Peer Persuasion: What are you teaching the world?

We have embarked upon the early brainstorming for our persuasive writing unit.  It is called "Peer Persuasion."  We've been exploring different topics that can make the world safer and cleaner as well as topics that can help young people be more successful, healthier, or happier.  Students have finally narrowed down the choices and submitted sample thesis statements for their essays. 
In this post, we'll review some of the notes and requirements for this step of the persuasive essay process.

The thesis clearly presents the writer’s position.

The writer

–uses three or more relevant facts/reasons to support the thesis.

–demonstrates an understanding of the opposing side’s point of view (counter-argument) and respectfully shows why it’s wrong.

–understands the intended audience and tailors the presentation accordingly.

The information is presented in a logical, easy-to-follow sequence.

Next, we wrote and turned in our thesis statements for our potential topics.  Most students will get to write about their first choice.  If you were absent, or didn't finish, please write three possible thesis statements and turn them in to your teacher.  See directions and notes below.
 

Your thesis statement(s) will tell the audience:

•your claim, opinion, or what you want them to do or believe

•a preview of the reasons/evidence that support this claim

•the order in which you will be presenting your reasons and evidence with parallel structure.

Supplies for Language Arts and Reading Enrichment classes--Jackson, Salzer, & Schoof

Many of you, or your parents, are ready to hit the stores and get your school supplies.  

1. Composition book. (*You'll need a separate comp book for enrichment 1, 2, or 3).
2. Pens and Pencils for writing.
3. A folder to take home assignments. (This may be part of another system, like an expandable binder.  This will STAY with you when you go home.)
4. Notebook paper and printer paper.
5. 3x3 Sticky notes.
6. A jump or thumb drive for saving typed assignments.
7. A reading book of your own choice.
8. For advanced and gifted classes: your own copy of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.  This book is available at Amazon.com for about 7.00.  It will also be available through Scholastic Book Clubs if you'd prefer to wait.  We'll begin reading it as a class after winter break.

*Although the enrichment classes are separate classes, students will generally be able to use the same supplies, with the exception of a composition book.   You need one per class.

Students will also need access to a dictionary--print or online--at home. 

The 8th grade team also loves donations of items we frequently purchase ourselves.  Please choose one or two items to donate if your budget allows.

   

• Tissues
• Paper Towels
• Lysol Wipes
• Lysol Aerosol Spray or Magic Erasers (both remove desk graffiti)
• 3x3 Post-It Notes
• Scotch brand  Tape--especially precut slices or desktop dispensers
• Dry Erase Markers
• Hand Sanitizer or soap
• White Printer Paper

Miss the Bradbury video?

In class, we've been filling out our Know-Wonder-Learn charts about Ray Bradbury.  If you were absent, or need a refresher, view it here and update the "Learned" column of the KWL chart.
Here's the link to the long version (22 minutes).

Last Batch of Word Roots

We've reached our last batch of word roots.  We'll follow the same process of brainstorming words together in class, and drawing symbols and clues to help us remember the meanings.  We'll have a quiz on these words on May 9th and 10th, following our regular pattern.

You can get a full size copy of the sheet, in case you've lost yours, by clicking here:

 Word Roots Batch 3 pdf.

Analyzing Poetry with TPCASTT

It's testing time but as we emerge from FCAT, you'll have some homework due...a TPCASTT analysis on one of the poems we'll assign.  This will also help you study for the poetry quiz.

TPCASTT is an analysis that is well known and used throughout high school.  It is simply a series of steps to follow when you analyze a poem.  You can download one version of the TPCASTT by clicking here.  We've also included the steps below.  Please use complete sentences to answer the questions.  Refer to specific lines or quotes from the text to SHOW that you understand the poem and the literary techniques.

Depending on which teacher you have, you'll have a different selection of poems.  Some are from the textbook and some are found online.  You should choose the poem from your teacher's list that gives you the best opportunity to show what you know about analyzing poetry.

