English-2 (Periods 2, 4, 5)

Dear Parent/Guardian:Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! My name is Kevin Barbero and I am your student/child's teacher for English-2. This is my fifth year teaching at James Hillhouse High School and my sixth year teaching overall. I'd like to introduce you to elements of the class, as well as other important information. If there is ever a time I can be of assistance to you or your student, please contact me.

Course Goals:     

 The primary aim of this class is for students to read, analyze, respond to, and enjoy works of literature from around the world and our own nation. In their sophomore year, students will focus on developing or perfecting the skills necessary to be successful on the 2011 CAPT test, which takes place in March. In this class, students will learn to react to, interpret, connect to, and evaluate a short story through timed journal writings. While other parts of the year have different focal points, CAPT success is our first priority. Beyond this, the goal of the course is to expose students to different genres of and to get them to analyze it and respond to it across several modes of writing. At the end of the year, students will have compiled a "Showcase Portfolio" of their best work this year in reading and writing. 

Course Description:Our units for this year are as follows, but are subject to change with little notice:

«  Beginning of the Year: Initial Community Building and Setting Class Procedures

«  Unit 1: The Power of Where We Live: CAPT Success through Reader Response (September-October)

«  Unit 2: Non-Fiction: Exploring Teen Issues and Beyond (November-mid December)

«  Unit 3: SIFTT-ing through Poetry: Building and Performing Poetry Portfolios (December-January)

«  Unit 4: Connecting Black Literature to Our Lives (including Shakespeare's Othello) (February-March)*

o    Unit 5: ReTooling for CAPT and Independent Book Chat (February Vacation-1st week of March)

«  Unit 6: Of Mice and Men and Philosophical Chairs (April)

o    Unit 7: Independent Book Chat and the Book Ad Fair (April-May)

 «  Unit 8: Cultural Analysis: Beyond Our Borders (May)

«  Unit 9: Showcasing Ourselves: Practical Workshops and Portfolio Reflection (June)       

 Each marking period will also contain one independent reading assignment and vocabulary work.

·         There will usually be homework every night. Most of it will independent reading or reading for the next class. Failure to keep up with reading will severely hurt students' chances of doing well in the course.

 Objectives:

Objectives are the things you should be able to successfully and independently do after completing the coursework. Students who turn in all assignments and participate fully will be able to do the following.

  • (1.1e) Draw conclusions and use evidence to substantiate them by using text heard and read
  • (1.1f)/1.2b/1.3/1.12Make and justify inferences and interpretation from explicit and implicit text information
  • 1.9 Recognize clues in text (contextual clues, structure, etc.) that aid in making meaning.
  • (1.2a) Generate and respond to questions
  •  (1.2d) Make and support judgments about texts.
  • (1.2f)/(2.4d) Discuss, evaluate, and identify themes that cross cultures that underlie texts.
  • (1.3c)/1.10 Analyze the meanings of words and phrases in context
  • (1.4a)/1.14/(2.1c) Interact with others and explain/respond to their ideas and reactions/accept the validity of others.
  • 1.8 Use the structure of narrative, expository, poetic and visual texts to interpret and extend meaning.
  • 1.9 Select and apply efficient and effective word recognition strategies, including contextual clues, picture clues and structural analysis.
  •  (2.2a)Develop and defend multiple responses to literature using individual connections and relevant text references.
  • 2.2/(3.1a) Use oral language with clarity, voice, and fluency to communicate a message.
  • (2.3a) Discuss and analyze how characters deal the diversity of human experience and conflict.
  • 2.4/2.5/3.3 Engage in a process writing, speaking, and/or developing visual texts by generating ideas, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing/presenting.
  • 3.1/(3.2c)/(4/3b) Demonstrate proficiency in mechanics and usage by proofreading and editing for organization, elaboration, fluency, clarity, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization..
  • (3.2f) Publish and/or present final products in a myriad of ways including use of arts/technology.
  •  4.5 Recognize literary conventions and devices and understand how they convey meaning.
  • Write to delight the imagination.

