West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project

Boehme's implementation of "The World House"

2007-01-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

“The World House”
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Teacher implementation feedback

“Vocabulary Self-assessment Chart”

5 minutes: I gave one of these to each group (4 or 5 students). We went over the three assessment columns, and I described what each would be. I asked them to initial the proper column for each word. Passing the list around took all of three minutes.

10 minutes: Then, I asked them to get dictionaries, look up the words, but compose teenager-friendly definitions. The example I gave was that they should put what they would tell a friend who elbowed them in the ribs and asked what the word meant. Students who finished early could go on to the “Word Form Chart” or work on another assignment we have in the mix.

10 minutes: We went over the definitions. I asked for volunteers and let then do whatever word they wanted. They gave their definitions. I corrected and supplemented.

“Word Form Chart”

I modified this a little at the top so they had room to write all the definitions.

They copied these definitions over from the “Vocabulary Self-assessment Chart.” Then they did the chart at the bottom. I noticed that is was a little hard for them to find the forms when they were at the top and the bottom, but an announcement about this in following periods seemed to clear up the issue.

“Warrant” has a verb form.

“Vocabulary Completion Assessment”

A.J. intended this as a quiz, but I used it as a homework assignment. I have not collected them all yet, so I don’t know how they did. I went around and stamped them for completion only.

“Pre-Reading Map”
Prep: Today I handed out the text of the story to everyone.

I copied this on the back of the four squares. This was distributed at one per table (4-5 students). I read all four samples aloud to them, pointing out the vocabulary words we had already encountered.

15-20 minutes: Working as a group, they drew the pictures. I allowed them to use words, but the pictures were the key.

“Negro Spirituals”
Everyone picked up the chart on the way in the door.
We began with the article on everyone’s table, one copy per group. I read it aloud in period 4, but in the other periods I asked for a volunteer to read each section. That worked better, and my headache appreciated it. Next time I will have two copies for every table group so that each pair can share one and read along with the oral reading.
Then we reviewed the directions, and then I assigned the sections. I did not do it by table numbers but rather randomly. While they were working I wandered around, checked on them, and asked who their speaker would be. It took a little over five minutes for them to do the three facts. Then I had them go up to the front one by one, present their facts (repeating each one), and clarifying any details along the way.
This took about 45 minutes to reach this point.
We listened to the song, and I talked briefly about how the song might influence people. They wrote down two questions on the back of the chart: “What is the message of the song?” and “How is the tone and the message of the song like a tidal wave?” Next time I think I will have those questions preprinted on the back of the chart.

1.04.07 Meeting

2007-01-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes
Council Name/location West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: 1.4.07

Attendees: We met on January 4th 1:30-4 pm in Anne Foster’s room, Attendance: Tracy Clarke,, Anne Foster, Kristin McLaughlin, Cece Boehme, Todd Peterson, Michelle Liddell, Jennifer Romanowski, AJ Acosta, Deborah Napoli, Shelly Valdez, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

Please refer to past emails for support documents.

12th Grade:

Brave New Girls
Prepare for Brave New Girls Implementation and Teaching Journals
Deborah will make copies of the text and the handouts for the team.
Everyone will start in two weeks.
Remember to collect a sampling of student work.
Discuss Blog Posting: http://www.blogger.com/home
Team members will either post directly to the blog or send an email file to Cali and cc the team.
On January 12th, the team will meet at lunch to review the BNG sequence before implementation.
On January 22nd, the team will meet a lunch to discuss the progress of the implementation of the BNG sequences and make notes toward revision. May be helpful to review the Assignment Type before making revision decisions. Please note what activities you added into the sequence so that they are included in the final draft.
A point person will need to be appointed to revise the sequence and a deadline set so those revisions will be ready at the February 27th meeting.
Brave New Girls Electronic Copy and Clip Links
A request was made for a class set of They Say I Say

Fast Food Sequence
Review/edit possible prompt
The first prompt seemed to be favored.
The other prompts need to be reworked as during or after reading activities.
The first half of the first prompt can be shared with students before hand. Year to Year the article excerpted can be changed to avoid cheating.
Review Sequence for what can be edited out or needs to be added in with our end assessment
The sequence still needs to be carefully reviewed with an eye toward the end assessment. This can take place at February 15th meeting.
Rework the other prompts as activities in during and after reading.
Create an activity that allows the students to gather evaluation support in the during reading stage of the sequences. A three or four column chart was suggested by Kristin.
Information on each author needs to be gathered to do some ethos work. Be sure to think about invented ethos as well as situated.

Cali’s Notes on Revising the Fast Food Sequence:
Create a pre reading activity about what evaluation means I might use ads, PSA, cartoons and other kinds of visual texts. You will want a variety of genres so you can talk about evaluation in terms of audience, aim, and genre. for diets or fast foods. The purpose of the activity is to begin to understand what it means to evaluate. You could rework one of the samples prompts or even the prompt we might use to apply to the visual texts. Again, the purpose here is to understand what it means to evaluate rather than write a persuasive paper. You might even require them to use the other texts to support their position. This could be group work. I am listing the links to samples of the kinds of texts you might use. I found them on Google Image.
www.blifaloo.com/humor/Fastfoodsm.jpg
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/paris-hilton-hamburger.jpg
http://www.smallstep.gov/kids/index.cfm

In the After Reading section, I might pull from the They Say and I say book for sentence starters to teach the language of evaluation and create an activity around that kind of academic vocabulary and key terms of the articles.
During Reading: A Key term sheet to keep track of the articles,
An activity using Information on each author needs to be gathered to do some ethos work. Be sure to think about invented ethos as well as situated.
Create an activity that allows the students to gather evaluation support in the during reading stage of the sequences. A three or four column chart was suggested by Kristin.
Rework the non used prompts to be during or after reading activities
What kind of Reading and Writing Connection activity would be helpful? It might be good to return to the pre reading image work and have the students make a link to the articles.
In the Reading and Writing Connections, may want to think about Writing Strategies Standard requirements and add in an activity that includes one of the 11/12th grade genres mentioned in these standards.
Summary in the sequence really means a précis assignment.
Does some work with evidence need to be done?
We need an evaluation criteria and rubric for the final assessment.
Does some work with aim and purpose need to be done?
Does some looking at the powerful use of personal experience as evaluation need to be presented?
Does some work with revision need to be directly taught?
I don’t really see anything that needs to be taken out.
Assign tasks
This work will take place at the meeting on February 15th.
The work should be complete for the February 27th meeting so we can review it as a team and create a final version for our next meeting on March 10th.
Discuss Evaluation
Each prompt represents the spectrum of evaluation.
Create/Edit Evaluation work for sequence
Noted above
Schedule Spring Meetings and Due Dates
Due dates need to be filled in by team at upcoming meetings.
January 12th is the meeting date at lunch to review the BNG sequence before implementations
January 22nd is the meeting date at lunch to discuss the BNG teaching journals, student samples, and make arrangements for the revision of the sequence based on the implementation. (Applied Arts and College Prep Versions)
February 17th is the meeting at lunch to review the Fast Food sequence and discuss modification of the sequence to meet the assignment type and end assessment. Creations and revision of portions should be assigned at this time so that they are complete by February 27th. Some one should be placed in charge of the lesson plan but handouts can be done separately
February 27th at 1:30 the 12th grade team meets to review the BNG final draft and to the draft of the Fast Food lesson plan and added materials. (Cali returns from maternity leave).
March 10th is the Saturday meeting 9-1 pm to begin work Assignment Type 3. We will also dine and set the calendar and dues dates for the rest of the year.

11th: Grade:

The World House
Review World House implementation
Discussed the need to these skills to be occurring in the 9th and 10th grade and the development of an assignment sequence for these levels.
Discussed frustrations of feeling like more time is needed for this work and that some curriculum will have to be removed to make room.
This may be a difficult text to start as the first non fiction text. Think about smaller texts to do some skills training with before the launch of this first sequence.
Revisions of World House Work
On January 18th meet at lunch is the meeting date at lunch to discuss the completed implementation of WH sequence and make notes revision notes. May be helpful to review the Assignment Type before making revision decisions. Please note what activities you added into the sequence so that they are included in the final draft.
A point person will need to be appointed to revise the sequence and a deadline set so those revisions will be ready at the February 27th meeting.

Some preliminary notes from the team about implementation.
Looked closely at a sample of a strong Draft from Michelle’s papers
Need quote work in order to complete the text analysis task.
Not enough team members were able to complete the end assessment but student learning could be seen along the sequence.
Must create a prewriting activity with quoting in order to have drafts do the close work with the text that the prompt requires,
Need much more work with evidence (Pre and During and will as Prewriting Work) seeded through out the sequence. We don’t want to focus only on the appeals. We need a balance of the other sections of text analysis with appeals in the body of the sequence.
Audience
Genre
Aim/purpose
Main Argument
Evidence
Claims

Black Men in Public Spaces
Discussed importance of implementing sequence if possible.
Create/edit Evaluation work:
Review the Pre Reading Evaluation activity. The short editorials Laura is creating are likely to work much better for this work that the attach articles.
This work was not really able to be completed. Please review Variety of Prompts for the Fast Food sequence for samples and come up with during, an after reading evaluations work.
Are we happy with the prompt? If the first sequence is so appeals based then this sequence should really engage in another type of evaluation as well. If the first sequence is changed or does better work with evidence then a close evaluation based on appeals as the end prompt here makes sense. The first sequence identifies and the second evaluates.
Think about what to add into to this sequence based on what we learned from World House (more work with Evidence?)
This work should be done at the February 8th lunch meeting.
Review/Create Directed Writing and Reading Connection work
Needs to be assigned.
Review Sequence for missing portions and assign work
Needs to take place at the February 8th lunch meeting.

Cali’s notes on BMPS so far:
Needs a prewriting work with structure
Needs prewriting work with quotes
Reading and Writing Connection work.
Are we happy with the prompt?
Revise the Pre Reading Evaluation work
Create some Pre reading evidence and appeals activities based on Laura’s editorials.
Rework some the evaluations prompts from Fast Food into group work for BMPS. Simpler versions because we are looking at a single text.
Do we need some evidence identification and evaluation work? This doesn’t need to be the focus but a time to return to this skill?
Need evaluation criteria and rubrics for writing assessment.

