All Boys, All Blogged: April 29, 2015

Focus: How do we start discussing our books?

1. Warming up: What are the three rules that your book club abides by?

2. Creating websites for your book clubs:

Two possible web applications for your website: www.wikispaces.com and Google sites

Criteria for your website:
Remember that this website will be how you share all of your book club work with me. Your website grade will be your culminating grade for this unit.

First names of group members (no last names, please).
Title and author of book club book

You will need separate links/pages within your website for the following items:

1. Welcome page with statement of purpose: Who are you, and why are you creating this site?
2. Your three group rules
3. Characterization activity (description of assignment and link to it and the product you created, whether it was a series of brains or a discussion)
4. Setting activity
5. Motif activity
6. Theme activity
7. Book-film comparison

CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE WEBSITE ON THE BLIND SIDE.
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE WEBSITE ON SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

Please e-mail your website link before the end of class.

3. Discussing CHARACTERS!

a. Click HERE for Option #1

b. Click HERE for Option #2

Feel free to mix and match Options 1 and 2; be sure to publish your work on your website!

HW:

1. Finish any work not finished in class today (website, characterization, expectations/rules).

2. Annotated mockumentary research due by the end of class tomorrow.

3. Assigned book-film club reading for Tuesday, May 5.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 28, 2015

Focus: How we can we establish a strong, academic background for our mockumentaries?

ACT: Very shortened class

1. Warming up: Introducing the timeline

2. Finishing your five annotated articles; please show me your research as soon as you finish.

• Remember that you need to annotate each article with your brainstorming and questions.
• Keep track of your sources and start a Works Cited page.

3. Starting the timeline and creating your projections into the future

HW:
1. If you have not yet finished your five annotated articles, please finish BEFORE class tomorrow.

2. Assigned book club reading for tomorrow. Make sure you bring your books with you on book-film club days.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 27, 2015

Focus: How do we read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently? (Common Core Reading Standard 10)

1. Warming up with a quick overview of tomorrow (annotated research)

2. MAP testing  / Ms. Leclaire's reading assessment

HW:
1. If you didn't finish your how/why chart, please finish for tomorrow.

2. Assigned book club reading for Wednesday (if you were absent last Friday, touch base with your group so you know what you're supposed to read).

All Boys, All Blogged: April 24, 2015

Focus: What groundwork do we need to establish to make our book clubs successful?

Spring Assembly: Shortened Class

1. Warming up with our final round of banned book speeches!

Diego

Blake

Zach

Harrison

2. Taking 10-15 minutes to sample your book-film club books

3. Meeting with your book-film clubs to establish the following:

a. Your reading schedule (make sure you record precise assignments in your student calendars)

Wednesday, April 29

Tuesday, May 5

Thursday, May 7

Finish book and watch film by Tuesday, May 12

b. Your club rules (please Google share them with me)

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading.

2. Essays due in "Final Draft" folder by 3:00 pm today.

3. If you did not finish your How/Why Chart in class yesterday, finish over the weekend.

4. We will have MAP testing on Monday. If your parents wish to opt you out, you will need a written note or an e-mail. 

All Boys, All Blogged: April 23, 2015

Focus: How do we start creating our mockumentaries?

1. Warming up. Testing your topic by brainstorming: The How/Why Chart

Pencils vs. cell phones

2. Working on your How/Why Chart; aim to finish in class, and show me so that I can give you credit on your rubric and get you started on your annotated research.

3. Starting on your annotated research if time allows (keep the C.R.A.P. test in mind)

HW:
1. If you parent approved your book film club novel, then you may go ahead and purchase that novel.  You must have a hard copy of your book in your hands this Friday, April 24.

2. Prepare for your banned book speech this Friday if you haven't given yours yet.

3. Final draft of your synthesis essay due this Friday; please submit it to www.turnitin.com. There is a "rough draft folder" if you'd like to check your essay before you turn it in for real, which I highly recommend. There is a "final draft folder" for your final draft.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 22, 2015

Focus: What is our final project in English 10?

Please turn in your signed book film club proposals if you have not done so.  They were due yesterday.  If I do not receive your signed proposal by Friday, you will be reading A Separate Peace.

1. Warming up: Viewing a few sample mockumentaries

Austin and Graham
Boring History Lesson on Music
iPods

2. Figuring out the purpose and process of creating a mockumentary

3. Brainstorming possible topics

HW:
1. If you parent approved your book film club novel, then you may go ahead and purchase that novel.  You must have a hard copy of your book in your hands this Friday, April 24.

2. Prepare for your banned book speech this Friday if you haven't given yours yet.

3. Final draft of your synthesis essay due this Friday; please submit it to www.turnitin.com. There is a "rough draft folder" if you'd like to check your essay before you turn it in for real, which I highly recommend. There is a "final draft folder" for your final draft.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 21, 2015

Focus: How can make our essays stylistically strong?

1.  Enjoying a brief mini lesson on verbs with Ms. Leclaire:

Look through your essay for this verb construction: is/are/were/was ___________-ing

Examples:

Truman is trying...
Montag is thinking...
Christof and his crew were deceiving...

Try to eliminate the "to be" verb and the "ing."

Fixed Examples:

Truman tries
Montag thinks
Christof deceived

Try fixing this one: 
She is trying to change Truman's mind, reassuring him that everything is fine. But she is also frustrating Truman, who wants only to escape.


Look through your essay and make sure all verbs are in the present tense.

Example:
Montag started his heroic journey when he killed Beatty.

Fixed Example:
Montag starts his heroic journey when he kills Beatty.

Example:
Truman had disregarded the fallen light in the opening scene, but he later saw its significance.

Fixed Example:
Truman has disregarded the fallen light in the opening scene, but he later sees its significance.

2. Giving your essays a final, thorough edit with the slides linked here 

3. Peer editing with the official rubric

HW:
1. Please revise your essays based on today's editing lessons.

2. If you do not turn in your parents' signatures for the book-film clubs proposals by Friday, you will be reading a district-approved book selected by Ms. Leclaire.

3. You need a physical copy of your book by this Friday.

4. Final, final drafts of your essays due this Friday. Feel free to e-mail me or stop in for a conference if you need some advice.

5. If you have not yet presented your banned book speech, you will do so this Friday.