KCC

HW reading reminder -- due Friday.  (Big picture thoughts for students -- as we work on this challenging writing and our next reading assignment comes due, communicate with me if it gets to be too much.  Yes, it's a college class and some stress and "kick it in gear" is appropriate, but should things become genuinely overwhelming, just talk with me.  When REALLY needed, I can definitely make adjustments.)  Writing day in the lab today...we'll be back in the lab tomorrow with a projected due date for the papers set for Wednesday.  Curiosity research w/ scores and feedback was returned to the students with clarification that they can edit, improve, and/or add to their research and resubmit it to improve the score, if needed/desired.  (Many of the research scores were very good.)

World History

We began work on our first case study -- a sedentary village agri-culture, the Catal-Huyuk.  Pick up an instruction sheet and work at it online for 40 minutes.  We'll be back in the lab tomorrow to add additional time and more notes.

U.S. History

The final lab day for the argumentative writing on the essential question.  When finished, print, and then use highlighters to follow the instructions on your "Edit My Writing Now" handout.  Edit whatever you find in that process that needs improving.  THEN, print your true final draft and highlight this to show the core thesis concepts and text structure -- submit with your score sheet (self-score) by the start of class tomorrow.  Be sure, also, to submit it to turnitin.com UNhighlighted.  Pick up the "Metacognitive Writing" 1/2-sheet -- a quick, easy assignment due by the start of class Wednesday.

KCC

Reminder -- reading homework is due next Friday.  Today is a writing day!  (Lab time)  First, however, I added a few more "notes to self" for them for their writing, provided a handout with guidelines for using quotes and excerpts, and a new handout for use once they are "done" with their essay -- "Edit My Writing, Now."  We'll have more lab time in class on Monday and Tuesday, and the final essays are due at the start of class on Wednesday.  (The final draft of the essay will also be highlighted to show intended text structure; also submit UNhighlighted to turnitin.com.)

World History

We finished viewing the N.G. DVD.  We then went to the lab to begin work on the Catal-Huyuk case study; pick up a work page with instructions.  We'll have more time in the lab on Monday.  For make-up work, if absent today, spend ~30 minutes on the Catal-Huyuk at home (once you have the instruction page) so that your total exploration time is adequate.  ; )

U.S. History

Writing day!  Once you've "finished" your E.Q. argumentative paragraph (using your many helper pages), then print it and use the "Edit My Writing Now" page -- step-by-step.  Then, go in and make those necessary edits!  ; )  When done, you will print your true final draft; highlight this one, also, to show your themes and text structure and turn it in with your score sheet once you've self-scored in something other than black pen.  Submit this paragraph, also, on turnitin.com.  We will be back in the lab for one final work day on this.

KCC

Students each shared a small piece of their research with the class and then submitted their entire packets of research for scores.  Finish work on the outline and then begin transforming those ideas and evidence into a written paragraph.  To aid the process, students' were asked to review their old group work paragraphs with feedback and their "Writing: Notes to Self" page.  Additionally, we color-coded a pseudo-sample paragraph to create a visual structure for argumentative writing.  The score sheet was provided to the students and discussed.  (There will be a few more insights shared tomorrow, and then we'll be in the lab to type.)

World History

We continued screening the National Geographic DVD.

U.S. History

Finish work on the outline and then begin transforming those ideas and evidence into a written paragraph; we were in the lab.  To aid the process, students' intro "What is History" paragraphs were returned with individualized feedback; add these scores to your skills tracking page.  Add personalized reminders from this feedback onto your "Writing: Notes to Self" note page that we began on Wednesday.  I had everyone also add notes to selves about "tightening" the writing (being concise), using 3rd person formal voice, and using more evidence (show with details).  The score sheet and a helper page "Edit My Writing Now" were provided to the students and discussed.  We'll be back in the lab tomorrow to finish.

WEDNESDAY -- KCC

Writing prep -- individual work to organize thoughts in outline form for the end-of-unit argumentative writing on the essential question.

WEDNESDAY -- World History

We viewed the first 45 minutes of "National Geographic -- 30 Years of N.G. Specials."

WEDNESDAY -- U.S. History

The substitute teacher finished with the distribution, highlighting, and discussion of the Target handout and the Winter handout -- to help us prep for writing. The outline work page was distributed, also; use this to make your decisions and organize your ideas for an effective paragraph. 

KCC

Research day!  Have your read and highlighted/underlined articles ready to submit by the start of class tomorrow (along with verifications of credentials and score sheet).

World History

We finished our structured review of the Communal UCWP.  We went through a short slideshow about the power of language as a early-in-the-year frame of reference.  We then began our next unit -- on Agri-cultures...Add a couple of notes to the Mental Map Timeline (see a reliable classmate or me) and set up your E.Q. and C.Q. pages (see classmate or me).  

