Roberts Honors American Literature

Presentations Begin Today

2013-06-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Grade Presentations Here

END OF THE YEAR SURVEY HERE

Write a letter to yourself in September with futureme.org

Embed your presentation on your blog.

Working on presentations

2013-06-03T09:20:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell. Your two book reviews are due Thursday. All books are due back to Mrs. R by Thursday also.

Today you get time to work on your final presentation. See posts below for requirements and tips. Ask if you need help. Remember words are for you and they go on your note cards. Your audience prefers images.

I will be at a training tomorrow. You will keep working on your presentations.

Your Work is Due When?

2013-05-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

A quick recap of things we talked about today and due dates.

5/31 Friday: Your feature article is due in Google docs. (You do not need to print it.)
Revisit THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET if you need to.
We drew numbers for your presentations that begin Wednesday 6/5 next week. If you weren't here be sure to ask Mrs. R what your number is. Students will present in the order of their numbers regardless of the date. Be ready to present when your number is called. (Unexcused absences will lower your grade.) We will finish presentations on 6/11 during our final block.
We will return textbooks as a class on Tuesday 6/4. Bring all of your textbooks to school that day. You may keep any books you need to study for finals.
Book reviews are due on Thursday 6/6. Be sure to submit links to both of your book reviews via the BOOK REVIEW FORM.
If you have any late work outstanding the very last day I will even think about accepting it is 6/6.
Return any books you have borrowed from Mrs. R.

Today we also reviewed the presentation criteria that you will use for scoring presentations.

Presenter clearly and enthusiastically presents about his or her topic for 3-5 minutes.
Presentation includes strong visuals (with minimal text) or a creative representation of the material.
Presenter is a credible expert on the topic speaking knowledgeably, citing references and other experts, including relevant statistics and informative facts.
Presenter engages the audience with eye contact, questions, and humor, while educating them about the topic of the presentation.

I also showed you this presentation with tips for presentations. Remember minimal text.

If you wish to use a slide based presentation strategy please use a Google Presentation (shared with Mrs. R) or a Prezi (set to public and email a link to Mrs. R.). If you wish to make a video or another form of project check with Mrs. R and good luck.

Amazing Progress and Fabulous Infographics

2013-05-29T09:05:00.004-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

I have another quick survey for you. Please fill out THIS FORM. Your data (aggregated) will become part of our lesson in a moment. (Wondering what aggregated means? Google it.)

Today I will attempt to demo http://piktochart.com/ If you are ready to play with infographics great. If you are still trying to get a draft together then focus on that.

Progress and Infographics

2013-05-28T09:24:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

Then complete this form regarding your progress on your article.

Then some of you can begin playing with infographics.
46 Tools for Making Infographics

Draft Due Thursday Before Class

2013-05-21T12:09:00.001-07:00

Feature Article Prep

2013-05-15T09:20:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

This week we have looked at a second example of a feature article and annotated it to see into the author's work more deeply. Are you prepared to do the same work with regard to your expert project?

Are you prepared to write an article that includes both narrative and expository?
Do you know enough specific stories related to your topic?
Do you know enough about the past, present, and future of your topic?
Who can you interview to get some quotes related to your topic that could become part of your article?
Have you done enough research on your topic?
Will you be able to blend stories and examples about your topic with expository information for the reader?

Expert Project Feature Article Prompt

Time Sequencing in Feature Articles

2013-05-07T09:30:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

One of the qualities of a good feature article is that the writer can give the reader a "big picture" of the topic he or she is writing about. Being able to write about the past, present and future of the subject is an important part of this.

Look again at the article you read yesterday. Find and label the places where the article is talking about the past, present and future of passwords. Notice how the author transitions between those sections. How does he sequence them in the article?

Do you know enough about the past, present, and future of your expert project topic? Write a list of questions you still need to find answers about. Do some research on those tonight.

Reading today with the Say Something Protocol

2013-05-06T09:16:00.001-07:00

We will read at the bell.

