6 March - Bonus Grey Day!

AP Language

Easy day today in AP Language land as we had a bit of a bonus day. I hope that you found it helpful and useful. We had the chance to settle up business related to writing, reading, or our research work. Here are some guidepoints for you to consider where we are at this moment.

1. Researching - Do you have a finalized research question? Have you begun to collect sources in your sourcepack? Are you building an argument? Do you have some annotated bibliography entries written? At this point you should have 2-3 documents in your sourcepack and processed through an annotated bibliography.

2. Reading - Have you completed the reading of Invisible Man - Chapters 13-15? Have you watched the videos and participated in the discussion? Have you read and annotated Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" for next class? Engage in reading to be a better reader!

3. Writing - Have you met for a writing conference? Completed your most recent timed write? Have a plan to do so if it's missing? Remember that writing takes time, so it's important to work diligently and often. I'm available to assist outside of class as needed! We'll have another timed write coming up soon!

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday! For those of you participating in the Cultural Celebration - be sure to keep up with the class time that you're missing. We can always use Lion Time next week or after school to get caught up!

20 March - Starting the Week Write...Get It?

AP Language

Hooray! It's rough draft day! We took 55 minutes today to plan and draft our final essay for this unit. Remember that you will write your final essay next week. This is the final week to prepare for that assessment. This week you should complete any remaining tasks (submitting AB or SourcePack), meet with me for a writing conference, and review your work with your peers. We also have plenty of practice opened up on AP Classroom. There's also the Jargon/Vocabulary assignment due after Spring Break that you could get done now.

Set your goals. Keep yourself accountable. Be ready for the end of this quarter and your final assessments.

AP Research

Easy day in AP Research today as we began our latest string of working days. You have this week to continue working through your process of data collection, organization, and analysis. As I expressed in our conferences, it is important that you continue to hold fast to your sources throughout all sections of the paper. As you see discrepancies between your data conclusions and the data in the existing conversation, be sure to point those out. Remember, any discrepancy is a new understanding.

I would recommend that you finish your academic paper and then complete your POD slides. We'll watch another high scoring POD next week before we get into our next round of Peer Review. Remember your next deadline - there is Peer Review on March 30. When we return from Spring Break, you'll have your PREP reflections due to be checked. These are our last grades for Quarter 3. Be sure that you are ready to finish strong and then finalize your tasks to submit in April.

14 March - Tuesday Feels

AP Language

Today was a day focused on outlining and planning in preparation for our timed writing. Remember that you will write your essays in four classes. Each of the following days are focused on preparing for that eventuality. Today we reviewed the elements of effective planning and looked at each others' work to provide feedback. Next week we'll be doing a rough draft (so another version of today) and beginning writing conferences with me. Next class we'll be playing a bit of a game of Russian Roulette; don't worry, we'll all survive.

At this point, SourcePacks and Annotated Bibliographies are due. All ABs should be submitted by the end of this week to be scored. If you are having trouble, you need to come in and see me for help. 

AP Research

Today we begin our transition into Unit 5 - Final Elements. During this time we are focused on completing our final assessments, our academic research paper and our POD. You will be given ample time during this unit to write, work, reflect, and revise. It is now crunch time when it comes to data. You'll need to set yourself a drop-dead date to end your data collection and begin your analysis and writing.

Our next day for Peer Review will be on March 30. By this date you are expected to have four of the six sections completed. Remember, even if you haven't collected ALL your data, you can still write your analysis for the preliminary data. Then run the test again when you have it all and check for alignment. As you consider your conclusion, remember your hypothesis. Did the end come out as you thought it would? Why or why not?

Next class we'll be looking at Manzanar one last time. Be sure to bring our best friend as we work toward the end!

9 and 10 March - End of the Week

English 10

Thank you English 10 for your work yesterday while I was away. I appreciate that when I came back I had a folder full of work from you all. I'm excited to see what you put together for me. Next week we're going to look at some poetry before we begin ending our unit on Latin American literature.

AP Language

Today was our final writing workshop to prepare for submission of the annotated bibliography. This assignment is now due. I love that people have already submitted work and received feedback. This makes all of our lives easier. Remember, you can resubmit this assignment - just remember to give me back the rubric. 

Next week we're going to start moving into the writing and planning phase of this assignment. We'll be focused on outlining, writing, and giving peer feedback. Having a complete or nearly complete SourcePack is essential, so be sure that this corollary assignment is nearly complete!

