Monday, June 12, 2017

ELA Regents Prep on Tuesday, 8:30-3:00!

If you are taking the ELA Regents on Wednesday, please come see me for ELA Regents prep at some point on Tuesday. If you are taking a Regents exam on Tuesday, stop by before or after your exam. We will not be in our regular classroom because it's being used for exams; I'll post the room number on the door on Tuesday morning.

If you can't make it, here is the handout with all of the tips and tricks that you will need to pass!

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Final Projects!

Reminder: Bring back any books you borrowed from the class library or the Erasmus campus library!

Also, if you did a final project but didn't do the reflection, make sure to answer the reflection questions here and email it to me by Tuesday night or you won't get credit.

Here are some of the projects from the 2nd and 6th period classes:

Altonya's LGBTQ Support Team Instagram

Rasheda's High School Survival Guide

Israel's Book Review Blog

Taye's Book of Poetry

Angello's Presentation on Anime

Rajene's High School Survival Guide

Bannesa's Analysis of Song Lyrics

Dale's Business Plan

Shaquan's Medical Marijuana Presentation














Week of June 5th-9th

Hello everyone,

Congrats on making it to the final week of the year! This is your last chance to turn in any late work or extra credit, so make sure you meet with your teachers to see if there is anything you need to make up.

Bring back Independent Reading books you borrowed from me, please! Also, check out a book from the Brooklyn Public Library (in person or online) and show me what you checked out. This counts for two weeks of Independent Reading credit = 200 points!

Need extra credit? Want extra help this summer on SAT Prep or college and career readiness? LIU Brooklyn has some amazing FREE summer programs, and if you send in an application you will get EXTRA CREDIT for your English grade! Applications are available here, or ask Ms. Atwill for a printed copy.

Monday
Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Multiple choice prep: Finish exams or begin corrections.

Homework: Get a library card for the Brooklyn or New York public libraries! If you have one, check out a book!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Projects due, first group presents.

Homework: Get a library card for the Brooklyn or New York public libraries! If you have one, check out a book!

Tuesday

Field Day, no classes!

Wednesday


Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Make corrections for multiple choice exams using the template. 

Homework: Finish your corrections, due Friday.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Second group presents projects.

Homework: Make sure you've updated and turned in your calendar, rubric, proposal, project and reflection by Friday!

Thursday

No Classes

Friday

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Week of May 30-June 2nd

Hello everyone,

Don't forget to bring back any independent reading books you borrowed from our class library, and check out a book from the Brooklyn Public Library (in person or online) and show me what you checked out! This counts for two weeks of Independent Reading credit!

Monday

Memorial Day, no classes


Tuesday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:


Classwork: Multiple choice prep.

Homework: Get a library card for the Brooklyn or New York public libraries! If you have one, check out a book!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Project drafts due.

Homework: Get a library card for the Brooklyn or New York public libraries! If you have one, check out a book!

Wednesday


Periods 1, 5 and 7:
Classwork: Study for Multiple Choice Test.

Homework: Extra Credit: Quiz corrections for “An Uncomfortable Bed” due Friday at 2:30.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork:Project work time.

Homework: Continue work on projects.

Thursday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:
Classwork: Multiple Choice Test

Homework: Extra Credit: Quiz corrections for “An Uncomfortable Bed” due Friday, and check out a book from the Brooklyn Public Library by Tuesday!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Work on presentations and project revisions.

Homework: Write a plan for your presentation. Include: How long will it take (should be about 5 minutes), what will you do or say, and what materials do you need?

Friday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:
Classwork: Multiple Choice Test

Homework: Check out a book from the Brooklyn Public Library by Tuesday, and bring back any independent reading books you borrowed from our class library!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Final project work time. Double check that you have ready to turn in on Tuesday: Your project itself, your calendar, and your proposal. Update your proposal/rubric if necessary!

Homework: Final Projects Due Monday! You will be presenting either Monday, Wednesday or Friday of next week. 

Monday, May 22, 2017

Week of May 22-26

Hello everyone,

Our year is almost over! Please make sure you are caught up on any late work, especially reading logs. Remember, last week (May 15-19) was the last week of required Independent Reading. You need to check out a book from the Brooklyn or New York Public Library, either in person or by using the app. See me at lunch or after school if you need help! Due on June 5th.

