EDUC 200 Final Project Jenny Chacon Fall 2004

South Pasadena Middle School

School Characteristics  Total Enrollment: 1,050 students  95.2% credentialed teachers South Pasadena Middle School (6-8)

Class Information  8 th Grade Social Studies  Class Size: 32 students  Class Make-up: 13 Girls 13 Girls 19 Boys 19 Boys

Classroom Layout Front chalkboard Chalk- board Teacher’s Desk Computer TV

Classroom Technology 1 Computer in the Corner 1 Computer in the Corner (turned off during all 3 visits) 1 Television 1 Television 1 VCR with the Television 1 VCR with the Television 1 Radio/CD Player 1 Radio/CD Player

Content Standards Eighth Grade Writing Standards Lesson 1 : 1.1 Create compositions that establish a controlling impression, have a coherent thesis, and end with a clear and well-supported conclusion. Lesson 1 : 1.1 Create compositions that establish a controlling impression, have a coherent thesis, and end with a clear and well-supported conclusion. Lesson 2 : 1.2 Establish coherence within and among paragraphs through effective transitions, parallel structures, and similar writing techniques. Lesson 2 : 1.2 Establish coherence within and among paragraphs through effective transitions, parallel structures, and similar writing techniques. Lesson 3 : 1.3 Support theses or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions from authorities, comparisons, and similar devices. Lesson 3 : 1.3 Support theses or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions from authorities, comparisons, and similar devices.

Lesson One: Introduction, Thesis, and Conclusion

Standard 1.1: Create compositions that establish a controlling impression, have a coherent thesis, and end with a clear and well- supported conclusion. Lesson 1 Objective: The students should know what a thesis is & its importance in a paper or essay and should be able to compose a written essay consisting of an introduction, thesis, and conclusion.

Lesson 1 (Continued) Motivation: Have each student choose a memorable experience from their lives that they could base an essay on. ex. Birth of a younger sibling ex. Buying a dog, cat, or other animal ex. Favorite family vacation ex. Favorite family vacation

Lesson 1 (Continued) Input of Information: Explain what an introduction consists of including the “hook” in the beginning. Explain what an introduction consists of including the “hook” in the beginning. Define a thesis statement and how it is supposed to go at the end of the introductory paragraph. Define a thesis statement and how it is supposed to go at the end of the introductory paragraph. Finally, explain what goes into a conclusion paragraph. Finally, explain what goes into a conclusion paragraph. Technology: Use an overhead projector or power point to show the structure of an essay focusing on the introduction, thesis, and conclusion Technology: Use an overhead projector or power point to show the structure of an essay focusing on the introduction, thesis, and conclusion Checking Comprehension:  Ask the students to help create examples of introductions, theses, and conclusions. Do this as a class. Perhaps put together a mini-essay made of contributions of the class.  Technology: Either write out the examples on the overhead or type the examples on a computer that reflects onto a screen or wall.

Lesson 1 (Continued) Structured Practice: Have the students meet in groups and together write an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. Each group can present their mini-essay to the class. Guided Practice: Each student can outline an introductory paragraph, including a thesis, and conclusion paragraph based on the experience they thought about earlier.

Lesson 1 (Continued) Closure: Hand out copies of examples of essays that are both good & bad. Have them determine which are good based on its structure (not content). Possible Homework Assignment: Have the students complete a mini-essay on their memorable experience that they chose and outlined in class.

Lesson 2: Transitions, Parallel Structures, and Similar Writing Techniques

Standard 1.2: Establish coherence within and among paragraphs through effective transitions, parallel structures, and similar writing techniques. Lesson 2 Objective: The students should be able to link the introductory and conclusion paragraphs together with body paragraphs including transition sentences.

Lesson 2 (Continued) Motivation: Pass out a copy of a well- written essay and have the students read it. Then, ask the class why this is such an interesting essay to read. This will hopefully start a discussion and spark interest in the topic of writing good essays. If no discussion begins, pass out a poorly written essay and ask what is so different between the two.

Lesson 2 (Continued) Input of Information:  Break the essay apart separating each paragraph. Underline the topic sentences, and ending sentences. Point out the structure of the paragraph.  Technology: Use the overhead projector to visually show the students what each technique looks like. Check for Understanding:  Pass a copy of another essay out and have the students pair up together to break the essay apart separating each paragraph.  Have them try to notice what techniques are used in each.  Have each group share what they found to put together a list on the overhead projector or board.

