English 10 Honors--10/16/2014

Jump Off
--Come up with a random nickname for yourself that I can use to convey information to the class in a non-threatening manner (e.g., Jonah Martin--"Max Tivoli"). Write both your first and last name and the nickname on a scrap piece of paper. I will be around to collect nicknames momentarily.

S. the C.

--agenda/HW
--information provided (again!) about the Cumulative Writing Portfolio:

The purposes of creating a Cumulative Writing Portfolio are many. First, a Cumulative Writing Portfolio emphasizes that writing is a process. Instead of viewing writing assignments as mere “assignment completion,” students are meant to see that good writing takes time. Additionally, with the implementation of a portfolio, teachers are able to reach each student individually via conferencing. Finally, with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, it is clear that the skills gained through writing must be secure for each student prior to graduating from high school. The following criteria have been implemented this year within Mr. Martin’s English 10 Honors classroom:

• Only certain writing pieces from the school year will be included within the Cumulative Writing Portfolio. The first of these assignments is the "Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews" essay. Mr. Martin will typically let students know which pieces are “Cumulative Writing Portfolio writing pieces” prior to beginning the writing process.
• In order to be accepted for inclusion within the Cumulative Writing Portfolio, a writing piece must receive a score of 85% or higher, a score indicative of mastery. When a student receives a score of 85%, the student can simply submit the writing piece to the portfolio--he or she has already demonstrated mastery throughout the writing process for that particular assignment.
• Any Cumulative Writing Portfolio writing piece that does not meet the mastery score must be revised and resubmitted. Prior to resubmission, a student must highlight all changes that have been made.  Then, he or she must submit both the original piece and the updated version.
• When resubmitting revised work, a student must make an appointment with Mr. Martin so that he or she can process the revisions with Mr. Martin. In fact, it is strongly suggested that a student schedules an appointment prior to revising his or her work so that both student and Mr. Martin can process the original writing piece together as well.
• Once a portfolio assignment is resubmitted in this manner, Mr. Martin will re-score the assignment to determine an updated score for the writing piece. This score will be used to calculate the overall score for the portfolio. Please be aware that the original score for the assignment "is what it is" within the writing score of the quarter average.
• Throughout the year, English 10 Honors classes will work on finishing their Cumulative Writing Portfolios. Yet, as soon as a portfolio assignment is handed back, a student can and should begin the revision process. Upon receipt of the evaluated writing piece, the student will have one month to revise in order to achieve mastery.
• A student who fails to meet the final due date for mastery will be assigned central detention in order to create a time period in which he or she can obtain that mastery. Central detentions will continually be assigned, if necessary.
• The Cumulative Writing Portfolio will be scored at the end of the school year and will account for half of a student’s Final Exam grade. (For example, if a student has four assignments within the Cumulative Writing Portfolio with scores of 86%, 98%, 90%, and 85%, this substantial writing grade would be an 89.75%. This score is then averaged with a student's final assignment score in order to determine an overall Final Exam grade.)

--list of students needing to revise for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio shared

Transition

--Take out your notebook, open to a new page (skipping several pages after the terms notes that we began last class), and put the date in the lefthand margin (10/16). Then, label the page "Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews Notes/Mini-lessons".

Writing Workshop -- Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews Notes/Mini-lessons

--familiarize ourselves with the four writing categories that will frame our writing work this school year (Content and Analysis; Command of Evidence; Coherence, Organization, and Style; and Control of Conventions) via PowerPoint slide
--take notes/complete mini-lessons as per PowerPoint slides--this information will prove helpful when revising your writing pieces!
--Transition--pick up the halfsheet titled "Feedback Analysis: Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews"
--scored writing pieces returned--on your halfsheet, make a list of "pros" and "grows" as you process through feedback that I provided-- I will model if necessary

--feedback processing/revision time--make appointments with me for Cumulative Writing Portfolio-related work ASAP (why not make an appointment list for right now, in fact?!)
--What questions do you still have? I want to make sure that you are set up for success!

Transition

--Take out your personal copy of Thomas C. Foster's "Pickup Lines and Open(ing) Seductions, or Why Novels Have First Pages".  

Closure Discussion
--exemplary new and improved claim about Foster's craft shared:

Foster's analogy in the form of an extended metaphor is used at the beginning of his piece to describe books/novels via personification.  His purpose is helping readers have a more clear idea of what authors are trying to accomplish within the first few pages of their works.

--How would you go about using evidence and tying back in order to bolster one of these claims?
--independent thinking/writing time
--share out via a drawing of cards
--continue/finish engaging in discussion about Foster's chapter via the "Reading Nonfiction Document" questions/prompts

Teambuilding Activity -- Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews (time permitting)

--I hand an introduction and first body paragraph of an essay with the name of the student being written about whited out to a random student--he/she then reads the essay segment aloud, substituting the word "blank" for each whited out area
--guess who?!
--student being written about repeats first and last name, reveals the author of the writing piece, and shares one additional "tidbit" about him or herself (perhaps something else that came up during the interviewing sessions?)
--REPEAT THE PROCESS...

DEAR -- Free Reading Books (time permitting)
--students without books will read Upfront Magazine

HW

--The due date for submitting a revised Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews essay for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio is November 17th (approximately one month from today)--YOU MUST schedule a meeting with me to go over your revisions; simply handing in the revisions is unacceptable as per the protocol. When time permits, meetings can/will occur during class time.
--Bring your vocabulary book next time--please do not forget.
--Read your free reading book for at least 15 minutes between now and next class.  ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS.

--Expect to begin our work with Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist next class..SERIOUSLY!