English Skills

English Skills is a requirement for any CCHS student with more than one credit of English to finish. It is the first class all students take - two packed modules that will introduce you to the essential reading and writing skills you'll use during your time at CCHS.

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You'll need access to the Academic Handbook for this course (and throughout your time here), so be aware that you can always access it on this page and through the Resources page as well.

20-21 Academic Handbook.pdf

NOTE: Activities here are usually organized to parallel your syllabus (introduce, expose, practice, create, reflect) - but because these two weeks are so packed, a day-to-day schedule is a little easier to follow. However, everything outlined here matches the activities listed on your syllabus.

Essential Questions

  • How do we write clearly and directly?

  • Why is it important to become a writing ninja, especially in an age of texting and Snapchat?

  • What is the value of learning the writing process, rather than just putting something down on paper?

  • How do we break down texts to understand them better?

Goals

  • The student will master clear and direct writing.

  • The student will develop and employ their ability to revise and edit personal writing.

  • The student will be able to analyze and discuss their writing using grammatical language.

  • The student will utilize reading strategies to read for comprehension and analysis.

English Skills 1

Introduce

  • Warm-up: how do you feel about reading and writing? (Choose a Tell Tale card.)

  • Go over expectations and syllabus.

  • Take Day 1 Pre-assessment survey (not graded).

  • Introduce Reading & Writing Handbook.

  • Attend mechanics mini-lessons: verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs.

    • Practice: parts of speech, part I

Expose

  • Review Reading & Writing Handbook.

  • Attend mechanics mini-lessons: subjects/verbs, phrases and clauses.

    • Practice: subjects and verbs worksheet

    • Practice: phrases and clauses worksheet

  • Attend mini-lesson: paragraph modes - informative, persuasive, narrative.

    • Take notes on the three modes (purpose and structure of each).

    • Give editing checklist overview.

  • Complete independent work: Draft informative & narrative paragraphs.

    • Draft an informative paragraph responding to one of the given informative prompts:

      • What should a visitor to BV know about the town?

      • Summarize a book you've read recently or a movie you've seen.

      • Explain how to make your favorite meal.

      • What have you learned about CCHS so far?

    • Draft a narrative paragraph responding to one of the given narrative prompts:

      • Describe a day something in your life changed significantly.

      • What are you grateful for?

      • Describe your proudest moment thus far.

      • Write about an object that tells the story of your life.

Practice

  • Complete independent work:

    • Finish drafting informative and narrative paragraphs if necessary.

    • Complete peer editing checklist for narrative OR informative paragraph.

    • Revise as needed.

  • Participate in Connections Lecture

    • Take notes on purpose of being able to make connections and key categories (as written on the board).

  • Complete independent work:

    • Draft a persuasive paragraph that makes connections between three random ideas: form an opinion about one of the words in the quote on the board and defend your opinion using three random topics from the board.

Create and Reflect

  • Attend mechanics mini-lessons: conjunctions, prepositions; commas, semicolons.

  • Finish drafting all three paragraphs (informative, narrative, persuasive)

    • Format with MLA

    • Revise as needed

  • Conference with Taylor about paragraphs.

  • Wrap up paragraphs and submit final drafts.

  • Get syllabus signed off.

Week 2: English Skills 2

Introduce

  • Review syllabus and expectations for the week.

  • Attend mini-lesson: commas, part II (differentiating between rules).

  • Attend mini-lessons: close reading strategies, essay format.

    • Take notes.

  • Read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery".

    • Read and annotate together.

  • Discuss story as a group.

  • Create an essay outline in response to one of the following prompts:

    • Who is to blame for the lottery?

    • Is "The Lottery" a relevant story to read today?

    • Would you recommend "The Lottery" to others?

    • What is "The Lottery" saying about tradition?

    • What is the most twisted element of "The Lottery"?

    • How does Jackson use tone to throw off the reader?

    • What message might Shirley Jackson have been sharing through this story?

Expose and Practice

  • Attend mini-lesson: homophones.

  • Attend mini-lesson: essay structure, integrating quotes and citing.

  • Draft five paragraph essay after outline has been approved.

    • Incorporate at least one direct quote from the story.

    • Include in-text citation and Work Cited annotation.

      • Use this link to create a citation for "The Lottery".

  • Self-assess essay with rubric.

  • Turn in essay draft by the end of class.

Create

  • Conference with Amanda about essay draft.

  • Revise essay as needed and re-submit.

Reflect

  • Take English Skills Post-test (earn 80% to pass; you may use your almighty handbook).

  • Get syllabus signed off!

CTACHs

  • Reading

    • Cite strong textual evidence to support analysis of explicit and implicit meaning of text.

    • Read and comprehend complex literature and informational text independently, accurately, and for deep understanding.

  • Writing

    • Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

    • Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.

    • Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

  • Language

    • Demonstrate command of conventions of standard English grammar when speaking and writing.

    • Demonstrate command of standard capitalization and punctuation.

    • Spell correctly.

  • Speaking & Listening

    • Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

    • Analyze the important points of an oral presentation.

    • Present information, findings and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective.