Tuesday, September 27th - Periods 1, 6-7, 8-9, 10

Writing to Explore: Assessment Review

Do Now: Why is it important to review and reflect on what you have learned?

Homework: Study! Assessment Test tomorrow!

Critical Thinking Questions: Why do we reflect? What have we learned about ourselves through an exploration of our identities?

Content: Vocabulary and concepts from unit.  

Objective: SWBAT recall salient information from writing unit and synthesize writing strategies for their own understanding.

Class Activities: Sorting Vocabulary and concepts, Group discussion

Monday, September 26th - Periods 1, 6-7, 8-9, 10

Making a Plan: Day 1

Do Now: What will it mean for you to be successful in life? (5 sentences)

Homework: Saudi Women Voting Rights Article Response. On Class Wiki! Go to zellerenglish.blogspot.com then “Senior English IV Wiki.”

Critical Thinking Questions: How can you determine and be in control of your own success?  Why does this matter?  How can you set goals for yourself?

Content: “Your Own Definition of Success” from Holla Back

Objective: SWBAT rate the categories of what it means to be successful in their life.

Class Activities: Introduction of “Making a Plan” Unit, Definitions of Success, Reading from Holla Back, Writing-Discussion-Debate values that determine success.

Thursday, September 22nd - All Periods

Writing to Explore: Day 4

Do Now: Once you get a computer, go to zellerenglish.blogspot.com and begin today’s agenda.

Homework: Typed essay due tomorrow.  Must staple essay outline to your paper. (Note from parent if the paper is not typed.)

Critical Thinking Questions: What is the digital divide? How does that impact today’s society?

Content: zellerenglish.blogspot.com, wikispaces.com

Objective: SWBAT access and use gmail and wikispaces to complete assignments.

Class Activities: Computer Agenda.

 

1) If you have not created your gmail or wikispace account, scroll down to the blog post: Computer Agenda: Thursday, September 15th Complete that agenda first.
 

 2) Load two webpages: one to view this agenda and another to follow the steps.
 

3) In your second window, go to your class wikispace. (Either Senior English IV or Sophomore Elective)
 

4) Click on “Discussion” and respond to the prompt for “September 22nd - Class Work”
 

5) Click here: Class Google Doc - September 22nd
 

6) Add, edit, and revise the class story. Have fun!

Wednesday, September 21st - All Periods

Writing to Explore: Day 3

Do Now: At the end of a paper or speech, why is it important to include a conclusion? What could you include in the conclusion of an essay?

Homework: Type final copy of your essay. Due Friday. (Note from parent if not typed.)

Critical Thinking Questions: How can we conclude effectively?

Content: Conclusion examples, Student writing, Capitalization Rules

Objective: SWBAT write high-quality conclusions, complete their essay outline, and recognize correct capitalization.

Class Activities: Read sample conclusions, Complete essay outline, English Conventions: Day 1 - Captialization

Tuesday, September 20th - All Periods

Writing to Explore: Day 2

Do Now: What is your favorite movie or TV show that has a lawyer or a judge in it? Explain.

Homework: Interview an older family member who has seen you grow up. Ask them how you have changed or matured since childhood. Write a reflection on what they tell you. (1/2 page.)

Critical Thinking Questions: How do evidence paragraphs support your thesis? How can we transition between paragraphs in an essay?

Content: Notes, Sample Essays, Student Writing

Objective: SWBAT write evidence paragraphs in an outline for their essays.

Class Activities: Note Taking and discussion, Reading Sample essays, Continuing essay outline.

Monday, September 19th - All Periods

Writing to Explore: Day 1

Do Now: Imagine that you are going to a job interview or a college representative, how would you prepare and how would you present yourself?

Homework: Respond to news article with 2 organized paragraphs. (If you have your wikispace, respond online.)

Critical Thinking Questions: How can we write engaging and meaningful introductions to our essays?

Content: Notes, Sample Introductions, Student writing

Objective: SWBAT write introductions to their Identity Exploration Essays.

