Wednesday, 12/5/12

Hello again South House!

So today we started class off with SSR, and then got down to business. We got time to work on our speeches, which is good because the 1st draft of them is due tonight at 11:59! Then they will be peer reviewed, which is due TOMORROW at 11:59 pm. It has to be at least 5 paragraphs, but obviously if you have the perfect speech written out, that works just as well. Really that's all that went down today, so good luck on the speeches, and see you at Party Platform!

Tuesday, 12/4/12

Hey there South House. I just got back from POL, and it was really great! All of the seniors did fantastic(especially those from our house, just saying), so be sure to congratulate all of them on a job well done. Now, down to business:

Today's Schedule:

• Connect Four Presentation

So today was a very simple day, since we just sat back and watched a presentation. Elmer Rodriguez from Mt. Sac came to tell us of all of the opportunities we have as high school seniors right next door to Mt. Sac. It is the largest community college in California, and does a lot to help high school students to achieve what they want out of college and life. For those of you who aren't completely sure of where you're headed, or maybe a bit worried about the price tag on that dream school of yours, it's a great idea to look more into this program. If you have any questions about this or basically anything about Mt. Sac and other community colleges, you can contact Elmer at erodriguez@mtsac.edu.

Alright, I guess that's all for today. See you all tomorrow, bright and early!

Monday, 12/3/12

Hey South House!

Today's Plan:

• SSR
• Mini Ethos, Pathos, Logos
• Speech Workshop Time

Alright so as usual we started out the day with SSR, and then we went on to Mini Ethos, Pathos, Logos. Basically the breakdown was:

• Ethos: Appeal to knowledge or expertise
• Ex: Things that sound really smart and fancy, like life experience, universities, NY Times, PhD, MA, ABCDEFG.
• Pathos: Appeal to emotion, spice things up
• Ex: Ways to make people feel something, such as anecdotes, emotional word choices, crying injured puppies, etc.
• Logos: Appeal to logic
• Ex: Just the straight facts, and statistics. All the need-to-knows.

(Note: Be careful when using any of these appeals. Although they can be incredibly helpful for your speeches, using them too often can make people feel manipulated, and in the case of Logos, even bored.


So after we wrapped up that lesson we had time to work on our speeches, and then our short class was over! See you all tomorrow.

Reminder: Tomorrow(12/4) is Poetry Out Loud! Should be pretty fun, so come out and support your classmates. If that isn't enough incentive, I'm pretty sure Ortega said she's giving extra credit to those who show up, so there's that. It starts at 7 in the MPR, hopefully see you there!

Thursday 11/29/12

In class we were allowed to see how structured debates worked in practice. Ms. Ortega divided the room into two and we were to argue about Dirks' salary bonus. Obviously the pro side one, but before we were given a strangely written editorial about Dirks to learn how to argue both sides of a debate,which will be helpful for Model Assembly in order to know what the opponent will say. Lastly, for homework don't forget to check dailyoped.com daily. Ms. Ortega will be checking to make sure we have been researching.

Wednesday 10/28/12

Ms. Ortega wasn't here today, but we still learned about how to research editorials and articles after SSR. We were given the article "Is Grover over?" and were to answer the five questions on the board. After we were allowed time to write the beginning of our three minute speeches about our bills. That's about it. It was a pretty easy day.

Monday, November 26, 2012

After SSR, Ortega introduced our next Model Assembly component. We are expected to write two 3 minute speeches, one supporting our own bill and the other in support or against someone else's bill. We will be needing this both for the week of Model Assembly and the week before in order to recite them to Ortega. In order to write professional and political though, Ortega suggested and requires us to research news daily on this website (you may use others though, this is just an option). The more we read of this genre of writing, the more familiar it will become to us. This is why she taught us how to write captivating intros to our speeches. After reading a few of our editorials intros, we gathered that a good introduction will contain one of the four following methods: shocking or surprising statements (including statistics), rhetorical question, an anecdote, or a quote. For homework we are expected to write an amazing introduction for the support of our own bill. If you need help, look through editorials and study how the professionals write theirs. It just takes time to pick up the writing style.

