Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Wednesday, 9/30 ... Online Textbook Access and Continuing Beowulf



OBJ ... Students will continue to analyze elements of the Anglo Saxon period and Anglo Saxon society as they read the epic poem Beowulf.


WARM UP ...

Using the login information provided, log on to the online textbook at http://my.hrw.com (save that site in your favorites).  I know it's ANOTHER logon and password - tried to see if we could simplify that, but no dice.  So be sure to save the logon info in your phone or something like that.




  • Continue reading Beowulf (using either the text or the online text - your choice). As you read be aware of the interactive reading questions associated with the page you are on and stay alert for answers to those questions.  Answer briefly, but in full and complete thoughts.


  • By the end of class today, you need to be finished reading through Page 49 (which covers the first two sections in the text ... "Grendel" and "Beowulf" ... we will quiz over the reading tomorrow or Friday, so anything you do not finish is homework).  You may read and work ahead as time permits.


  • You may also use the Chromebooks to work on your ApplyTexas app if you need to continue working on that - once you have finished the mandatory portion of the reading.




Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Tuesday 9/29 ... Some Academic Vocabulary and Getting Started with Beowulf



OBJECTIVE: By the end of the lesson you should be able to…understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of a poem and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.relate the characters, setting, and theme of a literary work to the historical, social, and economic ideas of its timeanalyze the moral dilemmas and quandaries presented in works of fiction as revealed by the underlying motivations and behaviors of the charactersStudents understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about how an author’s sensory language creates imagery in literary text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.


GUIDING QUESTIONS:How is an epic poem similar to a historical novel and how is it different?Why are heroism and sorrow something permanent in literature and life?


WARM UP ...

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ... Find definitions of the following in reference to Literature and define them on your blog .. you may be able to find some of these definitions on the handout on top of the Chromebook cart ...

EPIC POEM

EPIC HERO

KENNING

CAESURA

ALLITERATION



  • Before Reading - "from Beowulf" information handout ... discuss in class


  • Begin reading "Beowulf" pp 42-49 in the Literature Book.





Monday, September 28, 2015

Monday - 9/28 - In the Career Center for ApplyTexas.org



All classes met in the Career Center with Mrs. Wardrup to work on the ApplyTexas.org application process.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Friday 9/25 ... Reflective Warmup ... Webquest .. among other things.





HAPPY FRIDAY!

WARM UP ...

Explain the following quote - and share your thoughts about it.  What do you think it means?  What do you like/dislike about it?  Do you agree or disagree with it?  Oh, and explain why .. of course.

"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long" 
- Lao Tzu



LAST DAY TO WORK ON THE WEBQUEST!!!
  • FINISH BEOWULF Webquest - using the web resources listed (or others you can find) locate the information that answers the questions.  The link below will take you to an electronic copy of the webquest ... the printed copy you will write on is on top of the Chromebook cart.  You will have to staple the packet (3 sheets, front and back .. pages 1-6 .. make sure you have them all!)


Be sure to answer the questions on the paper provided  - use the electronic copy to click on the links so you don't have to type them.  In the event that some of the links are broken or stop working (which happens from time to time with these things), we will find and provide an alternate link for the class as necessary.








Thursday, September 24, 2015

Thursday - 9/24 ... Last In Class Day for the Beowulf/Anglo Saxon Webquest








WARM UP ... think of or find two more words and add the root, definition and example words to your notes on your blog.



-photo- (G)lightphotograph
-port- (L)carryexport
-qui(t)- (L)quiet, restacquit
-scrib-, -script- (L)writeascribe

  • FINISH BEOWULF Webquest - using the web resources listed (or others you can find) locate the information that answers the questions.  The link below will take you to an electronic copy of the webquest ... the printed copy you will write on is on top of the Chromebook cart.  You will have to staple the packet (3 sheets, front and back .. pages 1-6 .. make sure you have them all!)


Be sure to answer the questions on the paper provided  - use the electronic copy to click on the links so you don't have to type them.  In the event that some of the links are broken or stop working (which happens from time to time with these things), we will find and provide an alternate link for the class as necessary.








Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Wednesday - 9/23 ... More Roots and Keep on Keeping on with the Webquest



OBJ ... Students will continue to research and analyze the Anglo Saxon period and Beowulf.


