Probable Passage

Goal: Review and sort words from an upcoming reading to make predictions about the text.

Agenda:
Read
Probable Passage Activity

Probable Passage: 
1. With your partner get this Probable Passage document. (One of you make the copy and share it with your partner.)
2. Sort the words into the plot profile categories and then use those words to write a prediction for the story we will read tomorrow.
3. Paste your prediction (gist statement) into your English Journal.

Reminders: Read, really read a lot. You need to read and review two books of your choice this grading period. If you don't like your book ask for help picking a better one.
-Next book reviews due March 14th.

Article of the Week

Goal: Practicing our article of the week skills. 

Agenda: 
Read
Article of the week
Debrief

Article of the week: 
Read THIS ARTICLE and write a two paragraph response in your English Journal. 
The first paragraph should be a summary of the main idea and details. 
The second paragraph should be your thoughts and opinions about what you read. 

Debrief: 
Brief discussion of any thoughts you'd like to share. 

Reminders: 
This is the beginning of a new semester. 
Cumulative grades start over. 
Your homework is to read, but please also watch the news, read the news. Stay informed. 

Wednesday-Friday: FINALS

Goal: Show what you know and are able to do on our first semester final.

I'll be providing you with a link to the final and the passages you'll be reading in class. Be sure you scroll down to Friday (below) and get the study guide.

I should have your scores posted in Power School by 2:00 PM the day of your final.

Book Reviews

Goals: Book reviews and final preparation.

Agenda: 
Read
Book Reviews

Absent Friday?
If you were not in class on Friday you need to scroll down and review the information from that post AND get yourself a copy of the study guide for the final.

Book Reviews: 

1. I shared a new document with you in Google Drive for your book reviews. 
2. It's getting a bit confusing to have your book reviews in your English Journal, so we are going to move them. 
3. Open your English Journal and the new Book Reviews document I sent you. 
4. Copy and paste (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V) your reviews from your English Journal over to your Book Reviews doc. 
5. You can delete your book reviews from your English journal once you are sure that they are in your Book Reviews doc. 
6. Make sure reviews #4 and #5 are complete. 

Have you?
Turned in the homework sheet from last week, Analyzing Stylistic Choices?
Turned in your socratic seminar preparation doc? (From before winter break.)
Checked out the book you are reading now?
Checked Power School to see what you might be missing?
Requested regrades on work you have improved? (Regrade request deadline is tomorrow 1/24.)

Are you ready for this?

Goals: Making sure we are ready for next week.

Agenda:
Read
Study Guide
Something interesting

Final Study Guide: 

• Your final for English is next week. It will be two hours and the day will depend on the finals schedule. (See the calendar at the bottom of the blog.)
• You can prepare for the final by reviewing THIS STUDY GUIDE. (You'll have to make your own copy.)
• The final will present you with multiple fiction and non-fiction reading passages. 
• You will need to be able to answer questions like the ones on the study guide. 
• Expect 30-40 multiple choice questions. 
• You will need to be able to write a correctly formatted and accurate rhetorical precis based on one of the articles you read during the final. 

Reminders: 

Two book reviews are due on Monday. We will work on this in class, but you should have at least one written before Monday. 

Your letter to McBride should be done. If it's not you may earn a very bad grade. 

I will grade all currently pending re-grade requests by Monday. 

Last day to request a regrade is Tuesday 1/24. 

Something Interesting: 

I'll tell you about it in class. 

Finishing work, getting caught up, and looking at word choice

Goals: Finish your letter to McBride and other catch up work.

Agenda: 
Read
Self evaluation
Writing time
Analyzing Stylistic Choices

Self Evaluation: 
Use THIS FORM to self evaluate your letter to Mr. McBride.

Writing time:
There are several things you could probably use more time for. 
1. Finish your letter to Mr. McBride. It is due today, but keep working on it until it is finished or until I grade it, whichever comes first.
2. Work on your first (or second) book review. Book reviews are due Monday 1/23, but getting them done early is highly recommended.

Analyzing Stylistic Word Choices: 
Complete the TWO SIDED sheet that asks you to look closely at the words McBride chooses to use in his essay. You may begin this in class and complete it for homework. Due Friday 1/20.