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." - Stephen King

Monday, November 19th, 2012

Today's Plan

SSR
Timed Writing Assignment

Homework
None

Reminders
Do more research on your bills

After SSR we spent the whole block working on the timed writing assignment. It was about our bills: the problems they addressed and the solutions they offered.

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

Today's Plan

• LC Presentations

Homework

• I don't think there was any homework

Reminders

• I don't think there are any reminders either.

Today was a pretty easy day. Sadly, there was no SSR today. We went straight into the presentation. All the groups were able to present, so great job to everyone who went up today! After the presentations, we shared out what worked this  time and what could be done better for the next Literature Circle presentations. Well, that's pretty much it. Have a great day everyone!

Wednesday November 7th, 2012

Today's Plan

• SSR
• LC Presentation Prep

Homework

• Work on Literature Circle presentations

Reminders

• Presentations will be done tomorrow
• Bring printed script or song for your presentation to turn in

Today we stared off by having 20 minutes of SSR. We had another day to work on our presentation with our group. Remember, we will be having presentations tomorrow so make sure you and you're group are prepared for that.

Monday November 5th, 2012

Today's Plan

• SSR
• LC Prep for Presentation

Homework

• Work on Literature Circle presentation with your group

Reminders

• We will have another day to work on our Literature Circle presentations on Wednesday
• Presentations will be done this Thursday (11/8/12)

The first thing we did today was 20 minutes of SSR. Afterwards, every group had the opportunity to work on their Literature Circle presentations for the rest of the block. Even though I put it already in the reminders, don't forget presentations will be done on Thursday this week!

Thursday November 1st, 2012

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Today's Plan:

• SSR
• Reader's Theater
• LC Discussion #10
• Class Share-out

Homework:

• Work on Lit Circle Presentations 
• Read books for competition

Reminders:

• None!

We are tied with North House for 29 books in the competition, keep reading! Ortega explained what Reader's Theater is and said she'll bring a Goosebumps audio book next class block for us to listen to. Today was the last Lit circle discussion, everyone should be done with their books and working on their presentations. We'll get more time to work on them tomorrow in class too. Have a nice rest of the day everyone! Cheers!

Thursday Oct. 18

Plan for today

• SSR
• Lit. Circles
• Share out 

Today in class, we began by reading 20 minutes for SSR. We then proceeded to fill in our membership grid (A#11) which was about how adventurous or picky eaters we are. Then the conversation transitioned to our literature circle discussions. 

Homework

• LC Disc. Prep 8
• Writing Workshop due Oct. 27

Reminders

• Book Competition-if you are done reading a book, see Ortega during SSR so it could be counted towards the competition. 

Wednesday Oct. 17

Plan for today

• SSR
• Writing Feedback
• Workshop

Today in class, we did 20 minutes of SSR. After that we gave feedback to Dominic's essay. We concluded the class by working on our writing workshop pieces by editing our essays or by rewriting them.

Homework
LC Disc. Prep 7
Writing Workshop essay due Oct. 27 on turnitin.com

Reminders
Book Competition-if you are done reading a book, see Ortega during SSR so it could be counted towards the competition. 

Monday Oct. 15

Plan for today:

• SSR
• Song Parodies
• LC Disc. Prep 6
• Share Out

Today in the beginning of class, we read for 20 minutes as usual. After that we proceeded to hear "I want it that way" and the song parody called E-bay. This was due to Mrs.Ortega telling us that for our Literature Circle Presentations, we can do a song parody that relates to our book. We then transitioned into having our book discussions. Mrs. Ortega concluded the class by asking groups to share out their song parodies. Good job to Amanda's group and Tony's group for sharing out! 

Reminders:

For Wednesday's class, please bring your printed essay you turned in to turnitin.com and your printed peer review that someone did of your paper! Also put the handouts that you got from the library last Friday into your notebook for A#22. For the last reminder, remember to do LC Disc. Prep 7.

Wednesday October 10th

Why hello there my fellow South-ians.

