Week Seven

Learning Tasks for Monday, February 24

1. Writing into the Day
Set a SMART goal for Week Seven.  How will achieving this goal benefit you?  What resources or support do you need in order to reach your goal?

2. Quiz
What questions do you have after completing this week's reading (Chapters 10-12)?
Let's test your knowledge!  Open up Blackboard and take Quiz #6.  You can do it!

3. Choosing a Research Topic

Selecting Topic --> Finding an Issue --> Thesis

First, think of the communities that you belong to.  One of these has the potential to become your audience, depending on the topic you choose:

• personal- home, family, friends, etc.
• academic- school (past, present, future)
• professional- work and careers (past, present, future)
• society- local, national, and global communities

Use the following questions to delve into potential topics:

• What discussions do you find interesting within each community?
• Have you or others in a community had any experiences that have left you with questions or concerns?
• What problems or issues exist in each community?

After giving this all some thought, let's do some brainstorming and generate potential topics:

• Spend several minutes listing any research topics that come to mind.  They don't need to be good at this point!  Just list anything that pops into your brain.
• Of the topics you've just written, select five that sound the most interesting.
• State those five topics as questions.
• Pick the question that sounds most interesting to you.  Freewrite on that topic for five minutes.
• Pick the sentence(s) that sound most interesting to you.  Freewrite on that idea for another five minutes.
• Repeat or start over as many times as you'd like.  There's no perfection to this process, just finding a possible direction for your paper!

4.  Still Stuck?

CQ Researcher is an AWESOME site for perusing current issues and the stances people are taking on them.

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, February 25

1. Writing into the Day

Create a list of your favorite things.

2.  Selecting a Research Topic
Your research topic is due by tonight.  Make sure you have a *general* idea of what you want to research and REMEMBER:  YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR MIND!  So, no pressure.  Breath a sigh of relief :)

Learning Tasks for Wednesday, February 26

1. Writing into the Day

2. Assignment #4
Create an annotated bibliography for one of the essays you have read this semester.

Learning Tasks for Thursday, February 27

1. Writing into the Day

2. Mini-Sessions
You must complete at least four mini-sessions with a score of 80% or higher.  The mini-sessions are located in Blackboard under the Mini-Sessions tab.

Learning Tasks for Friday, February 28

1. Writing into the Day


















2. Mini-Sessions

Learning Tasks for Friday, February 21

Essential Question:  How can literacy skills promote effective communication and understanding?

Objectives:  I can...
-provide critical and constructive feedback of peer's writing.
-apply peer feedback to writing revisions.

1. Writing into the Day

2. Peer Review

Pick a partner and exchange papers.  Use the list of Peer Review questions in this Google Doc to give your partner feedback.  Once you finish, be sure to discuss your answers with your partner!

REMEMBER:

Learning Tasks for Thursday, February 20

Essential Question:  How can literacy skills promote effective communication and understanding?

Objectives:  I can...
-create a rough draft of an essay using a specific writing technique.
-revise my writing for clarity and detail.

1. Writing into the Day

2. Essay #3 Conferences

You will be meeting one-on-one with me to discuss your paper draft.  This is a great opportunity to ask me ANY questions you still have about the assignment or your draft!

3.  Drafting/Revising

While you are waiting for your conference, you should be either writing or revising your Essay #3 draft.  One more day to go!!!

Learning Tasks for Wednesday, February 19

Essential Question:  How can literacy skills promote effective communication and understanding?

Objectives:  I can...
-create a rough draft of an essay using a specific writing technique.
-revise my writing for clarity and detail.

1. Writing into the Day

2. Assignment #2

Log into Blackboard and complete Assignment #2 by the end of class.

3. Essay #3 Conferences

Once you have reached at least one page of a draft, I will provide you with some midpoint feedback.

***You need at least ONE FULL PAGE written by the end of class.  You can dooo itttt!!!

4.  Conclusion

Only two days to go!  How are you doing with your Essay #3 SMART goal?  What do you still need to do to achieve your goal?

5.  Homework
Bring at least ONE FULL PAGE of your Essay #3 draft to class tomorrow.  Your draft will count as a grade.  If you do not have at least a page written, I will call home tomorrow afternoon.

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, February 18

Essential Question:  How can literacy skills promote effective communication and understanding?

Objectives:  I can...
-evaluate and address my needs as a writer.
-create a rough draft of an essay using a specific writing technique.

1.  Writing into the Day

2. Drafting

Using a writing technique that works for *YOU*, begin developing a draft for Essay #3.  Recall the drafting techniques we discussed in class last week.  You need to turn in at least ONE PAGE of your draft by the end of class tomorrow, so be sure to pace yourself.

3.  Conclusion

Where do you stand with yesterday's SMART goal?  Are you on the road to success?  If not, what do you need to reach your goal?