For 2nd and 6th periods, here is an example of a rubric from another student who did a great job.

Monday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Reading Logs due. Complete questions 1-10 from "A Mink of One's Own."

Homework: Study for tomorrow's multiple choice quiz. It will be on a fiction text.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Reading Logs and rubrics due. Review rubrics and make revisions if necessary.

Homework: Choose one section of your project to bring in for a peer review on Wednesday.

Tuesday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Multiple choice quiz on a fiction text.

Homework: Get a library card for the Brooklyn or New York public libraries! If you have one, check out a book!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Project work time. Conference with Ms. Atwill: What do you need to do to have a full draft done by the end of this week?

Homework: Choose one section of your project to bring in for a peer review.

Wednesday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Review questions on yesterday's quiz, and complete quiz corrections for extra credit. Answer questions 11-15 on "In The Wild."

Homework: Extra Credit: Quiz corrections for “An Uncomfortable Bed” due next Thursday. Start to study for Multiple Choice Final Exam next Thursday and Friday!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Peer Review of projects.

Homework: Make revisions to your project based on your peer review. Complete draft due on Tuesday, update your calendars!

Thursday

Classwork: Answer questions 1-6 from "The Pit Ponies."

Homework: Extra Credit: Quiz corrections for “An Uncomfortable Bed” due next Thursday. Start to study for Multiple Choice Final Exam next Thursday and Friday!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Peer Review of projects.

Homework: Update your project calendar and complete any remaining work to have a full draft by Tuesday.

Friday

Monday, May 15, 2017

Week of May 15-19

Hi Everyone! For those of you in periods 2 and 6 who want to see a sample proposal, you can take a look at this one here. This isn't necessarily the way yours needs to look, but yours should be at least as detailed. If your project changes after you write the proposal, that's fine! You will explain what you changed and why in the reflection.

If you need to see a copy of a blank rubric, click here. Remember, you only need to fill in the Level 4 column!

Monday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Read and answer multiple choice questions for "The First Public Park."

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and write a response on one Writing Strategy from your book. Multiple Choice Quiz tomorrow, be on time!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Determine what steps you need to complete first to start your project, and what steps can only be completed after other work has been completed. Use this information to create your project calendar.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and write a response on one Writing Strategy from your book.

Tuesday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Multiple Choice Quiz

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and write a response on one Writing Strategy from your book.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Write and complete your goal for the day, based on your project calendar.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and write a response on one Writing Strategy from your book.

Wednesday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Go over yesterday's quiz. Begin working on multiple choice strategies with fiction texts. Questions 1-7 from "The Peerless Four."

Extra Credit: Quiz corrections! You can earn back up to half of the points you missed on Tuesday's quiz. For each question you missed, write a paragraph about what mistake you made, or what information you missed that would help you get the correct answer next time, and why the correct answer is the best choice. Corrections due Friday.

Homework: Complete questions 1-7 from "The Peerless Four."

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Write and complete your goal for the day, based on your project calendar.

Homework: Write 1/2 page: What specific skills and content should your project be assessed on? What will mastery of that skill look like for your project?

Thursday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Review "The Peerless Four." Work on questions 15-21 from "The Car."

Homework: Finish questions 15-21 from "The Car." Extra Credit quiz corrects due tomorrow!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Use examples to create a rubric for your project, with a minimum of four skills assessed. Your rubric must assess Audience and Conventions.

Homework: Finish your rubric. Must be typed and emailed to msatwill@gmail.com by Monday, May 22nd.

Friday

Periods 1, 5 and 7:

Classwork: Review questions from "The Car." Work on questions 1-10 from "Neverwhere."

Homework: Finish questions 1-10 from "Neverwhere," and 10 pages of Independent Reading and one response. Reading logs due Monday!

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Project work time. Conference with Ms. Atwill on your rubric and your plan to have a complete draft of your project completed by the end of next week.

Homework: Finish your rubric. Must be typed and emailed to msatwill@gmail.com by Monday, May 22nd. Reading Logs due on Monday. Complete any weekend project goals!

