Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Thursday, January 29 - Research Paper and CRQ review

Objective: Continue to work on research paper in APA format and review for final CRQ tomorrow in order to demonstrate your strengths and capabilities that you worked so hard to earn this semester that will help you in your future endeavors.

DO NOW 

Reminders:

SIGNIFICANCE -= IMPORTANCE
example of a CRQ = "Why is the fact that the story is written in first person point of view significant


TO INFLUENCE means to "have an affect on"
Example of a CRQ = "Analyze how the city setting influences the actions of the lost dog?"

OBJECTIVE means either "purpose or goal" OR it can mean "fair and not biased."
Example - My objective in teaching you how to conduct research is to give you the tools necessary for your senior project.
OR
The story was written in third person objective so there was no bias; the author simply told the events exactly as they happened.

Direct 

Review how to ANALYZE:
1. Restate
2. Explain
3. Use quotes  or examples to support idea.
4. Concluding sentence.

Guided / Independent Instruction

Continue to work on research papers.

Check for Understanding

Individual Student checks

Closure

Review and Q & A regarding final CRQ tomorrow.

Exit Pass

What are the two definitions of the word OBJECTIVE?

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Wednesday, JAnuary 28

Objective: By the end of class, students will continue to research a topic, create a reference page from sources and formulate a thesis statement for a research essay in order to improve necessary communicative skills. Students will continue on and begin writing according to guidelines when sufficiently prepared.

DO NOW

Write down your Thesis statement for your research paper and submit to me. 

Direct Instruction

Review APA and finding sources. Use Knightcite, be sure to check "APA" and "website document" in left hand column prior to entering information.

Here is the link again to find topics / research sources:


Current event topics in several categories 


Review outline for constructing 5 paragraph research essay.

Guided / Independent

Continue to gather information about your topic / thesis from a minimum of THREE sources.

Create a reference page on google drive using your sources and Knight cite. This way, you will have the sites at your fingertips when you want to go back, reread and cut and paste a quote into your essay.

SHARE PAGE WITH ME  karenreina1@gmail.com

You can now start your essay.
1. Begin your introductory paragraph with an anecdote, question, quote or catchy phrase.
2. Ensure that your THESIS statement in contained in your introductory paragraph and is clearly identifiable.
3. At this point, you should already have sufficient information to develop each body paragraph from your sources. Remember to speak in your own words and then use at least one quote in each body paragraph to support your ideas.
4. Remember to include the "in-text" citation after inserting a quote into a body paragraph (last name of author, year, page #).

Don't worry about the conclusion today. 

Check for understanding

Individual Student checks

Exit Pass

Return chrome book to proper place and plug the correct charger to it.







Thursday, January 15, 2015

Friday, Research Topic and Thesis

Objective: By the end of class, students will research using google chrome books,choose a topic and develop a thesis statement in order to improve communication skills.

DO NOW

1. Why is referencing sources important?
2. What site can you use to help create APA citations?
3. After an "in-text" citation (quote), you need to show where you got it from. What do you put in the parentheses after the quote?
4. Why do you think it is important to use more than one source?

Direct Instruction / Guided / Independent

1. Research different controversial issues from the link below an decide on a topic that you would like to write about.

2. Once you choose a topic, then do some research on it and learn more about it. Use "research note taking" handout to gather ideas. Look for ideas to create a thesis about the topic. Think about what you more you want to learn about it and if you have an opinion about it. (I will collect this at end of class for a grade).

Current event topics in several categories 

If you like the topic an want to find sources on it, you may use the "footnotes & sources" link in the left column.  Click on it and many good sources will appear. Choose one that you want to read and then copy the title and google it. The article or source will appear for you to read and use as a reference if you like the information in it.

Once you gather enough information on a topic, You must translate the topic into a thesis statement. You may want to take a persuasive position. Example below:

TOPIC = Standardized tests

Thesis Statement = Standardized testing should be eliminated because it is not a fair way to assess students nationwide, it is very expensive and it hinders creativity.

Write your topic and thesis on note-taking handout prior to submitting to me.

Closure

Individual student checks. 

Exit Pass

Return chrome books in proper places and plug in with proper charger.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Wednesday, January 14 - Identify Thesis and paragraph content

Objective: By the end of class, students will identify thesis statements in introductory paragraphs in order to determine organization of research paper.

DO NOW

A thesis statement is the most important sentence of your whole research paper. It is found in the introductory paragraph and informs the reader of the topic or main idea of the essay as well as what information will be included in each paragraph (or section - depending on length of report).  

Direct Instruction

On handout, determine the thesis statement in each paragraph by underlining it. After identifying the thesis statement, determine what each body paragraph will be about.

Guided / Independent

Choose one example. What are some things you would google in order to obtain relevant information for your research paper?

Closure

Review

Exit Pass

What does "APA" stand for?

Monday, January 12, 2015

Thursday, Jan13, Conducting Research and References

Objective: By the end of class, students will practice finding and citing sources in order to prepare to write a properly formatted research paper.

