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.

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 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.

Monday - 8/31 - Beginning the College Application Essay

OBJ: Students will listen to a presentation from a college admissions advisor; then will begin planning their college admissions essay.  Discussion will include purpose and audience with multimedia input from college admissions personnel.


WARM-UP: No Warm-Up today due to guest speaker.

• Guest from College of the Mainland

• Powerpoint/Notes - College Admissions Essay Purpose and Audience
• College Essay Powerpoint
• College Application Essay Tips
• Appplication Prompts and Questions

• Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay (Handout and Online Resources)
• Online Resources from The College Board

• Application Essay Options (A & B) with guiding questions - homework if not completed in class.

Friday - 8/28

OBJ: Students will continue to learn and establish norms and expectations in this class and will take an active role in establishing interpersonal interactions by establishing a social contract.

Warm-up ... On a sheet of paper, list the things you don't like about how students and teachers interact at times in the classroom. Do not include school rules or curriculum (information taught and tested) - focus on what we have input in. 

Social Contract - students will form groups of 4 - LOOK AROUND AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS INCLUDED. Groups will discuss each of the guiding questions of the social contract and build a list of responses. Once all questions have been addressed, we will compile the group input to create the actual document.

Social Contract Question PPT

Intro Speeches (time permitting)

History of English video (time permitting)
http://youtu.be/H3r9bOkYW9s


***REMEMBER ... the signature pages for the Syllabus AND the Chromebook agreement are due on Monday.  You may print them from the links below if you need additional copies.***

Coach Davis - Syllabus - English IV

SFISD Chromebook Agreement - Davis Eng IV

Thursday, 8/27

Obj: Srudents will continue getting to know each other and will view an historical overview of English history.

Warm up/College Word of the Day: 

On a sheet of paper, write down a question you'd like to ask me - and then write what you think my answer will be. 

- finish Intro speeches (new students too) 

- random questions activity ... Using the same sheet of paper as your warmup, you will select 6 of the random question options provided (one at a time) and then, when directed to do so, choose two classmates to answer your question. You'll need to briefly write or paraphrase the question.  You may not question the same person twice.  You MUST get the name of each person you talk to.

• Do you like Pets?  Do you have any (what kind?  What are their names?)

• What was the last book you read

• Do you like to cook?  What kinds of things can you cook?

• Have you ever visited another country?  Where?

• Have you ever met a famous person?  Who?

• What do you like to do in your free time?

• If you could only eat one food/dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?

• What qualities do you look for in friends?

• What was the last movie you saw?

• If you could choose anyplace in the world to live where would it be and why?

• What have you never done that you really want to try?

• What super-power would you most like to have & why?

• If you had a million dollars that you had to spend - but could NOT spend it on yourself or family - what would you spend it on?

• What would your dream house be like?

• If you could change something about the world, what would it be and why?

• Do you like kids?  Do you want to be a parent someday?

• What is the best present anyone has ever given you?

• How do you want people to remember you?

- "A History of English... In 10 Minutes"

http://youtu.be/H3r9bOkYW9s

Wednesday - 8/26 - Day Three - Chromebook Safety, Handling, Etc.

OBJ: Students will learn keys to safe handling of Chromebooks in the classroom and will become aware of all Chromebook expectations.

• Distribute SFISD Chromebook Agreement and review information.  Signature page due no later than Friday 8/28 - students will NOT be allowed to use Chromebooks in the classroom until they have submitted a completed signature page from the agreement.

SFISD Chromebook Agreement

• Chromebook Handling and Use Videos on YouTube ... 

What is a Chromebook?

The ACER Chromebook

Chromebook Care & Handling

• Finish Introductory Speeches (as necessary)

• Review appropriate Google ID expectations.

Day Two ... Getting to Know You

Welcome back for day two - it's a great day for me to get to know you and for your classmates to maybe learn a little more about you. 

You will have 8 minutes to complete your "Introductory Speech Worksheet" and then roughly 5 minutes to plan your 40 second speech.

You may stand beside your desk to deliver this casual speech. You must use your entire 40 seconds ... No bailing out early. At 40 seconds I will instruct you to "finish your thought" .. At that point finish the point you are making and you are finished. Tell us everything we need to know about you in your 40 second time period. 

Keep in mind the expectations of you as an audience when someone is speaking. No phones, no earphones, give them your eyes, and listen to what they are saying. Show them the deserved respect when they are speaking/presenting.

This is a daily grade - but the only way you can lose points is if you don't fill your 40 seconds with info about you OR if you have poor audience etiquette. Those are the only possible deductions. 

First Day of School 2015-2016

Good morning. Welcome back from the summer break, which probably seemed all too short. This is my blog where you will find important information for our class every day including: our objectives, guiding questions, assignment information and due dates, useful resources, and links to the assignments themselves. My English for class is largely technology-based,so posting information here ensures that you have constant access to it as opposed to hardcopies which are often lost or misplaced. 

If you have questions outside of class, the best way to contact me is through email - Richard.Davis@sfisd.org

If there are materials posted here that you want a hard copy of, you will need to make time outside of class to go to the library to print them. I know that this format will take some getting used to, but it also does a lot more to prepare you for life after graduation. 

I am looking forward to a successful year that ends, not with your graduation from high school, but with you being prepared for whatever adventured you take on after graduation.

2nd Period Exam Exemptions

Exempt Students:

Bynum
Floyd
Hebert
Linscomb



Exempt PENDING PROOF OF FINES PAID:

Felker
Lutz