Category: English 8

English 8 – Friday, April 3rd

  1. Indie read – make some time for reading this weekend
  2. It’s time to start writing.  Where will you begin?  That is up to you.  First mark:  you will need minimum 4 pages (not counting your title page) complete.  You might start with your research piece – or maybe poetry – or dear reader – or even extra genres that you have in mind (use your notebook for inspiration here – you might have something recent worth developing further).  This 4 pages, to be clear, can be a variety of things adding up to 4 pages.  You can move, change, and rearrange it all later.  Just write it.  You are welcome to keep it all one document (that’s what I would do) or you could make several individual docs for now and combine them later if you want (that’s more work, but organize as you wish).
  3. ANOTHER PLACE FOR HELP on the MG:  click the tab at the top labeled “Multi-Genre FAQs” – you’ll find a question-answer format that might address or clarify questions you have about this project.
  4. Don’t give up.  Keep working at whatever step you are on. You can still make up anything you are missing.

Deadlines:

  • MGDesign was due Wednesday 4/1  (See directions on Monday’s post & a template in Dropbox)
  • Check in in your WC Group Flipgrid to share your MGDesign
  • Mark #1 is at least 4 total pages (your choice as to what that might include) – due end of day TUESDAY 4/7

Reminders:

  • VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS again next week Tuesday & Thursday from 10 – 12.  It was so good to see some of you this week!  Stop by to ask questions, get feedback, or just check-in. 🙂 (Use the same invite in your email last week)
  • BookTalk! There are some good ones posted (and I’m about to check who has booktalked to show complete in Skyward)

IMPT Update: MGIdeas & Designs – ALL CLASSES

Wow… Has it been a long day.  But a rewarding one.  You all have SOOO many cool and interesting topics going on for this project!!  Anyway, I have been back through EVERYONE’S folders at some point today and I gave feedback to MGIdeas & MGDesigns that you have been working on.  Check it out by opening your doc in MSWord and hitting the review tab to show comments.  I also updated the checkmark grades in Skyward to show what you have completed.

If you are not caught up or just slow to start, IT IS NOT TOO LATE!!!  Begin at the beginning and start turning work in.  I need you to know that “grades can’t count against you” is NOT the same as “it’s okay to do zero work.”  You need to show you are moving forward or you run the risk of an incomplete.  Course credit can’t be given for course work that is not even attempted.  (The “not count against you” is to acknowledge that it’s harder to learn on your own like this and that shouldn’t be intimidating.  The semester is NOT over.)  If you have questions or want this clarified, please email.  There is a lot of conflicting info out there.  (P.S.  You might not need that elective credit, but you NEED your English class.  Help me help you.

❤ Mrs. C = )

TROUBLESHOOTING:  If you made a folder for your work – MULTI-GENRE 2020 (and MEMORY BOOK SHORTS for Rhet-Comp), but you didn’t put that folder inside the Drafts (and submissions, respectively) folder, I can’t see it.  Move it inside a folder we share, so I can access and give credit for your work. Thanks!

RHET-COMP only:  I also put up a checkmark to indicate whether you submitted your Memory Book shorts.  We have been working on these since January & they were due March 15 (before we were out for COVID-19). Right now your score is all or nothing.

 

Thursday, April 2nd – ALL CLASSES

Reminder to keep working on work posted yesterday.  That means for English 8, share those reserach designs in your WC Flipgrid and for Rhet-Comp keep writing or get started writing.  Or whatever else gets you caught up.

TODAY is VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS.  Check you email for the invite and pop in sometime between 10am and 12noon to check-in, ask questions, get help in real-time.  Office hours are NOT required – just an option for you.  Email me if you didn’t get an invite.  (Same invite from before should get you in the meeting).

❤ Mrs. C = )

English 8 – Wednesday, April 1st

  1. Indie read – the usual 15 to 20 – everyday!
  2. Quickwrite* #24:  Using one of your MG topic possibilities as inspiration, let’s play with genre in our notebooks.  Create either a set of how-to instructions or a a list of originally created dictionary definitons (terms related to your topic with YOUR OWN definitions) (if you run out of ideas for one genre, try the others). *A new video will be available this afternoon at the e8mg20 Flipgrid that talks through how these quickwrites work and what they are “for” – check it out if you need clarification on what you should be doing here.
  3. After you submit your design via Dropbox drafts folder(TODAY), hit up your GROUP Flipgrid (check the code from your email if you forgot it – or email me, I’ll send it to you again) and talk through your design there in the new topic “Designs for Research” – I’ll create that topic in the next hour or so.  THIS IS WHERE SEEING & HEARING ABOUT YOUR WC GROUP MEMBERS’ DESIGNS WILL HELP YOU MAKE YOURS BETTER (or know if you did it “right” or whatever).
  4. Do any things you have not yet done from the previous days.  (Make the distance learning survey a priority please – I need to hear back from everyone.  Text/Msg your friends/classmates/WC peeps.)

