Category Archives: Uncategorized

Posted on by

Writer’s Workshop

Objectives: Students will use the edit their essays after the grammar lesson. Students will also use the rubric to help them finalize the essay.

Aim: How do I vary sentence structure in my writing?

Resources:

Do Now:

Click the Workshop Link to review some grammar rules.

Mini Lesson:

1. Writing sentences with  various structure

Please click the link to see the workshop contents-

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/sentences.htm

2. Using transitions

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/composition/composition.htm

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/transitions.htm

Independent Practice

Focus for revision:

  1. subject verb agreement
  2. variety of sentence structure
  3. punctuation
  4. transitions

 

Select a specific area you feel you need support with, go to that page directly.

Homework:

  1. Read a story from the anthology by Karen Russell. Write five reading logs based on five different reading standards. ( click the link http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/337BF93A-95FF-4A48-9434-CE9EA0B70E06/0/p12common_core_learning_standards_ela_final.pdfand direly go to pages 52-53 ( 9-10 reading literature standards).
  2. Preparations for the Harlem Renaissance Project 

Resources: 

a. Read an article that provides detailed descriptions of the Harlem Renaissance movement. Read the article and  take notes to show your understanding of the movement. Organize your notes into sentences that explain what the movement was about and stood for. Cite one direct quotation that  highlights the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.

b. Examine three works from the Harlem Renaissance period ( 2 poems by two different poets and one art). Write a paragraph based on each work discussing how each writer or artist  uses his/her artistic creation to chant in the movement.

c. Be sure to provide the citations( website url, author’s name, title, year of publication, etc) for all four sources ( an informational article about the Harlem Renaissance, two poems by different poets and a painting or collage).

 

 

Posted on by

English Capstone Project

Capstone Project 2014-

For this project, students will read a Gothic novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly and do research on the novel’s zeitgeist- historical, technological, maritime, industrial as well as autobiographical background to understand how the zeitgeist has played a great role in adding wings to Shelly’s imagination and her literary creation. Students will do research on these factors and use multi-media presentation to present their research. In addition to using visuals as part of the presentation, students will also use excerpts of the essay to explain, argue or support their assertion that they will derive based on research.  For each visual, students need to provide citations as well as captions. Through the project, students will gain deep understanding of the direct correlations between an imaginary work and it zeitgeist. Students will also come to understand that literary work is a representation of history, culture , ideology and language of a society; each reader renders his/her  judgment of the work according his/her  social, religious or cultural values.  Through literary works we see a microcosm of the society that exited more than a century ago. The work becomes a living “fossil” for us to study the world from which it was originated and in which it once thrived.

I. Before you read Shelly’s Frankenstein either for the first time or again, research and write about one of the four topics of your choice, below ( as a group, all topics must be covered). The essay should be no less than five paragraphs. MLA citation must be applied and a MLA style bibliography must be attached. To copy a line without citation is plagiarism. Keep that in mind when paraphrasing. Make sure you give credit every time credit is due in MLA Style.

  1. The French Revolution and the rise of Industrialization during the Industrial Revolution era.
  2. Science and technology of the Industrial Revolution era.
  3. Artic Exploration during the Industrial Revolution era.
  4. The Romantic era.

II. When reading a novel it is always important to have some understanding of the era during which the novel was written. Understanding the historical context of a text gives you, as a reader, a more holistic understanding of the thematic, social, and tonal elements woven within the text and between its lines by its author. Finally, as you read, keep a journal to illustrate how the facts behind your above essay topics were woven by this author into her work. You may comment about social implications and restraints, themes, or the author’s tone at a given time – as long as it is at least one paragraph per chapter.

III. Actively read Frankenstein, Mary Shelly, and complete your journal entries in a notebook. Try to enter as many comments as you can that relate to your above written essay topics because such notes are essential  for us to have a meaningful discussion to prepare for our final project.

