Blog Archive

Sunday, October 7, 2018

MP1- Week 6

   MONDAY    Columbus Day - No Classes     





       TUESDAY    10-9-18    C-Day:   Making Digital Flash Cards     

         Announcements     



    • Get your Chromebook
    • Check your Gmail!
    • No food or liquids in class, only in the commons.
    • No cell phones during instructional times in classrooms.
    ________________________________________

         DO Now - Think and Respond      


    Entry Title: Answer Me This...
    Directions:  Copy the following scenarios into a new Google Doc and answer the question.  You will see this type of question on your first vocabulary quiz!
    • You have a brazen fetish for exotic feathers. You are at Seneca Park Zoo.  You see the peacock exhibit.  What is something you impulsively might do?
    • If you you intuitively felt that getting on an airplane could be a perverse experience, what might you decide to do?  
    _______________________________________

         Learning Target(s)                     

    • I can create study tools for Vocabulary List I to help me do well on the upcoming quiz.
    • I can explain what to do in the event of a Fire Drill, Evacuation, Lock out or Lock Down.
    ________________________________________

         Mini-Lesson:  Creating a FlashCardMachine Account and Creating Your First Set of Cards     

    How to use Quizlet to create virtual flashcards!

    Quizlet is a web-based, flashcard maker.  Students can create their own set of virtual flashcards to use as study aides for vocabulary quizzes in English class.

    Mr. DeGrandis will model how to create your first set of cards, but if you missed today's lesson the video link above will give you an idea of how to do it. 

    ________________________________________

         Work Time                                          
    1. Go to www.Quizlet.com
    2. Log in using you Google sign in information.
    3. Create at least 5 flashcards for Vocabulary List I!

    ________________________________________

         Assessment / Homework       
      • Show Mr. DeGrandis your five completed flashcards before the end of the period for a classwork grade.
      • Finish the rest of your cards by the end of class Thursday.



         WEDNESDAY     10-10-18     D-Day    No Classes due to PSATs      



         THURSDAY    10-11-18    A-Day:  Finish Digital Flash Cards        

      No Do Now today!

         FRIDAY  10-12-18    B-Day:  DIRT Day     

      Periods 1, 2, 4
      Complete Assignment 23.0 in Google Classroom

      Period 6
      Special Assignment


      DIRT Day Expectations

      1. Do the following BEFORE the bell rings…
        1. Open your DIRT Day Assignment in Google Classroom.
        2. Be in your seat reading.
      2. Focus on your reading the entire period.
      3. Do not sub-vocalize during DIRT.
      4. Complete 10 thoughts using the Active Reading Model by the end of the period. Do more for extra credit.



      If You Finish a Book…
      In an email to Mr. DeGrandis, write a review about your book in 3-paragraph essay format.
      Guidelines for the Essay:
      • ¶ 1 - title, author and genre of the novel and your opinion of the book (controlling idea).
      • ¶ 2 - short summary of the book and include at least two text-based examples from the book
               that support your controlling idea in ¶
      • ¶ 3 - explain why you would or would not recommend this book to a friend and where they might be able to find it or purchase it.

      If You Forgot Your Book…
      • Choose a book from the class library or Mr. DeGrandis will give you one.
      • Be sure to bring your book next week.

      If You Want to Switch Books…
      In an email to Mr. DeGrandis, write an Abandon Book Essay.
      Guidelines:


      • ¶ 1 – title, author and genre of the novel you are abandoning and
                three reasons you don’t like the book (controlling idea).
      • ¶ 2 through 4 - Develop each reason using text-based details from the book.
      • ¶ 5 - Offer your suggestions for other novels you have read that another student might enjoy.

      Sunday, September 30, 2018

      MP1 - Week 5

         MONDAY    10-1-18     D-Day:  Creating Your 20% Time Blog     

           Announcements     

      • Check your Gmail!
      • Did you turn in your field trip forms to the 4th Floor House Office for LaserTron?
      • Start the Do Now Below BEFORE the bell rings.

      __________________________________

           DO Now - Think and Respond in Composition Notebook     

      Entry Title:  Vocabulary Inferencing

      DIRECTIONS:  Copy the scenarios below into a Google Doc in your composition book and infer which vocabulary word it reflects most closely. Write that word on the line provided.
      HINT:  Use Vocabulary List I to help you!