Writing Groups for Letter to McBride

Goal: Writing groups for your letter to Mr. McBride

Agenda:
Read
Writing Group Procedures
Writing Groups
Debrief

Writing Groups: 

• Sharing your writing with a group will help you improve your writing and learn what a reader might think while reading your work. 
• Follow the procedures in the chart or on THIS PAGE with your group. 
• Be sure to check out the RUBRIC for your letter. 

Reminders: 

Read! (Really not kidding about that. Book reviews happen Monday)

Finish your letter to Mr. McBride. Due Tomorrow.

Writing in response to James McBride

Goal: Beginning a draft of your response to James McBride.

Agenda: 
Read
Explain writing assignment
Begin drafting

Writing Assignment: 

• We have been reading and analyzing James McBride's Hip Hop Planet; now it is time to write about it more formally. 
• I've sent you a document to write your assignment. Look for it in your "Shared with Me" section in Google Drive. 
• Note: You might not be able to access the RUBRIC linked at the bottom of the assignment sheet I shared with you. (My fault.) You can access HERE. 

ASSIGNMENT:  SUMMARIZING AND RESPONDING IN A LETTER TO JAMES MCBRIDE

• Now that you have considered the topic of hip hop and its global influence, you will write a summary and response in the format of a letter.

• Your task is to compose a letter to James McBride with the purpose of letting him know what you think about the claims he makes about the importance and power of hip hop in his essay.

• The first paragraph of the letter will be a summary where you show McBride that you understand the main points of his essay. (You can probably use your rhetorical precis as the basis for this.) The second paragraph of your letter will be a thoughtful and formal response to his ideas.

Reminders: 
You will share your draft with your writing group on Wednesday 1/18. 
Final draft of your response to McBride is due Thursday 1/19.
Keep reading. Two NEW book reviews due 1/23/17.
Last day to request any regrades is 1/24. 
Finals begin 1/25. 

Reading, Listening, Writing....

Goals: Learn a bit more about the history and culture of hip hop, while working on your listening skills.

Agenda: 
Read
Listening activity (get out your headphones)
Catch up

History of Hip Hop:
Watch THIS VIDEO and answer the questions as you go. Yes, this counts. (You must be signed into your sandi.net account to view this. If you still can't see it you may need to join our Google Classroom, see Mrs. R for help.)

Catch Up:
Did you finish your rhetorical precis yesterday?
Are you done writing a book review for this grading period?

Writing a Rhetorical Precis of Hip Hop Planet

Goal: Write a rhetorical precis of Hip Hop Planet.

Agenda:
Read
(Do you need to check out your book?)
Rhetorical Precis of Hip Hip Planet

You will need: 
Your English Journal
Your copy of Hip Hop Planet

Directions:
Using the format on the chart, write a four sentence rhetorical precis of Hip Hop Planet in your English Journal.

Reminders: 
Check the calendar below for end of semester due dates. Hint: Click the blue + button to add the calendar to your calendar for easy access.
Be sure your English Journal is up to date.
Two new book reviews due on January 23. That's only 11 days away!

Just a lot of work to do...

Goals: Reading Progress survey and exploring Mc Bride's purpose for writing Hip Hop Planet.

Agenda:
Read
Reading Progress Survey
English Journal entry

Reading Progress Survey:
Complete the SURVEY to update me about your current reading. 

Today's English Journal Entry:
Respond to the following questions in your English Journal. (Hint: It will probably help to open your copy of Hip Hop Planet.)

   1. What is McBride’s purpose for writing this article? What is his argument? (A paragraph)
   2.  Do you agree with his argument? Why or why not? (Another paragraph)

Book Reviews: 
You have two book reviews due on 1/23. 
Have you read two books? 
Have you started writing a review of one of them already? 

Reminders:
Note the change in finals schedule. (Not my fault.)
Read every day.

FanSchool Round 2

Current trend map

Goal: Picking new countries for our next round of FanSchool.

