Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

November 14, 2012 (Blue)

B2 - Checked Draft #3 of the Comparative Analysis paper.  Students peer-edited for about half of the block today.  With the remainder of the period, we began discussing the Research-Based Analysis paper and its requirements.  Assignment:  Complete Draft #4 of the Comparative Analysis paper.  This will be collected on Friday for my comments.  In addition, please generate at least 3 solid questions to use as the basis for your Research-Based Analysis paper.  You will only choose one of the three questions, but I want you to have some solid options.  No one will be allowed to have the same topic for this last paper. 

B3/B4 - Acuity Testing in the computer lab today.  Assignment:  Complete the Advertising Assignment.  The project is due from this class on Friday at the beginning of the block.

November 13, 2012 (Gold)

G2 - Acuity Testing in the computer lab today.  Assignment:  Please be working on your Advertising Assignment.  You will have the entire block on Thursday to work on this project during class.  The project is due from this class on Monday at the beginning of the block. 

G3 - Checked Draft #2 of the Comparative Analysis.  Students peer-edited their papers and worked on revisions.  When given the option of working in the lab for the second half of the block, students turned down the opportunity.  Assignment:  Draft #3 due for peer-editing again on Thursday.  I will take Draft #4 from you on Monday.  For the second half of the block on Thursday, we will need to begin the Research-Based Analysis Unit.

G4 - Acuity Testing in the computer lab today.  Assignment:  SAT Vocab. Test #17 on Thursday.  In addition, please be working on your Advertising Assignment.  After the vocab. test on Thursday, you will have the rest of the block to work on this project during class.  The project is due from this class on Monday at the beginning of the block.

November 12, 2012 (Blue)

Mrs. Northouse was out today for a conference in Bloomington for W131.  Sorry for the delay.

B2 - Carly F. checked drafts.  Students peer-edited and worked on revisions.  Assignment:  Draft #3 due for peer-editing again on Wednesday.  Please make sure you complete the Works Cited page.  I will take the drafts for my comments on Friday.

B3/B4 - Students were given the entire block to work on their Advertising Assignment.  Projects are DUE on Friday.  Assignment:  Acuity testing on Wednesday.  In the meantime, work on the Advertising Assignment.  The project is due at the beginning of the block on Friday.  No late projects will be accepted. 

November 9, 2012 (Gold)

G2 - Mastery Test over Run-ons and Fragments today.  After the test, we watched, discussed, and took notes over some additional campaign ads from YouTube.  At the end of the block, I walked through the Advertising Assignment with everyone and asked them to meet with their groups to plan their work day for next time.  Assignment:  Please work on your Advertising Assignment.  You have a little over one week to complete this project.  In class on Tuesday, you will be taking the Acuity test.  You will then have the whole block on Thursday to work on your project.  Start now... don't wait!

G3 - Checked Draft #1 of the Comparative Analysis paper.  We read through and discussed several sample introduction and analysis paragraphs and spent some time talking about the differences between a good question and a bad question might be.  I gave students a copy of the Guidelines for Comparative Analysis writing, then they spent time peer-editing and reviewing scenes in the movie for the rest of the block.  Assignment:  A full and complete draft of the paper (Draft #2) is due on Tuesday for peer-editing.  Please include the Works Cited page.  Bring your own device. - just in case there is no lab available.

G4 - Fire Drill!  :)  Once we got back inside, students took the Mastery Test over Run-ons and Fragments today.  After the test, we watched, discussed, and took notes over some additional campaign ads from YouTube.  At the end of the block, I walked through the Advertising Assignment with everyone and asked them to meet with their groups to plan their work day for next time.  Assignment:  Please work on your Advertising Assignment.  You have a little over one week to complete this project.  In class on Tuesday, you will be taking the Acuity test.  You will then have the whole block on Thursday to work on your project.  Start now... don't wait!

November 8, 2012 (Blue)

B2 - Checked Draft #1 of the Comparative Analysis paper.  We read through and discussed several sample introduction and analysis paragraphs and spent some time talking about the differences between a good question and a bad question might be.  I gave students a copy of the Guidelines for Comparative Analysis writing, then they spent time peer-editing for most of the rest of the block.  Assignment:  A full and complete draft of the paper (Draft #2) is due on Monday for peer-editing.  Please include the Works Cited page.  Bring your own device. - just in case there is no lab available.

B3/B4 - Mastery Test over Run-ons and Fragments today.  After the test, we watched, discussed, and took notes over some additional campaign ads from YouTube.  At the end of the block, I walked through the Advertising Assignment with everyone and asked them to meet with their groups to plan their work day for next time.  Assignment:  Please work on your Advertising Assignment.  Monday will be the ONLY day you will  have to work in class on this assignment.  The project is due at the beginning of the block on Friday of next week.  You have one week to complete it!  Use your time wisely! 

November 7, 2012 (Gold)

G2 - Grammar Practice: Run-ons, Fragments, and Sentences.  Students completed a worksheet in class for practice today.  Next we began watching and evaluating political ads for their claims, support, counterarguments, purpose, messages, persuasive techniques, etc.  We were able to watch and discuss two ads today.  We will continue this activity in class on Friday.  Assignment: None!

