Step One: What is a Utopia?Use the following website to research the concept of “utopia.” Research thoroughly and write down the most important points about the concept. As a group, come up with your own definition of utopia. Tell what utopia means to your group. Write the definition at the bottom of your research sheet.
http://www.reference.com/browse/utopia
Step Two: Research UtopiasVisit three sites of perceived “utopias” that exist today. Pick two that your group likes and, using a Venn-Diagram, compare and contrast two of the utopias. Write 5-8 facts about each community and their “utopian visions.” Remember you are looking for main ideas relating to their vision of society.Later you will be writing a one-page essay detailing your comparisons.
The Acorn Community- www.acorncommunity.org
The Farm in Tennesee- www.thefarm.org (Go to Frequently Asked Questions)
Twin Oaks Community- www.twinoaks.org
Victory City- www.victorycities.com
East Wind Community- www.eastwind.org
Sandhill Farm Community- www.sandhillfarm.org
Emma Goldman Finishing School- http://egfs.org
Dancing Rabbit Village- www.dancingrabbit.org
Step Three: Choose a Type of GovernmentSince your land is not owned or under the rule of a nation, you must decide on the type of government under which you wish to live. View the following websites in order to research the major forms of government: Dictatorship, Oligarchy, Direct Democracy, and Representative Democracy.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-types-of-governments.html
After you have examined the information on each form of government, your group must decide the form of government that you wish to have. You may mix various aspects of different forms of government and create something new. Later you will be writing a one page description of your government/
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Monday, 10/7
Classwork:
1. Free-write for two minutes to the following prompt: What do humans need to be happy?
2. Answer true or false for each question. Then, provide your reasoning for your opinion of each statement.
a. Having a lot of material things always leads to more happiness.
b. Happiness is genetic. You can't change your level of happiness any more than you can change how tall you are.
c. Happiness is the result of good events that happen to people.
3. Answer based on your own experiences and your observations of the world:
Is our own happiness something we can control or is it out of our hands.
4. Discuss: What ways to people find happiness? Have you noticed any cultural practices?
5. Watch and practice: Laughter yoga
Tuesday, 10/8
Classwork:
1. Word choice activity: In a given amount of time (2 minutes max) come up with as many synonyms for 'happy' as you can. Compare your answer to your teammates' answers and compile one big list. Do the same thing for the antonyms. Boys vs girls challenge
2. View first 16 minutes of Happy, the documentary. Look back at the opinion statements from Monday (see #2 above), and determine if the movie changed your opinion. I would strongly recommend you watch the rest of this movie if you have Netflix. There are some segments further in the movie that show sad things and are a bit difficult to watch, so you should ask your parents before viewing.
Homework: Read 30 minutes from independent reading novel/
Wednesday, 10/9
Classwork:
1. Active/passive voice practice and direct/indirect object practice. Complete both sides of the worksheet. Read the directions and talk to your peers. Ask Ms. Grinnell when you need clarification. These are part of the curriculum so please be sure you can identify them when asked. If absent, look in the blue binder for the worksheet. For extra grammar practice, try the quizzes on this site: Softschools quizzes
Here is a good site that addresses many common grammar errors: Grammar
2. Review all books for dystopian society lit circles. Rate your interest for each book on a scale of 1-10.
Scale: 1=Blah, 5=Hmmm (maybe), 6=Yes!!!
I will try to put you in a lit circle for your choice with the highest rating.
Thursday, 10/10
Classwork:
1. Grammar practice with verbals.
2. Discuss utopia project and receive instructions and group assignments.
3. Receive group assignments for lit circles. Decide with your group your reading schedule. How many pages a day will you read through if you have 20 minutes to read each day in class?
Homework: Read independent reading novel for 30 minutes.
Friday, 10/11
Classwork:
1. Begin reading lit circle books.
2. Review template for utopia project and begin brainstorming with your project group.
3. Review your grammar worksheets for a brief mini-assessment Monday morning on active/passive voice, direct/indirect objects, and verbals.
Homework: Review grammar worksheets. Read for 30 minutes. Brainstorm ideas for utopia project.