 Grading:

Grading for this course is based on student achievement in four areas:  Classwork/Daily Writing, Tests/Essays/Final Projects, Homework and Independent Reading, and Attendance/Participation Scores will be based on points and category values. Classwork/Daily Writing, Tests/Final Essays/Final, Homework/Independent Reading, and Attendance/Participation. These values are subject to change based on ability of students in the class.

  •  Classwork/Daily Writing (40%) includes the following: Warm-ups, Weekly Quote Attack Journals, Root of the Week and Vocabulary Exercises, all rough drafts and workshop activities for essays, poems, memoirs, stories, etc., all worksheets and short responses,  journal entries, 

  • Tests/Final Essays/Projects (30%) includes: all vocabulary and Root Tests (There will be at least six root tests and vocab. tests),  Final Essays (late essays will be accepted up to 5 days, but will be -10% each day), Final Memoirs,  Final Poetry Portfolios, Final Speeches,  PowerPoint Presentations 

*Essays can be checked for errors and understanding by sending the teacher an e-mail, but students must have a printed hard copy for credit on the due date.  

  • Homework/Independent Reading (20%)includes: Root of the Week Sentences or Crosswords, any assignment based on independent reading (reading logs, online blogs, Literature Circle Letters, etc.), Reading at home (at least 20 min./night)  

HW/Class Policy and After-School TimeStudents must have their HW done every day. If conditions exist in the home that limit students' ability to do HW, they will need to arrange to stay after school to complete.

Ø  Chronic late work is never acceptable. In general, I do not accept late work if students were in class.

Ø  Students with unique circumstances may be granted an extension for classwork if they tell me ahead of time and/or in a reasonable manner after some incident occurs

Ø  Having to watch siblings at home, after school athletics, or an after school job are not acceptable reasons to not turn in work

Ø  Students who miss a HW assignment and turn it in the next morning during before 7:45 a.m. will receive full credit.

Ø  Students who fail to turn in HW beyond 7:45 the next morning must serve "After School Time (AST)" from 2:05 p.m-2:45 p.m. Monday-Thursday within three (3) days of the missing assignment. Students who do so will be given 1/2 credit.

Ø  Any student who skips or forgets to serve AST within 3 days of the missing HW will lose 1 point off their quarter average, no matter what the reason (babysitting, work, sports, another teacher needed to see me…)

Ø  There's a reason it's not called detention. AST is for students to get extra help they need and to be sure they don't fall behind or have their grade drop too low. Half-credit is better than a zero.Ø  After school help is available Tues-Thurs from 2-2:45 and by e-mail. All e-mails must be sent by 8 p.m.  

Attendance:

Your presence in the classroom is required daily.  Missing a class is obviously unavoidable on certain occasions, but habitual absences are not acceptable.  You will receive one point for each day you attend class.  At the end of the marking period, your attendance grade will be formulated based on your points and the total number of class days (If there were 37 days of class and you were absent 2 times, your attendance grade would be a 35/37, or 95%. Thus, the final gradebook entry for the 1st MP would read "95/100 pts.) If you missed 15 days, it would be a 59).

Ø  Since a block period is twice as long as a standard class period, they will be counted as two points. Under the new schedule, Mondays will be worth 1 pt., Tuesdays-Fridays 2 pts.

Ø  You are responsible to seek out any missed work from the time you were absent.

Ø  Make-up work must be submitted in a reasonable amount of time, equal to the number of consecutive days missed. If you're out 1 day, you have 1 day to bring it. For example, students out Monday return on Tuesday and must turn in work on Wed. Students on a Monday and Tuesday would turn in their work on Friday.Ø  Make-up work will not be accepted in a frenzied rush at the end of the marking period.

Ø  Make-up work will not be accepted for classes cut.

Ø  Students wishing to use the lavatory must use their student agendas as a hall pass. There will be no substitutes.

Ø  You will lose one attendance point for every three lavatory passes or instances you go to the bathroom without your agenda book hall pass. I will never deny anyone the right to use the lavatory, but habitual use of it becomes suspect and interferes with learning.

