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Friday, February 24 and Monday, February 27, 2017

2/23/2017

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​Content Objective: I can write an informational news article containing three primary and three secondary sources. 
Language Objective: I will edit and peer-review the rough draft of my news article. 

Essential Question: How do you effectively assess your own as well as your peers' writing?

Agenda:

Follow these steps to finish editing and revising, and to turn in your final draft of your news article by the end of the period TODAY: 

  1. Open a new document and copy/paste ONLY your revised draft into it. Title this document: News Article Final Draft. 
  2. Formatting: Make sure your article has the following:
    1. a headline (must contain a strong verb and get the reader interested in your article; center and bold your headline) 
    2. your full name centered below your headline 
    3. your article should be single-spaced and not contain any links to websites
  3. Finish your peer feedback and address all feedback (resolve all comments you have been given) 
  4. Make sure your article is broken into short, 1-3 sentence paragraphs; start a new paragraph for each new thought. Transitions and quotes should have their own paragraphs. 
  5. Make sure your writing is concise: Can you say the same thing in a shorter, simpler way? Change it.
  6. Proof read your article twice. Read it out loud to catch any irregularities or sentences that don't quite make sense. 
  7. Follow this Deadline Checklist. Check for each question on this list. 
  8. Check your rubric. Make sure you have hit "Above Average" criteria in all categories.
  9. Submit your News Article Final Draft doc on CANVAS. 

Assignment: 
  • Submit the final draft of your news article on CANVAS
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Wednesday, February 22 and Thursday, February 23, 2017

2/21/2017

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​Content Objective: I can write an informational news article containing three primary and three secondary sources. 
Language Objective: I will edit and peer-review the rough draft of my news article. 

Essential Question: How do you effectively assess your own as well as your peers' writing?

Agenda:

1. Bell Work: Join my class on Newsela (sign up with your Google account)
  • Read the article and complete the "Quiz" and "Write" assignment in Newsela
  • After reading, answer the following two questions: 
    • Choose three things that this article does especially well.
    • How can you use this article as a model to improve  your own writing? 

2. Finish up your peer reviews. Add screenshot of at least two peer reviews to your document. 

How to Format Quotes

3. Revise your own writing. Use the following as guiding questions:
  • Before proceeding, you MUST have peer feedback on your story
  • Are you covering your topic in depth?
  • Are you unbiased and are you covering all sides involved in this story?
  • Are you avoiding restating any questions?
  • Is your lead effective? How can you make it better?
  • Is your story based on interviews?
  • Are your transitions effective?
  • How can you make your closing even more effective?

4. Once you have addressed ALL of these questions, get two more readers to review your work. Have them comment on the following: 
  • What is the author doing well in this story? Why/how?
  • What confuses you?
  • What would you like to see more of? Suggest further questions the author could ask or additional subtopics they could include.

Assignments:
  • Newsela assignment
  • Peer Review Screenshots
  • Submit your revised draft
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Thursday, February 16 and Tuesday, February 21, 2017

2/15/2017

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 Content Objective: I can write an informational news article containing three primary and three secondary sources. 
Language Objective: I will edit and peer-review the rough draft of my news article. 

Essential Question: How do you effectively assess your own as well as your peers' writing?

Agenda: 

1. Finish you rough draft. You have 25 minutes to finish. 
​
2. Self Assessment: Make a copy of this rubric, then grade your own article based on it. On the bottom, briefly justify why you would give yourself the grade you did. 

3. Identify two specific areas of improvement for your article. Write them on the bottom on your document. Focus on these areas in your revisions. 

4. Create a headline for your article:Good headlines should:
  • tell the reader about your story
  • make readers curious to read more
  • include a strong verb
BAD: School Spirit! Go, Warriors! 
GOOD: Warriors flaunt school spirit to boost motivation

5. Tighten and simply your writing in two steps: 
  • Step One: On the bottom of your document, make a list of words or phrases you tend to overuse. For example: just, actually, really, like, in order to, etc.
  • Step Two: Simplification Challenge: Go through each sentence in your article and think  about how you could say the same thing in a simpler, more direct way. Try to tighten your article to 500 words exactly while still containing all of your sources. If you manage to tighten your article to 500 words exactly, you will be awarded a Keys to Success card.