Schedule Spring Meetings and Due Dates
Due dates need to be filled in by team at upcoming meetings.
January 18th is the meeting date at lunch to discuss the WH teaching journals, student samples, and make arrangements for the revision of the sequence based on the implementation. (Applied Arts and College Prep Versions).
February 8th is the meeting at lunch to review the BMPS sequence so far and discuss revisions and additions to the sequences. Creations and revision of portions should be assigned at this time so that they are complete by February 15th. Some one should be placed in charge of the lesson plan but handouts can be done separately
February 15th is a meeting at lunch to review progress on the World House revisions and to prepare BMPS sequences for its final revision. The WH and BMPS sequences should be ready for final review at the February 27th meeting.
February 27th at 2:45 the 11th grade team meets to review the WH final draft and to the next to last draft of the BMPS lesson plan and handouts. (Cali returns from maternity leave).
March 10th is the Saturday meeting 9-1 pm to begin work Assignment Type 3. We will also dine and set the calendar and dues dates for the rest of the year.

Meeting Dates:
January 12th at lunch (12th grade team)
January 18th at lunch (11th grade team)
January 22nd at lunch (12th grade team)
February 8th at lunch (11th grade team)
February 15th at lunch (11th grade team)
February 17th at lunch (12th grade team)
February 27th at 1:30 and 2:45 both teams
March 10th at Anne’s home both teams

Data questions:

None

Action items for participants:

See above.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

See last emails

The World House Teaching Journal--T Clark

2007-01-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

Tracey Clarke
Calpass
“The World House” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Daily Log

Friday, December 8, 2006
Prewrite: In three minutes, write down everything you know about MLK.
In the next three minutes, write down everything you do in the morning that requires technology (from the moment you wake up to the moment you sit down in your first class).
Tell the students what this has to do with MLK. He predicted some problems that result from our use of technology. The students make a list of some positive aspects of technology as well as some negative aspects of technology.
Read the kids’ book about MLK (Martin’s Big Words).

Reflection:
Michelle used the first two prewrites listed above, so I used them as well for the opening activities. She also suggested the use of the kid’s book, and the students enjoyed having it read to them. I think it was more effective than a lecture on MLK, as they have already learned about him in previous classes.

Monday, December 11, 2006
Do the pre-reading picture map based on the 4 previously selected paragraphs from the text. Students did this individually, but then they each shared their pictures with a partner.
Read “The World House” out loud together as a class.
Discuss as a class.

Reflection:
The pre-reading picture map seemed useful in giving the students an overall idea of what the text is about. The class discussion that we had after our reading went well, as many students volunteered their reactions and reflections, and several were able to connect this text to their daily lives.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Read the background information (from Cece) about African-American spirituals out loud to the students.
Listen to the song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round,” which MLK mentions in the text.
Students respond in writing to the questions about the song.
Discuss the song and the students’ responses as a class.
Read the opening paragraphs to the other sections of “The World House” as a class and briefly discuss.
Review the list of rhetorically active verbs. Students then fill in the graphic organizer for charting a text. They do this in response to paragraphs 2, 4, 7, 12, and two paragraphs of their own choice. Finish for homework.

Reflection:
The song was originally intended to be used as a pre-reading activity, but I decided to use it after reading the text since there were several other pre-reading activities already in place. Students enjoyed the song, and they had some thoughtful responses to the written questions. We briefly discussed the opening paragraphs to the rest of the sections of the text, and students were responding well and actively participated.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Introduce the concept of a précis.
Go over the handouts of the description of the 4 parts of the précis and 2 examples of a précis.
Since this is the first précis my students are doing, they have the choice of working on this individually or with one partner of their choice.
I circulate about the room and assist students as needed.

Reflection:
Although this is the first précis my students are doing, they seem to understand the basic concept and are surprisingly willing to try it. Some chose to write individually, while others chose a partner.

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Students continue writing the précis, which is due at the end of the period.
I circulate about the room and assist students as needed.

Reflection:
The students were more a little bit distracted today because of the assembly, the shortened schedule, and the last day before winter break quickly approaching. Overall, though, they were working well on the précis. Several of them had me read over parts of their précis when they felt unsure. I feel like I am still learning this process as well since this is only the second year I have ever taught how to do a précis, and this is the first year I have taught this text.

Final reflection:
Some of the students’ précis were well constructed while others were not as great. However, I am pleased with the results, considering this is their first attempt at it, and we had a busy schedule during the week (a collaboration day, an assembly day, and a minimum day). Overall, the students grasped the main ideas of the text, and they were attentive and actively participated in the class discussions. They have at least done one précis now, which we can continue to try with other texts during the year. Because of the time constraints, I did not include any of the vocabulary work for this text. When I do this again, I will include that. I also will not do this all the week before winter break either, as we have slightly less time then. I would also like to take time next time for the students to do some peer evaluations (with evaluation handouts) of each others’ précis before turning in their final draft.

11/28/06 Meeting

2007-01-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes
Council Name/location West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: November 28, 2006

Attendees: We met on November 28 1:30-4 pm in Deborah Napoli’s room, Attendance: Tracy Clarke,, Anne Foster, Kristin McLaughlin, Cece Boehme, Todd Peterson, Michelle Liddell, Jennifer Romanowski, Laura Preble, Deborah Napoli, Shelly Valdez, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

12th grade
Discussion of Brave New Girls Sequence
Changes
The team decided that the current version of the Evidence Grid will work and that any changes made to it can be modified during our final implementation revision
Pre Reading Quick write was added
The team decided we did not need Concept Maps for this sequence
Post Reading: Group Discussion Clip based post reading work was added on Carol Gillian and Mulan as part of the A closer look at Evidence work,
BNG Multiple Choice Questions were added.
The team decided: each teacher will create Vocabulary Assessment as they implement but each member will the assessment send to Cali as part of our last revision process.
A single document with all the handouts was created with a table of contents
We are missing a description of the work with Bewitched, Sabrina, Alec Mack, Xena and/or Buffy clips but we can easily share and insert that assignment as we develop it in class.
A Reading Writing Connection section was added with a RAFT prompt for an in class or group work writing assignments in order to keep the text current. A description of the RAFT strategy and the RAFT prompt can be found in Handouts.
A rubric for the grading of the “Brave New Girls” Essay was added.
Date to implement: Start of next semester
Record which assignments you use and keep a sample of student work: Can keep teaching journal or just notes. Can post to Blog. Everyone has been given access to post to the blog. Here is the Blog address. http://www.blogger.com/home
Do we want the videos to support?
We have Buffy. I am attaching a link to video clips on the internet for other shows.

Need a clean copy of the text. Will have at next meeting. The original is in Mirror on America. Ordered Exam Copy.

Start of Work on Fast Food Assignment Sequence: Assignment Type 2: Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text
I need copies of these texts
Review requirements of this assignment type
What do we mean by Evaluation?
Discussed evaluation of evidence
Discussed Reading Comprehension Standard 2.8
Discussed student personal reaction as part of evaluation.
Thought about Flaws in Logic as part of evaluation
Discussed using simple texts such as ads to introduce evaluation
Discussed the creation of criteria on which to evaluate a text (based on aim, audience, genre)
Examples of successful and unsuccessful texts.
Discussed evaluation of successful appeals
Review the prompts of the existing Assignment Sequence
Need to look closely at one text to evaluate.
Prompt Drafts: _Cali will draft________________
Précis Work Review

Next Meeting January 4 (moved Date)

11th Grade
Discussion of The World House Sequence
Changes
The song based Pre Reading Quick write was added.
Concept Maps were reinserted into the Handouts (they got lost in the mix somehow last time).
Included the Appeals power point.
Added in the Vocabulary Assessment
A single document with all the handouts was created with a table of contents.
Retyped the Evidence and Appeals document so we would have an electronic copy and made the revisions we discussed in the meeting.
A rubric for scoring the précis was added. The amount of points is, of course, easily changed. It can be changed to a credit no credit scale as well
A rubric for the grading of the “The World House” Essay was added.
Record which assignments you use and keep a sample of student work. Can keep teaching journal or just notes.
Michelle’s Teaching Journal will be on the Blog. . Everyone has been given access to post to the blog. Here is the Blog address. http://www.blogger.com/home
Report of implementation from Michelle, Laura, and Cece
Additional Prereading added in.
Major point of revision is the scaffolding of the teaching of evidence.
What does it mean to evaluate? Revisiting the Analyzing and Evaluating Assignment Type
Similar discussion to the 12th grade team.
Will work on evaluation of appeal/s at this level.
Progress on Black Men in Public Spaces Assignment Sequence: Assignment Type 2: Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text:
Review Lesson Plan and Handouts
Pre Reading Vocabulary Work with Multiple Choice Words
During Reading: Vocabulary Work
Post Reading Detailed appeals work
Needed
During Reading Evaluation work: Everyone Brainstorm based on appeals evaluation
Post Reading Detailed Evaluation work Everyone Brainstorm based on appeals evaluation
Additional Prompts ????
Reading Writing Connections Michelle
Directed Writing Instruction Cece
Rubrics
What else?

Next Meeting: The date was asked to stay January 8th and then later asked to be moved to January 4th. (moved Date)

Data questions:

None

Action items for participants:

Jennifer needs to submit contact.
Everyone write a reflection on what we mean by evaluation based on our discussion. Gather possible teaching tools for evaluation work.
Cali will draft a sample prompt for Fast Food. Electronic copy of Brave New Girls.
Laura will create a variety of texts for Black Men in Public Spaces using various appeals to have some starter text to practice evaluation skills on.
Tracey, Laura, and Cece teaching journal on the World House.
Cece bring in some direct writing instruction ideas for Black Men.
Michelle work on the Reading Writing Connect of Black Men and complete teaching journal on The World House.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Agenda
Evaluation Standards Handout
Sequential Assignment Types
Fast Food Teacher Version
Fast Food Précis
If You Pitch It Work
Rhetorical Appeal Questions
Black Men in Public Spaces Lesson Plan
Black Men in Public Spaces Handouts

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

Keep thinking about what we mean by evaluation at each level.