The poems are due at the time of the quiz since this homework is designed to prepare you for the quiz.  We'll update you about the date of the quiz once testing is finished.  Currently, B day classes will take the quiz on April 25th and A day classes will take the test on April 26th.  

Here are the choices:
For Jackson’s classes:  

On Turning Ten by Billy Collins

The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

The End of April by Phillis Larkin

Dusting by Julia Alzarez (textbook)

How Things Work by Gary Soto (textbook)

Quilting by Lucille Clifton (textbook)

Salzer’s classes—all from the textbook (online here)

My Father and the Figtree p 391-392

My Mother Pieced Quilts

Boots of Spanish Leather

Identity

We Alone

Willow and Gingkgo

For Schoof’s classes:

Sifter by Naomi Shihab Nye 

Sea Lullaby by Elinor Wylie  

The lesson of the moth by Don Marquis (textbook)

Title: What do you think this poem will be about before reading it?

Paraphrase: Before you begin thinking about meaning or tying to analyze the poem, don't overlook the literal meaning of the poem.   What actually happens in the poem?
List any words that you don’t know.  

Connotation/Craft:
If the poem is not literal, what else could it mean?
Which literary techniques are used?
How do they contribute to the overall meaning or the poem?
* imagery,
*figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, symbolism, etc),
*word choice, syntax, and format,
*point of view,
*sound devices  (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme).
You don’t need to identify all the techniques. The ones you do identify should  support the conclusions you have drawn.

Attitude--Who is the speaker?
What is the speaker talking about?
What is the speaker’s attitude toward that subject?

Shift--What are the shifts or changes in speaker or attitude? Look for key words (but, yet, however, although), time change, punctuation,   or format.

Title revisited--Now look at the title again.  Does the title have any new significance now?  Explain.

Theme--What is the lesson or message of the poem?  (One sentence)

Keeping up with Bradbury

The advanced and gifted classes are reading Fahrenheit 451 in class.  If you miss a day, or need to re-read, here's a link to an online version that you can use: Fahrenheit 451.

If you need another copy of the discussion sheet, you can download it by clicking here.

New Year....new roots....New QUIZ!

We're on to the new year with a new batch of word roots.  We are still rounding out the 2nd quarter though so this grade will be one of the last for this quarter.  You got your four-column notes to study and fill out during your first day back from Winter break.  If you lose it or need to re-do it for any reason, we've included the roots here.

Root, prefix or suffix	Example	Definition
A-	Asymmetrical	Not
Auto	Autobiography	Self
Biblio	Bibliography	Book
Bio	Biography	Life
Chron	Chronology	Time
--cide	Homicide	Kill
Dem	Democracy	People
Derm	Dermatology	Skin
Dis--	Disagree	Take away/ not
Frat	Fraternity	brother
Gen	Gender	Birth, kind, or race
Man	Manual	Hands
Phil	Philosophy	Love
Phon	Telephone	Sound
Retro	Retrograde	Backwards
Spec	Spectacles	To see
Sub	Subway	In place of, or under
Trans	Transform	across

Remember, you need to find as many words as possible that use that root (at least four) and you need to choose a drawing that helps you remember the definition of the root.  Even if you can't draw, the process of deciding is part of how the root will get into your long-term memory--which is the goal!

Speaking of long term memory, we'll also be including questions on the roots from the first batch.  Even if you aced that quiz, we want to be sure you still have those roots active in your brain.  So, study your first sheet again and scroll down to see those roots again, if you've lost them.

Complete your study sheet and be ready for the quiz:

January 10th--a day

January 11th for B day.

Bradbury Quiz for advanced classes

We'll be having a Bradbury quiz next week (before the break) to review the basic elements of his style, the common features of his stories, and basic comprehension of what we've read and discussed.

 If you need to read or re-read one of his "creepy" tales, please visit Mrs. Jackson's Oncourse/Portal Page.

You can also just click the links belwo to go straight to the story you need to review.