Deadlines:

  • MGDesign due no later than end of day Wednesday 4/1– That’s TODAY!  (See directions on Monday’s post & a template in Dropbox)
  • Check in in your WC Group Flipgrid to share your MGDesign

Reminders:

  • VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS again tomorrow from 10 – 12.  It was so good to see some of you yesterday!  Stop by to ask questions, get feedback, or just check-in. 🙂 (Use the same invite from Tuesday – I emailed it to your school email earlier this week)
  • BookTalk!

Tuesday, March 31st – ALL CLASSES

Reminder to keep working on work posted yesterday.  That means for English 8, finish those reserach designs and for Rhet-Comp keep sharing them in your WC group Flipgrid.  Or whatever else gets you caught up.

TODAY is VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS.  Check you email for the invite and pop in sometime between 10am and 12noon to check-in, ask questions, get help in real-time.  Office hours are NOT required – just an option for you.  Email me if you didn’t get an invite.

❤ Mrs. C = )

 

 

ALL CLASSES Update: MG Ideas

Quick update to let you know that I rounded out my day of work today by reading all the completed MGIdeas (and looking for who might have turned them in since I last checked (Rhet-Comp) and giving you each a bit of individual feedback.  Open your file in MSWord and use the Review tab to “show comments.”

Next step:  narrow it down & design your research (some of you are already working on this).

❤ Mrs. C = )

Virtual Office Hours – ALL CLASSES

Seniors –
In an effort to be able to address questions, concerns, just to check-in, or whatever, I’m inviting you to participate in office hours via zoom every Tuesday &/or Thursday from 10am to 12pm.  You don’t have to be there at 10 (and Heath’s chem classes should make chem a 10am priority) and you can join anytime until noon each day.  You also are NOT required to check into office hours right now (this might change when we get to the one-on-one MG conferencing).  And you are still welcome to post questions and ask for help via email.  Download zoom to your computer and/or phone and use the link sent to your school email to sign in during hours.  NOTE:  you don’t have to use the video if you just want to use audio that’s fine, too – zoom lets you choose a background or turn the video off if you’d like.  IF documents you want me to look at are in shared Dropbox folders that would be helpful so I can access them easily.
I look forward to “seeing” some of you soon.  I miss your faces.
-Mrs. C = )
P.S. If you don’t receive the code via school email, email me from your other email and I’ll send you the link.  I won’t post the link here to avoid spammers & hackers.

English 8 – Monday, March 30th

NEW FORMAT:  Since we are working on an extended project, let’s switch it up and go college-style.  You can now expect to see posts on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday with M & W bringing you new study and updates and quickwrites.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays we’ll do “office” hours via zoom where you can check in or ask questions and get real-time response.  (You can also still email questions and get responses.)  Friday’s posts will bring things for the week together, remind you up updates, deadlines, and anything you might need to catch up on.

Today:

  1. Indie read – the usual 15 to 20 – everyday!
  2. Quickwrite* #23:  Using one of your MG topic possibilities as inspiration, let’s play with genre in our notebooks.  Create either an abstract recipe (you’ll need ingredients & directions) or a tweet thread (commentary in short – less than 280 characters; but you can string together more than one & add fictional comments by others if you want) or a sales ad (is there a product to sell in relation to your topic?)  (if you run out of ideas for one genre, try the others).  *Keep in mind for Quickwrites in class, I give you 3 to 4 minutes ON A TIMER to write.  Feel free to use your phone or a clock or the microwave timer or whatever to time yourself and keep the writing moving.
  3. IT’S TIME to narrow down topics – what will you pursue in your MG paper?
  4. Design your research plan.  Handout here: RESEARCH DESIGN Eng 8 (Find a  video to go over this handout on Flipgrid under flipcode e8mg20 in the Overview topic. Please watch this short run through for some special sidenotes about topic selection).  You’ll find a template for this in your Dropbox drafts folder later today or download it here: MGDesign Eng 8 Template
  5. Do any things you have not yet done from the previous days.  (Make the distance learning survey a priority please – I need to hear back from everyone.  Text/Msg your friends/classmates/WC peeps.)

P.S. Info about how to access “office” hours in a quick post later today (and an email version sent out to you as well).

Deadlines:

  • MGDesign due no later than end of day Wednesday 4/1
  • Later this week: We’ll get started writing!!!

Reminders:

  • BookTalk!

English 8 – Friday, March 27th

NOTE:  Over the weekend, I will be checking to see who has posted updates & MGIdeas in Flipgrid, who has MGIdeas in Dropbox, and who has completed the survey. These will appear in Skyward as completed or not – so we can at least keep track of what you have accomplished.  If you have questions or need help in completing this work, please reach out.