Agenda:
Read (Reading is always your homework.)
New country selections

Picking new countries:

• Our first round of FanSchool was a learning experience. Now that you know more we will have another pass at it. 
• Login to https://www.fanschool.org and take a look at the trends map. 
• Make a list of the ten countries you would be most interested in drafting in this round. 
• If you were absent when we did this the first time you will need to join our league. I will give you a code. 

Reminders: 

Socratic Seminar make up at 2:25 today. Bring your preparation document completed. 

READ. Two new book reviews due 1/23. Start one now. 

Now is also the time to revise and request regrades on memoir work. 1/24 is the last day to request a regrade. 

Charting the text of Hip Hop Planet

Goal: Delve deeper into what McBride is saying and doing in his essay.

Agenda: 
Read
Charting the Text

Charting the Text:

• You will need your digital (and/or paper) copy of Hip Hop Planet.
• I'll give you the charting organizer on paper.
• Work with your group to look at what McBride is saying in each section.
• Click on the picture to get a larger version of the rhetorical verbs. >>

Reminders: 
Check the calendar below for end of semester due dates. Hint: Click the blue + button to add the calendar to your calendar for easy access.
Be sure your English Journal is up to date.
Two new book reviews due on January 23. That's only 13 days away! Keep reading. Reading is always your homework.

Reading Inventory

Goals: District reading inventory assessment.

Agenda: 
Read
Reading inventory assessment

Today we take a short reading inventory assessment. It probably won't take you more than 30 minutes and it will give me valuable data about how you read. This will not become part of your grade, but you will get your results along with a list of recommended books.

START HERE
(If you are absent don't try to take this test at home.)

Reminders: 
Keep reading. You'll be finishing two books by 1/23.
Socratic Seminar make up TUESDAY 1/10. Bring your completed Preparation Docs.

Close reading of part of Hip Hop Planet

Goal: Our goal today is a closer examination of part of the text we read yesterday to help us understand the author's purpose better.

Agenda: 
Read
Reading Progress Survey
Close reading of part of Hip Hop Planet
English Journal Entry

Reading Progress Survey:
Complete the SURVEY to update me about your current reading.

You will need: 
Blog
Hip Hop Planet (in 'shared with me')
Your English Journal

Close Reading: 
Now that you've read James McBride's complete article, we're going to spend some time today focusing on just a few paragraphs, specifically the last two paragraphs.

Today's English Journal Entry:
Respond to the following questions in your English Journal.

   1. What is McBride’s purpose for writing this article?
   2.  Do you agree with his argument? Why or why not?

Reminders: 
Carry a plastic trash bag in your backpack to wrap your textbooks when it rains. You are responsible for water damage.
Next two book reviews due 1/23/17.

Reading Hip Hop Planet

Goal: First reading of Hip Hop Planet using the "Say Something" protocol.

Agenda
Read
Reminders
First read of Hip Hop Planet

First Read: 

• Today you will do a first reading of "Hip Hop Planet," an essay by James McBride. 
• You will use the same "Say Something" protocol we have used before. 
• Read on your own, but stop after every few paragraphs to talk to your partner about what you understand and don't understand. 
• The essay is shared with you in your Google Drive. (Look in shared with me, switch to list view.)

Reminders

Socratic Seminar make up after school TUESDAY 1/10 at 2:25. 

Two NEW book reviews due 1/23/17. Keep reading. 

Welcome Back

Welcome back! 

Happy New Year!

Agenda: 

Read

Quick Write

Socrative

Quick Video? 

New Unit: Hip Hop Goes Global

To help us get started we're going to talk about what we know (or don't know) about hip hop.

Quick Write:

In your English Journal:

Reflect and respond to the following prompt:

• What influence does hip hop have in our society or in our world?
• What is its message?
• Is it just music or something more?

Respond to these questions with examples from your own experience and observations.

Socrative:
Open Socrative and join room 6867.

Reminders:

• If you were absent do the quick write above and watch a short 10 minute video on the history of hip hop culture so you better understand what we will be looking at this week, you can find it here. 
• Make-up Socratic Seminar for those absent 12/16 will be AFTER SCHOOL on TUESDAY 1/10. Be in room 864 by 2:25 to participate. 
• Your next two book reviews will be due January 23. 
• Finals start January 25th,