Ø  You will lose one attendance point for every two tardies.

Ø  Students will not be admitted into class late without a pass past three tardies. 

Tardies:

Like attending class every day, being in class on time is a must. Students have four minutes to arrive at class, at which time the late bell will ring and the door will be closed. Per class policy (see above), two tardies=1 point off of the attendance grade. Under the new school policy, students who are 1-5 minutes late will be admitted, but marked as tardy. At three or more tardies, students will be not admitted and sent to the Dean of Discipline and the principal after seven tardies.

Participation:

As a member of this classroom community, you are expected to participate in all in-class activities. Participation consists of the following areas: sharing ideas in class, respect for fellow students, respect for the teacher, being on time, and being prepared for class In order for you to achieve the highest level of learning possible, it is essential that you are an active participant in the activities of the classroom on a daily basis.  You will in turn become an active participant in your own education and future.  Reading assignments and writing homework is only a small part of the learning experience.  Interacting with others in an academic environment is the best way to reinforce and expand your learning.

Ø  Class periods are intentionally a specified length of time.  Class begins at the sound of the late bell and ends at the sound of the dismissal bell.  Ø  You are expected to be in your seat, working on the warm-up exercise at the sound of the late bell. 

Ø  You are expected to be in your seat and attentively participating in the lesson until the dismissal bell.

Ø  Substitute teachers will be provided with assignments that count towards your grade.

Ø  All students are expected to carry the same weight in the classroom.  Do not expect your fellow students to do all the work for you.  This is not the way to a real education. Discipline:Students are expected to treat themselves, other students, and the teacher with respect at all times. Students will create a Code of Conduct with each other and the teacher and be expected to follow it, or be subject to disciplinary measures. As a teacher, the rules of the class are very simple. I call them "Mr. B.'s Four Bs:" Be Here. Be on time. Be prepared. Be Respectful. Being prepared means having all materials listed below every day, and not relying on remaining class materials or other students. Being nice means respecting others, the rules of the school, and the rules of the class.

Special Notes:

1. No hats or head coverings allowed. Females will no longer be able to wear headwraps, scarves, or similar head coverings. Students will not be permitted to leave for hat passes or to comb their hair, so come prepared.

2. No cell phones, iPods, mp3 players, or other electronic devices. Students who use them will have one and only one chance to put them away. Second warnings will require students to surrender them to me until the end of the day. Third warnings on (continuous throughout the year) will result in removal to the Dean of Student Discipline.

3. As of this year, After School Time (AST) will be used for academic help only. Students may be assigned detention to be served on a given date for continuous poor behavior after warnings are given; these students will be expected to work silently for one hour. Students who skip or forget about detention (regardless of any after school commitment) will be referred to the Dean of Student Discipline and assigned After School Reflection for at least one hour.

4. Positive reinforcement is of the utmost importance. As a teacher, I strive to reward before punish or correct behavior. There are numerous positive behavior measures, including:

  • Positive phone calls/letters home
  • Student of the Month awards and privileges
  • Extra Credit points

Materials You Will Need Every Day:

Please purchase these materials by the end of the first week in school. Students cannot be successful without them.

Materials:

Ø  3-ring binder (worth a class grade)

Ø  Plenty of lined paper

Ø  Pencils

Ø  Black or Blue Pen (no submissions in any other colors)

Ø  A Hi-Liter

Ø  White-Out

All other materials will be provided.

Extra Credit:Extra credit is limited, but available through various programs. Students will not be eligible for extra credit simply because they choose to not do the work.

A Final Word:

I love teaching. I love the ability to make a difference in the lives of youth whether or not they are exceptional students or struggling students. I believe every student can succeed. Whether or not success is an A+ or a C-, that's for you to decide. I do not believe in just getting by. A "D" is not successful. If students turn in their work on time and complete all reading assignments, there is never a reason to earn less than 70%. I believe that completely. I will never give up on a student because I believe in the power and potential of our students. If students are not willing to meet my passion for learning or my belief that they can be successful, then they will not succeed unfortunately. I will bend to the point of breaking for students to be successful, to learn, and to enjoy class. At the end of the day, It is up to your student to do the work. Please encourage them and never accept "I don't have HW." There will always be something: reading 20 minutes a night, rechecking old HW, revising past work. Stay on students at home and they'll be better for it! I look forward to working with you and your student. Best of luck!

