Tuesday 30 September 2014

Successful Graduate Recipes

Successful Graduate Recipes

9ACE is currently using their inferences (character traits) from reading article B to create a recipe for a successful graduate.  Students are to represent the graduate's personality using: 
  • traits as ingredients
  • a recipe that suits the graduate (Granny's Blueberry Pie)
  • recipe card that also showcases their personality
See instructions below:

In addition to the recipe students are also creating a tagxedo to represent the personality of the graduate and how they successfully graduated highschool.

This assignment is available in Google Classroom.  Use www.tagxedo.com
Remember: The more often you type the word in to the program the larger it appears in the tagxedo.  Make sure these match your ranked ingredients for your recipe.

9F - Wrote their rough copy of their Economic Reasons For Graduating High School Paragraph.  Due tomorrow!


Monday 29 September 2014

Successful Graduate Recipes

All grade 9's are currently representing Article B using Recipes.  Students read the article and made inferences about personality based on WATO (words, actions, thoughts opinions of others).  Then they shared their highlighting and explained the inference they made.  See example below:
 
The next step is to create a recipe for a successful graduate.  This means students need to agree upon the most important traits the graduate had to successfully graduate high school and give them the highest quantity in their recipe.


We will be finishing these tomorrow.

9F - Presented their powerful symbols to the class and recorded unique ides to help them write a paragraph which outlines the most valuable economic reasons for graduating high school.  Planner is due tomorrow.

Friday 26 September 2014

Determining Personality with PIXAR short films

Today all 9's handed in their Economic Reasons to Stay in School Paragraph and self - evaluated their work.  See Rubrics below:




In our second class we generated a list of personalities (AKA character traits) through a friendly 20 items in 2 minutes competition.

Then we watched Geri's Game and answered: How do we determine someone's personality?


After discussion students noted Words, Actions, Thoughts and Opinions of others (WATO) were all important when identifying personality.

Then we watched For the Birds and noted actions for the big bird and little birds and inferred traits.



9C - went on to Read Article B highlighting items that made the graduate successful noting a character trait. 

Thursday 25 September 2014

Finalizing Our Paragraphs

9E&C made improvements based on the suggestions made by their peers on the "Peer Conference Checklist".  Students self-evaluated their writing using the rubric below and handed in all of their work.  Remember to staple and turn in all items to the "IN" Bin in Mrs. Anderson's classroom.  (Planning, Conference, Revisions and improvements on the hard copy) Process counts!






9A&G identified an area of concern in their writing and finished peer conferencing in class today.




Finishing Our Powerful Symbols

9F used our previous lesson to finish our powerful symbols. 

9F - Examined how to make symbols / logos more powerful.


They worked on their representations for their quotes and discussion of Article A.  9F watched two videos to deepen their understanding of symbolism.

Symbols and Logos - students learned the difference between an acceptable / interesting / imaginative symbol

Famous Logos and Hidden meanings - students identified hidden meanings in logos= imaginative 


See the example below:


In the second block students:


Wednesday 24 September 2014

Economic Paragraph


Today in Google Classroom:

9C&E used their Peer Conferencing Sheet to give specific meaningful feedback.  Due tomorrow.



9G&A used their planning organizer to write a rough copy of a paragraph focusing on the strong economic reasons for graduating high school.  Rough Copy due Tomorrow.



If students are having difficulty with the structure of a paragraph, use Time4writing.  This site has information and video, PowerPoint and games to reinforce learning parts of a paragraph. 

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Introducing Google Classroom

Today students began paragraph review using Google Classroom.  Documents and assignments will be shared with students periodically using this app.

Students in 9EAGC examined paragraph organization and content today.  9C&E - Plan and Rough copy of economic paragraph due tomorrow.  9A - Planning due tomorrow.  9G - "What is a good Paragraph" due tomorrow.


9F - Examined how to make symbols / logos more powerful.


They worked on their representations for their quotes and discussion of Article A.  9F watched two videos to deepen their understanding of symbolism.

Symbols and Logos - students learned the difference between an acceptable / interesting / imaginative symbol

Famous Logos and Hidden meanings - students identified hidden meanings in logos= imaginative



Together we worked through how to redesign our acceptable symbols to make them more interesting (by combining) and then attempted to include some hidden meaning.  

See the example below:






Monday 22 September 2014

Why Graduate?

9A - Presented their First Turn / Last Turn Discussions by stating their quotes and explaining their powerful symbols.  See rubric for evaluation below.  9G Presents tomorrow!


9C&E - used Google Classroom to review components of a paragraph. 9C - planning and rough copy of economic paragraph due Wednesday!


9F finished their First Turn / Last Turn Discussions for Article A.  Format below:




Thursday 18 September 2014

Why Graduate?

9F - Practiced interacting with text by highlighting items they found: PNI - positive, negative, interesting and noting their ideas on the page.  See the example below:


Then we learned about how to use 1st Turn / Last Turn discussion strategy.  See instructions below:



On Monday students will finish their discussions with their groups.


9C&E presented their Powerful Symbols which represented their Economic reasons for graduating discussion.  See previous blog for videos on how to make your symbol more powerful! Symbols were evaluated using the rubric below.  9C students completed a self-evaluation before presenting.


NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!
9 A&C - present your symbols on Monday Sept 22.

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Why Graduate?

Symbolism - a deeper understanding


All grade 9's worked on their representations for their quotes and discussion of Article A.  9G watched two videos to deepen their understanding of symbolism.

