Capote & The 6

1 & 4: After 15 minutes of completing the hook for your team mini essay, we started the reading and peer/teacher evaluation of the Capote prompts. By scoring the thesis, the evidence/evaluation, and the sophistication, we are looking closely at the passage, the writing, and the new scoring rubric. In all group evaluations so far, we have been within 1 of each other, which means that we are noting the same strengths and areas for improvement in the writing. We'll finish our last (I think) 3 evaluations tomorrow and then comes the might syntax week (or weeks).

3: After finishing our class close read, we completed our vocab quiz for unit 13, and then began the team writing portion for the Capote prompt, which involved crafting a team thesis statement, assigning a strategy to each person, and then writing a body paragraph for tomorrow's class. As an added note, make sure to not use outside means to help you with the body paragraph. Treat this as if you had a prompt to write in class with just the prompt, the paper, the pen, and your brain. The feedback will be more effectual for you that way.

7: We copied vocab unit 14 to start vocab experts tomorrow, wrapped up the Capote prompt by hearing a sample introduction and the basic plot of In Cold Blood, and then began our syntax unit with study of clauses, sentence types, and punctuation.In particular, we spent quality time with differentiating independent and dependent clauses, identifying simple and compound sentences, reviewing subordinating and coordinating conjunctions, and highlighting the rules for punctuation with compound sentences. If you missed anything in class, I would recommend borrowing a classmate's notes.

Class Close Read to Group Writing

Every hour has Capote's In Cold Blood passage on the mind and on the paper at this point - whether it be in close reading, writing, or peer evaluating.

1 & 4: The entire hour was dedicated to the writing portion of the Capote passage. Thus far, groups have crafted a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and (starting at least) hooks. Groups will finish the final phrases of writing the hook and then move into peer and teacher evaluation of writing with the new 1-6 system. If absent, you will be completing this task solo: compose a thesis statement, a body paragraph on one of the strategies from your thesis, and a hook. In any circumstances, this is a chance to garner sophistication points and kudos from your evaluators, so make sure to craft some extraordinary composition.

3: After our vocab review, we moved into the close read of the Capote passage, which we will need to complete on Monday. If absent, I highly recommend stopping by prior to school on Monday for a copy of the passage so that you are up to date with the readings and ready to move onto the writing portion during class.

7: After finishing the team hooks, you shared your writing with your classmates for our first peer review with the 1-6 system. Afterwards, the groups turned in their writing for my first opportunity to score the writing with a 1-6. If time permitted, you jotted down the next unit of vocab. If not, we will do so on Monday. Syntax unit will be next.

Holcomb

1 & 4: After the vocab quiz, we finished our look at the 1-6 scoring system, which will now begin to be the means of evaluation for the class. With that knowledge, we moved into our next class close read, the Capote passage regarding Holcomb. Even though we were given suggested strategies, both classes found a pelthora of other means to characterize the village or town - depending on what portion of the text you are reading (great catch, Ethan). Bring back this close read because it will be the basis of our next writing assignment.

3: After finishing up vocab experts, we finished up the prompt meetings. With the 1-9 scoring system put away, we looked at the 1-6 evaluation system that will be part of our daily life from this point forward.

7: After the vocab quiz, we resumed our close read of the Capote passage, working in partners to indicate the strategies and related evidence to help characterize that lovely little community of Holcomb. Afterwards, you were placed in a groups of 3 (o.k. one partnership too) in order to build a perfect introduction and thesis, craft body paragraphs, and compose that concluding paragraph - or at least those 3 phases are the plan at 12:59 p.m. Whatever we do not reach in class will either be designated as homework or will be completed during Friday's class.

Welcome to the 6

With the Banneker prompt meetings ending, so does the old scoring system of 1-9. No longer one overall score. Now 3 categories delineating the score, adding together into a possible 6 score. As noted, scoring a zero becomes more of a possibility; however, scoring a six seems to also be more of a possibility. The emphasis on a thesis, the evidence/explanation, and sophistication does set up the majority of your for at least a 3 or more on your average to strong prompt writing days. Hence, we will keep working on consistency to maintain a 3 and techniques to boost the number into 4, 5, or, dare I type this, 6 territory.

1 & 4: Reviewed vocab, finished paper meetings, and started looking over the 1-6 scoring rubrics for thesis statements. We will resume there with a recap of theses, a look at evidence and explanations, and the sophistication expectations. Plus there will be the vocab quiz and the next class close read.

3: We added 4 more vocab expert words, which means the tally stands at 12 for unit 13. We are still in the midst of our meetings, but that doesn't mean you can't have the close read for the scoring packets completed for next class.

7: Reviewed vocab, continued our look at the 1-6 scoring rubrics, and began our next class close read on the Capote passage, indicating words and phrases that stand out and help create an understanding of the author's purpose and his strategies. We will continue the close read and writing activities related to this passage next class.

Meetings Round 2

1 & 4: Vocab Experts followed by prompt meetings, which will finish tomorrow.

3: Vocab Experts followed by analysis of rangefinders and the return of your essays for prompt meetings tomorrow.

7: Vocab Experts followed by prompt meetings and the introduction to the new 1-6 scoring system. To prep for further analysis, close read the example rhetorical analysis prompt for tomorrow's class.

Rangefinders

The classes may still be on different stages of the agenda, but all of you are processing the rangefinders!

While we are solidly on rhetorical analysis right now, one day you will be back into argumentation and pulling from current events for exemplification. For those of you engaged with the environment and climate change, a fascinating report from last night's NBC news: Iceland Scientists.

1, 4, 7: Vocab experts, followed by the analysis of the rangefinders. If time permitted, you glanced at your score from the prompt or added to the prompt to your portfolio. Prompts meetings will begin or continue, depending on the hour, on Monday.

3: Vocab experts, followed by our class close read on the prompt. Homework is to finish grading the rangefinders, scoring each student essay 1-9.

Close Reading

The 2-word phrase I probably use the most throughout the year would be "close reading," which is then followed by why you should be interacting with your prompts in such a method to avoid any mis-reads and to have your strategies and evidence noted and ready to advance into writing form. Today's classes all featured my unwavering encouragement of close reading - the prompt and the passage. When close reading, the goal is comprehending the passage and building an understanding of the strategies that appear throughout the text. If you take your close read more organically (i.e. not on the hunt for specific strategies but noting words and phrases that stand out and continually build throughout the passage), you will be able to find more techniques that connect to the purpose.

1: Vocab experts began the show, followed by our class close read of the diagnostic prompt, indicating that mis-reads occurred from a lack of close reading the prompt and the passage. When paying microscopic attention to the actual words, slowing down to take in a paragraph and its meaning, a sentence and its form, a word and its placement, you have a stronger starting point for writing. After our class close reading, you had the rangefinders to score 1-9 of old essays. We will analyze those essays tomorrow.

3: Very productive day with vocab unit 13 copied, our last rhetorical analysis presentation, class card throwing (with an official time of 9 minutes - by far the best finish thus far in AP Lang's new season), baby rhetorical analysis, a toolbox quiz (be aware of making this up if absent), and the start of our class close reading with the diagnostic prompt passage. We will resume there tomorrow!

7: After vocab experts, we spent the majority of our time with our class close read, which really inspired a lot of focus on word patterns leading to other rhetorical strategies. To finish up the hour, we scored the rangefinders for this essay.