Friday, August 21, 2020

2020 - 2021 students, welcome to English 3!

In case you've stumbled your way onto this class website, welcome! We'll be using Google Classroom this year for your convenience as all of your classes begin online in the fall. Google Classroom codes will be provided on Monday evening in an e-mail and posted for each class on Aeries, after most of the scheduling adjustments are complete. That will be the "home base" for the class, rather than this delightful website.

G'day!

 Since you're here, I may as well introduce myself and the class. I'm Ms. Mogilefsky (also known as Ms. M). I'm excited to work with you this year as we explore a variety of well-known books, short stories, nonfiction articles and essays that are an important part of the conversation about the nature of American life, past and present. I know junior year can be stressful with SATs, ACTs, extracurriculars, and much more. The Covid-19 situation also calls for us to be flexible in the face of uncertainty. We'll take on the challenges one step at a time, and all of the activities we'll work on will help you succeed. I've given it quite a bit of thought, and I know we'll make this year fun and productive. I'm excited to get to know you! 

Now...back to my home office...

Sunday, June 7, 2020

FINALS WEEK! June 8 and 9


Thank you
It was truly and honor and a privilege to teach such an interesting group of students. I've learned so much during our time together this year , and I hope you feel that your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills are better than they were a year ago.  

As you move forward into senior year and beyond, my advice -- for what it's worth -- is to continue to be fully engaged, keep up with current events, read while SOAPSing, participate in civic life, and travel and have as many adventures and experiences as you can. Also, visit me next year or drop me a line and keep me posted about what's going on in your life.

Here's what this entry will cover: 1. the agenda and final assignment info, 2. summer reading, and 3. a message from the College and Career Center.

MONDAY A-Day/TUESDAY B-Day: Last class session, live on Zoom. Go through the final checklist for college essay drafts: push for details, remove cliches, fix any diction/syntax issues. Introduce free choice summer reading, college and career center updates. Time for me to say "thank you" to all the students, and congratulate you on a wild, but wonderful year!

Due: Students will upload one of the following to Turnitin.com before noon on either Monday, June 8 (for Periods 1 and 2) or Tuesday, June 9, (for Period 6), the last class of the year:

1. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to one Common Application prompt
2. Good drafted (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responses to
two of the four required UC prompts.
3. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to one Coalition prompt
4. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to a specific prompt not listed above for a university, art school, or vocational tech school. Please include the prompt and a URL at the top of the submission. 
5. One polished, well written job title research paper.

SUMMER READING
Click here for the summer reading information; this year, it's free choice*!


*There's always a catch, isn't there? There are guidelines: 150 pages, at grade level, dialectical journal.


FROM THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER
There are a few links of exceptional importance before we break for summer... the first is the YouTube Junior JumpStart presentations that the counselors put together to provide detailed guidance and a timeline of what the junior class could be/should be thinking about and working on this summer to prepare for the likelihood of college applications in the fall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URlkSPcKUU8
Besides the video presentation, there is the second link to the corresponding powerpoint that follows the video, but has exceptionally good hyperlinks to additional information and resources: https://4.files.edl.io/a76c/05/28/20/164024-f7d4959c-f5c0-407b-86c4-888d182d259b.pdf

I've also included a link to another opportunity for our students/parents to sit in on and participate in panel discussions next week with colleges ranging from West Point, to the Culinary Institute of America! Topics iclude: Engineering Your College Essay: A STEM Perspective on College Essays / Admission to The U.S. Military Academy at West Point 
Considering the fact that we will not have "business as usual" college visits next year, together with the fact that the vast majority of colleges have gone test optional, there's just a lot of pro-active and individual research our juniors have to begin doing... there's also a lot they need to know about how to approach their applications in the fall.

Which brings me to the last link which is to info/registration for a Common App Crash Course that the CCC will offer on June 16th.  It's a 4hr intensive on June 16th that I would have loved to have done differently, but under the circumstances I believe it will provide some much needed direction, insight and information.  This is the first time the CCC will ask for a donation because of impending budget restraints, but it is a donation and all juniors are welcome.  For juniors, whether at PV or a different high school, please just send  an email to me at lewisja@pvpusd.net with an email address so I can send the Zoom link:
https://pvboosterclub.com/product/class-of-2021-common-app-crash-course/

Sunday, May 31, 2020

June 1 - 5

With all of the civil unrest in the country right now, I assuage my own grief and anger by thinking about my experiences with you in the classroom. You are the future, and you give me hope that we'll heal and become stronger and more just than we have in the past.   

The last full week of school

This week, we'll begin typing rough drafts of the college essay or alternate job title paper. We'll be reading successful samples, all different kinds, for inspiration.


Remember, Wednesday, June 3 is the last day to turn in late work for partial credit. 

As of Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m., Aeries is completely updated, including comments and scores in Turnitin.com for all of the final argument essays. If you don't like your score, you may take the feedback and rewrite it before the cutoff on the evening of June 3 and I'll average the scores. 
 
MONDAY B-Day/TUESDAY A-Day: Online, Zoom class. How to avoid writing the same college essay that everyone else writes: be specific. Read actual college essay samples and critique them together as a class. On a volunteer basis, discuss any specific challenges matching essay topics to prompts, or about prompt selection.

