Behold! The Power of the Writing Process Awaits!

Click below for a copy of the Zinn Assessment.  Even though you were given one in class on Tuesday of last week and it has been annotated, here’s another copy.

Outside of my attempts to sound like Charlton Heston, it is true that this is the week for reveling in the prewriting and drafting stages.  Students have received their Zinn Assessments.  The Close Reading Activity is going to be where their focus will lie.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, students will receive their passages that shall form the basis of their Close Reading Activities.  Following the schedule they received this past Tuesday and is also posted below, students can navigate through this harrowing terrain of scholarship through the use of the rough draft process:

Monday, December 2- In class work on completing parts I and II of Assessment.  Close Reading Passages given on Wednesday.

HW:  Make Progress on completing Parts I and II.  By Wednesday night, Parts I and II should be finished.  Folders to place work for Parts I and II will be given out tomorrow and if you want to submit Parts I and II before hand, you may do so.

Tuesday, December 3- Discuss the basic concept of Close Reading Passages.  Start making progress on answering questions.  If you want to pick up your Close Reading Passage, you can do so at lunch today.  They will be ready.

HW:  Finish Parts I and II by tomorrow.

Wednesday, December 4-   In class work on Close Reading Passage.  Rough Drafts can be sent, shared, or given to me and will be read until December 9.  The room will be open for lunch if you have any questions.

HW:  Parts I and II should really be done. Start reading over the Close Reading Passage.

Thursday, December 5  In class work on Close Reading Passage.  Rough Drafts can be sent, shared, or given to me and will be read until December 9. Breakouts during class.  The room will be open for lunch if you have any questions.

HW:  Work on your Close Reading Passage.  Aim for getting two questions done tonight and then send them off for rough drafts to me.

Friday, December 6-  In class work on Close Reading Passage.  Rough Drafts can be sent, shared, or given to me and will be read until December 9. Continue breakouts. The room will be open for lunch if you have any questions.

HW:  Work on your Close Reading Passage.  Aim for getting three or four done.  Send them off to me as rough drafts.  Passage One People- You must have the Identification, done, as well.

It is my belief that the use of the rough draft process will help all of our students, our emerging writers and scholars find success in a domain that will be with them the rest of their academic being:  Writing.

I hope that I can count on your help, the stakeholders, to ensure that our students do what needs to be done and submit rough drafts, multiple rough drafts, of their writing this week.

If I can be of any further help or assistance, please do not hesitate to let me know.

All best.

Mr. Kannan

A Shortened Week, but a great chance to get some extra help!

With the shortened week, students will naturally drift off into thinking about the five day break.  It is natural, but I strongly suggest that some thought is given to receiving extra help on their Social Studies reading proves to be confusing.
We finish the Howard Zinn reading as of Monday.  Now, the assessment phase begins.  Some of our students are finding the reading to be challenging, embracing the very sense of rigor I predicted about two weeks ago.  If students are having trouble, this is a potential plan of action that can be followed:
1)  Students can come in during lunch on Monday and Tuesday to receive additional instruction.
2)  Students can come in Monday and Tuesday morning to receive additional instruction.
3)  Students can email me or send me a googledoc with questions that they have on the reading or approaches they can take to help understand the reading better.
4)  Students can contact me at my home and we can have a phone conference to help them better learn the necessary elements of the material.

While students should think of the upcoming break as a chance to be free of all that bothers them at school and all that hopefully awaits for them at home, this break does not mean that all work and thinking should be suspended.  Students can advocate for their learning and enjoy their time away from school.  It is possible.  It truly is...

With that, our schedule for the week:

Monday, November 26- Catchup day in class.  If you need to finish any reading, you do it today.  By tonight, the Zinn article should be entirely annotated.  If you are done, start the questions assigned in class (Page 179- #s 35-45)

HW:  All questions from 35 to 45 on page 179 need to be completed tonight and the entire Zinn article needs to be annotated.   

Tuesday, November 27- Introduce Zinn Assessment.  Discuss all parts.  The Close Reading Passages will be given out next week.  Assess Page 179, 35- 45.

HW:  If you want, start on the Zinn Assessment in terms of parts I and II.  You must have finished annotating the Zinn Article.

Best wishes to all stakeholders and their families on this Thanksgiving Weekend.

All best.

Mr. Kannan

Continuing with Howard Zinn in the second trimester

Personal shout out to Grace in Second Period who was able to construct what the Dolphins' locker room might have looked like to someone who was on the inside, but pushed towards its margins.

Halfway through the Zinn article and we find student annotating the dense terrain, making connections, finding answers through tough questions.  They are engaging in close reading of a text as they cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.  The Zinn reading is helping students move forward in their study of history as they Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.  From a historical point of view, students are interacting with the text so that they can Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.  From a literary point of view, students are gaining an understanding in Describing how a text presents information.  Through their understanding of Zinn's perspectives and belief systems, students are engaging in a process of identifying aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose.  

Anytime you can hit up over half a dozen Common Core standards in one activity, that cannot be all that bad.

