Day Two: The Harvest Gypsies

Thursday's class:

Today we will be reading an excerpt from The Harvest Gypsies,  John Steinbeck's nonfiction report of migrant farmers from 1936.  

1. Questioning Texts (we will fill out handouts in groups):

PURPOSE:  to use guiding and text-specific questions to help us find key details and understand a text better.

Here is a link to the form so we can VOTE on the best questions and use them for class discussion: Harvest Gypsies Form.

Link to RESPONSES:  RESPONSES

2. THEN, choosing one of the text-specific questions that you like, make a new copy of this document and be sure to share it with me.  Then fill it in with details from the Harvest Gypsies and commentary from your group. 

Of Mice and Men: "I coulda made something of myself"

Day One: Two Pictures and Chapter 1

1. Two Pictures

Examine the images below. What stands out to you as you examine the image? 

Use the Guiding Questions handout to ask and answer other questions about the image.

Create at least one text-specific question about each image.  This should come from looking closer at the text and should help us get a better understanding and awareness of key details.

Two Pictures

Discussion: What did you notice about the text and what questions did you have? 

What are the three key details in each image? 

Create a caption that summarizes what you think the image is about.

Here is a sample picture and caption to help you: Hope Returns to Phillipines

2. Library check-out of book Of Mice and Men.

3. How to Begin at the Beginning....chapter 1!

Monday's class

Today students worked on their final paragraphs for the Brain Gain unit.  The goal was to compose a paragraph that uses details to help you define your understanding of a big idea in Text #9 and how it develops across the text.

Two reminders:  Your topic sentence is YOUR IDEA.
The EVIDENCE should come from two distinct places in the essay (like the middle and the end).
See the post from last week for sentence starters, if you need them!

If students did not finish, they had the night to complete the assignment to turn in tomorrow.

Thursday: Vocabulary Lesson 7 and Analyzing Details

Today students took notes on Lesson 7 vocabulary words.

After 30 minutes, students then worked on finding details to support a text-specific question on TEXT #9 from the BRAIN GAIN unit.  One example I gave that might make this assignment more accessible for you is

What details support Arne Duncan's belief that I should go to college?

DON'T FORGET to write down line numbers after you have found a good quotation.

You are ready for the final assessment if you have completed the Analyzing Details chart today.

Writing your Final Assessment Paragraph: A little help?

Here is a template with sentence frames for writing your final assessment: Final Paragraph Assessment Template

For those of you in first period, you will need to work on your Analyzing Details chart first on Thursday, before you can begin writing on Friday.  I hope that you will make good use of your time in first and third while I am at Napa High School tomorrow.

Paragraphs are due on Monday.

WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY: Analyzing Details

Choose from the following text-specific questions and write it at the top of your Analyzing Details chart:

-What details does Duncan give to support his assertion that, "Closing the achievement gap and closing the opportunity gap is the civil rights issue of our generation"?  What does he mean by achievement gap and opportunity gap?

--Duncan describes "a paradox at the heart of America's efforts to bolster international competitiveness."  What is the paradox and what does he argue is the best path for education in the United States?

--At the end of the passage, Duncan states that these "new partnerships must also inspire students to take a bigger and deeper view of their civic obligations..." What does this suggest about how Duncan wants the United States to think about global competitivenss in terms of education?

What details does Duncan use to support the idea that "education is still the key to...reducing poverty?"

What details support why it is so important that the United States have the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020?  (AND?OR "What details support how we will reach the goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020?")

What details support the claim that "education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world?"

Then, find details from the speech that help you to answer that question.  

Start working on your commentary by filling in the "what I think" boxes.

Tuesday's class: 3rd period

Today we, too, started with a really energetic DOL!  Then we went to the library to check out The Pearl.  The assignment is to read chapters 1 and 2 and complete a triple entry journal by Friday.  DON'T FORGET your GOLDEN LINE!

Tuesday: 1st and 5th period

Today we began with a spirited correction of a DOL that lasted at least 15 minutes!  Then, we started thinking about "education as a weapon."  We watched the spoken word poem by Denice Frohman (see below--Tuesday's post) and then filled out the "Approaching the Text" questions for the Questioning Texts handout for Text #9.

Tomorrow we will do our first read and brainstorm Text-Specific Questions.

FRIDAY's class

Today we took the Vocabulary Test on Lesson 6 and then students in FIRST and FIFTH period had time to work on finishing their 3 paragraphs on The Pearl. (see the assignment posted in previous posts.  It is also in our shared folder.)

ATTENTION all 1st and 5th period students!  You will need to find an outside reading book of your choice by next FRIDAY.  I am planning a quick trip to the library by Friday--hopefully.  See if you can work in a visit ON YOUR OWN before Friday, so that you give yourself time to chose the right book for you.

