September 26-30, 2016

As September drew to a close, we were tying up the last of the data collection among anyone who was absent and still learning procedures, like how to locate progress sheets in the Google Drive and write meaningful reflections to feedback on the sheet in order to make progress. We continue to hit vocabulary hard, and we had a review over two days of all the words we've covered in September. I explained to students that a NATIONAL weakness in reading is vocabulary comprehension and in writing it's using higher vocabulary and using it correctly. I'm seeing students make a real effort to incorporate the new vocabulary into their writing. As always, the best way to acquire vocabulary is through extensive reading. Please encourage your student to read as much as possible outside of school.

Reading The Outsiders continues. First core can now turn in the first reflection of four. All reflections are due tomorrow in core 3 and on Friday in core 2. By the way, when I distributed the novel and assignment, each class chose its due date. I wasn't the one who set it. I try to always include students in due dates if possible so we can set reasonable ones. We discussed the murder scene in the novel through the lens of social justice last week. Please ask your student to tell you more. It was one of the richest discussions of the novel I can ever remember.

Last Monday, I introduced "What's Going On In This Picture?" from the NY Times. I'd run across it and asked several teachers at a conference if they'd used it, and they gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up. The purpose is to have students notice clues and details and make connections. Students can post their observations online and read those of students in other schools. A live moderator reads their posts before they go live. I tell students to only use their first names. They seemed to enjoy their first time doing it last week.

On October 14 their coal power annotated articles and Letters to the Next President are due. I've been providing class workshop time to complete the assignment. In first core, we will be spending time this week working on annotating and starting the letter because it's their first time completing this assignment, which is cross-curricular with science. That means they have discussed the topic in Mrs. Brinkley's and my class, and we both will assign a grade for their work. Their understanding of the topic and discussions have been very impressive.

Due Dates

October 4: Core 3: The Outsiders reflections due
October 7: Core 1: The Outsiders reflections due
October 14: All classes: annotated coal power article and Letter to the Next President due