 

 

Posted on by

Unit 3 Lesson 8: Fish Bowl

Introduction: End-of-Unit Assessment—students will engage in a discussion to analyze “True Crime,” “How Bernard Madoff Did It,” and The Wizard of Lies. Students will first review their notes and annotations for each text they have read in this unit (Mosley’s “True Crime,” Ahamed’s “How Bernie Madoff Did It,” and an excerpt from Henriques’ The Wizard of Lies). They will then identify quotes that complement or challenge one another from the different texts and explain how the authors make similar or contrasting points. Using a fishbowl method for discussion, students will engage in a critical dialogue about the texts, using the open-ended questions developed in the previous lesson. They will also critique their peers’ discussion. Students will be required to synthesize analysis across multiple texts and engage with SL.9-10.1.a, c, and d in order to evaluate their peers.

CCS

RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.9-10.5 Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g. a section or chapter).
SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

b.Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

c.Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Texts: All unit texts: Mosley’s “True Crime,” Ahamed’s “How Bernie Madoff Did It,” and an excerpt from Henriques’ The Wizard of Lies

Objectives:Students will will engage in a critical dialogue about the texts, using the open-ended questions developed in the previous lesson. They will also critique their peers’ discussion. Students will  synthesize analysis across multiple texts and engage with SL.9-10.1.a, c, and d in order to evaluate their peers.

Aim: How do we use open-ended questions in a discussion group to synthesize our analysis of the texts?

Do Now: (7 minutes)

  • Share your answers to the homework response: Does the information you know about the Bernie Madoff scandal confirm or challenge Mosley’s claims in “True Crime”?
  • Synthesizing Central Ideas: review your notes and annotations independently from the three texts in this unit: “True Crime,” “How Bernard Madoff Did It,” and The Wizard of Lies. Look for common ideas and claims across all three of the texts and then use evidence that complements or challenges one another from the different texts. Identifying this information will be the basis for explaining how the authors are making similar or contrasting points.
  • share your revisions or refinements of the discussion questions

Mini Lesson- Directions for Fish Bowl Activity ( 4 minutes)

In this part of the End-of-Unit Assessment you  will engage in a discussion using the questions they developed in the previous lesson and will be partaking in a “fishbowl” discussion, which is  a method that asks students to think critically about the discussion itself.

The class will be broken into two equal groups and form two circles—one inner and one outer. The inner circle will be the discussion group, while the outer group will listen and take notes on the inner group’s discussion. After 10 minutes, the outer group will provide feedback to the inner group about their discussion. After that, the groups will switch places, and the process will repeat.

While in the outer circle, you should take notes about when someone makes an especially clear point; when someone backs their points up with strong evidence; when someone responds thoughtfully to someone else’s point of view; and when someone actively incorporates others into the discussion. You should also make note of when any of these things could have been better.

You will be assessed according to the Speaking and Listening Rubric on their ability to prepare for the class discussion; propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader central ideas or larger ideas; incorporate others into the discussion; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives.

Independent Practice ( Assessment)

Round 1: For the first discussion, the inner circle will discuss “True Crime” and “How Bernard Madoff Did It.” Begin their discussion by responding to the following question:( 10 minutes)

Does Ahamed’s article support or challenge claims that Mosley made in “True Crime”? 

You can pose follow-up questions and change the direction of the discussion. You have exactly 10 minutes for discussion

The outer circle share something new your have learned as a result of the discussion. Point out the strong points of the discussion, and where it could have been stronger.You will have 5 minutes to share. ( 5 minutes)

Round 2 : Switch

The inner circle will now focus on “True Crime” and The Wizard of Lies.  Begin their discussion by responding to the following question:

Is Mosley’s claim that “Everybody is guilty of something” supported or challenged by Henriques? 

Exit Slip: Reflect on today’s Fish Bowl activity by focusing on the quality of discussion.  Share one strength of the discussion and one thing you could work to improve for the next group discussion. Refer to specific parts of the rubric as you debrief.

