AP Lang: Oct.9-13

Hello and happy game day! This Spartan is feeling a little nervous, so I’ll distract myself by giving you an update on what we are up to in AP Language with our second thematic unit: Education.

This week we will dive into a week  of solid reading and writing workshop time.  This week’s reading challenge is to read pre-20th century complex texts. We will read a number of things to practice, but the one we will focus on the most is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Education.”  Students who need extra help will have access to my guided reading videos on Google Classroom. These allow students to read along with me and watch as I model how to annotate. Feel free to read it yourself and continue the discussion at home! I'm sure they'd love that :)

For writing, we’ll be focusing on our first major essay. Students began researching topics of interest last week. This weekend they should be forming their research question. We have talked a lot about the need for them to begin with an actual question--not a topic, not an argument! Students need to go into the research process expecting to be surprised by what they find and prepared to change course if their research reveals something unexpected. Please ask them to share their research questions with you this weekend.

As they work in class, I’ll be meeting with students individually to assess the language and vocabulary sections of their notebooks. On Friday in class we talked about what students need to demonstrate in that conference to earn an A. Please ask them to show you their vocabulary sections in their notebooks as they prepare this weekend.

As always, beyond our reading and writing skills, we are highly focused on students managing their own time and directing their own learning. On Monday I’ll be sharing the plan for the next three weeks with students. I’ll show them which practice assignments will help them prepare for the unit assessments. Their homework Monday night will be to make a plan for themselves for what they need to focus on over the course of the next few weeks.

Last thing! I received an email from my daughter’s kindergarten teacher this week asking for various donations and supplies, and I added a few things to my shopping list instantly because I’m more than happy to do anything to make her life with 25 five year olds a little easier!! It occurred to me that perhaps some of you would have the same response!  Please do not feel obligated, but if you’re willing, here are  few things that would make our life in 266 a little easier:

--Hand sanitizer
--Kleenex
--Gum
--Books for our class library (I’ll take any donations! Books you’ve read and no longer want are always appreciated. Or, if you are like me and love to buy books, here is a list of books that have “disappeared” from my library over the years plus some new ones I’d love to share with kids: http://a.co/5cAcQaC)

Have a great weekend and Go Green!

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