Due: Go through the admissions pages of the colleges and universities where you plan to apply, and see which essay prompts they require. Bearing in mind the strategies we discussed in class, choose the prompt(s) you'll write for the final assignment for English class, and begin the process of matching your stories with a specific prompt (or two, if you choose the UC prompts). 

Homework: Do a free write where you completely answer a prompt (or 2, if you're responding to the UC prompts for the final), and just get all of your thoughts down. Don't pay attention to word count, pacing, order, making sense, or any other restrictions, just let it flow. You are writing the crappy version, including any associations and tangents that come to mind in answering the prompt. Once it's all out on paper, we'll work on editing it during the next couple of classes. (If you prefer, you are piling up all of the clay onto the worktable; we will sculpt it into something polished, unique, and interesting once it's all there.)  DO NOT CENSOR OR JUDGE YOURSELF at this point.

Read this really long, but very important and interesting article. There is some adult language included, but the perspective and message are thought-provoking and worth a read about how we make choices about career paths and life decisions.

WEDNESDAY B-Day: Offline, work independently on the activity from Monday.


Due: n/a

Homework: (same as Monday)

THURSDAY A-Day/FRIDAY B-day: Online Zoom class (see sidebar for details). Discuss the article, discuss the very rough draft you have. Look at editing reference sheets. Go over the two most important issues in working with the very rough draft: pacing and specific details/imagery. Make sure the draft is about YOU, not someone else. Go over more sample essays as a class and evaluate them.

Due: Do a free write where you completely answer a prompt and just get all of your thoughts down. Don't pay attention to word count or any other restrictions, just let it flow. We will work on editing during the next couple of classes.

Read this really long, but very important and interesting article. There is some adult language included, but the perspective and message are thought-provoking and worth a read about how we make choices about career paths and life decisions.

Homework: Go through your draft again with the editing sheet. Graph out the pacing, and replace generalities with specific, vivid details on the page. It's coming along nicely, now! Have this still-very-rough draft ready for the last class on Monday, June 8 for 1st and 2nd period, Tuesday of next week, June 9 for our last class session together.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

May 25 - 29


On Tuesday/Wednesday, we're beginning the last unit of the year: the college essay. The final assignment (which is the Final with a capital "F") is a good draft of the college essay. If you already have a draft going, consider using the time to write other prompts and get a jump on the summer and fall semester of senior year.

If you don't need a college essay, I have an alternate, short paper you can write about a job title of your choice: the official and unofficial requirements, salary and benefits, and trends in the industry.

NOTE: Last day to turn in make-up work for partial credit: Wednesday, June 3!

TUESDAY B-day/WEDNESDAY A-Day: Online, live Zoom class (see sidebar for class times and codes). Pull up a copy of the Brainstorming Sheet. Answer questions in small group rotations, typing in your own responses, in different arrangements.

Due: Upload the final draft of your argument essay to Turnitin.com by Monday night, May 25 at 11:59 p.m.

Homework: Finish typing the answers in your Brainstorming Sheet. Don't censor yourself of try to write what you think a college would want to hear, just let it flow.

THURSDAY B-Day/FRIDAY A-Day: Online, live Zoom class (see sidebar for class times and codes). Go over UC prompts, Common Application prompts, Coalition prompts, and the alternate assignment. Discuss strategies for selecting prompts, the subtext of your personal stories. Think about your answers on the Brainstorming Sheet and how they might match up with your own unique strengths and personality, as well as any "holes" in your overall application. Read and evaluate the first real college essay sample as a class, and discuss why it was successful. 
 
Due: Finish typing the answers in your Brainstorming Sheet. Don't censor yourself of try to write what you think a college would want to hear, just let it flow.

Homework: Go through the admissions pages of the colleges and universities where you plan to apply, and see which essay prompts they require. Bearing in mind the strategies we discussed in class, choose the prompt(s) you'll write for the final assignment for English class, and begin the process of matching your stories with a specific prompt (or two, if you choose the UC prompts).  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Just to be clear, for the final assignment, students will upload one of the following to Turnitin.com before noon on either Monday, June 8 (for Periods 1 and 2) or Tuesday, June 9, (for Period 6), the last class of the year:

1. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to one Common Application prompt
2. Good drafted (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responses to
two of the four required UC prompts.
3. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to one Coalition prompt
4. A good draft (unique details, close to word count restrictions, proofread) responding to a specific prompt not listed above for a university, art school, or vocational tech school. Please include the prompt and a URL at the top of the submission. 
5. One polished, well written job title research paper.

Sunday, May 17, 2020

May 18 - 22 - SCHEDULE CHANGE (see below)

NOTE: There is a schedule change this week, and we'll be live on Monday/Tuesday, with an optional session on Thursday/Friday.

It's the last week before Memorial Day weekend! This week, we'll finish the play A Raisin in the Sun, revise the argument essay draft, and then turn in the final version. 

Also, just a reminder, the last day to turn in late work for partial credit this semester is Wednesday, June 3. I'll take any and all work from the entire semester up through the end of that day.

MONDAY A-Day/TUESDAY B-Day: Online, live class on Zoom. (Please see times and login information on the right-hand sidebar.) Discuss A Raisin in the Sun through the end of Act II. Read the parts for Act III, Scene I (the last scene) on a volunteer basis. If you can't make the session, please read the end of the play with the pdf version by clicking here.