G3 - Students finished watching Cinderella Man in class today.  After spending some time reviewing a variety of scenes, we reviewed the requirements and focus of the paper a little bit.   Assignment:  Draft #1 due on Friday.  This includes your title (which is the question you want to answer in the paper), the Introduction paragraph (including your thesis), and your 2-3 Analysis paragraphs which answer the question raised.  Be sure to write these analysis paragraphs about the movie and create them as a three-way conversation about one aspect of the question.  The three voices are your own, Bettelheim's, and Yolen's.  Use the overlapping ideas between the articles and the list of 14 variants as a starting point for generating a question that will work well in this paper. 

G4 - Grammar Practice: Run-ons, Fragments, and Sentences.  Students completed a worksheet in class for practice today.  We spent some time reviewing the notes on Argument and Persuasion, including Logos, Pathos, Ethos.  Next we began watching and evaluating political ads for their claims, support, counterarguments, purpose, messages, persuasive techniques, etc.  We were able to watch and discuss two ads today.  We will continue this activity in class on Friday.  Assignment: None!

November 6, 2012 (Blue)

B2 - Students finished watching A Cinderella Story in class today.  After spending some time reviewing a variety of scenes, we reviewed the requirements and focus of the paper a little bit.  At the very end of the block, I passed back graded Comparative Critiques.  Assignment:  Draft #1 due on Thursday.  This includes your title (which is the question you want to answer in the paper), the Introduction paragraph (including your thesis), and your 2-3 Analysis paragraphs which answer the question raised.  Be sure to write these analysis paragraphs about the movie and create them as a three-way conversation about one aspect of the question.  The three voices are your own, Bettelheim's, and Yolen's.  Use the overlapping ideas between the articles and the list of 14 variants as a starting point for generating a question that will work well in this paper. 

B3/B4 - Grammar Practice: Run-ons, Fragments, and Sentences.  Students completed a worksheet in class for practice today.  Next we began watching and evaluating political ads for their claims, support, counterarguments, purpose, messages, persuasive techniques, etc.  We were able to watch and discuss two ads today.  We will continue this activity in class on Thursday.  Assignment: None!

November 5, 2012 (Gold)

G2 - Quiz: "Montgomery Boycott."  Passed back graded work.  We spent some time discussing what students knew about the Civil Rights movement and transitioned into discussion of the piece they were asked to read for today.  Next, we worked on some grammar, including Ex. A on page 124 (#1-10).  Assignment: NONE!

G3 - Students watched Cinderella Man for most of the block today.  This movie will form the basis of the Comparative Analysis paper, so they were expected to take thorough and detailed notes over the movie.  Assignment: NONE!

G4 - Quiz: "Montgomery Boycott."  Journal:  Write about something you are not happy with about our society and would like to see the United States begin working to change.  Students shared their journals in small groups, and several volunteers read to the class today.  We then spent some time discussing the piece they were asked to read for today.  Finally, we worked on some grammar, including Ex. A on page 124 (#1-10).  Assignment: NONE!

November 2, 2012 (Blue)

B2 - Checked DEN's for "America's 'Cinderella'" for those who were absent on Wednesday.  Students watched A Cinderella Story for most of the block today.  This movie will form the basis of the Comparative Analysis paper, so they were expected to take thorough and detailed notes over the movie.  Assignment: NONE!

B3/B4 - Quiz: "Montgomery Boycott."  We briefly discussed what students knew about the Civil Rights movement and spent some time discussing the piece they read for today.  Next, we worked on grammar exercises, including Ex. A on page 121 (Evens only) and Ex. A on page 124 (#1-10).  Students in B4 watched the majority of  A Time for Justice, a short documentary on the Civil Rights Movement.  Assignment: NONE!

November 1, 2012 (Gold)

G2 - Quiz: "On Nuclear Disarmament."  Extra Credit Note assignment DUE.  Students then worked with partners to create a set of notes over the Claim, Support, and Counterarguments for this piece.  We discussed the essay then worked on Grammar.  We read and discussed pages 120-121 in the Grammar Book.  In Exercise A on page 121, we went through the odd questions together.  Students then completed the "evens" on their own and turned this in for a grade.  Assignment:  Read "Montgomery Boycott" (p. 882+) and be ready for a quiz on Monday.

G3 - Checked DEN's for "America's 'Cinderella'" and discussed Yolen's article for quite a while.  Next, we reviewed the Comparative Analysis assignment briefly in order to prepare for watching the video on Monday.  Groups discussed overlapping ideas between Yolen and Bettelheim, then transitioned into a brief conversation about Research-Based Analysis topics.  Assignment: NONE!  Be prepared to start watching the movie in class next time.  You will be expected to take thorough and detailed notes!

G4 - SAT Vocab. Test #16 and Quiz: "On Nuclear Disarmament."  Extra Credit Note Assignment DUE.  Journal:  MANY CHOICES... topic was Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Technology, Nuclear Power, etc... Students shared their journals, then we wrapped up our day with a quick grammar exercise on Run-ons.  Assignment:  Read "Montgomery Boycott" (p. 882+) and be prepared for a quiz on Monday.