Honors: Not much time for anything aside from our nonfiction group meetings. Much better preparation on the jobs and some good discussions. Be sure you prepare enough to generate 30 full minutes of conversation. Couple groups did fall short today.
Be sure to have Response #2 in class tomorrow. Use the checklist to make sure all the basic expectations are met.
Standard: You did nice work today analyzing Olivia's letter to Mayor Bloomberg. Nice job identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the letter. Remember, taking a position on an issue and defending it in a letter are what you will be doing. We'll get more specific on topics in the coming days, but for now just be thinking about the important elements needed to argue effectively. We'll keep working on them.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
The Link to Possible Position Topics
Honors: We finished up our discussion on the amnesty article and saw both its strengths (introductory paragraph, topic sentences, conviction) and its weaknesses (too many rhetorical questions, no transitions, tying arguments back to topic sentences and the claim).
Your next task will be to select five potential topics for a position letter/speech. You started that work today in class and will spend some more time tomorrow, narrowing down possibilities. You should be exploring and writing to help you in your decision process. Here's a link to the page of topics we looked at in class.
For tomorrow you should have read your nonfiction book up to the page the group decided on. Come to class tomorrow with your book, your discussion preparation work and your voice for discussion.
Standard: Now that we are finished with Warriors Don't Cry, we are moving forward. I'll have those presentations you shared over the book and the film assessed by the end of the week. In the meantime we will be delving into argument writing and what makes a successful argument.
We started the process today by looking at the article "Shoot-out". You took sides, listened for and located evidence from the text, defended positions and wrote about your side of the issue. That was a lot for one day but both classes handled it well. We will continue tomorrow to be sure we have a clear understanding of how to defend a position well.
Your next task will be to select five potential topics for a position letter/speech. You started that work today in class and will spend some more time tomorrow, narrowing down possibilities. You should be exploring and writing to help you in your decision process. Here's a link to the page of topics we looked at in class.
For tomorrow you should have read your nonfiction book up to the page the group decided on. Come to class tomorrow with your book, your discussion preparation work and your voice for discussion.
Standard: Now that we are finished with Warriors Don't Cry, we are moving forward. I'll have those presentations you shared over the book and the film assessed by the end of the week. In the meantime we will be delving into argument writing and what makes a successful argument.
We started the process today by looking at the article "Shoot-out". You took sides, listened for and located evidence from the text, defended positions and wrote about your side of the issue. That was a lot for one day but both classes handled it well. We will continue tomorrow to be sure we have a clear understanding of how to defend a position well.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Response Expectations
Honors: It was a bit of an eyeopener this last weekend as I assessed your responses. While several stood out as exemplary, the vast majority seemed to stumble on basic expectations. Please use the following as a basic checklist of minimum requirements prior to submitting your next response or any paper for that matter.
1) Proper heading: name, date, period, type of paper
2) Title: stop asking if one is needed and just assume it is
3) Lead: keep it simple, quick and effective; hook that reader
4) Title and author: if you are writing about a book it would help to know what it is and who wrote it; in addition, be sure to punctuate it correctly
5) Claim: you need a claim; what's the purpose of the paper? in one sentence clearly spell it out
6) S.P.A.T.: state your argument; provide relevant, credible evidence; analyze the evidence; tie it back to your point/claim
7) Properly cite the quotes: if you have forgotten how to do it look on the OWL, but you should have this down by now
8) Analyze: don't confuse quotes/evidence for analysis
9) Conclusion: make it worthwhile; end with a bang not a whimper
10) Paragraphs: you are in 8th grade...in honors...use paragraphs...ALWAYS
11) No writing on final copies: it turns it into a rough draft; would you write on your resume?
12) Offer insight: go deeper into the analysis; boldly discuss what no man has discussed before!
Like putting a period at the end of a sentence, these things should be second nature by now. You shouldn't even have to think about them; you should just do them. Before handing in your next response, check it against this list.
Defending your position: letters, speeches and papers, coming soon to a classroom near you. What do you feel passionate enough about to defend to the death? or at least in a paper?
Standard: I was impressed how you worked with your partners today to assess your peers work. There might have been some generous grading going on, but I will weight your assessments against mine for a final grade. I'll try to have them completed by the end of the week.
