Thursday, December 10, 2009

Lessons 34-36: December 7-11

This week, students are working on finishing their final essay revisions, writing their reflections, and revising their bibliographies. Final essays are due by 3:30pm on Friday and should include all of the following parts:

1) final essay (w/ updated cover page and revised bibliography)
2) all previous drafts and rubrics -- organized from newest to oldest
3) reflection

When we return to our normal schedule in the new year, we will be starting a new unit and a new semester.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Lesson 33/34: December 2-4

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, students will have work time. During this time, they are expected to work on the following tasks:

1) getting caught up (to 2nd draft status) if they did not turn a 2nd draft in before Thanksgiving
2) making revision to draft #2
3) updating all citations
4) creating a cover page
5) creating a bibliography

HW:
By 3:30 pm on Friday, Dec. 5th, students need to submit their 3rd draft. This draft should be revised from the 2nd draft feedback they received and contain updated citations, a cover page, and a bibliography. I will not be marking up these drafts, but I will read them over the weekend and score them using the Graduation Portfolio Rubric. Students will have an opportunity to make final revisions to their paper next week before the final paper deadline (Friday, Dec. 11th). Any student who does not turn in a complete final paper (including supporting materials) on Friday, Dec. 11th will receive an NC in American Literature for the semester.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Lesson 32: November 30 and December 1

Today's objectives:
By the end of today's lesson, students should have identified areas of growth in their 2nd draft and should have started making revisions. Students should additionally have standardized their citations and created their cover pages.

Agenda:
1) go over project checklist --> students self-assess progress and figure out what they need to accomplish today
2) individual work time: students who are on-track should be working on revisions, citations, and the cover letter today

HW:
Students are at very different places on the essay. Students who are on-track (those who turned in their revised 2nd draft before Thanksgiving) and using their time wisely in class may not need to work on the essay at home. Students who are behind should be working like crazy to get their revised, second draft written. Please contact me if you'd like me to e-mail you the project sheet that includes all of the upcoming deadlines.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Lesson 30/31: November 11-17

During lesson 30 (Nov. 11-12) and lesson 31 (Nov. 16-17), students will have two entire periods of silent, independent work time (+ one period in History) to write the first draft of their Immigration and the American Dream literary analysis essay. If you come in with your outline completed and use this 300 minutes well, you should be able to get your rough draft written and typed without doing too much homework.

Over the weekend (Nov. 13-15), students should continue writing their rough drafts and should come into class on Mon/Tues with approximately six of their body paragraphs written.

Homework for Mon/Tues is to finish typing the rough draft. Rough drafts are due -- typed and printed out -- at the beginning of class on Wed/Thurs. I will be in early on Wednesday so that students who need to print can do so. Please do not come to class waving a flashdrive at me and saying that you need to print your paper out!

-Micah

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Happy Veteran's Day!

No school on Wednesday. Celebrate Veteran's Day by working on your essay outline about the American Dream. Remember that it is due on Thursday (no matter which period you have class) and that this is an important deadline for the graduation portfolio essay. If you need help, my office hours are Tuesday and Thursday mornings -- or by appointment on other days -- this week, I'll be in at about 7am for office hours.

-Micah

Monday, November 9, 2009

Lesson 29: November 9-10

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, each student will have synthesized evidence from English and History to create the outline for his/her first ESGP essay.

Agenda:
Work time on the outline!

HW:
By the time you come to class on Thursday, your outline should be complete. 5th and 6th periods: I will come check your outlines at the beginning of the day (during 3rd period) on Thursday.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Lesson 28: November 5-6

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, each student will have generated their topic sentences for all of their body paragraphs.

Agenda:
1) Skillbuilder: generating sophisticated topic sentences (looking at conclusive and qualifying examples)
2) Concessive word list and the point of concession
3) Work time to develop and refine topic sentences

HW: Finish writing topic sentences. If you are behind, get caught up over the weekend. By the time I see you on Monday or Tuesday, you should -- at the very least -- have found all of your evidence and written your topic sentences.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Lesson 27: November 4

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, each student will have synthesized and organized evidence from the following sources:
  • founding documents of the United States
  • a Horatio Alger story
  • two oral histories ("My American Dream" and "My Chinese Name is Lee Fong Yee")
  • immigration interviews
  • immigration novel
in order to be ready to generate a working thesis for ESGP Lit. Analysis Essay #1.

