MR. RESTAD
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English III Blog

Mr. Restad keeps this page up to date
​so you can check what we did while you were gone... or asleep.

Tuesday, Nov 26

11/25/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Review the Grammar Exam 1.1 posted on Google Classroom

Agenda
  • Complete the graphic organizer for Argumentative Essay: Living a Good Life essay
  • OR worked on the retake form for the Grammar Exam if necessary,

ESSAY ORGANIZATION
after thesis is solid...
  • ONE: Plan main claims to support thesis ideas
  • TWO: Brainstorm evidence to back up claims
    • Evidence types
    • .ACTUAL RESEARCH! What research studies or experts show. Not using for this essay unless you really want to get out there and look up/cite some data.
    • REAL WORLD! Current events/trends! Companies like Apple and Samsung or Snapchat and Instagram vie for attention of humans daily, coming out with newer, flashier models and apps.
    • REFERENCES! Books and stuff! Charlotte Perkin’s Gilman warns of the dangers of isolation in her short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”
    • HYPOTHETICAL! Imagine that! Imagine if everyone in a city or school only communicated through text.
    • PERSONAL EXPERIENCE! From my experience! Daily I experience the reality that cursing Youtube or watching football highlights is exponentially easier than picking up that book I’ve been meaning to read or going to the gym.

Have a wonderful break! See you next week.

Monday, Nov 25

11/24/2019

 
REMINDER! The last day to turn in any missing work, redo any tests or assignments is December 20th by 3:15 p.m. 

Do Now
  • If you were gone, begin the Grammar Exam 1.1 posted on Google Classroom
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Fill out the yellow Argument Writing unit overview sheet (at the front of the class)

ASSIGNMENT
Reviewed the upcoming essay assignment: Argumentative Essay: Living a Good Life
  • Brain​storm ideas for the three prompt choices
  • Select your strongest brainstorm and develop a thesis that is
    • Arguable! You are entitled to an opinion. Your opinion is valid and has value. 
      Supportable! The thesis statement itself is not a fact statement but is stated as fact (does not have an "I think" or "the reader can see" statement) and can be backed up with evidence.
      Specific! This opinion should be more than just agreement or disagreement with an idea. Your opinion loses its value and validity if you cannot communicate it effectively and efficiently.
  • Begin planning claims and evidence to support your thesis using the essay organizer.

Tomorrow you will be given time to continue planning/writing your essay OR work on the test retake form from last week's grammar exam.

Friday, Nov 22

11/20/2019

 
Grammar Exam (Rules 1-6) posted in Google Classroom. 

Then we worked on really important projects...
Picture

Thursday, Nov 21

11/19/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Vote for TWIRP Royalty if that's your thing: bit.ly/BroncTWIRP19  ​
  • Review the following sentences and figure out what kind of sentence it is (e.g. simple or compound or complex), how to punctuate each one of the sentences, and discuss the rules governing the punctuation.
SENTENCES
  1. Yesterday was her brother's birthday so she took him out for a pleasant quiet dinner.
  2. Because her alarm clock was broken she was late for class.
  3. This restaurant has an exciting atmosphere but the bland boring food on the other hand has let me down.

STUDY DAY!
See yesterday's study tips and use today to practice for tomorrow's grammar exam.

Wednesday, Nov 20

11/18/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Fill out your unit overview sheet, self-assessing your ability to perform the listed skills: (1=Beginning, 2=Developing, 3=Proficient 4=Advanced)
When you’re finished, grab a piece of paper and reflect: write continuously about What Did I learn? What skills and concepts do you most remember over the past unit? To help, maybe look at the questions below.
  • How will I use what I’ve learned in the future?
  • What were some of the most interesting discoveries or thoughts I had while working on this unit?
  • What were some of my most challenging moments and what made them so?
  • What were some of my most powerful learning moments and what made them so?
  • What is the most important thing I learned personally?
  • What most got in the way of my progress, if anything?
  • How did I help others during this process? How do I feel I may have hindered others?
  • What did I learn were my greatest strengths? My biggest areas for improvement?
  • What would I do differently if I were to approach the same unit again?
  • What moments was I most proud of my efforts?
  • Could I teach these ideas to someone else easily? Why or why not?
Staple your reflection and your overview sheet together. Turn this in.