Have a great weekend. Please come in for Lion Time if you need additional help!

AP Research

Today was a great day in AP Research land because it was a day for peer review. This is becoming one of the most important parts of the class because remember, I can't give you direct feedback. I can ask you plenty of questions to help guide you, but if you want to know what to do, then you have to go to each other. Thankfully you're all well trained and able to provide amazing feedback to each other. Today is an example of that.

Work with your revisions. Move forward and polish your work. We'll do another run of this after Spring Break as we consider our Data/Findings, Analysis, and Conclusion. Keep writing. Keep building. Every little bit counts. We'll begin next week in Unit 5. Be sure to complete your PREP reflections so that they are ready to be checked.

Monday the 27th of February

AP Language

Great day in AP Language as we explored a metaphor and understood the connection between a research paper and a dinner party. I would like to emphasize that today we were really beginning with the planning of our response. You're starting to chart out your paragraphs, your assertions, and the essential voices you'll bring to this conversation. Remember, you're curating a conversation. Show links and connections that reinforce your argument. 

As I've begun to read entries for ABs, the main thing that I'm seeing missing is the ROR point on the source. How is the evidence organized in the source? How does this reinforce the claim? Consider the work we did with Staples focused on his organization of his evidence in the body of his article as you do this part of your summaries.

Next class we'll be looking at some sample prompts and doing some planning. You'll also have a good amount of time to work. You should be finishing your AB/SourcePack within the next few classes.

AP Research

Today was a day focused on the Academic Paper - this is the majority of our score, and we have a rubric to guide ourselves, so today was a great day. We looked at three papers, broke down the rubric, and really strove to understand the goals of the rubric and what the assessors are looking for. All of this was geared toward our next major assignment, the final draft of the Introduction/LitReview and draft of your Method.

Next week, March 10, we'll engage in peer review related to our paper sections. We'll use the rubric and several revision guides to help work through our process. Have content. Have words. Don't worry about having it be perfect, we'll get it there together. Next class is more of a working day for you. We'll also finish required conferences and PREP checks. Next week you'll have most days for working and meeting your goals. Keep striving and pushing forward! Slay your beast!

23 February - End of the Week, Blue Day

AP Language

I saw lots of engagement today in AP Language land. We were using our group meeting to build our argumentative tool box - this is a great thing to do for the AP Exam. You'll need to be able to think fast on the exam and pull out great examples to support your argument. Using these articles and sources we've worked through all year as you write your timed essays for the exam will help to raise your Evidence/Commentary and Sophistication score.

Over the weekend, make your SourcePack and your Annotated Bibliography your focus. Having your SourcePack complete would be one of the best things that you can do to prepare for next class. We'll be doing an activity to finish up SourcePacks and check them. Keep in mind that your AB is due soon!

AP Research

Wonderful day in AP Research for conferencing and working to end the week. We're finding ourselves in different places, but as long as we keep moving forward then we're doing what we need to do. Remember that you have a major assignment due on Monday - the BoK Analysis. Download the document, complete it based on your power source, and then submit it to the space. Be sure that you're thorough in your completion of each section.

There's a new reflection question posted - be sure to complete it in your PREP Folder. We'll be assigning some final drafts of paper sections soon, so be ready for some writing focused work next week.

21 February 2023

AP Language

Today was a day for a writing workshop, and what a wonderful day it was. Lots of people were visiting and asking questions and I saw a lot of positive collaboration at the tables. Keep in mind the workflow for this assignment.

1. Select your sources (five to seven). One non-print, one counterargument source, and don't forget your book.

2. Select your excerpts from your sources for your SourcePack. Copy and Paste. Follow the template and examples.

3. Write your AB entries on these excerpts. Follow the rubric and use the exemplars given as well as your sentence starters.

4. Meet with me during Lion Time or after school to review and revise!

Next class we'll have our next group meeting for your books and some direct instruction focused on all of the reading skills. The lesson will go really well if you read and annotate in advance. This article connects to a few of the different topics and sources, so be sure to think critically as you read. Your Annotated Bibliography is due on March 8/9. Remember that we'll have an assignment due almost every week in March. Don't get wasted by time by wasting time. Accomplish daily goals and checkpoints!

