Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

August 30, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - Students spent some time reading their pleasure reading books. Next, I asked them to write a half-page journal entry about a time when they lost something. After sharing a few of their responses, we moved into a partner activity on the Plot Diagram for "Tbe Necklace." We went through those together, then partners worked on a STEAL (Characterization) chart. That was all we had time for today. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #3 ("Laptops") is due on Wednesday after Labor Day.

 

August 29, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Summarizing Sentences and Summary paragraphs for Microtheme #2 were DUE today. I spot-checked and returned those, then groups read and discussed each summary for about five minutes each. Next, students were asked to read/focus on Writing Analytically, pages 54-56, "The Pitch, the Complaint, and the Moment." They then used that concept to analyze a cover from The New Yorker. After some really good discussion, we wrapped up with some time for students to start sketching out their plans for the analysis portion of Microtheme #2. Assignment: Finish your draft for Microtheme #2, focusing on adding the analysis paragraph/paragraphs to address how the author uses language, reasoning, and/or evidence to support the main claim. We will look at those and discuss them in your groups on Tuesday.

B3 - Letters of Gratitude DUE. After collecting letters & rubrics, students spent some time reading their pleasure reading books. From there, we formed discussion groups of 3-4. We read and discussed two articles about adolescents and teenager "types" (posted on Google Classroom), and students took notes over these articles as we went through them together. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #3 ("Preppers") is due on Tuesday after Labor Day.

B4 - Students spent some time reading their pleasure reading books. Next, I asked them to write a half-page journal entry about a time when they lost something. After sharing a few of their responses, we moved into a partner activity on the Plot Diagram for "Tbe Necklace." We went through those together, then partners worked on a STEAL (Characterization) chart. That was all we had time for today. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #3 ("Laptops") is due on Tuesday after Labor Day.

 

August 28, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - We started with Pleasure Reading in class today. From there, I distributed Article of the Week #3: "Put Your Laptops Away." Students were given about 20 minutes in class to work on reading, annotating, and working on their 1+ page responses. Next, we returned to and finished the notes on Character and Point of View, which we started in class last time. Students were asked to write a half-page journal entry today on the importance of "Status." After sharing some of their journals, we began reading "The Necklace" in class together. Assignment: Finish reading the story for next time. The story and audio are available on Moodle. There is a reminder posted on Google Classroom with info about where we stopped in each class for the audio version.

August 27, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - DENs for the second "Happy" article DUE. I checked and returned double-entries with individualized comments/scores. We then moved into some discussion about the video we watched in class last time. We watched two additional videos and discussed them as well. Next, we discussed the article as a class and moved into a list of points for possible use in the Critique paper. We had a little bit of extra time at the end of the block for students to begin working on their assignment. Assignment: Please choose one of the two articles you have read to pursue for your Critique paper. Print that article so you have a hard copy. Write the summarizing sentences and then a one-paragraph summary. Have those ready to go for next time.

B3 - Draft Letters of Gratitude DUE. I checked those while students were pleasure reading. Next, I distributed Article of the Week #3: "Preppers". Students were given about 20 minutes in class to work on reading, annotating, and working on their 1+ page responses. I passed back graded Letters of Introduction and returned the drafts of the Letter of Gratitude. I asked students to use the feedback on their previous letters to improve the look and format of the new letters. Students were also given time in class to peer-edit and work on their final drafts for next time. Assignment: Final copies of the Letter of Gratitude are due on Thursday. Please upload them on Google Classroom. Feel free to print a copy to sign, and make sure the formatting looks ok when printed.

B4 - We started with Pleasure Reading in class today. From there, I distributed Article of the Week #3: "Put Your Laptops Away." Students were given about 20 minutes in class to work on reading, annotating, and working on their 1+ page responses. Next, we returned to and finished the notes on Character and Point of View, which we started in class last time. Students were asked to write a half-page journal entry today on the importance of "Status." After sharing some of their journals, we began reading "The Necklace" in class together. Assignment: Finish reading the story for next time. We stopped the audio at about 12:45. The story and audio are available on Moodle.

August 26, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - Article of the Week Response #2 DUE. In class today, students spent some time pleasure reading. From there, we had a "Free-Write" Journal. Several students shared their journals, then we moved back to the analysis paragraphs they worked on in class last time for "A Sound of Thunder." For the remainder of the block, we went through notes over "Character and Point of View." No Assignment!

August 23, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - DENs for "Psychology of Happiness" DUE. I graded and returned DENs in class today. We discussed the sample analysis paragraphs for "The Plug-In Drug," then we discussed the article for today. Towards the end of the block, students watched a video and practiced "Notice and Focus" and "The Method." Assignment: Read "Where the Happy Talk of Corporate Culture Is Wrong" and do a DEN for Tuesday.

