Amir's Family Dynamics: September 21, 2015

Focus: How can making personal connections and asking questions help us understand the family in The Kite Runner?

1. Warm-up: Creating a symbolic family drawing  for the family in The Kite Runner:

• What does the house/estate look like? Where do the different characters belong?
• Which characters are symbolically small and powerless, and which ones have power?
• Which characters are close to each other, and which maintain an emotional distance?
• Find passages from the text to back up at least THREE of your symbolic choices and write them in your drawing.

Follow-up class discussion: What important choices did you make, and what do they symbolize?  

Can you relate to the family in The Kite Runner?  Anybody here overshadowed by siblings? How does your relationship with your parents compare to Amir's relationship with his dad?

2. Discussing Chapters 2 and 3 with your membership grid groups

Topic #1: Each member shares a significant question from Chapter 2 or 3; all members discuss possible answers to each question.

Topic #2: Each member shares a significant passage (quotation) from Chapter 2 or 3; all members discuss the passage and its possible significance.

Topic #3: Each member makes a text-to-self connection to understand the text on a more personal level.  In other words, can you relate to any of the characters or their relationships so far?

3. Start reading and annotating Chapter 4 together, continuing to ask and discuss level 1 and 2 questions

HW:
1. Read and annotate Chapters 4 and 5 using sticky notes or a reading journal; remember to use your reading strategies as you annotate (make personal connections, ask questions, make inferences about important little details, build up your background knowledge by looking up things you don't understand).  Make sure you have annotations or reading journal in class each day for checks.

WE WILL READ CHAPTER 6 IN CLASS TOMORROW.

2. Work on your summary-response essays, which are due Fri, September 25. Remember that final drafts are final in the class; all revisions need to happen BEFORE you submit the final draft.

3. Finish your www.quizlet.com flashcards for Kite Runner words, Chs 1-6 by Wednesday.

Remember that this Friday marks the end of the first 6 weeks; all make-up work, revisions, grade corrections, and re-taken quizzes are due this Friday.

Checking In: September 18, 2015

Focus: How's it going? What do you need?

1. Warming up with Dear Ms. Leclaire...

The Personal

• So, what do you do when you're not at school? What's the rest of your day like?
• What's going well?
• What's not going well?
• Anything happening at home that might be affecting your school self?

The Academic

• How do you feel about your classes right now?
• What's going well?
• What's not going well?
• What can I do to help you?
• What can you do to help yourself?

Optional: Make-Up Work

• Are there any assignments/quizzes you plan on redoing/retaking by next Friday? Please list them specifically (particularly if you're retaking a grammar quiz).
• Are there any incorrect grades in IC? Take a moment to e-mail me anything that needs to be fixed.

2. Relaxing into your independent reading books or The Kite Runner

3. Offering you a little gift from the 90s

HW:
1. By Monday, finish reading and annotating Chapters 1, 2  and 3 of The Kite Runner; annotate by asking questions, drawing inferences, finding patterns, etc. using sticky notes or a reading journal; when you can, try to answer some of your questions. What reading strategies can you use to understand these opening chapters?

2. Continue working on your summary-response draft; final draft due September 25.

3. By next Wednesday, finish your Kite Runner vocab cards (using Quizlet, a different vocab app, or good old-fashioned index cards) for the first 15 words of the following list: Chapters 1-6 .

Into Afghanistan We Go: September 17, 2015

Focus: What does it mean to ask a great question, and how can this help me understand the opening pages of The Kite Runner?

Please make sure you have a copy of the reading schedule for The Kite Runner (or click here).

1. Warming up by introducing yourself to some words you'd like to know:

• Explanation of Kite Runner vocabulary and www.quizlet.com
• Time to make quizlet flashcards and play games

2. Introducing three levels of questioning; please click HERE to read and discuss the explanation, then check out the questions below and decide if they're level one, two, or three questions.

What is a Hazara?

What does Hassan's physical's description represent about his social status?

Why do societies always need a scapegoat?

