Course Introduction

Monday August 15

Welcome to our exploration of literature! Our plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write at least one paragraph in response to a question or prompt.

• Interact with course participants.

• Access online course materials.

Agenda Items

• What does it look like when you are at your best? – one paragraph

• Greetings & Introductions - M&M Game

• Syllabus Review & Discussion

• Course Websites

• School Procedures

• Questions?

Assignments

• Access Canvas

• Remind, FlipGrid, NoRedInk

• Student Information Form

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Discussion Questions

• What questions do you have about this course?

• What questions do you have about senior year?

• What are you most excited about this year?

Strengths & Identity Map

Tuesday August 16

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Access online course materials.

• Identify your personal strengths.

• Describe yourself as an individual, including your personal background, strengths, personality, preferences, literary influences, and dreams.

Agenda Items

• Questions & Comments

• Strengths Test 

• Identity Map

• Questions

Assignments

• Take the High 5 Strengths Test 

• Identity Map

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Discussion Questions

• What does it look like to you to make your own path?

• What brings you joy?

• What makes you feel calm and peaceful?

• What are you curious about? What do you want to know more about? What aspects of your identity are driving your curiosity and interest? 

• What are your dreams and goals beyond high school?

• What literary works (books, poems or short stories) have had the most impact on you? In what ways?

Intro to Journal Writing

Wednesday August 17 & Thursday August 18

Let's explore how literature invites questions and discussion! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a prompt.

• Organize and share your writing portfolio with me.

• Access online course materials.

Agenda Items

• Questions?

• Journal Writing: "Caminante no hay camino" by Antonio Machado

• Identity Map

• Google Drive Writing Portfolios

• Questions?

Assignments

• Identity Map

• Share Google Drive Writing Portfolio & Join NoRedInk & FlipGrid 

Discussion Questions

• What idea is the poet exploring in this piece?

Reflection Questions

• Thinking of your identity and the poem you read, what do you wonder?

  • Because I am __________, I am wondering ______________.

Intro to Literary Interpretation

Friday August 19

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Identify text evidence that influences your understanding and interpretation of a literary piece.

• Discuss your understanding and interpretation with classmates.

• Ask questions that are inspired by a literary piece.

• Reflect on your experience in English class this week.

Agenda

• See, Think, Wonder

• Small Group Discussion

• Identity, Literature & Curiosity  

• Reflection

Assignments

• Reflection: Create a new Google Doc in your English 4 folder. Title the document "Reflection" and type today's date at the top of the page. Answer the reflection questions below. Turn in your completed assignment on Canvas.

  • What did you like about class this week?

  • What did you find most challenging about class this week?

Complexity
Introduce Yourself

Monday August 22

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss the concept of complexity and consider ways in which people and works of literature can be complex.

• Describe yourself in detail and identify ways in which you are complex.

• Use and discuss new words that describe your personal characteristics.

• Write at least one-paragraph introducing yourself to your classmates on the online discussion board. 

  • Describe yourself as an individual, including your personal background, strengths, personality, preferences, literary influences, and dreams.

  • Write a paragraph using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Agenda

• Journal Writing

• How to Use the Discussion Board

• Introduce Yourself on the Discussion Board

Assignments

• Introduce Yourself on the Class Discussion Board: participate in the discussion board by adding at least 2 different posts.

  • Write at least one paragraph introducing yourself to everyone in our class. Keep in mind your word choice; what words are important to you that you want to include? What do the words you use say your life and about who you are? Some things you may want to include in your introduction:

    • your background

    • your strengths

    • your interests and hobbies

    • your favorite things

    • your goals for this school year

  • Read and comment on at least one other classmate's post.

  • Please remember that the best posts and responses are:

    • thoughtful

    • specific and detailed

    • respectful

    • *use appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling and grammar*

Introduce Yourself and Greet Others

Tuesday August 23

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use precise language to identify and describe emotions.

• Write at least one-paragraph introducing yourself to your classmates on the online discussion board. 

  • Describe yourself as an individual, including your personal background, strengths, personality, preferences, literary influences, and dreams.

  • Write a paragraph using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

• Greet at least one other classmate by replying to his/her post on the discussion board.

  • Discuss interesting details, including similarities or differences that you have with a classmate.

• Reflect on your experience in English class this week.