Classwork:
1. Free-write for two minutes to the following prompt: What do humans need to be happy?
2. Answer true or false for each question. Then, provide your reasoning for your opinion of each statement.
a. Having a lot of material things always leads to more happiness.
b. Happiness is genetic. You can't change your level of happiness any more than you can change how tall you are.
c. Happiness is the result of good events that happen to people.
3. Answer based on your own experiences and your observations of the world:
Is our own happiness something we can control or is it out of our hands.
4. Discuss: What ways to people find happiness? Have you noticed any cultural practices?
5. Watch and practice: Laughter yoga
Tuesday, 10/8
Classwork:
1. Word choice activity: In a given amount of time (2 minutes max) come up with as many synonyms for 'happy' as you can. Compare your answer to your teammates' answers and compile one big list. Do the same thing for the antonyms. Boys vs girls challenge
2. View first 16 minutes of Happy, the documentary. Look back at the opinion statements from Monday (see #2 above), and determine if the movie changed your opinion. I would strongly recommend you watch the rest of this movie if you have Netflix. There are some segments further in the movie that show sad things and are a bit difficult to watch, so you should ask your parents before viewing.
Homework: Read 30 minutes from independent reading novel/
Wednesday, 10/9
Classwork:
1. Active/passive voice practice and direct/indirect object practice. Complete both sides of the worksheet. Read the directions and talk to your peers. Ask Ms. Grinnell when you need clarification. These are part of the curriculum so please be sure you can identify them when asked. If absent, look in the blue binder for the worksheet. For extra grammar practice, try the quizzes on this site: Softschools quizzes
Here is a good site that addresses many common grammar errors: Grammar
2. Review all books for dystopian society lit circles. Rate your interest for each book on a scale of 1-10.
Scale: 1=Blah, 5=Hmmm (maybe), 6=Yes!!!
I will try to put you in a lit circle for your choice with the highest rating.
Thursday, 10/10
Classwork:
1. Grammar practice with verbals.
2. Discuss utopia project and receive instructions and group assignments.
3. Receive group assignments for lit circles. Decide with your group your reading schedule. How many pages a day will you read through if you have 20 minutes to read each day in class?
Homework: Read independent reading novel for 30 minutes.
Friday, 10/11
Classwork:
1. Begin reading lit circle books.
2. Review template for utopia project and begin brainstorming with your project group.
3. Review your grammar worksheets for a brief mini-assessment Monday morning on active/passive voice, direct/indirect objects, and verbals.
Homework: Review grammar worksheets. Read for 30 minutes. Brainstorm ideas for utopia project.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Incorporating Quotes:
quotes video part 1
quotes video
Integrating Quotes Gracefully: handout for binder
"The Moth and The Star": fable
Accountability questions for video and fable: Do you get it?
quotes video part 1
quotes video
Integrating Quotes Gracefully: handout for binder
"The Moth and The Star": fable
Accountability questions for video and fable: Do you get it?
Monday, September 30, 2013
Update: Based on my observations from the reader response letters I have decided to designate Thursday and Friday for review of writing concise sentences, introducing quotes, and eliminating wordiness.
We will use activities from this awesome website during our review: Grammar.
Monday, 9/30 - Friday, 10/4
Monday
Classwork: Today is the final day to work on your infographics. Go to Easel.ly or Piktochart.com to put the final touches on your work!
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Complete any work on infographic if you have access to internet.
Tuesday
Classwork: Today we will present our infographics to the class! This will be done as a gallery crawl. Make sure you know what you're talking about when your peers stop by to chat about your infographic!
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Wednesday
Classwork: Work on editing writing territories task edits. Peer edit.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Thursday
Classwork: Work on final draft of writing territories task.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Friday
Classwork: Reading conferences
Homework: Begin next four vocab words Cornell style
We will use activities from this awesome website during our review: Grammar.
Monday, 9/30 - Friday, 10/4
Monday
Classwork: Today is the final day to work on your infographics. Go to Easel.ly or Piktochart.com to put the final touches on your work!
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Complete any work on infographic if you have access to internet.
Tuesday
Classwork: Today we will present our infographics to the class! This will be done as a gallery crawl. Make sure you know what you're talking about when your peers stop by to chat about your infographic!