Detailed feedback on argument essay rough drafts will be available in Turnitin.com in the form of comments embedded in your essay before your class time, if you turned it in on time. I'll comment on any later ones as they come in, as quickly as I can. If you want to get a jump on revisions and turn the final draft in early, you are welcome to arrange your schedule that way. (See the Thursday/Friday agenda.)

WEDNESDAY A-day only: Offline, work independently. Please complete the "May 20 - A Raisin in the Sun" Discussion Tab post (instead of Wired Wednesday). Be sure to show that you know the play  in your responses.

THURSDAY B-Day/FRIDAY A-Day: OPTIONAL live Zoom meeting if you want to hear an overview about how to revise the rough draft and/or if you have questions about your individual essay draft. Otherwise, offline, work independently.

Review the essay feedback in Turnitin.com for your individual rough draft. Using the argument essay rubric, check your draft with each category. For the Style category, check your wording with the "Revisions: From Rough to Refined Guide." Make sure the essay has been formatted in MLA style by looking at the OWL Purdue website (a wonderful reference for the overall look, in-text citations and Works Cited formatting).

Due for all classes: Revise and edit your rough draft argument essay.

Due for A-Day Only: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry questions for the "May 20 - A Raisin in the Sun" post in the Turnitin.com Discussion area.

Homework: Please look over your essay one last time, then upload the final version of the argument essay to Turnitin.com by Monday night, May 25 at 11:59 p.m. E-mail me with any problems or questions.

I look forward to seeing you next week on Zoom on Tuesday/Wednesday.
Enjoy the three-day holiday!

Sunday, May 10, 2020

May 11 - 15

We are well into A Raisin in the Sun! It has been such a pleasure to hear the spirited reading of this play. It's been interesting to experience this play at this particular time; I find the themes of fighting for one's dreams and self-discovery (as well as living in cramped quarters with family) particularly relevant right now.

Also, just a reminder, the last day to turn in late work for partial credit this semester is Wednesday, June 3. 

MONDAY B-Day/TUESDAY A-Day: Offline, work independently. Read A Raisin in the Sun, Act II, Scenes I and II on your own through this link to the pdf (just pages 78-110 in the pdf), or listen and read along to the play by clicking here: Act II, Scene I on YouTube, and Act II, Scene II on YouTube.

WEDNESDAY B-day only: Offline, work independently. Please complete the "May 13 - A Raisin in the Sun" Discussion Tab post (instead of Wired Wednesday). Be sure to show that you know the play up to this point in your responses.

THURSDAY A-Day/FRIDAY B-Day:  Online, live class on Zoom. (Please see times and login information on the right-hand sidebar.) Discuss A Raisin in the Sun through the end of Act II, Scene II. Read the parts for Act II, Scene III together on a volunteer basis.

Due for all classes: Read A Raisin in the Sun, Act II, Scenes I and II on your own through this link to the pdf (just pages 78-110 in the pdf), or listen and read along to the play by clicking here: Act II, Scene I on YouTube, and Act II, Scene II on YouTube.

Due for B-Day Only: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry questions for the "May 13 - A Raisin in the Sun" post in the Turnitin.com Discussion area.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

May 4 - 8

It's May! Per our last Zoom class, this month we'll be reading and working with the play A Raisin in the Sun, submitting and polishing an argument essay, writing discussion board posts, and beginning the final writing assignment for the year after Memorial Day. I am excited to read and grade rough drafts and will be writing feedback for those rough argument essays beginning on Monday. Soon, we'll work on polishing these drafts together as a class. 

Also, I have been lenient with due dates this far, but in order to prevent an unmanageable amount of work coming in at the end of the semester, please upload any late work by Sunday, May 10 if you're behind at all. I will take late points after that. Don't wait until the last minute! It'll be much harder to catch up. Please note that the final due date for all work (except for the final paper) is Wednesday night, June 3 at 11:59 p.m. PST. To be fair to all students, and to allow myself enough time for grading, I can't accept any regular work later than that.

Please be sure read the directions for Discussion Board posts -- they ask for a certain number of sentences (for example, two complete sentences per Wired Wednesday question).

Here's the agenda for this week: 

MONDAY A-Day/TUESDAY B-Day: Offline, work independently. Read A Raisin in the Sun, Act I, Scene I on your own through this link to the pdf (just pages 26-56 in the pdf, you don't have to read the foreword). You can also read/listen along with me by clicking here for the video of the pdf and the audio of me reading the scene. 

Due: Finish typing the argument essay rough draft and upload to Turnitin.com by Sunday night, May 3.

Homework: Imagine you had to choose who you would live with in a small, three-room apartment with very little light, like Walter, Beneatha, Ruth, Travis, and Mama Younger in A Raisin in the Sun. You must choose four people besides yourself: who would you choose to live with in close quarters? Please have an answer ready for Thursday/Friday. Also, think about which part you might want to read for Act I, Scene II for Thursday/Friday. I'll be calling for volunteers.


WEDNESDAY A-Day Only: Offline, work independently. Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class. (If you run into a paywall on the Wired.com site, please use login: mogilefskya@pvpusd.net, password: English.)

Homework: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question described in Wednesday's class work and post by Friday. 


THURSDAY B-Day/FRIDAY A-Day: Online, live class on Zoom. (Please see times and login information on the right-hand sidebar.) Discuss A Raisin in the Sun, Act I, Scene I. Read the parts for Act I, Scene II.