AP Research

Today was a day for data (and not the Star Trek android). We watched a great TEDTalk on data visualization which led to some great outcomes for us on the way that we'll display our data and how that display can help the audience understand our key outcomes and understandings. I really loved our class discussion on these concepts.

From there, we discussed various means to organize qualitative data. Keep in mind that frequency is a quantitative data point. You'll want to have a means to organize your data and be able to explain why you have chosen to organize that way. Use your Body of Knowledge to help you make these decisions and justify your choices.

Next class is going to be a conferencing day for us. Be ready for that grade by preparing in your PREP. Keep meeting your goals and moving through your plan. There will be more time for working and data collection next week!

14 February - Happy Valentines' Day!!

AP Language

Solid day in AP Language as we reviewed citations (in-text and end-text), the connection between the SourcePack and the Annotated Bibliography, and some sample AB Entries. Remember that the SourcePack and the AB are connected by a chain. For each of the sources in your SourcePack, you should write an AB Entry. The SourcePack should include key excerpts you'll use to write your paper. Remember that on the day of the timed writing, you'll only have your SourcePack which you built.

Next class is a Group Meeting. You'll be focused on Passage 3, the next chunk of the novel, and your finalized topics. The end of the month is soon, so books should be done by then. Next week we've got a day for writing workshop. I hope you'll find it helpful.

AP Research

We're in a bit of a holding pattern in AP Research right now as we're in the space to collect our data. You have ample time during class to meet with participants, work with spreadsheets and sources, and derive the information you need to address your research question. Keep questing. Keep hunting. Track your progress. 

Next class will be your final whole class workshop. Next week we'll be completing your PREP conferences, more on that on Thursday. We have very few College Board lessons left - they really just focus on the creation of the paper. Keep moving! I'm loving what I'm seeing!

6 February - Rolling On Along

AP Language

Solid day today as we took time for direct instruction related to building the Annotated Bibliography. This assignment will look at your skills related to Claims and Evidence and Reasoning and Organization Reading. In this assignment you'll be writing a paragraph about 5-7 key sources. These should be the same source in your sourcepack. Remember the lesson - the research topic/question/prompt is your filter for your entries. 

The Annotated Bibliography is due on March 8. The Timed Writing - Synthesis will be on March 24. Remember that you must complete your sourcepack before that date in order to write on your topic that you've prepared. Don't forget that group meetings have also shifted. New dates are 2/16 (Meeting 4), 2/23 (Meeting 5) and 3/1 (Meeting 6). This is the date that the book should be finished. 

Be ready for your meeting next class. Meet your daily goals. Prepare and produce an item daily. Use Lion Time or After School if you need me!

AP Research

We finished out our presentations today with a lot of success and gold medals. There will be one more presentation before we begin our final PODs. In the next presentation you'll be reviewing your data, analysis, and your reflection on your hypothesis. This will be an assignment for Quarter 4. So, don't worry about it for now. Build off of what you've done and keep moving forward.

Right now you're going to find yourself in a few different spaces. You should be writing your paper. Revise what you've already done. Keep finalizing writing. I'll be assigning your final draft of your Introduction and Literature Review in a few weeks. You should be collecting your data and setting up meeting with participants. Remember that you can use class time to meet, have calls, and do this important work. You can also leave class and visit others in the building. We'll talk about this procedure on Wednesday. Lastly, don't forget your plan for the unit. Submit that this week.

Next class you'll have a good amount of working time! Accomplish your goals and move forward. Avoid being Richard the Second from Shakespeare - "I wasted time, and now doth time waste me...". See you Wednesday.

3 February - Friday Feels!

English 10

Great day in English 10 today as we took time to review good letter writing, zoomed in on an effective body paragraph as an example for our writing next week, and then we ended with time to work on our major assignment - the research write-up. If you didn't finish it in class, I will take it this weekend. If it's turned in on Monday, I'll hit it with a penalty.

Next week we have registration on Thursday. We'll start with planning our letters on Tuesday and revise our write-ups, if we need to. Be ready for a writing workshop next class! This unit will be ending pretty soon.

AP Language

We're all caught up on this wacky week! Next week we'll have our lesson on the Annotated Bibliography and our next group meeting. Read and prepare! We'll be writing next week!