Grammar Test Friday!
  • Quizlet Terms
  • Grammar Review Questions
  • Grammar Practice test Rules #1-6
  • Grammar #1: Independent Clause Commas
  • Grammar #2: Introductory Commas​
  • Grammar #3: parenthetical and appositive Commas
  • Grammar #4: Essential and Nonessential Commas
  • Grammar #5: Commas in Lists​
  • Grammar #6: Commas and Coordinate Adjectives

​NOTES ON HOW TO STUDY
​​Know terms!
  • Quiz yourself
  • Play a game (quizlet)
Practice application
  • Study guides
  • Review questions
  • Practice tests
  • Homework!
METACOGNITION
  • Review what you didn’t know or feel comfortable with.
  • NOT just what you got right or wrong.
Create!
  • Try to write your own questions for the test
  • Apply concepts to other areas

Tuesday, Nov 19

11/18/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"

Hey! Sorry I'm out today. My daughter is sick and making pitiful, heart-breaking noises but at the same time her little, stuffy snorts are super cute. In my absence, you'll be learning about one of our last comma rules: coordinate adjectives. 

AGENDA:
  1. LEARN! Watch the video linked below, read the orange sheet Grammar #6: Coordinate Adjectives (in the organizer on the front table), AND/OR or check out these online notes.
  2. Complete back side of the orange sheet #6: Coordinate adjectives. Turn this in to the black shelf at the front of the room.
  3. Complete the No Red Ink Assignment: #6 Coordinate Adjectives
  4. Complete Grammar: Editing Paragraphs #1 AND Grammar: Editing Paragraphs #2. Both are linked on Google Classroom. NOTE: read directions carefully! If you don't know MLA or how to use the comment tool, watch this video.

NOTICE!
We will begin reviewing this week for an upcoming grammar test! Probably Friday or Monday. Make sure you're caught up on rules #1-6 and have done the required homework.

Monday, Nov 18

11/15/2019

 
Went over tests and retake forms with folks who needed it. 

Other folks did an escape room in the library.

Friday, Nov 15

11/15/2019

 
Unit Exam posted up in Google Classroom! Good luck!
Picture

Thursday, Nov 14

11/12/2019

 
Thursday is a catch up and review day. You are to spend the class period working on the following:
  • Complete any missing assignments from the unit
  • Complete "The American Eras" review sheet (located on the front table)
    • Remember! If you complete this totally and bring it to class on Friday I will raise your score 1 whole letter grade.
  • Go through the Practice Unit Exam. This is EXACTLY the same type of questions you'll be asked to understand on Friday. The only thing that will change is the poems and reading passages.

Wednesday, Nov 13

11/11/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Define the following
    • a compound sentence
    • a complex sentence
    • dependent clause
    • a non-essential phrase

Agenda
  • Complete Google Classroom Grammar: Editing Paragraphs #1
  • Read up on Parallelism in lists.
  • Complete Orange sheet #5: Commas in lists (passed out in class)
  • Complete No Red Ink assignment #5: Parallel Lists

Tuesday, Nov 12

11/11/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Write into the day: How would you define an "unjust law"? How could a person recognize one in their life?

Goals
  • Practice applying reading strategies for comprehension and analysis

Assignment
  • 1. For no more than 8 minutes. Read excerpt of "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. and annotate it using these strategies
    • >5 word summaries
    • Underlines important words
    • Circle important subjects/key terms
  • 2. Read the corresponding questions (linked below) and label them as the following
    • (M) Main Idea - identify the main idea/purpose of a passage, paragraph
    • (DC) Detail Comprehension - find details that are there
    • (I) Inferences - interpret relationships or draw generalizations.
    • (V) Vocab - identify the meaning of words in context
    • (S) Style- identify the author's style, tone, word choice, attitude, and point of view
  • 3. Answer these comprehension questions
  • 4. Review in class

Monday, Nov 11

11/8/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
Agenda
  • Complete "Civil Disobedience" assignment
  • As a group,
    • Discuss your annotated paragraphs from "Civil Disobedience" in order to come to a consensus about what you think about Thoreau's ideas
    • Write a thesis. 
    • Plan out an essay in which you write claims defending your group's thesis that use quotes from Thoreau's essay as supporting evidence.

Notes on THESIS WRITING
A thesis is an informed opinion or statement of intent which must be a part of ALL other elements of a an essay. 
Theses are...
  • Arguable! You are entitled to an opinion. Your opinion is valid and has value. 
  • Supportable! The thesis statement itself is not a fact statement but is stated as fact (does not have an "I think" or "the reader can see" statement) and can be backed up with evidence.
  • Specific! This opinion should be more than just agreement or disagreement with an idea. Your opinion loses its value and validity if you cannot communicate it effectively and efficiently.
  EXAMPLES: Great thesis: While Thoreau's ideas on civil disobedience have been used selectively in history to bring equality to oppressed populations, ultimately it is not the breaking of laws that will transform a country; rather, the focus on educating citizens on justice and understanding perspective will lead to a more sustainable form of equality. 

Not so great thesis: Thoreau is a patriot. His ideas of breaking laws should be followed. 
This is arguable and supportable, but not specific at all.