Today you will read an article called "Kill The Password". You will read with a partner and use the protocol below. We are looking at an example of an expert project here. (If you are absent start reading the article on your own. The link goes to the online version.)

Getting Newsy With It

2013-05-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

Palm Beach Post, July 27, 1969

Testing is over and we have reached the final six week grading period of the year. By now you should have selected your last recommended book for independent reading, returned your Gatsby book to the library, and begun some more serious research into your expert project.

We will read at the bell.

Yesterday (or Wednesday for period 3) I showed you how to use the Google News Archive.
Today I would like you to use it to find a source related to your topic and blog about it. Use the snipping tool to add an excerpt picture from your news article. Include a caption and a link back to the original article. Or use Google Scholar to find academic research about your topic.

The Palm Beach Post - Jul 27, 1969

Images added from At Last Man Enters The Moon Age, The Palm Beach Post July 27, 1969

Using the Google News Archive

2013-05-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon,

We read at the bell.

Our lesson today is about how to use the Google News Archive to find information about your topic from a long time ago.

Here is a video about how to do it and you can watch it again at home if you need to.

Becoming Experts

2013-04-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

CC Attribution License Tribe Sports

We will read at the bell.

This week we will get back to working on our Expert Projects intensely. This will be our primary focus for the end of the year as you prepare to wrap up your project and present about what you learned. Don't worry there is still time to learn more.

Today I will show you some examples of great expert project notes and a great blog.
The point is not just to find information on your topic, but to be writing about what you found and how that affects your thinking about the subject.

Your post for today on your Expert Project Blog should be about a person of interest related to your research question. This could be a person related to your topic or another expert on the topic.

Grades are posted. Check Zangle. The grade you see there is the grade on your progress report. Progress reports go home on Friday.

Catch up day

2013-04-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon, (Wow I almost never get to say that, but we are meeting after lunch because of our testing schedule.)

We will read at the bell.
I have an important GearUp announcement for you.
You will get to work on
Your essays (due Tuesday 4/23)
Your book reviews (due Thursday 4/25)
Any other work you are missing or need to make up.

Write a Gatsby essay in 12 easy paragraphs...

2013-04-16T14:14:00.002-07:00

It's been a busy week and it's only Tuesday.

Yesterday, we watched most of the second half of The Great Gatsby movie.
Today we learned a strategy for planning a complex essay.

Tonight you should be working on the central paragraphs of your essay. Do not worry about introductions yet. Skip to writing about the characters and their moral issues.

Need to see the prompt again? (Yes, you do.)
Note due date changes. Draft now due THURSDAY 4/18 and Final draft now due TUESDAY 4/23.

BOOK REVIEWS DUE THURSDAY 4/25
Write one about your choice book and one about The Great Gatsby.

Watching The Great Gatsby

2013-04-12T11:24:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

Today we have been watching the first half of The Great Gatsby film. I gave you a sheet to keep track of the immoral actions of the characters as you prepare for your essays. If you prefer I have shared the organizer with you as a Google Doc in your view only folder. We will finish watching the film Monday.

Gatsby turned out all right in the end...

2013-04-11T09:16:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

Yesterday, we finished reading up through chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby, but some of you weren't finished with seven. You should now be finished with both chapters and it's time to take those quizzes. If you are here you take the quiz. (You can also take the quiz if you aren't here.)

Chapter 7 Quiz
Chapter 8 Quiz

When you finish the quizzes find a partner to read Chapter 9 with you. Stop every few pages and ask yourselves the "teacher" questions I would ask you. Pay attention to what Nick learns from Gatsby's father and also to how people treat Gatsby now.

You must read the article of the week AND write about it in your English Journal BEFORE class begins tomorrow if you want to be able to watch the film. See the post below this one for more info on that.

Lets go to town..

2013-04-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell and then continue with Chapter 7.
Pay attention to which people are riding in each car.

You also have an Article Of the Week (AOW) this week about the American Dream again.
Read it carefully. What do you notice. Do you think things have improved or gotten worse since this was written? Quantifying America's Decline

Let's go to town...

