November 30

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Netflix or YouTube? Write a half page response presenting a claim with reasons and evidence for support.

We reviewed the multiple choice and short answer questions on the practice STAAR test that students recently completed, focusing on commonly-missed questions and test taking strategies. We will discuss the essay portion of the test on Monday.

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November 29

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: "Students Have 'Dismaying' Inability To Tell Fake News from Real, Study Finds" - Students read and responded to the article.

Students considered 9 different statements about popular psychology and determined whether they were truths or myths. Students talked at their tables about the myths to decide which could be applied to Lord of the Flies. Then each student chose 2 myths to analyze more closely, finding evidence from the novel and a second resource that was provided (full resource posted on Classroom). Tomorrow (or Thursday), we will use this information to begin a writing a brief essay on our discoveries.

Students who need to complete the STAAR practice from before the break should attend tutorials Wednesday during B block lunch or after school.

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November 28

Welcome back!

We used class time to finish up the STAAR Practice test. When students were done with the work, they had time to read, work on their writer's notebook (today's entry is an outside entry), or blog (next entry due 12/16).

Tomorrow, we will resume our usual routine with independent reading time and a writer's notebook entry--an article of the week. We will also begin our final assignment over Lord of the Flies. 

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Week-at-a-Glance

November 18

I'm in Atlanta for a convention, so here's what students are working on today.

November 17

I'm in Atlanta for a convention, so here's what students are working on today.

November 16

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: What are you thankful for? (A list is acceptable for this entry.)

Students had 10 minutes to complete the allegory handout and slides from yesterday. They handed in the allegory chart when finished.

I introduced the persuasive essay that students will write for the STAAR test. We looked at the rubric and scored sample student essays. The notes and rubrics are available on Classroom.

I am attending the NCTE Convention in Atlanta, so I will be absent tomorrow and Friday. Students will be completing a practice STAAR test those two days, and we will score it when we return from Thanksgiving break.

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November 15

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: What does it mean to be human?

We watched "Das Bus,"  an episode of The Simpsons that is a parody of Lord of the Flies. We discussed the parallels between the show and the book.

Students collaborated on Google Slides to share their information from the allegory and names chart that we have been working on. We will finish this up tomorrow.

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