Monday, May 23, 2016

Please write silently and reflectively for 25-30 minutes.  Write on a loose-leaf piece of paper:

Label your paper with the NUMBER Mr. Moreno assigns you, as well as the date: May 23rd.  (It is the same number we used back in February, the last time we did this.)

1. What's your story for this year?  Use the questions below to guide your thinking.  Don't answer all the questions...pick one or two that help you tell your story of the year.

• What has been the way you've changed?  
• What have you come to understand about school that you didn't know last year?
• What makes coming to school interesting for you?
• What do you like more about Mr. Busse's classroom than you do about other classrooms?
• What do you like less?
• What do you hope is different about next year?  
• How will you be different next year?
• What choices do you think you'll face next year?

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Key Objectives:

• Sign Up for Open Mic (Tonight at 6:30 in the Cafeteria)
• Go through a Peer Review and Revision Process

Here's what your instructions look like from SpringBoard:

Who is at the same point as you in the process?

What is your preferred method of sharing? 

• Exchanging papers and reading silently?
• Reading your essay aloud and talking through it with a partner?

Last 15 minutes of class: 

• Mini-Lesson: Review on Citing Textual Evidence from Walk Two Moons
• After seeing Sal's precise throw, "The boy stepped away from [her] grandpa's pants"(89).
• Grandma just says, "'Huzza-huzza'"(221).
• Mini-Lesson: Introductory Paragraphs
• Hook (Question, Statement of Intrigue, Quotation, Anecdote)
• Snakes under the hood?  Swimming in your underwear?  Smoking a peace pipe with your granddaughter? Does that sound like someone you'd want driving you across the country on a specific route and on an all-important timeline?
• Context (Introduce the literary element your essay focuses on - setting, character, plot, conflict, theme)
• In life and in novels, characters are sometimes controlled by internal forces, like their emotions or fears, by external forces, such as other people or natural disasters, or a combination of both.
• Thesis - what is your opinion on one of the four topics?
• In the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, because of external forces, Gramps is forced to change from a "loose canon" personality to an organized, thoughtful caregiver.

Wednesday-Thursday, May 11-12, 2016

Go Online to SpringBoard Trainer Online

• login to your account.
• go to the Embedded Assessment

Consider the following Guiding Questions:

Review your Notebook and Foldable while you consider the Planning and Prewriting section's guiding questions.

• Determine your topic
• Highlight the key notes you've taken that will help you respond to the prompt
• Gather your notes into one place (Outline in Office 365)
• use bullet points to start to create an organizational structure

As you consider what to draft, follow the guiding questions given:

Consider:

• a bubble map with the literary term you will focus on in the middle
• Spokes representing supporting details from the novel (as specific as possible, with page #s)
• a tree map with the literary term at the top
• Branches representing the main ideas you'll explore in your essay that will "reveal" that literary term in the novel (again, be as specific as possible, with page #s)

ELAR

Learning Objectives:

• Collaboratively create a poster representing the synthesis of ideas from close reading and analysis.

Opening:

On a poster, present what you've learned together as a group.  

Work Period:After completing your poster, walk around the room with your FOLDABLE in hand.  Take notes on each specific element that helps you better understand plot, conflict, character, setting, and theme.

Take additional notes when you see something you'd rather not forget.

Closing:

Tonight:  Determine which Essay Prompt you will write about.

Also, think about PLANNING this weekend or next week as a way to distract yourself in the evenings after testing.  You don't have to, but it may keep you fresher for the reading test if you think about this Monday night - just saying.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Collaboratively create a poster representing the synthesis of ideas from close reading and analysis.

Opening:

On a poster, present what you've learned together as a group.  

Work Period:After completing your poster, walk around the room with your FOLDABLE in hand.  Take notes on each specific element that helps you better understand plot, conflict, character, setting, and theme.

Take additional notes when you see something you'd rather not forget.

Closing:

Tonight:  Determine which Essay Prompt you will write about.

Also, think about PLANNING this weekend or next week as a way to distract yourself in the evenings after testing.  You don't have to, but it may keep you fresher for the reading test if you think about this Monday night - just saying.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the content and literary elements in a passage in them format of a literature circle.
• Collaboratively create a poster representing the synthesis of ideas from close reading and analysis.

