PACE: Today and Moving Forward

Conflict Essay Rubric


Had this ready for folks a while back, but I don't think it got posted here.

On Tuesday, I will be focusing my energies on helping individuals with their essays and graphic organizers.  While I'm working with individuals, it would be in your best interest to either work on your own OR find a small group to workshop your writing with.

And the final.  In the spirit of the class, there will be multiple avenues to completing your final that will be in multiple parts to assess multiple standards.
Reading.
Writing.
Media.
Vocabulary.
MUGS.
Listening & Speaking.

You will be able to choose to do the bulk of your final at home before hand or do the bulk of it at the final itself.  It will be formally assigned next Monday.

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ Posts
Due: Friday, May 30
Req'd Post:  If you could design the PERFECT final assessment, what would it look like?  How would you be certain that it shows what you know?

Vocab
QUACK Unit 3 Part 1
Quiz: Next Wednesday, June 4

Books & Essays
Keep GOING!

PACE: Essay Workshopping & QUACK quiz Unit 2 Part 2

On Tuesday, we have some major docket items.

One is a QUACK Quiz for Unit 2 Part 2.  That's coming up to close out the day rather than start it.

The other is an intense essay writing workshop.  With the end of the year nearing, I want to make sure folks feel like they can turn those drafts in to me that would have been even more fantastic last week.  I've got some ideas as to how we can make this an active, moving, not just sitting and writing and listening experience on Tuesday.  So let's do that.

Here are some of the ideas that came out of last week's workshop.

The idea here is that you can see how I use a bunch of different organizational methods to pre-write and help Natalie with her essay.  The content isn't what matters most in these images -- what matters most is seeing how I used some webbing and visual mapping, as well as some outlining to help determine a clear thesis statement and the points to be made regarding that thesis statement.

REMEMBER!  A key aspect of the essay assignment is using text evidence -- that is a central part of the writing standard.  

Blog: 3+ Posts

Req'd: Discuss a conflict that you either witness on a regular basis or experience for yourself on a regular basis.  How would you like to see it resolved?  What do you believe is preventing it from being resolved?

ESSAYS & NOVELS!  CHECK THE DUE DATES SHARED DOC!  All req's are there!

AP Lit: Watchmen DT Installation Experiment Phase Moving to Production Phase

We've spent two days now in the workshop with people messing with ideas, Roman numerals being built, installation locations being determined, groups forming and gestating and gelling ideas.

WE ARE DEEP IN EXPERIMENT AND ABOUT TO MOVE INTO PRODUCTION PHASE of DEEP DT! 

This is exciting stuff.

There's gonna be a big clock.

Some things we need to keep in mind.

1) We need TEXT for the lobby.  We've determined that this should be a place where we have quotes from literary sources and beyond that relate to the themes of the installation -- Watchmen, any of our year texts, any music, any film, any history -- think like Moore, think like Gibbons, layer them in there.

We need a plan for displaying them.  Fonts to use.  Methods for display.  We have that cut printer which can create some cool stuff.  Maybe we can experiment a little with it on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I sent everyone the software to download if you'd like to get a head start.

One method we plan to use is sidewalk chalk if the weather cooperates.  That should be awesome.

2) We need a plan for the discrete Watchmen connections display outside the principal/tech director office.  Zack got started on this today, highlighting key panels we should incorporate.  We know we want to put masks in that display case.  And . . . ?

3) We need to communicate about what we are all doing.  I'm seeing awesome, awesome things happening.  And we need to make sure we are using the shared docs to convey information.  Also, make sure you know just where your installation locations are and be certain to plan your positive and negative connotations accordingly.   Everything is deliberate.

Here are some pics of the work we've been doing.

Deep diving into Watchmen

Applied mathematical knowledge in a literature course

Shaping one of the installation features

This thing looks really cool -- DaVinci & digital and mirrors and ... woah...

Prepping for B roll footage to be used in the documentary

Roman numerals

3D printing cheaper alternatives to the metal plates

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ POSTS

Req'd: #REMASH reflections; look at your own as well as several others; what trends do you notice in the #remashes?  In the interpretations?  What has this project revealed to you about language?  Poetry? Communication?  These are just prompts to get you started.  Looking for some meaningful critical commentary about the thinking evident in this project as we consider further collaborations down the road.