Next Meeting

12th Grade

Brave New Girls
Prepare for Brave New Girls Implantation and Teaching Journals

Fast Food Sequence
Review/edit possible prompt
Review Sequence for what can be edited out or needs to be added in with our end assessment
Discuss Evaluation
Create/Edit Evaluation work for sequence
Schedule Spring Meetings and Due Dates

11th: Grade:

The World House
Review World House implementation
Revisions of World House Work

Black Men in Public Spaces
Create/edit Evaluation work
Review/Create Directed Writing and Reading Connection work
Review Sequence for missing
Schedule Spring Meetings and Due Dates

Day 10: What's a precis?

2006-12-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

We finished up fun with evidence today. The 2nd and 3rd pieces of evidence of the grid were much easier for students to analyze, but if I had to grade them, the average would be about 45%. We definitely need to provide more examples of what evidence is DOING for argument. "Supporting" just isn't a good enough example.

I introduced the precis today using Ms. Boehme's idea ("Nothing Bad Ever Happens to Me" by Oingo Boingo). Thanks Cece! This is a really good way to introduce, as the song deals with tone and its effect on the overall argument. Students are also asked to make inferences, as the main claim is not directly stated.

This is the week before Winter Break, and we have 4 different bell schedules, including an assembly! My plan is to have students complete a precis for World House for Wednesday and peer review that day. I have created a shaping sheet (thanks to an idea I got from A.J. Acosta!) and students will turn in a typed final on Thursday.

Day 9 World House fun with Evidence!

2006-12-08T14:49:00.000-08:00

Ugh. This is terribly difficult for them. I think we really need to revise the definition sheet. Instructionally, I am more concerned with their ability to identify claims than their ability to differentiate between an analogy, an allegory, or an allusion. Heck, I don't ask that of myself! We are working diligently toward completing the evidence grid, but I think we need to discuss this as a group and revise. Or at least articulate our expectations desired from our students.

Student Responses, Day 8

2006-12-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

I wanted to record the experiences of my students, so I asked them, "How is the work you are doing in this unit different from the work you've done in English before?" My student teacher, Barbra Ruggles, was kind enough to record their response. Please note that these are unedited, and recorded as students volunteered.

Day 8: Student Responses about MLK Text.

The work we are doing is important because if we didn’t talk about the text, we wouldn’t understand.

We do more work trying to understand what MLK is talking about and learn more vocabulary.

Tying real world issues to our lives, instead of just reading about characters.

I actually feel like I am learning, instead of just using CD, CM,CM.

With other lit work, seems one-dimensional, this is more involved.

This is more personal because the things he talks about, how he acts, that we might ignore, makes us aware of what is happening, and how we can change and further our society/selves.

Our love of stuff (material things) is degenerating us.

This text takes reading comprehension one-step further. It doesn’t allow you to cheat.

Brain is more tired. Fiction books are easier because they are stories, and doesn’t really relate to us.

When you read stories, fiction books we tend to accept them but with this text, you are
having to question things. This text tries to persuade you when fiction doesn’t really persuade you. Fiction books are entertaining. This text really asks things of you.

1984 novel is an argument.

Student Response to MLK text

Opinionated speech and is somebody’s words. We have to think and it’s different.
We have to interpret what he is saying.

Reading is harder. Metaphors make it better. He uses a lot of terms. Books you get involved with the characters. You can relate more to it because it is not just about characters.

I could not have read this alone at home without the discussions held in class and with our classmates.

I like it because it is different. It is not made for a certain level of reading. The sentence structure and vocabulary is more challenging.

It makes you think about the world and the everyday life. He wrote this speech years ago, but I still feel included in the issues.

One guy speaking. Commentary is opinion and is really argument. You are proving through the evidence.

What kinds of prompts (essay topics) do you think you would write for this paper?

A personal reaction paper. How does it relate to the world today?

Write about a how it relates to the world, what are the claims, sub-claims of the argument.

His sub-claims are the four different chunks.

Days 7-8

2006-12-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Day7
Students finished their attempt at identifying sub-claims. I then gave them a copy of my idea map, and we negotiated that. Overall, they felt relief that there were “right” answers despite my repeated attempts to reinforce the idea that the only “right” way to do this was to support our hypothesis with King’s evidence. We then looked at the evidence types hand-out, then I gave them the sheet with evidence examples to identify.

Day 8

Because of the cognitive demands of this unit, group work has degenerated into chat time, or “this is too hard” time for some groups, I felt that it was time for students to grapple with the text on their own so that they could form their own opinions. (I feel this is a good place instructionally; I’ve read text, groups have read text, and now they need some reflection time.) I gave them the critical questions to respond to in class. Students were actively engaged ALL period in answering these questions. It was really encouraging to see the effort and energy they put into these questions! We’ll go over questions tomorrow before we begin evidence gathering work

World House Teaching Journal Days 5-6

2006-12-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

Day 5
Today we tackled the Concept Maps. It was a great opportunity to have students practice the art of skimming (looking for concept phrase in text) and decoding from text. For example, when we looked at “disinherited masses” students were able to discern that things were bad for them in the beginning (negative phrases such as “dungeons of oppression”) but that things were turning around for them (“rising toward the bright hills of freedom”).

We then reviewed how to translate writing terms they already knew (Main Thesis, Body Thesis, Concrete Detail, Commentary) into rhetorical reading terms (Main Claim, Sub-Claim, Evidence).

I also gave them working definitions of ethos, logos, and pathos as ways of persuasion AND types of evidence. Believe me, it was a full day!

Day 6

After giving students paragraph chunks (modified charting) they were put into groups to come up with King’s sub-claim for that section. I spent most of my morning using Inspiration to create my own idea map.

Students really tackled this task with bravery. About half way thorough one class, a student told me, “This is the hardest I’ve ever worked in English!” I took it as a compliment. This was the sentiment throughout the day as students grappled with critical reasoning/rhetorical reading. The frustration level was high, but I kept reassuring them that if their head hurt, they were doing it right.

World House Teaching Journal

2006-11-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

Days 1-4 are summarized below. I love the comments made by my interviewed students at the end of day 4! Yes, Sean, sometimes you do have to read the whole book!

Day one:

I am not even going to talk about what I “planned” to do. Here’s what I did:

Gave quickwrite: In 2 minutes, write down everything you know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shared out. I then read the children’s book: Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport. This book gives students not only a quick sketch of King’s contributions, but also emphasizes the importance of words to ideas. The kids really loved it. They even applauded me when I was done reading. Cute. I then had students do another “quick-list.” In 2 minutes, they were to write down every occurrence of Technology in their lives from morning to night. We then discussed the list, and tied it to WH by discussing his 1964 Nobel Prize, and the fact that his acceptance speech was about technology.

We then worked with the title, turning it into the 5 Journalism W-questions, and shared out.

Students finished the period by joining a group of 4, and completing their section of the pre-reading map.

This class period seems excited by the material, and were engaged throughout the period. I am keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Day 2:

After we concluded the prereading map review, we reviewed the 4 paragraphs in a whole class setting. Students were asked to summarize each paragraph in one sentence. This activity is intended to prepare students for future charting activities. Many students chose on fact from the paragraph, and assumed that just because it was in the paragraph, it was the “main idea.” We spent a good deal of time going over paragraphs. Students ended the class period by beginning work on the vocabulary self-assessment and word forms chart.

Day 3
As today was a minimum day, I showed the video clip of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. We reviewed metaphor and I had them list the metaphors he used. We also discussed the connections between his Dream Speech and World House, In both, he alludes to the fact that solving the problems of one group of people while ignoring the problems of another group will only lead to destruction.

Day 4

We read the entire text today, and I introduced the concept of chunking. We discussed how in the first body chunks, he uses a past, present, and future structure; in the future section, he warns of the extinction of humanity at least 3 times. Talk about the power of repetition.
Student Reflections: I asked two students questions about the unit thus far. Here is a summary of their responses:

Kris C.: “I like it when we work with another kid and get their perspective, like when we did the paragraph stuff. I read paragraph 2 and my friend had paragraph 7, and I liked hearing what he thought.”

Sean D: “I think reading the articles is easier because the words are harder, but the books are longer and if you trying to find something in a book, you might have to read the whole book.” Hilarious.

October 23, 2006 Meeting

2006-11-02T20:41:00.000-08:00

Request Notes for proper formatting.

Council Name/location West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: October 23, 2006

Attendees: We met on October 23 from 1:30 pm- 4:00 pm in Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Tracy Clarke, AJ Acosta, Anne Foster, Kristin McLaughlin, Cece Boehme, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, Laura Preble, Deborah Napoli, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

12th Grade
Discussion of the Assignment Sequence Template
“Brave New Girl” Assignment Sequence Review
Missing (Submit to me by November 3 or before)
Pre Reading Work with Clips (Deborah brought and sent via email)
Revisiting Vocabulary: Concept Maps Do not Need for this Sequence
Post Reading: Group Discussion Clip based post reading work Deborah brought and sent via email
BNG Multiple Choice Questions Deborah will send. Sent.
Vocabulary Assessment: Optional. Each will create there own but send to Cali upon implantation.
New Additions:
Pre Reading: Surveying the text, Scanning the text, Making Predictions (GAP) Reflection
During Reading: Annotating the Text, Peer Response to Rhetorical Précis, Denotation Discussion
Anything Missing based on the demands of the prompt?
Clip Work for Evidence (November 3) Email team again with updated version to see if anything else is missing?
Revisions Cali Due by November 8
Date to implement: Still very movable.
Anne _________________
Todd __________________
Kristin__________________
Deborah ________________
Jennifer ________________
We do not need to do every activity. Carefully, review the prompt and make your choices based on backwards planning.
Record which assignments you use and keep a sample of student work.