WARM UP ... More classic roots ...

mis-, -mit-  to sendmissile, transmission, emit
-omni-

-path- 

-phil- 

-phon- 




  • CONTINUE BEOWULF Webquest - using the web resources listed (or others you can find) locate the information that answers the questions.  The link below will take you to an electronic copy of the webquest ... the printed copy you will write on is on top of the Chromebook cart.  You will have to staple the packet (3 sheets, front and back .. pages 1-6 .. make sure you have them all!)


Be sure to answer the questions on the paper provided  - use the electronic copy to click on the links so you don't have to type them.  In the event that some of the links are broken or stop working (which happens from time to time with these things), we will find and provide an alternate link for the class as necessary.








Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Tuesday - 9/22 ... Classic Roots and Beowulf Webquest



OBJ ... Students will continue to enrich vocabulary decoding skills through the study of classic root words ... Students will, through a webquest, research and gather information about Beowulf and about the Anglo Saxon Period.


WARM UP ...

More classic roots ...

JUR/JUS

LOG/LOGUE

LUC

MAN/MANU

MAND/MEND



  • BEOWULF Webquest - using the web resources listed (or others you can find) locate the information that answers the questions.  The link below will take you to an electronic copy of the webquest ... the printed copy you will write on is on top of the Chromebook cart.  You will have to staple the packet (3 sheets, front and back .. pages 1-6 .. make sure you have them all!)


Be sure to answer the questions on the paper provided  - use the electronic copy to click on the links so you don't have to type them.  In the event that some of the links are broken or stop working (which happens from time to time with these things), we will find and provide an alternate link for the class as necessary.










Monday - 9/21



I was out during 1st - 4th periods - students completed the "other" writing prompt from the ApplyTexas website as a timed writing that was due by the end of the period.

Students should still have a copy of the prompts and the prewriting/brainstorming questions that went with them .. however, if not, the prompt are as follows:

  • Topic A: 
    Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings, and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience.
  • Topic B: 
    Describe a circumstance, obstacle or conflict in your life, and the skills and resources you used to resolve it. Did it change you? If so, how?

Friday, September 18, 2015

Friday, 9/18 - More Classic Roots and More About the Anglo Saxons and Beowulf



OBJ ... Students will identify, define, and make connections with classic root words.  Students will take notes over podcasts about Anglo Saxon England and Beowulf, generate questions based on the information gathered, and will discern and summarize the most important points.


WARM UP ... More Classic Roots ... Just like yesterday ... define and give three examples of words containing this root ...

DICT

DUC - lead or make ... produce, deduce, introduce

GEN

GEO



  • Once you finish the warm-up, you can put your Chromebook up and grab a sheet for C-Notes (and you'll also need the sheet from yesterday).
  • We will finish the first podcast/video segment ... "Introducing the Anglo Saxons" 
    • Our Essential Question(s) is/are ... "Who were the Anglo Saxons?  What were they like?  How are they relevant to our study of British Literature?"
    • Introducing the Anglo Saxons
  • The second video segment is "Introducing the Beowulf Poem"
  • Be prepared for a quiz over this material next week - the quiz will be short (5-10 questions) and may be open note.




Thursday, September 17, 2015

Thursday - 9/17 ... Beginning to look at the Anglo Saxons and Beowulf ...



OBJ ... Students will identify, define, and make connections with classic root words.  Students will take notes over podcasts about Anglo Saxon England and Beowulf, generate questions based on the information gathered, and will discern and summarize the most important points.


Warm-Up ...

Root words are common building blocks of a great deal of the English language - understanding root words increases our ability to deduce the meanings of many college level vocabulary words.  Using online resources, find the meanings of the common root words below and list 3 words containing that root and share the root's meaning and post your results to your blog ...

Example ...

AUDI - to hear ... examples, audience, audible, audio,

BENE

BIO

CHRONO




  • Printed copies of the college app essay final draft should be turned in with the peer review questions stapled to the back today - it must also be submitted electronically through Edmodo (and is late unless you made prior arrangement with me).  Questions about this?  You need to see me today ... not knowing how to do something is not an acceptable excuse now or ever).


