Peer Editing

December 1, 2014

E.Q: How can I help my peers edit their papers?

Obj: I can evaluate my peers paper and give them critical feedback.

Starter:

Design an ornament that represents you.

We will be decorating our door with them.

 

Activity:

1. Peer Edit

Please share your essay with a partner and fill out the peer edit document.

Exchange with two people.

If you do not have a substantial paper to be peer edited, please continue to work on your essay.
HOWEVER!!!
Please write a TPEEA paragraph explaining how you can work towards not procrastinating.
Attach this to your final essay.

2.  Editing

Review the comments you received from your peers.

Make any edits that are necessary to create a polished paper.

Closure:

How did the peer editing impact your final paper?

Benchmark

November 25, 2014

E.Q: What are you thankful for?
How have I improved from the beginning of the semester?
Obj: I can interpret data to see growth.

Starter:

With Thanksgiving this Thursday, reflect on what you are thankful for.

Write a thank you note that you can deliver to someone.

Activity:

1.  Benchmark

Please log in to USAtestprep and take the benchmark.

2.  Reflection

How did you do on this benchmark compared to the first one?

Did you perform better or worse?  Why?

What can you do in order to prepare for finals week?

Closure:

Based on your benchmark, what is one thing that you need to work on?

DON'T FORGET YOUR PAPER IS DUE TUESDAY.

Semester Success

November 24, 2014

E.Q: How can you finish this semester successfully?

Obj: I can complete quality work using time management skills.

Starter:

Semester Evaluation

Please fill out the above evaluation honestly.

Activity:

1.  Timeline

Create a timeline for class today.

Set up time increments and set a goal for each time deadline.

2.  Catch Up

This is the last day you have to work on either your American Dream Essay or Creative Writing Assignment.

If you finish, you may use the remaining time to work on any missing assignments or revisions.

Closure:

 What did you actually accomplish during class today?

What do you still need to finish?

 

Expanded Free Write

November 21, 2014

E.Q: What is your favorite thing to write about?

Obj: I can write creatively with vivid descriptions.

Starter:

Look back through your Free Writes.

Which one would you like to expand on?

Activity:

1.  Descriptive Writing

Look at the elements in the folder. 

How can you use it as inspiration?

Make sure that you add all senses.

Seeing. Hearing. Tasting. Touching. Smelling.

Highlight each element in a different color.

Which one sense do you need to improve upon?

2.  Expanded Free Write

Using either a previous free write or todays inspiration, create a descriptive piece of writing.

Rubric

Closure:

What is one thing you like and dislike about creative writing?

Final Work Day

November 20, 2014

E.Q: How has the American Dream evolved?

Obj: I can construct a informative paper based on the idea of the American Dream.

Starter:

Read the Following:

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.”

― Gary Provost

What is one objective you can set for today that allows you to improve your writing?

Activity:

1.  Partner Swap

Read what your partner has so far.

Highlight two sentences that really appeal to you.

Explicitly state to your partner why it is such a sensational sentence.

Highlight two sentences that need some help.

Offer suggestions.

2.  Work on Paper

Additional Source

If you are struggling to find outside sources this NY Times Article may help.

Closure:

What is something you learned today about your writing style?

Work Day Two

November 19, 2014

E.Q: How do I utilize MLA formatting in papers?

Obj: I can write an informative paper using MLA format.

Starter:

Breakdown the following citation into general information.

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.

This is the basic format to use for print on your Works Cited page.

Activity:

1.  Review MLA formatting

Setting Up Your Paper

In-Text Citations

Works Cited Basics

2.  Revisions

Look at what you have written thus far.

Make any necessary adjustments based on the information you just gained.

3.  Write. Write. Write.

Closure:

What did you accomplish today?

What do you still need to complete?

Paper Work Day One

November 18, 2014

E.Q: How do I utilize MLA formatting in papers?

Obj: I can write an informative paper using MLA format.

Starter:

Please answer the questions about MLA formatting in the Google Form titled, MLA Pre-Assessment.

 

Activity:

1.  Pre-Writing 

Choose one of the four activities to help get the creative juices flowing.

Information taken from http://www.studygs.net/writing/prewriting.htm

Four exercises in prewriting:

Focused Free writing

1. Use a blank paper or computer screen and set a time limit of 5 - 15 minutes
2. Summarize the topic in a phrase or sentence;generate a free flow of thought
3. Write anything that comes to mind, whether on topic or off, for the period of time you chose,
4. Don't pause, don't stop.
   don't rush; work quickly
5. Don't review
   what you have written until you have finished
6. At the end of your time, refer back to the beginning:
   Rephrase the initial topic
   Repeat a word, phrase, or important thought or emotion that makes sense.
7. Review:
   are there words or ideas you can grab onto for the topic?
   Is there a main idea to this sequence of ideas?

Listing and outlines

This is a more structured and sequential overview of your research to date. You may also outline to organize topics built from free writing, brainstorming, or mind mapping:

1. Arrange items or topics, usually without punctuation or complete sentences
2. List topics and phrases them in a grammatically similar or parallel structure (subjects, verbs, etc.)
3. Sequence topics in importance,
   defining what "level" of importance they are. Items of equal importance are at the same level

Example (using this web site):

Study Guides & Strategies

I. Preparing to learn

1. Learning to learn
2. Managing time
3. Setting goals/making a schedule

II. Studying

1. Thinking critically
2. Memorizing
3. Organizing projects

III. Writing Essays

1. Basics of essays
   1. Prewriting
      1. Definitions
      2. Basics of prewriting
      3. Exercises
      4. ...
   2. Rough drafts
      1. definition
      2. basics of drafts
      3. exercises
      4. ...
   3. ...
2. Types of essays
   1. The five paragraph essay
   2. Essays for a literature class
   3. Expository essays
   4. Persuasive essays
   5. ....

Brainstorming:

1. Use a blank paper or computer screen and set a time limit of 5 - 15 minutes
2. Summarize the topic in a phrase or sentence;generate a free flow of thought
3. Write down everything that comes to mind to generate a free flow of thought:
   • Think of ideas related to this topic, the crazier the better: be wild and amuse yourself; eliminate nothing
   • Make up questions and answers about the topic, no matter how strange: Why am I doing this? What could be interesting about this to me? Why don't I like this? What color is it? What would my friend say about it?
4. Review:
   are there words or ideas you can grab onto for the topic?
   Is there a main idea within this sequence of ideas?

Mind mapping

1. Think in terms of key words or symbols that represent ideas and words
2. Take a pencil (you'll be erasing!) and a blank (non-lined) big piece of paper or use a blackboard and (colored) chalk
3. Write down the most important word or short phrase or symbol in the center.
   Think about it; circle it.
4. Write other important words outside the circle.
   Draw over-lapping circles to connect items, or use arrows to connect them
   (think of linking pages in a web site)
   Leave white space to grow your map for
   • further development
   • explanations
   • action items
5. Work quickly
   without analyzing your work
6. Edit this first phaseThink about the relation of outside items to the center,
   Erase and replace and shorten words for these key ideas
   Relocate important items closer to each other for better organization
   Use color to organize information
   Link concepts with words to clarify the relationship
7. Continue working outwardFreely and quickly add other key words and ideas (you can always erase!)
   Think weird: tape pages together to expand your map; break boundaries
   Develop in directions the topic takes you--don't bet limited by the size of the paper
   As you expand your map, tend to become more specific or detailed

 2.  Begin Writing

Try to finish 2 TPEQEA paragraphs by the end of the block.

Closure:

How confident do you feel about your topic?

What went well today?

What do you still need help with?

What face best represents you?