For next meeting
Start of Work on Fast Food Assignment Sequence: Assignment Type 2: Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text
I need copies of these texts
Review requirements of this assignment type
Review the prompts of the existing Assignment Sequence
Need to look closely at one text to evaluate.
Prompt Drafts: _________________
What is missing from the sequence? For the November 13th meeting
Detailed appeals work: ________________________
Detailed Evaluation work ______________________
What else?
What can be cut or needs to be modified towards our goals?

Our conversations:

We discussed charting vs. an evidence grid.
The language of the Evidence Grid needs to be modifies to sound less like charting language. (Todd will work on.)
We need a Reading Writing Connections section. Cali will work on. A writing assignment where students substitute the essay’s examples with examples from their own from current TV and movies. Can be done in blog or presentation form.
May need to purchase DVDS of Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie and other images to support the work with the text.

11th Grade
Discussion of the Assignment Sequence Template
“The World House” Assignment Sequence Review
Missing Song for Pre Reading Tracey will send.
New Additions:
Pre Reading: Additional Quick write, Corrections to Pre Reading Map, Making Predications, Vocabulary Self Assessment Chart,
During Reading: Annotating the Text , Peer Response to Rhetorical Précis
Post Reading: Basic Appeals Questions,
Connecting Reading and Writing: Work with the larger text. :
The Writing Process: Simplifies Prompt based on Cece revision
Revisions: Cali Due by November 3
Date to implement: November 27ish
Laura _______________
AJ __________________
Cece ________________
Tracey _______________
Michelle _____________
We do not need to do every activity. Carefully, review the prompt and make your choices based on backwards planning.
Record which assignments you use and keep a sample of student work.
Work on Black Men in Public Spaces Assignment Sequence: Assignment Type 2: Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text
Review requirements of this assignment type
Review the prompts of the existing Assignment Sequence
Need to look closely at one text to evaluate.
Prompt Drafts: Tracey/Laura and AJ and Cece Due November 3 to Cali
“Black Men in Public Spaces” so far
What is missing from the sequence?
For the next meeting, send to me by November 12.
Pre Reading Vocabulary Work : Cece (Concepts maps—completed as well as blanks)
During Reading: Vocabulary Work: AJ (Vocabulary work and assessment)
Post Reading Detailed appeals work: Tracey and Laura
Post Reading Detailed Evaluation work Cali and Michelle
What else?

Our conversations:

We discussed appeals vs. arguments.
The language of the Evidence Grid needs to be modifies to sound less like charting language. (Todd will work on.)
May need to purchase the CD with song to support the World House Work.
Need a rubric for the essay for World House and a rubric of the précis as well
Need a new Copy of World House

Data questions:

None

Action items for participants:

12th Grade Team:

November 3rd deadline
Todd will work on modifying the language of the Evidence Grid.
Deborah needs to email remaining BNG work.
Cali revision of Brave New Girls by November 3. Crete Reading Writing Connection.

For the November 13th meeting (pending an email with documents from Cali)
Team Review requirements of the second assignment type and review the prompts of the existing Assignment Sequence
Anne: Have copies of the Fast Food texts to any team member who does not have them and a set for Cali at the meeting.
Create a précis of your assigned texts.
Jennifer: Shannon Brownlee, “It’s portion distortion that makes America fat”
Deborah: David Barboza, “If You Pitch It, They Will Eat
Kristin: Daniel Weintraub, “The battle against fast food begins in the home
Todd: David Zinczenko, “Don’t Blame the Eater”
Anne: Letters to the editor. A précis won’t work but a main argument statement should be possible for each.
Cali: Prepare beginning presentation on what it means to evaluate

11th Grade Team

November 3rd deadline
Laura will make corrections to the Evidence and Appeals Work she brought and resend. She will also on a prompt draft for Assignment Type 2 for Black Men and Public Spaces with Tracey.
Tracey will send Prereading work with song for World House. She will also on a prompt draft for Assignment Type 2 for Black Men and Public Spaces with Laura and send via email to Cali by November 3.
Cece will send Appeal Work for World House. It went missing. She will also work with AJ on a prompt draft for Assignment Type 2 for Black Men and Public Spaces and email Cali by November 3 with the draft.
AJ work with Cece on a on a prompt draft for Assignment Type 2 for Black Men and Public Spaces
Cali revision of World House by November 3 and send out drafts of prompts of Black Men in Public Spaces so that team will have prompts to backwards plan from. Get new copy of World House to Team. Work on rubrics for the précis and for the World House prompt.

For the November 13th meeting

Michelle will work with Cali to create post reading and prewriting work that helps students evaluate for the November 13th meeting.
Cece will work on Pre Reading Vocabulary for Black Men in Public Spaces.
AJ will work on During Reading Vocabulary Work and Assessment.
Laura and Tracey will work on detailed appeal work.
Cali prepare beginning presentation on what it means to evaluate

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

The Meeting Agenda, CSU Assignment Sequences Template, Assignment Type 2 details, Draft of The World House Sequence and Handouts, Draft of the Brave New Girls Sequence and Handouts, Black Men in Public Spaces Sequence so far, CSU’s Version of the Fast Food Sequence, Black Men In Public Spaces Checklist

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

October 2, 2006 Meeting

2006-11-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes

Council Name/location: West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: October 2, 2006

Attendees:We met on October 2, 2006 1:30-4 pm in Anne Foster's room in Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Tracy Clarke, AJ Acosta, Anne Foster, Kristin McLaughlin, Cece Boehme, Todd Peterson, Michelle Liddell, Jennifer Romanowski, Laura Preble, Deborah Napoli, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

12th Grade Team:
Reflection on Cal PASS Presentation and Share with Rest of the Team.
Topics to discuss this year: Philosophical Assumptions, The Writing Process
Review Assignment Sequences Types and Assign Text to each type
Assignment Type 1: Brave New Girls
Assignment Type 2: Revise and modify Fast Food Sequences from the CSU 12th Grade Course.
Assignment Type 3: Revise and modify the Talk Show unit developed last year.
Assignment Type 4: Reform the Value of Life Unit from the CSU 12th Grade Course
Discuss possible texts for 9th grade assignment sequence: We will work on this sequence next semester.
Brainstorm rough prompts for each text and assignment sequence match.
Work on Prereading for Brave New Girls in partners
Assign Brave New Girls work due next meeting to complete the sequence.

11th Grade Team:
Reflection on Cal PASS Presentation and Share with Rest of the Team
Topics to discuss this year: The Writing Process, Charting
Review Assignment Sequences Types and Assign Text to each type
Assignment Type 1: The World House
Assignment Type 2: Black Men in Public Spaces (Add to Michelle’s existing work)
Assignment Type 3: Growing up (Add to Michelle’s existing work)
Assignment Type 4: Thinking about education, identity texts, or Civil Word texts for research project.
Reviewed World House Sequence and requested any missing materials
Negotiated précis for Black Men in Public Spaces.

Data questions:

None

Action items for participants:

Complete Brave New Girls Work and send to Cali
Complete World House Work and send to Cali
Begin Black Men in Public Spaces Work

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Précis Handout

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

Sept 27, 2006 Presentation Meeting

2006-11-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes

Council Name/location: West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: Sept 27, 2006 1:30 pm

Attendees: We met on Sept 27 1:30 pm-3;00 pm in Anne Foster's room, Attendance:, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Jennifer Romanowski, Laura Preble, Deborah Napoli, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

Decided not to do the poster because there would be no accompanying presentation.
Worked to combine the two presentations into one. Since we only had one presentation.
Preparation for the presentation.
Discussion of the varied audience.
Review Draft Outline.
Modeled sample panel discussion on essential points of the presentation.
Assigned sections that each would be a person would create.
Altered the activities and fixed the timeline.

Data questions:

None at this time. We would like to know whatever most recent data has been collected on West Hills.

Action items for participants:

Cali: Revise outline and create draft power point.
Team: Comment on Draft of PowerPoint
Cali: Revise Outline and PowerPoint in response.
Team: Meet in early morning before presentation with notes and questions.
Cali: Create and copy handouts to support the presentation.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

The Draft Outline.
The Revised Outline.
The PowerPoint without the images.

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

September 18th, 2006 Meeting

2006-11-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes

Council Name/location: West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project
Meeting date: Sept 18 1:45-4:00 pm

Attendees: We met on Sept 18 1:45-4:00 pm in Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Laura Preble, Deborah Napoli, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

12th Grade Team:

Detailed review of the West Hills Cal Pass Matrix and Assignment Types
Initial thoughts on what topics the team would like Cali to address in terms of Rhetoric.
Review of The Brave New Girls Assignment Sequence Checklist to see what is still needed.
Preparation of Cal Pass Presentation

11th Grade Team:

Detailed review of the West Hills Cal Pass Matrix and Assignment Types
Initial thoughts on what topics the team would like Cali to address in terms of Rhetoric
Review of The World House Assignment Sequence Checklist to see what is still needed.
Sharing of some possible texts for the rest of the sequences.
Preparation of Cal Pass Presentation

Data questions:

None at this time.

