direct quotation: In “Extreme Sports Not About Risk-taking: Study,” Dr. Brymer found that people who participate in extreme sports have an image of “risk takers and adrenaline junkies”. He found this really isn’t true (3).
  • Paraphrase: In “Extreme Sports Not About Risk-taking: Study,” Dr. Brymer notes that people who participate in extreme sports try to be prepared so they can decrease their risk of injury (8).
  • Summary: In “Extreme Sports Not About Risk-taking: Study,” Dr. Brymer cites his study to show that many people who participate in extreme sports do so for reasons other than an adrenaline rush. He points out that they don’t like to be out of control and that by preparing for their sport, they feel they are really in control (11).
Objections and Counter-Arguments
     Introducing objections:  
  • Some people may say that _______________. 
  • Critics might argue that __________________. 
  • I know some people will think _________________. 
  • There are people who would disagree because _______________. 
  • Those who have never tried ____________ might (think/say/argue) that ________________. 
     Addressing opposing viewpoints: 
  • These critics haven't considered ______________________. 
  • When you know more about ________________...
  • Doubters should see how____________________...
  • To say that _____________ is an exaggeration of_________________. 
  • While it is true that ___________________, it does not necessarily mean that________________. 
(Some of these suggested frames come from They Say I Say, by Graff and Birkenstein, 2014)

Reminders: 
  • Book reviews happen Wednesday next week. (I will NOT accept them late or regrade any incomplete work. You were warned.)
  • Friday 5/6 is the end of the grading period. Check your English Journal. Are you missing anything? Could any of your work be better? A little effort now can really help you later.


Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Making progress on that draft

Goal: make progress understanding what you are writing about. make progress actually writing.

Agenda:
Read
Discuss the quote you are writing about with your group.
Work on adding to your draft. You have a complete draft due on Monday 5/2.

I suggest you discuss these things with your group:

  1. The meaning of the quote. 
  2. The extent to which you agree or disagree with what the quote says. 
  3. Possible opposing viewpoints to your positions. 
  4. Possible counter arguments to those opposing viewpoints. 
  5. Help each other with possible evidence to support your position. 
Self-regulate and decide for yourselves when you need to move from discussion to drafting time. 

Reminders:

  • Book reviews happen Wednesday next week. (I will NOT accept them late or regrade any incomplete work. You were warned.)
  • Friday 5/6 is the end of the grading period. Check your English Journal. Are you missing anything? Could any of your work be better? A little effort now can really help you later.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Extreme Sports Writing Task

Goal: Read and understand the writing task. Get started on an introduction and a thesis. Begin gathering evidence for the rest of my essay.

Agenda:

  1. Read
  2. Locate your extreme sports writing task document in your shared with me section of your Google Drive. (Do not make a copy of it.)
  3. Read through the writing task including the scoring guide at the end. 
  4. Choose the quote you want to work with (highlight it on your document) and begin your introduction. 
  5. Consider what pieces of evidence you want to use in the following paragraphs of your essay. 
The draft of your complete essay is due Monday 5/2 for peer review. The final draft is due Friday 5/6.

Reminders:

  • Book reviews happen Wednesday next week. (I will NOT accept them late or regrade any incomplete work. You were warned.)
  • Friday 5/6 is the end of the grading period. Check your English Journal. Are you missing anything? Could any of your work be better? A little effort now can really help you later. 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Socratic Seminar

Goal: A discussion that deepens our understanding of the risks and rewards of participating in Extreme Sports

Agenda: 
Read
Socratic Seminar

You need:
Your partner: One of you will begin in the inner circle and one of you will begin in the outer circle. You will switch when I ask you to.
Your extreme sports unit readings doc. (in your Google Drive)
Your Socratic Seminar Preparation document on paper.

Reminders: 
Book reviews due 5/4/16. You are reading right?