Friday, Nov 8

11/7/2019

 
Do Now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Write into the Day: MLK Jr. said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” Do you agree? Do you believe it is ever right to deliberately break a law? When, why, and what are the limits?
  • Pizza trees?
Picture
Agenda
  • View one of the four images (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5) and answer the questions below
    • What is this event of?
    • What do you think these people are resisting or trying to change?
    • What words would you use to describe their actions?
    • Do you think they were successful in making a big change happen? Why or why not?
      • Image Hints:
        1. That's tea in those boxes
        2. These are slaves entering the free state of Ohio
        3. That woman is protesting outside of the white house of a president she could not vote for

        4. Those men at the counter are not being served
        5. That's a backhoe used to dig a pipline

         
  • Begin "Civil Disobedience" assignment

Thursday, Nov 7

11/6/2019

 
Do now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Fill out Grammar Unit Pre-Assessment
  • Think about questions to ask Mr. Restad about yesterday and today's grammar lessons.

Assignments (started yesterday)
  • Read up on Essential vs Non-Essential (parenthetical) clauses.
  • passed out in class Orange sheets #3 and #4.
  • No Red Ink assignments #1, #2, and #3+4 (class codes posted in Google Classroom)
  • Google Classroom Grammar: Editing Paragraphs #1

Wednesday, Nov 6

11/5/2019

 
Do now
  • Fill out the "Daily Check in"
  • Review your "Self-Reliance" Analyzing Argument paragraph on Google Classroom and compare it to the student example paragraphs below.

Assignments
  • Read up on Essential vs Non-Essential (parenthetical) clauses.
  • passed out in class Orange sheets #3 and #4.
  • No Red Ink assignments #1, #2, and #3+4 (class codes posted in Google Classroom)
  • Google Classroom Grammar: Editing Paragraphs #1

"Self-Reliance"analysis student Example paragraphs 

Example #1 - Proficient and Good!
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance,” describes self-reliance as being yourself, working hard for what you want, and that society’s judgement should not affect your choices, which is beneficial advice if not taken to an extreme. Emerson includes the importance of making your own decisions despite your surroundings, and doing what you think is best. He further explains his ideas by using the line “the great man is he who is in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” In other words, a truly self-reliant man is one who is completely himself, even when he is being urged to do one thing or another by society. Emerson also says, “For non-conformity the world whips you with its displeasure,” which explains how a person may choose to do what other people do because they are afraid of judgement or individualism. Emerson makes a great point that people need to start focusing on the importance of being your own person despite society’s criticism, however, his views could be taken to an extreme and cause a person to be too distanced from others or unable to see other perspectives. The idea of self-reliance is crucial in today’s world, and Emerson’s view will benefit people if kept in moderation.

Example #2 - Above and beyond!
To be self reliant is to form relationships while staying perpetually true to oneself; Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance” illustrates such ideas with a lack of limitations, leading one to believe he has a loose grip on the reality of independence. Self-reliance in modern society is an elusive quest one will face at some point in his or her life. Due to societal and personal restraints, revealing one’s personal truth is grueling to most. Such mindset does not come with age as commonly proposed but with serenity: unwavering peace with oneself. Emerson’s essay supports this idea with bold statements such as “...imitation is suicide,” to translate, to mimic the behavior of others is killing ones true self. Though the idea is strong in theory, it lacks sense in the modern world; because creativity is a gift not all are blessed with, inspiration may be perceived as imitation for those who find inspiration in nature rather than in others, thus debunking Emerson’s idea of imitation kills individuality. In contrast to Emerson’s weakly materialized ideas, he also makes strong, indisputable arguments as “the other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency.” Reputations have a strong influence on one’s trueness; to fight assimilation means to overcome the horrors of being viewed negatively by those who stay hidden in the majority, as well as one’s past self. Defeating one’s past is an everlasting war many are bound to lose; the strongest force holding one back from greatness is their past self. By conquering the past, one unveils their truth in life, who they were set on this earth to be.
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  • Classroom Blog
  • Eng III - Spring Units
    • 1 Academic Skills
    • 2 Research Projects >
      • Choosing a topic
      • Research Resources
    • 3 ACT Prep
    • 4 I Am Where I Come From
    • 5 Catcher in the Rye
  • Journalism
    • Newspaper >
      • Blogging about news
      • Senior Podcast Project
      • Person Profile Article
      • Classroom Spotlight
      • In-Depth Journalism
      • Event Journalism
      • Gardiner Special
    • Yearbook >
      • YOURbook
      • Weekly Photo Hunt
      • Photojournalism
      • Magazine Cover
      • Yearbook Open Disclosure
      • Reflective Writing
    • Journalistic Writing Unit
    • Design Module
    • Writing Module
    • Photography Module
    • Magazine Feature Assignment
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