We started our adventure of online learning for Writing 2. I was so blessed and impressed by this group of students. I know it's going to get boring sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time, but they did a great job. As the week's progress, I'll work out some of the kinks and find more ways to make the learning enjoyable and effective. That said, it's important to remember that this is school even if you're curled up on a cozy couch or sitting in your bedroom. The same rules about distracting technology use, respecting one another, and focusing on the what's going on in class apply.
After checking sound levels and admitting everyone to the room, we did our usual Quick Write. For these Quick Writes, students can either write on a piece of paper and then take a picture of it and email it, OR they can type their responses directly into an email. I gave them 3 prompts from which to choose: 1) What's the craziest thing you've done; 2) How are you staying connected with people during our "shelter in place;" and 3) If we're going to do our best to stay home, what last minute items do you need to purchase?
I had to adjust the presentation of our Words of the Day because the view of my whiteboard was not clear. We used the Zoom chat feature for that. These words came from Merriam-Websters March Words of the Day
fusty -- British : impaired by age or dampness : moldy; rigidly old-fashioned or reactionary
crwth -- an ancient Celtic stringed instrument that is plucked or bowed
ambidextrous -- using both hands with equal ease or dexterity
retronym -- a term (such as analog watch, film camera, or snail mail) that is newly created and adopted to distinguish the original or older version, form, or example of something (such as a product) from other, more recent versions, forms, or examples
oleaginous -- 1 : resembling or having the properties of oil : oily; also : containing or producing oil; 2 : marked by an offensively ingratiating manne
Writing
Most students had watched the video last week that gave an explanation of the next writing assignment -- an Evaluation Essay. An Evaluation essay starts with choosing a topic and then establishing criteria. Part of the essay will include explaining the criteria, and the other part will include measuring the topic with the criteria. (I used the Breakout Room feature of Zoom to put them in small groups to discuss topic ideas. In Zoom, I'm able to go from to room to room and listen to their conversations. Having academic conversations can be difficult to get used to in this digital format, but I plan to use the Breakout Rooms every week.) The Rough Draft and Pre-Write of the Evaluation Essay are due next week. Students can 1)share a Google Doc, 2) send a Word attachment, 3) send a pdf, or copy the text of the paper into an email if they are using Apple's Pages.
Literature
We have finishing our short stories, and I'm a little disappointed that we couldn't have longer discussions about last week's and this week's stories. We did take some time in Breakout Rooms to discuss one of my favorites, "A Pair of Silk Stockings" by Kate Chopin. Every year when we read it, students comment that the mother should not have spent money on herself If you're interested, I've included a link to the story below. Read it and let me know what you think.
Now, we are onto Poetry; I'm intentionally starting the Poetry work a week early, so the syllabus will be a little off. For those students who picked up their packets from me on Tuesday or from Mrs. Johnson, you can read the poems from the book. For the rest of you who have chose the digital option, the specific poems are listed below with links to websites. The first task of the students is to read the handout, Interpreting Poetry. Then students must read all of the assigned poems, and they are to choose 2 poems to respond to. Here are their options for responding to the poems:
1. Fill out a Poetry Worksheet for one or both (link to blog or use attached document below)
2. Write a paragraph about the poem(s) that analyzes it using the ideas of Imagery, Sound, and Structure as explained in the Interpreting Poetry handout.
3. Instead of writing a paragraph, record a video commentary about the poem. Youtube LiveStream or some other app on a device is OK as long as it can be seen by me.
4. Do a piece of art that connects with the content and meaning of the poem.
5. Find a recorded version of someone reciting the poem AND make a video of your recitation of the poem.
Grammar
I've put together some short videos to review what we've learned so far this year. (The videos aren't professional quality, but they get the job done.) Using Edpuzzle, students are to watch the videos and answer questions as they pop up throughout the videos. This is their grammar homework for this week. Here's what students need to do:
1. Go to Edpuzzle and click on Student.
2. The next screen will ask for a class code. The code for Writing 2 is ciujder.
3. The next screen will have you sign in to the website, and then it will take you to class site with the assigned videos.
4. Watch the videos and answer the questions -- there are 3 videos for this week.
5. Note: You will have to stay on the website; if you leave it, the video stops. You can't fast forward, either. I'm afraid you'll just have to do the whole assignment.
Have a great weekend! I'm so excited to be seeing the students again!
Mrs. Prichard
Assignments for Next Week
-- Write the Pre-Write and Rough Draft of the Evaluation Essay
-- Read all of the poems listed below
-- Choose 2 poems and respond (see notes above)
-- Complete Edpuzzle assignment
Links for This Week
Class Notes
Poetry for Week 11 (April 2) (Note: I've added some poetry that wasn't on the syllabus)
Holmes
(p. 21 - 22) Old Ironsides
Emerson (p. 4, 5) Concord Hymn, and The Snowstorm
Longfellow (p. 6 – 10) The Arrow and the Song, and The Builders, and Paul Revere's Ride
Whitman (p. 22 – 26) I Hear America Singing, and Miracles, and O Captain, My Captain
Dickinson (p. 29 – 32) Because I could not stop for death, and Hope is a thing with feathers, and
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