Class Activities: Note taking, Reading and reflecting on examples, writing introductions.

Thursday, September 15th - All Periods

Back to School: Day 8

Do Now: Why is it important to be proficient with computers and technology in the 21st century?

Homework: Study vocabulary and review notes on the writing process and focused and organized writing.

Critical Thinking Questions: How do computers and technology affect our lives today?

Content: ZellerEnglish blog, WikiSpaces, Post 9/11 Absurdity, GoogleDocs

Objective: SWBAT access and use class blog, wikispaces, and googledocs.

Class Activities: Computer Rules, Create Gmail Account, Create WikiSpace Account, Respond to Video on WikiSpaces, Paste and Share response via Googledocs.

Computer Agenda: Thursday, September 15th

1) Start from zellerenglish.blogspot.com

2) Click on “Gmail”

3) Create an appropriately named Gmail account if you do not already have one. (For example, “john.beckford.” To make: john.beckford@gmail.com.

4) Send an email to zellerenglish@gmail.com

Subject: Your First Name, Last Initial, and Period Number,

Body: What is one thing you have learned from this class so far? (2-3 sentences)

5) Go to www.wikispaces.com.

6) Click on “Wikis for Individuals and Groups.”

7) Create your own wiki using your Gmail account in the email space. If possible, make the wikispace account name the same as your Gmail name.

8) Write your Gmail Account Name, your Wikispace Account Name, and Passwords on a sheet of paper to go into your portfolio so that you remember.

9) Now, go back to zellerenglish.blogspot.com. Click on, “Senior English IV Wiki” on the right of the page.

10) Reply to the post that says, “September 15th - In Class example.”

11) At the bottom of the post, click on the link that says, "join this wiki." Send a request for access to the wiki. 

12) Follow the directions on the class wiki page to add a response to the Discussion tab.

Wednesday, September 14th - All Periods

Back to School: Day 7

Do Now: Is it important to know who your classmates are? (5 sentences)

Homework: The Age Poem

Critical Thinking Questions: What is your intellectual autobiography? How have you learned the things that you have learned?

Content: I am From Poem, Age Poem

Objective: SWBAT write a collective “We are from” poem by connecting with their classmates and learning about what they have in common.

Class Activities: Introduction to Intellectual Autobiography Assignment, I Am From Poem reading, We Are From Poem writing, Age Poem explanation.

Tuesday, September 13th - All Periods

Back to School: Day 6

Do Now: Who was your first literacy teacher? (The first person to teach you to read and write?

Homework: Review vocabulary.

Critical Thinking Questions: What is my literacy ability? How does that affect my world?

Content: NPR Sentence Writing, Danger of Single Story

Objective: SWBAT assess their own literacy ability and construct their own literacy plan.

Class Activities: Literacy Assessment, Writing Sample, Survey, Two Wolves Story

Monday, September 12th - All Periods

Back to School: Day 5

Do Now: Are you an organized person? Explain.

Homework: 9/11 News Article Response.

Critical Thinking Questions: What is organized and focused writing?

Content:  Notes from presentation, Samples of student writing.

Objective: SWBAT write organized and focused paragraphs. They will understand how to make meaningful and informed responses to current events.

Class Activities: Review the writing process, Notes on organization and focus, Review and analyze student writing, Reorganizing and Refocusing a sample of writing.  

Friday, September 9th - Periods 2, 6-7, 8-9, 10

Back to School: Day 4

Do Now: What does it mean to be a good teammate?

Homework: Late Work: 1) Parent Letter  2) News Article Response  3) I Have a Goal Poem 4) “Raised By” Poem (4 stanzas; 4 lines per stanza)

Critical Thinking Questions: How does teamwork and collaboration affect our English class?

Content: Straw competition, Leadership notes

Objective: SWBAT work together in teams and analyze their leadership styles, and each styles’ strengths and weaknesses.

Class Activities: Straw building competition, Leadership analysis