Due for all classes: Read A Raisin in the Sun, Act I, Scene I on your own through this link to the pdf (just pages 26-56 in the pdf, you don't have to read the foreword). You can also read/listen along with me by clicking here for the video of the pdf and the audio of me reading the scene.

Due for A-Day Only: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Sunday, April 26, 2020

April 27 - May 1

I hope everyone is doing all right. For those that have had a chance to complete the Discussion board posts, I want to thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comments. It's been fun to see which articles each student chooses for "Wired Wednesday" and read your ideas.

Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

MONDAY B-Day/TUESDAY A-Day:  Offline, work independently. All year we have discussed and debated a wide range of topics, written outline after outline, and even analyzed other speakers' arguments in great detail. Now, at long last, it's your turn!

Last class you chose a topic from the three choices listed on the agenda for Thursday/Friday of last week. Now, take this class session to research the topic if need be, outline a response, and type the outline into sentences, which will be your rough draft.

DRAFT DETAILS: It should be 5 paragraphs long, including an introduction, conclusion, and either a counterargument and/or a paragraph describing conditions or exceptions if you're taking a 'qualified" position about the topic. Use the argument essay rubric as a guide as to what's expected; the rough draft should be a full draft, but not necessarily formatted perfectly or worded perfectly. The citations can just be URLs dropped in for now. We will discuss this on Thursday/Friday's Zoom class, and I'm available via e-mail with any questions sooner than that.

Due: Choose one of the three argument essay prompts you'd like to write about (see last Thursday/Friday agenda for the prompts we went over on the Zoom call).

Homework: Finish writing a rough draft, to be uploaded to Turnitin.com by Sunday night, May 3 to Turnitin.com for comments.

WEDNESDAY B-Day Only: Offline, work independently. Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class. (If you run into a paywall on the Wired.com site, please use login: mogilefskya@pvpusd.net, password: English.)

Homework: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question described in Wednesday's class work and post by Friday.  

THURSDAY A-Day/FRIDAY B-Day: Go over rough draft requirements, answer any questions about the rough draft of the argument essay that's due to Turnitin.com by Sunday night, May 3. Wrap up the gender unit. Introduce the Raisin in the Sun play, which we will be reading next. Call for volunteers to read some of the parts of the play on Zoom.

Due for B Day only - Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Homework for all classes: Finish typing argument essay rough draft, to be uploaded to Turnitin.com by Sunday night, May 3 to Turnitin.com for comments.

Sunday, April 19, 2020

April 20 - 24

Thanks for the lively debates and the high quality examples and evidence submitted in the Gender Debate Prep Worksheets so far! If you haven't already completed that, please submit it to Turnitin.com.

Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

MONDAY A Day/TUESDAY B Day: Offline, work independently. 1. Please watch the argument about beauty standards in advertisements called "Killing Us Softly 4" *(see warning below) and be ready to discuss your own opinions on the live Zoom class at the end of the week. 2. Next, complete the questions in the Discussion Tab marked "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."

*Killing Us Softly 4  IMPORTANT NOTE: the video contains graphic images that are not intended for anyone under age 14. Please view and listen at a time when young children are not present. If there are objections to the material, please e-mail me for an alternate assignment.  (The images of advertisements in the video, however, are easily accessible on billboards, in magazines, and definitely online.)

Due: n/a

Homework for Thursday/Friday: Watch "Killing Us Softly 4" and be ready to discuss the effectiveness of Kilbourne's argument, along with your own opinions at the live Zoom class on Thursday/Friday.

Complete the questions in the Discussion Tab marked "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."


WEDNESDAY (A Day only): Offline, work independently. Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class. (If you run into a paywall on the Wired.com site, please use login: mogilefskya@pvpusd.net, password: English.)

Homework: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question described in Wednesday's class work and post by Friday.  

THURSDAY B Day/FRIDAY A Day: Online Zoom class today! Log in at your designated time, (see the sidebar for times and login details). Verbal, live journal questions/activity about beauty standards and your personal habits, impressions, and expectations. Short presentation about media literacy when it comes to questioning the pictures and images shown regularly in our culture. Introduction to writing assignment: begin draft of argument essay. Go through requirements and argument essay rubric. All argument essays will require some research and credible sources for support. (Note: there should be time to choose a topic and begin an outline today. The outline won't be required for the grade, but strongly suggested.)

Here are your choices for essay prompts:
1. Women should be required to register for the draft the way that men do. Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions.

2. On a national level, the United States Government has responded appropriately to the Covid-19 crisis. Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions.

3. (Most challenging) The United States should require participation in contact tracing as a strategy to combat the Covid-19 threat.  Please defend, challenge, or qualify the statement with a variety of evidence and examples in a well-written argument essay that contains a counterargument and/or an explanations of conditions or exceptions. This prompt will require some research, including articles such as this.


Due for both A and B days: Complete the question in the Discussion Tab section of Turnitin.com marked  "April (20 or 21) -- Women in the Draft Debate/Killing Us Softly reflection."

Also due for A Day only - Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Homework for all classes:  Decide which essay topic you'll choose for the argument essay. You'll have time Monday/Tuesday to research, outline, and start typing a rough draft.

The website will be updated by Sunday night with next week's agenda. Have a good weekend!

Friday, April 17, 2020

College and Career Center Update: OODLES of virtual events!