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Wednesday
Classwork: Work on editing writing territories task edits. Peer edit.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Thursday
Classwork: Work on final draft of writing territories task.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes.
Friday
Classwork: Reading conferences
Homework: Begin next four vocab words Cornell style
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Cougar Connect Survey
Student Council Announcement:
Are you or someone you know in homeroom interested in developing your leadership skills? Do you have a desire to improve your school and communities? If so, consider nominate yourself or a peer in homeroom for Culbreth Student Council!
Students who run for student council must meet the following criteria:
1. Attendance: Students can only miss two meetings a semester, even with an excused absence.
2. Behaivor: Students must maintain positive behavior at all times. Students must not have had any days of ISS or OSS during the school year. Students can have no more than one office referral per school year.
3. Scholarship: Students must maintain a C average or above in all classes. Students elected to student council will be required to provide a copy of their progress reports and report cards.
School Improvement Questions:
1. What is already great about CMS?
2. How could we improve CMS?
Nominate for student council and answer the School Improvement Classes at Student survey.
If you don't want to type your real name, create a pseudonym for Question #1.
Are you or someone you know in homeroom interested in developing your leadership skills? Do you have a desire to improve your school and communities? If so, consider nominate yourself or a peer in homeroom for Culbreth Student Council!
Students who run for student council must meet the following criteria:
1. Attendance: Students can only miss two meetings a semester, even with an excused absence.
2. Behaivor: Students must maintain positive behavior at all times. Students must not have had any days of ISS or OSS during the school year. Students can have no more than one office referral per school year.
3. Scholarship: Students must maintain a C average or above in all classes. Students elected to student council will be required to provide a copy of their progress reports and report cards.
School Improvement Questions:
1. What is already great about CMS?
2. How could we improve CMS?
Nominate for student council and answer the School Improvement Classes at Student survey.
If you don't want to type your real name, create a pseudonym for Question #1.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Classwork and homework for week of 9/23-9/27
*UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Both easel.ly and piktochart are up and running. Woohoo!
*UPDATE: Due to all the problems with the easel.ly website during first period, please create your infographics on www.piktochart.com. If you've already started creating the infographic on the easel.ly site, we will try to see if there is a workaround to the issue tomorrow. First period students, I'm sorry you had to go through the frustration of the technology issues. Everything should be better with this other site.
Monday, 9/23
Classwork:
Today we will analyze the different parts of infographics and discuss what place they have in education.
With a partner, go to Infographics examples on your iTouch or smartphone. Explore the page thoroughly.
Read the Tech and Science articleTech and Science article. Determine the author's stance on info graphs and decide whether or not you agree with the author.
Explore this site and register for a free account:
www.piktochart.com
With a partner, answer the following questions on a sheet of looseleaf paper.
1)What is the article mainly about? Provide an objective summary.
2) Describe how the text features enhance infographics.
3) What is your opinion of the article and infographics you've viewed today?
4) Create a T-chart of pros and cons for using infographics in schools to convey information to students
Individually, respond to the following question:
ACE question: Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the use of infographics for learning.
Answer the question
Cite evidence from the text
Explain how the evidence supports your text and elaborate
Pay close attention to the infographics today, because this week we will create our own infographics for literary elements and literary devices. Throughout the year, we will create grammar infographics in order to clarify our understanding of grammar rules.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Review your writing territories task revisions.
Tuesday, 9/24:
Classwork:
Register for a free account at www.piktochart.com
Literary element scavenger hunt. Work collaboratively with your partner to create an infographic to explain your assigned literary element.
an example of Ms. Grinnell's conflict infographic - still under construction :)
Literary Elements Infographic Assignment and Rubric
Homework:
Read for 30 minutes. Work on your vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Wednesday, 9/25:
Classwork: We will work on our infographics in class.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Thursday, 9/26:
Classwork: We will complete our infographics in class and will rehearse our presentations with our partners. Use the Flip cams to record your presentation. Review the video and take notes on your presentation strengths and weaknesses.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Finish vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Friday, 9/27:
Classwork: We will present our infographics in small groups. We will rate our peers' presentations and infographics. Any remaining time will be spent on revising our Writing Territories Tasks.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Review the Writing Territories Task rubric specific to your type of writing choice.