Yours in education,

Kevin Barbero

860-834-2788 (cell)

Kevin.Barbero@new-haven.k12.ct.us (e-mail) 

 MARKING PERIOD 1 SYLLABUS

Units Covered this MP:Ø  Beginning of the Year Classroom Set-UpØ  Unit 1: The Power of Where We Live: CAPT Unit Ø  Unit 2: Non-Fiction: Exploring and Speaking the Issues of TeenagersUnit 1Essential Questions:Year-Long: What can we/have we learned from literature about making positive and negative decisions?Ø  Unit 1: When one makes negative decisions and faces their consequences, who/what is primarily responsible? Ourselves or our environment?Related Questions:
  • How does what I've read about a character's/historical person's decisions connect with my life?
  • What does it mean to be influenced by your environment?
  • What does it mean to be a "scenic" person? What does it mean to be an "agentive" person?
  • Who/What is responsible for who I am as a person? Have my own choices lead me to become who I am? Or am I more a "product of my environment?" Is it a combination, neither, or something else?
  • When positive and/or negative things happen, what or who is primarily responsible? Me? Others? Where I come from? Some higher power? Is it all of the above, some of the above, or none of the above?
Primary Texts:o    "The Father" by Raymond Carvero    "A Mother in Mannville"o    "Satyagraha" by Alden R. Cartero    "Gang Girl" by Isis Riverao    "Gridiron Gang" (DVD-visual text)o    "Catch the Moon" by Judith Ortiz Cofiro    Independent Reading: "The Moustache" by Robert Cormier, "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier, "Through the Tunnel" by Doris Lessing, "Initiation" by Sylvia Plath, and "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tano    Secret Short Story Selection (unit test)QUARTER/UNIT OVERVIEWS:Beginning of the Year:During the first few days of school, we will focus on setting up the classroom: physically and through gaining an understanding of classroom procedures, philosophies, expectations and codes of conduct for our behavior and effort. Students will also participate in preliminary activities, including teambuilding exercises designed to build student rapport with other students and with the teacher. Goal setting will be a primary focus and will include an analysis of a John Updike poem for what it contributes to the idea of the importance of goal setting.Unit 1In the opening academic unit (1) of the year, students will work towards successfully receiving a score of "proficient" or higher on the first quarterly assessment, a CAPT-based response to literature assessment in which they will write four response to literature journals for the story "Catch the Moon." After exercises in literary devices to build a common vocabulary for discussing stories, students will explore an essential question about the impact of those around us and our settings. We will read four short stories, read one young adult novel, and watch a film, using these and related lessons to teach students how to successfully respond at the four levels of RTL: initial understanding, interpretation, personal connection, and evaluation of author's craft. Following the initial quarterly assessment, students will read anchor papers, work though "fix up" workshops and participate in peer review activities, in order to rewrite RTL responses and reflect on best practices and strategies for CAPT RTL success.PURPOSESØ  Beginning of the Year Unito    Establish classroom procedures, rules and orient to class policies.o    Reflect on the importance of goal setting and set goals for the first MP.o    Build classroom rapport and an atmosphere of collaboration through teambuilding and icebreaker activitieso    Learn to craft well-written journal entriesØ  Unit 1o    Learn to take and reflect on class notes through the "Most Important Thing…" Exit Ticketo    Define literary terms and devices as to develop a common English classroom vocabulary.o    Analyze CAPT prompts and demonstrate understanding of each RTL question.o    Learn to write successful initial understanding , interpretation, connection, and evaluation journals, o    Interpret passages/stories for themes and support inferences.o    Interpret a character as dynamic or static/flat and provide support.o    Make and support text-to-self, text-to-world and text-to-text connections.o    Define symbolism and identify examples found in literatureo    Evaluate literature after developing criteria for effective literature.GENERAL GOALS/OBJECTIVESIn general the goals of this unit can best be captured in two types of objectives: (1) Enduring understanding, or lasting, life-time learning students should take away from this unit and (2) Performance Objectives, the daily objectives we will accomplish in class.1) Enduring UnderstandingØ  Goal setting is an indispensable part of one's life, as it provides "targets" for one's success.
