Thursday, March 26, 2015

Friday, March 27

Target:  to begin asking questions in order to negotiate a difficult text


2. Pick up As I Lay Dying from the library.

3.  Cast of characters: write them on binder paper

4. Read the first chapter.  Record your question(s) about the text here: 

5. Keep reading.  Record questions on the padlet as we go.  




READ to page 58 by the Tuesday we return from Spring Break.  


Don't forget the AP practice test on 4/09 (Thursday from 3:15-6:30)  or 4/11 (Saturday from 9:00- 1:00)  This is required!  Talk to me if you have a scheduling problem...NOW.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Wednesday & Thursday, March 25/26

EDITING DAY: students will collaborate and support each other in ensuring that the paper follows the MLA format rules and the grammatical conventions of Standard Written English


1. Review this citation guide from the librarian Sandy Killian: Citation Guide and this one: Citation Helper

PLAGIARISM QUIZ

2. Use the Quotation/Documentation Checklist to review your group members sections. 

How long is the paper?  (Is at least 5 pages double-spaced, not including the Works Cited Page? Have you used at least 6 solid sources in your paper as a whole?)

INSERT your Works Cited Page in the last page of your google doc (when you are finished).  Be sure to uncheck/delete (from the final google doc)  any sources that you didn't end up using. 

3.  NOW EDIT:  
  • Add SENTENCE PATTERNS to improve the impact of the writing:
    • a semicolon (SP #1)
    • a colon (SP #3 and SP # 10)
    • a periodic sentence (SP # 8)
    •  asyndeton or polysyndeton (#4 and #5)
    • repeating a key term (anaphora) (#9 and 9A)
    • a short, simple sentence for emphasis in your intro and/or conclusion paragraph

  • Read your own section out loud to the group, stopping to fix (or suggest) grammatical errors.
THIS PAPER IS DUE BY FRIDAY AT 3:00 in my dropbox on my BLOG. 

Thursday's class: Mr. Zargar will come to talk about CTSPP test-last day to finish up in class
Friday's class: We start As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.  Read to page 58 by the Tuesday we return.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Tuesday, March 24

Target: to work on enhancing the organization of your research paper by revisiting your main points and then using TRANSITIONS 

1. Fatima's survey: DREAM ACT.

2.  Copy and paste your writing together into the one google doc that is linked to NOODLE TOOLS.  Be sure it is shared with everyone in your group, including me.  THE TITLE MUST BEGIN WITH YOUR NAMES:  NAMES/CAUSE AND EFFECT RESEARCH PAPER

3.  Review this style sheet on TRANSITIONS.  Examine the last and first sentence of each paragraph and make sure you have created a strong transition using either a conjunctive adverb, transitional phrase, or an implied/ conceptual link. Remember, YOUR THESIS should set your organization to a certain extent.

Here is an example from "Urban Neanderthal"by Tae Andrews:


Topic sentence 1: Recording companies champion Urban Neanderthals like 50 Cent because controversy sells records.

Last sentence of that paragraph:  As a result, instead of hearing quality songs of social uplift from artists such as the Roots, John Legend, and Common, we hear 50 Cent rapping about shooting people.

First sentence, next paragraph 2: With hip-hop culture promoting the stereotype of the Urban Neanderthal so vigorously, perhaps it should be expected that sports journalists would adopt a stereotype in their portrayals of African Americans. 


4.  WRITING YOUR CONCLUSION:  What do you want your audience to think or feel at the end of your piece.  Why does your topic matter?  Is there a call to action?  What you choose to write here will tell me what you think should be emphasized when all is said and done. 

TOMORROW:  Editing day with MLA formatting tutorial.  Plagiarism test, too!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Monday, March 23

Target:  to practice more close reading with multiple choice AP questions

Ashley and Anna's survey: http://goo.gl/0kjvDI

1. Section #2 of 2001 test

2. Sentence Patterns--9 & 10!  Padlet for 9: http://padlet.com/jenlamonte/weocu0ymxpn1
Padlet for 10: http://padlet.com/jenlamonte/whwjihtnh7bo

3. Correct vocab test Lesson 11?  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Be sure to continue working on your research paper in the merged doc linked to noodle tools --you must be ready to EDIT by Wednesday!  If you are still adding notecards/sources be sure you are working on your "merged" noodletools account.  

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Friday, March 20

Target: to evaluate critically and respond constructively to your partner's writing

1. Vocabulary Test Lesson 11


 One

Link to Arteja and Maritza's survey: http://goo.gl/QHcM0L


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Thursday, March 20

Target: to construct a body paragraph for your research paper, FRAMING, EMBEDDING and CITING evidence correctly.  (Thoughtful analysis would be nice, too.)

CAUSE AND EFFECT RUBRIC

Did you put your intro in my dropbox?  Do it ASAP. 

1. Study a sample paragraph as your model: http://goo.gl/gWq0DM

FRAME: Provide context to introduce your quote so that your reader can understand it better. 
EMBED: see format examples here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/  Use those SIGNAL PHRASES from the handout I gave you. 
CITE: See the Purdue Owl for current MLA guidelines: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/


2. Write your body paragraph NOW. What evidence are you using?  Remember to keep your quotations short, calling my attention to the most vital parts of the evidence. 

Monday, March 16, 2015

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17 & 18

Target: to come together and collaborate on your thesis and an outline


1.MERGE your projects into ONE so you can work together.  (see me if you need help with noodletools)

2.  In a group, TALK about the facts you have discovered and what conclusions you have come to.

Are you ready to present a thoughtful answer to your research question? Will you be focusing on causes or effects?  

