A project that explores tone, theme and context. Inspired by Javier Martinez and an innovative New York Times Magazine article, with personal music reviews

Choose a song or album that makes you think of a particular theme or emotion. 

Research the song or album to find out what has been written about it.

Draft a music review that explores:

• Personal context

• Historical, cultural, geographical, social, or literary context

• A theme and/or tone

Create a slide that includes:

• The title of the review

• Your name

• A link to the song or album

• A link to the song lyrics

• A photo, image or video related to the song or album

• The full-text of your review

Example Personal Music Reviews:

• Ms. Ntoso’s example: Pandemic Lessons: Finding an Antidote to Despair

• New York Times Magazine article with personal music reviews → this is the article that inspired the assignment

Turn in your completed music review slide on Canvas by 11:59pm on Thursday September 23

Choosing a Book

Monday September 26

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

• Write a personal goal for the week. 

• Choose a novel to read independently. 

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Discuss and write down a question you have about your book and/or the author.

Agenda Items

• Personal Goal

• Overview of Book Choice & Vocabulary requirements

• Silent Reading

• Book Choice Form

Assignments

• Book Choice Form

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Vocabulary Study

Tuesday September 27

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

• Use precise language to identify and describe emotions.

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Write down the definitions of 5 new vocabulary words. For each word include:

  • part of speech (noun, adjective, verb, adverb)

  • definition(s) 

Agenda Items

• Mental Health Check-in

• Silent Reading

• Vocabulary Study & Journal Writing

Assignments

• Vocabulary Study & Journal Writing

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Vocabulary & Writing

Wednesday September 28 & Thursday September 29

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Write down the definitions of 5 new vocabulary words. For each word include:

  • part of speech (noun, adjective, verb, adverb)

  • definition(s) 

• Write for at least 10 minutes, using at least 5 new vocabulary words in your writing.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Vocabulary Study

• Journal Writing - Vocabulary Words

• Book Choice Form - vocabulary words & question

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Vocabulary Study

• Book Choice Form

_______________________________________________________

Reading & Reflection

Friday September 30

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Generate a question inspired by your reading.

• Reflect on your progress on your personal goal.

• Reflect on your work in English class this month.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Personal Goal Review

• Book Choice Form

• Reflection

Assignments

• Reflection for September

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Professional Writing

Monday October 3

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Distinguish between formal vs. informal writing.

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

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

• Write a personal goal for the week.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Formal vs. Informal Writing

• Journal Writing - Reading Response - Context

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Reading Response - Context

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Context in Literature

Tuesday October 4

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

• Use precise language to identify and describe emotions.

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Identify details that convey or reveal one or more aspects of a setting (e.g., location, time of day, year, season, geography, culture).

• Identify text evidence that reflects an observation about the historical, social, geographical, and economic context of the setting.

Agenda Items

• Mental Health check-in

• Setting & Context in Literature

• Silent Reading

• Page flags & Post-its

Assignments

• Reading Response - page flag & post-it

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Discussion Board: Context in Literature

Wednesday October 5 & Thursday October 6

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

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

• Discuss ways in which historical, social, geographical and economic context impact motivation and behavior in real and fictional settings.

Agenda Items

• Setting & Context

• Discussion Board Guidelines

• Discussion Board Writing

Assignments

• Discussion Board - Context in Literature

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Vocabulary Study

Tuesday October 11

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Write down the definitions of 5 new vocabulary words. For each word include:

  • part of speech (noun, adjective, verb, adverb)

  • definition(s) 

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Vocabulary Study

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Vocabulary Study

_______________________________________________________

SAT

Wednesday October 12

• Today all students will be taking the official SAT exam.

______________________________________________________

Vocabulary & Writing

Thursday October 13

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Write for at least 10 minutes, using at least 5 new vocabulary words in your writing.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Journal Writing - Vocabulary Words

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Vocabulary Study

_______________________________________________________

Asking Questions Inspired by Literature

Friday October 14

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Generate questions inspired by literature.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Depth & Complexity Icons

• Create Questions Worksheet

Assignments

• Create Questions Worksheet

_______________________________________________________

Asking Questions Inspired by Literature

Monday October 17

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

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Identify and write words you don't know while reading. 

• Generate questions inspired by literature.

• Share and discuss your questions with your small group.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Depth & Complexity Icons

• Create Questions Worksheet

• Small Group Discussion

Assignments

• Create Questions Worksheet

_______________________________________________________

Research & Writing Inspired by Literature

Tuesday October 18

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

• Use precise language to identify and describe emotions.

• Share and discuss your questions with your small group.

• Research relevant, accurate and credible sources of information.

• Record citation information for each source of information.

• Write for at least 10 minutes using one of your literature-inspired questions as a prompt.

Agenda Items

• Mental Health check-in

• Research & Citation Information

• Journal Writing

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Research & Writing Inspired by Literature

_______________________________________________________

Discussion Board: Discussing Questions Inspired by Literature

Wednesday October 19 & Thursday October 20

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

• Write a one-paragraph response to a literature-inspired question, using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

• Add in-text citations that indicate the source of specific facts and information.

Agenda Items

• In-Text Citations

• Discussion Board Guidelines

• Discussion board writing & replies

• Revision & Editing

Assignments

• Discussion Board - Discussions Inspired by Literature

_______________________________________________________

Discussion Board & Reflection

Friday October 21

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

• Write a one-paragraph response to a classmate's discussion post, using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

• Reflect on your progress on your personal goal.

Agenda Items

• Discussion board reading & response

• Personal Goal Reflection

Assignments

• Discussion Board Response - Discussions Inspired by Literature

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