Life is Like a Rock Group If you gave a problem to 5 different rock groups they’d each come up with a different song. Break into 5 groups and take on a name. Do research about the problem. The n present your side of story.

Life is Like a Rock Group You are the Factoids Present the facts and only the facts. No opinions whatsoever.

Life is Like a Rock Group You are the Emotionals Present only your reactions, emotions and feelings, to the problem.

Life is Like a Rock Group Your are the Busters Analyze the situation, describing all the negative facts and consequences.

Life is Like a Rock Group You are the Boomers Analyze the situation, describing all the positive facts and consequences.

Life is Like a Rock Group You are the Outrageous Ones Think Creatively… come up with a new way of looking at the situation that stuns everyone.

What do you think about the responses made by the English and the colonists to the American Revolution?

After Reading Twelve Word Summary In 12 words or less, summarize the most important aspects from today’s lesson.

Using Research Centers to Engage Students

The Purpose Centers expose students to a variety of materials. Centers hold every student accountable. They each have a packet to turn in. Center can offer an in-depth focus on a particular topic.

Centers can include a variety of skills. Centers help address the need for differentiation. Centers allow time for teachers to work with groups that may need additional help. Centers allow for flexible grouping.

Tips Color code each station and all materials the same color. Try to ensure that each station takes the same amount of time for students to complete. Have additional materials at each center for students to review if they finish early.

Make sure the directions are uniform and that each center looks the same. Make sure the student is on the correct page of the Researcher Notebook as they move from center to center.

“you don’t really know it until you write it… to write well is to think clearly. It is when you write that something happens in the brain, you have an idea, you have an insight, something comes to you that never would happen if it hadn’t been required of you to write.”

David McCullough Saratoga springs, N.Y. 2002

Portrait of a Writer What is the most difficult thing for you while writing? What is the easiest thing for you to write about? What do you worry about while you are writing?

A Sense of Urgency Every school day 7,000 high school students drop out. Only 70% of all entering freshmen and half of students of color finish high school with a regular diploma. Only 30% of students entering high school read at grade level. And estimated 85% of current jobs and almost 90 % of fast growing and best paying jobs now require some post-secondary education. Alliance for Excellent Education 2007

What Students Really Mean When They Say “This is Boring”. I don’t want to work this hard. I’m confused. I don’t have a purpose for reading. I don’t have any questions I want answered. I’m tired or hungry. I’m preoccupied. I don’t feel I am very good at this. I don’t see the connection between this activity and future learning or work.

Checklist for Your Writing Read the description of the task carefully. Use specific details and examples to fully support your ideas. Organize your writing with a strong introduction, body and conclusion. Choose specific words that are appropriate for your audience and purpose. Vary your sentences to make your writing interesting to read.

Attack the Prompt You could cross out the word composition. Why? Circle any words that ask you to do something. Draw an arrow from each circled word to what it tells you to do. Rewrite and number the circled words. Next to each word, rewrite what the word ask you to do.

Tier One In my opinion Daniel Shay was a rode model. For example, he was the leader of a rebellion against the new government. To lead a rebellion people have to look to you for guidance. As a result of the rebellion, the Continental Congress knew the Articles of Confederation needed revision. For the reasons above it is clear that Daniel Shays was a role model because of the influence he had over his peers.

Tier Two It seems to me that Daniel Shays had the characteristics of a role model. In support of this is the fact that he was the leader of a rebellion against the new government. To lead a rebellion people have to look up to you fro guidance. Even though the government tried to put down Shays Rebellion, Thomas Jefferson showed admiration for Shays’ leadership when he said, “ A little rebellion now and then is a good thing…”Therefore Shays was responsible for the Constitutional Convention realizing that the Articles of Confederation needed revision. Undoubtedly Daniel Shays was a role model not only because of the influence he had over his peers, but over the new government.

Tier Three Thomas Jefferson once said, “ A little rebellion now and then is a good thing…” when referring to Shays Rebellion. This is evidence that Daniel Shays was a role model because he was the leader of this rebellion. Not only did Jefferson see these qualities in Shays, but those who assisted in the rebellion. Shays Rebellion gave rise to the creation of a new government at the Constitutional Convention. Despite the fact that the government tried to stop the rebellion, Shays and his followers were able to convince the leaders that changes were needed. Without question Shays showed the true qualities of a role model through these actions that have influenced others.

Sentence Openers for Academic Language You might consider how… Another way of looking at the problem… If considered in this light… When you look at it this way… Can you imagine how it might feel to… In my opinion… It might seem that… No only… but also… I makes good sense that…

Sample SAT Writing Prompt Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below. It is easy to imagine that events and experiences in our lives will be perfect, but no matter how good something turns out to be, it can never live up to our expectations. Reality never matches our imaginations. For that reason, we should make sure our plans and goals are modest and attainable. We are much better off when reality surpasses our expectations and something turns out better than we thought it would.

It is best to have low expectations and to set goals we are sure of achieving. Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples take from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Responding to Student Writing Focus on key areas for improvement. Respond as a reader. Ask questions. Mark errors but don’t correct them. Do it now. Use and teach students to use rubrics. Make sure students read your comments. Save student papers.

“Writing…enables us to converse with the dead, the absent, and the unborn at all distances of time and space…” Abraham Lincoln February 11, 1859

Exit Slips Exit Slips are effective tools for assessing what students have learned a the end of class or at the end of a lesson. Use them when students have encountered new content, learned a new reading or writing strategy or had difficulty with the content.

Contact Information Teacher Resource Center 1299 E. 32 nd St Room 14 Signal Hill, CA