Plan:

• SSR
• Peer Review Instructions
• Writer's feed back.
• Workshop
• Independent Study

Today in class we spent time going over the process of peer reviewing everyone's first drafts that will be submitted to turnitin by Saturday. Then we read Danny's delightful story about Jaunito the peguin and Lucas the arctic wolf. We did some feed back and told him that it needs to be more direct and real for colleges not to push it aside. Then we had time to work on our pieces and hopefully start to finish up. I'm not exactly sure what independent study was, but we sure didn't get to it! Anyways, that's all. Tata for now! 

Monday October 8th

Today's Plan:

• SSR
• Three Little Pigs A#23
• LC Discussion

Reminders: 

• Keep reading to finish your books so we can win the book competition!
• Have a typed version of your writing workshop piece ready to turn in to turnitin this week.

Today we read for SSR, then we read the Three Little Pigs to learn how to get textual evidence, which is assignment 23. Then we discussed our literature circle books and any questions with our groups.

Wednesday, October 3rd

Today's Plan:

• SSR
• Writer's Feedback
• Writing Workshop
• Progress Report

Reminders:

• Read your LC book.
• If you haven't gotten your LAC Library card bring it tomorrow for a P grade.
• Read for book reading competition (See Ortega if you have finished any books since Monday).
• Push-Up competition is Tuesday after school, our reps are Rene and Priscilla.
• LC Discussion next class

Today we started the day with SSR and then carried on to peer review Logan's workshop piece and finally carried the day on with working on our own writing workshop pieces.

Monday, October 1st

Today's Plan:

• SSR
• Exposition QW
• Membership Card/Warm Up
• LC Discussion
• Share Out
• Questions/Announcements

 Reminders:

• LAC Library Cards where checked today, nest class are still valid for an AE everyday after is a grade deduction.
• Book Reading competition began today, read as many books as a house to win the point.

Today a quick write was done with the following question: 
What about the exposition of your text do you find most interesting? Why? What is still confusing you? How might this be rectified?
We then had a literature discussion with out groups and where set free. 

Thursday 9/27/12

Plan for today:

·         Terrible Things

·         Lit Circle

·         Lit Circle homework

·         SSR

Today the block was cut in half due the ribbon cutting tomorrow. Mrs. Ortega started the class with a children’s story. It was based on the Holocaust. The book was about forest animals and each type of creature started to disappear because the “terrible things” would take them. In the end one white rabbit is left and he wished he would of spoke up sooner.

Next everyone had a discussion with their groups about their books. Mrs. Ortega said discussions will last about 20 minutes. For homework she said to look these things up in your books: passages you like, questions you have, what you thought about the writers craft, and any connections you had. She said the conversation gets dry to use these to look back on.

Wednesday 9/26/12

Plan for today:

·    SSR

·    Writing Workshop

·    Writing feed back

Today in class we read for 20 minutes. An announcement was made that writing workshop pieces will probably be due the last full week in October. Mrs. Ortega said this date might change and will let us know what day it will be due. Then the class started their writing workshop piece for about 30 minutes.

After writing workshop Mrs. Ortega read Tony’s paper out loud. Then the class gave him commendations and recommendations.

That was it for English class today!

Monday

Plan for today:

· SSR

· Terrible Things (Books)

· Book Assignments

· Calendar

First we started class off with silent reading for 20 minutes. After silent reading Mrs. Ortega went over some announcements. Community service or extra credit will be offered from 1:30-3:00 this week. You can come in a decorate the bulletin boards in the back of the room. Also, by Wednesday you have to commit to a writing workshop piece. You will be sticking with whatever you chose.

Next we went over the book choices that we did not get to last time for literature circles. Then everyone wrote their name and class number on popsicle sticks. Then they were put into a bag then drawn to see who picks first and so on. The groups are:

1984, Group 1: Rachel H., Gawen, Jesse, Rachel W., Rene*.

1984, Group 2: Priscilla, Tony, Ryan, Saul and Alicia*.

V for Vendetta, Group 1: Daniel, Ana, Eric and Lucas.