The stories we've read include

• The Pedestrian
• There Will Come Soft Rains
• Fever Dream
• The Veldt
• Kaleidoscope

We're wrapping up the editorial.

STEPS to COMPLETING your EDITORIAL

1. Write draft #1 in sourcebook (all 5 paragraphs).  (You’ve submitted the first two paragraphs for grading.)  Refer to the plan you made in your sourcebook.

2.  Write interview questions & conduct interviews (research) with classmates, teachers, parents, or administrators.

3.  Research other information IF NEEDED – school climate survey, internet, school code of conduct, etc.  Do not cut and paste.  Take notes and include information as you write and draft. 

4.  Find all your drafts, graded and ungraded, and rewrite them, or put them in order.  Gather your information from research and quotes from interviews. You should have five paragraphs.

5.  Type final draft of editorial using the required formatting.  (One inch margin, Times new Roman, size 12, black ink, white paper, double spaced.)   Save often to your own “thumb” drive and your user file.  There should be five paragraphs.

6.  Check for mechanics.  Right click on ALL red and green squiggly underlines to find spelling errors (red) and grammar errors (green).  Check that you have five paragraphs (intro, 3 “teeps” body paragraphs, and a conclusion).  Check that you have all persuasive strategies being used – logos, pathos, ethos, kairos.  Check that you included transitional words, phrases, and hooks.

7.  Add your list of sources—Works Cited—to the last page.  It includes all outside information used in your paper, including interviews.  You may use Easy Bib.  Refer to your handout on how to cite.

Want to check your work?  Here's the highest section of the rubric--what to do to get an A.  Click here for a full copy of the rubric.    ( We fixed the link!)  You'll get your own copy in class.  The rubric looks long but we've had lessons and worked on each part in class.  Check your sourcebook for any part that is unclear or that you've forgotten.  It's very similar to a timed essay with three exceptions: you get more time, it's typed, and you include a Works Cited.  

Leads	Lead introduces subject, and immediately engages the reader’s interest, impelling continued reading by using scqab The leads we learned….see notes).
Thesis	The writer has a clear thesis (claim and reasons) that is  smoothly connected to the lead..  The reasons are listed in a parallel structure.
Elaboration	Support is elaborated:  substantial, specific, concrete, relevant,  and/or  illustrative.
Persuasive Appeals	Persuasive appeals of pathos, logos, ethos, and kairos are applied effectively.
Word & Sentence Variety	Each sentence is clear and has an obvious emphasis.  Word choice is precise, powerful, and appropriate.
Organization	Information is purposefully organized in a way that makes sense for the audience.  Effective transitions enhance the reader's understanding of your position.   Paragraphs have effective topic sentences and "so" sentences.
Conclusion	Ends with a clear, satisfying sense of closure  that strongly persuades the reader (PEPI)  and reinforces the writer's position on the issue.
Works Cited & Use of Sources	All information gathered (interviews, pictures, facts, quotes) is cited correctly in the text and with a correctly formatted MLA Works Cited Page.  Sources of information are credible and relevant.
Punctuation & Spelling	Text is mostly free of errors in sentence structure, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Careful proofreading is evident.
Format	Paper is formatted correctly and easy to read. Your name is typed in the upper right hand corner of the paper.  Title is no larger than 14-size font at the top and center  of the page. Title may be in bold.  (No separate cover page allowed.) Typed, (not bold, not italicized) Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced (correctly). Margins are appropriate: size (1”).

Question-Answer Relationships

In class, we're writing our own questions to help us deepen our understanding of the text. Students (and teachers) learn more when they write the questions themselves and think about the possible answers.  Today, we practiced using Taffy Rafael's well-known strategy known as QAR, or Question Answer Relationship.

Students had time to work on an assessment for to show how asking questions deepens our understanding of the text.  If you did not finish, here's the link to the story so you can print it (or read online):

  The Veldt.  (click the title).  The assignment is due on November 13th for A day, and November 14th for B day.  It is homework for the advanced classes if they don't finish.