Friday, January 31, 2014

AGENDA 1/31

Local Issues Guest Speaker: Mr. Leslie Wells, H House Principal
Mr. Wells' PPT
Guest Speaker Notes

Turn in your three paragraphs--one on each of the three local issues (city or school) that potentially interest you

HW: Independent reading - 500 pages by 2/14

Thursday, January 30, 2014

AGENDA 1/30

Guest Speaker: Director Ernest Figueroa, who is directing and producing Proof at the Broad Stage

HW: Write a brief paragraph on each of three local issues that you might be interested in studying--one city, one school, and one other of your choice. Please write neatly in ink or type -- due Friday. This will help me start to see what topics might be developing...nothing is set in stone yet.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

AGENDA 1/29

Discussion of "How Women Learn" and "When Bright Girls Decide that Math is a Waste of Time" -- make connections to Proof

HW: Write a brief paragraph on each of three local issues that you might be interested in studying--one city, one school, and one other of your choice. Please write neatly in ink or type -- due Friday. This will help me start to see what topics might be developing...nothing is set in stone yet.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

AGENDA 1/28

Earn Your Future: presentation in cafeteria

HW: Read "When Bright Girls Decide That Math is 'a Waste of Time'" by Susan Jacoby, page 140 in the McGraw-Hill Reader, and "How Women Learn" by Belenky et al. Look for connections among these three texts--how do these nonfiction essays shed further light on Proof? Be ready to discuss all three on Wednesday!

Monday, January 27, 2014

AGENDA 1/27

Field trip info
Overview of next few weeks - field trip, guest speakers, etc.
Watch "Well Being" Project video and begin to draft City questions
Discussion over key motifs and ideas in Proof: thinking about "genius"
Share responses



HW: If you haven't already, post two comments on the Turnitin.com discussion boards (log in to Turnitin.com, then select the tab at the top that says "Discussion" and you'll find four posts to choose from. Click on one, read my initial prompt and sample reply, and then respond with your own favorite quotations, wonderings, reactions, etc.). Read "When Bright Girls Decide That Math is 'a Waste of Time'" by Susan Jacoby, page 140 in the McGraw-Hill Reader, and "How Women Learn" by Belenky et al. Look for connections among these three texts--how do these nonfiction essays shed further light on Proof? Be ready to discuss all three on Wednesday!

Friday, January 24, 2014

AGENDA 1/24

Grammar Practice: Semicolons 11.2
Share responses

Begin reading Proof aloud - read through page 11 in class

HW: Finish reading Proof and annotate parts for discussion on Monday. In addition, post two comments on the Turnitin.com discussion boards (log in to Turnitin.com, then select the tab at the top that says "Discussion" and you'll find four posts to choose from. Click on one, read my initial prompt and sample reply, and then respond with your own favorite quotations, wonderings, reactions, etc.). Choose any two to respond to--I'm curious to see how this online discussion forum differs from/is similar to our seminars in class! I can't wait to read your posts and see your thoughts about these texts! :-)

Thursday, January 23, 2014

AGENDA 1/23

Socratic Seminar: Neil Postman's "Order in the Classroom"
Seminar Prep, Ground Rules, and Reflection
Pair-share
Survey of rankings
Inner circle 10 min
Pair-share
Outer circle 10 min
Pair-share
Town Meeting 6 min
Reflection

HW: Please print out a copy of Proof to bring to class tomorrow

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

AGENDA 1/22

Read and annotate "Order in the Classroom" by Neil Postman. Write questions, responses, opinions, connections, and comments either directly on the packet or on a separate sheet of paper, or take notes on your Education Unit Foldable if you prefer. Be ready to discuss tomorrow!
 
HW: Read and annotate chapters 8-10 of The Pact by Friday

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

AGENDA 1/21

Introduce Local Issues Project & guest speakers
Read and annotate "Order in the Classroom" by Neil Postman

HW: Read and annotate chapters 8-10 of The Pact by Friday

Friday, January 17, 2014

AGENDA 1/17

TW: Argument essay, Horace "adversity" prompt

HW: Read and annotate chapters 6 & 7 of The Pact

Friday, January 10, 2014

AGENDA 1/10

Grammar: Semicolons 11.1
Three rules of semicolon use:
1) Use a semicolon to join two independent but closely related clauses.
2) Use a semicolon before a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase (and a comma afterward).
3) Use semicolons to avoid confusion in lists (e.g., when the list items already have commas in them and include additional description).

Education Word Clouds: in groups, review your "secret assignment" and list at least 15 topics/factors pertaining to the education prompt in the envelope. Then, rank and weight each list item--make the most important idea(s) x10, somewhat important x3, etc.

Share introductions w/ partner, then begin to discuss continuum of evidence.

HW: Draft 1 body paragraph that includes a claim connected to a reason you presented in your introduction, and includes specific details from 2 different kinds of evidence (e.g., personal experience, readings, current events, pop culture, films or television). Read "Introduction" and "Dreaming Big" and complete either the "Funnel" or "3-2-1-1" response to prepare for discussion on Monday.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

AGENDA 1/9

Textbook room - pick up The Pact
Continue discussion of education texts, focusing especially on paragraph 5 of "From Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education" by Horace Mann
3-Minute Paper to reflect (turn in)

HW: Write argument introduction: Defend, challenge, or qualify the claim Horace Mann makes in paragraph 5 of "From Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education". Write a hook, background, and thesis.

Steps for success:
1) Reread paragraph 5
2) Articulate Mann's claim: Horace Mann argues in paragraph 5 of "From Report " that...
3) Think about your first instinct/gut reaction: do you agree or disagree with Mann's claim? Generate 2 reasons for your position.
4) Craft a thesis. Consider using the While [some people believe differently]... ultimately, [my position is...]...because [reason #1] and [reason #2]  structure.
5) Create a brief, engaging hook related to the topic. You might retell a quick story from your life, share a famous or insightful quotation, or recount a scene from a famous book, movie, or TV show.
6) Write a short transition between the hook and the thesis that explains the context or gives necessary background information. Remember that somewhere in your introductory paragraph, you need to give the title of the piece and the name of the author (in this case, Horace Mann), and if it's relevant, the genre and occasion of the text.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

AGENDA 1/8

Share SMART Goals
Discussion using Funnel Activity: "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood" by Leon Botstein and "From Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education" by Horace Mann

HW: Independent reading - 500 pages by 2/12

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

AGENDA 1/7

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!
New Seats
Winter Break News Update activity - write and share out
Setting SMART Goals
Reading "Funnel" Activity - Horace Mann's "From Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education"
Leon Botstein's "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood"

SWBAT (By the end of class, Students Will Be Able To):
Identify important quotations for discussion
Use funnel activity to prep seminar texts
Identify unfamiliar vocabulary words in reading and share them with a partner
Follow newspaper/newscast writing conventions and draft a short paragraph
Create a SMART Goal for second semester

HW: Create at least 1 SMART Goal for second semester that you are comfortable sharing with the class tomorrow. Finish prepping both texts using the "Funnel" activity and be ready to discuss at the beginning of class tomorrow.