Lit Thursday #6 (of 6)

Photo used with permission from Pixabay under CC licensing

Today's Goal: Get social with your independent reading

IMPORTANT NOTE: Grading period ends tomorrow. I need to know if you have finished two books ASAP. write the book covers.

The Plan:

1. Lit Thursday (BOOK COVER DIRECTIONS AT BOTTOM OF THIS DOC.
2. Lit Thursday FlipGrid

Keep in mind the following Lit Thursday expectations:

• Engage in Flipgrid once each week with or without a partner (total of at least 4 videos, on four DIFFERENT weeks)
• Read two books (and make a book cover notecard when you FINISH it)

Reminders/Homework:

• Get missing assignments to me ASAP (including one-pager)
• No Achieve
• Keep reading. Two more books will be due in six weeks!

HOMELESS BIRD (Ch. 8)

Unit Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Today's Goal: Read Chapter EIGHT. Continue working on looking for moments that relate to the topics we are investigating while we read.

The Plan:

1. Yesterday we talked about symbols. Fill out this form to tell me what you remember. Then read.
2. Read (independent)
3. Concepts that might help you for chapter 8 and 9
4. Finish Chapter 7 and read Chapter 8 - have sticky notes on hand

Question to think about today:

How do each of the characters in Homeless Bird find happiness? Many characters work towards happiness in different ways. How are they similar or different? Can you relate to any of their ways of finding happiness?

Reminders/Homework:

• I am NOT assigning you ANY Achieve article this week. You only need to complete Achieve if you having missing assignments.
• The grading period ends THIS FRIDAY, March 16.
• This means you need to clear your zeros and improve scores on things like your personal narrative.
• Make Up Your Radio Recording. We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. (Click on that link to go to the directions)
• Turn in your One-Pager ASAP (because you don't want a zero)
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's Thursday)

Student Walk-Out Information.

Today's class post is below, but here is some information that may be pertinent to you or someone in your life. It is important to me that I provide you with information, particularly since I have had students ask me about it. This is meant to be informative, not an endorsement, but I support your decisions, whatever they may be:

There is a National Student Walk-Out tomorrow, March 14, at 10am for 17 minutes.

"The nationwide protest is both a memorial and protest action. Students and teachers across the United States will walk out of their schools and universities to honor the lives of the 17 people killed at Stoneman Douglas and press lawmakers to pass stricter gun control laws, according to EMPOWER, the group organizing the action" (Adone, CNN). <--- Click on the link for full article.

From Aviara Oaks Administration (edited for clarity):

     We will have the lobby of the MPR open for students to gather if they wish.  Administrative staff and campus supervisors will be monitoring behavior and ensuring safety for students out of class. The following are a few interesting pieces regarding student protests historically (Time magazine) and student rights (ACLU link).  In addition, there is a KTSA article that may be interesting to you.

Time Magazine student protest

ACLU Link

KTSA Teacher editorial

Other Notes from Ms. Black:

• READ the links above. They are genuinely good. The editorial has some really important ideas for you to think about. The CNN article talks about the actual walk-out.
• The walk-out color is orange. Posters may help. Document it with pictures or something.
• Ms. Black cannot walk out. Her responsibility is to the students in the room.
• This takes place during advisory. If you go, you will be late to 4th period and marked tardy.
• Walkouts are meant to be peaceful demonstrations, particularly when part of the goal is to honor lives lost. Do not participate if you cannot honor that. Do not participate if you are going to disrupt that in any way. It is the disruptions that will cause you to get in trouble, not the walk-out itself.
• This walk-out is not about training teachers to have guns, but this is an actual piece of legislation that is making its way through the government and being talked about as a solution to gun violence. Ms. Black would like to simply state that she really would not like to be armed with a gun at school. She can't even keep track of her pens, and she would not feel safe with guns in her classroom or in any other classroom on a campus where she works with kids every day. Her responsibility is to students education and their safety when they are with me, and she can't ensure that with guns.
• We have to be citizens who hear each other, so if you think this is the most important issue ever, or if you think all of the protests are stupid, it doesn't matter. Listen, and I encourage you not to silence each others' voices. We can't make fun of each other for using our voices and we can't bully others into doing things our way. It only makes things harder.

Let's focus on reading Homeless Bird.

Unit Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Today's Goal: Read Chapter Seven. Continue working on looking for moments that relate to the topics we are investigating while we read.

The Plan:

1. Read
2. Look over this slideshow to help with some of the Hindi words and other concepts.
3. Read Chapter 7 - have sticky notes on hand
4. Symbols (Koly's earrings and Tagore's Book of Poems)

Question to think about today:

How do each of the characters in Homeless Bird find happiness? Many characters work towards happiness in different ways. How are they similar or different? Can you relate to any of their ways of finding happiness?