Agenda:
Students will have the entire periods in English and in History today to work on evidence collection.

HW: Finish finding evidence for your essay. You should be done finding evidence when you come to class on Thursday or Friday.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Lesson 26: November 2-3

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: explain the writing process and due dates for ESGP Analysis Essay #1; begin to synthesize multiple primary and secondary sources to construct an argument about the American Dream; graphically organize their ideas and move towards constructing a working thesis for the essay.

Agenda:
1) Calendar --> what's going on in English this quarter?
2) Intro to essay prompt
2) Intro to grown-up thesis statements
3) Organizing and synthesizing evidence collected from primary and secondary source documents

HW: UD E1 groupwork assessment

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Lesson 25: October 28-29

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will have made progress on (by finishing or coming very close to finishing) their immigration novel and will work on reading response paper #2.

Agenda:
1) SSR in immigration novels [40 min]
2) work time for reading response paper #2

HW:
Reading response paper #2 is due on Monday (per. 1 and 2) or Tuesday (per. 5 and 6) next week. If you need a book to finish writing your paper over the weekend, please check one out after school on Thursday. Books must be returned on Monday morning before school.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Lesson 24: October, 26-27

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will have: made progress in their immigration novels, finished planning their exhibition presentations, and started working on reading response paper #2.

Agenda:
1) SSR in immigration texts [35 min.]
2) students will finish creating notecards for exhibition presentations [30 min.]
3) students will silently start writing reading response paper #2 [30 min.]

HW:
  • Reading Response Paper #2 is due on Nov. 2-3 (Monday, 11/2 for per. 1 and 2; Tuesday, 11/3 for per. 5 and 6)
  • Students should be finished with their immigration texts by next week (books can be checked out overnight at the end of every school day and must be returned before school the following morning).
  • Exhibition notecards are due in History class on Wed/Thurs, 10/28-29

Friday, October 23, 2009

Lesson 23: October 22-23

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will have made progress in their immigration novels, planned another page in their artist's book, and have started working on their exhibition presentation note cards.

Agenda:
1) SSR [30 min.]
2) plan page 3 or 4 in your artist's book [30 min]
3) overview of exhibition [10 min]
4) create notecards for exhibition [30 min]

HW: Work on your exhibition project! (read your immigration novel, plan some pages, draw/paint your pages, etc.)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Lesson 22: October 21

Today's objectives:
Students will continue to make progress in their immigration novels to prepare for the first exhibition (next week) and the first graduation portfolio product.

Agenda:
SSR [35 min]

HW: There's no "official" homework (meaning nothing that will be collected or graded), but students should be working like crazy on finishing their immigration novels and planning/creating their pages for the exhibition project.

Immigration novels can be checked out everyday at the end of the school day and must be returned between 7:45 and 8:00 the following morning.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Lesson 21: October 19-20

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: evaluate their own Q1 performance in English and History; symbolize/depict their characters' American Dreams; plan page 2 of their artists' books.

Agenda:
1) holistic grading rubric for Q1 English grade
2) holistic grading rubric for Q1 History grade
3) SSR in immigration novels [30 min]
4) plan page 2 (or 3) of your artist's book

HW: Write a reflection (~1 page long) about your English grade.
[How do you feel about your grade? Do you think you received the grade you deserve? Which categories/assignments did you excel in? Which categories (or what kind of assignments) do you need to improve on this quarter?]

Sunday, October 18, 2009

If you borrowed a book from the classroom...

...please bring it back before school (between 7:30 and 8am) on Monday. We will continue to use them in English for SSR and in Art to create page 2.

-Micah


Lesson 20: October 15/16

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: conduct and analyze interviews with three immigrants from different parts of the world; and, assess the interviewees’ immigration experiences in light of the American Dream.