31 January - The End of the Month

AP Language

Solid day in AP Language as we got our feedback from Exam 2 in all of our essential skills. The tools that you have on AP Classroom for feedback are really essential in this process of developing goals and being accountable to yourselves for your learning. Use the feedback to chart a course forward. As you read, consider the skills in which you see a weakness and apply it to your books. There are also several Progress Checks unlocked for you to practice. For the FRQ checks, come in during a Lion Time and we can review it together and I can explain your grade as I score. This is a great way to improve your writing skills.

The second part of class looked at our Synthesis SourcePack assignment. This is a crucial completion task. Remember that you're cobbling together your sourcepack to include your prompt and five to seven sources with citations. Use the examples provided in AP Classroom (Exam 2, Question 1 and Progress Check Unit 6) as well as the Synthesis Prompt PDF in Current Lessons. These are great examples of your final product. I'm also here to help. Failure to complete this assignment will mean that I choose your prompt for you.

Keep working through the research process. This is the week in which you should finish developing your question. The SourcePack Template is the most important task to complete now. Use the earlier work to complete this essential task.

AP Research

I love days like today in AP Research. They really are some of the best days. I was very pleased with the presentations we saw today for our second round of elevator pitches. We'll continue to pitch on Thursday with another round of four presentations. Remember that we're at the point in the class where the work that you see each other do and the relationships you form in this class are among your most powerful tools. I can't tell you what to do, but you can tell each other and give specific suggestions.

Continue working to collect data, write, review sources, and do the work that you need to do. Remember that you'll have a graded assignment each week to help me get grades for you this quarter. Your next graded assignment will be your plan for Unit 4 and Data Collection. Next class after our presentations we'll look at another major assessment for this unit - the BoK Analysis. Have your best source selected for next class - it'll be a great help.

23 January - Closing out Semester 1

AP Language

Wonderous work in AP Language as we're starting out the development of our research topics and questions. This week is all about this work so that we are ready to move forward when the second semester begins. Remember that your goal is to find five to seven sources which you can use to argue your position on the topic. If the issue is a debate or conversation, then what can you use to explain your position in the issue. One of your sources will be a counterargument - remember that this may be another approach to the idea or issue, and not just an opposite idea. Consider the nuance that many of the sources provide to your issue. One source will need to be a non-print source. One source will be your book.

You should use the Research Question document and the Research Write-Up document to track your progress and topic development. Talk to your group. Use your book! This will be due in approximately two weeks. Remember to have something made from each class to take you to the next.

AP Research

We're all continuing working on our end of quarter tasks in AP Research today. I'm working to read and review your work up to this point and provide feedback. Please check your documents for feedback. Remember that next class we'll have a Early Release - so we just have an hour together. We'll start our next unit on data collection. Be prepared to lay out your plan to move ahead and be ready to meet with your participants (if applicable) to generate your data! Be sure that your final two assignments are submitted to be reviewed!

The Seventh Friday - 7 October

We are seven weeks into the school year, that leaves twenty-nine to go! Also, I won't see Blue Day classes for a whole week. Be sure to keep up with what you have coming due.

AP Language

A great end to the week in AP Language. We were seriously focused on writing, especially timed exam writing, as we reviewed our teamwork, the scoring guidelines and anchor papers, and the work of others. I hope that this is helpful to you as you shift your approach to these types of assignments. Looking at the exemplars and the rubric again and again is the best way to do this work.

We are at the end of the unit and moving to Unit 3 - The Great Gatsby. I won't see you again for a week. So, there are a few things to complete.

1. Vocabulary cards are due. Submit your whole set. I'll be grading soon!

2. Resubmissions/Late What's the Situation projects are due by 10/17. Raise your grade. Avoid the NHI.

3. This is My America projects will be due in one week. Use the template that I created to help you. If you have questions, don't wait until the end. Work with me during Lion Time or outside of school. An email can also be helpful.

AP Research

Lovely lovely day in AP Research today. Our conversation was so rich as we discussed our keystone sources, our Annotated Bibliography, and our eventual Literature Review. The connections that we built were so important, the recording is golden.

I won't see you for a week. Use this time to write your AB entries. If you write three or four a day every day then you'll have the assignment complete by the 14th. You should also complete your seventh PREP reflection this weekend - it lines up well with today's work and conversation. Don't be afraid to tweak your research question. If you see something, say something. Right?

Enjoy the long weekend. Learn the history of the native people who were here before us. Know on whose land you tread.