Learning Tasks for Monday, February 17

Essential Question:  How can literacy skills promote effective communication and understanding?

Objectives:  I can...
-recall knowledge about analyzing texts and reporting information.
-create a plan for writing.

1. Writing into the Day

2.  Quiz

What questions do you have about Chapters 8 and 9 in the Norton textbook?  Let's test your knowledge with Blackboard quiz!

3.  Brainstorming

Essay #3 is due on Friday.  Using some of the writing techniques we discussed in class last week (i.e. listing, looping, freewriting, journaling, etc.), we will begin brainstorming and planning your papers.

 Our Brainstorming

4.  Conclusion

Set a SMART goal for yourself as we begin Essay #3.

Learning Tasks for Monday, February 10

1.  Writing into the Day

2.  Reading

Open your textbooks to Chapter 22.  Together, we will read and make sense of this week's reading.

3.  Think & Discuss

Of the writing strategies that we have read about today, which are the easiest for you to grasp?  Which are the hardest?

-After writing your name on the sticky notes that you've been given, place your vote on the Writing Strategies T-Chart.

-What trends do you see?  What assumptions can we make from these trends?

Learning Tasks for Friday, February 7

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!

You're almost done with Essay #2- HOORAY!

1. Peer Review
With a partner, exchange papers and answer the questions in this Google Doc.

2. Revising
Once you've finished peer reviewing each other's papers, put your peers' feedback to work by revising your writing!

3. Homework
-Submit Essay #2
-Submit Assignment #1

Learning Tasks for Thursday, February 6

1. Conferences
I will meet with each of you one-on-one to discuss Essay #2.  Please bring your paper, notes, and/or outline to my desk when it is your turn.  Together, we will brainstorm ideas before you write your final draft!  You can do it!!!

2. Quiz #4
Before meeting with me, you should be studying for or taking Quiz #4 in Blackboard.  This must be done by the time you leave class today!

3.Assignment #1
Once you have completed your quiz, you may begin working on Assignment #1.

4. Homework
-Bring a copy of your Essay #2 draft to class tomorrow.
-Quiz #4
-Signed Progress Reports are due tomorrow!

Learning Tasks for Wednesday, February 5

Guess what day it is???

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

1.  Writing into the Day
Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913.  In 1955, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger.  Her brave actions sparked controversy, and Ms. Parks is now considered an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement.  If you had been Rosa Parks in this situation, would you have done the same thing?  Why or why not?

2. Planning Essay #2
Get out your notebooks!  We have some planning to do!
Together, we will brainstorm ideas for Essay #2 (due Friday) and practice organizing them into a paper format.
Once you're done planning, you can begin writing.

Here's the outline we created:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7vznl1ix0BrR3RHTklmWG9fYjQ/edit?usp=sharing

3. Homework
1. Come to class tomorrow with a ROUGH draft of Essay #2 (remember that a rough draft does not need to be perfect!).  You will meet with me one-on-one to discuss your paper.

2.  Return your signed progress report by Friday.  I will be making calls to parents Friday afternoon for those of you who do not return the signed paper!

3.  If you did not turn in Essay #1, you may turn it in to Mr. Ziebart by February 12.

Learning Tasks for Tuesday, February 4

1.  Writing into the Day:
We see rhetorical situations in our everyday lives- especially during the Super Bowl!

Describe a time when you were persuaded by something you watched, read, or listened to that caused you to take action or want to take action. How are you best persuaded? What does a good persuader accomplish?

2.  Activity - Examining Rhetorical Situations
Determine the audience, speaker, purpose, genre, context, topic, and medium of the text you are assigned.  Does the text take a stance?  Explain.

3.  Quiz #3

4.  Homework
Read the Cunningham and Stanovich article (if you haven't already) and prepare an outline for Essay #2.  Instructions for the essay can be found in your English 111 syllabus.

Learning Tasks for Monday, February 3

Happy Lunar New Year!!!

2014 is the Year of the Horse

1.  Writing into the Day
Use the website below to determine and read about your Chinese Zodiac sign.  Do you think the description accurately describes you?  Why or why not?  Make a list of traits that describe you well and a list of traits that do not describe you at all.
http://www.chinese-astrology.co.uk/index.html#search

2.  Finishing Up
Today, we will be finishing up last week's Library Scavenger Hunt.  See post below for details!

3.  Discussion
Once everyone has completed the Library Hunt, consider last week's Discussion Board prompt:  what is the most important research strategy that you've learned from library orientation?  What resources seem like they will be particularly useful?

4.  Reading
Quiz #3 is due tomorrow evening and covers Chapters 1-6 in your textbook.  Ensure an *A* by critically reading those chapters!  Finish reading for homework.