AGENDA 9/30

Grammar Practice: Pronoun Consistency #1

Period 3: Begin reading chapter 1 of Ragged Dick

Period 4: Finish reading "Bud Freeman" excerpt, complete "Thinking While Reading" sheet and turn it in--if not finished, submit it Monday.

Both periods: Model MLA format for Work Interview assignment.

HW: Complete Work Interview assignment -- transcript and the reflection in MLA format due next TUESDAY, October 4.

AGENDA 9/28

Period 3 - Finish reading "Roy Schmidt" excerpt from Studs Terkel's Working and complete first side of "Thinking While Reading" sheet. We'll pick up with the "Bud Freeman" excerpt on Friday and the "Thinking While Reading" sheet will be due at the end of class on Friday.

Period 4 - Finish reading "Bud Freeman" excerpt from Studs Terkel's Working and complete the remainder of the "Thinking While Reading" sheet. This sheet will be due at the beginning of class on Friday--please complete for homework.

Introduce Work Interview assignment -- model the transcript and the reflection in MLA format. This assignment is due next TUESDAY, October 4.

HW: Complete Work Interview Transcript and Reflection for next Tuesday's class, October 4th. The "Thinking While Reading" sheet is due on Friday.

AGENDA 9/26

Introduce new vocabulary

Read "Roy Schmidt," excerpt from Studs Terkel's Working aloud

Complete "Thinking While Reading" sheet for "Roy Schmidt" excerpt

PERIOD 4: GRADE LEVEL ASSEMBLY - this will be tomorrow's agenda

HW: Complete side 1 of "Thinking While Reading" sheet if needed.

AGENDA 9/23

Turn in yesterday's success mini-essay

Grammar Practice: Pronoun Ambiguity #2

Begin work on American Dream Collages

HW: Finish American Dream Collage if needed. Otherwise, none :-)

AGENDA 9/22

Analyze structure, appeals, and devices using SAD method for "9/11 Address to the Nation" by President Bush

Success pre-ranking activity

Group activity: Success Continuum - read each of the descriptions and determine which individual is the most successful/least successful. Discuss and share out as a class.

HW: Write 200-400 words reflecting on today's activity. Consider the following:

1) What does being successful really mean to you?

2) What qualities or personality traits do successful people share?

3) To what extent does money define success? Job prestige? Personal relationships?

AGENDA 9/21

Watch the "9/11 Address to the Nation." Work through SOAPSTone analysis of the transcript of the "9/11 Address to the Nation" speech by former President George W. Bush. Report out using the Bag of Destiny.

You may find it helpful to review:

Period 3's SOAPSTone Notes

Period 4's SOAPSTone Notes

HW: Reread "9/11 Address to the Nation" and write up a SAD analysis. You may find it helpful to watch the speech again.

AGENDA 9/20

Back-to-School Night Letters
Back-to-School Night PowerPoint for Parents

Hall pass distribution
Trip to Textbook Room for Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger

HW: None :-)

AGENDA 9/19

Vocabulary Quiz over Zeitoun words
Watch "9/11 Address to the Nation" by former President George W. Bush and analyze it using SOAPSTone and SAD methods. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMiqEUBux3o


HW: Finish analysis of "9/11 Address to the Nation" by President Bush and be prepared to discuss your SOAPSTone and SAD writeups tomorrow! Rewatch video if needed.

AGENDA 9/16

Grammar Practice: Pronoun Ambiguity #1
Analyze CNN Video, "Six Years Later, A Look Back" using SOAPSTone and SAD methods. Discuss subject, occasion, audience, purpose, speaker, tone, structure, appeals, and devices in class.

HW: Study for vocabulary quiz over Zeitoun words!

AGENDA 9/15

Zeitoun Vocabulary Warm-up #2
Continue using SOAPSTone method to analyze "Six Years Later, A Look Back" video from CNN--retrospective overview of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Share out with class. Complete and turn in SOAPSTone reflection

HW: Vocabulary quiz Monday over words from Zeitoun.

AGENDA 9/14

Introduce SOAPSTone method for rhetorical analysis
Analysis: breaking texts down into parts; examining pieces for patterns and style
Rhetoric: the art of speaking and writing to persuade or move people emotionally

Watch "Six Years Later, A Look Back" video from CNN--retrospective overview of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Take notes on Subject, Purpose, and Tone sections of SOAPSTone. Share out with class.

HW: Vocabulary quiz Monday over words from Zeitoun.

AGENDA 9/13

BASELINE ESSAYS

HW: Study vocabulary from Zeitoun for quiz on Monday, 9/19.

AGENDA 9/12

Vocabulary warm-up for Zeitoun #1
Submit Discussion Notes and Self-Evaluation/Reflection
Examine sample prompt
Review SAT scoring guide
Discuss the ABCDs of timed essays
Brainstorm sample paragraphs together - check out one complete sample essay on the Acceptance/Belonging prompt

HW: Prepare for baseline essay. Print any resources you'd like to use!

AGENDA 9/9

Grammar Practice: Pronoun Case #2

Continue seminars - Acceptance/Belonging, Responsibility, Optimism/Resilience

Complete and turn in Discussion Notes and Discussion Self-Evaluation/Reflection

Period 3 Only: finish vocabulary and grammar on Pronoun Case #1 from last week. Watch Tavis Smiley interview with the Zeitoun family

HW: Catch up on reading as needed - at least 10-15 pages a night if you're behind!

AGENDA 9/7

Finish group assignment from yesterday - generating Levels of Questions for the motifs of Responsibility, and Optimism/Resilience
Stamp and share homework on Acceptance/Belonging with group members
Determine the group's best question (most thought-provoking or likely to inspire discussion)
Chart the group's best question on the appropriate poster paper for each motif

HW: Review/reread Zeitoun in preparation for tomorrow's discussion. If you like, watch this interview conducted by Tavis Smiley for PBS with Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun as a refresher. Please bring your copy of Zeitoun, your discussion notes and self-evaluation/reflection form, and your homework from the last few days for our seminar tomorrow.

NOTE: If you are new to Samohi or did not complete the summer reading, Zeitoun, my expectation is that you will read 10-15 pages or more a night in an attempt to catch up.

AGENDA 9/6

Finish introducing vocabulary
Levels of Questions PPT and review
Group Activity - Generate questions for each motif at each level

PLEASE BRING ZEITOUN AGAIN TOMORROW!

HW: Sign and return syllabus last page
Find and copy down a quotation from Zeitoun that demonstrates the motif of "Belonging" or "Acceptance" (or conversely, NOT belonging or NOT fitting in). Then, generate TWO Level 2 questions and TWO Level 3 questions around the ideas of "Belonging" and "Acceptance" in the text. Check out this sample homework.

AGENDA 9/2

Syllabus Quiz
Grammar Practice: Pronoun Case #1

HW: Zeitoun evidence hunt: Review the book and find one quotation for each motif - 1) Responsibility ; 2) Optimism/Resilience. Then copy down the page number for each quotation and elide the quotation to make it easy to find. You may copy down the entire quotation if you wish. Remember to bring Zeitoun on Tuesday along with your homework. We'll be working in groups.

Example: RESPONSIBILITY - from page 14 "Somewhere along the line...supplies to buy and store."

AGENDA 9/1

Six-Word Memoir Gallery Walk, Voting, and Presentation of Winners

Introduce vocabulary from Zeitoun

Evidence Hunt in Zeitoun - find quotations in groups pertaining to the motifs of responsibility and optimism/resilience

HW: Please bring Zeitoun tomorrow! Syllabus quiz tomorrow.