  • Those who are finished will need to watch two video segments dealing with Anglo Saxon England and with Beowulf (and complete Cornell Notes) over them.
    • The template for Cornell Notes is here and should work with Word Online (you may have to save the file and open it with Word Online .. or possibly Google Docs).
  • The first video segment is "Introducing the Anglo Saxons" 
    • Our Essential Question(s) is/are ... "Who were the Anglo Saxons?  What were they like?  How are they relevant to our study of British Literature?"
    • Introducing the Anglo Saxons
  • The second video segment is "Introducing the Beowulf Poem"
***CORRECTION ... YouTube is blocked on the student wifi, apparently, so we will watch the first clip and take C-Notes as a class today ... if you are absent and reading this, you will have to watch clip one as your make-up work and take C-Notes over it***







Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Wednesday - 9/16 ... College App Essay Final Drafts are DUE!!! (Meet in A102)



OBJ ... Students will finish editing, revising, and refining the rough drafts of their College Application Essays into a final draft in MLA Format.  Students will submit a printed copy of their final draft and will also submit electronically via Edmodo.  Students will continue investigating life after graduation.



WARM UP ...

Log on to your Google Account, Edmodo Account, Microsoft Office Account, and Blog on the computer lab computers.  Once you have logged into everything, complete the following survey (Note ... providing me your Google Password and/or Edmodo Password allows me to provide you that information if you forget it ... that would be the only purpose for my having it, however, providing it to me is optional).

Warm Up Survey - MUST BE COMPLETED AS PART OF YOUR WARM UP!

Websites for warmup ... (You may want to add these in your Favorites once you have logged into Google ... it will save them with your profile and make them available anytime you are signed into Google).

Google

Edmodo

Microsoft Office Online (Office 365)

Blogger OR Wordpress



  • Finish working on your final draft and print a copy from the lab printer if possible today.  Submit the final draft to the FINAL DRAFT assignment option in Edmodo no later than 11:59pm tonight to receive full credit for your work.  Late work is subject to the point deductions in the grading policy unless you and I have had a prior conversation.  Your notes from the peer revision activity must be stapled to the back of the Final Draft.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Tuesday - 9/15 - Final Draft Workday

OBJ



Warm up ...

For your first blog post - introduce yourself, and in a few sentences, describe who you are and what your plans are for after graduation.

Then ... make a list of the 5 target areas you are looking to improve (or have already improved) from your rough draft to your final draft.

***Be sure that you select the NEW POST button (which looks like a pencil on Blogger) and NOT the new blog button.  Use only the blog you created yesterday***




  • Continue working on revising, editing, and refining the final draft of your College Application Essay.  We will meet in A102 tomorrow so you can print a copy to turn in.  You will also submit the final draft via Edmodo by 11:59pm tomorrow night.  If you do not turn in a printed copy during the period, you will have to print one on you your own.  The printed copy you turn in must have your 4 peer review questions attached to the back.

  • Peer Review Questions (assigned yesterday .. 9/14) 
  • Once you are satisfied with your own cleanup work, it's time to have someone else read it and get his/her feedback.  It doesn't have to be someone in this class, As you do this, you will  need to answer the following ... 
    • 1) What 3 key areas do you think need to be addressed in your essay? (know this going in BEFORE you have someone read it).
    • 2) Ask your reader to read your paper outloud ... as they read, make notes of areas that don't "sound right" to you so you can return to these areas and make revision
    • 3) Ask your reader about (and take notes over their responses regarding) your 3 key areas of concern - what do they think?  How do they suggest  you fix them?
    • 4) Ask and make notes over what your reader thinks works best in your essay ... and where is it weakest.

  • If you finish with additional time, turn your attention back to the Apply Texas application.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Monday - 9/14 ... Creating your own blog and continuing the rough draft revision process


OBJ - Students will use Blogger or Wordpress to create their own blog and will then continue editing and revising their College Application Essay Rough Drafts.


WARM UP ...

Using either Blogger.com (which is owned by Google - so it usually works well with the Chromebooks) or Wordpress.com, create your own blog website for this class.  Once you have created it, email the URL (or address) for the blog to me (Richard.Davis@sfisd.org) ... the url should look like ...

BLOGNAME.blogspot.com  ... or ... BLOGNAME.wordpress.com



  • Continue the editing and revision process for your rough draft.  Go through this self-revision checklist, taking time with each step looking for ways to improve or clean up your rough draft.