See below for an update on opportunities you do not want to miss from our College and Career Center:

Historically Black Colleges & Universities Virtual College Fair Saturday, April 18, 9:30 am – 1pm
Featuring 16 different HBCU schools from 9:30am-1pm CDT. Many HBCUs have a practice of offering on the spot admissions and sometimes even on the spot scholarships for seniors when these fairs are held in the fall! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-hbcu-college-tour-tickets-102529446334

Strive Virtual College Exploration Week - Monday, April 20 - Thursday, April 23, 2020
  • 300+ colleges from 44 states and 10 countries
  • 96 sessions over 4 days
  • Day and evening options
  • Panel presentations on a range of topics for juniors and underclassmen
  • Free and open to students nationwide
Registration for students and parents is now live: www.strivescan.com/virtual  
The Strive Virtual College Exploration Week provides a robust and diverse schedule of events, with 300+ colleges from around the country. Colleges from our region and nationally will be sharing their expertise and knowledge, and we encourage you to use this platform to embark on your college exploration!

The 96 panel presentations include topics ranging from:
  • Finding college fit
  • Essay writing
  • Visits (on-campus and virtual)
  • In-state options vs. Going out of state

Every panel includes the perspectives from at least three different institutions and all presentations are 45 minutes in length. Student Registration: Students should register for each panel that they want to attend. Once they register, they’ll receive a confirmation email with their unique link to join the Zoom webinar. (Students will also receive a barcode, but the barcode is not necessary for this virtual event.)

Coalition for College Virtual College Fair - Thursday, April 23rd, 4 – 6 pm or 6:30 – 8:30 pm (EST)
Hear from admissions officers regarding these topics and more: “Tips on Creating Your College List”

Behind the Scenes: How Admissions Decisions Are Made.” Then visit virtual “rooms” where reps from more than 40 colleges will share an overview of their schools and answer your questions, live. Colleges like Harvey Mudd & Harvard, Tufts & University of Tampa, Cornell & Columbia will be participating! http://coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/april-2020-virtual-fair.html

College Block Party Tuesday & Wednesday, April 28th & 29th, 6 – 9 p.m (EST)
This is a FREE, two-day, after-school online event for high-school students from all grade levels, parents, and counselors. Drop-in, whenever you can, to get your questions answered. Participating Colleges Include: Colgate University, University of California Berkeley, Emory University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Tufts University!  Click Here to Download Schedule & Topics

Sunday, April 12, 2020

April 13 - 17

It's now mid-April, and hopefully most of you are more comfortable and used to online school. It's not the same, but I'm really enjoying reading your insightful, high-level, and interesting Turnitin.com discussion board posts and seeing you on Zoom. As always, shoot me an e-mail if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

MONDAY(B Day) / TUESDAY(A Day): Offline, work independently. Read and/or listen to "There is No Unmarked Woman" from page 18 in the Gender Unit: Reading Packet. (Both of these resources, the packet and another link to the recording, can be found under "Class Handouts" on the right-hand sidebar of this website as well.) As you're reading, notice the types of evidence and examples she uses to support her argument. Are they effective?

We're gearing up to the Gender Debate, live on Zoom this Thursday/Friday.  Please follow the directions for the Gender Debate Prep Work sheet and upload to Turnitin.com under the assignments tab. You'll research reasons for and against requiring women to register for the draft, just like men are currently required to do. Aim for variety and quality as you search for examples and evidence for the upcoming debate. 

Due: Please read or listen to "The Quiet Destruction of the American Teenager" from the Gender Packet. (Go to the right-hand sidebar under "Class Handouts" for the Gender Unit: Reading Packet, page 33.)

Homework: Please complete the Gender Debate Prep Work sheet and upload to Turnitin.com before class on Thursday, April 16 (A Day) or Friday, April 17 (B Day).


WEDNESDAY (B Day): Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class.

Homework: Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question described in Wednesday's class work and post by Friday.  

THURSDAY(A Day) / FRIDAY(B Day): Log in at your designated time, (see the sidebar for times and login details). Verbal, live journal question, followed by structured debate about whether or not women should be required to register for the draft they way that men currently do at age 18. Be prepared to argue both sides of the debate! 

Due for both A and B days: Please complete the Gender Debate Prep Work sheet and upload to Turnitin.com before class.

Also due for B Day only - Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Homework for all classes:  None. The website will be updated by Sunday night with next week's agenda. Have a good weekend!

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Week of April 6 - April 10

Welcome back!
I was grateful for the timing of Spring Break. It allowed me to rest, plan and process the fact that I will have to give up some of the interactive class lessons and activities I was so looking forward to! I thought quite a bit about what is most important for your growth and future, and how to deliver that to you in a way that is a good use of your time, as well as manageable.


This week's agenda

MONDAY(A Day) / TUESDAY(B Day): Offline, work independently. Read and/or listen to "The Three-day Blow" by Ernest Hemingway, a great American writer. The story can be found on page 8 of the Gender Packet, which is linked under Class Handouts on the right-hand sidebar.

How do the men communicate with each other? How does the weather (as mentioned in the title) symbolize what's going on in Nick's world? Is this still relevant to today's world, in your experience, is this how men communicate (or don't really communicate)? To what extent does it apply to women as well? Think about these questions and be ready to share on Thursday/Friday.