3. Reading the opening pages of The Kite Runner together with sticky notes or a reading journal; pausing to write, ask aloud, and discuss your level one and level two questions; if you're ready, try to make some inferences as well.

HW:
1. By the end of class tomorrow, finish reading and annotating Chapters 1, 2  and 3 of The Kite Runner; annotate by asking level 1 and 2 questions using sticky notes or a reading journal; when you can, try to answer some of your questions. What reading strategies can you use to understand these opening chapters?

2. Continue working on your summary-response draft; final draft due September 25.

3. By next Wednesday, finish your Kite Runner vocab cards (using Quizlet, a different vocab app, or good old-fashioned index cards) for the first 15 words of the following list: Chapters 1-6 .

Editing for Style: September 16, 2015

Focus: How can I strengthen the style of my writing?

PLC: Shortened Class

1. Warming up with a glimpse into your reading future:

Offering you two reading options for The Kite Runner: The journal vs. annotations

The journal: Please fill out one side per reading assignment.

Annotations: Please include at least five per reading assignment.

2. Editing your summary-response drafts for style (click HERE for the editing slides)

3. Making revisions based on today's feedback


HW:
1. Continue revising and developing your rough draft.

2. Bring your copy of The Kite Runner to class tomorrow.

(Throughout most of The Kite Runner, we will be learning vocabulary instead of grammar.)

3. Independent reading.

Editing for Content: September 15, 2015

Focus: How can I strengthen the content of my summary and response?

If you chose a conference over written feedback, please sign up for a conference; the sign-up sheet is on my desk.

1. Warming up with 3GT and telling your editors what you need help with

2. Editing your summary-response drafts for content (click HERE for the editing slides)

3. Making revisions based on today's feedback

4. Explanation of Kite Runner vocabulary and www.quizlet.com

HW:
1. Continue revising and developing your rough draft; tomorrow will be our last day of in-class editing.

Postponed: 2. By Friday, finish your Kite Runner vocab cards (using Quizlet, a different vocab app, or good old-fashioned index cards) for the first 15 words of the following list: Chapters 1-6 .

(Throughout most of The Kite Runner, we will be learning vocabulary instead of grammar.)

3. Independent reading.

MAP Testing: September 14, 2015

Focus: How are my reading skills according to the MAP test?

1. Grabbing a Chromebook and following the directions:

1. DO NOT sign into Chrome.

2. Click the Apps button on the lower left corner.

3. Choose the MAP Chromebook Testing App.

4. Type the Testing Session Name and Password; they are written on the whiteboard.

5. Click Join.

6. Type or choose your name from the drop-down menu.

7. Click Next.

8. Click Yes to start the test, and wait for me to confirm.

9. When you finish, click Done, then the X. Shut your computer down and plug it into the cart.


2. Taking the MAP test

3. Working on your summary-response; do NOT use the Chromebook you used for the MAP test.

4. Signing up for a conference (optional)

HW:
1. Finish your complete draft of the summary-response before class tomorrow. Click HERE for a special sneak peak of the rubric!

2. Independent reading.

Reading and Leading (into Quotations): Sep 11, 2015

Focus: What do we need to know to start our paragraph of response?

1. Warming up with a quick yet enjoyable mini lesson on leading into quotations

2. Taking the www.noredink.com quiz: "Leading Into (Embedding) Quotations" when you are ready

3. Relaxing into your independent reading book (20-25 min) OR working on your essay

4. Figuring out the basic structure of the response and taking time to begin yours

• Topic sentence

• Three pieces of evidence/quotations (from the article or elsewhere)

• Each one should have a lead-in and citation
• One-two sentences after each quotation explaining how it supports the topic sentence

• One possible structure: 1st Claim => Counterclaim => 2nd Claim/Rebuttal to Counterclaim

• Another possible structure: 1st Claim => 2nd Claim => 3rd Claim

• Concluding sentence

HW:
1. Finish the first half the response for Monday; complete your entire rough draft by Tuesday.

2. Independent reading.