How’s that MG paper going?  I’m loving the progress I’m seeing on everyone’s papers.  From papers that are polished and finalized to genuinely interesting ideas, we are getting this thing DONE.

REMINDERS:

• Info on finalizing on Wednesday’s web posts.
• 4th Quarter checklist on tab above if you are working on catching up.
• New/Last Senior project info next week – so make an effort to work this paper this weekend, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
• As always, reach out if you have questions.  Virtual Office Hours again next week Tuesday & Thursday from 10a – 12p.  (Maybe an extra on Wednesday – I’ll see if it’s needed.)

NEW & OPTIONAL:  

The recent survey sent out has revealed that some of you are interested in a book club.  Here’s the plan.

1. Book selection:  The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo.  This is a novel in verse so it won’t take us long (and we only have 3 weeks).  It’s a quick read with real-feel characters.  (It is a book we read in Multi-cultural Lit last semester, so a couple of you have read it there and a couple of people have read it on their own.)  Also, I have copies of this book.
2. Email me NO LATER THAN MONDAY 4/27 if you want to join in (again completely optional). AND send me your local address.
3. We will start on Tuesday 4/28 – so either let me know you will purchase the ebook online (or see if you can check it out of the library) or let me know you need a book.
4. I have several of these in my classroom at school that you can borrow.  They have not been touched since we left the school.  If you need a book, I will wear gloves, put each book needed in it’s own plastic bag, and deliver it to your door – NO CONTACT.  (If you are working from out of town, I won’t deliver.)
5. Then, we’ll set a schedule with a couple of target dates and a couple of zoom call times.
6. Again, this is for connection, this is for community, this is for reading great YA Lit and finding a reason to think and talk with peers.  JOIN US!

BOOK RETURN INFO:  Mr. Depew is still working on a plan for locker clean-out, textbook return, etc., however, if you have classroom library books that you are finished reading, and you would like to go ahead and return them, you can stop by the high school office between 7:30am – 11am Monday – Wednesday and drop them off.  There is a crate labeled CONNOLLY under the teacher mailboxes in the office mail room.  It is also okay to return them later at the textbook return.

 

VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS today from 10a – 12p via zoom (original Tuesday/Thursday invite – I just sent it to everyone again in today’s email/Google classroom post).  Stop in if you have questions, want extra feedback, or just want to check in.

Keep moving forward and work toward finalizing those MG Papers.

❤ Mrs. C = )

 

VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS today from 10a – 12p via zoom (same invite – I just sent it to everyone again in today’s email/Google classroom post).  Stop in if you have questions, want extra feedback, or just want to check in.

Keep moving forward and be sure to check out yesterday’s post if you haven’t (it’s an important one with a lot of info for the week).

❤ Mrs. C = )

EXTRA: More office hours tomorrow (Wednesday) from 10 – 12 in case that works better for you as you wrap up the MG project.

So….while it wasn’t surprising, it was still disappointing to get the official word on Friday that we won’t return to the classroom this year.  I can’t pretend to know exactly what it is like for you, but know after years of teaching seniors, it also makes me sad to miss all the end of year activities, sports, and even classroom lessons I had planned for you.  I will continue to help you through your projects and encourage you to keep moving forward toward graduation.  That, at least, is still some kind of reality.  Consider yourself an online student and let’s do this.

A brief overview of what you have left in English class:  the MG project/paper (some of you are almost done) and then one remaining senior project (for rhet-comp it’s the memory book – and I have adapted it for digital and remote learning purposes – and for English 8 a “seniors write” project) and some choice reading and writing.  I’ll do my best to make your learning meaningful and make myself available for questions, comments, help, and just check-ins.  Now, for today.

UPDATE:  I have added a tab/page at the top of the website titled “Spring 2020 Project/Assignment Handouts & Schedules” and I put all the MG project handouts and info there in one easy spot, so you don’t have to keep chasing back for them.  As I assign the final senior project, I’ll add those handouts there as well.  For deadlines/targets – check this list.

NOTE ON MG MARK#2:  Mark#2 does not have to be a separate document than Mark#1! You can just continue working in the same document and then once it hits Mark#2 length, change the document name to reflect that (yes, I check them).  No need to make two and then later have to combine them.  Also, that reminds me, if you are a writer who is making all your genres separate documents, you WILL have to combine them into one.  (You’ll get really familiar with copy/paste and adding page breaks).

PRIORITY:  Keep working the list of things to accomplish. I added a page for this as well. Check the tab at top for “4th Quarter Checklists” where I’ll keep updating what gets turned in and when.

NEW (last Friday):   Checklists* to help you make sure your MG project is complete.  I uploaded these to your Dropbox drafts folders.  They will have instructions on how to fill them out plus the ideals you are aiming for and you will turn them in with your complete draft (hopefully) by the end of Monday 4/20.  There are also videos on Flipgrid (rcmg20 for Rhet-Comp & e8mg20 for English 8).

*(Rhet-Comp students: be sure to choose the one for appropriate version you are working on – full version to keep a SWIC A or improve a grade / reduced to maintain your GCHS grade)

LAST WEEK:  If you haven’t yet, help me plan what’s next by filling out a quick Google survey.  Try linking here https://forms.gle/YK215rfZAoFFe2gj9 or check the message sent out last Wednesday 4/15.

NOTE:  Skyward was updated last week to reflect work turned in – MGIdeas & MGDesigns – pages complete in MGMark#1 and whether you completed a booktalk in Flipgrid.  For Rhet-Comp students, I also updated MemBook shorts to reflect how many are complete in your folder.  Start getting these items checked off the list.

THIS WEEK: This week (if you are on target) is about feedback.

1. Reach out to your WRITE CLUB and/or your trusted friends and/or Mrs. C to get some feedback.
2. For this purpose, I’ll host an extra office hours slot on Wednesday as well as the normal Tuesday & Thursday (I’ll send an invite later in the week. The Tues/Thurs one is the same).
3. Fill out the optional MGPre-Conference sheet to help you think through what your paper “does,” how it works, what it might lack.  While it is optional, it is also recommended (especially if you plan to seek out feedback from Mrs. C or others). These will be uploaded to your folders later and posted on the handouts tab above.
4. I will also start a Mark#2 sharing space later today in your group Flipgrids – talk through papers there if you’d like (you can even use the new screencast feature).

UPCOMING:  Finalizing tips later this week, plus some optional lessons on making your writing more powerful.  You can turn in FINALMG anytime starting 4/22 (directions on Wednesday).  Next week I will reveal final project instructions (updates & changes to the Rhet-Comp memory book assignment and for English 8 the “Seniors Write!” portfolio) and reading and writing goals going forward.

(You are NOT ready for the checklist until you have a complete draft)

1. Open the MG Checklist in your Dropbox drafts folder using MSWord
2. Enter the page numbers (from your complete MG draft – aka Mark#2) in each box with a p. to show which page Mrs. C will find that genre on (not all of the boxes will be filled because not all of the pieces are required)
3. Type in your project’s title and explain your unifying element in the appropriate spaces
4. Type in other genres you added and their corresponding pages in the “extra genres you create” section
5. Choose save and return to Dropbox
6. CHANGE the document name to LastnameMGChecklist when this is complete

*Watch a video that explains this process with a screencast by visiting Flipgrid e8mg20 (for English 8) and rcmg20 (for Rhet-Comp) It’s in the MG Overview section.

The target for this assignment is next week.  Just build onto Mark #1 when working toward Mark #2.  You don’t need two separate documents (you would just have to combine them later, anyway).  Once it’s Mark#2 length, just change the doc name.