  • Once you are satisfied with your own cleanup work, it's time to have someone else read it and get his/her feedback.  It doesn't have to be someone in this class, As you do this, you will  need to answer the following ... 
    • 1) What 3 key areas do you think need to be addressed in your essay? (know this going in BEFORE you have someone read it).
    • 2) Ask your reader to read your paper outloud ... as they read, make notes of areas that don't "sound right" to you so you can return to these areas and make revision
    • 3) Ask your reader about (and take notes over their responses regarding) your 3 key areas of concern - what do they think?  How do they suggest  you fix them?
    • 4) Ask and make notes over what your reader thinks works best in your essay ... and where is it weakest.

  • Armed with this information, go back to your rough draft and start working on the areas you've indentified for improvements.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Friday 9/11 - Last Chance Rough Drafts and MLA Formatting



OBJ ... Students will finish and submit any outstanding college application essay rough drafts and will being the peer/self revision process by researching MLA format and formatting their work to meet MLA guidelines.



WARM UP ...

Read over the rules for MLA formatting ... MLA Rules

And then look over this sample MLA essay ... MLA Sample Paper




  • If you have not submitted your rough draft through Edmodo and had technical problems or anything along those lines, you need to get together with me so we can get it resolved.

  • Otherwise, the window to submit rough drafts remains open ... get them in ASAP.


  • Once you have submitted your rough draft, review the information from today's warm up and use that along with the checklist handout to get your essay into compliance with MLA format.  Every essay/paper we do for the rest of the year will need to be in MLA format, so make yourself familiar with it.  MLA is your new friend.


  • If you finish early, go to the Apply Texas website and start getting yourself set up on it - even if you aren't sure you want to apply to a college right now.  Look around at what it has to offer and familiarize yourself with the website.


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Thursday - 9/10 - Time to Finish Up Those Rough Drafts and Submit (Via Edmodo)



OBJ - Students will complete the college application essay rough draft and will submit the completed essay electronically via Edmodo.



WARM UP ...

Watch the following video over VOICE on your own - look for ways to use this in your writing as you finish your rough draft today.

VOICE




  • Finish your rough draft of the college application essay and submit it to me today (before 11:59pm) via Edmodo.  The class codes for Edmodo are on the board as well as below:
      • 1st Period - iqspyy
      • 2nd Period - 396ahh
      • 3rd Period - jw77z6
      • 4th Period - hm297d


  • In Edmodo ... 
    • Find the assignment in your Class Period Group and click on TURN IN
    • A box will pop up that you can type in ... type your name in the box ... then click the page icon below the box to attach your rough draft (this may be tricky the first time attaching from OneDrive ... let me know if you are having problems).
    • Once you have done that, click SUBMIT or FINISH or whatever the button is to turn your paper in.  It MUST be attached to be turned in - however, you may continue to work on it after you have submitted it.

  • TO ATTACH YOUR WORK ... YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS ... 
    • Cut and paste the entire document to a Google Doc file and it will upload directly. But you will have to click SHARE ... ADVANCED ... CHANGE (Access) ... ON-ANYONE WITH THE LINK 

    • OR ... Download a copy from OneDrive, then when you upload it to Edmodo, it will show up under DOWNLOADS and you can attach it from there,.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Wednesday - 9/9/15 ... Continuing the Rough Draft





WARM-UP ... Get your Chromebooks, USE YOUR EARBUDS, and watch the following two short videos before resuming your rough draft.

Concluding Sentences

Transitions

As you watch, think about ways to integrate this into your writing.




  • Continue working on your Rough Draft using Word Online ... log on through here ... 
    • Remember ... for most of you ... your email is the first 5 letters of your last name, first 3 letters of your first name, three zeros @k12.sfisd.org

    Review yesterday's blog for additional log on guidelines and due dates for each part of the process.  Use your time productively - we will have only one more day in class to work on the essay.  You ALSO need to get signed up for an Edmodo account (it's a LOT like Facebook) ... codes to get signed up for your class period are on the side board.  All work will be submitted to me through Edmodo.


Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Tuesday - 9/8/15 - Rough Drafting the College App Essay



OBJ ... Using the prewriting, preparation, and analysis they have performed over the past few classes, students will begin rough drafting their response to the college application essay of their choice.\


WARM UP ... IF you have turned in your Chromebook Form, get the Chromebook from the cart that corresponds to your desk number.  Sign in using your Google ID you created for this class OR begin creating one with the Chromebook.

If your form is not turned in, get out some paper and a pen.





  • Begin writing your rough draft - it, like the final paper should be 300-650 words ... it should have an introduction that includes your thesis ... body paragraphs with topic sentences and transitions ... and a conclusion that sums up and brings the essay full circle (back to the point you made in your thesis).