Action items for participants:

Submit any missing parts of the Brave New Girls assignment sequence to Cali via email.
Think about which texts to use for which assignment type for next meeting. Bring in texts and any work already completed on the texts—send via email.
Prep for Cal PASS Presentation

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Brave New Girls Assignment Sequence Checklist
The World House Assignment Sequence Checklist

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

World House Finished ASSIGNMENT SEQUENCE CheckList

Prereading

Building Background Knowledge

Quick Write on Topic
Surveying the Text
Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Work with the Title
Pre Reading Map
Introducing Key Vocabulary
Key Terms/Concepts Work
Reading
· First Reading
· Looking Closely at Language
· Rereading the Text
Read with the Grain
· Analyzing Stylistic Choices
· Considering the Structure of the Text
Charting
Idea Map

Post-reading Activities
Summarizing and Responding
Rhetorical Précis
Thinking Critically
Critical Questions – Deepen Understanding of the Text
Rhetorical Analysis and Reading Against the Grain
Multiple Choice Questions
Prepare Students to Respond Successfully to the Prompt

Prewriting
Reading the Assignment
World House Prompt
Getting Ready to Write
Formulating a Working Thesis

Writing
Composing a Draft
Organizing the Essay
Developing the Content

Revising and Editing
Revising the Draft
Editing the Draft
Reflecting on the Writing

Evaluating and Responding
Grading Holistically
Responding to Student Writing
Using Portfolios

Brave New Girls Finished ASSIGNMENT SEQUENCE Check List

Prereading
Building Background Knowledge
Quick Write on Topic
Genre, Audience, and Purpose Activity
Surveying the Text
Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Work with the Title
Introducing Key Vocabulary
Key Terms/Concepts Work
Reading
· First Reading
· Looking Closely at Language (Vocabulary)
· Rereading the Text
Read with the Grain
· Analyzing Stylistic Choices
· Considering the Structure of the Text
Charting
Idea Map

Post-reading Activities
Summarizing and Responding
Rhetorical Précis
Thinking Critically
Critical Questions – Deepen Understanding of the Text
Rhetorical Analysis and Reading Against the Grain
Multiple Choice Questions
Vocabulary
Prepare Students to Respond Successfully to the Prompt
Evidence Grid for Brave New Girls

Prewriting
Reading the Assignment
Brave New Girls Prompt
Getting Ready to Write
Formulating a Working Thesis

Writing
Composing a Draft
Organizing the Essay
Model Start to Brave New Girls Essay
Developing the Content

Revising and Editing
Revising the Draft
Editing the Draft
Reflecting on the Writing

Evaluating and Responding
Grading Holistically
Responding to Student Writing
Using Portfolios

September 6th, 2006 Meeting

2006-11-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes

Council Name/location: West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project

Meeting date: Sept 6th, 2006

Attendees: We met on September 6th, 2006 at 12:17 pm at Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

Team Updates
11th grade: Work on The World House Sequence over the summer.
12th grade: Work on the Brave New Girls Sequence over the summer.

Overview the Phases of the project and these years assignment sequences goals and the rhythm of the meetings. We will make time in each meeting to create parts of the assignment sequences.
Discussed new initiatives at the site such as the Professional Learning Communities.

Discussed the Upcoming conference presentation and made a meeting date for those teachers taking part.

Discussed who will be continuing with project. Casey Ash can not participate in football season. Discussed possibility of replacing him with another team member.

Setting of Meeting Dates

Sept 6 at 12 pm
Sept 18 1:45-4:00 pm
Sept 25 12:30 pm
Sept 27 1:30 pm
Oct 2 1:45- 4pm
Oct 23 1:45- 4pm
Nov 13 1:45- 4pm
Nov 28 2 1:45- 4pm
Jan 8 1:45- 4pm

We also decided to meet in two meetings. The 12th grade team at 1:30 and the 11th grade team 2:45 pm. We would have overlap time when needed. The 12th grade team will also work on 9th grade materials and the 11th grade team will work on

Data questions:

None at this time.

Action items for participants:

Submit any missing parts of the assignment sequence to Cali via email.
Submit any missing post test results for last Spring.
Think about which texts to use for which assignment type for next meeting.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Assignment Sequence Types.
West Hills Cal PASS Matrix

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

May 9 Meeting

2006-06-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

Attendees: We met on May 9th, 2006 at 2:45 pm at Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

Team Updates
11th grade:
CB 3 Questions for World House
AA Revised Racial Profiling sequence
12th grade
DN Found article for model essay –Dangle Big Cash, Reel in Big Ratings
All finished multiple choice questions
Set Summer Assignment Sequence Review Meeting Date
We will conduct this work via email as no one’s schedule meshes.
Genre, Purpose, and Audience—Scaffolding
Types of Evidence
Looked at Brave New Girls Evidence Grid
Assignment Sequence Checklist
World House
Brave New Girls
Assignment Sequence Parts Assignments
Writing Assessment Revisions
World House
Brave New Girls
Sample Essay Discussion
Emailed
Types of Evidence
Evidence Chart Brave New Girls
Post Test Materials
Assignment Sequence Checklists
Parts of Brave New Girls I have
Parts of World House I have

Cal-PASS Conference
Discussion

Next Time
· What is missing from the sequence?
· Discussion Post Testing and Data Collection

Data questions:

None at this time. We will be post testing in June.

Action items for participants:

All—Submit your part of the assignment sequence to Cali or group leader for editing and assembly.
Cali: Complete Genre, Purpose, and Audience Activity Handouts for World House
Complete Genre, Purpose, and Audience Activity Handouts for bell hooks
Evidence Grid for World House

Teams: Complete post testing and submit data via email.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Types of Evidence
Evidence Chart Brave New Girls
Post Test Materials
Assignment Sequence Checklists
Parts of Brave New Girls I have
Parts of World House I have

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

None

April 18, 2006 Meeting

2006-05-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Intersegmental Council Minutes
Council Name/location West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project Meeting date: April 18th, 2006

Attendees: We met on April 18th, 2006 at 2:45 pm at Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Jennifer Romanowski, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Casey Cash, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Discussion items and results:

Team Updates
Set New Meeting Dates

May 9th
May 23rd
Cal-PASS Conference
Proposal Review

Questions on format. We will work on presentation in Fall of next year. AJ and Tracey asked to be removed from the panels and Jennifer has been added to the Poster Session.

Genre, Audience and Purpose Work

Discussed which texts to use in activity.

Review Multiple Choice Questions
Writing Assessment Revisions-
World House
Brave New Girls

Sample Essay
Brave New Girls Group Draft

Decided to create a sample essay in response to a simlar essay as a model for the students.

Emailed
RWS 100 Paper Types and Sample Paper Prompts
Academic Word List and Activities
The Blog
Post MLK Précis
Multiple Choice Questions

Next Time
· Revise Sample Brave New Girls Essay
· Group Draft of World House Essay

Or Kinds of Evidence

Data questions:

None at this time. We will be post testing in June.

Action items for participants:

Deborah: Create an article for the group to create a sample model essay for Brave New Girls Prompt

Cali: Complete Genre, Purpose, and Audience Activity Handouts
Prepare for Evidence Presentation
Find sample essay to create a model for the MLK Paper
Create Assignment Sequence Check List

Teams: Review Conference proposals. Edited the Paper Prompts. Polish aspects of the Assignments Sequences already completed. Work on missing parts of sequence. Bring calendars to next meeting.

Date/time/place of next meeting:

May 11. 2:45 pm. Anne Foster’s room.

Attachments (e.g. copies of handouts)

Genre activities texts. Brave New Girls.
Model Essay Start.
RWS 100 Paper Types and Sample Paper Prompts
Academic Word List and Activities

End-of-meeting assessment question & answers:

We need to create a check list for the assignment sequence. We need to gather the materials for the pretest.

Documents

Brave New Girls Sample Essay

Précis:

(Main Argument) In “Brave New Girls” (1998), Debbie Stoller, who holds a Ph.D from Yale University in psychology of women, asserts that media that presents females as being strong, aggressive, and self-confident has become popular with young women, because it conveys ways of addressing the deficits in modern society that are produced by the stereotypical perceptions of gender identity. (Essay Structure/Evidence) Stoller begins supporting her assertion by briefly discussing the cultural pressures put on young women and the “crisis in self-esteem” but the majority of the essay is devoted to the presentation, explanation, and justification of five pop culture offerings: The Riot Grrls along with the television shows The Secret World of Alex Mack, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Xena, Warrior Princess in order to think about the changing role models of girls and what they mean. (Aim) Stoller’s main purpose is to advocate for these media offerings because they revolve around powerful female role models that empower young women, as well as encourage them to tap into and unabashedly display their inherent aggressiveness and/or assertiveness in order to break free of the bonds placed on them by American culture. (Audience) Since the essay includes numerous references to media offerings that are directed more towards females than males and are in accord with pop culture, the intended audience appears to be young women, particularly those in their late teens and early college years.

Body Paragraph 1: Detail Mulan (information about the example and where it appears in the text)

At the end of the piece, Stoller briefly comments on The Walt Disney Corporation, referring to it as, “that bastion ad nausium of traditional male and female roles,” while simultaneously praising and admonishing it for the movie Mulan.

Body Paragraph 2: Discuss how the Mulan example connects to the Main Argument

Body Paragraph 3: Discuss how the Mulan example connects to the Audience and Aim

Conclusion: Why Stoller’s Main Argument Matters Today

3/7/06 Meeting

2006-04-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

We met on March 2nd, 2006 at 2:45 pm at Anne Foster's room, Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Laura Preble, Casey, Cash, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

West Hills Project Agenda
3/7/06
Phase 1

Team Updates
Reflection on Vocabulary Work
Cal-PASS Conference
October 4-6
Proposal Due March 15
Writing Assessment Sample- Brave New Girls
Creating Multiple Choice Questions
Summer Contact Information (Contact List)
The Blog
Post Précis

Homework:

Teams:
Create a multiple choice or open ended critical reading questions.
Final Drafts of Writing Assessments

Next Meeting April 18:
Aims of Arguments

Sample Brave New Girls Prompt

Analyzing a Non-Fiction Text Essay
Brave New Girls

This paper will examine the essay “Brave New Girls” (1998) by Debbie Stoller.
Debbie Stoller, who holds a Ph.D from Yale University in psychology of women, asserts that media that presents females as being strong, aggressive, and self-confident has become popular with young women, because it conveys ways of addressing the deficits in modern society that are produced by the stereotypical perceptions of gender identity.
For this assignment, construct an account of the argument.
To prepare for the paper:
Consider how you might you describe Stoller’s audience.
What is the argument about and what are Stoller’s central claims?
How does Stoller use examples and text references in order to get the audience to accept her claims?

Criteria for Evaluation
Successful papers will articulate what argument the text is making; construct an account of an argument; translate an argument into your own words by

articulating the argument Stoller is making, showing what her central claims are.
explaining how Stoller uses an example and text reference to substantiate her claims and engage readers in thinking about them;
using effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next;
thoroughly editing so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper.

Writing the Paper

You may choose to write your paper in many ways.

