--Place your essay outline in the black basket on the front table. While you’re up there, pick up a copy of today’s agenda. We will then go over the agenda together before heading over to the library.
S. the C.
--peer outlines delivered to student pairs/threesomes
--agenda/HW
Writing Workshop -- The Alchemist and The Old Man and the Sea Culminating Essay Assignment
--key ideas for part of today's work (same as last class):
- The
thesis statement (or argument...whatever you'd like to call it) must
present a meaningful and complex idea.
- The evidence gathered via active/critical/purposeful rereading must be both strong and thorough.
- The explanations about the significance of these pieces of evidence in terms of your thesis/argument must be both clear and convincing.
- Overall,
the essays that you are currently working on, in their finished forms,
must communicate complex ideas effectively. No barriers should exist
between you and your audience.
- Is the thesis statement both meaningful and complex, or does the thesis statement seem pretty straightforward or as if it's "missing something"? IF THE THESIS STATEMENT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, WRITE SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON YOUR PEER'S OUTLINE (e.g., "Your thesis statement is making me think 'so what?' If both Santiagos and Frodo learn important life lessons, who cares? What does that tell me as a reader about life lessons? And, what specific life lessons are being conveyed to each?").
- Are the pieces of evidence selected both strong and thorough? Can you think of a piece of evidence or two that your peer could/should use in order to improve the quality and/or thoroughness of his/her details? AGAIN, WRITE SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON YOUR PEER'S OUTLINE (e.g., "You might want to consider using...").
- Are
the tiebacks written both clear and convincing? If, as the
reader, you are at all confused or skeptical, this becomes a communication
breakdown/unnecessary barrier for which the writer is responsible, but you
as the reader can help! IF YOU ARE CONFUSED BY A TIEBACK, WRITE "I
am confused?" ON YOUR PEER'S OUTLINE NEXT TO THE TIEBACK. AT THE VERY
LEAST, THIS WILL RAISE YOUR PEER'S AWARENESS OF WHERE WORK IS NEEDED.
ALSO, WRITE IN ANY ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC FEEDBACK THAT YOUR PEER COULD USE
TO MAKE HIS/HER TIEBACKS LESS CONFUSING AND MORE CONVINCING (e.g.,
"You should probably add one more sentence here--I get that this
quote shows that love is important to Santiago, but how so?).
COMPACT FOR WORK TIME
- Talking should be very limited (the exception being peer feedback meetings early in the block).
- When talking must occur, get peer’s attention first and stay on task.
- Teacher will
use the consequence system in place for lack of compliance.
- Listening to
music (provided by teacher or on personal devices) is acceptable.
--Transition--head over to the library for the remainder of the class block
--engage in purposeful reading of your peer's work by attending to the bulleted list of questions/directives on the front of this page and above
--in partnerships (or threesomes), meet and discuss feedback--help each other be better!
--independent work time--continue gathering evidence, outlining essays, drafting essays, creating Works Cited pages, etc.
HW (Class Preparation)
--Make any necessary revisions to your outline as per today's peer feedback block.
--Continue progressing through your essay-writing process in whatever manner you see fit. We will have computer access one last time next class (Monday, 3/7). The final version of your essay (your absolute best effort) is tentatively due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, 3/9.
--Work on finishing your free reading book. You have a little under two weeks between now and the due date of the one-pager. ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS! See me if you have finished your book and need a one-pager.
Miscellaneous
--Enjoy the weekend--you only get so many of 'em!
On the backburner:
- ACT
nonfiction passages and multiple choice questions