2013-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back,

We will read at the bell. I expect a lot of you have books to return and need new ones too.

Today we will take on chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby. Before we do, I want to introduce you to the process prompt we will be writing about very soon. I want you to know what it is as we finish the novel so you can begin to think about it.

PROCESS PROMPT

Class and the American Dream

2013-03-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

CHAPTER 6 QUIZ

Today we will be discussing the article of the week that you read and wrote about. We will use m.socrative.com. Enter room number 6867.

Hopefully we will have time for the beginning of chapter 7.

Party at Gatsby's

2013-03-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

CHAPTER 5 QUIZ

Reminder see the post from yesterday about your AOW. Read it. Write about it and be ready for a quick quiz about it tomorrow.

Chapter 6

Ch 4 Quiz, AOW and Chapter 5

2013-03-26T09:07:00.002-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

Last night your homework was to finish reading chapter 4
We will begin today with your CHAPTER 4 QUIZ.

You have an Article of the Week this week. It is an editorial from the New York Times.
Class and The American Dream
Read and respond to the article in your English Journal before class on Thursday.
When you respond explain the point the author is making and explain the extent to which you agree or disagree with the author and why. Also explain how this article relates to The Great Gatsby.

Today we will begin chapter 5.

HOMEWORK: Finish reading chapter 5

Continuing Ch 4

2013-03-25T09:16:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell. Make sure you have your book out when it rings.

Today we will be continuing with chapter 4. Please have a tab open to m.socrative.com and join 6867 to get the questions I will be sending you.

If you need to read chapter 4 online you can find it here. CHAPTER 4.

You got these questions for chapter 4 last week. Here they are again. You quiz will include these and a few more.

Who is Klipspringer?
What does Gatsby tell Nick about himself?
What "matter" did Gatsby have Jordan Baker discuss with Nick?
Who is Wolfshiem?
What does Wolfshiem tell Nick about Gatsby?
What does Jordan tell Nick about Daisy, Gatsby and Tom?

Taking the EAP today...

2013-03-22T09:16:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

Today we will be taking the first portion of the EAP test. EAP stands for Early Assessment Program. This test will assess your readiness for college level writing. Based on the work you did on your Civil Disobedience essays and your performance overall on the essay on your final in January, I think you are all very prepared for this assessment.

Your essay will be scored according to the same scoring guide you used to evaluate your Civil Disobedience essay, which is also the same scoring guide I used to assess your final. Overall, you did well on both of those and so I expect you will do well on this test too.

Performing well on this test (and some extra multiple choice questions when you take the CST in April) may qualify you to be exempt from some college placement exams for English next year.

For more information about the Early Assessment Program please visit http://www.calstate.edu/eap/about.shtml

Chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby

2013-03-21T09:14:00.001-07:00

Good morning,

If you did your homework then you need to take the CHAPTER 3 QUIZ.
If you did not do your homework then you will be getting a paper version of the quiz from me.

Questions for chapter 4:

Who is Klipspringer?
What does Gatsby tell Nick about himself?
What "matter" did Gatsby have Jordan Baker discuss with Nick?
Who is Wolfshiem?
What does Wolfshiem tell Nick about Gatsby?
What does Jordan tell Nick about Daisy, Gatsby and Tom?

Starting Chapter 3

2013-03-20T09:20:00.002-07:00

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

When your computer is ready take your CHAPTER 2 QUIZ.

Today we will start on chapter 3.

Describe Gatsby's Wealth?
What kind of people come to Gatsby's parties?
Why did Nick Carraway go to the party?
How does Nick meet Gatsby?
What are some of the stories about Gatsby?
Is Gatsby a "phony"?
Describe Nick's relationship with Jordan?

Homework: Read the end of chapter 3 and write a half page summary in your own words about the events at the end of the chapter. (This summary is your ticket to the online quiz tomorrow. Without it you will have to take the quiz on paper, without your notes and without multiple choices.,)