Posted on by

Unit 3 Lesson 7: Wizard of Lies

Introductions : students will finish reading the excerpt from The Wizard of Lies by Diana B. Henriques. Students will read from where they left off (paragraph 10: “But this wizard behind the curtain”) to the end of the excerpt (paragraph 18: “the most dangerous ones are those we tell ourselves”). Students will use text-dependent questions as the basis for a small-group discussion in preparation for the End-of-Unit Assessment.

Texts: Excerpt from The Wizard of Lies

Materials:

1. Copies of the article

2. Copies of Speaking and Listening rubric

3. Short Response Rubric

CCS ( Common Core Standards Tool)

RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.9-10.5 Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas and claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of the text (e.g., a section or chapter).
W.9-10.9.b Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

  1. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).
SL.9-10.1.a, c Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

  1. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
  2. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

Aim: Who does Henriques suggest is to blame for Madoff’s crime? How does the author support this suggestion?Objectives:Students will draw a claim on who is to blame for Madoff’s crime and how the author develops the claim.

Voc.

  • delusion (n.) – a belief or impression that is firmly believed despite obvious evidence against it
  • day of reckoning (n.) – day of judgment, or a day when one’s deeds reap consequences
  • implacable (adj.) – unstoppable; inevitable; relentless

Do Now

Discuss the main ideas in pairs and share their questions about the text. Then,  pairs share their ideas with the entire class.

Write a short paragraph explaining how Madoff and his clients “selectively observed” the facts and how this contributed to the crime.

Mini Lesson

Read Para.1-6 and annotate while listening to the reading with special attention to

pay attention to Henriques’ discussion of “trust” and “self-deception.”  Put CI to indicate the development of a central idea.

Respond to the TDQs-

1.In the first paragraph (“The Madoff case demonstrated…”), explain what was “demonstrated with brutal clarity”?

2. What does Henriques mean by in our midst?

3. According to Henriques what is “exactly the profile of a Ponzi schemer”?

4. Why did people trust Bernie Madoff?

5. How do “we flatter ourselves” by thinking that only a “soulless, heartless monster” could commit a crime like Bernie Madoff and hurt the ones he loves?

6.In paragraph 5 (from “We flatter ourselves” through “we cannot see our own blind spots”), what is Henriques’ claim?

7. How does Henriques support that claim?

8. How is the fact that we deceive ourselves related to Bernie Madoff?

9.What is a delusion?

10.What does Henriques mean by, “Madoff was not inhumanly monstrous. He was monstrously human”? What makes him monstrous?

11.What does Henriques argue was different about Madoff?

12 How did Madoff and his clients “selectively observe” daily experience?

13.What does it mean to “selectively observe” something?

We will be using discussion norms and procedures-  ask and answer questions, move the discussion forward, relate ideas in the discussion to bigger ideas, facilitate discussion without teacher intervention, draw on specific textual evidence, and create a safe and respectful environment for the exchange of ideas.

To score a “2” in a discussion-You should prepare for the discussion before class by researching the material and reading the necessary texts well, and you should respond thoughtfully to other students, even those who disagree with you. See the Listening and Speaking Rubric.

Mid-Lesson Assessment

How does Henriques develop a profile of the Ponzi schemer and Madoff through specific details in paragraphs 1–6?

Write a short paragraph explaining how Madoff and his clients “selectively observed” the facts and how this contributed to the crime.