  1. Indie read – the usual 15 to 20 (at least) all weekend long
  2. Quickwrite* #22:  Using one of your MG topic possibilities as inspiration, let’s play with genre in our notebooks.  Create either a greeting card or a comic (doesn’t matter if you “can’t draw”) or a series of haikus (poems written in 3 lines with 5 – 7- 5 format;Google Haiku if you are unfamiliar) (if you run out of ideas for one genre, try the others).  *Keep in mind for Quickwrites in class, I give you 3 to 4 minutes ON A TIMER to write.  Feel free to use your phone or a clock or the microwave timer or whatever to time yourself and keep the writing moving.
  3. Do any things you have not yet done from the previous days.  (Make the Hamlet group survey a priority please – I need to hear back from everyone.  Text/Msg your friends/classmates/WC peeps.)
  4. NEXT UP:  narrowing your focus to ONE topic and generating pieces of writing.

Deadlines:

  • BY END OF TODAY 3/17 – TAKE the “Distance Learning Survey” via Google
  • YESTERDAY 3/26 – Sometime today (if you haven’t already) reconnect with your WRITE CLUB by adding a video to the topic “How are you?..Really”
  • YESTERDAY 3/26 – Idea Exploration (LastnameMGIdeas.docx – there’s a template for it in your Dropbox drafts folder) 3 – 5 ideas.
  • EXTENDED!! TODAY FRIDAY 3/27 – Share w/ your WRITE CLUB via Flipgrid these ideas – talk them through – you’ll find a topic for this in your group Flipgrid.
  • END OF DAY SUNDAY 3/29 – Watch your group members’ videos and respond to them with your thoughts and opinions (I’ll be doing this too).

Reminders:   BookTalk!

TIPS to Keep Moving Forward (while learning from a distance) – ALL CLASSES

I know everyone keeps using the term unprecedented and it might be annoying – the more I think about it, the more I don’t even know what it means (is it even a real word?).  Anyway, we are in an unprecedented situation.  And you have been thrown into learning at a distance/digital/online/whatever.  And it is weird.  And kind of scary.  Liberating for some (even if lonely) and overwhelming for others.  But, now more than ever, it is important to keep on keeping on – we will get through this.

HERE ARE MRS. C’s TIPS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD:

  1. A Schedule. You Need One.  NOT a strict hour by hour one, but a general, get up in the morning (maybe even get dressed), don’t stay up till 3am and sleep until noon…. Think about when you will be learning – morning with a break after lunch?  mostly after lunch?  maybe in the later afternoon after you’ve helped other little people in your house do stuff?  Also consider how you are sharing devices and/or wi-fi with others who need access.
  2. Creative Online Access.  If parents are working from home or siblings need computer time too, you might have to consider what you need big access for and what can be accomplished on your phone.  Get creative and don’t procrastinate waiting for perfect conditions – they may never arrive.
  3. A Support Network.  Push your friends, let your friends push you.  Be that friend who doesn’t buy into apathy and reminds your friends “take a break, take a quick walk, get back at it.”  Get together on zoom calls or fb video message or even just a group chat.  Check in on your friends, laugh a little, work a little, try for balance.  Don’t have a real group of friends? (Some of us are introverts or loners by nature.) Lean on your WRITE CLUB group (or in English 8 even the people you got to know in your BOOK CLUB) – you should have enough rapport now to support one another.
  4. Perspective/A New Mindset. Instead of mourning what we’ve lost in face-to-face classtime (and it’s okay to grieve what your losing here), try thinking of the opportunity you have to try out online coursework.  Do the best you can with the situation and then you can walk away from it knowing if you want to take online college classes in the future or if on campus classes will be better for you.  You won’t know if you don’t try.
  5. Get Interested. I can’t do anything to make calculus more fun for you (sorry, Ms. Albrecht), but I can tell you that for your MG project, it will all get better once you pick a topic you really can dive into and you put your creative efforts into researching and creating.  You can use this project as a way to escape.

I’m not gonna pretend that I can fix all this for you or that I even have all the answers.  Right now, know your teachers are grappling with how best to move forward also.  But I’ve done many of the above and they seem to help.

I get up each morning, get dressed, take care of some school stuff.  I take breaks to help my own kids and just to read, take a walk, play with the dog, enjoy a game on my phone, etc.  Then I get back to work to complete what else needs to be done – respond to email, check your Google responses, monitor the Flipgrids, etc. We tried to set up workspaces for each person in our house to have a place to work (I’m working from home along with a 6th grader, a 10th grader, and a college junior who is now home and doing all her work online for the rest of the semester.  My husband is an essential healthcare provider, so he still goes to work each day, being cautious and avoiding exposure to COVID-19 the best he can).  I’ve got a support network of some local teachers, teachers I’m friends with on Twitter and even some teachers who are providing daily online talks for free on fb and YouTube.  I’m trying to embrace the challenge of figuring out how to make this MG project doable in an online-only format while not overwhelming y’all. And in the process, I’m staying interested in what you are accomplishing and how you are responding to this whole situation.  (As I write this, I just love seeing your names pop up on my computer as you change documents in Dropbox.)

I know it feels uneventful to stay at home, but the experts say this is our best course of action. Stay well, stay put, and keep learning.

-Mrs. C = )

P.S. If you need me, I am here.