What are your thoughts on water guns?
1) Proper heading: name, date, period, type of paper
2) Title: stop asking if one is needed and just assume it is
3) Lead: keep it simple, quick and effective; hook that reader
4) Title and author: if you are writing about a book it would help to know what it is and who wrote it; in addition, be sure to punctuate it correctly
5) Claim: you need a claim; what's the purpose of the paper? in one sentence clearly spell it out
6) S.P.A.T.: state your argument; provide relevant, credible evidence; analyze the evidence; tie it back to your point/claim
7) Properly cite the quotes: if you have forgotten how to do it look on the OWL, but you should have this down by now
8) Analyze: don't confuse quotes/evidence for analysis
9) Conclusion: make it worthwhile; end with a bang not a whimper
10) Paragraphs: you are in 8th grade...in honors...use paragraphs...ALWAYS
11) No writing on final copies: it turns it into a rough draft; would you write on your resume?
12) Offer insight: go deeper into the analysis; boldly discuss what no man has discussed before!
Like putting a period at the end of a sentence, these things should be second nature by now. You shouldn't even have to think about them; you should just do them. Before handing in your next response, check it against this list.
Defending your position: letters, speeches and papers, coming soon to a classroom near you. What do you feel passionate enough about to defend to the death? or at least in a paper?
Standard: I was impressed how you worked with your partners today to assess your peers work. There might have been some generous grading going on, but I will weight your assessments against mine for a final grade. I'll try to have them completed by the end of the week.
What are your thoughts on water guns?
Friday, March 6, 2015
Some Chocolate Milk Debate Sources
7) Ad by the National Dairy Council showing benefits of chocolate milk
Two different ads are on the front board.
Two different ads are on the front board.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
The First Nonfiction Group Meetings
Honors: Impressive first day of meetings. Almost every student came to class having completed their task in a well developed fashion. Conversations were mostly fluid and engaging, with many groups having to be cut off before they finished their discussions. Great problem to have.
You need to have your first typed double spaced response in class tomorrow. If you need any help, be sure to checkout the guidelines in the shared Google Doc.
An abbreviated, and thus unsatisfactory, discussion on bias today. We'll have a second, more in-depth/effective look at it tomorrow.
Standard: We also talked about bias a bit today and connected it to APES: author, purpose, evidence, source. It will remain an important concept (along with APES) to consider as we go deeper into our nonfiction reading over the remainder of the school year.
The compare contrast The Ernest Green Story and Warriors Don't Cry Google presentations are coming along. We will have time tomorrow to complete the production and perhaps you will even get your first glance at the competition.
Good luck...or work hard and make your own luck.
You need to have your first typed double spaced response in class tomorrow. If you need any help, be sure to checkout the guidelines in the shared Google Doc.
An abbreviated, and thus unsatisfactory, discussion on bias today. We'll have a second, more in-depth/effective look at it tomorrow.
Standard: We also talked about bias a bit today and connected it to APES: author, purpose, evidence, source. It will remain an important concept (along with APES) to consider as we go deeper into our nonfiction reading over the remainder of the school year.
The compare contrast The Ernest Green Story and Warriors Don't Cry Google presentations are coming along. We will have time tomorrow to complete the production and perhaps you will even get your first glance at the competition.
Good luck...or work hard and make your own luck.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
No More ISTEP...until April
Whew! You survived! Now you don't have to worry about ISTEP until the computer based multiple choice tests next month. there were positive feelings about today's test circulating through the air. we'll try and duplicate that in April.
Honors: Tomorrow is the first meeting day for the nonfiction groups. You'll need to be sure to have prepared for the meeting by completing the assigned role, be it discussion director, literary luminary, travel tracer, etc. You'll be having 30 minute minimum discussions tomorrow that should enhance your understanding of the text. First responses will be due the following day.
Today we discussed chocolate milk and whether or not it should be banned from the lunchroom. Overall, the discussions were much improved from the Shoot-out ones. More evidence was drawn specifically from the text to defend your positions. I have some more sources on this topic I want you to examine and then we will need to discuss whether or not Christina Hoag, the writer of the piece, is biased.