Independent Practice

Step 1

In small groups, read paragraphs 10–18

Use the following questions as discussion questions. Work together to look for evidence and record your responses. Draw evidence from the text to use in their writing.

a. Who is the “wizard behind the curtain”?

b. Who is Henriques comparing Madoff to by calling him a “wizard” and describing his “Emerald City”?

c. Why does Henriques argue so many people decided to follow Madoff even though he was a fraud?

d. Based on the context, what does day of reckoning mean?

e. Why did people give Madoff the “benefit of the doubt”?

f. How was Madoff like every “opportunistic cheat” and every “impulsive risk-taker”?

g. What does implacable mean in this context?.”

h.What does Henriques mean by “the next Bernie Madoff”?

i. How does Henriques argue that there will always be people like Bernie Madoff? Explain her reasoning in your own words.

j.Why couldn’t a world without trust exist?

k. What point is Henriques making with her descriptions of “the next Bernie Madoff” and the people around him?

l. Why are the most dangerous lies the ones we tell ourselves?

Step 2

Use the following discussion prompt to engage in a full-class discussion. You will continue the work of collaborative discussion outlined in SL.9-10.1.a and c: propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions. You should also refer explicitly to the text when making a point.

Who does Henriques suggest is to blame for Madoff’s crime? How does the author support this suggestion?

This is a question that has more than one correct answer, and that lends itself well to discussion that incorporates multiple viewpoints.

Quick Write:

Respond briefly in writing to the following prompt:

Whom does Henriques suggest is to blame for Madoff’s crime? How does the author support this suggestion?

Homework:

Review and expand their notes from all three texts in this unit: “True Crime,” “How Bernie Madoff Did It,” and The Wizard of Lies excerpt.  Write a one-paragraph response to the following: Does the information you know about the Bernie Madoff scandal confirm or challenge Mosley’s claims in “True Crime?”  Use the Short Response Rubric and Checklist to guide their written responses.

Posted on by

Unit 3 Lesson 7: travails of the rich and famous

Introduction: Students will also begin reading the second informational text in this unit, “How Bernard Madoff Did It,” a book review that explains the nature of Madoff’s crime.

CCS

RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
W.9-10.9.b Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

  1. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).
SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Objectives: Students will determine the central idea of the article ” How Bernard Madoff Did It” and how the author Ahamed  shapes and develops the CI in the article.

Aim: What is the central idea of the article ” How Bernard Madoff Did It” and how does  the author Ahamed  shape and develop it throughout the article?

Materials:

  • Student copies of the Speaking and Listening Rubric and Checklist
  • Copies of the article

Vocabulary

    • stock market (n.) – a place where shares of a company are bought and sold
    • hedge fund (n.) – an investment fund that invests large amounts of money using risky methods
    • fluctuation (n.) – irregular rising and falling in number or amount
    • voyeuristic (adj.) – having the quality of being an obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects
    • morbidly (adv.) – unhealthily; unwholesomely gloomy or extreme
    • travails (n.) – pains and suffering because of hardships
    • broker-dealer firm (n.) – an organization that trades stocks for customers; when acting for the customer the organization is the “broker,” and when acting for themselves they are the “dealer”
    • downside risks (n.) – the risks between the return you hope to get and the return you actually receive
    • hedge the portfolio (v.) – to reduce losses of the combined investments
    • cottage industry (n.) – any small-scale, loosely organized industry
    • feeder funds (n.) – smaller amounts of money that invest into a larger “master fund”
    • channeled assets (n.) – moved assets (money or stocks)
    • Potemkin-like (adj.) – apparently impressive but actually false; named after the Russian soldier and statesman who was Empress Catherine II’s lover and is supposed to have built fake villages along the route of her tour of the Crimea
    • Sophoclean family tragedy (n.) – reference to Sophocles the playwright; a terrible thing happening to a family on a dramatic scope
    • chasm (n.) – a deep divide or gap
    • Securities and Exchange Commission (n.) – a U.S. federal agency that regulates the stock market and other financial exchanges in the United States
    • option trading (n.) – buying and selling a very risky financial asset
    • derivatives market (n.) – a market for a type of asset
    • incarceration (n.) – the state of being in prison
    • recession (n.) – a period of economic contraction or decline
    • plausible (adj.) – appearing to be true and believable
    • viability (n.) – capacity to operate and sustain
    • engrossing (adj.) – fully occupying the mind
    • embodiment (n.) – a concrete or physical representation

Mini Lesson

A book review, a type of informational text, is meant to give information about a book and its topic, as well as an opinion about the quality and scope of the book.