*UPDATE: Due to all the problems with the easel.ly website during first period, please create your infographics on www.piktochart.com. If you've already started creating the infographic on the easel.ly site, we will try to see if there is a workaround to the issue tomorrow. First period students, I'm sorry you had to go through the frustration of the technology issues. Everything should be better with this other site.
Monday, 9/23
Classwork:
Today we will analyze the different parts of infographics and discuss what place they have in education.
With a partner, go to Infographics examples on your iTouch or smartphone. Explore the page thoroughly.
Read the Tech and Science articleTech and Science article. Determine the author's stance on info graphs and decide whether or not you agree with the author.
Explore this site and register for a free account:
www.piktochart.com
With a partner, answer the following questions on a sheet of looseleaf paper.
1)What is the article mainly about? Provide an objective summary.
2) Describe how the text features enhance infographics.
3) What is your opinion of the article and infographics you've viewed today?
4) Create a T-chart of pros and cons for using infographics in schools to convey information to students
Individually, respond to the following question:
ACE question: Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the use of infographics for learning.
Answer the question
Cite evidence from the text
Explain how the evidence supports your text and elaborate
Pay close attention to the infographics today, because this week we will create our own infographics for literary elements and literary devices. Throughout the year, we will create grammar infographics in order to clarify our understanding of grammar rules.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Review your writing territories task revisions.
Tuesday, 9/24:
Classwork:
Register for a free account at www.piktochart.com
Literary element scavenger hunt. Work collaboratively with your partner to create an infographic to explain your assigned literary element.
an example of Ms. Grinnell's conflict infographic - still under construction :)
Literary Elements Infographic Assignment and Rubric
Homework:
Read for 30 minutes. Work on your vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Wednesday, 9/25:
Classwork: We will work on our infographics in class.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Thursday, 9/26:
Classwork: We will complete our infographics in class and will rehearse our presentations with our partners. Use the Flip cams to record your presentation. Review the video and take notes on your presentation strengths and weaknesses.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Finish vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Friday, 9/27:
Classwork: We will present our infographics in small groups. We will rate our peers' presentations and infographics. Any remaining time will be spent on revising our Writing Territories Tasks.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Review the Writing Territories Task rubric specific to your type of writing choice.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Week of 9/16 - 9/20
Monday, 9/16
Classwork: We will make connections between 'The Treasure of Lemon Brown" and national homeless issues. We will read "Giving and Getting" and begin the comprehension packet including a poll, comprehension questions, writing prompt, and math connection question. There are three versions of the article. If you do not feel challenged by the article you receive, proceed to the stretch article.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes.
Tuesday, 9/17
Classwork: We will complete our "Giving and Getting" comprehension packet and choose from literary analysis activities to extend our understanding of literary elements.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Begin vocabulary Cornell Notes for demo, derm, dyna, and agri.
Wednesday, 9/18
Classwork: MAPS testing is today. Classwork will consist of working on our literary analysis extension activities.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Thursday:
Classwork: Complete literary analysis activity.
Homework: Finish Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Friday, 9/20
Classwork: Writing workshop: We will review Ms. Grinnell's proofreading marks on our writing territories task. We will make revisions to our work and learn about publishing options.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Classwork: We will make connections between 'The Treasure of Lemon Brown" and national homeless issues. We will read "Giving and Getting" and begin the comprehension packet including a poll, comprehension questions, writing prompt, and math connection question. There are three versions of the article. If you do not feel challenged by the article you receive, proceed to the stretch article.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes.
Tuesday, 9/17
Classwork: We will complete our "Giving and Getting" comprehension packet and choose from literary analysis activities to extend our understanding of literary elements.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Begin vocabulary Cornell Notes for demo, derm, dyna, and agri.
Wednesday, 9/18
Classwork: MAPS testing is today. Classwork will consist of working on our literary analysis extension activities.
Homework: Work on Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Thursday:
Classwork: Complete literary analysis activity.
Homework: Finish Dear Ms. Grinnell letter. Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
Friday, 9/20
Classwork: Writing workshop: We will review Ms. Grinnell's proofreading marks on our writing territories task. We will make revisions to our work and learn about publishing options.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Work on vocabulary Cornell Notes.
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