Your introduction should include a précis of the text. The précis, in addition to the basic information about the text, calls for

a detailing of the main argument of the text
an explanation of how the author develops and supports the major claim (thesis statement)
a statement of the author's purpose/aim and why that is the purpose of the text
a description of the intended audience and/or the relationship the author establishes with the audience

You must think about main argument and discuss how an examples or text reference is related to the main argument but which example or text reference you select to talk about are up to you. Your conclusion should discuss why Stoller’s argument matter’s today. Choose an example or text reference to discuss to discuss. Analyze how it supports, explores and enriches the main argument of the text. You can also think about the example or text reference’s relationship to the aim or audience.

Examples and Text References in the Text

Spice Girls
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Xena: Warrior Princess
Sabrina the Teen Age Witch
The Secret World of Alex Mack
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls
Riot Grrls
Mulan
Where Girls Are: Growing Up Female in the Mass Media
Bewitched
I Dream of Jeannie
The Feminine Mystique

Sample Essays Structure

Introduction: The précis & Main Argument
Body Paragraph 1: Detail Example or Text Reference
Body Paragraph 2 and/or 3: Discuss how Example or Text Reference Connects to Main Argument, Audience and Aim
Conclusion: Why Stoller’s Argument Matter’s Today

Team Updates and Reflection on Vocabulary Work

11th Grade for World House Assignment Sequence:

Completed Concept Maps
Tried out Sentence Variety Work but in not conducive to the text
Will use sentence level work as part revision work in the assignment
Finished Idea Map

12th Grade for Brave New Girls Assignment Sequence:

Because the text is more evidence based than claim based will not do an Idea Map
Revised Main Claim Statement and précis
Worked with Nancy Gibb’s The Secret of Barbie’s Rival from Time as a background knowledge building text.

Cal-PASS Conference

Deborah and Michelle are willing to write papers are the presentation.

Entire group is willing to present and go.

Will subs be paid?

We will present the overall project and the sequences. We will also present one aspect of our work in detail such as text selection.

Writing Assessment Sample- Brave New Girls
Edited
Need a model of student work

Creating Multiple Choice Questions

Worked on creating multiple choice questions that reflect the standards and EPT skills

Tasks for next meeting;

11th Grade Team: Complete multiple choice or open ended critical reading questions
12th Grade Team: Complete multiple choice or open ended critical reading questions

Cali (as much as she can):

Gene, Audience, and Purpose Activity for Brave New Girls
Gene, Audience, and Purpose Activity for Justice Childhood Love Lessons by bell hooks
Bring or email Master Academic Word List
Gather support materials for Brave New Girls prompt (excepts from book examples)
Models of student work with the kinds of ending both sequences

2.04.06 Meeting

2006-03-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

We met on Febuary 2th, 2006 at 9:oo am at Anne Foster's home as an entire team fir a 3 hour meeting. The meeting ended at 1:15 pm. Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Laura Preble, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

West Hills CAL-Pass Project
2-04-06 Agenda

· Genre, Purpose and Audience Work
· Steps in Assignment Sequence Development
· Sharing of Pre Reading and Charting
· Focusing on Vocabulary
· Lunch
· Critical Questioning

We did not have time to complete Critical Question work and need to continue work with Vocabualry.

1/24/06 Meeting

2006-03-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

We met on January 24th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room as an entire team. The meeting ended at 4:oo pm. Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Laura Preble, Casey, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor. Our next meeting dates are 2.04.06 (9 am, Saturday at Anne's home) 2.21.06

3.07.6 4.18.06

West Hills Project Agenda
1/24/06

Phase 1

Team Updates
The Précis

Compare Précis and think about format (in pairs)
Teaching the Précis

Text Selection
Brave New Girls by Debbie Stoller
Fighting Tradition by John L. Mitchell
The World House by Martin Luther King Jr
Parenting as an Industry by Amitai Etzioni
Writing Assessment Sample- Editing
Preparing the Assignment Sequences
Models
Preparation Questions
First Steps
Goodies
Pre Reading Map
Appeals Handout
Graphic Organizers for During Reading
The Blog
Post Text Notes
Post Précis

Homework:
Teams
Pair Charting of the selected texts (We need at least two charts per text)
Pre Reading Activities Design

Cali

Writing Assessment Revisions for the selected texts

February 4 Agenda Possible Topics

Assignment Sequence Development
Charting Discussion
Pre Reading Activity Revision
Critical Questioning or Vocabulary and the Sequence
Writer’s Aims and Purpose
Teaching Poetry and Exigency

Text Selection and the Precis--12-06-05

2006-01-23T14:50:00.000-08:00

We met on December 6th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room as an entire team. The meeting ended at 4:oo pm. Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Laura Preble, Casey, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Our next meeting dates are 12.06.05 1.24.06 2.04.06 (9 am, Saturday at Anne's home) 2.21.06 3.07.6 4.18.06

12/06/05 West Hills Project Agenda

11th Grade Team Update
12th Grade Team Update
Review: Strange New World of Food (Jennifer and Casey) Parenting as an Industry (Todd and Casey) and How We Learn (Cece)
Discussed New Rhetorical Terms--Project and
Discuss Assignment Sequence End Assessment
Select two texts, 11th and12th grade, assignment sequence
Rhetorical Précis
Homework

Backwards Planning and Assessment for the Sequence. (Standard Focus and Assessment selection and prompt development) Homework is the précis for the selected texts.

Rhetorical Terms:

Definitions

The Writer’s Project: the kind of work that a writer is setting out to do. The overall activity that the writer is engaged in--researching, investigating, experimenting, interviewing, documenting, etc.

For example: Nickel and Dimed Barbara Ehrenreich is a journalist whose project is to investigate first hand whether it is possible to live on the wages paid to unskilled workers. She went to each of three cities for one month, to see whether she could “match income to expenses, as the truly poor attempt to do every day” (6).

Note: to articulate a project, you need a verb, such as, researches, investigates, studies, presents, connects something with something else, etc.

Exigency: A pressing or urgent situation causing the argument to be made. Example: Welfare Reform.

Text Notes:

Strange New World of Food seemed a bit to long and informational to work as a sequence.

How We Learn is an interesting text for students to read and practice note taking but would not really work for detailed analysis.

Parenting as an Industry has promise. A rich argument with good work with evidence.

We decide to discuss the end assessment for the sequnce before selecting texts for each team.

Rough Draft of an Sequnece 1 Assessment

A. Analyzing a Non-Fiction Text Description:

Provide a short non-fiction text for basic analysis Objectives: to build pre-reading skills to identify an author’s argument to identify reasons/claims

Writing Assessment: Rhetorical Précis / Academic Summary

Curriculum Integration: This text can be used to introduce a concept that students will encounter in an assigned novel (e.g., Robert Heilbroner’s “Don’t Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgment” in preparation for To Kill A Mockingbird or House on Mango Street, Jonathon Kozol’s “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society” in preparation for Fahrenheit 451).

Paper Type: Analyzing a Non-Fiction Text Draft

Introduction: The précis

Body Paragraph 1: The Main Argument Body

Paragraph 2: The Development of Main Argument

Body Paragraph 3: Claims/Reason Exploration

Body Paragraph 4: Evidence Discussion

Body Paragraph 5; Rhetorical Strategies

Body Paragraph 6: The Author’s Purpose

Body Paragraph 7: The Audience

Conclusion: The Writer’s Project and Exigency

We decide that this paper could be very flexible and give the student's choice. The prompt could be designed so that the student could write the paper in a series of short answers rather than a traditional essay or the prompt could allow the writer to choose the topics for body paragraphs.

I will create a sample of the Body Paragraph Choice prompt based on King's The World House for next meeting.

Text Selection:
We narrowed the texts down to four:

The World House: 11th or 12th Grade. Models; Ethos, Figures of Speech, Everything. Literary connections; Huck Finn, Brave New World.
Brave New Girls: 12th grade-9th grade. Themes: Gender, Male/Female Roles, the Media. Models; Voice, Genre and Organization. Literary Text Connections; Brave New World, Hamlet, R and J, Antigone, Raisin in the Sun...
Fighting Tradition: 9th or 10th grade. Themes: Gender, Violence, Roles; Genre: Creative Non-Fiction. Models: Interviewing, Charting of Paragraphs, the Use of Evidence. Literary Links Animal Farm, Mice and Men, Black Boy, House on Mango
And Parenting as an Industry.

We felt in order to select the two text will create assignments sequence for each member of our team needed to read the essays.

The Précis:

The final assessment/paper for the first sequence will include the précis. Here are some of the documents presented on the précis.

The Rhetorical Précis Format

1. In a single coherent sentence give the following: name of the author, title of the work, date in parenthesisa rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "deny," "refute," "prove," disprove," "explain," etc.) a that clause containing the major claim (thesis statement) of the work.

2. In a single coherent sentence give an explanation of how the author develops and supports the major claim (thesis statement).

3. In a single coherent sentence give a statement of the author's purpose, followed by an "in order" phrase.

4. In a single coherent sentence give a description of the intended audience and/or the relationship the author establishes with the audience.

College Sample

Gerry Spence, a successful trial lawyer who won a famous case about individual free and has written sever books on the same topic, in an excerpt from one of his novels entitled “Easy in the Harness: the Tyranny of Freedom” (1994) argues that Americans don’t really understand what freedom is and if they did they wouldn’t want it.

He develops this through the use of examples that include the stories of two farm horses and an elderly gentleman named Jack as well as explaining domestication of men and the purpose of past wars.

His purpose to help Americans understand what freedom really is in order to help them to better understand why they will never feel free.

He appeals to his audience of highly educated Americans through the combination of his use of scholarly language and mid-west, “all-American” examples.

Homework: Read each essay and think about which you would best be suited for an sequence given the final assessment. Each team create a précis of each text. If you have not done so, please comment on this Blog or the last Blog with your text notes.

Next Meeting: We will compare the précis to think about which text or text is best suited for the sequence and to help us this about how to teach the précis. We will select a text or text to develop a sequence. We will edit the sample prompt. We will prepare for our Saturday meeting in February.

Text Selection-11.08.05

2005-12-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

We met on November 8th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room as an entire team
The meeting ended at 4:oo pm.

Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Tracey Clarke. Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Laura Preble, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

Shelly Valdez was also in attendance.

11/08/05 West Hills Project Agenda
Phase 1

This meeting opened with a walk through of the Blog.

