Stand Up and Speak! May 20 or 23, 2019

Focus: What do we want each other to understand better or differently?

1. Warming up with your American Lit stats

2. Speaking and Listening: Enjoying our first presenters and panel discussions

• Remember that your goal is to participate at least twice as an audience member.

• Click here for ideas about good panel discussion questions.

3. Wrapping up with your American Lit course evaluation, if time allows

HW:
Go enjoy your summer!

The First and the Last: May 17, 2019

Focus: How do we develop an engaging framework for our speeches?

1. Warming up with power posing


2. Thinking about transitions and the larger logic of your presentation

3. Practicing, practicing, practicing (remember to work on transitions)

HW:
1. Work hard on building the structure of your speech (click HERE for the presentation order).

2. See you during finals week!

2nd hour: Monday, May 20 at 11:40 am

6th hour: Thursday, May 23 at 10:05 am

Fine-Tuning Our Presentations: May 16, 2019

Focus: How do we fine-tune our presentations?

1. Warming up with a Ted tips on how to use presentation slides

2. Developing and practicing your presentations with a focus on how you're using your slides

• Can your speech stand on its own?

3. Focusing on the first thing you say to us

• Click here for an overview of speech openings and closings.

HW:
TODAY: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Note: If you still have a Fences or Great Gatsby book, you need to turn it in by THURSDAY.

2. Our final exam time:

2nd hour: Monday, May 20 at 11:40 am

6th hour: Thursday, May 23 at 10:05 am

Answering the Call: May 15, 2019

Focus: How do we answer the call?

1. Warming up with our first final speech and panel discussion!

2. Figuring what "call to action" really means

• For some heroic, everyday teenagers, click here: YSA (Youth Service America)

• For ideas on how to answer the call, click here: www.dosomething.org/us

3. Recapping the overview of your American Lit final speech and figuring out the underlying structure to your speech and your call to action

• Feel free to use the American Literature speech planner.

HW:
THURSDAY, MAY 16: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Note: If you still have a Fences or Great Gatsby book, you need to turn it in by THURSDAY. If you can't find your book, you will need to pay the fine. You will not be able to register for next year's classes until all books/fines are taken care of.

Book Clubbing, Day 3: May 14, 2019

Focus: What does your author want you to understand better or differently, and how does the book's resolution contribute to this?

1. Warming up with individual book reviews (click HERE for ideas about star-ratings)

Click on your book club's document below, find your first name and last initial, and follow the directions. Please note that you are doing this individually (not as a group) because you may have differing opinions on your book. I am grading these since they take effort for you to do (20 points per review).

• Brain on Fire
• The Happiness Advantage
• Moneyball
• The Blind Side
• Fast Food Nation

Next year, I will link your reviews directly to the book list; this way, students can make informed decisions about which book they're choosing.

2. Enjoying your final day of book clubs; I will be checking on your syllabi as you discuss from home.

3. Wrapping up with your final exit tickets

HW:
THURSDAY, MAY 16: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Note: If you still have a Fences or Great Gatsby book, you need to turn it in by THURSDAY. If you can't find your book, you will need to pay the fine. You will not be able to register for next year's classes until all books/fines are taken care of.

Becoming Experts, Part 2: May 13, 2019

Focus: How do we become experts on our speech topics?

1. Warming up with three good things

2. Enjoying reading time: Where do you see your author using ethos, pathos, and logos?

3. Creating a list of what you need to research, then dividing and conquering

A. Brainstorming example from Blackfish:

• Interviews with Sea World trainers--did they know about the dangers?
• Interviews with Sea World former executives
• Tilicum's history--has he been aggressive before?
• History of attacks at Sea World and other marine parks
• Court documents surrounding this case
• Footage of Sea World shows
• Background info on whales in their natural environment
• Accounts of whale behavior in captivity vs. natural environment
• How are whales captured? How are they trained?
• Accounts of attack on Dawn
• Protests on Sea World

4.  Researching your investigative question and becoming an expert on your topic

• Finding reliable and diverse sources (ever heard of the C.R.A.P. test?)

• Using www.easybib.com as you go (Works Cited due by end of class on Wednesday)

Click here for the American Lit Speech Planner.

HW:
1. TOMORROW: Final book club meeting.

2. THURSDAY, MAY 16: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Becoming Experts: May 10, 2019

Focus: How do we become experts on our speech topics?

1. Warming up with reading time: Where do you see your author using ethos, pathos, and logos?

2. Brainstorming ideas about how you can use ethos, pathos, and logos in your speeches

3. Creating a list of what you need to research, then dividing and conquering

A. Brainstorming example from Blackfish:

• Interviews with Sea World trainers--did they know about the dangers?
• Interviews with Sea World former executives
• Tilicum's history--has he been aggressive before?
• History of attacks at Sea World and other marine parks
• Court documents surrounding this case
• Footage of Sea World shows
• Background info on whales in their natural environment
• Accounts of whale behavior in captivity vs. natural environment
• How are whales captured? How are they trained?
• Accounts of attack on Dawn
• Protests on Sea World

4.  Researching your investigative question and becoming an expert on your topic

• Finding reliable and diverse sources (ever heard of the C.R.A.P. test?)

