Monday, November 20, 2017

English 10 Honors--11/27/2017 & 11/28/2017

Jump Off
--Pick up a copy of the "The Grammar Hammer" document from the front table.  Spend the first 10 or so minutes of class carefully completing the document in order to review our next set of common errors.
--As you work, I will return both of the following:
  • your "The Grammar Hammer--Parts of Speech--Post-test" sheet
  • your Control-of-Conventions-scored Article of the Week #1
--Please SEE ME before leaving class today:
  • Bea T.
  • Ian W.
--FYI: I, unfortunately, will be using some of my after school time today writing referrals for students from whom I am missing material (e.g., Article of the Week #1, Short Story Writing Assignment, writing revisions, etc.).
S. the C.
--??????????
--agenda/HW
--ceremonial dropping of the hammer (Jack W. and Lauren C.)/slides prepared for next activity

Review/Instruction and Informal Assessment -- The Grammar Hammer--Missing Comma in a Compound Sentence/Unnecessary Comma Before a Coordinating Conjunction (FANBOYS) & Missing Comma in a Complex Sentence/Unnecessary Comma Before a Subordinating Conjunction (WUBAIS)
--First, please note whether or not I have drawn any asterisks on your parts of speech quiz next to #3 or #7.  If so, you will likely need more practice with regard to the corresponding parts of speech before moving forward.  Also, take note of the following:
  • If you did not earn a score indicative of mastery on this quiz, consider taking the initiative to discuss your performance with me so that we can come up with a plan for reaching mastery.
--today's rules/errors modeled on the SMART Board with the following two sentences:
  • School was fun in kindergarten.
  • I still cried at least once a week.
--Q & A about the "Jump Off"
--directions given for informal assessment
--Transition

  • Pick up a tile, an Expo marker, and a scrap for erasing from the front bookshelf--be kind to my markers!
--indicate responses as directed by the SMART Notebook pages/take any necessary notes in preparation for the assessment next class
--For HW, prepare for the Grammar Hammer assessment stemming from today's work.  You must really “know your way around” these two errors and fixing them in order to be successful on said assessment. 


Application Activity -- The Grammar Hammer/Article of the Week #1: RE-READing
--a note about scoring conducted thus far:
  • * = FANBOYS/WUBAIS
    • Q & A
--spend about 5 minutes RE-READing your written response and fixing any errors that you find pertaining to today's Grammar Hammer work
--Please share some of your revisions on the SMART Board.  Thank you!

Transition/HW Time

--Return the following to the front of the classroom: 
  • parts of speech quiz
  • AoW
  • informal assessment materials
--Take out the following:
  • your Post-it-ed copy of Orwell's novella
--Reminder: Some of Our Key Purposes: We are actively/purposefully reading Animal Farm in order to..
  • define and apply symbolism
  • define and apply allegory
  • define and apply fable
  • define and apply satire
  • determine Orwell's "thesis" about human nature
  • understand the historical context, but more importantly, to recognize and consider the connections to current events
  • explore, add to, and/or refine our own ideas about human nature as per the Essential Question that overarches our course.
--Beginning with the end in mind:


End-of-Unit Assessment Writing Prompt:Write a text-based, grammatically sound, tightly-written response of two to three paragraphs.  In your response, respond to the following question so as to reveal a theme statement (central idea) of Animal Farm: What is George Orwell's "thesis" about human nature as revealed in the story he tells?  Then, analyze how Orwell's use of symbolism helps develop his "thesis" about human nature.  Use at least three pieces of strong textual evidence spanning the entire text to support your analysis, and be sure to tie back to your claim often.

--Really beginning with the end in mind!--the Essential Question that overarches our course:


Why do people say what they say, do what they do, etc.?  What are human beings really like?  By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?
--active/purposeful oral reading so as to "take a chunk" out of the homework assignment
--Closure -- Post-it Share
  • What did you write?
  • Why did you write it?

HW (Class Preparation)
--Prepare for the Grammar Hammer assessment stemming from today's work, which will take place at the beginning of NEXT class (Wednesday, 11/29 [ACE]/Thursday, 11/30 [BDF]).  You must really "know your way around" these two errors and fixing them in order to be successful on said assessment.  Also, with each new Grammar Hammer assessment administered, I reserve the right to "check on" your understanding of anything grammar-related that we have already worked on this school year.  Here are the directions for each of the sections of the assessment:
  • For each of the following sentences (all taken from George Orwell's Animal Farm), highlight the part of speech as directed.
  • Read the paragraph below about the performance of the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team at the beginning of the season a few years ago in order to get the gist.  Then, RE-READ the paragraph.  Fix any errors related to comma usage with coordinating conjunctions.  If a necessary comma is missing, add a LARGE comma in the appropriate area.  If a comma is unnecessary, put a LARGE X over the comma.
  • Carefully read each of the sentences below.  If a sentence contains an error, fix the error so that the sentence is correct.  If a sentence is correct as written, write the letter C in the margin next to the sentence.
  • Create your own complex sentence below using the correct punctuation for the provided subordinating conjunction (WUBAIS word)—YOU MUST PUT THE WUBAIS WORD IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SENTENCE!
  • Create your own complex sentence below using the correct punctuation for the provided subordinating conjunction (WUBAIS word)—YOU MUST PUT THE WUBAIS WORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SENTENCE!
HW (Class Preparation/Take-Home Assessment)
--A Membean assessment will take place in class on Friday, 12/1 (ACE)/Monday, 12/4 (BDF).
--Complete a total of 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/7.  If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #4, you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the “Membean Routine” document).
--Finish reading Animal Farm.  Demonstrate your best skill level in reading actively/purposefully via the Post-it Note strategy, and expect any or all of the following to occur NEXT class
  • collection of your Post-its for assessment purposes
  • a "60/40" reading assessment
  • a final discussion geared in part around your Post-its
Miscellaneous
--Aim to read at least 10 pages of your free reading book between now and next class.  Please consult the "Free Reading--Course Component Fulfillment Options for Marking Periods 1 and 2" sheet for specific information about the forthcoming deadline.