DO NOW

WRITE THIS DOWN 
The website that will best help you create APA format is KNIGHTCITE  http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/index.php  

The purpose of APA is to show the reader where you obtained your information. If you do not show your sources on a research paper, it appears as if you are plagerizing. You will be required to use APA formatting on your senior project. 

Direct Instruction

Citing sources for reference page vs. "in text" citations.

Click here for video instructions

Guided / Independent

Use chrome books and knight cite to practice creating citations. To keep it simple, let's use the first thesis statement from yesterday's handout:

Street cleaning is important because it decreases pollution, it gives the city a better look and it increases employment.

Now:
1. Research and find one site for each component of the above thesis statement. That means you will have a total of 3 sources.
2. Look for .org or .edu or news articles.  
3. Look to see if there is an author and/or date of publication. 
4. For this paper, please only use sources that have authors and dates of publication. These are clues that the source is reputable (worth quoting or obtaining information).Remember that Wikipedia is NOT a reputable source. 
5. Enter all relevant information into "knightcite" and create a reference for each source. Save on your google drive AND SHARE WITH ME.


When done, peruse the following site to consider choosing a topic for your own research paper:

Current event topics in several categories 

Closure

Review steps and procedures.

Exit Pass

Why is it important to cite sources for a research paper? why is it important to use several sources?

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Friday, January 9 - Informational text / Primary and Secondary Sources

Objective: By the end of class, students will analyze informational text and determine primary and secondary sources in order to prepare for Keystones and improve literary comprehensive skills.

DO NOW

Copy into Notebooks

Objective - clear, factual - without opinion or bias / Usually found more in secondary sources such as textbooks and biographies (information gathered from several sources).

Subjective - clouded by a person's opinions; biased - usually a direct witness, a first hand account, someone that was "there" (autobiographies, personal letters, journals).

Direct Instruction

Soft Holt reader - read introduction to Informational Text / Primary and Secondary Sources - p 172

Guided / Independent

Choose either a Fireman's Story (p 192-193) or From a Lifeboat (p194-194), Answer all sidebar questions into notebooks.

Then - in constructed response format:

Analyze the effect of primary source in either of these first hand accounts. Do you think (evaluate) it is a completely factual account or might there be some bias? Explain by citing specific examples.

Closure 

Review answers 

Exit Pass

Name the components of a persuasive argument and explain why graphics or statistics might be used.

HW - Study for Monday Keystone

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Wednesday, January 7 - Review for Keystone

Objective: By the end of class, students will review vocabulary and literary devices and elements of persuasive writing in order to prepare for the Keystone exam.

DO NOW

Practice Keystone handout

Direct Instruction

Review QUIZ answers in detail and provide explanations for each.

Guided / Independent

USe the Argument / Counterargument article to answer the following constructed response:

Analyze how the author constructs his argument in order to persuade the reader that living in NYC is a good thing.

Closure

Review ad Q & A

HW - STUDY prefixes and suffixes and literary terms.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Tuesday, January 6, Keystone Review

OBJECTIVE: By the end of class, students will review elements of fiction and persuasive writing in order to prepare for the Keystone exam.

DO NOW

Keystone term definitions

Direct Instruction

Use Flightsend questions to review how to answer using multiple choice strategies.

Guided / Independent

18 question Review Quiz

1. What is a plot structure?
2. Can a plot structure apply to the literary form of Non- Fiction?
3. Why or why not?
4. A poem, short fiction and non-fiction, informational text and news articles are examples of different literary forms or  _____________?
5. What is a theme?
6. Can the same theme be contained in different genres?
7. Can there be more than one theme in a literary work?
8. What are some ways to identify theme?
9. Where can you usually find the MAIN IDEA of a paragraph?
10. In what genre will you find the most bias and propaganda?
11. What is MOOD?
12. What is Tone and how does it differ from mood?
13. Name two ways to describe an author's style.
14. What creates a good persuasive argument? What types of appeals would you look for (hint: there are three kinds).
15. If a question asks you 'How does the author construct his/her argument?," what are a few things you should mention in your response?

Closure

Review answers

Exit Pass

Why does an author often include a "counter-argument" when writing a persuasive speech or essay?

HW - Read the argument / counterargument essay and answer questions. 


Sunday, January 4, 2015

Monday , January 5 - Keystone review

Objective: By the end of class, students will review elements of fiction in order to prepare for the Keystone exam.

DO NOW

Keystone vocabulary review handout.

Direct Instruction

Review flashbacks, foreshadowing, hyperboles, similes, metaphors

Flashbacks

Hyperboles

similes and metaphors

foreshadowing

Irony


Guided / Independent

Read short exerpts on handouts and annotate to identify flashforward, flashbacks and irony.

Answer questions in full sentences on the back of each handout. We will use these excerpts for constructed responses as well.

Closure

Review Keystone terms and characteristics of fiction compared to non-fiction.

Exit Pass

How can you identify the theme of a short story? What are some things you can look for when trying to identify theme?

HW - Flashback handout - review / read and answer questions on back