--Pick up your copy of Veronica Roth's Divergent. The books are in stacks by class block in the front of the classroom. Find the book with your name Post-ited to the front cover.
--Pick up a copy of the persuasive essay titled "Modernize the School Calendar" from the front table. Back at your desk, read the text quietly and independently. Annotate by completing the following purposeful reading tasks (which are aligned with a portion of your English 9 Final Examination!):
- Underline the writer's main claim. In other words, find the sentence or sentences in the text that state(s) what the author of the essay is ultimately trying to argue.
- Highlight or circle one specific detail that the author uses in support of his/her argument.
Next, read the text a second time. Annotate by completing the following purposeful reading task (which also aligns with a portion of your English 9 Final Examination!):
- Box all of the bolded words.
- Pick five of the words--"guess" the meaning of each of the words via context clues, writing an appropriate synonym or definition right on your copy of the text near the word itself.
- WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE! :)
*AS YOU WORK, YOUR LAST TWO THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET UNIT ASSESSMENTS WILL BE RETURNED. WHEN YOU FINISH THE SKILLS WORK RELATED TO "MODERNIZE THE SCHOOL CALENDAR", SPEND SOME TIME LOOKING THROUGH YOUR ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PLAY. (FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO ACCURATELY IDENTIFY THE LINES INCLUDED AS #19 ON THE SECOND ASSESSMENT, USE YOUR PARSONS TEXT. DOING SO WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE THAT ROMEO SPEAKS THESE LINES, HIGHLIGHTING THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE ALREADY BELIEVES HIS LIFE REVOLVES AROUND JULIET.) REMEMBER THAT IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY WRITE YOUR END-OF-UNIT ESSAY, YOU MUST FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PLAY. USING YOUR ASSESSMENTS AS LEARNING TOOLS OUGHT TO HELP!*
S. the C. (8-10 mins.)--go over the author's claim and related evidence in "Modernize the School Calendar"
--agenda/HW
Instruction -- Vocabulary Unit #6 (10-15 mins.)
--go over the Unit #6 word list (pages 72-74)--read word aloud, have students repeat the word, and then read the part(s) of speech/definition(s)/sample sentence(s)--repeat this process for the entire list
In order to actively engage, students should be:
a.) writing the words on the lines for each of the sentences
b.) comparing actual definitions to "guesses" made using prior knowledge/context clues during the "Jump Off"--how did you do?!
c.) putting a line through words already mastered and a star next to "foreign" words (those that will definitely need to be studied).
Transition (2 mins.)
--Return your The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet Unit assessments by placing them in the black basket on the front table. While you are up there, pick up a copy of the "End-of-Unit Essay--Procedures List #1" with sample work included upon it.
--Take out your copies of the following documents:
- "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet End-of-Unit Essay" document (assignment sheet)
- "End-of-Unit Essay--Procedures List #1"
--quiet and independent work time--aim to complete as much of Procedures 1-4 as possible in the time permitted
- If you are unsure of what to do, please look at the document that you just picked up from the front table. My hope is that looking at this model for the sample essay upon which I am working will help you better understand what I expect/need you to do during this chunk of class time!
Differentiated Work Block (remainder of the class block)
--during this time, students have the following options:
- continuing to work quietly and independently on essay procedures
- reading pages 1-26 of Veronica Roth's Divergent bearing in mind that next class, a "Did You Read?" assessment will take place
--Begin preparing for the Unit #6 vocabulary quiz, which will take place this Friday, 4/28 (ACE)/next Monday, 5/1 (BDF). You might want to consider completing each of the exercises in the vocabulary book. REMEMBER THAT WORDS FROM PREVIOUS UNITS ARE "FAIR GAME" ON ANY VOCABULARY QUIZ THEREAFTER!
--Bring your vocabulary book to class again next time. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET!
--"Gist" read up to the end of CHAPTER THREE of Divergent (pg. 26). This might include completing one or both of the following tasks:
- asking yourself the "Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How" questions every five pages and jotting down related notes on lined paper
- jotting down notes on Post-its related to important characters, plot events, contrasts and contradictions, etc. and sticking the Post-its to the corresponding pages in the book
--Though you are not required to do anything other than read the first 26 pages of Divergent--you do not have to take notes--, a "Did You Read?" assessment consisting of six questions will occur at the beginning of class next time (Wednesday, 4/26 [ACE] or Thursday, 4/27 [BDF]). If you have completed a successful "gist" reading, said assessment should not be challenging at all! :)
--Aim to read at least 5-10 pages of your free reading book between now and next class if time permits you to do so. ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS!
--Aim to read at least 5-10 pages of your free reading book between now and next class if time permits you to do so. ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS!
HW (Class Preparation/Writing)
--Continue progressing through your essay-writing process in whatever manner you see fit. (If you have not already done so, it would be in your best interest to finish compiling evidence. If you fail to do so, you will find yourself behind in the writing process.) The final version of your essay (your absolute best effort) is tentatively due at the beginning of class on Thursday, 5/4 (ACE) or Friday, 5/5 (BDF).
--Continue progressing through your essay-writing process in whatever manner you see fit. (If you have not already done so, it would be in your best interest to finish compiling evidence. If you fail to do so, you will find yourself behind in the writing process.) The final version of your essay (your absolute best effort) is tentatively due at the beginning of class on Thursday, 5/4 (ACE) or Friday, 5/5 (BDF).