• Using www.easybib.com as you go (Works Cited due by end of class on Wednesday)

Click here for the American Lit Speech Planner.

HW:
1. MONDAY: Reading and speech development (bring your book to class).

2. TUESDAY: Final book club meeting.

3. THURSDAY, MAY 16: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Book Clubbing, Day 2: May 9, 2019

Focus: What is your book helping you understand about yourself/the world around you?

1. Warming up with reflecting on your Gatsby essays and your Weekly Focus and Participation

2. Investigative Book Clubbing, Day 2!

• Make sure you have made a book club folder. Your first syllabus (and all subsequent syllabi) should be in that folder.

• Type discussion notes into your syllabus as you go or at the end.

• New: Only ONE open laptop per group, please.

3. Completing your Book Club Exit Ticket #2 (to be completed individually)

HW:
1. TOMORROW and MONDAY: Reading and speech development (bring your book to class).

2. TUESDAY: Final book club meeting.

3. THURSDAY, MAY 16: Last day to submit any make-up / revised work for American Lit. I will not be accepting any course work after this date.

Investigating Your Books: May 8, 2019

Focus: How is your book building up to its climax / turning point?

TRIBE: Shortened class

1. Warming up with by touching base briefly with your book club to set goals

• Something to consider: In response to yesterday's events, why is it important that you are reading this book right now?

2. Reading your book club book and creating syllabi

HW:
TOMORROW: Assigned book club reading and syllabi.

Life, Animated, Day 2: May 7, 2019

Focus: What does Life, Animated want us to understand better or differently about ourselves?

1. Warming up with a few observations of ethos, logos, and pathos in Life, Animated

2. Watching the second half of Life, Animated with a focus on the one rhetorical appeal you haven't studied yet

3. Wrapping up with small-group discussions to analyze and evaluate the film's use of rhetoric

HW:
1. WEDNESDAY: Bring your book club book to class.

2. THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

Life, Animated: Day 1: May 6, 2019

Focus: What does Life, Animated want us to understand better or differently about ourselves?

Please turn in your Gatsby books if you have not yet done so.

1. Warming up with three good things and your previewing questions for Life, Animated  (10 minutes)

2. Watching the first half of Life, Animated with a focus on the one rhetorical appeal you haven't studied yet

HW:
1. WEDNESDAY: Bring your book club book to class.

2. NEXT THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

Investigating Your Speech Topics: May 3, 2019

Focus: How do we build the foundation for a compelling speech?

1. Warming up by acknowledging the instant gratification monkey

2. Picturing the narrative arc as you build your speeches:

• What did Waiting for Superman and Blackfish build up to? 
• What question was each investigating? 
• What was the call to social action? 
• What were the main building blocks in between?

• What will your speech build up to? (Do this independently, then compare notes.)
• What question will you investigate?
• What is your call to social action?
• What are your main building blocks in between?

3. Reading your book club books, keeping in mind your investigative questions

HW:
NEXT THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

Book Clubbing, Day 1: May 2, 2019

Focus: What do the opening chapters of your book make you wonder about?

1. Warming up by investigating three sentences from the opening chapter of your book

• Find three sentences from the opening chapters that made you wonder / question / reflect. Write them out on the left side of your sheet of paper.

• On the right side, ask a few questions / offer a few personal reflections.

• Also on the right side, try responding to this question: Based on the opening chapter, what do you think your author wants you start questioning or reconsidering?

2. Investigative Journalism Book Clubbing, Day 1

• Make sure you have made a book club folder. Your first syllabus (and all subsequent syllabi) should be in that folder.

• Type discussion notes into your syllabus as you go or at the end.

• New: Only ONE open laptop per group, please.

3. Wrapping up with your exit ticket (to be filled out individually and honestly)

HW:
1. TOMORROW: You will have some reading time and speech preparation time, so be sure to bring your book.

2. NEXT THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

Investigating Your Books: May 1, 2019

Focus: How do set ourselves up for book club success?

1. Warming up with Weekly Focus / Participation goals, book club reminders, and touching base briefly with your group

2. Reading our book club books

HW:
For THURSDAY: Complete your assigned reading and syllabus. Since we have fewer syllabi and book club meetings, each syllabi / meeting will be worth 50 points.

Blackfish, Day 2: April 30, 2019

Focus: What does Blackfish want us to understand better or differently, and how does it use rhetoric to persuade us?

1. Warming up with the big questions:

• Whom does Blackfish want us to blame for Dawn's death? Whom should we not blame?

• How does the film use logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade us?