  • One's decisions/actions made in the present have both short and long term consequences for the future.
  • We are products of our environment, but one must make a conscious choice to be an agent of one's own life, and not a scenic passerby.
 UNIT 2: Non-Fiction Issues: Exploring Today's TeenagerEssential Questions:
  • (Year-Long): How can I make a positive impact on the world?
  • (Unit 1-3): How do my choices and decisions affect myself and others?
Ø  Related Questions:o    What have I learned from reading literature about making a positive impact on the world?o    What have I learned from literature about how one's decisions affect one's self and others?o    What is non-fiction and how is it both similar and different from fiction?o    What issues effect teens most today and how do teens deal with these issues? How do their actions in these situations affect others?Primary Texts:
  • Non-fiction selections: "A Fable for Tomorrow", "The Woolworth Sit-in That Launched a Movement," Hip Deep Selections, DVD: "Supersize Me"
  • James Hillhouse Sentinel
  • Mirror on America
  • Blair Reader Contemporary American Issues
  • Various speeches
  UNIT OVERVIEW:In the third unit of the year, students will learn to define and analyze non-fiction stories (mostly centered on teen issues) from various publications, including student newspaper, the local city newspaper, selected non-fiction and NPR broadcasts, autobiographical writing by teens, and a DVD chronicling the fast food industry. While students will learn to use the SOAPSTONE graphic organizer to analyze each piece of non-fiction, we'll use Reading for Information style prompts to respond to them before moving on to the next piece, ensuring students develop both an understanding of this part of the reading CAPT test and the skills necessary to pass it. After successfully demonstrating proficiency on RFI style tests and responses, students will engage in a research project that will culminate with a persuasive research paper. Students will work through the PIPPS (Possible Ideas for Possible Papers) process, identifying issues related to teens and turning these topics into issue statements via in-class workshops. In a library week, students will then find two sources who agree with their position, interview a credible third source, and then find one source who disagrees. Through the discovery draft and chunking essay process, students will write a persuasive essay. Finally, students will enter the authentic writing and performing portion of this unit. Based on their persuasive essays, students will work though a series of "prep" speeches, leading up to the delivery of a persuasive speech on their issue. Students will learn about the three basic rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, pathos) as well as more advanced rhetorical techniques through analysis of famous speeches. Students will deliver several speeches in preparation for their unit-ending speech, which will serve as 50% of their unit exam grade. The speech will be delivered before a panel of adult professionals, whose reviews will determine 1/3 of the students' grade.PURPOSES1. Define fiction vs. non-fiction and identify similarities and differences between the two forms of literature.2. Analyze and discuss non-fiction texts through the use of graphic organizers.3. Differentiate between topics and issues.4. Identify strategies for success on reading for information CAPT-style assessments and demonstrate proficiency on these assessments.5. Write a well-crafted persuasive essay and deliver a supplementary presentation presenting a thesis on an issue explored through the Big 6 research process.6. Identify basic and more advanced rhetorical appeals used in speech.7. Deliver a well-written, rehearsed persuasive speech with confidence.GENERAL GOALS/OBJECTIVESIn general the goals of this unit can best be captured in two types of objectives: (1) Enduring understanding, or lasting, life-time learning students should take away from this unit and (2) Performance Objectives, the daily objectives we will accomplish in class. (1) Enduring Understandings
