Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

September 30, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - Article of the Week Response #5 DUE. We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. From there, we discussed the "Round Robin" Activity students did last time in their discussion groups. For the rest of the block, students began watching a video biography on Edgar Allan Poe and were asked to take notes in a grid style (explained in class and posted on the board up front). Assignment: Finish the video and notes for next time.

September 27, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Comparative Critique Rough Drafts DUE. In class today, I introduced the 3rd Microtheme assignment: Using a Source as a Lens. Students were given some choices and encouraged to use Roberta Seid's article to use as a practice with Beyonce's music video, "Pretty Hurts." Time was given in class to read, review the video, and to begin writing the Practice Microtheme individually. Assignment: Practice Microtheme #3 is due on Tuesday. We will share some of them in class. Documentary DENs will be due by Thursday of next week. Please make sure you follow up on that assignment as soon as possible.

B3 - Character Analysis Essay Draft #2 DUE. I spot-checked drafts during pleasure reading. Students had a "Free Write" Friday Journal today. After sharing those, we went through some sample papers from the class on the imager and talked about strengths/weaknesses. The rest of the block was spent on cleaning up students' own papers. Assignments: Book Talks scheduled for today will be Tuesday. Revise/finish your own paper for Tuesday. We will do some heavy peer-editing in class on Tuesday. This paper will be your Midterm.

B4 - Article of the Week Response #5 DUE. We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. From there, we discussed the "Round Robin" Activity students did last time in their discussion groups. For the rest of the block, students began watching a video biography on Edgar Allan Poe and were asked to take notes in a grid style (explained in class and posted on the board up front). Assignment: Finish the video and notes for next time.

September 26, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - STEAL Charts for "The Destructors" DUE. I checked those while students were pleasure reading. We then had several Book Talks. From there, I asked students to write a half-page journal about what teens today consider to be "Cool" after sharing the poem, "We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks. For the remainder of the block, students were asked to think more critically about some of the themes and conventions in the story, "The Destructors" in a small group "Round Robin" activity. Assignment: AOW #5 is due next time. 

September 25, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Comparative Critique Full Draft DUE for peer-editing. In class today, I checked drafts, then we discussed the requirements of the paper, the technology we are dealing with, ways to work out the kinks on formatting issues, etc. From there, we did three peer-editing rounds of 15 minutes each.  Assignment: The Official Rough Draft of this paper is due to me for my feedback on Friday. Documentary DENs are going to be due next week. If you can get those done early, please do so!

B3 - Character Analysis Essay Draft #1 DUE. I checked drafts during pleasure reading. We then had some Book Talks. We discussed the drafts submitted for today. The remainder of the block was spent in small groups, peer-editing and giving each other feedback. The sample Works Cited page is posted on Moodle. Please be sure to include what you need in your next draft. Assignment: Complete 3 full pages and a Works Cited page for next time. In addition, AOW #5 is due next time as well.

B4 - STEAL Charts for "The Destructors" DUE. I checked those while students were pleasure reading. We then had several Book Talks. From there, I asked students to write a half-page journal about what teens today consider to be "Cool" after sharing the poem, "We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks. For the remainder of the block, students were asked to think more critically about some of the themes and conventions in the story, "The Destructors" in a small group "Round Robin" activity. Assignment: AOW #5 is due next time. 

September 24, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - Homework Questions for "The Destructors" DUE. I went around the room and checked those while students spent time pleasure reading. We had several Book Talks. I then distributed Article of the Week #5, about lack of sleep. For the remainder of the block, we discussed "The Destructors" and the homework questions. Students were given a STEAL Chart to complete for one of the major characters in the story. Assignments: Complete the STEAL Chart (if needed) for Thursday.  AOW Response #5 is due on Monday.

September 23, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Two Analysis Paragraphs DUE. I checked paragraphs and gave feedback. We then went over Movie Sample Analysis Paragraphs as a class. Groups then moved into some peer-editing. For the remainder of the block, we discussed the next, full draft of the Comparative Critique Paper, which should include a Works Cited page. Assignment: Comparative Critique drafts are due on Wednesday for peer-editing. Please try to push yourselves here. 

B3 - Outlines for the Character Analysis Paper were DUE today. I went around the room and checked those while students spent time pleasure reading. We had several Book Talks. I then distributed Article of the Week #5, about the sharing of "Fake Photos" during natural disasters. For the remainder of the block, students were asked to begin drafting their papers or finishing incomplete outlines to show me by the end of the block. Assignment: At least two typed full pages should be written and submitted on Classroom for Wednesday. Please try to push yourselves here. AOW Response #5 is due on Friday.