Opening:
1. Get Ready...

Take out your notes and meet briefly (5-7 minutes) with those that had a similar role.

2. Get Set... Go to your literature circles

3. Go...!

Literature Circle Meeting: 10 minutes.  

4. Afterwards, everyone will take notes... 1/2 page...

Class Notebook: 

Work Period:
After you have completed your Notetaking Chart, it is now time to really think about what you've learned together as a group.  

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the content and literary elements in a passage in them format of a literature circle.
• Evaluate Literature Circles as a strategy to facilitate close reading and discussion of meaning in a text.

Opening:
1. Get Ready...

Meet with the other students from other groups who had the same Role.  Take 5-10 minutes and do the following:

• Review your Obligations in that Role
• Discuss the chapter, passages, phrases and words that became your focus.
• Determine how to use the best ideas/questions/passages, etc. when you meet in your Literature Circle.

2. Get Set...

3. Go...!

Literature Circle Meeting: 15 minutes.  

4. Afterwards, everyone will take notes... 1/2 page...

Class Notebook: 

Work Period:

Return to your foldable piece of Computer Paper: 
"Overall Impressions":

Closing: 
Literature Circle #3...Switch roles...read Chapters 43-44 Silently and fulfill your role.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the content and literary elements in a passage in them format of a literature circle.
• Evaluate Literature Circles as a strategy to facilitate close reading and discussion of meaning in a text.

Opening:
1. Get Ready...

Meet with the other students from other groups who had the same Role.  Take 5-10 minutes and do the following:

• Review your Obligations in that Role
• Discuss the chapter, passages, phrases and words that became your focus.
• Determine how to use the best ideas/questions/passages, etc. when you meet in your Literature Circle.

2. Get Set...

Everyone will take notes... 1/2 page...

Class Notebook: 

3. Go...!
Literature Circle Meeting: 15 minutes.  


Work Period:
After your meeting, please create and fill out this reflection chart as a way to think about the Literature Circle discussion you just had.

5/2: Lit. Circle #3 Reflection

OR 
Reflect on the experience in writing...

Closing: 
Return to your foldable piece of Computer Paper: 
"Overall Impressions":

Literature Circle #3...Switch roles...read Chapters 40-41 Silently and fulfill your role.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the content and literary elements in a passage in them format of a literature circle.
• Evaluate Literature Circles as a strategy to facilitate close reading and discussion of meaning in a text.

Opening:
1. Get Ready...

Meet with the other students from other groups who had the same Role.  Take 5-10 minutes and do the following:

• Review your Obligations in that Role
• Discuss the chapter, passages, phrases and words that became your focus.
• Determine how to use the best ideas/questions/passages, etc. when you meet in your Literature Circle.

2. Get Set...

Everyone will take notes... 1/2 page...

Class Notebook: 

3. Go...!
Literature Circle Meeting: 15 minutes.  


Work Period:
After your meeting, please create and fill out this reflection chart as a way to think about the Literature Circle discussion you just had.

4/28: Lit. Circle #2 Reflection

OR 
Reflect on the experience in writing...

On a foldable piece of Computer Paper: 
Create a Page for "Overall Impressions":

Closing: 
Literature Circle #3...Switch roles...read Chapters 38-39 Silently and fulfill your role.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the content and literary elements in a passage in them format of a literature circle.
• Evaluate Literature Circles as a strategy to facilitate close reading and discussion of meaning in a text.

Opening:
1. We had a rushed end to class yesterday, but I'd like you to reflect on the experience of working with your Literature Circle Group for the first time yesterday:
Class Notebook: 4/27: Visualizing a Chapter

• Please respond to the following prompt. (5 minutes)

2. Share out loud.

Work Period:
3. Take out your "Placard" with the name and obligations of your "Role" for Literature Circles.

4. Think about the work your did for your Role today.  

• Draw a small picture on the front of the card to symbolize your Role.

5. Get Ready...

You will now meet with the other students from other groups who had the same Role.  Take 5-10 minutes and do the following:

• Review your Obligations in that Role - add to your card if you got lost in your role yesterday.
• Share your symbolic image for the Role
• Discuss the chapter, passages, phrases and words that became your focus.
• Determine how to use the best ideas/questions/passages, etc. when you meet in your Literature Circle.

