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

Friday, September 9th - Period 1

Back to School: Day 3

Do Now: What are unique qualities that you have?  What makes you a unique individual?

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 can I connect with those around me?

Content: Student Poetry, Josh Bennett Poetry Video

Objective: SWBAT write a clean copy of their “Raised By” poems while making developments from their draft, thus completing a writing process. Students will also intelligently deconstruct and analyze a spoken word poem.  

Class Activities: Doubters/Believers, Student Portfolios, Clean copy of their Raised By Poem, Place Clean, graded Raised By Poems in Portfolio, Analysis of PYPM Poet

Thursday, September 8th (Periods 2, 6-7, 8-9, 10)

Back to School: Day 3

Do Now: What are unique qualities that you have?  What makes you a unique individual?

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 can I connect with those around me?

Content: Student Poetry, Josh Bennett Poetry Video

Objective: SWBAT write a clean copy of their “Raised By” poems while making developments from their draft, thus completing a writing process. Students will also intelligently deconstruct and analyze a spoken word poem.  

Class Activities: Doubters/Believers, Student Portfolios, Clean copy of their Raised By Poem, Place Clean, graded Raised By Poems in Portfolio, Analysis of PYPM Poet

Thursday, September 8th (Period 1)

Back to School: Day 2

Do Now: At the top of page in your notebook, write today’s date. Underneath, respond to this Do Now:

Name at least 3 goals that you have for yourself this year as they relate to Academics, Maturity, and your future. Why are these goals important to you?

Homework: Write “I Have a Goal” Poem

Critical Thinking Questions: How do we shape our identities? How do we achieve our goals? Why is it important to have goals?

Content: Two Wolves Story, Student Poetry, Student Portfolios

Objective: SWBAT write their own poetry. Students will critique, and respond to their peer’s poetry.

Class Activities: Homework collection and review, Two Wolves Story, “Raised By” presentation, Student Portfloios,

Wednesday, September 7th (All Periods)

Back to School: Day 2

Do Now: At the top of page in your notebook, write today’s date. Underneath, respond to this Do Now:

Name at least 3 goals that you have for yourself this year as they relate to Academics, Maturity, and your future. Why are these goals important to you?

Homework: Write “I Have a Goal” Poem

Critical Thinking Questions: How do we shape our identities? How do we achieve our goals? Why is it important to have goals?

Content: Two Wolves Story, Student Poetry, Student Portfolios

Objective: SWBAT write their own poetry. Students will critique, and respond to their peer’s poetry.

Class Activities: Homework collection and review, Two Wolves Story, “Raised By” presentation, Student Portfloios,

Tuesday, September 6th (All Periods)

Do Now: Fill out the Student Information Sheet. Please fill in an answer for the bottom question.

Critical Thinking Questions: Who raised you and how does that impact your identity?

Content: Course Syllabus, “Raised” Poems

Objective: SWBAT write their own poetry and share it with a partner.  Students should also understand the objectives and rules of the course through the course syllabus.

Class Activities: Student Information Sheet, Syllabus Review, Web Introduction, “Raised By” Poetry, Homework Overview

Homework: 1) Read and respond to the news article.
2) Get Parent Letter filled out and returned.

Michelle and Michelle

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thursday, June 2nd - All Periods

Revolutionaries: Day 8

Do Now: How would your life be different today if we had not gone through the Civil Rights Movement in America?

Critical Thinking Questions: How does our history shape our present experience?  Why should all people pay tribute to Civil Rights heroes?

Content: Stories and articles from the unit and materials of Civil Rights figures.

Objective: We will research and begin to write our tributes to a selected Civil Rights figure.

Class Activities: Do now discussion, Research, Writing

Homework: Research and complete your description and tribute to a Human Rights figure.  (Major assignment to conclude Revolutionaries Unit.)

Wednesday, June 1st - All Periods

Revolutionaries: Day 7

Do Now: What have you learned this year about how to “read” pictures and art this year?

Critical Thinking Questions: What is the importance of critical literacy in today’s society?  How does violence and war impact our society today?

Content: Picture book with whited out pages, Radio Times: Hate Groups

Objective: We will be able to make meaning from the picture book images, consider the consequences of violent resistance and war, and write about our opinions of violent and non-violent resistance.

Class Activities: Do-now discussion, “Reading” the picture book, Reading the picture book, Violent/Non-Violent resistance perspective discussion, writing opinions

Homework: What does war and violent resistance normally lead to?  Why does this happen?