U.S. History

Students shared one of their research facts and source credentials.  The research was then collected for a grade.  We began working toward our E.Q. argumentative writing...We talked through a quick plagiarism slideshow and made a note on a new note page we set up: "Writing: Notes to Self," and I also demo'd how to take short notes from a reading.  Pick up and complete the "Target" writing sample handout and check it in with me or a reliable classmate.  The "Winter" "Writing Tutorial" handout was distributed and discussed; we did some color-coding and markings on the back side -- see a reliable classmate or me.  We'll finish the markings on the "Winter" paragraph tomorrow.

KCC

We checked in on Part 4 of the UCWP and 20 minutes of class provided to finish the pages (finish for homework as needed).  We then went to the lab to do curiosity research -- use your 1/2-sheet score page and your full-sheet tips/tricks (highlighted) page.  We'll be back in the lab tomorrow for a full period of research -- due first thing Wednesday.

World History

Metacognitive writing is due today.  We discussed the answers to the "minions poster analysis" and prizes awarded.  We had a structured review of the UCWP vocab -- study time and practice quiz questions...students were encouraged to make edits onto their UCWP each time we went over "quiz" answers so they have exactly what they need for when it is time in January to study, again, for the final exam.  

U.S. History

Research day!  Use your 1/2-sheet score page for instructions, and use your whole-sheet tips & tricks sheet (that we highlighted and used last unit) to get to those experts.  Expert creds AND quantity of material matter. ; )  Have your read (and highlighted/underlined) articles ready to turn in by the start of class tomorrow.

KCC

HW reminder and date change -- the next section of text reading and note-taking will now be due Friday, November 4th.  We finished the Claim/Evidence ("circles") analysis page on the Nash article for a score.  Take E.Q. notes (and C.Q. questions) from the two articles provided on the topic of slavery, and do the same on the 8-minute clip from the film Amistad that depicts the Middle Passage -- warning: the clip depicts the gruesome voyage.  Prepare yourself before viewing.  Students began work on part 4 of the Unit-Closure Work Page to close out the study guide portion -- finish for homework as needed.  We'll be in the lab on Monday to research.

World History

Argumentative (E.Q.) writing is due today -- highlighted hard copy with score sheet; score yourself on the score sheet in pencil.  It also needs to be submitted electronically (without highlighting) to turnitin.com for the originality check.  The metacognitive writing is due Monday.  Chart your research score on your Skills Tracking page.  NOTE: you can correct, clarify, and add to your research and resubmit it to improve your score if needed/desired.  Students self-assessed their performance on each bullet-point item for each of the six skills, again as a further focus on continually improving performances.  Folder clean-out!  Sort all of your many papers from this unit into these categories: UCWPs, Claim/Evidence, Context/Lens, Research (instructions and score sheets), Writing, Socratic.  You also have a "basic class stuff" pile, but there's nothing new to add to it.  On a 1/2-sheet of paper students listed the historical errors they could find on the Minions timeline poster in the classroom -- grand prizes to be awarded on Monday.

U.S. History

Finish note-taking (onto the EQ page) from the two assigned articles about slavery.  Pick up and complete the fourth and final part of the UCWP -- due Monday.  6th hour also got caught up by reading the "11 Nations" packet and adding 4-5 questions to CQ pages.  Next week we will USE the CQ page for research and the EQ page for writing; so, if you've not been on top of your game, get caught up well this weekend.  ; )

KCC

We discussed the Minions poster historical errors, and prizes were awarded.  The last group shared their Treckel essay picture notes.  We continued our individual, scored work on the Nash essay -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

World History

Today is our last lab day for finishing the argumentative writing on the unit essential question.  Be sure to use your many samples, notes, and feedback.  Use the "Edit My Writing Now" on the first printout.  After editing and printing your truly final draft, then do the same highlighting on it before turning it in with the score page.  Score yourself in pencil on the score page.  Be certain, also, to submit the paragraph (withOUT highlights) on turnitin.com.  As students finished this assessment, they were given a 1/2-sheet instruction page for "Metacognitive Writing" -- specific prompts for casual-style writing about their own thinking and their own learning.  Be sure to have the argumentative assessment (E.Q. writing) ready to turn in at the start of class tomorrow.  The metacognitive writing should be turned in no later than Monday.

U.S. History

The minions historical errors contest answers were discussed and prizes distributed.  6th hour read the "11 Nations" article and added 4-5 questions to their C.Q. pages.  All classes viewed the Middle Passage clip from the film Amistad and read two articles about slavery -- for all three sources, add E.Q. bullet-point notes and also C.Q. questions.  As time permitted each hour we reviewed parts 1-3 of the UCWP.