Friday, April 22, 2016

Continue preparing for our discussion on Monday

Goal: Finish your preparation for our Socratic seminar on Monday

Agenda: 
Read
Watch
Work

Expectations for Socratic Seminars:
What do you want out of our discussion on Monday?
How can talking about these questions help with writing about these topics later?
What expectations do you have for yourself and your classmates?

Watch:
Lets watch this class have their Socratic Seminar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG64GWpE9Jo

Work:
You have more to do to finish the document I sent you Thursday with the three discussion questions. Remember to bring a paper copy of your preparation document to class on Monday.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Preparing for a Socratic Seminar

Goal: Understand the difference between open and closed questions. Write open ended questions about articles we have read in this unit.

Agenda: 
Read
Review articles and write questions
Socratic Seminar prep

On Monday we are going to have a Socratic Seminar discussion based on the readings in this unit. To prepare for that you will be looking closely at the articles we have read and considering three questions from the perspective of the people we have read about.

Socratic Seminar Prep:

  • I am sharing a socratic seminar preparation document with you in Google Drive. 
  • You must have this completed to participate on on Monday. 
  • You will need your preparation document on paper this time. Print it or prepare using a paper copy from me. 
Reminders: 
Keep reading. We will submit book reviews on May 4th. That's less than two weeks away. 
We will self-score English Journals at about the same time. Make sure you aren't missing things. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Risks and rewards, a personal decision

https://www.flickr.com/photos/india-nepal-iran/215845117/
Photo By: Mahatma4711 April 2006 CC
Goal: Reading, Writing, Viewing

Agenda:
Read
Quick Write
Viewing a documentary, part 1

Writing:

  • Open your English Journal
  • Quick Write: Look at the image on this post. Where do you think these people are? What are they doing? What are the risks and rewards of their experience?

Viewing:

  • We will be watching a documentary about climbing Mt. Everest.
  • You will take some notes in your English Journal as you watch the film.

1. Summarize the film.
2. What are some debatable questions that the film poses?
3. What are some of the risks associated with climbing Mt. Everest?
4. What are some of the rewards associated with climbing Mt. Everest?
5. Do you think the rewards outweigh the risks? Why/why not?

Monday, April 18, 2016

Explain your thinking and then think some more

Goal: Quick write and reading an article. 

Agenda:
Read
Quick Write
Article to read

Quick Write: 

  1. Copy and paste the quote below into your English Journal. 
  2. Explain what it means in your own words. 
  3. Explain how it relates to extreme sports.
“I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.” -Jack London 
Article to read: 
Go to the link below. Login with Google. Let me know if you need the class code.
http://goformative.com/student/#/assignments/AFDQ229



Friday, April 15, 2016

Explaining Quotes and expanding horizons.

Goal: Getting better at explaining quotes and learning about another part of the world you probably don't think about much.

Agenda:
Read
Quick Write
AOW

Quick Write: 

  • Copy and paste the quote below into your English Journal. 
  • Explain what it means in your own words. 
  • Explain how it relates to extreme sports. 
  • Go to m.socrative.com and join 6867. 
  • You will paste in your quick write. 
“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.” -Rabindranath Tagore


Article of the Week
Last year there was a very large earthquake in Nepal. (Do you know where that is? Do you need to find out?)
Read this article about the quake and respond to it in your English Journal.
Your response should be at least two paragraphs. In your first paragraph summarize the information you read in the article. In the second paragraph you should share your thoughts about the situation.


Thursday, April 14, 2016

Looking at rhetorical strategies in our readings

Goal: Looking for ethos, pathos, and logos in our readings.

Agenda: 
Read
Close reading
Finding ethos, pathos and logos.

Close reading:
Open your articles on extreme sports. (That yellowish doc in your "shared with me")
Lets look at "Extreme Sports Not About Risk Taking."

Lets practice some more:
Go to "A Solemn Warning for Wingsuit Flyers"
Also go to m.socrative.com and join room 6867.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Reading, writing, and more text analysis...oh yeah.

