Friday, September 31

Freshmen: Today we focused on Step 2 of our 7 Step Essay Process. Today we focused on Collecting Information, and to do that, we learned about Question Based Research Strategy. This is what you are to do: Start collecting information on your topic. For this project, you need at least three sources - one from the Internet, one non-internet print source (book, journal, magazine, etc.), and either a survey or an interview. Due for Monday are your 12 index cards, each with a question about your topic that you need to research. You also need to bring your interview or survey, each which much be at least 10 questions long. Your survey sample must consist of at least 25 people. Your interview questions should be open ended, not closed ended (close ended questions invite yes or no answers only). It is okay for some overlap between the questions you research on your index cards and your interview or survey, but for the most part, they need to focus on different aspects of your topic.

Due next block period are your sources. You need to print up your Internet sources and bring a copy of your non-Internet source so that we can spend time in class conducting research. If you want to administer your survey to the class, you can do so that day as well - bring enough copies.

Read for 20 minutes, keep working on your vocab, and bring your copy of They Say I Say to class on Monday - we will need it all next week.

CNF: Today we concluded reading Chapter 5 in preparation for the seminar on Monday.

Thursday, September 29

Freshmen: Today we began step 1 of our seven step essay process. We looked at potential essay topics you complied and attempted to define the problem. In other words, what exactly is it we want to write about regarding the topic? We stated these things as a sentence or a question as a way to capture what it was we wanted to say. Tomorrow we will embark on the second step - gathering information. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

CNF: Today we began reading chapter 5 with more of an emphasis on taking notes that capture what we are thinking about as we read rather than just bullet statements on key points.

Tuesday, September 27 and Tuesday, September 28

Freshmen: Today, half the class was missing due to the freshman retreat, so we did some out of the box thinking exercises. Your homework is to review the questions we went over in class and come up with a list of at least twelve potential essay topics for Thursday. You should read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday. Keep working on Chapter 3 vocabulary. Bring a dozen index cards to class on Friday and They Say I Say on Monday.

CNF: Today we focused on several things that will help us understand chapter 5, including a variety of taste tests, market research, and some critiques of music.

Monday, September 26

Freshmen: Today we went over a list of questions designed to help us come up with some good potential essay topics. Your job is to go over the questions and come up with as many authentic answers as possible. You need a list of at least 12 potential essay topics for Thursday's class. Remember to read for 20 minutes each night this week. For Friday, I would like you to come to class with 12 index cards.

CNF: Today we conducted our seminar on chapter 4 of Blink.

Thursday, September 22

Freshmen: Today we read the Introduction to They Say I Say. You might try incorporating the writer's ideas into your essay revision about More. I would like you to read Chapter 1 from They Say I Say for your 20 minutes of reading tonight. Chapter 2 vocab due Friday; essay revision due Monday. See yesterday's post for details.

CNF: Today we continued to read Blink's chapter 4, taking at least three notes per section.

Tuesday, September 20 and Wednesday, September 21

Freshmen: Today we looked at a number of things relative to writing, most importantly using summary and commentary to support your thesis. What you are to do is this: Get onto turnitin.com and review your essay and the comments posted on it. Click on "grademark" to get the page that shows the comments. Click on the post-its to see the comments. Revise (i.e. improve) your essay based on the feedback. Print it out. On the written page, annotate (i.e. explain in a different colored ink) what you changed and why. Make your annotations right there on the page where the change occurred. The essay is due Monday.

Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday.

Due Friday is vocab.

CNF: Today we prepped for Chapter 4, focusing on the idea of structure, when it helps us and when we should deviate from it.

Monday, September 19

Freshmen: Today we debriefed regarding the three day study of essays we undertook. You observations were very good. Tonight and Tuesday, read for 20 minutes. We will start They Say I Say on the block period. For the block period, bring some markers, colored pencils, or highlighters - you need two different colors. Study vocab this week.

CNF: Today we conducted a seminar on Chapter 3.

Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14

Freshmen: Today we began an in-depth study of essays. We are reading many essays from a packet I have for you and taking notes on what positive features or characteristics we notice that these essays share. This will take us a few days.
Meanwhile, read for 20 minutes tonight and Wednesday. Keep working on vocab. Get a copy of They Say I Say for Monday (honors, you need The Elements of Style).

CNF: Today we did something called and Implicit Association Test. You can do several of these. Do the ones with the harvard.edu addresses and write down the results.

Monday, September 12

Freshmen: Today we concluded our activity on What Writing Is. Read for 20 minutes. All students need a copy of They Say I Say for Monday; the honors students also need a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style to read in conjunction with this book.

CNF: Today we held our second seminar. We will do an activity in preparation for Chapter 3 on Wednesday.

Friday, September 9

Freshmen: Today we took our first vocabulary quiz. Search the blog for the vocab schedule for the rest of the semester. Read for 20 minutes over the weekend. Your essay is due to turnitin.com by 7:59 AM Monday morning. Also, I would like you to go over your summer read essay. Compare your six traits score with mine, using the one pager to interpret the differences. Choose one trait to make the focal point of your essay on "More."

CNF: Today we began Chapter 2, taking three notes per section in preparation for our next seminar, which will be on Monday. Complete the chapter for that day.

Thursday, September 8

Freshmen: Today we explored the question, "What is Writing?" You responded to the prompt "Writing is a process, not a single activity. It has many steps, behaviors, activities, and changes. Some of these include:". We will continue this discussion tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes for homework tonight. Due Friday is Unit 1 vocab (must have your book for credit tomorrow). Due Monday is your essay on "More."

CNF: Today we engaged in a priming activity and also talked about the difference between what we say we want and what we actually pursue. We will read on Friday, so bring your book.

Tuesday, September 6 and Wednesday, September 7

Freshmen: Today we focused on the literary concept of Theme, practiced our thinking technique of observing, synthesizing, and stating a thesis. We did this primarily by watching Mark Osborne's short film "More" (you can find this on youtube). We also went over the expectations for vocabulary (you can find the schedule on this blog) as well as how to use turnitin.com (see this blog for info regarding that). Your homework is as follows: Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday; chapter 1 vocabulary is due Friday; finish your observation, synthesis, and thesis chart for the film - your thesis should be what you believe the theme of More to be; due Monday by 7:59 AM is an essay to turnitin.com that answers some variation of the following prompt: What is the theme of "More"? or, What is the message of "More"? Remember, a good essay is 8-19 paragraphs long, your theme should be a sentence (rather than a one word statement), and everything in the essay should revolve around what you believe the theme to be. Set up your turnitin.com account this week and see me if there is a problem.

CNF: Today we practiced our ability to thin slice based on bedroom photos, couples in conversation, and the Big Five Inventory.

Friday, September 2

Well, the Utes survived... oh, wait - classes!

Freshmen: Today, we focused on reading film. Your task is to complete your Break it Down graphic organizer and on the back answer this prompt in relation to the film: What's happening here, or, What's this about? Remember to have a clear, concise thesis statement, and support that thesis with details from the text. Also, periods 3 and 4 should read for 20 minutes twice - once for the weekend and once for Monday. Period 6 should read for 20 minutes three times, considering that section does not meet on Tuesday. All sections need a copy of their vocab book for the next time we meet, because we will take a diagnostic vocab exam and you need your vocab book in order to do that.

CNF: Today we had our first seminar - you all did great. Be sure to get me a photo of your room and be sure you take the Big 5 Inventory through Berkley's website and write down where you fit on each spectrum. Thin slice as much as you can over the break, except where pizza or pie is involved.

Thursday, September 1

Freshmen: Today we continued with our Break it Down exercise. Your task is to complete the paragraph about the song we listened to. Be sure you have a concise, supportable thesis that you support with evidence. Read for 20 minutes.

CNF: Today we attempted to finish the introduction to Blink and Chapter 1 with 2 notes per section for the seminar on Friday.