      1. Terry needed to clear her head.  It had been a long day.  She turned down the lights.  Lit a scented candle and sat in the middle of her living room floor and reflected on her day.
        _________________
      2. Jerell had been sitting in this desk for almost two hours.  He had finished his exam over an hour ago and now he sat staring at the clock. He couldn't leave for another hour! No phone. No book.  No way to occupy himself.  Just sit there staring into space and hope time would speed up just a little.
        __________________
      3. It all happened so quickly that Ginelle thought that maybe she had imagined what she had just done.  When she saw her cousin Imani's birthday cake and thought of all the bullying she had suffered every day since school started, she couldn't help herself.  It was too late. She looked at the white, purple and red frosting smeared all over her fist and then looked at the giant hole in the cake.  Then she realized the room was silent and everyone had stopped singing.
        __________________


           Learning Target(s)                            
      • I can communicate with a global audience by creating a blog!

      _________________________________

           Mini-Lesson:  How to Create Your 20% Time Blog Part I      
         
      • What is a blog?
        A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. For our purposes we’ll say that a blog is your own website that you are going to update on an ongoing basis.
      • Blog Basics...
      • Demonstration of how to create your class blog and creating a new post on it!

        Title:       Playing the Ukulele with John  (Should communicate thee purpose of your Blog in a fun and interesting way)

        Address:  johndSOTA2018.blogspot.com
        MUST BE IN THIS FORMAT: firstname last initial SOTA2018
      __________________________________

           Work Time - Make It Happen!                                            
      • Create your 20% Time Blog!
      • Try the Following...
        • Change the theme.
        • Change the layout.
        • Wanna make it look even better?  Check out this video from The Blog Beautician
      • Complete Assignment 19.0 in Google Classroom.
      • Show Mr. DeGrandis your new creation!
      _________________________________

           Assessment / Homework                      
        • Work on Assignment 19.0 in Google Classroom!



         TUESDAY    10-2-18      C-Day:   Finish Your  20% Time Blog   

           Announcements     

      • Do you need to finish your NWEA?  
      • Check your Gmail!
      • Did you turn in your field trip forms to the 4th Floor House Office for LaserTron?
      • Start the Do Now Below BEFORE the bell rings.
      __________________________________

           DO Now - Proofreading Practice                  

      Go to www.quill.org and complete the proofreading exercise.
      • Periods 1, 2, 4:  How was the World Made
      • Period 6:  A Little Stranger on the Road
      ___________________________________

           Learning Target(s)     
      • I can communicate with a global audience by creating a blog!
      _________________________________

           Mini-Lesson:  Finish Your Blog       
         
      • What is a blog?
        A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. For our purposes we’ll say that a blog is your own website that you are going to update on an ongoing basis.
      • Blog Basics...
      • Demonstration of how to create your class blog and creating a new post on it!

        Title:       Playing the Ukulele with John  (Should communicate thee purpose of your Blog in a fun and interesting way)

        Address:  johndSOTA2018.blogspot.com
        MUST BE IN THIS FORMAT: firstname last initial SOTA2017
      __________________________________

           Work Time                  

      1. Finish your blog first!
      2. Complete the brainstorming activity in Google Classroom, Assignment 20.0!

      _________________________________

           Assessment / Homework       
        • Complete and TURN IN Assignment 20.0.




           WEDNESDAY     10-3-18    D-Day:  Mix and Mingle Activity for Inside Out and Back Again       

             Announcements                

        • Complete Assignment 20.0 in Google Classroom by 11:59PM Sunday!
        • Check your Gmail!
        • Did you turn in your field trip forms to the 4th Floor House Office for LaserTron?
        ________________________________________

             DO Now - Remember and Write!                                     


        New Entry Title: Inferences About the Gallery Walk


        What are some inferences you remember about the gallery walk from last week?  Click here to see the photos again if you need to.

        Write at least three inferences down.

        Sample Inferences
        1. In the photo with all the cars, I can infer that people may be trying to escape some natural disaster, like a tsunami.
        2. In the photo of the helicopter, I can infer that people are trying to escape to safety. 
        _______________________________________

             Learning Target(s)                              

        • I can support my inferences with evidence from a text.
        • I can participate in discussions about the text with a partner, small group, and the whole class.
        ________________________________________

             Mini-Lesson:  Mix and Mingle          

           
        • This Mix and Mingle activity will help you create new inferences between the event you have seen in the Gallery Walk and information from the text we will be reading about the Fall of Saigon.

