AGENDA 2/13

Period 3: foldables
Answer questions about yesterday's assignment. Need more help? Drop-in Tuesday or Wednesday at lunch and you can submit the synthesis paragraphs on Thursday

Guest speaker, Mr. Wells, periods 4 and 5
PowerPoint from Mr. Wells' presentation
Pust's notes from Mr. Wells' presentation: if you were absent, please print out my notes and annotate them, then complete the two reflection statements: "Today, I learned that..." and "Now, I'm wondering..."


HW: Read Susan Jacoby's essay, “When Bright Girls Decide that Math is a Waste of Time,” pages 140-143; Benjamin Barber's essay, "America Skips School," pages 153-162; and William J. Bennett's essay, “What Really Ails America,” pages 443-446, all in The McGraw-Hill Reader. As you read, annotate, ask thoughtful questions, make connections, and be prepared to discuss on Tuesday.

AGENDA 2/12

Read Ch 11 of The Pact, "Rap," and "Delusions of Grandeur," by Professor Henry Louis Gates, in the McGraw-Hill Reader, and discuss the overlapping ideas. Annotate each, then write a synthesis paragraph exploring the ideas in each text.

HW: Finish the classwork if not finished in class.

AGENDA 2/10

Read Leon Botstein's "Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood" silently, annotating, “funneling” (mark/highlight the most important paragraph, most important sentence, and most symbolic word), and writing thoughtful questions/comments. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, paraphrase Botstein’s major claim(s) just as we’ve been practicing in our current synthesis unit. For example, you might write a few sentences that begin with “Botstein argues” or “Botstein explains…”

Discussion: When you complete their reading/annotation/claim statements for the Botstein piece, discuss the ideas with your sharing partners. What makes sense? What are you skeptical about or what possible counterclaims might you push back with if you disagree with Botstein?

Then, read the Horace Mann piece, "Report to the Massachusetts Board of Education." The first page is simply introductory, to give context for Mann’s report. Read the entire packet silently, again annotating, funneling, questioning, and writing claim statements.

Finally, craft a synthesis paragraph: find an overlapping idea (could be similar, could be contrasting) between Mann's and Botstein's piece, then write a synthesis paragraph, using at least one direct quotation from each.

HW: Synthesis paragraph--after reading Mann's speech and Botstein's editorial, what argument might you make? Write that claim, then incorporate evidence from each text, and use the texts to support your position.

AGENDA 2/9

TW: Synthesis

HW: Read chapter 8 & 9 of The Pact. Continue to annotate, funnel, and ask thoughtful questions as you read. Notes check will be happening soon!

AGENDA 2/6

Synthesis notes - review of class trends & samples from student essays
Review synthesis FLTs

HW: Read chapter 7 and "George on Peer Pressure" in The Pact. Continue to annotate as you read, noting funneling and thoughtful questions.

AGENDA 2/5

Reminders and announcements: register for AP exams, make sure to turn in any missing work

Synthesis paragraph practice

Reread the transcript of Sir Ken Robinson’s RSA Animate Talk and Neil Postman’s essay “Order in the Classroom.” Then write a well-reasoned, persuasive body paragraph in which you develop a position on how best to improve American public education.

AGENDA 2/3 & 2/4

Special Schedule: CAHSEE
Write Responses to Reading, Chapters 1-3 of The Pact
Quick share out & collect responses

Read Neil Postman's "Order in the Classroom" and respond to questions on PowerPoint

HW: Read Chapters 4, 5, 6 of The Pact for Thursday's class. Continue to annotate as you read--funneling, noting important quotations, posing questions, and be prepared to share out. Revised critical annotations w/ rough draft and peer comments attached to back due in class on Thursday.

Please remember to register for AP exams!
2015 AP Exam Registration flyer

Quick link to Vikings Web Store to purchase exams via credit card (note that a $7 processing fee applies)

Make sure you register for AP English Language and Composition :-) before 2/27 so you can avoid the $10 per exam late fee!

See Pust for help or questions; see Ms. Chew in M House office, H106, as soon as possible to register in person or if you need financial assistance.