  • ACCESSING OFFICE ONLINE ... 
    • Go to http://portal.office365.com
    • Your email is the first 5 letters of your last name + the first 3 letters of your first name + three zeroes @k12.sfisd.org
      • For Example, John Smith would be SMITHJOH000@k12.sfisd.org or Jenny Davenport would be DAVENJEN000@k12.sfisd.org
    • Your password is your 8 digit date of birth
    • Use the Office Online version of Word for your work.  It will save to your OneDrive (Cloud Storage Account) tied to this email address.  The first time you do this, you will have to click to set-up your OneDrive for business ... once that is done, click again on Word Online to get rolling.


DUE DATES ... 
Rough Draft - Due by the end of class Thursday (9/10) - if you are typing it, you will need to set-up an Edmodo account and submit it through Edmodo.  Electronic submissions may be made at any point tomorrow.  Paper rough drafts are due before you leave class.

Peer Editing - In class Friday, 9/11.  If your Rough Draft is late, you will not be able to complete the peer editing activity in class and it will become homework.


FINAL DRAFT - Due ... submitted electronically ... by Tuesday 9/15.  Handwritten Final Drafts will not be accepted, so those of you who are not allowed yet to use the Chromebooks need to get that paperwork turned in.  If you lost it or did not receive it, you can print it from here: Chromebook Form

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Thursday 9/3 - Continuing analysis of Mentor Texts (Sample Essay Responses) AND Topic Selection


OBJ: Students will continue to dissect and analyze writing structures within mentor texts for the College Application Essay - and will then evaluate the strengths of the 4 mentor texts in relation to each other.  Students will also develop personal connections to the essay questions required by ApplyTexas.org and will select a topic for their (MAJOR GRADE) process essay.


WARM UP - Get your packet from yesterday with the college essays (mentor texts) back out, get your highlighters from the box if you need them, and get back with your shoulder partners from yesterday.



  • Highlighting Activity - using the packet of mentor texts, complete the highlighting activity we began yesterday.  Hold on to it when you finish - I will take it up AFTER we have completed our rough drafts next week.


  • Topic Selection - finish the guiding questions for BOTH essay options and ... using a highlighter of your choice ... highlight your choice of essay topic AND, if your response is part of or connects to any of the leading questions, highlight those and your responses to it as well.


  • We will prewrite in class tomorrow and rough draft next week in class.  Dates for each part of the process will be provided with the grading rubric no later than Tuesday.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

9/2 - Wednesday - Essay Structure and Analysis



OBJ: Students will breakdown the structure and crucial elements of a successful college application essay - using a color coded system to identify and denote each part.  Students will evaluate literary elements of each essay and provide a brief comparative analysis of the essays in order to better plan their own writing.  Students will select a topic for their essay.


WARM UP ... The packet you need is in four pages on the Chromebook cart.  Build your packet in order by page number, staple it (if the stapler runs out, there are more staples on top of the cart), and begin scanning the essays.



  • Seating Assignments - for now ... for the semester ... forever?



  • Highlighting Activity and Analysis - Handout and Instructions


  • Be sure you have completed (or are completing the leading questions for the ApplyTexas.org essay topics).  We will begin prewriting in class tomorrow and will begin rough drafting on Friday.  IF YOU HAVE NOT TURNED IN YOUR CHROMEBOOK USAGE AGREEMENT (the signature page), YOU WILL BE WRITING YOUR PAPER BY HAND ... so bring that back or bring pens and paper.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Tuesday - September 1st - What does a college application essay look like and read like?



OBJ - Through the use of mentor texts, students will gain a deeper understanding of what a college essay should read like.  Students will analyze strengths and weaknesses of essays as well as hypothesize what the original prompt was.


NO WARM UP TODAY!


In a gallery walk, groups of no more than 3 students will spend 4 minutes per essay posted in the room reading and discussing them.  Students should, on their own paper, list 2 strengths and 2 weaknesses for each essay.  Then the students should (in a complete sentence) write what they believe the essay prompt might have been (most of these essays are NOT from the ApplyTexas.com questions you received yesterday).


Students will rotate when the teacher calls time - DO NOT ROTATE EARLY.  Take the allotted time to perform the task.


You will turn your paper in to the crate on the way out of class today.