  • Research is a stepwise process that requires meticulous note taking, planning, and organizing of materials.
  • Speaking before a well-educated audience of peers and adults is both a frightening and necessary part of developing one's abilities to face and succeed in the face of healthy risks.
  • To be an effective public speaker, one must be well researched, master non verbal communication, and commit to knowing one's audience.
CT (POWER) STANDARDS (Important Skills)
  • (1.1e) Draw conclusions and use evidence to substantiate them by using text heard and read
  • (1.1f)/1.2b/1.3/1.12Make and justify inferences and interpretation from explicit and implicit text information
  • 1.9 Recognize clues in text (contextual clues, structure, etc.) that aid in making meaning.
  • (1.2a) Generate and respond to questions
  •  (1.2d) Make and support judgments about texts.
  • (1.2f)/(2.4d) Discuss, evaluate, and identify themes that cross cultures that underlie texts.
  • (1.3c)/1.10 Analyze the meanings of words and phrases in context
  • (1.4a)/1.14/(2.1c) Interact with others and explain/respond to their ideas and reactions/accept the validity of others.
  • 1.8 Use the structure of narrative, expository, poetic and visual texts to interpret and extend meaning.
  • 1.9 Select and apply efficient and effective word recognition strategies, including contextual clues, picture clues and structural analysis.
  •  (2.2a)Develop and defend multiple responses to literature using individual connections and relevant text references.
  • 2.2/(3.1a) Use oral language with clarity, voice, and fluency to communicate a message.
  • (2.3a) Discuss and analyze how characters deal the diversity of human experience and conflict.
  • 2.4/2.5/3.3 Engage in a process writing, speaking, and/or developing visual texts by generating ideas, drafting, editing, revising, and publishing/presenting.
  • 3.1/(3.2c)/(4/3b) Demonstrate proficiency in mechanics and usage by proofreading and editing for organization, elaboration, fluency, clarity, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization..
  • (3.2f) Publish and/or present final products in a myriad of ways including use of arts/technology.
  •  4.5 Recognize literary conventions and devices and understand how they convey meaning.
  • Write to delight the imagination.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)Weeks 1 and 2: Building Community in the ClassroomActivities: These weeks, we'll start the process of getting to know each other through teambuilding exercises centered on goal-setting. Activities like "Rowing Together" and "Magic Carpet" get us up and moving and ask us to consider the importance of having SMART goals for which we aim. Our first piece of literature analysis will be John Updike's "Ex-Basketball Player". We'll look at it for the message (theme) Updike wishes to convey about what happens when you don't set goals. We'll also get the class room ready by establishing our seating chart, setting up the Class Code of Conduct, learning class procedures and rules, and setting up our 3-ring binders with dividers.Week 3: Building a Common Vocabulary, and Exploring Essential QuestionsActivities: We'll kick off unit one by making sure we have a common vocabulary for discussing the "language of literature," focusing on literary elements, devices/techniques, and figurative language. How will we do it? By doing what comes naturally-checking our iPod, continuing to get to know each other through partner interviews, and then busting a rhyme (Flocabulary style!) After this, we delve into the unit essential questions. We'll discuss whether or not we as human beings are responsible for what we do and how we do it, or are we simply a product of what's around, and those around us. Finally, to start building towards CAPT success, we'll need to complete a diagnostic assignment? How good are you already?Week 4: Always Make a Good First Impression: Making Initial ReactionsActivities: What does it take to succeed on the first CAPT Response to Literature journal? In initial understandings, you'll learn to demonstrate your understanding of characters, conflict, and how the author created that conflict. We'll unwrap initial understandings and write/revise journals for "The Father" and "Mother in Mannville". Just for fun, we'll review literary devices in the $25,000 HW Pass Pyramid and see what happens to a story when