Students are fighting through the article.  By Monday, they should have more than half of it read and annotated.  As we move towards the brutally tough Close Reading Assessment on Howard Zinn, we work through the article, one sample of the rigorous reading that is offered in our study of American History.  Our work for this week is as follows:
Monday: 

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Find your 15 minutes.  Annotations on XIV and XVII should be done by Wednesday.  If you are confused….

1)  Are you coming up during lunch or in the mornings for individual help?

2)  Are you speaking with Mr. Kannan during individual break outs? 

3)  Are you communicating with Mr. Kannan via email or asking him to look over your annotations?

4)  Are you advocating for yourself, making your areas of ambiguity more clear?

If you are confused, the more of these steps that are followed, the better.  At some point, all worthwhile must start somewhere. Maybe you can start one with your Social Studies teacher to remove your doubt and lack of clarity.

Welcome to Second Trimester with extra credit.  This is due Friday.  Click here to read an article on Winnie The Pooh.  It is evident that the Chinese government believes that the “bear with very little brain” has political overtones.  In this vein, go ahead and describe three characters from Winnie the Pooh and clearly explain what theme they represent.  Your themes can be from Industrialization or Progressivism.  I will be very impressed if you could link Christopher Robin to Industrialization…

If you are not familiar with the characters who live in “the 100 Acre Wood,” please click here for reference.
*  Brief point:  I think that it speaks volume about content comprehension if students can connect domains that are previously thought unconnected.  Pooh Bear and Zinn would qualify.

Tuesday:
--> Find your 15 minutes.  Annotate for Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs,  Five Vocabulary words that are new and complex, Three important people, and the required questions found on page 110.  Some have been permitted to annotate for simply the questions.

Wednesday:  Read and Annotate XVIII to XX
--> Find your 15 minutes.  Annotate for Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs,  Five Vocabulary words that are new and complex, Three important people, and the required questions found on page 110.  Some have been permitted to annotate for simply the questions.

Thursday:
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Find your 15 minutes.  Annotate for Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs,  Five Vocabulary words that are new and complex, Three important people, and the required questions found on page 110.  Some have been permitted to annotate for simply the questions.

Here is an extra credit assignment that is due on Tuesday of next week.
Welcome to the 100 Acre Wood in the midst of Haymarket Square...

Friday:  Finish the article.
--> Find your 15 minutes.  Annotate for Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs,  Five Vocabulary words that are new and complex, Three important people.  No required questions on this one.  Some have been exempted from annotating.

We progress onwards.  Through rigor and challenge, we foray into a realm where the scholarly pursuit of "the good, the true, and beautiful" (along with Tigger and Piglet) await our arrival.
I encourage stakeholders to sit down with our students and help facilitate some reflection about points of strength and projection of future success as the first trimester has ended with the second trimester commencing.

All best.
Mr. Kannan

One Down and Two to Go: "Miles to go before" we even consider resting...

Photo courtesy of http://witness-this.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sebastiao-salgado-.jpeg

The harrowing terrain of what lies ahead prevents any of us thinking that some significant moment being reached this week should cause use to rest.  Quite the contrary, I think.  It is critical that students recognize with one trimester down, it simply means that the transition "Welcoming" period is over.  The real fun will begin in this next trimester.  Let the games commence.

This week, students must keep up with the reading in Howard Zinn and their annotations.  These annotations will become a critical piece of the Zinn assessment.  Students can see me during lunch if they are confused or come in before school to receive guidance.  I will be meeting with students individually during class to "spot check" their annotations and help to provide guidance.  In the end, though, students will have to use in class time and out of class time to keep up with the pace of the demands placed on their shoulders.  My hope is that students can step up to this task.  With the end of the trimester, different extra credit assignments present themselves and I hope that if students wish to take any of these, they do so with honor, dignity, and the best effort put forth to assist them.  I hope that students take advantage of the extra credit opportunities made available for them.  It should be noted that as a general policy, I don't bump up grades at the trimester.  With the extra credit opportunities and revisions made available during the course of the trimester, that could be the bump in its own right.

For the week of 10.11- IF YOU MISSED THE COMMON CORE ASSESSMENT ON THE JUNGLE, YOU HAVE TO MEET ME WEDNESDAY DURING LUNCH OR THURSDAY MORNING.  THESE ARE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS UP.

Monday:  Read parts I, II, and III in “Robber Barons and Rebels.”  Annotate for required elements:  Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions.  This is due on Tuesday.  Find your 15 minutes.  You might need it after this activity.  Extra Credit: One of the “mottos” of the United States is “e pluribus unum.”  In one paragraph, identify the meaning of this quote.  Explain its purpose and what it strives to convey about America.  Identify why it was adopted and when it was adopted.  In another paragraph, explain how American History during Industrialization and Progressivism has represented this quote and how it has gone against it.  Clearly identify historical examples of each.  In your last paragraph, explain three themes from Industrialization that go against or support this motto and then explain three themes from Progressivism that go against or support this motto.  End your last paragraph with your own belief about the truth of this motto in terms of life at Julian.  (Be honest in this reflective mode.)  Art people:  Draw how American History has gone against and/ or supported this motto.  All Extra Credit is due Friday, and you can click here for a rubric.