6. Peer review and use the "comment" tool on GoogleDrive to leave comments for two partners. Address the following questions in your feedback: 
  • What is the author doing well in this story? Why/how?
  • What confuses you?
  • What would you like to see more of? Suggest further questions the author could ask or additional subtopics they could include.

7. Revise your own writing. Use the following as guiding questions:
  • Before proceeding, you MUST have peer feedback on your story
  • Are you covering your topic in depth?
  • Are you unbiased and are you covering all sides involved in this story?
  • Are you avoiding restating any questions?
  • Is your lead effective? How can you make it better?
  • Is your story based on interviews?
  • Are your transitions effective?
  • How can you make your closing even more effective?

Assignments: 
  • Rough Draft (with peer comments and a headline)
  • List of overused words
  • Begin revising
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Tuesday, February 14 and Wednesday, February 15, 2017

2/13/2017

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Content Objective: I can write an informational news article containing three primary and three secondary sources. 
Language Objective: I will edit and peer-review the rough draft of my news article. 

Essential Question: How do you effectively assess your own as well as your peers' writing?

Agenda: 
1. Read through the news writing tips in Inside Reporting, p. 60-61. 

Choose the top three tips that you feel you need to work on in your article.
List them and briefly describe why you think they are important and how you will ensure to improve this in your own article. 

2. Finish writing the rough draft of your article.

How to Format Quotes

3. Self Assessment: Make a copy of this rubric, then grade your own article based on it. On the bottom, briefly justify why you would give yourself the grade you did. 

4. Identify two specific areas of improvement for your article. Focus on these areas in your revisions. 

5. Create a headline for your article:Good headlines should:
  • tell the reader about your story
  • make readers curious to read more
  • include a strong verb
BAD: School Spirit! Go, Warriors! 
GOOD: Warriors flaunt school spirit to boost motivation

Assignments: 
  • Three rules of news writing you want to make sure to use
  • Your rough draft
  • Self assessment
  • two areas you want to improve in
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Friday, February 10 and Monday, February 13, 2017

2/9/2017

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Content Objective: I will write an informational news article using at least three primary and two secondary sources. 
Language Objective: I will begin writing the rough draft of my informative article. 

Agenda: 

1. Bell Work: Current events: 
For 10 minutes, read current events articles. Choose from the following outlets:
  • The Salt Lake Tribune
  • The Deseret News
  • The New York Times
  • The Wall Street Journal 
  • The Washington Post
  • The Huffington Post
  • BBC
After reading, open up a new GoogleDoc, title it with your name and today's date and answer the following questions: 
  1. How does the article you read start? How does the author try to make it interesting? 
  2. How does the article you read follow the Inverted Pyramid model (starting wit hthe most important fact and moving on the least important ones)? 

2. Inverted Pyramid Model: Structure model article

3. Begin writing your article. Make sure your interviews have been transcribed and you have pieces of your two online sources you are using. 

Article Requirements: 
  • Length: 400-500 words 
  • must include 3 in-person interviews 
  • must include 2 secondary (online) sources 
  • must be factual, without reporter's opinion (opinion of sources are okay); must treat the subject in depth and fair and balanced
  • no opinionated language or "I" or "you" statements, stick to the third person 
  • "Format quotes correctly," said English teacher Ms. Floch. 
  • include headlines and bylines (your full name)

News Article Rubric

Timeline: 
  • Tuesday, February 14 and Wednesday, February 15: finish rough draft
  • Wednesday, February 22 and Thursday, February 23: Peer-Review and Final draft due

Assignments: 
  • Current Events questions
  • First half of news article rough draft
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Wednesday, February 8 and Thursday, February 9, 2017

2/7/2017

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Content Objective: I can write engaging news article leads and effectively structure informational text.
Language Objective: I will write the lead to my news article and effectively structure my news article going from most important information to the least.

Essential Question: How do you effectively structure a news article?

