03.31 - How Chris McCandless Died

In today's class, we started taking a look at some follow up writing that Jon Krakauer did on Chris McCandless after publishing Into the Wild. We began with this reading by taking a look at some pre-reading questions which people had a chance to respond to and then we used perspectives generated from this activity to discuss McCandless' death and what this says ultimately says about the success of his life.

Working with a partner, people then had time to begin reading this article and taking note of the arguments it presents using the reading questions provided with the processing sheet (see below).
We will continue to work with this tomorrow.

Handouts:
Article: How Chris McCandless Died
Processing Questions: How Chris McCandless Died

Submitted Today:
7th Reading Log (choice of log 10, 11, or 12)

Homework:

Eigth "Into the Wild" reading log (choice of log 10, 11, or 12) - Due Thursday, 04/02
Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:
Fifth and Sixth  Into the Wild Reading Logs (choice of logs 7, 8, or 9) - Due Friday, 3/4
Reading questions for logic models - Due Friday 3/4

03.30 - Logic Model Reflection, Revisions

We started today's class with some reflection on people's progress with their logic model and goal (see reflection sheet below). After everyone had a chance to respond to these questions we discussed the progress people had made and what modifications they had to make to their logic models.

Next, several people helped me to return work and I handed out quarter three grade report sheets. We also went over the following feedback for assignments:

Assignment: Introduction to Logic Models
Suggested Revisions: Some people may need to revisit definitions to better define certain stages of the logic model or clarify differences between stages. Others may need to expand on their thinking for different stages of their example change

Assignment: Reading Logs
Suggested Revisions: Be sure to focus discussions of big ideas in the texts with specific examples and several direct quotes.

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on revising assignments or to complete their seventh reading log (a choice of logs 10, 11, or 12).

Handouts:
Logic Model - Process Reflection
Returned work submitted last week
Quarter 3 grade reports

Submitted Today:
Logic Model - Process Reflection

Homework:

Seventh "Into the Wild" reading log (choice of log 10, 11, or 12)
 Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:
Fifth and Sixth  Into the Wild Reading Logs (choice of logs 7, 8, or 9) - Due Friday, 3/4
Reading questions for logic models - Due Friday 3/4

03.27 - Logic Models and Change

We used the first half of class today to have people meet with their partners and complete the reading and post-reading activities for the logic model reading since this had proved difficult for people. We then reviewed the reading activity and a group's post-reading responses as a means of defining and understanding logic models.

Next, we started with a project that we will be looking at throughout the week next week which involves engaging in  and evaluating a process of change (see handouts below). At the end of class people shared out the change and activities that they would focus their logic model on. This sheet should be completed for homework and people should begin implementing their logic model.

Handouts:
Reading questions for logic models
Logic Models: Introduction and Explanation
Logic Models: A Taste of Change

Submitted Today:Reading questions for logic models
Revisions: Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion
Revisions: Into the Wild Reading Logs 1, 2, 3, & 4

Homework:

Complete the Logic Models: A Taste of Change sheet.

Begin following your logic model in creating the change you have identified for yourself.

03.26 - Change Agents and Logic Models

At the beginning of class today, I shared my listening notes from the last class discussion with everyone so they could look at and reflect on their participation in the last class discussion (this was the one focused on how Jon Krakauer subjectively inserts his perspective into McCandless' story). Based on this information, each person came up with a goal for themselves for this discussion.

We then proceeded to discuss how McCandless, Dillard, Goodall, and Treadwell compare to one another as agents of change (discussion prompt below).

Model Listening Notes (Click to Enlarge)

Discussion Rubric (Click to Enlarge)

Discussion Prompt (Click to Enlarge)

After this discussion, I shared my listening notes with students and everyone wrote a follow up discussion in their writer's journal looking at whether or not they had met the goal that they set for themselves.

Next, everyone returned to working with the logic model materials with which we were working yesterday. Partners reconvened to finish their paraphrases regarding the definition, purpose, and steps of the logic model and then began working on the post-reading question. 

For the post-reading, everyone should use the provided example in the left-hand column to fill in the steps of the logic model for the listed activity (exercising for half an hour each day, using solar power, recycling paper, donating to a food bank, etc.). This work should be finished for homework if it is not completed in class.