        What to do...

        • You will receive two sentence strips from your teacher.
        • Read them to yourself.
        • Turn and Talk: Read your sentence strips to a neighbor.
        • Do you think you have the whole story based on the pictures from yesterday and these two sentence strips? Discuss with your partner.
        ________________________________________

             Work Time                                          


         SPECIAL REQUEST:  Sentence Strip Envelopes and Sentence Strips:  Please do not write, tear, fold or otherwise damage these so other students in other classes can use them for this activity today as well!  Thank You!   





        Mix and Mingle: Create an Inference with Your Group

        • Mr. D. will give you an envelope containing two sentence strips.
        • When asked to begin, wander the room with your sentence strips.
        • Look for peers that have different strips than your own.  Stay together until you collect a total of 4-5 people.  No one should have the same sentence strips!
        • You will have five minutes to mix and mingle.
        • Select an area of the room in which you can meet with your group.
        • Arrange the strips in a logical order.  You should be able to explain why you put your strips in the order you did.
        • It's OK if you have more questions than answers at this point!

        Class Discussion Questions
        What do you think happened to the people in the gallery walk based on the sentence strips and the photos?  What specific evidence do you have to back up your inferences?

        Guiding Questions for this novel study...
        1.  What is home?
        2.  How do critical incidents reveal character?
        3.  Which of your quotes might fit our guiding questions?
        ________________________________________

             Assessment / Homework             

          Complete Assignment 20.0 in Google Classroom!





             THURSDAY  10-4-18    A-Day:  DIRT Day       

          Periods 1, 2, and 4
          Read the short story, The Rocking-horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and complete Assignment 21.0 in Google Classroom.

          Period 6
          Make up day!








             FRIDAY    10-5-18    Superintendent's Conference Day - No Classes for Students     


          Sunday, September 23, 2018

          MP1 - Week 4

             MONDAY  9-24    B-Day:  Inferencing Part I     

               Announcements                             

          • Get your Chromebook
          • Check your Gmail
          • Start your Do Now
          ________________________________________

               DO Now - Copy into Composition Notebook    




          Cut and Paste these words to Vocabulary List I 

           4.  impulse n. (impulsive, impulsively) a sudden wish or urge.

          Even though he had the impulse to run and hide, Laron courageously stood strong and faced the bully.

          5.  intuition n. (intuitively, intuit) a sense of knowing; an insight.

          Meagan trusted her intuition about her date and left the restaurant without saying goodbye because she had a feeling something was odd.

          6.  lapse n. (lapsed, lapsing) to sink or slip gradually.

          While waiting to go on stage, Alvin experienced a momentary lapse into stage fright, but he pulled himself out of it and went on with the show.
          _______________________________________

               Learning Target(s)                                   
          • I can explain what inferencing is.
          • I can use inferencing to determine the purpose of a character in a dramatic scene.
          ________________________________________

               Mini-Lesson:  What is Inferencing?         
             
          • Watch this video on Inferencing...
          • Inference:  a thought process a reader makes to understand the meaning of text, or even an image; a logical conclusion.

            • When you infer, you pay attention to the details in front of you, and you use other information (from the text, or your background knowledge) to mentally fill in the gaps between the details that are actually said or shown, and what the author expects the reader to understand. 
          ________________________________________

               Work Time                                                
          • Watch your teacher model a skit that requires the audience to draw an inference to determine the purpose of a character in a scene.  Then...
          • Divide into groups of 3-4 people.
          • Create a skit that requires the audience to draw an inference about the purpose of a character in your scene.
          • No words allowed!
          • Perform it for the class.
          • You will be graded on how well the audience can identify the purpose of the main character of your skit.

          How will you be graded?
            • A - The audience could easily infer the purpose of the main character of your skit.
            • B - Some of the class could easily infer the purpose of the main character of your skit.
            • C - Only a few people could infer the purpose of the main character.
            • D - Audience could on guess as to the purpose of the main character.
            • F - There was no purpose or the actors did not take their role seriously and laughed throughout the performance.
          ________________________________________

               Assessment / Homework       
            • Your grade will be determined on how well the audience can use inferencing to determine the purpose of your skits main character.