Standard: You identified five strong similarities and five strong differences between The Ernest Green Story and Warriors Don't Cry. Then you were given instructions on your next assessment: a presentation over the two mediums. Here's a link to the instructions. You should be working on the presentation tonight. You'll also receive more class time tomorrow with the expected due date being Friday. Here's your chance to shine!
Honors: Tomorrow is the first meeting day for the nonfiction groups. You'll need to be sure to have prepared for the meeting by completing the assigned role, be it discussion director, literary luminary, travel tracer, etc. You'll be having 30 minute minimum discussions tomorrow that should enhance your understanding of the text. First responses will be due the following day.
Today we discussed chocolate milk and whether or not it should be banned from the lunchroom. Overall, the discussions were much improved from the Shoot-out ones. More evidence was drawn specifically from the text to defend your positions. I have some more sources on this topic I want you to examine and then we will need to discuss whether or not Christina Hoag, the writer of the piece, is biased.
Standard: You identified five strong similarities and five strong differences between The Ernest Green Story and Warriors Don't Cry. Then you were given instructions on your next assessment: a presentation over the two mediums. Here's a link to the instructions. You should be working on the presentation tonight. You'll also receive more class time tomorrow with the expected due date being Friday. Here's your chance to shine!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
ISTEP!
Whew! We survived day one of ISTEP. Great work. We won't talk about the test here because that would be wrong but the sentiment seemed pretty positive. Now keep that momentum going for one more day. Tomorrow will most likely bring the longer essay. Remember all those tips we discussed in class and believe in yourself.
Honors: Super discussions over the "Shoot-out" article today. While we missed some key argument points, the arguments we shared were usually well supported by the text. Remember, at this point our goal is to defend our positions using the best arguments and evidence available. Think through carefully and fully to be sure you aren't letting good ideas fall by the wayside.
Read those nonfiction books and be sure to prepare for Thursday's group meeting.
Tomorrow? Chocolate milk anyone?
Standard: We wrapped up our The Ernest Green Story viewing and now have several pages of notes to draw from. Our next step will be to judge and rate those notes as insightful arguments and make choices as to the ones you will be using in your paper. We'll probably even flash draft tomorrow. See you then.
Honors: Super discussions over the "Shoot-out" article today. While we missed some key argument points, the arguments we shared were usually well supported by the text. Remember, at this point our goal is to defend our positions using the best arguments and evidence available. Think through carefully and fully to be sure you aren't letting good ideas fall by the wayside.
Read those nonfiction books and be sure to prepare for Thursday's group meeting.
Tomorrow? Chocolate milk anyone?
Standard: We wrapped up our The Ernest Green Story viewing and now have several pages of notes to draw from. Our next step will be to judge and rate those notes as insightful arguments and make choices as to the ones you will be using in your paper. We'll probably even flash draft tomorrow. See you then.
Monday, March 2, 2015
ISTEP Tomorrow!
Be sure you are resting tonight and eating well tomorrow morning. We want you as sharp as possible for tomorrow's testing. Remember all the tips we've gone over. You can do well! I have faith in you.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Honors: We looked at an intriguing game called Shoot-out today and debated the worth of the game itself and violent role playing games as a whole. Here's a link to the article. Some people got caught up in their own views, but the trick today was to try and support the side you were assigned based solely on the information presented in the text I shared. Evidence, evidence evidence! You need to draw evidence from the text if you are going to be successful in convincing someone to come to your side of an argument. More to come on different topics tomorrow.
Standard: We continued to gather information from The Ernest Green Story to compare and contrast with Warriors Don't Cry. I know a lot of you have a nice pool of information to draw from. We'll finish up tomorrow and then start writing the compare/contrast papers.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Honors: We looked at an intriguing game called Shoot-out today and debated the worth of the game itself and violent role playing games as a whole. Here's a link to the article. Some people got caught up in their own views, but the trick today was to try and support the side you were assigned based solely on the information presented in the text I shared. Evidence, evidence evidence! You need to draw evidence from the text if you are going to be successful in convincing someone to come to your side of an argument. More to come on different topics tomorrow.
Standard: We continued to gather information from The Ernest Green Story to compare and contrast with Warriors Don't Cry. I know a lot of you have a nice pool of information to draw from. We'll finish up tomorrow and then start writing the compare/contrast papers.
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