Genesis: Students have delved into their investigation of Ancient China in our Ancient Civilizations unit.  We introduced the project, and students learned skills for book and online research.  We practiced effective notetaking strategies and began our paragraph drafts.  I led a workshop minilesson on topic sentence development and revision in Block 5.  Students have extension opportunities for their ancient civ subject to enrich their engagement with the material through higher-order thinking (synthesizing and creating).

Genesis X Block: We began a novel study of Conrad Richter’s A Light in the Forest. The foundation of our interpretive discussion is College of William and Mary gifted curriculum framework, the Literature Web.

Legacy: We continued reading and writing workshop.  Students continued their daily freewrite in class.  We began prewriting and drafting for the comparative essay this week.  Our minilessons explored a prewriting strategy as well as an analysis of text structures in comparative essays (block style and point-by-point style).  In order to review our three persuasive appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos), we analyzed portions of Rod Blagojevich’s closing argument for his impeachment trial.  Students took their SAT vocabulary assessment.

Explorers: In Mrs. Franks’ classroom, we participated in monologue presentations.  In writing, students continued the poetry unit with Ms. Iannotti.  We will return to pull-out after this week’s monologues and common assessment.  Students took their SAT vocabulary assessment.

Genesis: Two paragraphs for your ancient civilizations report are due Monday, February 2.

Legacy: Your next letter-essay is due Monday, February 9.

Explorers: Continue preparation for monologue performances on Tuesday, February 3.

Genesis: Continue daily independent reading.  You may work on the enrichment extension extra credit outside of school.

Legacy: Continue daily independent reading.

Explorers: SAT quiz on Friday 1/30.  Continue monologue practice (your monologue performances are on Monday 2/2!)

Genesis: Continue daily independent reading.

Legacy: Study for SAT quiz on Thursday 1/29.  You may continue prewriting/brainstorming your comparative essay.

Explorers: Study for SAT quiz on Friday 1/30.  Practice your monologue performances.

Genesis: Note Ancient Civilizations deadlines.  Continue 30 minutes of daily independent reading.

Legacy: Study for SAT quiz on Thursday 1/29.  Continue brainstorming/prewriting comparison essay topics.

Explorers: Continue monologue preparation for performances this week.

Genesis Reading/Writing: In reading workshop, students honed their “cut to the bone” summarization skills with current news articles and were assessed on their knowledge.  They also were assessed on their Caesar’s English vocabulary knowledge.  We continued with individual student conferences to monitor reading response and text analysis.  In writing workshop, our focus on word choice (diction) led us to analyze works by Karen Russell and Primo Levi, and we invented our own fragment-filled and run-on sentence-laden paragraphs inspired by the works of William Faulkner and John Ashbery.

Genesis X: We concluded our independent study roundtable this week through discussion and questioning.  Student-chosen topics discussed: Is time travel possible?  How will climate change affect the way our maps are drawn?  To what extent have world cultures imagined the end of time?  What caused our current economic crisis?  Will we colonize Mars?

Legacy Reading/Writing: Students continued working on nonfiction reading strategies (main idea/essential/supporting details) during reading workshop.  We reviewed our Reasoning Web and continue to apply it to problem solving and critical thinking.  Students expect an assessment on their knowledge of the Reasoning Web during the coming week.  Students learned the rhetorical appeals logos, ethos, and pathos and practiced their application.  We ended our week with vocabulary practice and a perspective check.

Explorers Reading/Writing: Students created and practiced their monologues this week.  Each student was individually coached to develop their written and performance work.  Topics discussed: How can we infer theme from language?  How can character motivation be implied?  How can we embody the stance and carriage of separate characters?  How can we transition between characters in a multipart monologue performance?

Genesis: No reading logs this week.  30 minutes independent reading daily.  Bring in your current events articles for Tuesday.

Legacy: 30 minutes independent reading daily.  SAT vocabulary quiz on Thursday 1/29–study daily!

Explorers: Monologues performances are underway.  Practice daily!

Genesis: No independent reading logs due Friday, but continue independent reading.

Legacy: Continue independent reading.  Bring SAT materials to class on Friday.

Explorers: Monologue performances begin Friday.  Practice!

Genesis Reading/Writing: Continue independent reading.

Legacy Reading/Writing: SAT Vocabulary study/continue independent reading.

Explorers Reading/Writing: Booktalks memorization and practice!

Genesis Reading/Writing: Reading logs from Friday will be collected tomorrow 1/21.  

Legacy Reading: Continue independent reading.  Any revised work for midterms due tonight by midnight.

Explorers Reading/Writing: Booktalks prep/memorization.  Any revised work for midterms due tonight by midnight.