Wednesday/Thursday, October 31st/Nov. 1st

1. Watch the following Ted Talks: Fill out the Ted Talk handout while watching.

Brene Brown- Vulnerability

Aicha el-Wafi and Phyllis Rodriguez "The Mothers Who Found Forgiveness" 

2. After watching... on a piece of paper for EACH talk... identify the following:

• What is the main argument? 
• What do you think are some major topics that this Ted Talk addresses? 
• Do a complete brainstorm on ONE of the topics of this Ted Talk. (Each talk)

3. Staple Ted Talk handout to the paper with your topics and brainstorm.... Turn in Friday.

Monday, October 29th

1. Introduction to Step 2 of Writing- Brainstorming.

Pick 4 topics... do a brainstorm for each. These will need to be broad topics... and you will need to do these on paper that you can turn in at the end of Boot Camp.

THESE TOPICS WILL FOLLOW YOU THROUGH THE REST OF THE STEPS OF WRITING. Pick wisely.

Rules of Formal Academic Writing.... Put these in your notes!

Friday, October 26th

Wednesday/Thursday we were listening to good information from the LMC on source evaluation, and where to find appropriate sources.

Please hold on to your notes. We will be using them when we get to this Step of Writing.

TODAY- 

We will meet in our groups for our second literature circle.

I will collect the journal entries as you begin discussing.

• All group members need to have the book and their role sheet out on their desks at the beginning of the discussion. Desks are in a circle. Discussion Director selects a timekeeper to help manage the group’s time. 
• The Discussion Director begins the discussion by asking the Summarizer to go first. 
• The Discussion Director then asks one of the below-the-surface questions he/she has prepared. Group discusses the question, taking notes. 
• After the Director has asked all questions, the Passage Analyst shares his/her passage prepared for the day.  The Passage Analyst reads the passage and group members discuss, taking notes.
• After the Passage Analyst finishes, the Essential Questions Connector identifies specific passages in the text that address one or more of the essential questions. Group members discuss and take notes. 
• The Vocabulary Enricher will interject as needed to define terms or look them up (if a new one has been added to the list).

Members of the group should take care to make connections during each discussion time.  It is one thing to discuss the book, but members should also expect these connections:

Text to Text: Are there similarities or differences between the book you are reading now and one that was assigned for another class or that you have read for pleasure at another time?

Text to Self:  In what ways can you identify with the characters or circumstances in this book?  What kinds of personal/emotional reactions do you have to specific parts of this book?

Text to World:  In what ways is this book reminiscent of current events or “real world” issues? 

WHEN YOU ARE DONE.... 

1. You will need to do a "Group Report" with your discussion summary page. Please staple this on top of all group role sheets.

2. Assign Group Roles for final meeting.  Review your reading assignments.

3. Go to Schoology for a post-circle reflection.

Tuesday, October 23rd

1. Review and take notes on the Writing to an Academic Audience link...REALLY IMPORTANT!!! FOUND HERE:
UNC Writing Center: Audience Tips

2. To post in Schoology: pick THREE of your classes that you are enrolled currently.
    a. Imagine you have been assigned a 3 page paper on a subject that you are currently studying in each class.
    b. You are going to do a thorough analysis of what you think EACH teacher/audience will or will not want in the written communication from you..  This can be a list/bullet points.
    c. To consider when doing this analysis: The information found above (academic audience link) + questions to consider that I gave you  + your experience so far in that class + explicit references from the teacher + implied directions from the teacher
    d. Make sure that you consider the "stuff" you want back from the written communication, so you can make sure that you have a realistic expectation of what your communication needs to achieve.

EXAMPLE:
Characteristics you may mention:
Precise attention to grammar and mechanics.
Following citation guide to the letter.
Sources need to be strong and reputable.
Needs knowledge info... does not want knowledge level info..

3. Log into Noredink.com. There is a short quiz over commas and contractions.  Please make sure that this is done before tomorrow morning.

Monday, October 22nd

CLASS:
1. Review the important aspects of Audience Awareness.

• Purpose
• Checklist to consider for Audience Awareness: Handout Audience Awareness

2. We are going to practice crafting a message, using audience awareness.

IN CLASS PRACTICE:
With a classmate, you will construct a group explanation of the car accident. Open one document, and share it with the other. You will each submit this document to Schoology.