Tuesday:  Read parts IV to VIII in “Robber Barons and Rebels.”  Annotate for required elements:  Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions.  This is due on Thursday.. Find your 15 minutes.  You might need it after this activity. Extra Credit:  Given what is happening with the Miami Dolphins and the fragmented locker room, click here to read an article about the issue.   Summarize the article in one paragraph.  In another paragraph, identify three themes of Progressivism/ Industrialization and explain how they apply to the situation.  Finally, explain if you believe that Martin did the right thing by walking away from Incognito’s bullying behavior.  Art People:  After reading this article, draw what you think Martin the locker room must have been like for Martin.  All Extra Credit is due Friday, and you can click here for a rubric.

Wednesday:  Read parts IV to VIII in “Robber Barons and Rebels.”  Annotate for required elements:  Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions.  This is due on Thursday.  Find your 15 minutes.  You might need it after this activity.  Extra Credit:  Read the Following Article here.  In one paragraph, identify why this embrace was so meaningful.  Discuss in this paragraph what your reaction to the person who was embraced is.  Then, in a second paragraph, explain three themes of Progressivism that is present in the embrace, the article, and the Pope’s actions.  Extra, extra credit if you can reference two Tweets from the Pope in this analysis.  Art people:  Identify three tweets from the Pope.  Draw what they would look like with the Tweet as your caption.All Extra Credit is due Friday, and you can click here for a rubric.

Thursday:  Read parts IX to XIII in “Robber Barons and Rebels.”  Annotate for required elements:  Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions.  This is due on Monday..  Find your 15 minutes.  You might need it after this activity. Extra Credit:  Conduct research on Pope Francis.  In one paragraph, include at least five biographical details and Identify three of his fundamental beliefs, including why he believes them.  In another paragraph, explain how Pope Francis is similar to Francis of Assisi and then connect some of his beliefs and actions to Saints like Mother Teresa.   Finally, examine three themes of Progressivism to Pope Francis using either words or actions.  In closing, make a case for what Pope Francis would say about what we do at Julian and where more is needed.  (Be honest in this part.)    Art People:  Compare pictures of Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and the Pope’s embrace.  Render an artwork that captures the selflessness and willingness to “be more” that these three “honorable passengers” reveal. This should be very compelling as the pictures of each would be very compelling.  All Extra Credit is due Friday, and you can click here for a rubric. PLEASE NOTE:  The use of the Pope is more as a historical figure in terms of showing the transcendence of themes from the Progressivist Era and not in any other means of religious advocacy.  Yet, having said that, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for students to examine moments of pure and true action and selflessness in the real world, connecting them to historical themes, and forging connection to our own world here at 416 South Ridgeland.  This cannot be a bad thing.

Friday:  Read parts IX to XIII in “Robber Barons and Rebels.”  Annotate for required elements:  Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions.  This is due on Monday..  Find your 15 minutes.  You might need it after this activity.  All extra credit is due today.  Trimester One is over at 3:30..  Let’s get working with Howard Zinn and get moving towards Trimester Two.  One down, two to go.

Indeed, one down, two to go, but what a two are left!

All best.

Mr. Kannan

Light your candles, inheritors of the luminosity of scholarship!

With the Diwali weekend upon us (or having passed, depending on when you are reading this), our students wrestle with academic rigor and challenge.  They will be processing concepts both psychologically and intellectually, making for an enriching academic experience.  This week features Marx, Smith, strange passengers, Upton Sinclar, Pink Slime, and Howard Zinn.  All in all, not a bad week of learning:

Monday:  Finish your Marx/ Smith Logs.  Make sure they are detailed and thorough.  HW: Finish Marx and Smith logs as well as assigned questions from Marx and Smith enrichment sheet.  Click here for a breakdown of what is needed for Wednesday's assessment.  The second slide should help.

Tuesday:  Videos on Marx and Smith.  What do you see from each thinker in each video?   HW:  Finish analysis on videos and make sure Marx and Smith log is ready for submission.  Tomorrow is assessment day.

Wednesday:  Assessment day.  Bring your packet and a writing instrument.  Let's get ready to write!  HW:  Finish your Marx and Smith log.

Thursday:  Collect Marx and Smith logs.  Discuss Consensus and Conflict views of U.S. History.  Introduce the man:  Howard Zinn.  Discuss his belief system.
HW:  Start previewing "Robber Barons and Rebels."  Behold what it is you will be reading.

Friday:  Introduce expectations for reading Howard Zinn.  Assign first reading from "Robber Barons and Rebels."  This is due on Tuesday.
HW:  Read parts I, II, and III in “Robber Barons and Rebels.” Annotate for required elements: Five Main Ideas, Three GHTs, At least five vocab words, Three Important People or Groups of People, and for answers to required questions. This is due on Tuesday.

The work increases, the demands become more, the need for advocacy becomes more essential as the fight goes on, the cause endures, and the dream of scholarship shall never die.

If I can be of any further help or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All best.
Mr. Kannan