Symbols and Logos - students learned the difference between an acceptable / interesting / imaginative symbol

Famous Logos and Hidden meanings - students identified hidden meanings in logos= imaginative




9G then worked through an example to redesign their symbols from acceptable to interesting to imaginative.  All grade 9's may use this example to help them improve their own representations.


Presentations for 9E&C: Tomorrow  9A&G: Monday.

Remember to include:     

    Introduction - Article Title, Author and brief summary
        Body - Individually present your poster - state quote, explain symbol
    Conclusion - Sum up - what lasting idea will you leave the group with?

Plan:  Who will say what.  What order will group members speak?

Conry Classic Run tomorrow afternoon!  
Don't forget to return any outstanding forms tomorrow.  : )

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Why Graduate?

Today grade 9's refreshed their memory on symbolism.  We discovered how to make our own symbols more powerful by watching two short videos and discussing.

Famous Logos and Hidden Meanings

Students are responsible for powerfully representing their quote from article A and presenting it to the class.  Here is an example of redesigning a symbol to make it more powerful.


9F - Brainstormed a list of reasons for graduating high school using pair share square strategy today.  They are currently working on interacting with text using PNI to help them think more critically about what they read.


Don't forget Conroy Classic Run is Thursday afternoon and there is no school Friday.  : )


Monday 15 September 2014

Why Graduate?

Today grade 9's began using a discussion strategy called "First Turn / Last Turn".  In groups students discussed various economic reasons for graduating high school.  We are thinking critically and building our understanding about the importance of graduating high school and planning for our future.

See the strategy below:

We used a chart to record our ideas.  Tomorrow students will be responsible for presenting their quote and discussion points to the class.  Time will be given in class to prepare for this informal presentation.  


Friday 12 September 2014

Friday September 12

Yesterday Mrs. Anderson was absent and students worked on analyzing 2 poems.  "Yellow," by Robert Service and "Cooks Brook," by Al Pittman.

In class today students discussed the process for reading a poem and answered two questions: 
  • What is a symbol?
  • How can I identify a symbol?
We watched this short video on symbolism in film and recorded our ideas.  

Then we went back to "Yellow" and discussed the poem and the symbolism in it.



9CGA Students had a reading block this afternoon and continued to work on their Independent Book Study.  Remember its focus is to answer:
  1. How can I creatively show and share what I've learned from my reading?
  2. What can I record each time I read to help me complete my product from above?



9F Finished introducing a classmate and discussed symbolism.
9E Discussed First Turn / Last Turn Discussion Strategy - Students made a list of tips to ensure successful discussion for Monday.  Read Article A and highlight 3-5 PNI with notes in the margin for Monday.

 

Wednesday 10 September 2014


Why Should I bother Graduating High School?

Students in grade 9 are beginning to discover for themselves what the advantages are for graduating high school.

9ECAG began critically thinking about the economic reasons for graduating high school.  As a class we read the article "879, 000 Reason to Stay in School", we highlighted items we found P-ositive / M-inus / I-interesting, then we made a note of our thoughts.  See the example below.

9A - Read article A and highlight 3-5 PMI items and note what you think.
9F - We'll finish snowball interview introductions tomorrow.  

Meet the Teacher from 5 - 7 pm tomorrow!  Please come and have some fun!  : )


Tuesday 9 September 2014

Tuesday September 9, 2014

Why should I bother graduating high school?

9ACEG: Used pair share square strategy to generate and categorize a list of reasons to graduate high school.

In the afternoon 9EAG took out books from the library.  Students will have a readers workshop block every day 6 in the afternoon.  Grade 9's will be expected to creatively share what they learn from their reading at the end of October.

Monday 8 September 2014

Monday, Sep 8 Day 5 

9E &G: Today students finished Introducing a classmate.



9CAE: Brainstormed a list of issues that come up when working and talking in a group.  They created sentences to solve these issues using respectful language.




 9F: Began interviewing a classmate and will introduce them on Wednesday September 10.

Reminder: Picture Day tomorrow!!


Friday 5 September 2014

Friday, September 5

9C&A: Students introduced a classmate and were given feedback using the following criteria:

In 9C's second LA class we brainstormed a list of common issues that arise when working in groups.
Students also brainstormed respectful things they could say for each situation.


9G: Organized their presentations and introduced their classmates using their interview notes.

9E: Will Introduce their peers on Monday.  Use the image below to help you organize your info.


Thursday 4 September 2014

September 4, 2014

     How can we ask questions that demand a descriptive answer?

Use the words, "Explain", "and why", and "Describe".

Today students worked on rephrasing questions to get more information out of their classmate.  We are introducing our peers to the class tomorrow.

9A - Finished introductions to the class today.  No homework.

9C - Organized their interview information and will introduce their peer to the class tomorrow.

9G - Rephrased questions and had time to dig for more information about their classmate.  Time will be given to organize this information tomorrow.

9E - Watched a video of a bad interview, recorded what was the problem and what was NOT the problem in the interview.  Then they imagined they were the interviewer and created 3 questions that demanded a descriptive answer.  Tomorrow we will examine how to rephrase questions and apply this skill to their interview categories tomorrow.



LA 7 Fantastic Fiction: Flashback and "Knife"

Fantastic Fiction What are the elements of fiction? How do I identify conflict and explain how it is developed and resolved? ...