Read the 1st paragraph of the article and determine the central idea in the first paragraph of “How Bernard Madoff Did It.” How does this idea emerge and what details shape its development?  Identify textual evidence that addresses the development of central ideas in the text.

Use questions to deepen the understanding-

  1. According to Ahamed what makes the Madoff scandal different from others?
  2. What does Ahamed mean by “others found a certain voyeuristic pleasure in the financial travails of the rich and famous”?
  3. Why was the public “morbidly fascinated” by the Madoff scandal?

Independent Practice

Through a jigsaw activity, students will present central ideas and supporting evidence that develop and/or refine the ideas from selected paragraphs from the text.  Students will be assessed on their presentation as well as the written response of their given portion of text.

Discuss and present the key portions of your  paragraphs, definitions of the academic vocabulary present, and will take notes on others’ presentations. You will determine the development of the central idea in this portion of text through the presentations. We will use the Speaking and Listening Rubric and Checklist to evaluate your own presentation before presenting to the rest of the class.

Your presentation needs to –

  1. provide a clear and organized summary of the paragraph, as well as highlight the main ideas present in each portion of text.
  2. Use introductory language such as “In this paragraph Ahamed states…” as well as organizational language to logically connect their understanding of the text.
  3. underscore the importance of academic vocabulary present in their portion of text, “This word means…and functions to do…in the text.”
  4.  provide an objective summary of the text and identify the central ideas present in your portion of text.

Students should be evaluated on their presentations using the Speaking and Listening Rubric and Checklist.

The Text: How Bernard Madoff Did It

Groups 1-paragraph 2-3 , Group 2- Paragraphs 4-6, Group 3 -para. 7-8, Group 4 -para. 9, Group 5 -para 10 .

Use the guided steps & questions to help deepen understand the text-

  1. Read in pairs and annotate the text using the code CI to note the development of a central idea in the text.
  2. Identify a central idea in “How Bernard Madoff Did It.” How does this idea emerge and develop in this portion of text?
  3. Use the questions to guide your discussion-
    a. How does Ahamed refine his idea that the Madoff scandal grabbed public attention? Cite evidence Ahamed uses to refine this idea.
    b. What might Ahamed mean by “Sophoclean family tragedy” in reference to the Madoff scandal?What was the reason Madoff “fudged the numbers”?c. Why did Madoff stop “even bothering to invest the cash”?
    d. Based on your understanding of a Ponzi scheme from the video, write the last sentence of paragraph 4 (“After a while, the chasm…”) in your own words.
    e. How is Henriques able to add “significant detail to the story”?
    f. What context clues can be used to help determine the meaning of Potemkin-like?
    g. Explain how Madoff’s actions would require a writer like Henriques to be knowledgeable about “the mechanics of the fraud.”
    h. What can threaten the viability of a Ponzi scheme?
    i. What circumstances lead to the scheme being “on the verge of breaking down”?
    j. Why did Madoff constantly need to find “a new source of money”?

Assessment: Make one connection between a central idea in “How Bernard Madoff Did It” and a central idea in “ America’s Obsession with Crime.” Write a brief explanation that includes supporting evidence from each text.  Use the Short Response Checklist and Rubric to guide your written responses.

————————————————————————————————-

Homework:

Watch a text-based video, http://youtu.be/52nYNE9DYYQ “$50bn Ponzi scheme – How Madoff Did It,” that explains that nature of Bernard Madoff’s crime and outlines the concept of a Ponzi scheme.  Answer some comprehension questions before finishing the viewing.  Consider these focus questions while viewing the video: Who is Bernard Madoff? What did he do? In two to three sentences describe how a Ponzi scheme works. What makes a Ponzi scheme a crime?