you change things up.Week 5: Through the Static: Interpreting Dynamic vs. Flat Characterization; Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Thematic Thinkers-Defining and identifying themes in Children's Lit.Activities: This week, it's all about RTL Journal #2: Interpreting. We'll ride the "Emotional Rollercoaster" after reading fan-favorite "Gang Girl" to see if Isis Sapp-Grant was a dynamic or flat/static character, and what that means. We'll also learn to Quote Attack a prompt and find out what theme is, and how quote attacks show themes. Our discussion of theme topics and theme statements we'll send us back in time, too. Reading children's stories and fables can teach us important themes in life. We'll read some kids' books and create our own fable to teach a theme.Weeks 6-7: Rumble Fish Activities: I've added this novel in the short story unit for a good reason. It rocks. We'll do some interviewing of people who were adolescents/teens in the 60's and 70's to build some background knowledge, and we'll complete chapter response guides. After some in class reading and at home reading, we'll use "Make Your Vote" to discuss and journal our interpretation on issues from the novella that are important to you. We'll laser-focus on the last 10 pages to gleam some themes and blog our reactions to the text on Facebook. We'll finish up by watching the film version of the book.Week 8: Making Connections to Stories and FilmActivities: What does it mean to practice non-violence? We'll complete a brief WebQuest on topics like Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Ahisma, and Hinduism and try to make connections to a story called "Satyagraha". We'll return to "Gang Girl" and see "Gridiron Gang" to pull out "non-obvious themes and to make connections to the short stories we just read.Week 9: Revealing the Code: Evaluating LiteratureActivities: Completing the fourth journal on RTL (Evaluation) is always a mystery to students. We'll learn how to do it right by reflecting back on our favorite, and not so favorite, stories from MP1. We'll make a list of "what makes a story great," focusing on symbolism, as taught through a clip from the book-based film "The DaVinci Code." We'll write evaluation journals together.Week 10: Bringing It Home: Learn to Fly by Catching the MoonActivities: We'll learn how to succeed on CAPT day by practicing CAPT strategies when we are timed on "Catch the Moon." After, we'll look at anchor papers and build some background knowledge before we revise these journals. After building "Tips for Success" and completing a unit review football game, we'll fly on our own. The unit test is all by yourself, and it deals with "flying!" Good luck! Week 11: Unit 1 Vocabulary testUnit 2: Diving into Non-Fiction and Being a TeenagerActivities: Following a unit one vocabulary review game and test, we'll define non-fiction and see how it's different and similar from/to short stories and fiction. We'll also get into the unit Essential Questions and discuss what it's like to be a teenager today. We'll introduce the teen journaling project though a film clip from "Freedom Writers."Week 12: RFI-Really Fun Ice Cream? No-Reading for Information…and Keeping Clean with a bar of SOAPSTone. Activities: We'll learn the elements of perhaps the year's most important analysis tool: SOAPSTone and apply it to our first piece of non-fiction, "A Fable for Tomorrow." We'll learn about the RFI part of the CAPT test and work "The Process" to succeed on it.Week 13: Do I Dare Disturb the Universe? Analyzing Non-Fiction through FictionActivities: In order to venture into our next piece of non-fiction, "The Woolworth Sit-In that Launched a Movement," we'll go back briefly to some modernist poetry (Browning, Stevens and T.S. Eliot). Through an analysis and understanding of their works and Eliot's line "Do I dare disturb the universe" in his poem "The Lovesong of J.Alfred Prufrock," we'll discuss what it means to disturb the universe and parlay that to our analysis of "…Woolworth…" We'll complete more RFI assessments here.Week 14-15: It's My Turn: SOAPSTone-ing Hip Deep Teen Writing and Getting Published Activities: We'll continue getting ready for RFI success by turning our non-fiction attention to real stories by real teens. What issues face teens? How well does Hip Deep capture the lives of Hillhouse students? We'll also look at the My Turn column in Newsweek and analyze it to see how one gets published. We'll