Jump Off (5-8 mins.)
--Open up your notebook to a clean sheet of paper. Date the page (11/29/2016) and label this section of your notes "My Current Claim for the End-of-Unit Assessment". Then, thoughtfully respond to the following question:
S. the C. (8-12 mins.)
--list of students needing to revise for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio shared
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:
What are human beings really like? By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?
--agenda/HW
Transition (2 mins.)
--Take out your materials from the stations activity and your Post-it-ed copy of Animal Farm.
Discussion Preparation -- Animal Farm (10-12 mins.)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY?!
Some of Our Key Purposes: We actively/purposefully read Animal Farm in order to...
--bearing in mind the information above, go back through your materials from the stations activity, your active/purposeful Post-its, etc.:
Transition (3 mins.)
--form an alphabetical-by-favorite-Thanksgiving-meal food circle out of the desks--talk to each other about your choices (e.g., describe your family's stuffing recipe: Does it have sausage in it? Cranberries? Is it cooked inside the turkey or out? Do you know nothing about it other than it tastes good? Etc.)
Circle Discussion -- Animal Farm (until 8-10 mins. remain)
--today's discussion protocol shared:
--engage in discussion/notetaking about Animal Farm--contributions will be assessed via the "Discussion Contribution Rating Scale"
Transition (1-2 mins.)
--re-column the desks
--pick up an index card from the front table and write your first and last name at the top of the lined side
Closure -- Before You Leave... (8-10 mins.)
--respond to the following question on your index card:
--Open up your notebook to a clean sheet of paper. Date the page (11/29/2016) and label this section of your notes "My Current Claim for the End-of-Unit Assessment". Then, thoughtfully respond to the following question:
- What is your current answer to the first part of the End-of-Unit Assessment Writing Prompt? (Here is the question: What is George Orwell's "thesis" about human nature as revealed in the story he tells?) After some thought--feel free to look through your Post-its for any potentially helpful notes--, write your claim in your notebook. Re-read and revise your claim as necessary. Consider sharing your claim later today as part of our circle discussion!
--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)? (First priority will be given to Alex F. and Jason D. due to cancellations.)
--beginning with the end in mind--in-class assessment taking place on Monday, 12/5:
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:
What are human beings really like? By nature, are human beings inherently evil or good or...?
--agenda/HW
Transition (2 mins.)
--Take out your materials from the stations activity and your Post-it-ed copy of Animal Farm.
Discussion Preparation -- Animal Farm (10-12 mins.)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY?!
Some of Our Key Purposes: We actively/purposefully read Animal Farm in order to...
- define and apply allegory
- define and apply fable
- define and apply satire
- understand the historical context, but more importantly, to recognize and consider the connections to current events
- determine Orwell's "thesis" about human nature
- explore, add to, and/or refine our own ideas about human nature as per the Essential Question that overarches our course.
--bearing in mind the information above, go back through your materials from the stations activity, your active/purposeful Post-its, etc.:
- come up with at least three potential contributions for today's forthcoming discussion--strive for Level 4!
--form an alphabetical-by-favorite-Thanksgiving-meal food circle out of the desks--talk to each other about your choices (e.g., describe your family's stuffing recipe: Does it have sausage in it? Cranberries? Is it cooked inside the turkey or out? Do you know nothing about it other than it tastes good? Etc.)
Circle Discussion -- Animal Farm (until 8-10 mins. remain)
--today's discussion protocol shared:
- In order to maintain some structure, ...
- I have established an order for contributions on the whiteboard
- the first contributor to today's discussion will be the first person on the list on the whiteboard
- contributions will be about the same topic/area of the text until we have exhausted the thread
- raised hands will be acknowledged as per the order on the whiteboard
- everyone present must contribute once before anyone can offer a second (third, etc.) contribution.
--engage in discussion/notetaking about Animal Farm--contributions will be assessed via the "Discussion Contribution Rating Scale"
Transition (1-2 mins.)
--re-column the desks
--pick up an index card from the front table and write your first and last name at the top of the lined side
Closure -- Before You Leave... (8-10 mins.)
--respond to the following question on your index card:
- What did not come up during today's discussion that you feel we must talk about next class in order to fully do Animal Farm justice?
--consider the following question:
- How might you change, improve, add to, etc. your current answer to the Essential Question based on today's discussion?
- If it is necessary to do so, make a new and improved poster to replace the one that you currently have hung on the greenboard.
--Place any necessary materials pertaining to the End-of-Course Assignment in your manila folder for future reference.
HW (Practice/Take-Home Assessment)
--Complete 45 minutes of Membean training as directed before 11:59 PM this 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).
--Students who have not yet taken Vocabulary Quiz #3 need to see me after class today in order to make arrangements for making up the quiz.
Writing
--The due date for submitting a revised Thematic Writing Assignment—Partner Interviews essay for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio is Friday, 12/9 (approximately 1.5 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)
--Students who have not yet taken Vocabulary Quiz #3 need to see me after class today in order to make arrangements for making up the quiz.
Writing
--The due date for submitting a revised Thematic Writing Assignment—Partner Interviews essay for the Cumulative Writing Portfolio is Friday, 12/9 (approximately 1.5 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)
--Prepare for the End-of-Unit Writing Assessment, which will take place in class on Monday, 12/5.
HW (Class Preparation)
HW (Class Preparation)
--Finish reading your free reading book by the beginning of class on Wednesday, 12/7.
- One-pagers are due at the end of class on Wednesday, 12/7 for those of you who have yet to complete one. We will use some class time on that day to complete one-pagers. Students who have already submitted a one-pager will engage in free reading during this time. ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS.