Agenda

• Mental Health Check-in

• Introduce Yourself and Greet Others on the Discussion Board

Assignments

• Introduce Yourself on the Class Discussion Board: participate in the discussion board by adding at least 2 different posts.

  • Write at least one paragraph introducing yourself to everyone in our class. Keep in mind your word choice; what words are important to you that you want to include? What do the words you use say your life and about who you are? Some things you may want to include in your introduction:

    • your background

    • your strengths

    • your interests and hobbies

    • your favorite things

    • your goals for this school year

  • Read and comment on at least one other classmate's post.

  • Please remember that the best posts and responses are:

    • thoughtful

    • specific and detailed

    • respectful

    • *use appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling and grammar*

Annotating College Essays

Wednesday August 24 & Thursday August 25

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a prompt.

• Identify elements of a college essay including:

  • use of specific sensory details and imagery

  • use of context details

  • development of a climactic moment

• Annotate a reading with meaningful observations, comments and questions.

  • Identify examples of details that influence characterization in a short story or college application essay. 

  • Use precise language to describe the character based on text evidence.

  • Identify a climactic moment or anecdote in a short story or college application essay.

  • Identify details that help the reader to visualize or understand an idea, situation, or climactic moment.

  • Develop questions while reading.

• Discuss literature among a group of peers.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing: "My House is the Red Earth" by Joy Harjo

• Read & Annotate College Essay

• Small Group Discussion

• Questions?

Assignments

• Read and annotate one of the college application essays

_______________________________________________________

Discussion Questions

• Characterization: What details in the essay help you imagine and understand the person’s physical and personality traits?

• What words would you use to describe the person based on text evidence?

• What climactic moment or anecdote did the person include in his/her college application essay?

• What sensory details did you notice in the essay?

• What details that help you visualize or understand an idea, situation, or climactic moment?

• What questions came to mind before, during or after reading?

Resources

• College Application Essays

Reflection Questions

• How did it go with reading and annotating today? 

• What went well?

• What did you have difficulty with?

• What do you think you might try next time?

• Ask a question after reading. Because I _____, I am wondering ________.

College Essay Prompts

Friday August 26

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a prompt.

• Choose a college essay prompt that you would like to write about.

• Reflect on your experience in English class this week.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing: "How to Eat a Guava" by Esmeralda Santiago

• Reflection

• Homework: Choose college essay prompt

• Questions?

Assignments

• End of week reflection

• Choose college essay prompt

_______________________________________________________

Resources

• College Essay Prompts: ApplyTexas & Common App

Reflection Questions

• What did you like about class this week?

• What was most challenging about class this week?

Setting & Details

Monday August 29

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes using a mentor text as a guide.

• Brainstorm ideas and details for writing your college essay including:

  • • specific sensory details and imagery

    • specific context details

    • a climactic moment or anecdote

• Discuss aspects of setting including imagery, sensory details and context details.

• Discuss the concept of perspective and consider how your background, personality traits, biases, and relationships inform your perspective.

• Write a personal goal for the week.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing: "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon

• Setting, Imagery, Sensory Details, Context Details

• Personal Goal

• Questions?

Assignments

• Journal Writing

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Readings

• “Where I'm From” George Ella Lyon

Reflection Questions

• What are some of the factors in your life that shape your personal perspective?

Leads

Tuesday August 30

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a prompt.

• Examine and discuss different types of leads for essays and creative writing.

• Write an engaging lead for your college essay.

Agenda Items

• Leads

• Drafting college essay

• Journal Writing: college essay lead

• Journal Writing Review

Assignments

• College Essay Draft: Using the prompt you chose, include details that reveal characterization and setting, including sensory details, context details, and a climactic moment or anecdote. Turn in your completed draft on Canvas by Sunday September 4. 

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Drafting Your College Essay

Wednesday August 31 - Friday September 2

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss the concept of psychic distance.

• Use sensory details and context details to manage psychic distance in your writing.

• Draft your college essay using details that reveal characterization and setting, including sensory details and imagery, context details, and a climactic moment or anecdote.

• Reflect on your progress on your personal goal this week (Friday).

Agenda Items

• Tips for writing a college essay

• Drafting college essay

• Personal Goal Review (Friday)

Assignments

• College Essay Draft: Using the prompt you chose, include details that reveal characterization and setting, including sensory details, context details, and a climactic moment or anecdote. Turn in your completed draft on Canvas by Sunday September 4. 

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