Goal: More practice explaining quotes and more rhetorical analysis.

Agenda:
Read
Quick Write
Finish the text analysis we started yesterday.

Quick write: 
Copy the quote below into your English Journal and explain it in your own words. Use what you have seen and read about extreme sports in the past week to support your answer.

“The proper function of man is to live, not exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” -Jack London 

Finish Charting the text:
I'll give your papers back to your group and you can finish your analysis of "Extreme Sports Not About Risk Taking"

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Looking closely at texts, short and longer

Goal: Looking closely at what the author is saying and doing in "Extreme Sports Not About Risk Taking: Study."

Agenda: 
  1. Read
  2. Quick write
  3. Charting the text
Quick Write:
  1. Explain what you think the quote is telling us. 
  2. Explain how the quote applies to the articles you've read about extreme sports
“Security is a kind of death.”  -Tennessee Williams 



Monday, April 11, 2016

Check in, catch up, and read.

Goals: Check in, catch up, and read.

Agenda:
Read
Make a list of things we need to catch up on.
Work on those things.

Happy Monday. Today we worked on tying up loose ends, finishing things we need to be done with, and generally catching up.

Our list included:

  • Reading the three articles about extreme sports we started with last week. 
  • Calling in Comparative Analysis Essays
  • (Working on those essays)
  • And reading time, because everyone loves more time to read. 

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Pre-read, Pre-think, Pre-chew, Pre-view

Goal: Preview the major texts for this unit and begin to think about how these authors express their point of view about their subject.

IF I HAD A VOTE

Agenda:
  1. Read
  2. Pre-read, preview the articles for this unit. Skim them all quickly. Look at the titles and a few topic sentences. ( I already shared the articles with you in Google Drive.)
  3. Before you read the articles too closely, answer the questions in the colored boxes in your English Journal. You should work with your partner to discuss your answers. 
  4. With your partner choose which article you want to read first. 
  5. Use the "Say Something" strategy to stop and talk several times during your reading, not at the end. 
Reminders: 
Call in your Comparative Analysis Essay assignment if you have not already done that. 

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Looking closer at extreme sports and risk taking

Goal: Going further into extreme sports and risk taking. Writing and viewing and writing more. 

Agenda:
  1. Read
  2. English Journal quick write
  3. Some partner work

You will work with your partner on this next piece. 
Together you and your partner will complete THIS FORM based on the things I will show you in class.

Clip 1
Clip 2
Clip 3

Reminders: 

  1. Call in your Comparative Analysis assignment if you have not already done that. 
  2. Read

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Risk taking and extreme sports

Goal: Begin reading, thinking and talking about risk taking and extreme sports.
wikimedia.org

Agenda:
Read
Quick write
Read
Discuss

Quick Write:
What do you know about extreme sports? What sports would you consider extreme?
How would you define extreme sports? 
(Pick one or write about all three)

Read: 
Read this article (It is "view only" make your own copy please. You will need it.)

Discuss:
  • What do you think about extreme sports?
  • Why do you think people do them? 
  • What extreme sports have you tried or are interested in trying? 
  • What risks do people face when they engage in extreme sports? 

Done with all of that? 
Check your Comparative Analysis Essay
Read your book

Note: If you turned in something over spring break, or called in your essay, it is not in Power School yet. Please be patient.

Monday, April 4, 2016

What's in a name?

Goals: Reading, a pre-assessment of your knowledge of rhetorical strategies and a close reading of a sign.

Agenda:
1. Read
2. Take a quick quiz to see what you already know about some common rhetorical strategies.
TAKE THE QUIZ


3. Read the sign below with your partner. 
What is the author trying to tell parents?
What is the author claiming?
How does the author support his/her claims?


4. Do you still need to call me and read your comparative analysis essay to my voicemail?

5: Let's help! What was hard for you when you first started using Google Apps? Do you have a great tip to share for new users? Let me know and I'll add you to our solutions doc.