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.

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!

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

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!

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.