Reminders/Homework:

• I am NOT assigning you ANY Achieve article this week. You only need to complete Achieve if you having missing assignments.
• The grading period ends THIS FRIDAY, March 16.
• This means you need to clear your zeros and improve scores on things like your personal narrative.
• Make Up Your Radio Recording. We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. (Click on that link to go to the directions)
• Turn in your One-Pager ASAP (because you don't want a zero)
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's Thursday)

One-Pager Work Time

Today's Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
The Plan:

1. Read Independently
2. One-Pager (See info and and example on Friday's blog post).

Reminders/Homework:

• One-Pager due TOMORROW.
• I am NOT assigning you an Achieve article this week. 
• The grading period ends THIS FRIDAY, March 16.
• This means you need to clear your zeros and improve scores on things like your personal narrative.
• Make Up Your Radio Recording. We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. (Click on that link to go to the directions)
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. The due date has been changed.
• Your One-Pager will be due on TUESDAY, at the beginning of class. 
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's Thursday)

Using quotes in your writing

THIS CHART IS REALLY IMPORTANT. To put quotes in your writing,
you need all five parts (one from each column). And remember: (Whelan 34)

Unit Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Today's Goal: Read Chapter Five (It's pretty short). Begin to create your one-pager. 

The Plan:

1. Read
2. Homeless Bird Chapter 6
3. Quoting texts and writing strong paragraphs
4. One-Pager (on PAPER, using your slides to guide you.)

Reading Chapter SIX

You are expected to place at least two stickies for every chapter.
Do not put a sticky on the page unless you label it:
*Home/Family
*Perseverance
*Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
*Gender
*something else super important that you don't want to forget?

Reminders/Homework:

• Yo. At least HALF of you have lost 20 percent of your grade because you didn't turn in the recording of "This I Believe." What's up with that? We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. (Click on that link to go to the directions)
• OF COURSE I will take it late! Just remember that you still have to try to do things on time!
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. The due date has been changed.
• Your One-Pager will be due on TUESDAY, at the beginning of class. 
• TWO Achieve Activities (due tonight!)
• Teacher Choice: "Are You There, Leo?"
• One student choice
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's next Thursday)

Lit(erature) Thursday #5 (of 6)

Today's Goal: Get social with your independent reading

IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember, you must read and finish two independent reading books before March 15. THAT'S NEXT WEEK.

The Plan:

1. Lit Thursday
2. Lit Thursday FlipGrid

Keep in mind the following Lit Thursday expectations:

• Engage in Flipgrid once each week with or without a partner (total of at least 4 videos, on four DIFFERENT weeks, but probably more)
• Read two books (and make a book cover notecard when you FINISH it)

Reminders/Homework:

• Yo at least HALF of you have lost 20 percent of your grade because you didn't turn in the recording of "This I Believe." What's up with that? We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. (Click on the link to take you to the blog post with directions.
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. The due date has been changed.
• SHOW UP to class on Friday with Slides 5, 6, and 7 completely filled in. (on Google Classroom)
• TWO Achieve Activities due Friday by midnight
• Teacher Choice: "Are You There, Leo?"
• One student choice
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's next Thursday)

Chapter 5

Today's Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

The Plan:

1. Read (Independent)
2. Read Homeless Bird Chapter five
3. Start your first One-Pager - Gather Evidence on Google Classroom

Reading Chapter FIVE

You are expected to place at least two stickies for every chapter.
Do not put a sticky on the page unless you label it:
*Home/Family
*Perseverance
*Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
*Gender
*something else super important that you don't want to forget?

One-Pager

Essentially here's the task:

1. Pick a text-based question and gather evidence to help you answer that question and summarize your findings.

2. Create a visual representation of your findings that includes significant quotes, ideas, and images.

Today, you will gather powerful quotes from the novel to help you answer a text-based question that you chose yesterday. 

Full directions are on a document you can edit in Google Classroom. 

Reminders/Homework:

• Yo at least HALF of you have lost 20 percent of your grade because you didn't turn in the recording of "This I Believe." What's up with that? We spent two days in class on that and you need to make it happen. 
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. The due date has been changed.
• SHOW UP to class on Friday with Slides 5, 6, and 7 completely filled in. (on Google Classroom)
• TWO Achieve Activities
• Teacher Choice: "Are You There, Leo?"
• One student choice
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's next Thursday)

Finish Chapter 4 and Start Your One-Pager

Today's Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

The Plan:

1. Read (Independent)
2. Finish Reading Homeless Bird Chapter 4
3. Start your first One-Pager - Gather Evidence on Google Classroom

Directions in Video Form

Reading Chapter FOUR

You are expected to place at least two stickies for every chapter.
Do not put a sticky on the page unless you label it:
*Home/Family
*Perseverance
*Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
*Gender
*something else super important that you don't want to forget?

