10/29/09

10/29 A-10/30 B

Creative Writing
J#18 "Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools, because they have to say something." Plato (429-347 BC)

Think, Pair, Share, Discuss- 3rd block record group members names and examples, due to not following teacher directions. Continue to do it this way from now on. Teacher will call on you to share group members' examples.


Exit Slip Question recorded: Have I made improvement in writing from the first writing assessment with my English teacher? What is my data that shows me?

Mini-Lesson: Ms. Batten reteaches choosing weakest and strongest strand, reviews FCAT strand packet, reviews article "Does Modern Society Make us Fat", jigsaws students by strengths and weaknesses

Work Period: Turn in exit slip from conferences (last class), conference with teacher if you haven't already, finish individual questions (10 Questions, 5 weakest strand, 5 strongest), jigsaw into groups by strengths, proofread all questions and narrow it down to the 5 best questions for each strand, type questions, answer questions, sort by strand, work on FCAT explorer timeline if time

Assessment: exit slip, FCAT questions (10 per person), Group typed questions (20 questions sorted by strand)- turn in together

Homework: Explorer pretest if not finished, individual questions if not finished

Yearbook

6th J#20, 11/5 new faculty contacts due, finish conferences with teacher regarding faculty contacts and ads. Ad deadline 1- 10 contacts or $250 contracted by Nov 24.

Caption notes started, pg 9, write a Lead In for the picture, due by the next class.

7th-Write an identification, basic and expanded caption for the displayed picture. Ad conferences with Ms Batten finished. Ad Deadline 1- $250 or 10 contacts made by Nov 24. Start reviewing copy section, manual.

10/28 Yearbook

YB 6th-

Finish theme/fix theme assignment
1)word lists
2)design
3)notes

Conference with Ms. Batten about faculty contacts and ad contacts- 4 given that you have to contact (7th block too)

Caption writing- pg 9 wkbk- Take notes (7th block if needed)

Ad Deadline 1- 10 contacts or $250 contracted by Nov 24, (7th too)

10/27/09

10/27 A- 10/28 B

Creative Writing

J#17
"I will not condemn you for what you did yesterday, if you do it right today." Sheldon S. Maye

Think, pair, share, discuss as a class

Reminder: Conferences
To Discuss: where you were in reading and writing at the beginning of the year, where you are now, data collection sheet needed, what writing tips you need to start working on, W5 and W6

While Ms. Batten is conferencing you should work on one of two things:

1) R5 Does Society Make Us Fat?
Write 10 questions, 5 from your strongest FCAT strand and 5 from your weakest FCAT strand,
about the article. Use the packet of FCAT stems and information to assist you with your
questions. Make sure the quesitons are clear about what they are asking, so if someone was
answering your questions, they'd be able to answer them without feeling confused about what you are asking.

2) Login to FCAT explorer and take the pretest.

Login information given in class, go to FCATexplorer.com. Finish pretest before the next class.

Yearbook

Basic Caption due

Expanded caption-written in class- due beginning of next class

10/22/09

10/22 A-10/23 B

J#16 Creative Writing

"Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own." -Chinese proverb


w6-add conclusion to your notes

Example conclusion:

(restate thesis-different words than intro)In conclusion, it would be a dream come true to spend the day with Ms. Winfrey because she is successful, and I could show her how much she means to me. I won't ever forget the first episode I watched of her show, and I will never forget how much she has inspired me. Perhaps, one day, I will get to meet her. (At end, relate conclusion back to how you hooked the reader and end with a general statement)

Teacher teaches conclusion. Class asked to identify the parts.

Review of introduction: engage the reader and thesis and support

Turn in W5 rewrite/stapled to old one. Due today. Add on a conclusion to your rewritten introduction and support. If you never turned in the first version, turn that in today, so I can get it back to you for the rewrite. Both grades will be on your report card.

Conferences with teacher: Bring your writing section and data collection sheet. You will discuss: where you were in reading and writing at the beginning of the year. Where you are now. What writing tips do you need to start working on (w3)? W5/W6 - Questioned about expository essay parts, such as why you didn't engage the reader?

Exit slip: Copy the questions below and answer them after you writing conference; turn in on the day you have your conference with me
Essential Questions to answer: What do I need to do to improve my writing? What level was on on FCAT writes? What level am I at now? What are my strong and weak areas in FCAT reading?