We reviewed most of the texts in order to select a text for the 11th grade and12th grade to develop an assignment sequence. I have ranked each text in order of our current interst in developing the text as a sequence.

The World House (AJ and Tracey)
Brave New Girls (Anne and Kristin)
Fighting Tradition (AJ and Deborah)
The Holocaust (Cece and Laura
Shouting “Fire!” (Michelle)
The Lie Detector (Tracey) 11th grade, Model: Scienetific data applied to life
How to Give Orders Like a Man (Anne and Kristin)
The Obligation to Endure (Laura and Deborah)
The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS (Michelle)

My notes: 12th Grade, 11th Grade, 10th Grade, and 9th Grade

The World House: 11th or 12th Grade. Models; Ethos, Figures of Speech, Everything. Literary connections; Huck Finn, Brave New World.
Brave New Girls: 12th grade-9th grade. Themes: Gender, Male/Female Roles, the Media. Models; Voice, Genre and Organzation. Literary Text Connections; Brave New World, Hamlet, R and J, Antigone, Rasin in the Sun...
Fighting Tradition: 9th or 10th grade. Themes: Gender, Violence, Roles; Genre: Creative Non-Fiction. Models: Interviewing, Charting of Paragraphs, the Use of Evidence. Literary Links: Animal Farm, Mice and Men, Black Boy, House on Mango
The Holocaust: 11th Grade, Model: Defining and Questioning. Background Knowledge connections: The Iron Cross Literary Connection to Night.
Shouting “Fire!” 12th grade. Themes; Protected Speech. Models: Narrow topic, Logical Fallacy, Critical Questioning. Evidence Use, and Context. Intertexuality.
The Lie Detector: 11th grade, Model: Scientific data applied to life. Themes; Guilt, Trust, and Moral Dilemmas. Literary Connections: Huck, Mice and Men and Long Rain.
The Obligation to Endure: 10th grade. Lots of Science terms. Hard Diction. Long paragraphs.
How to Give Orders Like a Man: Too high. Written for peers. Could use paragraphs. Lots of examples.
The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS: Not Current enough.

We still need to discuss

Strange New World of Food (Jennifer and Casey)
Parenting as an Industry (Todd and Casey)
How We Learn (Cece)

At the end of the meeting their was a request for additional texts to meet the needs of individual teachers. In the time between meetings, I located several additional texts.

Deborah requested a text dealing with mental health, the choice to institutionalize someone and possibly lobotomies to work with a mental health unit.

I recommend a poem by Etheridge Knight called "Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane"which deals with the lobotomy of an Africa American prisoner. Here is the link to than poem: http://plagiarist.com/poetry/7115/

I also discovered this article Who Holds the Clicker? By Lauren Slater. (Doctors and medical-device makers are promoting neural pacemakers as a cure for treatment-resistant depression. Welcome to implant nation.) Found in a current issue of Mother Jones. A great read. Here is the link: http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/11/who_holds_clicker.html

I was asked to find an easier read by Deborah Tannen. In the orange America Now look at "Contrite Makes Right" on page 102.

I was also asked to located text to connect to "Fighting Tradition." I will bring here is what I unearthed.

On Violence and Gender for a female view: "A Look at Terror with My Daughter by Susan Douglasin America Now, page 305.

"Sentencing of a Teen Girl Fuels Debate over youths in Prison"

These next texts, from a new anthology, will also connect with "Brave in Girls." I will bring copies to the December meeting

"Macho in Miniature: History of G.I. Joe Dolls"

"Our Barbies, Ourselves"

"Barbie, G.I. Joe, and Play in the 1960s"

Anne and Cali set the meeting dates for the winter after the meeting. Here are those dates. 12.06.05 1.24.06 2.04.06 (9 am, Saturday at Anne's home) 2.21.06 3.07.6 4.18.06 Via email, everyone consented to have a meeting viedotape upon request from CAL-PASS.

Next Meeting: Review last three texts. Select two texts for assignment sequence development. Backwards Planning and Assessment for the Sequence. (Standard Focus and Assessment selection and prompt development) Homework is the précis.

hmm...

2005-12-02T00:34:00.000-08:00

Wait a minute! This isn't the Ashlee Simpson website!
:)

hmmm...

2005-12-02T00:21:00.000-08:00

Wait a minute! This isn't the Ashlee Simpson website!
:)

West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project

2005-11-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

LAURA here...just trying the blog. I can't seem to make it work...just me, I'm sure.

West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project

10/16/05 The Blog and Text Selection

2005-10-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

We met on October 16th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room as an entire team

The meeting ended at 4:oo pm.

Attendance: Cece Boehme, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Kristin McLaughlin, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, AJ Acosta, and Cali Linfor.

10/16/05 West Hills Project Agenda

Phase 1

The Blog-- http://whhcal-passcap.blogspot.com/
Registration and Commenting
Reflection on College Readiness Conference Sessions
David T. Conley, Ph.D, Keynote Address on College Knowledge
CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP)--English /Language Arts
University Writing Assignment Across the Curriculum: Best and Common Practices
University/Secondary Collaboration: Designing and impending a New 11th and 12th Grade AVID curriculum
What Students are Writing and Reading in College
Dean Chase's Presentation on the Use of Technology
SUHSD 12th Grade Rhetoric and Writing Course
EAP Technology Resources
Next Steps Discussion
Pre Reading and Composing Skills Test results data collection
Sharing of existing expository texts linked to literature and stand alone. Or what expository text are we already using?
Text Selection Criteria
Expository Texts to Review to develop our Assignment Sequence
Brave New Girls by Debbie Stoller
Strange New World of Food by Naomi Perian
How We Learn by Ricki Linksman
Fighting Tradition by John L. Mitchell
The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS by Stephan Jay Gould
The World House by Martin Luther King Jr
Parenting as an Industry by Amitai Etzioni
The Obligation to Endure by Rachel Carson
How to Give Orders Like a Man by Deborah Tannen
Shouting “Fire!” by Alan M. Dershowitz
The Holocaust by Bruno Bettelheim
The Lie Detector by Lewis Thomas

Next meeting Agenda Topics

Expository Text vs. Literary Values—Thinking about Academic Writing
RCST Results
Reports on Expository Texts

Meeting Notes:

Our team meetings will be from 2:45 pm until 4 pm.

RCST testing is almost complete for the 11th grade team members.

In response to the College Readiness Conference, we discussed the need to increase academic culture especially in the senior year of high school.

In order to a select an expository text for use in our curriculum, we think about the following questions.

What are the thematic links to the poetry, novels, or literature I am likely the teach?
What much needed background knowledge does the text assist in building for the students?
What new perspective or introduction of multiple perspectives does the text represent/reveal about an issue, event, or concept?
How does the text question assumed notions about the world or challenge our beliefs?
How does the text link the past to present? How does it show the relevancy of older texts or reveal the importance of current issues?
What is the level of difficultly in the reading? What grade level is the text best suited for? What kind of scaffolding may I need to do if I teach the text?
What might be the purpose of using this text in my classroom? What purposes is the length of the text suited to best achieve?
What is the genre of the text and what kind of writing and thinking might it model for the students?
How does the text model a writer's choices? Evidence selection, introduction, appeals and so forth.
What E/LA Reading Comprehension Standard does the text best lend itself to practicing?

Each team member was assigned two texts to review, thinking in detail, about each of the above questions. Their response needs to be brought to the next meeting and posted in reply to this post with the name of the text as the title of the comment.

The text assignments are

Anne Brave New Girls and How to Give Orders Like a Man

Todd Parenting as an Industry and The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS

Michelle The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS and Shouting “Fire!”

Cece The Holocaust and How We Learn

Laura The Obligation to Endure and The Holocaust

Tracey The World House and The Lie Detector

Kristin Brave New Girls and How to Give Orders Like a Man

Deborah Fighting Tradition and The Obligation to Endure

Casey Parenting as an Industry and Strange New World of Food

AJ The World House and Fighting Tradition

Jennifer Brave New Girls and Strange New World of Food

Anne collected the text for absent team members.

Tasks to Complete for the November 8th Meeting:

Critically read assigned texts.
Take notes in response to the questions we have developed as our text selection criteria.
Post notes and texts to the Blog as a comment to this entry and bring notes to November 8th meeting. Label your comments with the text title. Please response with details from the text to each question.
Email Cali a list of the expository texts you have taught or plan to teach.
Anne and I need to set the meeting dates beyond November.

Reminders:

Email Cali (clinfor@mail.sdsu.edu) Numbers of high. medium and low student on the Pre Writing assessment for at least one class in which you are regularly teaching expository texts.

Email Cali your RCST results in an Excel file if you have not already done so.

Registar for the Blog as member so that you may be emailed when the site updates and to be able to post comments to the Blog.

Each time I update the Blog, you can be emailed but your must registar.

2005-10-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

The 12th grade team attended the College Readiness Conference on October 11, 2005 at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley.

Attendance: Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski and Cali Linfor. We were joined by Vice Principal Andrea Rad-Montgomery and Linda Wargo from Counseling.

Here is a link to all the conference Documents and the Agenda:

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/sdsutrio/eap/

Agenda Items of Note:

David T. Conley, Ph.D, Keynote Address on College Knowledge

CSU Early Assessment Program (EAP)--English /Language Arts

University Writing Assignment Across the Curriculum: Best and Common Practices

University/Secondary Collaboration: Designing and impending a New 11th and 12th Grade AVID curriculum

What Students are Writing and Reading in College

Dean Chase's Presentation on the Use of Technology

SUHSD 12th Grade Rhetoric and Writing Course

EAP Technology Resources

Next Steps Discussion

I know many of you took notes through out the conference. Please post your notes and thoughts in each agenda item of note by commenting to this Blog entry.

Great Links for Information on College Readiness:

http://www.csuenglishsuccess.org/eshome

http://www.calstate.edu/eap/

Pre Writing Assessments and the September 27th, 2005 Meeting

2005-10-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

We met on September 27th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room as an entire team
The meeting ended at 4:45 pm.

Attendance: Cece Boehme, Tracey Clarke, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski, AJ Acosta, and Laura Preble and Cali Linfor.

