Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

February 28, 2017 (Blue) ISTEP DAY #2

B1 - Mrs. Northouse was proctoring the ISTEP test today. Students reported to Mrs. Swain-Leswing's room and watched To Kill a Mockingbird.  The link is posted on Google Classroom, if needed. Assignment: Please finish the movie for next time.

B3/B4 - Students worked in small groups to complete an activity on Smart Technology. We discussed it and watched a short video about SMART homes of the future and then read Ray Bradbury's story, "There Will Come Soft Rains" (p. 306+).  Assignment: Please read “Inside the Home of the Future” (2 pages on Moodle) and do the following homework questions about the short story and the article: p. 314 #3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and p. 319 #1, 3 and 4.  Both of these pieces are posted on Moodle for you. There is also an audio link for Ray Bradbury's story, if you need it.

 

February 27, 2017 (Gold) ISTEP DAY #1

G1 - Mrs. Northouse was proctoring the ISTEP test today. Students reported to Mr. Kerkhof's room and watched To Kill a Mockingbird on their laptops.  The link is posted on Google Classroom, if needed. Assignment: Please finish the movie for next time.

G3 - Students worked in small groups to complete an activity on Smart Technology. We discussed it and watched a short video about SMART homes of the future and then read Ray Bradbury's story, "There Will Come Soft Rains" (p. 306+).  Assignment: Please read “Inside the Home of the Future” (2 pages on Moodle) and do the following homework questions about the short story and the article: p. 314 #3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and p. 319 #1, 3 and 4.  Both of these pieces are posted on Moodle for you. There is also an audio link for Ray Bradbury's story, if you need it.

G4 - Double-entries for "The Man Who Couldn't Stop Eating" DUE. We watched two more short videos on the subject of weight today. After some small group discussions about the videos, I checked DEN’s while students discussed topics addressed in the article with their groups. We briefly discussed the article today.  On the chalkboard, we attempted to map out some of the topics addressed in each article which might be used for comparisons. A picture of my chalkboard was then posted on Moodle. If you were absent, you might want to take a look at that. I distributed copies of the Comparative Critique assignment today (also on Moodle). Groups began to work on a shared sample chart together. All remaining time was spent working on these group charts (one row only for sample purposes).  We will be using this group chart to draft one sample analysis paragraph next week, so please be sure your group chart is completed ASAP.  Assignment: Complete your OWN Comparative Critique chart for the Comparative Critique (template on Moodle) using the 2 articles from this unit you wish to use for your paper.  Fill that chart with AMPLE support from each article.  This officially counts as a draft of the Comparative Critique paper for your participation grade, so please put some effort into it. You'll be really glad you did when we start drafting this paper later in the week.  Work on skimming through those supplementary reading assignments if you haven’t yet, especially the section on Introductions and Conclusions.

February 24, 2017 (Blue)

B1 - Most of the students were able to give their Review Presentations in class today.  Assignment: You will report to Mrs. Swain-Leswing’s room, 1112, on Tuesday. Please take earbuds and a fully charged MacBook with you - just in case.  If you have not finished reading the book, please get caught up by next week. We will be finishing presentations next Thursday and the following Monday.

B3/B4 - In class today, students took the Official ISTEP Practice Test online. For the remainder of the block, we went back to the practice essay we began in class last time.  Those were collected by the end of the block.  Assignment: None!

 

February 23, 2017 (Gold)

G1 - Most of the students were able to give their Review Presentations in class today.  Assignment: You will report to Mr. Kerkhof’s room, F125, on Monday and Wednesday. Please take earbuds and a fully charged MacBook with you on Monday.  If you have not finished reading the book, please get caught up by next Friday. We will be finishing presentations next Friday.

G3 - In class today, students took the Official ISTEP Practice Test online. For the remainder of the block, we went back to the practice essay we began in class last time.  Those were collected by the end of the block.  Assignment: None!

G4 - Double-Entry assignments for "Too 'Close to the Bone'...," Candy Exit Slips, and Final Drafts of the Summary paper were DUE today. After a fire drill and the “Collection,” we discussed the article.   I distributed copies of supplementary readings and Writing Analytically in class today. We spent what remained of the block watching three videos to stir up some conversation.  We’ll come back to this conversation again next week.  Assignment: Read the last article for this unit, "The Man Who Couldn't Stop Eating," by Atul Gawande, and complete a double-entry notebook assignment.  Upload that to Google Classroom. Start reading the supplementary materials for this unit.  Plan to read those sometime before we begin drafting the third paper.  

February 22, 2017 (Blue)

B1 - Students were given the entire block today to work on a Google Slides review presentation for an assigned chapter from To Kill a Mockingbird.  Students were asked to complete this activity in class, and they will present them in class next time. Assignment: Presentations will be given next time.  Remember, this counts as a Book Talk grade for this semester.  Please upload your presentation on Google Classroom prior to the deadline on Friday.  

B3/B4 - In class today, students worked through two parts of a sample standardized test. We discussed the types of questions they might expect on the test next week and some strategies for answering the questions as fully as possible.  No Assignment!

February 21, 2017 (Gold)

G1 - Students were given the entire block today to work on a Google Slides review presentation for an assigned chapter from To Kill a Mockingbird.  Students were asked to complete this activity in class, and they will present them in class next time. Assignment: Presentations will be given next time.  Remember, this counts as a Book Talk grade for this semester.  Please upload your presentation on Google Classroom prior to the deadline on Thursday.  If you were absent, I have assigned a chapter for you to complete and present when you return.

