Article of the Week – A.o.W.

What is Article of the Week?  At the beginning of each week, you will receive an article to read.  You will have to read the article, make comments on it, and write a reflection.  Both the article and the reflection are always due the third day. If you get it on Monday, it’s due Friday. If you get it on Tuesday, it’s due next Monday.  You will type the reflection and upload it on Canvas. (part I)  You will submit the marked up copy and the worksheet in class (part II)

Why are we doing this?  Part of the reason students have such a hard time reading is because they bring little prior knowledge and background to the written page.  They can decode the words, but the words remain meaningless without a foundation of knowledge.  By the end of the school year you will have read 35 to 40 articles about what is going on in the world.  If you are to become truly literate, you must broaden your reading experiences into real-world text.

What will I need?  Since you are writing on your text, you will need a pencil and a highlighter.

Annotate the AoW!  While you are reading the Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  Underline important terms.  Circle definitions and meanings.  Write key words and definitions in the margins.  Signal where important information can be found with key words or symbols in the margin.

Annotate!  While you are reading the Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  Write short summaries in the margin at the end of a chunk of text.  Write your questions in the margin next, and any ideas that occur to you. Highlight anything confusing to you.

Annotate!  While you are reading the Article of the Week (A.O.W.)  Add comments about connections you make to the text, questions you have, and any ideas that occur to you.

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  On the third day, you will submit the article itself and your reflection. You will then receive the next article that day or the next.  Your article and reflection will be turned in to me.  I will check your annotating.

AoW Grade – 20 Points (full credit)  Annotations show that I (the reader) read slowly and carefully, two or three times. I have one to two thoughtful, mature thoughts outlined.  A stranger could pick up these annotations and understand exactly what I think it means  Annotations show that I read with purpose, with my response in mind. They help me to prepare my response.

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  As a general rule:  Neatness counts! If I can’t read your annotations, then there is a problem.  If you are not 100 percent certain that this is your best work, then I will probably agree with you. Your work and the quality of your work is a representation of who you are. Remember this! Annotations are not busywork. The purpose is to make your task (written response) easier for you. Work smarter, not harder!

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  What can bring this grade down?  Not turning it in  A.o.W. is a weekly, constant grade which affects your overall grade.  Turn in a weak product that is barely annotated.  Why bother doing anything if you don’t put forth your best effort? You are annotating because you need to! You are doing what good readers do!

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  What can bring this grade down?  If you only do one part of the A.o.W, your grade will go down.  If you’re not really thinking about the AoW and writing anything down – usually at the last minute – you will probably see your grade go down.  I can tell when you turn in “rushed” work.

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  Along with the annotating, you must turn in a one- page written reflection about the A.o.W.  Typed (one page, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman font, double-spaced)  Name and Date in the upper right-hand corner  Title centered

Turning in your Article of the Week (A.o.W.)  The summary statement is a template. Do not use it word-for-word.  Choose one activity from the activity list and complete it on the same document as your summary statement.

Grades  Each AoW annotation and reflection will count as a formative grade (20 percent).  However, each month I will ask you to pick one of your submitted reflections to submit for 100 points. You will get to pick what you think is your best response.

When do I do this?  Whenever you want.  We will NOT typically spend class time working on the AoW.  The expectation is that you complete this work at home and be ready to turn it in each due date.

Examples of Annotations

Example of Annotation