Thesis Statements and Body Paragraphs--due before winter break!

Now that we've chosen topics and done some research, we've also started writing thesis statements.  Students will be getting feedback on their thesis statements so they can revise them when we write the introduction paragraphs.  Here are the notes we used to craft solid thesis statements.

Once we started the body paragraphs, our goal was to help students "unpeel" or rely less on the acronyms we've used in the past for body paragraphs.  Just like the videos reminded us, body paragraphs must several things:
1.  a topic sentence
2.  supporting sentences
3.  concluding sentence

So, to write a the first body paragraph, include these parts:

1.Topic sentence – decide which reason you want to start with.

2.Decide what evidence you want to use from the articles. Which parts will you paraphrase? Quote directly?

3.How does this evidence affect your position? How is it relevant? How does it connect with your experience? (You could even add a counterclaim here if it is relevant.)

4.Link back to your thesis or point.

Essay Video Lessons

In our class, we are now working on writing argument papers on a variety of topics.  Students have crafted thesis statements and are using Achieve3000 to do their research. You have also gotten back your PE essay and these videos are designed to help address some of the issues we saw repeated in many of the essays.

In class, you'll decide which video your group will watch first and then answer some questions in your composition book.  Here are the links to the videos.

Thesis Sentence vs. Topic Sentence by Shmoop

Paragraph Structure

Integrating Quotes in Essays

Incorporating Quotes    
Choosing and Using Quotations by Shmoop    

Watch the videos, as needed again at home.  Let us know if you find another video that has helped you with your writing.  




    
  

Research articles for your topics.

Here are the titles of the articles you should read to prepare for your essay.

What's your position?

What's your topic?  We did carousel brainstorming with these topics today.  We'll write the full essay soon.

Bradbury Quiz

This quiz isn't one you need to study.  Most of the test is multiple choice.
Just make sure you have read to page 37.  It will cover basic items like this:

•Could you describe Clarisse, Montag, Mildred, Beatty, and the Mechanical Hound?

•What happened to Mildred? 

•How is Clarisse different than her peers?

•How does the fire department work? (alarms, rules, history, etc.)

•How is Montag changing?

•What happened to the old woman on who lives at 11 No. Elm?

All the signposts. Here if you need them.

BradburyLand: What's his style?

Students have been playing "BradburyLand" and citing evidence to support their analysis of the text through signposts.  This session ended with students writing paragraph to show what they learned about his style.  Many students needed time to finish it for homework so it's due for A day students on Tuesday, November 10th.  (B day students will probably finish during class since they didn't have early dismissal this week.)
Here's the assignment:

"The Veldt" and Words of the Wiser

Here's the full text of "The Veldt" for those of you who were absent, taking make up tests, or who didn't finish making notes on the Veldt.  Remember that the quotes you record will be used for an in-class game so make insightful, plentiful notes that are sure to help your group.  We also took notes on our final signpost: Words of the Wiser.  Here's the anchor chart from the notes, you may copy it right into your notes or use it as a reference.

You need to have ten quotes with answers to the anchor questions.  That's each signpost once and some may repeat--like Again and Again or Literary Moment.

Word Roots for Quarter 1: Quiz 10/22 and 10/23

In class, we recently watched two videos that helped us understand how spelling can help us understand word relationships and meanings.  They had some pretty deep ideas so we encourage you to watch them again, or watch for the first time if you were absent, for sure!

Click the links to view:
 Making Sense of Spelling
Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt 

Knowing the meaning of a root, prefix, or suffix can help you figure out the meaning and spelling of an unfamiliar word. So, we've been exploring roots and new words. Now that we have 19 roots/prefixes/suffixes added to our four column notes, it's time to study them.   

We'll have a roots quiz on October 22 (a day) and 23rd (b day).

Here's the second half of roots to study:

OOPS!  You'll have to get creative to fit the last ones on here.  We have a few more words that spaces.  Write all the way to the top and bottom margins or split some boxes in half horizontally to make it work.  
Use your four column notes study sheet to self-quiz as preparation for the real quiz.  If you are missing any of the roots, see the picture above to add what you are missing.

Open House e-edition!

Instead of sending you home with extra paper, this year we're directing you to our webpages via this blog.  You can find the information you need here, probably quicker than you can dig through the pile of paper on your dining room table.  We've had over 35,000 visitors since we started using this special space to share information.

We sent home a letter on the first day of school, and we're hoping you've already seen it.  Lavender?  A half sheet?  The eighth plan all their lessons together and so the letter looks mostly the same for each of us.  The only differences in the letters are the biographical information about each teacher and the contact information for each teacher.

Here's Mrs. Jackson's letter:

Literary Techniques Exit Slip-- "The Pedestrian"

Students have been using the jigsaw classroom technique to become experts on three literary techniques (in an "expert" group) and then teach those techniques in the "home" group.  We found the techniques in the story "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury.  By the end of the lesson, students mastered twelve techniques.  We'll complete an Exit Slip (10 points) to make sure they learned them.  The Exit Slip will be on September 14th and 15th (a and b day).

Brainstorming to write

Were you absent on April 23rd or 24th due to testing (or any other reason)?  

In class, we read lots of poems and charted how they fit several characteristics of poetry.  We'll keep adding to that list in class.  Just get your "poetry brain" going.

We also started brainstorming for a poem that everyone will learn about soon.  For now, we're getting a list of memories tht can help us build imagery based on our lives: our neighborhoods, our homes, our childhoods.  What we have discovered is that our memories and experiences are what shape who we are today.   You can get a copy of the brainstorm sheet by clicking this link.


If you need help with the description part, click here for a sensory word list or just "google" the phrase "sensory word list" to find more.

Extra Credit: Achieve 3000 due by SUNDAY, April 19th!

Complete 4 Achieve3000 article activities by Sunday, April 19th, 2015. 

•You must earn at least a 75% or higher on all four (4) activities to get the extra credit points.  (if you get a low score on one, then do an extra.)  You may choose the articles you're interested in reading by using the search feature.

•Each student who completes four activities with a passing score (75%) will earn two (2) points of extra credit. 

•There might not be another extra credit opportunity this year.  Don’t ask for extra credit at the end of the quarter.  Do it now!

Go to https://portal.achieve3000.com

Your username is your student number .  Your password is the one that begins with a 16.  

This is great practice for your FSA.  It's a meaningful extra credit opportunity and one we encourage all students to try!  

Fahrenheit451 TDQ--assignment due!

Students have a new assignment due by Monday, January26 (a) and Tuesday, January 27th (b).  

Here are the questions we're currently answering in Language 1.Read this passage from page 14.  “It was two o'clock in the morning. Was it only an hour ago, Clarisse McClellan in the street, and him coming in, and the dark room and his foot kicking the little crystal bottle? Only an hour, but the world had melted down and sprung up in a new and colorless form.”

Based on this passage, the reader knows that Clarisse has made a big impression on Montag.  Using other details from the text, explain why she has such a big impact on him.

2.  By page sixteen, we’ve been introduced to three characters: Montag, Clarisse, and Mildred.     Focus on one of these characters.  How does this character reveal what their society values? Be sure to clearly state one or two values of the community and prove it with evidence from the characterization.

3.  Read the passage that begins “One drop of rain….” on page 15. In this passage, and others, there is a sudden change in style.  Why does Bradbury do this?

In class, we used the ICED acronym to structure our responses:

 

Here is a sample TDQ and paragraph as a reference.  Evidence is highlighted for you but please do not highlight on your final draft. 

 This will be graded with a shorter version of the College and Career Readiness Rubric.