Monday, October 28, 2013

AP Lit 3G: Struggles with a Hotel Room

We tackled Matt Rasmussen's "In Whoever's Hotel Room This Is" today . . .

We left with more questions than answers . . . not so ironic since we started the day with working around questions.




Humanities: Poverty Questions, Power Voting & Of Mice & Men

Today in Humanities we'll continue the work we started on Friday.





We need to complete our sorting and then identify 4 questions in each group that the group believes to be valuable, meaningful and interesting questions worth answering/solving.  

We'll compile those 16 questions (4 groups X 4 questions) and run a PowerVote through Google Drive.  The 4 questions that receive the most votes become the focus of our unit.  After we vote, we'll run a "How Might We?" session to brainstorm ways we can go about answering those questions.

Meanwhile . . . as Mr. Ryder pulls together those 16 questions, Mr. Dunbar has an article from CNN.com and a Three 4 Thinking graphic organizer to help you understand the article.  Remember: graphic organizers aren't there to be annoying "worksheets" -- they are there to help you sort, organize, and think about the information you are getting from a reading/viewing/listening.  They also help the teacher folk in the room to determine whether or not you "get it."  

Homework

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd: Post 3 images/symbols that represent the 1st quarter for you; after posting the images, write a single paragraph of explanation
Due: Friday, Nov. 1

Complete/Revise (If You Choose): Cardboard Challenge IGNITE & Essay
Due: Friday, Nov. 1 (Grades closing!)


AP Lit 3G: Analyzing Poetry & Affinity Mapping

We'll start class with an affinity mapping exercise to prime our brains for a graded class discussion on Wednesday.

It will involve sorting our Lot Jot questions and trying to find common qualities amongst the questions we ask.  Our goal: to determine the qualities that make up effective, meaningful questions.  Thus, we'll start by sorting our questions into categories and threads that make sense to us.  And then we'll describe them.

This should put us into a good place for asking powerful, important questions about "J. Alfred" on Wednesday.

As should . . . .

Analyzing one or two more of our poems.  We did a great job with Weise's "Goodbyes" last week.





 How do we want attack Smith's "Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah" or Rasmussen's"Skyscrapers?"

Homework

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd: Post 3 images/symbols that represent the 1st quarter for you; after posting the images, write a single paragraph of explanation
Due: Friday, Nov. 1

Prepare to Discuss:
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
Examine the Discussion Rubric
Due: Wednesday, Oct 30

Read & Complete: Award Winning/Finalist Book Project
Due: Tuesday, Nov. 5
Prepare for Gallery Walk & Optional Choice to Present

PACE: PACE 2013 2.0 Begins

Today we start by getting into our Ohana Teams; Ohana Teams are the support teams I've been asked to craft based on my understanding of strengths and weaknesses, personalities and talents.

Then we'll look at how to create our new Weekly Work Plans using the Google Spreadsheet.

From there, you'll have time to write the first paragraph of your Product, Process, Outcome written reflection for the I Am Hero Project.  You'll have 15 minutes in each class to work on this, one paragraph each.  You are welcome to work on it at home.  I think that you'll be able to create some quality first draft writing here in class.

What's next?  We'll get out of our Ohana Teams and start the process of unpacking our 10th grade reading, writing and researching standards as we gear up for our "Music Is Poetry Is Music" unit starting Friday/Tuesday.

What does unpacking look like?  We'll take the standards like this:

And turn them into language you can understand.  

We'll also do some "How Might We?" work with these to generate ideas for formative and summative assessments.  Formawha?  Exactly.  We need to learn this stuff so you can craft your own this winter and spring.

Homework

Blog:
3+ Posts
Req'd: Post 3 images/symbols that represent the 1st quarter for you; after posting the images, write a single paragraph of explanation

Complete/Revise: 
I Am Hero Projects & Revisions
I Am Hero Graphic Organizers & Revisions
I Am Hero Product, Process, Outcome

PACE: Behind the Curtain

My plans for this week.