You were in a slight, no-injury, car accident...
As a group, you will construct an explanation of the accident for three different audiences.. This will be in NARRATIVE FORM. You can use "I"... "You" for this exercise. I am not concerned about dialogue... or formatting. This is an informal practice exercise. I am most concern with you showing how you can differentiate between audiences... attending to their needs.
Be thoughtful of "What do they want?" and "What do they need?"
1. Your parents.
2. Your insurance company.
3. Your Best Friend.

Consider the purpose of communication AND audience awareness. What needs to be included? What needs to be omitted? What about the tone? What is the ultimate purpose for each audience?

Use your notes from last class period to craft your explanation.

Tuesday, October 16th

The first literature circle is today!

• All group members need to have the book and their role sheet out on their desks at the beginning of the discussion. Desks are in a circle. Discussion Director selects a timekeeper to help manage the group’s time. 
• The Discussion Director begins the discussion by asking the Summarizer to go first. 
• The Discussion Director then asks one of the below-the-surface questions he/she has prepared. Group discusses the question, taking notes. 
• After the Director has asked all questions, the Passage Analyst shares his/her passage prepared for the day.  The Passage Analyst reads the passage and group members discuss, taking notes.
• After the Passage Analyst finishes, the Essential Questions Connector identifies specific passages in the text that address one or more of the essential questions. Group members discuss and take notes. 
• The Vocabulary Enricher will interject as needed to define terms or look them up (if a new one has been added to the list).

Members of the group should take care to make connections during each discussion time.  It is one thing to discuss the book, but members should also expect these connections:

Text to Text: Are there similarities or differences between the book you are reading now and one that was assigned for another class or that you have read for pleasure at another time?

Text to Self:  In what ways can you identify with the characters or circumstances in this book?  What kinds of personal/emotional reactions do you have to specific parts of this book?

Text to World:  In what ways is this book reminiscent of current events or “real world” issues? 

WHEN YOU ARE DONE.... 

1. You will need to do a "Group Report" with your discussion summary page. Please staple this on top of all group role sheets.

2. Assign Group Roles for next meeting.  Review your reading assignments.

3. Go to Schoology for a post-circle reflection.

Monday, September 14th.

Your literary circles have been postponed until TUESDAY. Please have your journals/role sheets ready for tomorrow.

1. Log into Noredink.com. There is some practice work on commas and sentence fragments. This is our highest critical area determined by the diagnostic test we took last week.

Please finish, if possible, during class today.

2. When you are done, you will have time to read your literature circle books.

Thursday, October 11th

55 Incredible Images of Girls Going to School Around the World

1. Take out your Audience Awareness notes/handout over 2 Obama speeches.

2. You will be placed in groups of 3, where you will discuss both speeches.  Emphasize what the audience wants and needs as you go through each question on the handouts.  Please turn in your questions when your group is done discussing.

3. In Schoology, please respond to the prompt: What is your understanding of audience awareness when it comes to communication? Why do you think it is the first step of writing? What did you learn from President Obama about audience awareness. 

4. Read and take notes on the following information on Audience awareness. Put this in a place that you will easily be able to access this information.

Writing for an academic audience HANDOUT

FOR MONDAY:

Literature Circle Meeting #1!

• Have your group-assigned reading DONE. You are responsible to the group, and the group's success is on each group member having their work done. 
• Have your journal entry done... printed off BEFORE CLASS.  The packet has questions for you to consider to help you complete your journal entry. 
• Your literature circle role sheet completed before your group meeting. 

Tuesday, October 9th

1. Introduction to the Art of Communication.

Induction into "Writing Boot Camp".

2. Step #1 of Writing: Audience Awareness:

- purpose of Audience Awareness step

You will use the following handout as a guide to examine audience awareness of one speaker, but two speeches:

Audience Awareness Speech Evaluation Handout

Select one of the two following speeches from the Correspondence Dinner-

Selection 1:* President Obama's White House Correspondence Dinner Speech

Selection 2: * "Obama Out" Correspondence Dinner

Watch the following funeral eulogy.
Watch the following starting at minute 29.00

President Obama's- Rev. Pinckney's Funeral

The handout is due at the end of class on Thursday. 