10/21/09

10/21 B Yearbook (6th)

J#16

Faculty Liaison due Friday-reminder given with an example how to do the assignment in class
EX:
  1. Smith-10/22 Hexarts show 6:30 Auditorium
  2. Reynolds-nothing at this time
  3. Maynes-Doing a lab 10/20 1st, 2nd, 4th (-2 points because assignment turned in to late to take these pictures)
  4. Parker-Roots and Shoots service project, 10/25 at 6 p.m. at the school
  5. Baker-nothing at this time
  6. Bradford-Baseball scholarship presented on 10/23 at 9 am in conference room
  7. Adams- never responded to my emails

Assignment due Friday/ to go on Report card:

Word spin offs

  1. Exclusive synonyms: list all the words and phrases that mean almost the same ex: Private, secret
  2. List spin off phrases and words for EX and I, excuses, excellent, I am brave, I play, Who am I?

Then- Design

Design using pgs 3-4 of your wkbk, Remember we are going for a magazine look

Turn in: word spin-offs, wkbk, notes from the last class

10/20/09

10/20 A- 10/21 B

J#15-Creative Writing

"One who sits between two chairs may easily fall down." -Proverb from Romania and Russia

Think, pair, share, discuss as a class

W6-FCAT Writes-Tips (copy below or from board)

Example Intro:

(Engage the reader)One day, as I laid in bed sick with the flu, my mother turned on a talk show I had never seen before. On the episode, they split their audience by eye color and treated the blue-eyed people poorly. The host of the show didn't really hate blue-eyed people, but she was trying to teach them a lesson about what discrimination felt like. After that episode, I watched her show religiously. (End with thesis: what you will write about or your stance on an issue and your reasons why or which you will discuss. Should be one to two sentences maximum). So, If I could spend the day with anyone in the world, it would be Oprah Winfrey, because she defines success by living it, she teaches valuable lessons and I would show her how much I appreciate her.

Support:

Bare: I like science because I enjoy it. (1,2)

Extended: I like science class because we do interesting experiments. (3)

Layered. In Biology class, we do fun experiments, such as dissecting frogs and measuring the properties of light. (4)

Elaborate:
It is always an enlightening experience when I step into Mr. Robinson's Biology Honors class. Although my classmates moan when they receive a textbook assignment, the sounds are quite different when he announces lab work. He always plans innovative and creative experiments. For example, once we dissected Leopard frogs delicately. Another time we used a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to measure the properties of light. In my opinion, the realistic lab experience in Mr. Robinson's class is extremely interesting and worthwhile. (5,6)

Work period:

Journal/Think,Pair, Share

W6-FCAT Writes Tips-Take notes, see above

W5-Rewrite
Upon receiving W5 Expository back, rewrite your introduction and support only. Make sure you've engaged the reader, have a proper thesis, and elaborate support.

Conference: Next Class- Bring all writing assignments and data collection sheets

Progress Report 2 issued and signed for in class

Yearbook:
Discuss Theme throughout book

10/19/09

10/14A-10/19B

10/14- PSAT testing. 3rd block- take this time to makeup work that you are missing in my class



10/14 B-
J#13 discussed from last class. Add to your journal if you didn't the last class. Take your portfolio out of the room with you until we are relocated back to our room. You are responsible for bringing it to class daily.


Reminder from Ms. Batten on past due work such as Group packet-marking assignment, W5-Expository essay assignment.

Essays 2-6 read aloud and parts discussed in class. Students called upon to point out where model papers engaged the reader, used a thesis, had supporting reasons, etc.

10/15 A-10/19 B

J#14 "When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other." -Eric Hoffer

Discuss Journal Entry

Reminder of past due work from last week, group packet marking, and individual essay, marking and scoring.

Hook handouts taken out for review: Popcorn reading and brief discussion of the 5 ways to engage the reader on the handout.

MAP Test-makeups

Ms. Batten reads engaging beginnings from novels as examples and asks the class to identify each as one of the five ways to engage the reader, from handout.

Students find examples of engaging the reader in books. Use library or books provided. Share with the rest of the class.

Movie beginnings- Class views the beginnings of movies and/or tv shows and discusses how the director engaged the viewer.