G3 - In class today, students worked through two parts of a sample standardized test. We discussed the types of questions they might expect on the test next week and some strategies for answering the questions as fully as possible.  No Assignment!

G4 - DENs for "Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance" DUE. We discussed the Worley article and the subject of “Fat Lives Matter” for the first half of the block.  For the second half of the block, students completed a comparison/contrast activity with candy to introduce some of the main concepts of the Comparative Critique paper and to practice some simple strategies from Writing Analytically. At the end of the block, I directed students to Moodle for the Exit Slip. Assignments: Complete the Candy Activity Exit Slip posted on Moodle as soon as possible.  Read "Too 'Close to the Bone': The Historical Context for Women's Obsession with Slenderness" (p. 167+), and do a DEN. Final Drafts of the Summary are due on Thursday as well.

February 17, 2017 (Blue)

B1 - Students were given a few minutes to review prior to taking the quiz over Chapters 22-28.  Today’s journal prompt was about being the center of attention. (See me for more details.) For the remainder of the block, we backtracked a little bit to read Chapter 28 together.  We continued from there and read almost all of Chapters 29-30.  Assignment: Read Chapters 29-31 (as needed) and be ready for a quiz.  Finish the book.

B3/B4 - Students took a short essay test over Lord of the Flies in class today.  I collected their novels and touched base with a few students about their collaborative projects. I hope to start grading those this weekend.  No Assignment.

February 16, 2017 (Gold)

G1 – Students were given a few minutes to review prior to taking the quiz over Chapters 22-28.  Today’s journal prompt was about being the center of attention. (See me for more details.) For the remainder of the block, we backtracked a little bit to finish reading Chapter 28 together.  We continued from there and read almost all of Chapters 29-30.  Assignment: Read Chapters 29-31 (as needed) and be ready for a quiz.  Finish the book.

G3 - Students took a short essay test over Lord of the Flies in class today.  I collected their novels and touched base with a few students about their collaborative projects. I hope to start grading those this weekend.  No Assignment.

G4 - Rough Drafts of the Critique (Draft #3) were DUE.  I collected those then checked Double-Entry Notebook assignments for "Rethinking Weight." Students received new Unit Overviews for the Comparative Critique unit and final calendars for the Critique unit for their binders.  I distributed BMI charts, and we discussed today’s article and its statistics for quite awhile. For the remainder of the block, students spent some time watching trailers for related documentaries (chart on Moodle) for their Documentary DEN assignment due by the end of the 9 weeks.  Assignments: Read “Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance", by Mary Ray Worley, (p. 163+) & complete a DEN.  Put the documentary DEN on your list of “to-do’s” before the end of the 9 weeks. Start working on your final draft of the Summary paper. Those are due on Thursday of next week.

 

 

 

February 15, 2017 (Blue)

B1 - Students completed the pre-reading vocabulary assignment for Chapters 26-31 (last one!). Students then wrote a half-page journal about being falsely accused of something they did not do. After sharing a few journal responses, students were given time to read quietly on their own. Toward the end of the block, we started reading Chapter 28 together.  Assignment: Read Chapters 26-28. Be ready for a quiz next time over Chapters 22-28.

B3/B4 - Students were given time in class to submit their projects and work on late work. I distributed a short review sheet for the test for next time. Students were expected to work or review independently for the entire block today.  Assignment: Prepare for the test for Friday. Be sure to bring all of your materials, your copy of the book, and plenty of paper with you for the test.

February 14, 2017 (Gold) Happy Valentine's Day! :)

G1 - Students completed the pre-reading vocabulary assignment for Chapters 26-31 (last one!). Students then wrote a half-page journal about being falsely accused of something they did not do. After sharing a few journal responses, students were given time to read quietly on their own. Toward the end of the block, we started reading Chapter 28 together.  Assignment: Read Chapters 26-28. Be ready for a quiz next time over Chapters 22-28.

G3 - Students were given time in class to submit their projects and work on late work. I distributed a short review sheet for the test for next time. Students were expected to work or review independently for the entire block today.  Assignment: Prepare for the test for Thursday. Be sure to bring all of your materials, your copy of the book, and plenty of paper with you for the test.

G4 - Critique Draft #2 DUE for peer-editing. Before peer-editing for the Critique, I asked students to generate some questions for the previous unit for potential use for the Research-Based Analysis paper (spreadsheet on Moodle).  Students peer-edited, then we began the Comparative Critique unit with a teaser trailer and some initial discussion articles and questions.  Assignments: Critique Draft #3 (the official Rough Draft) is due next time for my comments.  Upload it to Google Classroom and print one copy for me if you can. I will give you extra points if you do. If you haven’t printed your article for this paper yet, be sure to print a copy for your binder.  Use the page numbers in your citations. In addition, please read "Rethinking Weight" (p. 154+) and do a double-entry notebook assignment. Upload it to Google Classroom. I suggest that you focus your note-taking on the topics or subjects that come up in the article and record the author’s thoughts on those particular subjects or topics. It will help you construct your Comparative Critique later in the unit.  In addition, please bring a pair of earbuds to class next time.