Monday, October 8th

1. Reading day! Reading day!

Get a good start on your literature circle books! Enjoy the time!

Friday, October 5th

1. First literature circle meeting.  You will need to determine the following things:

• The break down of reading assignments for the following dates: 10/15, 10/24, 11/7
• Who will fill what role for the first meeting: Discussion Director, Summarizer, Passage Analyst, Question Connector, Vocab Enricher (If there are only 4 in your group, Summarizer and Vocab Enricher will be combined into one)
• One person needs to post to Schoology Discussion Board the group's reading assignments and roles

2. Remember: October 10th/11th you will ALL need to be prepared for the first discussion with a journal entry (to turn in) and your role report (to also turn in).


Here is an electronic copy of the packet I gave in class: Literature Circle Packet

October 3rd/October 4th

Mid-term projects are due at 7:30 AM today (Wednesday)!

1. Literature Circle book talks and book check out- LMC

2. Make your book selection in Schoology.

3. Click on the following link:
           2nd Hour: Noredink Invite Link

           3rd Hour: Noredink Invite Link

* You will be taking the Grammar/Mechanics Diagnostic test in NoRedInk.com. You need to try your best on each of these questions.

4. As you are working on your Diagnostic Test, I will be determining literature circle groups. I will call you over to get your book, and check it out with Mrs. Rockwell.

Eleanor and Park: 
                           Yasmeen
                           Ainsley

Paper Towns:
Chance             
Bradley                Kenyia
Jackson              Shonese
                     

The Lost Hero: 
Reggie                 Amil
Kya                     Jourdin
Chris

The Things They Carried:
                            Zane
                            Kyle

Winger: 
Carson                Terrell
Aiden                  Devon
Kolson                Matthew

An Abundance of Katherines:
Kevin
Nickolette
Franco
Zaylen

Some Boys:
Destiny                Samantha 
Elizabeth              Kayla
Ryley                   Ashley
Mikayla               Jace
Bailey                  Savannah


5. You will have time to START READING your new book!

6. Respond to prompt in Schoology regarding initial impressions of this book.

FOR FRIDAY: 

Read and review the English 10 Literature Circle packet: English 10 Literature Circle Packet

I will be going over the assignments, we will be determining reading assignments in groups on Friday.

October 2nd

1. The first part of class, you will have time to work on your mid-term project.

2. Proofreading/ editing. You will first go through your presentation answering the following questions. These are the significant components of your presentation that need to be done correctly.

Use the following for a checklist for proofreading your project:

• Is there a title page? 
• Are titles of studied texts all italicized? 
• Are major words in titles capitalized?  The Other Wes Moore. Good Will Hunting. 
• Are all words spelled correctly? Punctuation is correct? Capitalization is correct? 
• Has theme been accurately defined? Process explained? (4 steps)
• Have you explained what you have learned about theme, personally?
• Has an issue been applied to each of the two texts? 
• Has that issue been written as a theme? (What the author is saying about the issue). 
• Is there sufficient evidence to support each theme (3 textual examples)? 
• Have the examples been explained as to why they connect to the theme? 
• Has the textual evidence been cited correctly on the slide? (In-text citations).
• Has the 3rd remaining issue been applied to BOTH texts?
• Has this 3rd issue been written as a theme that applies to BOTH texts? 
• Is there sufficient evidence that supports both texts and the applied theme? 
• Is the evidence cited correctly with in-text citations? 
• Is there a works cited page? Is it done correctly? (2 citations). Alphabetized entries. Hanging indent on the second line of the citation? 
• Are there supportive images used wisely through out the presentation?  

PRESENTATIONS ARE DUE TO SCHOOLOGY BY 7:30 AM ON WEDNESDAY. NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

October 1st

Today is a work day for your mid-term project. You need to use this time wisely.
Remember that everything is DUE on Wednesday, October 3rd at 7:30 AM.

You will have about 1/2 of your class time tomorrow to work because the other 1/2 will be used for proof-reading/editing before you turn in everything.

During the last 10 minutes of class, please go to Schoology to answer some progress questions about your project. They are due at the end of class today.