B4 - Homework Questions for "The Destructors" DUE. I went around the room and checked those while students spent time pleasure reading. We had several Book Talks. I then distributed Article of the Week #5, about lack of sleep. For the remainder of the block, we discussed "The Destructors" and the homework questions. Students were given a STEAL Chart to complete for one of the major characters in the story. Assignments: Complete the STEAL Chart (if needed) for Wednesday.  AOW Response #5 is due on Friday.

September 20, 2019 (Gold) Homecoming Day!

G1/G2/G4 - Post-Reading Scavenger Hunt for "The Scarlet Ibis" DUE. We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. Due to the shortened blocks, I changed today's lesson plans to give students time in class to begin reading and working on their assignment for Tuesday. Assignment: Read "The Destructors" and complete questions #1, 2, and 4 to show me at the beginning of class on Tuesday and to use for our discussion of the story.

September 19. 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Individual Charts for the Comparative Critique DUE. I checked charts and returned them with feedback. For the majority of the block, groups worked on their sample analysis paragraphs for the two music videos we watched in class. These samples are the models we will use for drafting the analysis paragraphs for your papers. Assignment: We will go over the sample analysis paragraphs in class next time. For Monday, write two analysis paragraphs from your individual charts for the Comparative Critique paper. We will work on some peer-editing after we go over the samples and talk about how to strengthen the analysis.

B3 - We began with Pleasure Reading. I then asked students to write a journal entry titled, "My Life as a Novel." I asked them to write about what the novel of their lives would be about right now at this point in time and what the reader would be learning about them. Which part of the novel is this? What is happening? After sharing a few of their responses, we went into today's Book Talks. From there, we walked through the rubric for the Character Analysis Essay (on Moodle) and discussed the requirements of the paper. We agreed that students will prepare and submit an outline for Monday which gives students a plan and a way to organize their papers. Assignment: Submit your outline for Monday.

B4 - Post-Reading Scavenger Hunt for "The Scarlet Ibis" DUE. We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. Due to the number of students who did not complete the assignment for today, I changed today's lesson plans to give students time in class to begin reading and working on their assignment for Monday. Assignment: Read "The Destructors" and complete questions #1, 2, and 4 to show me at the beginning of class on Monday and to use for our discussion of the story.

September 18, 2019 (Gold)

G1/G2/G4 - We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. G2 was pulled out for the Class Ring presentation. From there, students presented their Symbols collages to the class. Small groups met to discuss "The Scarlet Ibis" and were asked to record 5 ways the narrator showed cruelty to Doodle and 5 symbols that foreshadowed Doodle's death. Those were collected as a Check for Understanding prior to completing the homework assignment posted on Google Classroom. Assignment: Complete the post-reading Scavenger Hunt for "The Scarlet Ibis." Submit that before class on Friday.

September 17, 2019 (Blue)

B2 - Food Journals and Venn Diagrams DUE. We discussed the food journals for quite awhile today. From there, we turned to the notes over the music videos we watched in class on Friday. Groups began a sample Chart (on Moodle) to outline key points from two videos they want to compare for their sample work for this unit. Students were asked to begin generating research-based analysis questions for the weight unit (spreadsheet on Moodle). Groups worked on their Sample Charts for the majority of the block today. Assignment: Complete an individual chart for two of the articles you are focusing on for your Comparative Critique paper. 2-3 rows will be required. The more detailed your chart, the easier the drafting process will be later this week.

B3 - We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. From there, we finished watching The Goonies. Students were given the opportunity to review scenes as needed. For the rest of the block, small groups discussed the proposed rubric for the paper for this unit. Assignment: Organize your notes. We will finish our discussion about the rubric/criteria in class on Thursday. 

B4 - We started with Pleasure Reading and Book Talks. From there, students presented their Symbols collages to the class. Small groups met to discuss "The Scarlet Ibis" and were asked to record 5 ways the narrator showed cruelty to Doodle and 5 symbols that foreshadowed Doodle's death. Those were collected as a Check for Understanding prior to completing the homework assignment posted on Google Classroom. Assignment: Complete the post-reading Scavenger Hunt for "The Scarlet Ibis." Submit that before class on Thursday.