               TUESDAY    9-25    C-Day:  Inferencing Part II     

                 Announcements     

            • Check your Gmail!
            • Are you ready to perform your skit?
            • Be seated, quiet and working before the bell!
            • Check out Google Classroom for an awesome new contest!
            ______________________________________

                 DO Now - Copy      

            Add these two new words to Vocabulary List I
            7.  reverie n. (reveries) a daydream.
            Like most of her daydreams about Carl, in this reverie, she found herself at the carnival taking selfies and holding hands.


            8.   meditation – (meditate, meditating, meditates, meditated) an act of deep thinking or reflection.


                Before Kalvin made the decision to break up with Sherise, he meditated on it deeply for several days.

            _______________________________________

                 Learning Target(s)     
            • I can explain what inferencing is.
            • I can use inferencing to determine the purpose of a character in a dramatic scene.
            _______________________________________

                 Mini-Lesson:  Review of Inferencing      
               
            • Inferencing - coming up with a logical conclusion based on 1) Textual evidence (something you see) and 2) Your own personal experience.
            ________________________________________

                 Work Time                                
            • Finish performing group skits.
            • How will you be graded?
              • A - The audience could easily infer the purpose of the main character of your skit.
              • B - Some of the class could easily infer the purpose of the main character of your skit.
              • C - Only a few people could infer the purpose of the main character.
              • D - Audience could on guess as to the purpose of the main character.
              • F - There was no purpose or the actors did not take their role seriously and laughed throughout the performance.
            ________________________________________

                 Assessment / Homework                         
              1. How well was the audience able to draw inferences from your skit?




                 WEDNESDAY   9-26    D-Day:  Analyzing Your Classwork and Grades       

                   Announcements     

              • Check your Gmail!
              • Be seated, quiet and working before the bell!
              ________________________________________

                   DO Now - Take the Sentence Structure Challenge                      

                Go to www.quill.org and log in using your Google Credentials!  Then, take Sentence Structure Challenge!

               _______________________________________

                   Learning Target(s)                                
              • I can analyze my classwork to understand what I did well and where I need to improve!

              ________________________________________

                   Mini-Lesson:  How to Analyze Your Classwork          
                 
              • Mr. DeGrandis will demonstrate how to read comments and interpret your grades for assignments in Google Classroom and ReadWorks!
                ________________________________________

                     Work Time                                           
                • Complete Assignment 16.5 in Google Classroom

                ________________________________________

                     Assessment / Homework                     
                    • TURN IN Assignment 16.5 before the end of the period.





                       THURSDAY     9-27    A-Day:  Gallery Walk     


                         Announcements     

                    • Check your Gmail!
                    • Be seated, quiet and working before the bell!
                    ________________________________________

                         DO Now - Copy         

                      Add these two new words to Vocabulary List I
                      9.   tedious adj.– (tediously) boring, tiresome because of length, slowness or dullness.
                          Every minute she waited for her mother to pick her up after school became more tedious because she had nothing to do.

                      10. 
                      perverse adj.– (perverted, pervert) turned away from what is right or good.
                          Gizelle thought it was a perverted twist of fate that she wound up in an interview with Cara Smithers, the woman she bullied relentlessly in eighth grade.

                       _______________________________________

                           Learning Target(s)                                
                      • I can draw inferences from graphic textual evidence.
                      • I can support my inferences with textual evidence from a photo.
                      • I can participate in discussions about a text with a partner, small group, and the whole class.
                      ________________________________________

                           Mini-Lesson:  Gallery "Walk"          
                         
                      • Review: Take the Inferencing Quiz in Google Classroom, Assignment 16.0!
                      • What is a Gallery walk and how does it work?
                        • A gallery walk is a chance for you to view a text.
                        • How it works:  You have the chance to view a collections of photos and write down details you notice about each one.
                        ________________________________________

                             Work Time                                  
                        • Complete Assignment 17.0 in Google Classroom.
                        • View each photo for 60 seconds.  Your teacher will set a timer.
                        • Then...
                          • Record what you notice and wonder about on your chart.
                        ________________________________________

                             Assessment / Homework                             
                            • TURN IN Assignments 16.0 and 17.0 for classwork Grades!



                             FRIDAY    9-28    B-Day:  DIRT Day