KCC

Students shared their picture notes for Treckel's essay.  They then continued their individual (scored) analysis ("circles" page) for the Nash essay -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

World History

Writing day -- #2 in the lab.  We'll be back in the lab for a final writing day.  The paragraphs will be due at the start of class on Friday -- a highlighted hard copy (see "Edit My Writing Now" handout of instructions) and also submitted to turnitin.com for the originality check. 

U.S. History

2nd & 6th hours finished their 3rd viewing of the Crash Course video.  In all classes we charted it as a practice round on the Skills Tracking Page, edited the thesis per the key on the SMARTboard, self-scored according to my instructions and scale, and then used our understanding of the film to add to the Unit-Closure Work Pages, part III, number 20.  We then filled in the answer on the UCWP, part I, #9 (the thesis for Loewen's Chapter 2), and used that answer to edit as needed students' individual, scored, returned papers from that reading work.  Time was given in class to ask me questions about their individual scores and work.  (Chart this as our first score for Reading Claim & Evidence.)  We then read a short article about "The 11 Nations..." while recording 4-5 curiosity questions onto our C.Q. pages -- finish for homework as needed. 

KCC

We discussed the students' picture notes for Treckel's essay.  We read an easy layering-to-today article about the subcultures of the various regions of the United States; make notes on E.Q. page as relevant and questions onto your C.Q. page.  We began a scored Claim & Evidence work page ("circles" page) for the last "red book" essay of this unit -- that by Nash -- to be continued in class tomorrow.

World History

Career Day field trip!  Back to the lab for writing tomorrow!

U.S. History

We played a quick game of "find the historical errors on the minion poster" -- answers revealed and awards given in class tomorrow.  We discussed together their work yesterday on the "Jamestown letter," and added notes to our E.Q. pages from the collective list we built together on the SMARTboard.  We finished round 2 of the Crash Course viewing and analysis and got part-way through the 3rd and final viewing (no pausing) -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

MONDAY -- KCC

Finish the Treckel article -- collaborative, computer-generated picture notes (collages).  

MONDAY -- World History

Writing day in the computer lab!  Make good use of your many, many writing aids (highlighted papers, outline page, previous writing with feedback, etc.).  We'll be in the lab on Wednesday (when sophomores are all back at school) to finish the writing.

MONDAY -- U.S. History

We'll come back to the Crash Course video analysis tomorrow when Mrs. Cluver is back.  Today, read the "A Jamestown..." packet and on your own sheet of paper answer the 5 questions at the end of the packet.

KCC

Students collaborated on themes and clarification as needed from the notes they took from the white text assignment.  They then finished the part III work page from yesterday and we discussed it together as needed.  We then began collaborative group work to digest Treckel's essay (in the red book), "The Empire of My Heart."  As students read, they are to create picture "notes" on a shared group Google doc. (Copy from the web and paste images that represent the key ideas of the essay.)  If you were absent, your group should have included you on the "share" so you can read and see how far they got with the "notes."  This will be continued in class on Monday. 

World History

We continued our instruction and learning on argumentative writing and then began to work on our new E.Q. paragraphs.  Pick up the "Edit My Writing Now" handout and use it to analyze the "Human" paragraphs returned yesterday, and add relevant reminders on your "Writing Notes to Self" note page (also set up and begun yesterday).  Pick up the outline handout and use it to organize your information for the new writing assignment.  The score sheet was also provided.  A substitute teacher will be in the lab with you on Monday as you continue the writing work, and I'll be back with you in the lab on Wednesday to complete the writing.  (Tuesday all Sophomores will be gone from school for their trip.) 

U.S. History

Crash Course analysis -- to be finished in class Tuesday.  (There will be a new, student-driven, individual activity on Monday to accommodate my absence.) 

KCC

We finished part II of the UCWP and some E.Q. notes from my slideshow.  We nearly finished part III -- to be wrapped up tomorrow in class.

World History

We discussed together the "Target" writing samples and did the same with a new handout -- "Writing Tutorial."  Meet up with me or a reliable classmate for the discussion on it and to replicate the highlighting, outlining, and marking with asterisks.  Students set up a new sheet of paper with the heading "Writing Notes to Self" and using the feedback they received today on their E.Q. writing ("What does it mean to be human?") made a bullet-point list of pointers specific to themselves to use on tomorrow's E.Q. writing and into the future.  I offered notes via SMARTboard also about "3rd person formal voice."  A bit more on writing tomorrow before we begin our next go at it...