6. Get Set...

Important: Consider yourself as a Listener, Speaker and Collaborator.  

• What makes a good listener?
• What makes a good speaker?
• What makes a good collaborator in a small group?

Everyone will take notes... 1/2 page...

Class Notebook: 4/27: Lit Circle #1

7. Go...!
Literature Circle Meeting: 15 minutes.  


Closing:
After your meeting, please create and fill out this reflection chart as a way to think about the Literature Circle discussion you just had.

4/27: Lit. Circle #1 Reflection

OR 
Reflect on the experience in writing...

Finally,
Switch roles...
Read Chapter 36-37 tonight and fulfill your obligation in your Double Entry Journal.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Create a collaborative visual representation of various literary elements present in the novel Walk Two Moons
• Analyze elements of the content and structure of a text with a Literature Circle strategy.

Opening:
1. Last night I asked you to read Chapters 34-35.  With your group, complete the following for a chapter of your choice. (Let me know which one!)

• Color code your contribution (one color per person)
• Identify who created which part with a legend.

After your group is done, reflect on the project by writing a paragraph.  CN: 4/26 - Tree Synthesis

Closing:
Introduce Literature Circle Roles - What do you think each role does before a meeting?

• Hand out Notecards
• Create a "tent": 
• Write the name of the Role and a symbolic visual on one side
• Write a description of your "duty" on the other.

Review the Roles online: Activity 2.12

Tonight: Fulfill your Role in your Class Notebook.
CN: 4/26 - Chapter 35: Lit. Circle #1

Monday, April 25, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Make connections within a text, between texts, between texts and self, and between a text and the broader world. 
• Create a collaborative visual representation of various literary elements present in the novel Walk Two Moons

Opening:
1. Friday's Homework: 4/21: Connections

With your seat-partner, share and discuss the four connections you've made in the book so far.

2. Share the connections aloud.

3. Make some predictions about the remainder of the book:
What Predictions you can make about the rest of the book?  

• You've read through Chapter 32
• Work with a partner
• Use the graphic organizer below to take notes on your discussion.
• CN: 4/25: Predictions

What textual evidence do you have that supports your predictions?

4. Shared Reading: Chapter 30 passage about visualizing.  Then we'll discuss Chapter 32's visualization and questions.

For tonight's reading (Chapter 34-35), create one DEJ entry.  

• Tomorrow you'll choose one chapter you've read recently and create a visualization of that chapter.  I will ask you to do the following:

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze internal and external conflict in a text.
• Make connections within a text, between texts, between texts and self, and between a text and the broader world. 

UIL Updates (Practices): 

• Ready Writing during Lunch today.  You'll compete next week.
• Dictionary Skills and Number Sense after school today.  (Dictionary Skills with Ms. Rosales.)

Opening:
Review your response to the writing prompt:
1. Writing Prompt: "Theme in Up!"

Write a summary of your literary element and how you think the author, Sharon Creech, may be using that literary element in developing a theme in Walk Two Moons.  

2. Share your response aloud to your partner.

• What evidence did you each use? 
• How did you cite the evidence?  Did you put quotation marks around the evidence?

Work Period:

Read Chapters 31-32 this weekend (One more entry)

3. 4/21: Internal and External Forces

• Draw a picture of Carl Fredrickson's Head

• Add in details that explore his internal and external forces.
• Whenever there is an internal or external force at play, there is usually a conflict in the film.

What conflicts occur because of his internal and external forces?  Discuss and add notes.

4. Now draw a smiley face with long, straight hair (Salamanca) and one with curly hair (Phoebe).

• Add details that explore each girl's internal and external conflicts. (Add at least one force inside and outside of each face.)
• What conflicts occur because of each girl's internal and external forces?  

5. In a group of three or four - discuss who is struggling more with internal conflicts and who is struggling more with external conflicts.

6. 4/21: Connections

With your seat-partner, discuss and take notes on four connections you've made in the book so far.

Then, think about Predictions you can make about the rest of the book.  

• You've read through Chapter 30 now
• Work with a group of three (I will create these groups).
• Use the graphic organizer below to take notes on your discussion
• CN: 4/21: Predictions