Editorial Templates

Welcome! Grab a grammar answer sheet (orange) and data tracker sheet (white) from the front table. Check your homework answers and record your data on your tracking sheet. Please do not change your answers. If you did not do the homework, do not grab an answer sheet. Do not copy someone else's answers. This will not help you get true data for self-assessment. If you copied someone's answers, let me know and I will get you a new sheet.

When you are finished, get a computer and finish up Part 1 of the Editorial task. After that, go to my blog. I've added Part Two and the outline for the introduction to the document. Go ahead and copy Part Two and the introduction outline in your Editorial document. Get to work!

Op Ed Template Parts 1-5
200 Ideas for Editorial Writing Prompts
How to write a debatable claim

This week

We have started studying the art of editorial writing. Through the process of reviewing sample pieces and breaking down different parts of an editorial, we can become more comfortable with the writing style.

Let's start with a list of words that you need to know for this unit: Vocabulary. We will cover all of these terms in class, but make sure to fill out the "What I Think It Means" category.

Here is the copy of the grammar assignment I gave for homework yesterday: Grammar #1. If you haven't turned it in yet, go ahead and get it done. We'll go over the answers in class on Thursday.

Here are some common parts of successful editorials:

Lede: hooks the reader; shows immediate relevance of the issue/problem

Thesis: debatable claim about the issue/problem

Argument Paragraphs: multiple points to support the thesis; evidence based; include analysis

Counterargument: addresses flaws in the argument or possible reader objections; can come at any point in the body of the op-ed

Conclusion: a call to action for the reader: what can s/he do about this problem?

Activity: Read the following article and try to identify the lede, thesis statement, argument, counterargument, and conclusion. "Why I Lived With My Garbage For a Year"

Are the lede, thesis, and conclusion statements effective? Why or why not?

Is the counterargument valid, and does the author give a rebuttal to it?

What evidence does the author provide? Does the type of evidence vary?

Look at the author's paragraph structure. Does he use this format: topic sentence, evidence, elaboration, summative statement?

Does a thesis statement always have to be in the introduction? Why or why not?

Due Monday:

It is time for some independent work. If you haven’t already heard, the 8th grade ELA teachers must give a common ACES assignment. Today you will read and annotate an article about the Outer Banks, the location of our upcoming field trip. You will complete an ACES response to a prompt about the article. Here are the details:

Step 1: Take a copy of the  "Rising Seas: Will the Outer Banks survive?" article Also, take a copy of the rubric ACES rubric and the ACES template. ACES response template

Step 2: Thoroughly read and annotate the article. Your prompt for the ACES response is “How do the text features of the article help the reader understand the central idea of the text?” In order to answer this question, you need to know what a text feature is and what the central idea of the text is.

Text features: graphs, diagrams, pictures with captions, subheadings, bold print, etc.

Do not count underlined words as a text feature for this assignment. That was just a glitch with the document.

*AIG students, I expect you to use the shoreline diagram from page 2 as one of your pieces of evidence!

Central idea: Ha! You must figure this one out on your own! You can do it! Writing sentence summaries for each paragraph might help you determine the main idea.

Step 3: Before you start writing your ACES response, read over your rubric carefully to see what is required of you.

Step 4: Look over your ACES template and start writing! Notice on this template that you must supply two pieces of evidence with elaboration. Be specific, thorough, and descriptive in your response.

Tuesday warm-up

October 6th-10th

Monday
Classwork: My Name writing tasks
Homework: Complete My Name Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Work on vocabulary activities: Vocab #1. Vocabulary activities are due Wednesday, and the vocabulary test is on Thursday.
Additional resource: http://www.first-names-meanings.com
Tuesday
Classwork: Continue My Name writing tasks #4-6. Begin rough draft of essay. Ideas for formatting your essay: My Name paragraph structure ideas
Homework: Complete rough draft of My Name essay and have hard copy ready for peer editing on Wednesday.

Wednesday
Classwork: We will peer edit one another's My Name essay for the first half of class. During the second half of class, we will choose our roles for the ELA/SS collaborative Christopher Columbus trial. You will prepare indictments in Social Studies class. You will study to be witnesses and jury members in my class. Readings to be posted by Tuesday.
Homework: Work on revisions of My Name essay. Study for vocabulary test.

Thursday
Classwork: Continue researching roles for Columbus indictments. Begin graphic organizer.
Homework: Prepare final draft of My Name essay.

Friday
Classwork: Continue researching roles for Columbus indictments. Begin graphic organizer.

October 2nd and 3rd

Hello all!

Make sure to read this The Newyorker article The Power of Names and summarize each paragraph in the margins. There are eight paragraphs, so you need one sentence per paragraph that sums up the main idea. This will help in a writing assignment we do next week. If you want an additional challenge, here are some questions to give you a deeper analysis of the text: https://docs.google.com/a/chccs.k12.nc.us/document/d/1R-lxss7ZS4MCFChv6PxAp59jI7qTqTygOeCQLN7Vylc/edit

Thursday:
Start working on your vocabulary activities - Vocab #1 list, definitions, and activities. Make sure you understand each of the 10 words. The activities are due next Wednesday, 10/8, and there will be a brief test on Thursday, 10/9.

Read through Vignettes #1-4 of The House on Mango Street (House on Mange Street, Hair, Boys and Girls, My Name). If you would like to read along with the audio, go here: House on Mango Street.

Answer the following questions for each vignette:

Vignette #1: “The House on Mango Street” 1. Find the sentence that describes the windows of the house and copy it below: 2. What type of figurative language is the author using? 3. Why is it effective? What does it make you picture or think about? 4. Describe a feature of your own home, using the same type of figurative language:

Vignette #2: “Hairs” 1. Find a sentence that describes a family member’s hair and copy it below: 2. What type of figurative language is the author using? 3. Why is it effective? What does it make you picture or think about? 4. Describe any of your own family member’s hair, using the same type of figurative language.

Vignette #3: “Boys and Girls” 1. Write out the last sentence of this vignette: 2. What type of figurative language is the author using? 3. Why is it effective? What does it make you picture or think about? 4. Describe yourself in a sentence, using the same type of figurative language.

Friday: Grammar Refresher - subjects and predicates
Schoolhouse Rock: Tale of Mr. Morton