3rd period:  We start The Pearl Tuesday!

Here is the post that almost made me lose it today. Thanks for your patience, third period.

Choose from the following text-specific questions and write it at the top of your Analyzing Details chart:

-What details does Duncan give to support his assertion that, "Closing the achievement gap and closing the opportunity gap is the civil rights issue of our generation"?  What does he mean by achievement gap and opportunity gap?

--Duncan describes "a paradox at the heart of America's efforts to bolster international competitiveness."  What is the paradox and what does he argue is the best path for education in the United States?

--At the end of the passage, Duncan states that these "new partnerships must also inspire students to take a bigger and deeper view of their civic obligations..." What does this suggest about how Duncan wants the United States to think about global competitivenss in terms of education?

What details does Duncan use to support the idea that "education is still the key to...reducing poverty?"

What details support why it is so important that the United States have the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020?  (AND?OR "What details support how we will reach the goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020?")

What details support the claim that "education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world?"

My goal is to have you finish the Analyzing Details chart by the middle of class Tuesday, and then begin to write your Assessment paragraph (using the details to support your answer to one of these questions--that answer will be your claim). 

That Assessment paragraph will be due at the end of class Wednesday.  If you do not finish in class, then it will be homework.  

Thursday's class: The Pearl Topic Sentences and Supporting Details

1. Today in class, we are going to help each other find details to use to support our topic sentence conclusions.

For example,

Kino's journey towards prosperity (wealth) actually robs him of everything important to him.  

Kino's journey is a hero's journey.

START by writing your topic sentences at the top of three sheets of binder paper.

Highlight the key words that demand SHOWING details.

Brainstorm a few places where you might be able to find a quotation or paraphrase to use.

Pass the papers clockwise and, looking very carefully at the highlighted words, suggest a few places where he/she might look for examples or details to use.

2. After you have found key details to use in your paragraph, you will need to pay careful attention to how you will use them to support your topic sentence.

For example,

Kino's journey towards prosperity actually robs him of everything important to him.  In the beginning, a poor native finds himself with a beautiful object; it's a pearl, one that seems of great wealth, yet he becomes an beserk animal out of greed and fear. "greedy fingers went through his clothes, frantic fingers searched him, and the pearl, knocked from his hand" (59). 

Do you see how the above quotation is abruptly stuck into in the paragraph and is a bit confusing?
This writer needs to transition from his topic sentence to the quote.  Here is how you fix it:

Kino's journey towards prosperity actually robs him of everything important to him.  In the beginning, a poor native finds himself with a beautiful object; it's a pearl, one that seems of great wealth, yet he becomes an beserk animal out of greed and fear. After Kino rejects the pearl merchants fraudulent offers for the pearl,"greedy fingers went through his clothes, frantic fingers searched him, and the pearl, knocked from his hand" (59). This quotation shows......


That part before the quotation is called CONTEXT.  Always introduce who is speaking or who is acting or place your quote in the plot arc for your reader.

Don't forget to add COMMENTARY after the quotation.  This is where you tell me what is important about your quotation and what it shows (hopefully your highlighted word in your topic sentence.)

The Pearl: Topic Sentence Samples/Frames

Today we spent most of class reviewing the vocab words for the test Friday (Lesson 6).

Then, in first and fifth period we worked on composing the TOPIC SENTENCES for paragraphs on The Pearl. The first sentence of your paragraph is vital.  If you write a specific and clear sentence, it will help you narrow your focus and find just the right details from the text more easily.

Here are samples/frames for the three questions:

1. Kino's journey is a heartbreaking example of a hero's journey.

OR

Kino's journey breaks him and makes him wiser.

2. This story is important to me because the message I get from it is ______________________.

3. Juana is the most important character because without her, Kino would have very little reason to stay a good, responsible human being with a conscience.  

OR

Coyotito is important because he represents innocence lost in the story.  

Once you have created satisfactory topic sentences, you are ready to find key details from the text to show me the truth of that sentence.  

Tomorrow we will spend some time doing a group detail search to help you.  

Text #9: Arne Duncan

Denice Frohman spoken word poem

Our last text in the Brain Gain unit is a speech given by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

What does his speech make you see or feel?

Let's try out this guiding question with the above poem performance.

Tuesday's class

Today we corrected the Pearl quiz in periods 1st and 5th.  In 3rd period, we got a head start on the Arne Duncan (Text #9) speech.  Tomorrow is vocabulary games and more speech analysis.

First and Fifth Period:  Here is the link to the Pearl writing assignment.The Pearl: 3 paragraphs
Third Period:  Finish your books!  Read Read Read!