One-Pager

Essentially here's the task:

1. Pick a text-based question and gather evidence to help you answer that question and summarize your findings.

2. Create a visual representation of your findings that includes significant quotes, ideas, and images.

Today, you will gather powerful quotes from the novel to help you answer a text-based question that you chose yesterday. 

Full directions are on a document you can edit in Google Classroom. 

Reminders/Homework:

• Go home and tell someone you appreciate them (and why). They might need to hear it and we don't always say it when we should.
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. Your one-pager will be due to me (in my hands) on Friday, March 9. 
• You will have time in class on Tuesday and Wednesday to work on it.
• TWO Achieve Activities
• Teacher Choice: "Are You There, Leo?"
• One student choice
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's next Thursday)

Homeless Bird Chapter 4 and One-Pager

Today's Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

The Plan:

1. Period 5 Chapter 3 Quiz
2. Read
3. Read Part of Chapter 4 (You'll finish chapter 4 tomorrow)
4. Start your first One-Pager - Gather Evidence on Google Classroom

One-Pager

There are TWO steps to a One-Pager. 

1. Gather evidence to help you answer a text-based question and summarize your findings.

2. Create a visual representation of your findings that includes significant quotes, ideas, and images.

You will gather powerful quotes from the novel to help you answer a text-based question. 

Full directions are on a document you can edit in Google Classroom. 

Reading Chapter FOUR

You are expected to place at least two stickies for every chapter.
Do not put a sticky on the page unless you label it:
*Home/Family
*Perseverance
*Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
*Gender
*something else super important that you don't want to forget?

Reminders/Homework:

• Go home and tell someone you appreciate them (and why). They might need to hear it and we don't always say it when we should.
• Continue gathering evidence for your one-pager. Your one-pager will be due to me (in my hands) on Friday, March 9. 
• You will have time in class on Tuesday and Wednesday to work on it.
• TWO Achieve Activities
• Teacher Choice: "Are You There, Leo?"
• One student choice
• Keep reading. TWO books due by March 15 (that's next Thursday)

Homeless Bird Ch. 3

People bathing in the Ganges River

Unit Goal: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Today's Goal: Read Chapter Three. Continue working on looking for moments that relate to the topics we are investigating while we read.

The Plan:

1. Read
2. Important Concepts to Review for Homeless Bird
3. Homeless Bird Chapter 3
4. Context Clues Review

Many of you have not completed the "Context Clues" activity, and many of you missed some important directions, so we're going to go over some of it together because I would like it to be useful to you and something worthy of practice.

Reading Chapter THREE

You are expected to place at least two stickies for every chapter.
Do not put a sticky on the page unless you label it:
*Home/Family
*Perseverance
*Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
*Gender
*something else super important that you don't want to forget?

Driving Questions for Reading

• Home and Family
• How does Koly understand the definition of family?
  What role does Family play in Koly’s life?
• Perseverance
• In what ways are characters expected to overcome hardship? How do they achieve this?
• Dreams, Hopes, and Plans
• How do Koly's hopes, dreams, and plans change over the course of the novel? What does she wish for in the beginning, middle, and end?
• Gender
• How is Koly’s life affected by gender roles and expectations?

Reminders/Homework:

• Achieve Activities due tonight
• Finish Context Clues assignment in Google Classroom
• Revise and edit your personal narratives 
• Fill out "Re-Score Requests" for anything you would like to kindly request that I take time to look at again.
• Are you reading each night? You need to. (You have two weeks before two books are due, March 15)

Lit(erature) Thursday #4

Today's Goal: READ A LOT.

The Plan:

1. Read
2. Read some more
3. Also do some reading.
4. If you finish a book you may complete one of the book cover note cards, but other than that just reading.

Reminders/Homework:

• If you want to revise your personal narrative, please make sure you submit a re-score request on the sidebar
• If you make revisions, I HIGHLY suggest you re-record it on TwistedWave and resubmit it on Google Classroom.
• Two Achieve Articles Due Friday night, March 2, by midnight
• One Teacher Choice: "My World in Words"
• One Student Choice
• Are you reading each night? You need to. 
• I'm going to be inputting a bunch of scores in the next few days, so just be aware that that's going to affect some grades.