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Week of May 8-12

Welcome to the final marking period of the year! This is a very short marking period, only five weeks long, so it's extremely important to stay on top of all of your work and not fall behind.

All of your teachers are available during office hours (4th period) on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so please take advantage of that opportunity to check in to make sure you are on track.

Monday

Periods 1 and 7:

Classwork: Watch the film Henrietta Lacks. Take KWL notes and discuss topics from the story that you are interested in learning more about, as well as topics that are complex and do not have a clear answer. These topics will help you generate Socratic Seminar discussion questions.

Homework: Write two Socratic Seminar discussion questions based on issues from the Henrietta Lacks story.

Periods 5 and 6:

Classwork: No class (Community Meeting)

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and one response on a writing strategy from your book.

Period 2:

Classwork: Begin working on your Final Project. Receive the instructions and the calendar. Brainstorm potential project ideas with your classmates.

Homework: Narrow down your brainstormed list to 3-5 potential projects.

Tuesday

Periods 1 and 7:

Classwork: Write down your classmates' Socratic Seminar discussion questions, and have a mini Socratic Seminar on the discussion questions we have created, as well as any topics that arise during our discussion.

Homework: Write ½ page on what you learned from your classmates in today’s discussion.

Period 2:

Classwork: Analyze your Rhetorical Analysis essay feedback from your teacher and your peers. Do you agree with all of it? Select one paragraph to revise to a Level 9.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and write a response on one Writing Strategy from you book. Your revised body paragraph is due Monday!

Period 5:

Classwork: Watch the film Henrietta Lacks. Take KWL notes and discuss topics from the story that you are interested in learning more about, as well as topics that are complex and do not have a clear answer. These topics will help you generate Socratic Seminar discussion questions.

Homework: Write two Socratic Seminar discussion questions based on issues from the Henrietta Lacks story.

Period 6:

Classwork: Begin working on your Final Project. Receive the instructions and the calendar. Brainstorm potential project ideas with your classmates.

Homework: Narrow down your brainstormed list to 3-5 potential projects.

Wednesday

Periods 1 and 7:

Classwork: Review strategies to handle unfamiliar words and answer multiple choice questions. Complete questions 15-20 in the multiple choice packet.

Homework: Answer questions 21-24 in your multiple choice packet, and 10 pages of Independent Reading and one response.

Period 5:

Classwork: Write down your classmates' Socratic Seminar discussion questions, and have a mini Socratic Seminar on the discussion questions we have created, as well as any topics that arise during our discussion.

Homework: Write ½ page on what you learned from your classmates in today’s discussion.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Work on drafting proposals for the final project.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading and one response on a Writing Strategy from your book.

Thursday

Period 1:

Classwork: Review strategies to handle unfamiliar words and answer multiple choice questions. Complete questions 15-24 in the new multiple choice packet.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading and one response.

Period 5:

Classwork: No class (Community Meeting)

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and one response on a writing strategy from your book.

Period 7:

Classwork: Review strategies to handle unfamiliar words and answer multiple choice questions. Complete questions 15-20 in the multiple choice packet.

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and one response on a writing strategy from your book.

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Continue drafting proposals for the Final Project. Share your draft with a classmate and evaluate what you need to include.

Homework: Finish your proposals for the final project, due at the start of class tomorrow.

Friday

Periods 1 and 5:

Classwork: Questions 15-24 in new Multiple Choice packet. Multiple choice quiz on Tuesday!

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and one response on a writing strategy from your book. (Reading Logs due Monday)

Periods 2 and 6:

Classwork: Final Project proposals due. Revise a body paragraph of your choice from your Chavez Rhetorical Analysis essay to a Level 9.

Homework: Revised body paragraphs from Rhetorical Analysis essays due Monday, and if Ms. Atwill asked for a proposal revision, complete it by Monday as well. Reading Logs for this week are also due Monday!

Period 7:

Classwork: Questions 1-7 in new Multiple Choice packet. Multiple choice quiz on Tuesday!

Homework: 10 pages of Independent Reading, and one response on a writing strategy from your book. (Reading Logs due Monday)