Lesson 2 (Continued) Structured Practice:  Each student chooses an important historical figure that they have learned about in Social Studies.  Have them outline an essay, paragraph by paragraph, emphasizing the intro, thesis, transitions, structure of paragraph, and conclusion. Guided Practice:  Using their outlines, begin to write out an essay that supports why they believe the historical figure is important using the new techniques.

Lesson 2 (Continued) Closure: Hand out some magazines and allow the students to point out transitions, parallel structures, and similar writing techniques. This will prove to them that what they have learned really can be used in real life. Possible Homework Assignment: Have the students go home and research their historical figure on the Internet and bring an article they find to class the next day. Also, if they did not finish their essay in class, tell them to complete it at home for next time.

Lesson 3: Analogies, Paraphrases, Quotations, and similar devices

Lesson 3 Standard 1.3: Support theses or conclusions with analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions from authorities, comparisons, and similar devices. Objective: The students should be able to put together a full essay supporting a topic using analogies, paraphrases, quotations, opinions, comparisons, and so forth.

Lesson 3 (Continued) Motivation: Have a cart full of books based on historical figures and have each student walk to the cart and choose 1 or 2 books that are related to the figure they chose the previous class.

Lesson 3 (Continued) Input of Information:  Explain the concepts of analogies, paraphrases, use of quotations to support your point, etc. that are used in essays/papers to support your topic.  Include a short explanation on the difference between quoting or paraphrasing and plagiarizing.  Technology: use power point to help explain these concepts Check for Understanding:  Allow the students 15 minutes to skim through their book to find one or two good quotes that they could use in their essays.

Lesson 3 (Continued) Structured Practice:  Using the quotes the students just found, have them write a short paraphrase for each.  Have them pick a partner and swap papers allowing each partner to make sure there is no plagiarizing or copying. Guided Practice:  Tell each student to pick a good location in their essays to put the quotes or paraphrases.  Help them integrate the quote into the paragraph so the content does not sound choppy.  Also, have them be sure that the quote appropriately supports their thesis statement.

Lesson 3 (Continued) Closure: Stress the importance of good writing skills in real life explaining that practically every career involves writing. The skills they learned that day can be used certainly through college and most likely in their own careers. Possible Homework Assignment: Tell each student to go home and complete their essays including the quotes, paraphrases, analogies, and so forth in order to support why they believe their historical figure is important. These essays will be collected and made into a book that will be left in the classroom.

Accommodation for ELL Since there is such a large number of ELL students in Ms. Gomez’ class, going over vocabulary is very important Since there is such a large number of ELL students in Ms. Gomez’ class, going over vocabulary is very important Ms. Gomez suggested that writing exercises were often the easiest and most useful exercises for ELL students Ms. Gomez suggested that writing exercises were often the easiest and most useful exercises for ELL students Since most of my lesson plans involve writing, this would be good for ELL students because it makes it fairly easy for me to see where they might need the most help since it is on paper. Also, it helps the students with vocabulary and learning to write in English. Since most of my lesson plans involve writing, this would be good for ELL students because it makes it fairly easy for me to see where they might need the most help since it is on paper. Also, it helps the students with vocabulary and learning to write in English. Maybe try to have a translation of the essays in their native language hopefully helping them not only learn the new vocab but also in learning to write a good essay Maybe try to have a translation of the essays in their native language hopefully helping them not only learn the new vocab but also in learning to write a good essay

Grading I think that the easiest way to keep track of my students’ work is by using Microsoft Excel or a Blackboard-type program I think that the easiest way to keep track of my students’ work is by using Microsoft Excel or a Blackboard-type program Since all of my lesson plans involve writing, that would be fairly easy to grade by following a set grading scale based on whether or not the students have used all the standards learned in class Since all of my lesson plans involve writing, that would be fairly easy to grade by following a set grading scale based on whether or not the students have used all the standards learned in class

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Threaded Discussion “I really enjoyed your presentation! It was very easy to follow and visually attractive. The classroom layout picture added a lot. I really liked how each of your lesson plans flowed into the next especially where the kids had to choose books based on the historical figure.” “First of all I like the smoothness of the lesson plans. They all tie together nicely. I also like how you broke down the lessons not only would it be easy for students to grasp but your lesson plan is also easy to follow if a sub had to come in.” “I like your layout for the presentation. The blue background with texture and the plain white font...those work well together. I like the layout diagram for the classroom. I was looking over the guidelines and you don't seem to have missed a beat.” “You have done a great job. The lessons follow each other very well, are tightly constructed and really choose well-sized pieces of content address.”

The End