Due: N/A

Homework: Make sure your Covid-19 outline response is uploaded to Turnin.com (scroll down to the entry for March 20 for complete instructions, and e-mail me with questions).


WEDNESDAY (A Day): Welcome to Wired Wednesday! No live Zoom class will be held today; instead, please choose one article of your choice from Wired.com to read and think about. Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for today under the Discussion tab. We'll reference these in Friday's online class.

THURSDAY(B Day) / FRIDAY(A Day): Log in at your designated time, (see the sidebar for times and login details). Verbal, live journal questions based on the reading to be answered in small, breakout groups. Live, popcorn-style reading: "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady; notice how the rhetorical strategies in the passage help forward the argument. Related small group activity with live breakout sessions. Introduce English 3 Gender Debate Prep Work sheet due in a week.

Due for both A and B days: Finish reading or listening to "The Three-day Blow" short story by Hemingway.

Also due for A Day only - Complete the typed, Turnitin.com online journal entry question for your choice of "Wired Wednesday" article under the Discussion tab.

Homework for Monday/Tuesday: Please read or listen to "The Quiet Destruction of the American Teenager" from the Gender Packet. (Go to the right-hand sidebar under "Class Handouts" for the Gender Unit: Reading Packet, page 33.)

Homework for Thursday/Friday: Please complete the Gender Debate Prep Work sheet and upload to Turnitin.com before class on April 16 (A Day) or April 17 (B Day).


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FYI, this is the general game plan going forward (subject to change):

Monday/Tuesday-  offline. Read the agenda for the day, read/listen to the reading(s). The best practice would be for you to print out the selection, then read and annotate in a quiet place, writing your ideas in the margins. You could also listen to me read it as you read along. If you are working, helping with child care, or in need of physical movement, you can listen to the recording when it's convenient, and maybe be throwing loads of laundry in or walking/driving to and from a job.

Wednesday - offline. On the week that your class also meets on Wednesday, we'll hold offline "Wired Wednesdays." You'll go to Wired.com, pick an article of your choice, and answer a question in the Turnitin.com discussion tab. We'll talk about these on Fridays during the live Zoom meeting. This will take the place of the Science and Nature unit I had planned and hopefully give you the habit of keeping abreast of how technology and other advancements are shaping our society.

Thursday/Friday - live Zoom classes with ample use of the breakout rooms for small group discussion and connection. (Please see the sidebar for the schedule, which will follow the PVHS online schedule, plus login information.)

Bottom line: there will be one typed journal entry online in the Turnitin.com discussion tab every other week, rather than Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. The journal questions will be answered verbally, live in small groups on either Thursday or Friday instead.

We'll work on a few final highlights of the Gender Unit, including the debate about women in the draft. You'll write an argument essay soon, by getting detailed feedback on a rough draft and then making revisions and uploading a final draft. We'll read the Declaration of Independence as an argument, and complete a Bill of Rights activity that will help you use this knowledge for evidence and examples in the future. We'll remotely act out the parts of  A Raisin in the Sun, a modern play about a family living in close quarters with each other, each person chasing their dreams, by American writer Lorraine Hansberry. Vocabulary, grammar, and writing workshop "mini-lessons" will be blended into the weeks. Finally, we'll complete either a good draft of a college essay or a short research paper on a job title of your choice as the final before we end in June.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Friday, March 27

Welcome and happy Friday!

It's the last post before Spring Break...not the Spring Break most of us envisioned, but Spring Break nonetheless.

In the spirit of the scheduled minimum day before Spring Break, class work will be shorter, and no online session today. If you're missing any entries, this is a good time to scroll back and get caught up.

FRIDAY CLASS ACTIVITIES 
1. Please respond to the questions in the Discussion tab of Turnitin.com under the post "Journal - Friday, March 27, 2020."

Note: you only need to answer each with a minimum of one complete, well-written sentence each.

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Check out the class website at the end of Spring Break for an itinerary of what's to come.

I hope you all have a restful and fun Spring Break, hopefully happy and healthy, despite the situation. I have some ideas I'll be working on over Spring Break to create engaging and productive sessions for you.

Please send me an e-mail anytime if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

Love,
Ms. Mogilefsky

Thursday, March 26, 2020

An Important Message from the College and Career Center

"Besides the fairly constant COVID-19 updates, there is literally a barrage of updates coming in regarding all things college admissions, extended deadlines, optional ACT/SAT testing, etc. etc..  If you wouldn't mind to share <this new link> so your students and families can either subscribe to get the updates automatically, or simply check the website as they choose: https://bit.ly/2Ul57hQ

There's simply so much that has changed and will continue to change in the days, weeks and moths ahead. I'd like to reassure our students that colleges are adapting and changing as well!  Colleges know that transcripts and activity lists will probably not look the same as in past years... there will be tests that are not taken, chances to improve that will not be an option, and letters of recommendation shortened...Colleges understand the myriad of opportunities our students are privy to within our community...How we all, as Palos Verdes High School, handle our current situation, and how our students cope with this period of global pandemic is what colleges will want to know and understand, as context will certainly be the most important aspect in future college applications.  