Connection is made between engaging the viewer and engaging the reader.

10/12/09

10/12 A-10/13 B

Creative Writing
J#13
"Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up." Jesse Jackson

Give Ms. Batten your academy name. (1st, 2nd, 3rd block only)

Reminder from Ms. Batten/READ:
The last class you were supposed to turn in your group FCAT packet, with all of your names, and with a key (see board). You were supposed to use your group key to mark the different parts of the FCAT essay standard, such as engaging the reader, the thesis, etc. Your group key should be recorded on your packet somewhere. Groups should have marked the 2 through the 6 essays. Packets returned today in class.

Then, you were supposed to take your individual essay, W5-Expository, and come up with another key. It can be the same one you used with your group or your own. Using the key, you were supposed to mark your essay and turn it into the basket. Essays returned today in class to add on new part.
NEW:
Now, you will take W5-Expository, the essay you wrote about someone you would like to spend the day with, which you've already marked using your key which you've also recorded somewhere on your essay, you will now comment on your essay in the following areas: Focus, Organization, Support, Conventions. Then give your paper a score on the 6 point scale. Turn essay back in. Directions also on board.

*If you receive the W4-American Idol assignment back, fix it according to the following directions and turn back in. Directions also on board.
  • After you've scored and commented in each of the four areas, in the margin write: right score or real score and record the score given to you as the actual score the audition should receive. Put a check next to your score if it matches the real/right score. If it doesn't match, in the margin, write a note why the right/real score is more accurate than your score.

Work Period Students:

  • Respond to journal 5 minutes, Discuss as a class
  • Read the reminder from Ms. Batten
  • Take MAP exam, turn in
  • Work on W5 essay (see directions above) or an assignment you haven't finished yet.
  • Portfolios past due.

10/9/09

YB 9/29-10/9

  • add to journals until J#13- free response
  • Faculty contacts due before October 9
  • Ad contact sheets back in
  • Ad test
  • 2 Posters due-get checked off
  • Progress reports-fix anything missing
  • Class Duties
  • Photo workshop
  • call slips, corporate letter distributed
  • underclass picture delivery, help with underclass pictures.
  • ad grade coming soon

9/28 A-10/9 B

Creative Writing
9/28 A-9/29 B

J#9-

R4-Fossil Fuels completed. Fill out identifying strengths chart. Turn in.

American Idol Rubric Distributed-explained. One to two auditions shown. If absent, look up American Idol auditions on Youtube and grade at least 6 auditions using W4 directions below.

W4-American Idol Auditions

Write each person's name and make comments on each one in the following areas: Focus, Organization, Support, Conventions. Then give them a score.

Reading Conferences with Ms. Batten finished

9/30 A-10/1B
J10-

Finish idol audition grading. Discuss with group members. Try to agree on grades/scores for each contestant.

Teacher checks portfolios for content and offers suggestions before grading on 10/6 A 10/7 B.

Gallery walk-standards based bulletin board explained to groups.

10/2 A- 10/5 B
J11-“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson

Take out W4 and record the right scores in the margin next to your grade. Do not replace your score. If you got the score right, put a check. If you didn't get it right, put a note why you think you were off in scoring.

W5-Expository Essay- 45 minutes

Respond to the following prompt in 45 minutes.

Situation: Imagine you could spend the day with anyone in the world, from any time period.
Prompt: Write about who you could spend the day with and why.

10/6 A-10/7 B
J#12 "Every exit is an entrance somewhere." Tom Sheppherd

R4-Fossil Fuels reviewed. Check short responses of peers. Fill out charts. Turn in.

Hook handout- reviewed. Discussion about engaging reader.

FCAT packet-Essays 1-6 distributed. Groups to write on only one handout. Put all of your names and come up with a key for marking the following:

-Engaging the reader
-Develops a controlling idea/thesis
-Organization/reasons per paragraph
-Support, details, examples, description, definitions, illustrations, elaboration
-conclusion

Ms. Batten models the 1 essay and how to mark/highlight the above items with whole class. Groups are to finish the 2-6 on their owns.

turn in.

Homework-Come up with a key, for writing standard above, and or mark your W5 essay. The key does not have to be the same as the one used in your group. Due the next class