B3 - In class today, students spent some time pleasure reading. From there, we had a "Free-Write Friday" Journal. Several students shared their journals, then we moved into the drafting process for the Letter of Gratitude. Assignment: A typed, one-page draft of the Letter of Gratitude is due on Tuesday for peer-editing and feedback.

B4 - Article of the Week Response #2 DUE. In class today, students spent some time pleasure reading. From there, we had a "Free-Write Friday" Journal. Several students shared their journals, then we moved back to the analysis paragraphs they worked on in class last time for "A Sound of Thunder." For the remainder of the block, we went through notes over "Character and Point of View." No Assignment!

August 22, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - In class today, we started with Pleasure Reading. From there, I shared a mentor text, "The Fish," and we discussed the vivid imagery and language used to describe that fish. From there, students were asked to write a "Snapshot Journal" today about someone they love and admire, focusing on details, language, and vivid imagery to describe that person. After sharing some of their descriptions, we then moved back to "A Sound of Thunder." Students were asked to write a paragraph in which they comment on the effectiveness of Bradbury's descriptions of 1. Time Travel, 2. the Jurassic Time Setting, or 3. The T-Rex. Students only needed to choose one of those options to explore in their responses. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #2 is due on Monday.

August 21, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Microtheme #1 DUE. After collecting papers, I asked students to generate some inquiry-based questions for potential use on the Research-Based Analysis paper at the end of the unit. Those questions were submitted through the Google Doc posted on Moodle at the bottom of the page. After some thinking and discussion, we then moved on to some discussion questions to begin our second unit, the Critique. I distributed copies of the Homework Calendar for this unit (which also lives on Google Classroom as a live document), then we discussed the Double-Entry Notebook assignment expectations (template on Moodle). From there, I walked through the upcoming Microtheme #2 Assignment sheet, and we read/discussed "The Plug-In Drug" to begin practicing some "critique" strategies. Assignment: Read "The Psychology of Happiness" and complete a double-entry notebook assignment for Friday.

B3 - Article of the Week Response #2 (Procrastination) DUE. Students were given time for pleasure reading. We then read and discussed the primary themes and symbols in "Thank You, Ma'am," by Langston Hughes (handout). Journal: Brainstorm some lessons you have been taught and write about the people who taught you those lessons. Try to come up with several examples at this point to see what comes to the surface for you. After giving students time to write in their journals, we discussed some of the lessons they came up with in order to hone in on one that really resonates more than others. For the rest of the block, students were encouraged to lay out plans for a Letter of Gratitude to the person who taught the lesson. We'll pick this up again in class on Friday. No Additional Assignment.

B4 - In class today, we started with Pleasure Reading. From there, I shared a mentor text, "The Fish," and we discussed the vivid imagery and language used to describe that fish. From there, students were asked to write a "Snapshot Journal" today about someone they love and admire, focusing on details, language, and vivid imagery to describe that person. After sharing some of their descriptions, we then moved back to "A Sound of Thunder." Students were asked to write a paragraph in which they comment on the effectiveness of Bradbury's descriptions of 1. Time Travel, 2. the Jurassic Time Setting, or 3. The T-Rex. Students only needed to choose one of those options to explore in their responses. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #2 is due on Friday.

August 20, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - Video Guides for Through the Wormhole DUE. Students had time for pleasure reading, then I distributed the second article of the week, "Our Plastic Oceans." Students had twenty minutes to work on reading, annotating, and responding to the article. We then reviewed the notes students copied last week on "Plot and Conflict." With the remainder of the block, we read "A Sound of Thunder" together. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #2 is due on Monday of next week.

August 19, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - W131 - In class today, we discussed the first Microtheme paper, students looked at samples, and groups peer-edited the drafts they brought to class today. The rest of the block was work time for the paper. Assignment: Microtheme #1 is due on Wednesday. Please print two copies prior to class that day.

B3 - Honors English 10 - Character Analysis assignment for "The Possibility of Evil" DUE. Students had time for pleasure reading. I passed back some graded work, then I asked students to spend some time on their article of the week responses. We then went over notes on Theme and Symbol. We then discussed themes and symbols for two videos that I shared in class. That was all we had time for today.  Assignment: Article of the Week Response #2 is due on Wednesday.

B4 - Honors English 9 - Video Guides for Through the Wormhole DUE. Students had time for pleasure reading, then I distributed the second article of the week, "Our Plastic Oceans." Students had twenty minutes to work on reading, annotating, and responding to the article. We then reviewed the notes students copied last week on "Plot and Conflict." With the remainder of the block, we read "A Sound of Thunder" together. Assignment: Article of the Week Response #2 is due on Friday.