Can you break your answer into parts (points) that each one of you will be responsible for?

3. Create a rough thesis and outline here: SHARE YOUR THESIS AND OUTLINE

What questions do you still need answered? Share them on the doc above.  

BE SURE TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR GROUP MEMBERS AND WITH ME!!!


After you have the "ok" from Mrs. LaMonte, begin to work on your introduction on google docs (Make sure the title of that doc is YOUR NAMES/INTRO P/PERIOD).  Turn that in to my dropbox by THURSDAY Please let me know in the comments if you worked collaboratively, or if one person wrote it, using the thesis you picked today. 

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Monday, March 16

Target:  use close reading strategies to answer multiple choice questions correctly 

1. Check in about NOTECARDS.  

2. Multiple choice passage practice.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Friday, March 13

Target:  To practice writing and assessing a partner's argument

1. Check in about notecards.


3.  Then, use the Argument rubric to assess your partner's argument at this point. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bz0iLbpg9qjdow0fy-DMci3aY8t4x-Li1uz-PwVd6Ps/viewform

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Tuesday and Wednesday

Research sources: Learn how to use noodletools.com with our librarian's help!


Remember that 5 notecards are due on Friday.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Monday, March 9

Target:  Multiple Choice Monday!

1. Correct Vocab tests/New words for Lesson 11 linked here.

 2. Review AP STYLESHEET notes for argument essays.

3. Practice Multiple Choice--15 min & review answers.

(review test-taking tips from last week)

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Friday, March 6

Target:  to practice a FREE-RESPONSE question:  ARGUMENT 


1. Vocab test Lesson 10

2. Sample sentence pattern:  Pattern #7a (a single appositive) and Pattern #8 (Dependent clauses in a series or pair)

Submit a sample sentence on two padlets: SP 7a  and SP 8

3.  Sample argument to read and prewrite: 

 (2013) Question 3 
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.) 


For centuries, prominent thinkers have pondered the relationship between ownership and the development of self (identity), ultimately asking the question, “What does it mean to own something?” 

Plato argues that owning objects is detrimental to a person’s character. Aristotle claims that ownership of tangible goods helps to develop moral character. Twentieth-century philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre proposes that ownership extends beyond objects to include intangible things as well. In Sartre’s view, becoming proficient in some skill and knowing something thoroughly means that we “own” it. 

Think about the differing views of ownership. Then write an essay in which you explain your position on the relationship between ownership and sense of self. Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument. 

1. (10 minutes) PRE-WRITE:  What will your position (thesis) be?  What will you use as evidence?  What counter-arguments will you address?

2. Share with group.


What do you notice about the writing?  Add to your AP exam STYLE SHEET!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Thursday, March 5

Target: to take the district "pink" benchmark and submit your research topic


Your ID number is the username/your birthday 00/00/0000 is the password

3. Missrepresentation Trailer   and The Mask You Live In trailer

Debrief the last two days of sample essays

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Wednesday, March 4

Target:  to analyze the organizing strategies of two more sample Cause and Effect essays

1. Read Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point"  and then Stephen Jay Gould's "Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs".  Annotate for main ideas, diction, and details. Syntax, too, if you want. 

2. With your partner, discuss what stands out to you both about the texts. Then write it down for me.

3.  Then, answer this question:  How is the essay organized?  Write down in one paragraph an analysis of how the structure of each essay helps the writer achieve his purpose.  


Turn this in by the end of the period. 

Monday, March 2, 2015

Tuesday, March 3

Target: To recognize the rhetorical strategies at work in two CAUSE AND EFFECT sample essays, and collaborate in order to discover their effectiveness






2. Read "Live Free and Starve" and "Plato o Plomo". You can find both (plus another Lazear Ascher essay) here.
3.  Fill out this google form in groups of 3: http://goo.gl/SebsbK
4.  Share your answers with your group by reading them OUT LOUD, then revise them based on your group's discussion.

SHARE THEM WITH ME!!!

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Monday, March 2

Target:  to practice answering multiple choice questions for the AP test, using a few time-saving techniques


FIRST:  PADLET FOR RESEARCH.  Any ideas?  http://padlet.com/jenlamonte/sqjhpiofq7

MULTIPLE CHOICE PRACTICE-30 minutes/2 passages


Today I would like you to try to use the following strategies (if you haven't tried them already):

Try this: Read the questions first and put brackets and numbers around the text corresponding to each question. 

1. Annotate the passage by underlining strong opinions and circling/labeling key words and rhetorical strategies that stand out.
2. When you read the questions, cover the answers and read only the question stems.  Can you anticipate what the right answer should be?  
3. Read the answers and judge each one as a true/false statement.
4. Answer the "easy" ones first and then go back to the harder ones in the set.
5. For the tough ones:


  • Go back and reread the focused part of the text and eliminate the obviously wrong answers. 
  •  Do any of the other questions in the set give you clues to the right answer?  Use them. 
  •  Watch out for distractors that are only PARTIALLY correct.  
  • Then, consider carefully the phrasing of the answer. Look carefully for qualifying or clarifying terms; those are clues that this is probably the right answer (if you have to make an educated guess). 
  • Look for two statements that balance (or contrast) each other.  One of them is probably the right answer.

Here is a document I found helpful in preparing this list for you: http://goo.gl/L2cAXv Thank you Mr. Gunnar!