English 10 Honors--11/17/2016

Jump Off (6-10 mins.)

--Please pick up the following items from the front table:

• your scored and commented-upon copy of Article of the Week #2
• a good-smelling marker or two
• a sheet of computer paper
• a manila folder
• more Post-its for the next section of Animal Farm reading

--Open up your notebook to a clean sheet of paper.  Date the page (11/17/2016) and label this section of your notes "My Current Answer to the Essential Question".  Then, thoughtfully respond to the following question:

• What is your current answer to the Essential Question that overarches our course?  (Here is the question: By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?)  After some thought--feel free to look at the list on the front board compiled while reading your Article of the Week #3 responses--, write your claim about human nature in your notebook.  Re-read and revise your claim as necessary; then, write your claim neatly in marker on your sheet of computer paper.  (Please note that I will be asking you to stand up and share your claim with me and the rest of the class a little bit later in the block! :)) 

S. the C. (8-12 mins.)
--list of students needing to revise for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio shared

• Would anyone like to schedule a meeting for a time slot during my office hours (posted on the front board)?  (Top priority will go to individuals whose meetings were cancelled due due to my absences.)

--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 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 allegory 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:

By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?

--agenda/HW
--Q & A

Looking Ahead -- End-of-Course Assignment (15-20 mins.)
--stand up and share current claims about human nature via a drawing of cards--move into somewhat like-minded groups accordingly
--neatly hang claims on the greenboard on the south end of the classroom somewhat grouped
--back at desks, set up manila folders (see diagram on board)
--rationale/Q & A

Old Business -- Article of the Week #2 (8-15 mins.)
--a few exemplary responses about source credibility shared along with the following links:
https://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/web-eval-sites.htm
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/02/
--What is the difference between these two references to the text?  So what?!

• [T]he author was talking about how a married couple had threatened divorce based on their spouse's vote.  The couple had opposing viewpoints on the election and threatened divorcing one another.
• "In early August, The New York Times profiled a couple who was split between the Trump-Clinton camps.  Though the two had been on opposite sides of the 2012 election, this year was the first time one had threatened divorce over the other's vote." 

--quoting a direct quotation MODELED--you might want to write this down somewhere and refer back to it often! :)

Transition (5 mins.)
--Pick up a copy of the "Article of the Week #3 (11/14-11/18)" document from the front table.
--Spend a few minutes purposefully reading the information located in the box at the top of the first page.  Then, continue reading the document as directed.

Literacy Activity/Discussion Preparation -- Article of the Week #3 (15-20 mins.)
--Q & A (if necessary)
--independent active/purposeful reading (continued) as preparation for small-group discussions (and, ultimately, a whole-class circle discussion)

Transition (2 mins.)
--Get into groups as per the "grouping" that occurred earlier in the class block in order to briefly discuss the following questions:

• How does Article of the Week #3 relate to Animal Farm?
• How does Article of the Week #3 "feed in" to your current answer to the Essential Question that overarches our course?
• How might you change, improve, add to, etc. your current answer to the Essential Question based on your reading of Article of the Week #3?
• What else from Article of the Week #3 is worthy of further discussion?

Discussion -- Article of the Week #3/Animal Farm/The Essential Question (flex time)

--"anchor in" to the "Compact for Group Work"

--engage in discussion as per the bullets above

Closure (flex time [time permitting])

--If it is necessary to do so based upon today's reading and discussion, make a new and improved poster to replace the one that you currently have hung on the greenboard.

--Place any notes, documents, etc. (e.g., Article of the Week #3) pertaining to the End-of-Course Assignment in your manila folder for future reference.
--Whip Around

• Think of one "thing" you learned in class today.
• Toss the ball around the classroom from one to another sharing learnings.

HW (Practice/Take-Home Assessment)

--Complete 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM tonight.  If you fail to appropriately train between now and the administration of Vocabulary Quiz #3, which will take place next time (Monday, 11/21), you will not be permitted to take the quiz until you catch up (see the "Membean Routine" document).
--Complete another 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM on Thursday, 12/1.  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). 
Writing
--The due date for submitting a revised Thematic Writing Assignment—Partner Interviews essay for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio is Thursday, 12/8 (three weeks 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.
HW (Class Preparation/Take-Home Assessment)

--Read Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 of Animal Farm (up to the end of page 75).  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 time that we meet: 

• collection of your Post-its for assessment purposes
• a "60/40" reading assessment
• a discussion geared around your Post-its and the stations activity 

 HW (Class Preparation)
--Read your free reading book for at least 15 minutes between now and next class.  ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS.  You have up until the first week of December to finish your book.
Miscellaneous
--Enjoy the weekend--you only get so many of 'em!