Also...

Document Your Watchmen Work!   Share! Connect!

COMPLETE: Analytical & Composition Process Project

DUE: Long time ago!

COMPLETE: #AyuhAloha REMASH! If you haven't.

Humanities: Romeo & Juliet & Being a Teenager

Romeo & Juliet kicks off our last four weeks or so.

During this time, we are going to look at what it means to be a teenager.

What are the universal truths that have lasted for centuries?

What are the truths that only exist now that we have social media to help us reach out further and have a greater impact?

How much power do we have to re-invent what it means to be a teenager?  That's the big essential question that will lead into the final.

In the first couple of days of Romeo & Juliet we looked at these aspects of being a teenager.

Emotions/Feelings
Hobbies/Interests
Beliefs/Values
Goals/Dreams

We started by focusing just on the teenage perspective.

And then we added  what we believe to be the adult perspective.

Then we took a page from Mr. DeMillo and made a Venn diagram for each aspect, identifying the common ground between adults and teenagers when it comes to defining what a teenager is like.

We used this information to make some conclusions about what the data suggests.

Armed with this thinking, we decided to look at Romeo & Juliet and see which of these ideas were true about teenagers and adult perceptions in 1600.

We are watching the 1968 Zefferelli version, because it provides the most traditional version of the story.  There is a 1997 version starring Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio.  It has a lot of plusses to it, but so much of the story is cut out and changed, it is a bit frustrating to say you've seen Romeo & Juliet if that's your only experience.  (There's also a 2013 version  from the creator of Downton Abbey, but I haven't seen it yet.)

We will continue this work on Monday and Tuesday and transition to what should be our final project on Wednesday. 

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ Posts

Req'd Post:  What qualities/characteristics of modern teenagers do you see playing out in Romeo & Juliet?  Be as specific as possible.  What do you think is missing in the film that would make it more realistic to your experience with other teenagers?  (Try to get beyond physical things like cellphones or iPads and such.)

CRAZY HELPFUL ROMEO & JULIET LINK:  Shakespeare Navigators

DEJS: 3 on Theme (May use Little Brother, To Kill a Mockingbird,  Of Mice & Men and Speak as source texts.)

Due: Last Wednesday

Freedom/Responsibility Project

Due: Last Week

Remember to Complete:

5-Paragraph Reflective Essay

Self Assessment Form

Due: Last Week

Watchmen DT Challenge Update & Next Steps: Empathy & Experiment

On Monday, a small but mighty team accomplished some incredibly important final Discovery stage thinking, as well as some significant empathy-driven decision making around themes and placement for the project.

Also, Annette, Kegan and Astra had the opportunity to meet with Ralph King via Skype.  Ralph is the documentary film producer coming on May 28th to capture the installation and the 29th to capture the student body response.  I've sent you a link so you can watch his Extreme By Design documentary about design thinkers at Stanford.

While this was going on, thematic pairs and their positive/negative connotations were being determined. This took considerable thinking and shaping and then we realized . . . we had too many.

Themes have now been culled down and their placement determined.  This is still subject to adjustment, but the layout has been drafted with consideration to user experience, thematic structure, and relationship to Watchmen.  Most exciting?  Everything right now is happening with intention.  (As a teacher, this is a fantastic feeling.) 

The Balcony to Main Street Order

The Main St to Balcony order

Note the blurred nature of the VI's --- there are four of them -- all blending into the gray areas of facts and truth, subjectivity and objectivity.  The team present thought it very apropos to have this at 6, the opposite end of from 12 and also near the Watchmen explanation installation.

HOMEWORK:

Blog: 3+ Posts

Req'd: Processing Watchmen. What are you making?  Who are you working with?  Why?  What are your ideas?  Ideate.  Explore.  Build.  Make.  Share.  Put it all on your blog.

Due: Friday, May 16

Poetry Collaboration Piece: #Remash of #AyuhAloha 

Get These Posted So We Have Time to Connect with HI and Debrief the Experience

Lots of Neat Collaborations Coming Out of This So FAR!

Due: Last Week

WATCHMEN INSTALLATION

MAY 28th:  Mark Your Calendars!  LATE NIGHT INSTALL PARTY!  POST CONCERT!

MAY 29th:  THE INSTALL!!!!!!!!