Prior to this meeting on September 22nd, Anne, Michelle, and Cali met to discuss future meeting dates and the core literature list. They discussed the core literatures themes and possible expository text links.

Agenda for September 27th meeting:

Report from 11th grade and 12th Grade Team Leaders
Questions about the Assignment Types and the Project
Discussion of other ongoing Professional Development and the overlap with our Project
Pre Reading and Composing Skills Test Progress and Data Gathering
Pre Writing Assessment Sharing—High, Medium, and Low Papers

Our future meetings dates:

October 11th at the College Readiness Conference (12th grade team only)

October 18th

November 8th

The rest of the dates shall be announced at our next meeting.

Our standard meeting time and place:

West Hills High School, Anne Foster's room at 2:45 pm

Report from 11th grade and 12th Grade Team Leaders

Anne shared how the teaching of the Value of Life Sequence was progressing. The students seem to be very engaged. At the next meeting, we will hear the results of the papers.

Michelle shared that the 11th grade team met on Sept. 21st and reviewed an assignment sequence from the 12th Grade Rhetoric Course. They selected two Assignment Type 1 Sequences from the already developed materials to teach this Fall: Change of Heart or Racial Profiling. They will have lunch meetings to discuss how the teaching of the sequences in their classrooms and will have an end of the semester meeting to reflect on the entire process.

Discussion of other ongoing Professional Development and the overlap with our Project

WASC is underway. The reviewers will be at the site in March.

Todd and Laura are in the process of writing their Master's thesis.

Pre Reading and Composing Skills Test Progress and Data Gathering

Via email each teacher will submit to me:

The Pre-RCST overall results for each student in at least one class.

The Pre Writing Assessment results groups by high, medium, and low scores for at least one class. In other words, how may students scored high (5, 6, and 4 on the EPT Rubric), medium, (a 4 on the EPT Rubric, and low (1 and 2 on the EPT Rubric).

Pre Writing Assessment Sharing—High, Medium, and Low Papers

Rubric Review. Comaparing the CAHSEE Rubric to the CSU's EPT Rubric.

The EPT Rubric clearly has a critical reading feature.

http://www.csupomona.edu/~uwc/non_protect/student/CSU-EPTScoringGuide.htm

http://www.bell.k12.ca.us/BellHS/Departments/english/Dept.%20Eng.%20WebPage%20Stuff/rubrics/cahsee1a

Discussion of the Prompts:

The students would struggle with syntax of the prompts. Clauses would likely given the students trouble.

Calibrated essays for rubic grading and then sorted essays into High. Low, and Medium piles Very few high.

Review of High. Low, and Medium and Discussion of On Demand Writing Issues.

Writing to a prompt instead of to a reader
Organzation and use of time
Types of Evidence
The student's understanding of what counts as evidence
Personal Experience vs Outside Support

West Hill High School College Readiness Data

2005-10-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the data shared at the September 27th meeting.

West Hills High School CSU English Proficiency Data

Recent EAP Test Results: http://www.calstate.edu/eap/testing.shtml
Proficiency Reports of Students Entering The CSU System: http://www.asd.calstate.edu/performance/proficiency.shtml

West Hills High School GCCD Data
http://www.gcccd.net/research/datademand.html

For slides from presentation, please email me and I will be happy to send them to you.

Our Goals from Reviewing Data

Survey 11th and 12th grade student for college plans
See an increase in proficiency and course success
In realtion to the survey, see an increase in college attendance

Orientation Meeting

2005-10-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

We held our first meeting as a team on September 8th, 2005 at 2:45 pm in Anne Foster's room. The meeting ended at 4:45 pm.

Attendance: Cece Boehme, Tracey Clarke, Anne Foster, Michelle Liddell, Kristin McLaughlin, Deborah Napoli, Todd Peterson, Jennifer Romanowski and Cali Linfor.

Cali Linfor, from SDSU's Department of Rhetoric and Writing, led the meeting.

Anne Foster leads the 12th grade team and is the Chair of the English Department, West Hills High School.

Michelle Liddell leads the 11th grade team.

Agenda:

Team Member Introductions
Overview of Project
Discussion of Mission Statement
Review of Project Focus and Matrix
Introduction to Sequential Assignment Types
Assessment Planning
West Hills High College Readiness Data Sharing and Reflection
Goal Setting for Data Results
College Readiness Day and the EAP Discussion
Preview of Next Meeting--September 27th, 2005

West Hills High School Cal-PASS Curricular Alignment Project Mission Statement

The Project’s mission is to achieve a strong curricular alignment between Secondary, Community College, and University instruction through the thoughtful emphasis of the following common curricular requirements:

the critical reading of expository texts
the understanding and articulation of rhetorical analysis of argument and text structures
the comprehension of the purpose and context of text
and the use of these skills in the research process

We will achieve this alignment in our teaching methodologies, curriculum, assessments, professional development, and conversations with our students.

Through our chosen focus of these core skills, our students will be better prepared for college and the workplace.

Cal-PASS: California Partnership for Achieving Student Success

Cal-PASS is an initiative that collects, analyzes and shares student data in order to track performance and improve success from elementary school through university. Cal-PASS represents a new approach to improving education. While the project began in Southern California, it is now spreading throughout the State through a grant from the California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO). Cal-Pass is for use with the K-12 system, community colleges and universities. http://www.cal-pass.org/

Project Focus: Common Curricular Requirements

After examining the similarities between the 11/12 English/Language Arts Framework, and the course guides for English 120 at Grossmont College and Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100 at SDSU, the San Diego East County Inter-Segmental English Council has discovered that all three documents had the following requirements in common:

1. Students at each level should be asked to read a variety of non-fiction texts with a focus on rhetorical analysis.
2. Students at each level should be able to demonstrate an understanding of and articulate the argument of a text.
3. Students at each level should be required to do research.
4. Students at each level should examine and use effective structures for writing.
5. Students at each level should understand contexts and purposes of texts.

West Hills High School Cal-Pass Curricular Alignment Project Matrix

In order to achieve our goals will work as an 11th and 12th grade teacher team to develop and implement curriculum in accordance with the focus of the Project.

Phase 1

Overview and Orientation to the Project.
Discussion of the Assignment Types and Sequencing of Types.
Integration of the Project with existing professional development and initiatives
Pre Assessment of students in reading and writing.
Examination of the Development of an Assignment Sequence.
Selection of variety of non-fiction texts for the 11th and 12th grade.

Development of an 1st Assignment Type Sequence for the 11th and 12th grade.
Non-Fiction Text Rhetorical Analysis Presentations and Activities.
Backwards Planning and Assessment for the Sequence.
Rhetorical Précis Presentation and Activity.
Pre-Reading Presentation and Activities.
Identifying an Author’s Argument Presentations and Activities.
Identifying an Author’s Reasons Presentation and Activities.
Revision of the Sequence.

Phase 2

Implementation of the Sequence Developed in Phase 1
Reflection on Teaching Methodologies
Review of selected skills, strategies, and concepts need to implement the sequence
Examination of Student Work
Reflection on implementation and development of the sequence
Post Assessment of Students in Reading and Writing and Reflection

Independent/Team Development of a 2nd Assignment Type Sequence for the 11th and 12th grade.
Team work developing Sequences for department use
Collaboration to solve development issues
Creating Prompts Presentation and Activities.
Identifying an Author’s Evidence Presentation and Activities.
Identifying an Author’s Appeals Presentation and Activities.
Evaluating an author’s argument(s) Presentations and Activities.
Engaging with a Conversation with a Text Presentations and Activities.
Supporting your Assertions with Reasons and Examples Presentations and Activities.
Revision of the Sequence.

Phase 3

Implementation of the 1st and 2nd Sequences
Reflection on Teaching Methodologies
Review of selected skills, strategies, and concepts need to implement the sequence
Examination of Student Work
Reflection on implementation and development of the sequence
Pre Assessment of students in reading and writing.
Presentation of West Hills High School Cal Pass Project Findings to the Intersegmental Council

Independent/Team Development of a 3rd and 4th Assignment Type Sequence for the 11th and 12th grade.
Team work developing Sequences for department use
Collaboration to solve development issues
Creating Intertextual and Outside Source Prompts Presentation
Creating and Supporting Argumentative Research Projects Presentation
Developing a research question Presentation and Activity
Refutations, Conformation, and Complication of Ideas Presentation and Activity.
Teaching the Researching On-Line Databases Presentation and Activity
Teaching the Use Outside Sources to Evaluate an Argument
Using multiple sources in Response to a Research Question Presentation
The Integration of Other’s Idea’s with Our Own Presentation and Activity
Revision of the Sequences.

Phase 4

Implementation of the 3rd and 4th Sequences
Reflection on Teaching Methodologies
Review of selected skills, strategies, and concepts need to implement the sequence
Examination of Student Work
Reflection on implementation and development of the sequence
Post Assessment of students in reading and writing.

Project Evaluation and Future Planning
Assessing the Needs of the 9th and 10th grade
Creating a structure of the continued development of sequences
Assessment Reflection
Results Report
Presentation of West Hills High School Cal Pass Project Findings to the Intersegmental Council

Sequential Assignment Types

Building the Critical Reading and Thinking Skills Necessary for Students to Successfully Undertaking College Work

Assignment Type: 11th and 12th Grade Sequence

Analyzing a Non-Fiction Text
Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text
Analyzing and Evaluating a Non-Fiction Text Using Outside Sources
Investigating a Research Question

Assessment Planning

To be completed by September 27th, EPT Style Pre Writing Test and the Pre RCST.

Differnt writing prompts would be given to the 11th and 12th grade.

Sample Prompt and Sample RCST questions : http://www.calstate.edu/eap/documents/ept.pdf

We will post test the same students in the Spring semester.

College Readiness Day and the EAP Discussion

All of the 12th grade teachers and I will be attending the College Readiness Day put on by SDSU in order to learn more about the 12th Grade Rhetoric Course.

Preview of Next Meeting--September 27th, 2005

Question and Anwser about Project
Pre Writing Assessment Sharing—High, Medium, and Low papers.