U.S. History

We finished our collaborative work (and whole-class check-in) on UCWP Part III.  We then prepared to do our first go at Audio-Visual Claim & Evidence for which we'll be analyzing Crash Course: U.S. History #2 with a "circles" page.  We'll view it 3 times -- the first straight-through for continuous narrative and big-picture, a second time with much pausing and rewinding to have appropriate pacing for collecting detailed evidence, and a third time straight-through for a triple-check, clean-up round.

KCC

We finished our Socratic discussion from yesterday and I did a bit of content follow-up.  We began collaborative work on the UCWP -- Part II -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

World History

Research is due today -- self-score on the 1/2 sheet provided and turn it in.  We then began preparing to write...I talked the kids through a slideshow about plagiarism -- what it is, why it's a problem, and how to avoid it.  A work page with short, simple sample paragraphs (about "Target Stores") was worked on together in class, discussed, and highlighted for text structure -- see me or a reliable classmate.  

U.S. History

We finished Part II of the UCWP and then Part III was distributed...we are working in groups with the textbooks to gather some very basic info related to the colonies and simply putting these notes directly into the packet.  Use your textbook and your neighbors.  Phones can be used, also, at your discretion.  This will be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC

Socratic discussion over the two most recent essays...If you were absent, pick up a make-up work page.

World History

Research Day #2.  The curiosity research is due first thing tomorrow -- use your instruction page and score sheet.  Remember, expert credentials are the most important aspect!  ; )

U.S. History

We finished note-taking from the slideshow (and much discussion)...Email me and I'll reply with a Google share of the slideshow, but you'll also want to talk through it with me or a reliable classmate.  UCWP Part II was distributed and begun -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC

Notes check-in.  Next HS pp.98-127 by next Friday.  We continued our essays prep for Tuesday -- finish for homework if needed.  Also, the Socratic score sheets were distributed.

World History

Socratic scores were distribured, discussed, charted, and filed and then we had a bit of follow-up conversation to clarify some content on E.Q. pages.  I showed a few humorous film clips relating to our studies of Communal Cultures and the next unit of Agri-cultures.  We began our end-of-unit Curiosity Research -- more time will be given in class on Tuesday.  Be sure to stay focused -- time on task (quantity) does matter ; )

U.S. History

Mann Context/Lens work was returned, charted, discussed, edited, and filed.  Take bullet-point notes on the E.Q. page under a new subheading: "Europe," noting the name of the source from the excerpt from Price's scholarly essay.  Also, continue the "Europe" notes from the slideshow -- email me and I'll reply with a Google share of the slideshow.  Be sure to see me or a reliable classmate for any discussion or clarification you may need -- we did a lot of discussion on it!

KCC

We continued our essays analysis as begun yesterday -- to be completed in class tomorrow.

World History

Socratic discussion!  If you were absent, pick up a "Socratic Make-Up" work page.

U.S. History

Loewen Chapter 2 Claim/Evidence work pages were completed in class today for a score.  Students who needed/wanted more time saw me to get passes to come in during Advisory tomorrow.

KCC

We finished E.Q. notes from the last 11 minutes of Massacre at Mystic.  The Stannard Claim/Evidence work pages were returned, discussed, and edited.  (Reminder: as you repeat skills, the newer scores replace the old.  The system is designed for your grades to climb as you increase your skills proficiency.)  ; )  We then embarked on the next two essays in the "red text," noting thesis, key info, and questions on a new note page -- one for each essay.  This is individual work that will be discussed collaboratively in a formal, scored Socratic discussion early next week.  We'll continue this essay work in class tomorrow.  Homework reminder:  the "white text" readings and notes are due Thursday.

World History

We finished screening and note-taking from Bizarre Foods, Kalahari episode about the Zhutwasi.  For homework, prep for Socratic discussion -- review the 3.0 criteria on the score sheet, be sure to be up-to-date with good themes and detailed evidence on your E.Q. page, and consider preparing a few questions, also.

U.S. History

Scored, individual claim/evidence work page ("circles") for Loewen, Chapter 2 packet of excerpts -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

KCC

We discussed the thesis of Price's essay and edited our note pages as needed.  We then took E.Q. notes from the documentary "Massacre at Mystic."

World History

Complete #4 & 5 on the "Layering to Later" 1/2-sheet of instructions (using the packet of materials).  Then, complete PART II of the Unit-Closure Work Page.  We began screening the South Africa episode of "Bizarre Foods" while recording E.Q. notes and C.Q. questions -- to be finished in class tomorrow.

U.S. History

We finished our screening of Massacre at Mystic while taking "what," "how," and especially "why" notes onto our E.Q. pages.