write a brief memoir sketch of a seminal moment in our lives and submit them to teen publications.Week 16: Wrapping Up SOAPSTONE-Creating our Own RFI Tests and Analyzing "Supersize Me"Activities: Time to put up or sh…well, you know. You'll need to independently choose articles that reflect our nation's people (or do they?) You'll write your own RFI test, take it, and see if your peers can survive it. We'll end by looking at non-fiction documentary "SuperSize Me" and complete one final SOAPSTONE and response guide.Week 17-19: Persuasive Research PapersActivities: The persuasive research paper is one of the biggest of the year. We'll use the expertise of the library media specialists to help research a teen-related issue and see what others have already written about. Through an extended writing process, you'll need to take a stand on this issue and support it. Workshops include creating bibliographies and properly citing our sources parenthetically.Week 20: You're Quite Appealing: Rhetorical Devices and Analyzing SpeechesActivities: We're going to take the research paper into the real world. You'll learn what logos, ethos, and pathos are, and how great public speakers use them, and a handful of other rhetorical devices, to craft great public speeches. Assignments include collages that demonstrate how the modern media uses rhetorical appeals and a TV analysis for the same thing. Yes! Watching TV is homework this week!Week 21: Breaking The Ice: Short SpeechesActivities: Public speaking can be daunting. We'll try to keep it light this week by practicing through activities like Speeches in a Hat (impromptu speaking), Informercial making, and maybe some silly others.Week 22-23: Developing and Delivering Our Persuasive SpeechesActivities: Time to sink or swim. You'll need to use Toastmaster tips and a persuasive speech outline to create and deliver a five minute speech on your persuasive research issue. Lots of practice at home and in class (Elevator Speeches) and mandatory after school time to rehearse will get you ready to go before school administrators, community leaders, and professors of English, writing, and speech from SCSU.ASSESSMENTS (subject to change, point values tentative)Unit 1: 1. All Initial Journals (completion by length) (10 pts.)2. All revised journals (20 pts.)3. Unwrapping worksheets (10 pts. each x 4)4. Various freewrites (participation points)5. Satyagraha WebQuest (20 pts.)6. Gridiron Gang and Rumble Fish film guides (10 pts. each)7. Rumble Fish novel guide (5 x pts. TBD)8. Literary Device Flocabulary (15 pts.), Unit Vocabulary Flocabulary (15 pts.)9. FishBowl Discussions (points TBD)10. Graphic organizers, worksheets11. Root of the Week and Vocabulary sentences (5 pts. per sentence)12. Root Quizzes (25 pts. x 5)13. Root Unit Test (at least 100 pts.)14. Unit Vocabulary Test (at least 100 pts.)15. Catch the Moon RTL (50 pts)16. Unit RTL Final (100 pts.)Unit 2:1. Participation Activities: Chalk Talks, class discussions, Socratic Seminar (additional grade value)2. Independent Teen Issue Journal (points TBD)3. SOAPSTONE organizers (10 pts. each), RFI Top 10 (10 pts. each), RFI Assessments (20 pts. each): Fable For Tomorrow, Woolworth Sit-in, Hip Deep articles (2), Blair Reader/Mirror on America4. "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock": Sensory Notes (10 pts.), Disturbing the Universe Visual Presentation (points TBD), Analysis Jigsaw questions (points TBD), Journal response (20 pts.)5. Autobiographical Sketch for Submission: All workshop/reflective steps (10 pts. each) and final memoir sketch (50 pts.)6. Blair Reader/Mirror On America: Self RFI Questions and Test, Results from taking someone else's test7. PIPPS Stoplight Worksheet (10 pts.)8. Research Article SOAPSTONES (10 PTS.), A-E Response guides (10 pts. each x 3 articles), Interview Worksheet (10 pts.), Source Sheets (5 pts. x 4), Bibliography (10 pts.)9. Chunked Essay (1st Draft) (20 pts.)10. Final Persuasive Essay (100 pts.)11. Rhetorical Devices WS (10 pts.) and Quiz (points TBD)12. American Rhetoric Speech SOAPSTONEs and Response guides (5)13. Persuasive/Rhetorical Appeals Collage (points TBD) and TV HW assignment 14. Persuasive Speech Checkpoints: Outline, Draft, Elevator Speech, Final Draft (100 pts.), Speech Evaluation (1/3 teacher, 1/3 peer, 1/3 panel)15. Various reflective journals (10 pts. each)16. Final RFI Test (50 pts.)17. Root of the Week Vocabulary Cards and Quizzes18. Accelerated Reading Test (50 pts.)