Agenda:

BLOCK ONE: Immigration Interviews
1. Interview teams put finishing touches on questions/set-up of interview space
2. Student groups cycle through three interviews

BLOCK TWO: Interview Debrief
1. Silent Journal Reflection: debrief experience, what was challenging, what was interesting, unexpected, etc.
2. Self and group assessment/grade
3. The interview as a Social Science source
4. Connecting interviews to the American Dream and finding good supporting quotations

HW: Write one paragraph about each of the three immigrants you interviewed (three paragraphs in total). In what ways has each immigrant achieved the American Dream? Are there any ways in which an immigrant has not been able to achieve the American Dream? Why?


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Need help with Response Paper #1?

If you're struggling with Response Paper #1 (due 10/15-16) or you just need to get a little more reading done in order to write a good paper, these are some of the dates and times I'll be available:

  • Tuesday and Thursday morning before school (7:30-8:10)
  • Tuesday and Thursday during support and enrichment (if you just need to read and don't already have an S&E obligation)
  • Wednesday from 12:40-1:30 -- please let me know in advance if you're coming so I can tell you where to find me
  • During lunch -- just let me know in advance.
I'm also always available by cell phone/text message.

-Micah

Lesson 19: Thursday/Tuesday, 10/8 and 10/13

There is no post for lesson 18 because it was a continuation of lesson 17.

Today's objectives:
By the end of today's lesson, students will be able to: demonstrate their understanding of words in vocab lists 1-4; generate the race, ethnicity, and nationality of their immigration character; explain what is required in the first response paper assignment.

Agenda:
Do Now: Vocab "quest" #4 [25 min.]
1) SSR in immigration novels [25 min.]
2) Review of race, ethnicity, nationality → students work in groups to discuss the main character of their book and to generate his/her race, ethnicity, and nationality. [15 min]
2) Introduce response paper #1 – students will have 30 minutes to work on response paper #1 or to find quotations re: the American Dream [30 min]

HW:
Write response paper #1 – due 10/15-16
Get ready for your immigration interview next week


Sunday, October 4, 2009

Lesson 17: Monday/Tuesday, 10/5-6

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will make progress in their immigration novels and know what's coming up in English, Art, and History as we move towards the exhibition. In addition, students will be able to select and analyze quotations re: the American Dream and associate SAT prep adjectives (from vocab lists 1-4) with emotions/connotation.

Agenda:
1) SSR in immigration novels [40 minutes]
2) interdisciplinary exhibition calendar [10 min]
3) select and analyze quotations re: the American Dream [30 min]
4) associate SAT prep adjectives (vocab lists 1-4) with emotions/connotation

HW: finish the emotion/faces vocab. activity we started in class; prepare for vocab quiz #4 on Thursday, 9/8 (per. 3,2,1) or Tuesday, 9/13 (per. 4,5,6)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Lesson 16: Thursday/Friday, 10/1-2

Today, AmEx is a 200 minute, team-teaching Humanities extravaganza. By the end of the day, students should be able to:
  • explain the difference between "push" and "pull" factors in immigration
  • identify the particular "pull factors" that constitute the "American Dream"
  • classify an interview as a primary source text in the Social Sciences
  • use textual evidence from differentiated immigration novels to support/refute ideas about the American Dream
  • differentiate between original interview questions and follow-up questions
  • generate 20-30 mixed-level interview questions on immigration
Agenda:
1st block:
1) What is the American Dream? (45 mins)
* identify push-pull factors
* identify main themes in American Dream from Horatio Alger story (HW)
2a) Interviews as a social science source (25 mins)
* review sources
* bias, perspective, evidence
2b) Read Silently and find quotes that support/refute American Dream as reality

2nd block:
1) students work in "new" book groups to share out quotations found during SSR (20 mins)
2) read oral history ("My Chinese Name is Lee Fong Yee") in small groups (15 mins)
3) groups work to generate questions that the interviewer might have asked to elicit the information in the oral history (20 mins)
4) book groups generate questions on focused topics (20 mins)
5) jigsaw with mixed topic groups using groupings from Joel's class (20-25 mins)

HW: if we get through it all, none! Students who are 20 or more pages behind in their books will have a mandatory reading catch-up day with me after school on Monday -- treats will be provided :)

Lesson 15: Wednesday, 9/30

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will: determine how many pages of their assigned text they can read in 1/2 hour of focused time and organize their English, History, and exhibition binder sections.