Agenda: 
1. Finalize interviews and research. (You have 20 minutes)

2. Based on your interviews and research, as well as this Lead Writing Presentation, determine the 5Ws and 1H for your article. [Note: The lead is the opening of your article.]

Make a list of your 5Ws and 1H: 
  • Who? (Who is the subject of your story? Who is affected/involved?)
  • What? (What is happening? What is the issue?)
  • Where? (Where does it take place?)
  • When? (When does it take place?)
  • Why? (Why is it happening? Why do people care?)
  • How? (How is it happening? How is it affecting others?)

[Any question you can't answer, you should be able to answer from your research or interviews; follow up if necessary]

3. Bold the most interesting fact of your 5Ws and 1 H. Use this fact to start writing a lead paragraph for your article. You have 5 minutes to write. (See lead writing presentation for examples of how to lead into your story. Your lead can be anywhere from one sentence to one paragraph long). 

5. Next, share your lead with the person to your right via GoogleDrive. In your GoogleDoc, click on "Share", then type in your right-hand partner's gmail or granitesd address. They have 5 minutes to improve your lead before they, again, share your now improved lead with the person to their right. This person will take another 5 minutes to edit and revise this lead. 

6. How to structure a news article: Inside Reporting p. 49+50.

7. Use the Inverted Pyramid model to outline your article. In bullet points, start with the most important fact, going down to the least important one. Include quotes in your outline.

Assignments:
Submit the following, all in one document:
  • 5 Ws 1H (bold most interesting one) 
  • Your lead (with your partner's feedback)
  • Inverted Pyramid outline
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Monday, February 6 and Tuesday, February 7, 2017

2/5/2017

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Content Objective: I can analyze complex on-going news stories.
Language Objective: I will analyze and discuss Trump's executive order regarding the ban of immigrants

Agenda: 

Follow the instructions in this lesson plan: 

1. Warm-Up: What have you heard about Trump's executive order to ban immigrants from Muslim countries?

2. Watch the video. 
  • What is your reaction?
  • What questions arise for you after watching this?

3. Read and take notes on: Trump's Executive Order on Immigration: What We Know and What We Don't

4. Group Readings: Use this PDF and annotate it using Kami 
Answer your group's question(s) and report your findings to the rest of the class.

5. Opinions on Trump's executive order: debate

6. Follow up: What is happening right now:
  • Where Trump's Travel Ban Stands
  • Trump Clashes Early with Courts, Portending Years of Legal Battles
  • The President Has Much Power over Immigration, but How Much?

Assignments:
  • Submit your notes on Trump's Executive Order on Immigration
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Thursday, February 2 and Friday, January 3, 2017

2/1/2017

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​Content Objective: I can conduct effective interviews and research as a basis of informational texts.
Language Objective: I will interview three primary and research three secondary sources for my news article.

Essential Question: What are your findings from your sources and how do they influence your own ideas?

Agenda: 

Conduct your interviews and research this period. Remember to record your in-person interviews. Fill out this research document for all of your sources: 
News Article Research
News article requirements: 
  • 3 primary sources (in-person or email interviews) 
  • 3 secondary sources (online, print, handouts, etc.) 
  • For each source, record their quotes you are going to use in the "Direct Quotes" box, record summaries or paraphrase what they said in the "Summaries/Paraphrase" box, and record your own ideas in regards to these quotes in the "My Ideas" box. 
  • Complete this for each of your primary and secondary sources

Assignments:
  • Submit News Article Research Doc on CANVAS
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    CANVAS
    Cornell Notes

    How do I...?

    • Log into my Google account on my ChromeBook/from home?
    • Use GoogleDocs?
    • Connect my Google account to CANVAS?
    • Create My E-Portfolio?

    Important
    Documents

    Disclosure
    Youtube Permission
    Google Takeout

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    About Me

    Education: 
    Bachelor of Arts in English and German Teaching, Weber State University, 2013
    Masters of Education, Southern Utah University, 2017

    High School: 
    Gymnasium Michelstadt, Michelstadt, Germany

    Currently Teaching: 
    English 12
    Creative Writing
    Journalism 1
    Journalism 2

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