Becoming Experts

Good morning,

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We will read at the bell.

This week we will get back to working on our Expert Projects intensely. This will be our primary focus for the end of the year as you prepare to wrap up your project and present about what you learned. Don't worry there is still time to learn more.

Today I will show you some examples of great expert project notes and a great blog.
The point is not just to find information on your topic, but to be writing about what you found and how that affects your thinking about the subject.

Your post for today on your Expert Project Blog should be about a person of interest related to your research question. This could be a person related to your topic or another expert on the topic.

Grades are posted. Check Zangle. The grade you see there is the grade on your progress report. Progress reports go home on Friday.

Catch up day

Good afternoon,  (Wow I almost never get to say that, but we are meeting after lunch because of our testing schedule.)

We will read at the bell.
I have an important GearUp announcement for you.
You will get to work on
    Your essays (due Tuesday 4/23)
    Your book reviews (due Thursday 4/25)
    Any other work you are missing or need to make up.

Write a Gatsby essay in 12 easy paragraphs...

It's been a busy week and it's only Tuesday.

Yesterday, we watched most of the second half of The Great Gatsby movie.
Today we learned a strategy for planning a complex essay.

Tonight you should be working on the central paragraphs of your essay. Do not worry about introductions yet. Skip to writing about the characters and their moral issues.

Need to see the prompt again? (Yes, you do.)
Note due date changes.  Draft now due THURSDAY 4/18 and Final draft now due TUESDAY 4/23.

BOOK REVIEWS DUE THURSDAY 4/25
Write one about your choice book and one about The Great Gatsby. 

Watching The Great Gatsby

Good morning,

Today we have been watching the first half of The Great Gatsby film. I gave you a sheet to keep track of the immoral actions of the characters as you prepare for your essays. If you prefer I have shared the organizer with you as a Google Doc in your view only folder.  We will finish watching the film Monday.

Gatsby turned out all right in the end...

Good morning,

We will read at the bell.

Yesterday, we finished reading up through chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby, but some of you weren't finished with seven. You should now be finished with both chapters and it's time to take those quizzes. If you are here you take the quiz. (You can also take the quiz if you aren't here.)

Chapter 7 Quiz
Chapter 8 Quiz

When you finish the quizzes find a partner to read Chapter 9 with you.  Stop every few pages and ask yourselves the "teacher" questions I would ask you. Pay attention to what Nick learns from Gatsby's father and also to how people treat Gatsby now.

You must read the article of the week AND write about it in your English Journal BEFORE class begins tomorrow if you want to be able to watch the film.  See the post below this one for more info on that.

Lets go to town..

Good morning,

We will read at the bell and then continue with Chapter 7.
Pay attention to which people are riding in each car.

You also have an Article Of the Week (AOW) this week about the American Dream again.
Read it carefully. What do you notice. Do you think things have improved or gotten worse since this was written?  Quantifying America's Decline

Let's go to town...

Welcome back,

We will read at the bell. I expect a lot of you have books to return and need new ones too.

Today we will take on chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby.  Before we do, I want to introduce you to the process prompt we will be writing about very soon.  I want you to know what it is as we finish the novel so you can begin to think about it.

PROCESS PROMPT