Agenda:
1) SSR in assigned immigration texts [30 min]
2) Binder organization and recording of start/end page

HW: There is no homework due tomorrow in English. Please spend the time you would have spent doing your English homework to do your History and Academic Seminar assignments, which will take a while.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Lesson 14: Monday/Tuesday, 9/28-29

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will demonstrate their knowledge of the words in vocab lists 1-3 and monitor their own progress with respect to reading level growth.

Agenda:
1) Vocab quiz #3
2) NWEA fall reading testing
3) Intro to vocab list #4

HW: create flashcards for vocab list #4

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The DBQ Exam -- this Friday!

On Friday morning, all 11th grade students will be taking the DBQ exam from 8:10-10:55 in their Academic Seminar class rooms. Try to get a good night's sleep on Thursday and eat a large, healthy breakfast on Friday morning. Please bring all of the following with you to the exam:
  • completed DBQ packet
  • completed outline
  • a copy of the rubric (which will be given out in History class on Wednesday/Thursday this week)
  • all 35 vocab cards (from lists 1-3) --> vocab quiz #3 is on Monday/Tuesday, so any students who finish the exam early will be expected to study the vocabulary words in the remaining time

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Lesson 13: Wednesday/Thursday, 9/23-24

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: find evidence in the documents they’ve analyzed to adequately support three reasons why witch hunts happen; synthesize multiple sources to create an essay outline; identify the criteria on which DBQ essays will be graded.

Agenda:
1) Time to finish SOAPSTone analysis of remaining documents
2) Thesis revision and evidence collection with highlighter system
3) DBQ rubric – what’s the expectation?
4) Begin essay outline

HW: Finish your essay outline and come well rested and ready to rock Friday’s exam!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Lesson 12: Monday/Tuesday, 9/21-22

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to explain what a DBQ (Document-Based Question) is and list the tasks they must complete by Friday in order to be ready for the DBQ. In addition, students will get a solid start on the DBQ and complete at least 3 SOAPSTones in class.

Agenda:
DBQ! Yeah!

HW: Complete at least 6 SOAPSTones (including those done in class) in your English DBQ packet – it doesn’t matter which 6.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Lesson 11: Thursday/Friday, 9/17-18

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: demonstrate that they have successfully understood character motivations by performing brief scenes from The Crucible; identify the denouement of the play by watching student performances and part of the movie.

Agenda:
DUE: Individual write-up and vocab cards
1) Practice time for scene project [45 min]
2) Perform scenes/fill in plot diagram [20 min]
3) Finish watching Act 2 of The Crucible [30 min]

HW:
We will have a heavy week next week, so there's no homework this weekend. Relax a little and get mentally prepared for your first upper division humanities assessment.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Lesson 10: Wednesday, 9/16

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will synthesize their knowledge of their individual characters with their previously acquired skills in drama to begin staging and practicing their scenes in groups.

Agenda:
1) Group work time on scene assignment project
2) Work time to begin individual write-up

HW:
• Prepare for your scene
• Create vocab cards for vocab list #3

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Lesson 9: Monday/Tuesday, 9/14-15

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: demonstrate the correct usage and connotation of 25 vocabulary words; explain what a witch hunt is and provide some examples of historical witch hunts; analyze their assigned character’s motivation in act 2, scene 1.

Agenda:
Do-now: vocab quiz on 25 words
1) Introduction to vocab list #3
2) What is a witch hunt? → look at definition and students rephrase in their own words
3) T-chart on historical witch hunts – who was targeted? What were they blamed for?
4) Intro to scene assignment project (including individual write-up) → assignment of groups/scenes and distribution of character analysis charts
5) Groups have work time on scene assignment project

HW: Complete the "Spidergram" character analysis chart for the character you’re portraying in your group's scene project

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Lesson 8: Thursday/Friday, 9/10-11

Today's objectives:
Students will be able to: demonstrate that they understood the plot events in act I, scene 2 of The Crucible; explain the difference between good and bad examples of quote embedding.