2. Viewing the end of Blackfish

Note to self: Start around minute 45:40, then skip from 57:30 to 1:06 (the Loro Parque scene)

3. Discussing the film's themes and rhetorical appeals in small groups

HW:
1. For WEDNESDAY: Bring your book club book to class for reading time. You should be averaging about 15 pages a night.

2. For THURSDAY: Complete your assigned reading and syllabus. Since we have fewer syllabi and book club meetings, each syllabi / meeting will be worth 50 points.

Blackfish, Day 1: April 29, 2019

Focus: What do we need to understand about how we treat living things?

Please take out your Weekly Focus and Participation sheet.

1. Warming up with three good things, your Weekly Focus and Participation reflections, and a few final thought about Waiting for Superman

2. Checking your current understanding with high velocity previewing questions for Blackfish and a warning of sensitivity triggers

• If you observed pathos last time, you will now look at ethos.

• If you observed ethos last time, you will now look at logos.

• If you observed logos last time, you will now look at pathos.

If you'd like to opt out of Blackfish, you can develop the same skills and gain knowledge on the same topic by reading the following articles for ethos, pathos, and logos:

National Geographic: Are Wildlife Sanctuaries Good for Animals?
The Conversation: In Defense of Zoos
NPR: Sea World Ending Captive Breeding of Killer Whales
Washington Post: SeaWorld's Whales Deserve Better
CNN: Sea World Responds to Blackfish


3. Switch-a-rooing your rhetorical appeals and watching Blackfish

HW:
1. For WEDNESDAY: Bring your book club book to class for reading time. You should be averaging about 15 pages a night.

2. For THURSDAY: Complete your assigned reading and syllabus. Since we have fewer syllabi and book club meetings, each syllabi / meeting will be worth 50 points in the MASTERY category. Your three book club meetings will be our semester's final assessment on your reading and discussion skills.

Waiting for Superman, Day 2: April 26, 2019

Focus: What do we need to understand better or differently about public education in the United States?

1. Warming up with a large-class collection of your ethos, logos, and pathos observations

2. Watching the second half of Waiting for Superman with your documentary tracking notes

3. Concluding by investigating what this documentary helped us understand better or differently about American public education: Returning to your Waiting for Superman pre-writing questions and turning them into post-writing questions

Turn in your pathos, ethos, and logos tracking sheets.

HW:
1. For MONDAY: You should be through at least page 45 in your book club book.

2. For THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus for MONDAY. Remember that you may earn up to 30 points per syllabus:

• 20 points for a thoughtful, meaningful syllabus that is ready to go before class begins.
• 10 points for clear and thorough discussion notes on the syllabus.
• Click HERE to see a 1st semester sample with student discussion notes and my feedback.

Waiting for Superman, Day 1: April 25, 2019

Focus: What do we need to understand about public education in the United States?

Please take out your white Weekly Focus and Participation contract from yesterday.

1. Warming up by questioning American education with high-velocity writing on your Waiting for Superman pre-writing stats

2. Viewing Waiting for Superman with a focus on ethos, pathos, or logos (tracking sheet is the last page in your green packet)

HW:
For TOMORROW: Assigned book club reading; to read 100 + pages by next Thursday, you need to be averaging 15 pages a night.

Any revisions / additions to your Gatsby blogs are due; hand back the rubric to me when they're ready to grade.

Pre-Book Clubbing: April 24, 2019

Focus: What standards do we need to establish and hold ourselves to for the next 4 weeks?

Please have your signed book club contracts and books on your desk.

1. Warming up with an overview of your final speech and the importance of your book club

2. Recommitting to high standards: 

• Individually: Weekly focus and participation
• With book clubs: Your freedoms and responsibilities

3. Setting your book clubs expectations (please have your signed sheets and books out on your desks):

• Click HERE to revisit what an excellent syllabus looks like.

• Fill out the bookmark: Which reading will be due which days? Who will be in charge of the syllabus each day? Please write this on your bookmark AND in your calendars.

• Get your reading assignments as specific as possible in your Student Calendars. Since you only meet with your club once a week, you need a reminder system for reading every night.

• Create a shared folder called "[Title of your book] Book Club Folder." It should be shared with each member of your group and placed inside your shared American Lit folder. ALL SYLLABI AND CLASSWORK must be placed inside this folder.

• Complete your book club manifesto and place it inside your shared book club folder.

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Assigned book club reading (start reading tonight!).


2. For FRIDAY: Any revisions / additions to your Gatsby blogs are due; hand back the rubric to me when they're ready to grade.

Our Last Day of Gatsby: April 23, 2019

Focus: What resolution do we need to bring to our Great Gatsby unit?

1. Warming up by using these editing slides and your grammar packet to edit your in-class writings

2. Viewing the end of the film version of The Great Gatsby

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Have your book club letter signed and bring a copy of your book to class.

2. For FRIDAY: Any revisions / additions to your Gatsby blogs are due; hand back the rubric to me when they're ready to grade.