V for Vendetta, Group 2: Dustin, Brent, Elijah and Pilar.

Persepolis, Group 1: Amanda N., Dolores, Amanda K. and Leslie.

Persepolis, Group 2: Jessica, Sebastian, Domonic* and Danielle*.

In the Time of the Butterflies: Logan, Lauren, Elizabeth and Marilyn.

*= first pick next time because they were picked last.

 

We got dates of every time we are going to have literature circle groups then in our groups decided what pages to read and by that date.

 We also updated our composition books with assignments numbers 14 which is Lit Circle reading and number 15 is POL scores. We got back our score and you need to put them in your composition book.

 Well that was it for English class on Monday.

Bye

Week Of September 17th

Hey Everyone its Tony Tone ....
So after some technical difficulties finally solved the issue with being able to blog, comes to find out that it was my computer connection, not even the website, everyone was there this week so here is just a recap of it all.

Monday:
SSR
Senior Project Quickwrite
Writing Workshop
Writing Feedback

So for Monday we SSR'd for a few then we did our first session of WRITING WORKSHOP!
I thought it was really cool that we got this back again because like ortega said, we should always have some time for us to just write what it is we want. The choices we were given were;
Senior Project(s)
Reading Comprehension
College Prompts (If we remembered the question or had our writing piece from last year.
Shortly following this, we had a quick debrief for it and now we know that Literature Circles are going to be probably taking place on Mondays & Thursdays, and Workshops are going to be Wednesdays.
Writing feedback Ortega would like to do work with the person whom she has as scribe, but hopefully she will be able to either catch up or stay on top of the feedback. Since we all enjoyed it and great job to Elijah on his well flowing piece, you did an excellent job bro.

We pretty much did our usual routine of SSR.
We got into a quick discussion of the newest quickwrite we had which was writing about a time in which influenced us to choose or the reason we chose our senior project. Then we just had a short share out discussion of it all.

Wednesday:
SSR
Poetry Out Loud!

Everyone did an amazing job with their poems like Ortega said everyone was great we all have such amazing voice and great Ortega over each poem. Truly well done job to everyone and good luck Who ever wins will definitely be making it to county and guess what it means that this will be a road trip to Hollywood for South house to go and show our strong support.

Thursday:
SSR
Library Cards
Government Quickwrite
Literature Circles

Thursday started of regular, SSR and then we got down to the needy griddy.
Everyone is expected to obtain a Los Angeles County Library Card by Oct. 11th. You get an automatic E guys if you bring it in and show her by then so come one and jump on that easy chance.
First off if you do not have one you need to go down and get one, second you probably will need to take your parents because you have to be 18 dumb stupid legal reasons.
Then we followed it up by another quickwrite, this time asking what would it take to stand up against the government, and how. The stuff we mostly came up with was the simple fact that the reason has to be more personal based.
Then we started to discuss LITERATURE CIRCLES! The choices are...
1984 - Government using fear to control the population, in which Ortega loves the book yet is still a little freaked out about it
Butterflies - I think this was the title of it, basically how these good girls when from good to bomb making women who were out for the government and ended up being assassinated.
Persepolous - A 2 book graphic novel about a girl growing up in a very strict government I want to say Iran but i think that's wrong.
V for Vendetta - This is were we left off to the graphic novel, so just remember well pick up from here.

Overall it was a great week South House and CONGRATS on PEP RALLY we ruled like we should and  supper sorry again for the lateness on theses scribes hope everyone remembers since you were all here this week.

Tony Tone Signing off

Hello it is me, the dolphin again. Today we had the usual SSR, but then started to analyze the poetry recitation. After we had a quick write that asked why we were interested in the topics we chose. Remember, tomorrow we need to have three more articles and also, memorize your poems.

Hello fellow South house members, yesterday we discussed the elements and skills of quick writes which included organizing ideas and creating a timeline after of course observing the statement. There is no homework if i am not mistaken and remember we have English tomorrow, first block.  This Eraija Armendizzle (dolphin of the deep) signing off; over and out. ;)