Agenda:
Do-Now: differentiated open-notes reading quiz on pp. 30; 34-47
1) Look at good and bad examples of quote embedding --> learn four criteria of well embedded quotations
2) Check do-now from yesterday; vocab review activity in pairs
3) Exit slip: What four things do we look for to see if a quote is well embedded? What two people would you rather not be in a work group with?

HW: quote embedding practice #2; get your progress report signed

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Lesson 7: Tuesday/Wednesday, 9/8-9

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: demonstrate their understanding of connotation using current vocab words; synthesize primary sources AND all of the notes they've received in English and History to identify key Puritan values; identify the events in the second half of act I, scene 2 of The Crucible.

Agenda:
Do-Now: Review of connotation using current vocab words (put word groups in order by connotative meaning)
1) Puritan iceberg activity
• Review of "iceberg" cultural model
• Students move into heterogeneous groups and share out their texts using debrief sheet
• Review all handouts/notes on Puritanism from English and History → fill in Puritan “iceberg”
2) Read aloud p. 30; 34-47 of The Crucible in small groups and answer comprehension questions

HW: Finish anything not completed in class. This could be quite a lot, depending on how productive each group was.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Lesson 6: Thursday/Friday, 9/3-4

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: sequence all of the major events in the Crucible and use new vocab words to describe the characters; use a primary source to identify key Puritan values

Agenda:
Do Now: The Crucible sequencing activity in small groups
1) “Cast of Characters” handout – students use vocab cards and work together to generate three adjectives to describe each major character in The Crucible
2) Differentiated primary source readings on Puritan values: homogeneous groupings

HW:
• Finish finding three adjectives for each character in the “Cast of Characters” packet
• Finish analyzing your Puritan values text

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Lesson 5: Wednesday, 9/2

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: explain what connotation is; be able to identify the connotative meanings of 15 new vocab words.

Agenda:
1) Review of connotation vs. denotation
2) Students work in pairs to mark connotation for all new vocab words
3) Whole-class check of vocab word connotations
4) Watch the beginning of I.2 in The Crucible

HW:
• Vocab flashcards (bring all 25)

Monday, August 31, 2009

Lesson 4: Monday/Tuesday, 8/31-9/1

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will able to: explain why quotes should be embedded; identify the key plot points in Act I, scene 1 of The Crucible

Agenda:
Do Now: vocab quiz #1
1) Quote embedding lecture and practice
2) Read/watch the second half of The Crucible, I.1

HW:
• Vocab flashcards (25 total – due Wednesday)
• Quote embedding practice #1 (due Wednesday)
• Organize your binder (due Wednesday)

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Lesson 3: Thursday/Friday, 8/27-28

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will be able to: identify key components of American culture using the “iceberg” model; explain the context and premise of The Crucible.

Agenda:
Do-Now: check for understanding of individualism
• What is individualism? How is it different from collectivism?
• Is the US an individualist or collectivist culture? How can you tell?
• At this point, do you think the Puritans are more individualistic or collectivistic? Why?
1) cultural iceberg activity w/ American iceberg
2) notes on the context of The Crucible
3) read pp. 6-12 in The Crucible aloud as a class

HW: study for vocab quiz on Monday/Tuesday; get all of your materials by Monday/Tuesday

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Lesson 2: Wednesday, 8/26

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will: take stock of their own values and compare their values to typical American values; identify American culture as a highly individualistic culture; explain some of the differences between individualism and collectivism.

Agenda:
1) Personal values survey → individualism vs. collectivism
2) Lecture on individualism, collectivism, and the paradox of being an American teenager

HW: use your vocab cards to begin learning your vocab words

Sunday, August 23, 2009

First day of school!

Today's objectives:
By the end of class today, students will have a sense of what English will be like this year and what they need to do in order to be successful. Students will also start thinking about American values and where they come from. We will refresh our understanding of tone and learn 10 new adjectives.

Agenda:
1) Introduction to teacher, course, and classroom
2) Silent Pledge of Allegiance activity
3) Brainstorm about what it means to be an American and what we value
4) Refresher on tone and introduction to new vocab list
5) Begin looking at Puritan values via "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God" group activity

HW:
  • write a sentence using each vocab word in context (10 sentences)
  • create vocab flashcards for vocab list #1
  • get supplies by Monday, 8/31 (Nida will go over supplies in History class)