So may I ask you to please encourage your students to put aside ACT/SAT prep and rather use this down time to find ways to be the best version of themselves... find ways to serve and help others... within their immediate family or within the community.  Encourage them to rise to the occasion... to be a great big brother or sister and play that board game or help with the math homework; take advantage of the incredible MOOC's <massive open online courses> available from universities like Stanford, MIT, BU, etc. that are free of charge and cover topics from astrophysics to anime. Encourage your students to use the resources that are available to them... even if only to log on to their Student Sign On portal and click on Naviance or even simply check our website to explore info and resources under the CCC tab..."

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And, from me:  one of the many places to search for MOOCs, as well as free books and audiobooks is here: 
http://www.openculture.com/

Also: 
https://openlibrary.org/ 
(I just tried to borrow Stephen King's The Stand, about a deadly virus that sweeps the world, and it works well. You can read the book online for free, or listen to the audio version. By the way, if you like thrillers and can deal with the subject matter, it is a riveting story that has an interesting plot twist and ending.)

Keep abreast of current events, including state and local updates, directly from the source if possible. Here's an update followed by excellent questions from reporters by Governor Newsom that I found by searching YouTube for "Newsom":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QivbmvWAfc8

There are many interesting news points provided, including how to get extensions for home mortgage payments, what's being done to ramp up testing, information about the medical ship that is scheduled to dock at the L.A. port on Friday, Elon Musk's commitment to delivering needed medical equipment, Bloom Energy's initiative to repurpose ventilators, the latest health statistics, and challenging questions from reporters at the end.  

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Wednesday, March 25 Class Activities

Hi, there!
I've enjoyed seeing many of you on our Zoom calls. I don't know about you, but the entire situation is still a bit surreal. Most of you seem to be rolling with the punches and adapting pretty well, all things considered. This may be the defining experience of your generation, and it's unlike anything I've experienced before either.

 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 CLASS ACTIVITIES

1.  Please respond to the post in the Discussion tab in Turnitin.com marked "Journal - Wednesday, March 25, 2020"

2. Please continue to work on the outline (and outline only), that responds to the same prompt we've been working on:

The United States Government should immediately enforce a strict, nationwide quarantine as China and Italy have in response to the Covid-19 threat. Please respond to this statement by defending, challenging or qualifying supported by credible evidence and examples to support your position. 

I've got a link to notes that were taken during the Zoom calls this week, here. Use them as a guide, and feel free to reach out with any questions through e-mail at mogilefskya@pvpusd.net. 

Post your outline to Turnitin.com on the Assignments tab.
6th period - due Wednesday, March 25

1st period - due Thursday, March 26
2nd period - due Thursday, March 26

No Zoom calls are scheduled until the first day back after break, but I'm available by e-mail all day with any questions or extra help. 

Monday, March 23, 2020

Monday, March 23 Class Activities

Hello,

I'm looking forward to see you all on the Zoom calls, Monday and Tuesday!

Monday, March 23
6th period - 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Tuesday, March 24
1st period - 9:00 am
2nd period - 10:00 am

https://zoom.us/j/3953234703

Meeting ID: 395 323 4703


CLASS ACTIVITIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 23: 

1.  Please respond to the Discussion Board prompt on Turnitin.com marked "Journal - Monday, March 23, 2020." We'll share some of these on the call.

2. Read through the document "Finding Credible Sources." As we work together on the prompt

3. Participate in the Zoom call (see times above). Go back and re-read the prompt and your brainstorm responses before the call so they're fresh in your mind. (If you can't participate, I will record a portion of a session covering brainstorming/outlining and post it here for you to watch when you can.)

Here is 6th period's Zoom call. We go through some possibilities with an AGREE stance on the prompt below.


4.  Write an OUTLINE ONLY, with phrases and links, in response to the following prompt:

The United States Government should immediately enforce a strict, nationwide quarantine as China and Italy have in response to the Covid-19 threat. Please respond to this statement by defending, challenging or qualifying supported by credible evidence and examples to support your position.

Upload it to Turnitin.com under the "Assignments" tab by Wednesday, March 25 for 6th period, and Thursday, March 26 for 1st and 2nd period.

Please check back Wednesday morning for the next post.

Here is a document that we worked on during the Zoom calls that has sample outlines in response to the Covid-19 prompt. 

Friday, March 20, 2020

Zoom Meetings - Monday/Tuesday

Welcome back! 

PVHS Admin set up a schedule for Zoom meetings to run on the A/B schedule so that teachers can meet with classes and not overlap. I'd like to set up the following meet-up for Monday (B Day) and Tuesday (A Day):

MONDAY, MARCH 23: 
6th period - 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 24
1st period - 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
2nd period - 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Here is the information for logging in:

https://zoom.us/j/3953234703

Meeting ID: 395 323 4703

Purpose: Meetup to check in and see how you're doing, and to talk about the brainstorms for the argument prompt we're working on together.

I'll record the portion of the meeting where we cover the prompt and the brainstorm and post it on the website.  Looking forward to re-connecting with you guys!

Friday, March 20 CLASS ACTIVITIES

It's the end of week one of distance learning for English!

I've really enjoyed reading your thoughtful posts, thank you so much. A few of them need to hit the "one full paragraph" description, so if yours was a little skimpy, feel free to go back in and post again.

I'll post grades from this week after Sunday, as I mentioned previously.

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 CLASS ACTIVITIES

1. Interactive Journal
          a. Please log in to Turnitin.com and go to the Discussion tab. (See Monday's post for directions
          if you can't find it. E-mail me if you still can't find it.) Go to "Journal - Friday, March 20, 2020."

          b. You will need to watch Governor Newsom's March 19 news conference about California's response to the Coronavirus threat (his speech/remarks are 20 minutes long followed by 20 minutes of reporter's questions) to answer the first question. 

          c. Please respond with a minimum of one full paragraph (5-7 sentences) to each of the questions.

2. Upload Brainstorm
           a.  Go to the Discussion tab again, and see the post "Brainstorm - Friday, March 20"

           b. Consider the argument prompt you researched from Wednesday's post:


The United States Government should immediately enforce a strict, nationwide quarantine as China and Italy have in response to the Covid-19 threat. Please respond to this statement by defending, challenging or qualifying supported by credible evidence and examples to support your position. 

Take out the evidence and examples you found that defend (agree), challenge (disagree), and/or qualify (agree with conditions, disagree with exceptions). You should have at least 3-4 examples.

Your examples could be from personal experience, secondhand experience, general facts, scientific facts, literary examples, historical examples, current events, and/or pop culture. They can be facts taken from articles from credible sources.

**Remember, your own experiences, or those of your parents/guardians (especially those working in health care), also count. Opinions of world, national, state, and local leaders and experts can also be utilized for this assignment.

           c. Add an entry with at least 2 original examples. (Your post won't get credit if you don't have at least one new source that no one before you has used on the boards, described in your own words.)

Each one should look like this:

AGREE
Italy has introduced a nationwide lockdown, with fines for leaving the house. 62% of their people, according to polls, support this effort and they are committed to flattening the curve and stopping the growth of Covid-19. The Italians have accepted the lockdown with a sense of unity. They found a new national purpose, and hashtags supporting each other have become very popular. (NPR)

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/817021969/italy-remains-under-lockdown-due-to-spread-of-covid-19

DISAGREE
American people have always valued freedom, and quarantines should be guidelines only. Instead of policing our own people, the National Guard should be deployed to make food deliveries and to disinfect high-traffic areas, like the National Guard did in New Rochelle under the orders of New York Governor Cuomo:

https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/03/13/national-guard-arrives-to-help-residents-in-new-rochelle-containment-zone

Please post this before Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. if at all possible, so we can reference them and classmates can share and use each other's examples in their own responses.

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COMING SOON!

Next week, we'll work together on a Zoom meeting to see each other again and take some of your examples and create an outline for this prompt, which will be the next assignment. I'll announce the dates and times right here on the website soon.

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OPTIONAL FOR THE BORED AND CURIOUS: 
If we go longer than Spring Break, our class will be reading and discussing books over Zoom. In the meantime, I recommend checking out some of these free online titles:

800 Free eBooks for iPad, Kindle, and Other Devices

Any of these are challenging and thought-provoking books that are referenced quite a bit. There is a list of free audio books just to the right on the page on the link above if you're sick of screens and just want to sit back and listen.

A quick shout-out to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the weird science-fiction stories by Philip K. Dick, and anything by Checkov. 

Have a good weekend, and hang in there!

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Wednesday, March 18 Class Activities

Welcome back to English class! 

(Insert the chime noise here from memory -- the pleasant chimes, not the times I slammed the chime rod onto the rack with a crazy look on my face.)

Thank you for all of the journal entries on Turnitin.com. I responded to a few of them, and read them all. It's been interesting to hear about your thoughts and experiences. I commented on one of the boards that I am certain this event will be remembered and discussed for years to come.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 CLASS ACTIVITIES

1. Interactive Journal
          a. Please log in to Turnitin.com and go to the Discussion tab. (See Monday's post for directions
          if you can't find it. E-mail me if you still can't find it.)

          b. Go to "Journal - Wednesday, March 18, 2020."

          c. Please respond with a minimum of one full paragraph (5-7 sentences) to each of the
          questions.

2. Reading/Response
           a. Please read the follow-up article to the one posted for Monday:
           The Man With 17,000 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer Just Donated Them

(Here is a link to the original article on The New York Times website in case you'd like to read the Comments after this article as well.)

          b. Please read this article and note the graphics:
          Why Outbreaks Like Coronavirus Spread Exponentially and How to Flatten the Curve

          c. Go back to the Discussion tab of Turnitin.com. Please respond to the "Reading Response -    
           Wednesday, March 18" post with your own responses to the readings.

3. We're going to work on the following argument prompt, in stages:

The United States Government should immediately enforce a strict, nationwide quarantine as China and Italy have in response to the Covid-19 threat. Please respond to this statement by defending, challenging or qualifying supported by credible evidence and examples to support your position. 

Please spend some time brainstorming evidence and examples that defend (agree), challenge (disagree), and qualify (agree with conditions, disagree with exceptions). Look for credible articles and sources, typically those that have an editorial board reviewing content will be better.  Keep track of your findings on a separate document or on Google Docs. Please have at least 3-4 pieces of evidence ready. (Remember the types of evidence/examples: personal experience, secondhand experience, general facts, scientific facts, literary examples, historical examples, current events, and pop culture.)

Here are a couple of examples, feel free to look for others:


We will work with your examples on Friday and start a group brainstorming session.

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I look forward to seeing your responses on the Discussion Board. I'll post again here on the class website on Friday.


I hope everyone is doing okay. We're all adjusting, so be sure to pace yourself, connect with others, and have some fun this week as well!