Handouts:
Reading questions for logic models
Logic Models: Introduction and Explanation

Submitted Today:
Sixth Into the Wild Reading Log

Homework:

Complete the reading and post-reading work for the logic model sheet and reading handed out in class.

Revisions:

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1, 2, 3, & 4 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.25 - Intro to Logic Models

In today's class we began to look at logic models. We began class with everyone looking at an example of a logic model in their writing journal and making observations about what a logic model seems to be and what it seems to do based on the example.

Example Logic Model (Click Image to Enlarge)

When everyone had time to write on this we stopped to discuss people's observations. Next, I handed some reading questions to guide our process of familiarization with logic models (see handouts).

Everyone completed the two pre-reading questions which we then discussed as a class. For the challenges that would be faced in making lasting change, people indicated that some challenges could include:

People's attitudes/stubbornness
Wider context/attitudes
Unintended results
Problems in the application
Individual drive/motivation
Maintaining the change
Finding Balance
Maintaining Motivation


Logic models are designed to help groups work through these challenges in various ways.

Everyone then received a reading which introduces and explains logic models. Working with a partner, everyone had the rest of the period to begin reading the chapter and using the reading questions to help them describe in their own words (paraphrase) what a logic model is and the steps that it involves. People did not need to respond to the post-reading questions yet (see below for the distinction).

Reading questions in green, post-reading questions in red (for now).
Click Image to Enlarge

Handouts:
Reading questions for logic models
Logic Models: Introduction and Explanation

Submitted Today:
- - -

Homework:

Complete your sixth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 7,8, and 9) for Thursday.

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1, 2, 3, & 4 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.24 - Assignment Completion and Revision

I was out sick today so the class was working with a substitute. In class today everyone had time to work on completing or revising assignments as necessary in their work. This could also include reading and completing reading logs for Into the Wild.

Handouts:

- - -

Submitted Today:

- - -

Homework:

Read to page 203 in Into the Wild for Wednesday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Complete your fifth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 7,8, and 9) for next Tuesday.

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1, 2, 3, & 4 (due Friday, 3/27)

3.23 - Grade Reports, Revision, Course Recommendations

In class today, several people helped to return assessed work and I handed out updated grade report sheets. Everyone had the class period to work on completing or revising assignments and were able to work on current work when those elements were complete.

Today, we were also starting to look at English course recommendations for next year. We reviewed the information in the graphic below. While everyone was working on their revisions and on completing work, I met one-on-one with people to discuss their course recommendation for next year and check in on any questions about assignments or grades from the grade reports and assignments today.

Click Image to Enlarge

At the moment there are some assignments on Google Drive that were submitted last week and that I did not review over the weekend. Those assignments will be reviewed and grades will be updated as soon as possible.

Handouts:

- - -

Submitted Today:

- - -

Homework:

Read to page 203 in Into the Wild for Wednesday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Complete your fifth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 7,8, and 9) for next Tuesday.

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1, 2, 3, & 4 (due Friday, 3/27)

3.19 - Key Ideas in Into the Wild, Reading and Logs

We started today's class looking at an anticipation guide that I created for Into the Wild that we had not looked at before starting the book. Everyone completed the activity as a way for us to talk about some key ideas in the so far in the story. 

Following this, everyone had time to work on reading in the text, their next log, or any work that needed to be revised or completed. I also handed out an updated reading log sheet with revised due dates for the last two sets of logs.

Handouts:
Into the Wild anticipation guide

Submitted Today:
Into the Wild anticipation guide

Homework:

Read to page 186 in Into the Wild for Monday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Complete your fifth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 7,8, and 9) for next Tuesday.

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

"My Life Among Wild Chimpanzees" reading questions (due today or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man viewing notes (due today or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man writing prompts (due today or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep (due today or online by Fri. 3/20)

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1 & 2 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.18 - Krakauer Discussion

For the first half of our class today, we had a whole class discussion around our most recent series of reading logs for Into the Wild. These reading logs go with our work looking at how authors can express their own opinion (be subjective) while presenting facts. Before having the discussion, we reviewed expectations by going over the rubric and I showed students the sort of notes I use to assess discussions. The group then had the next fifteen minutes to discuss the reading log questions.

Krakauer Discussion (assessment review and questions)

In the last part of class, people had time to work on the next section of reading and to begin working on the next reading log (a choice of a log from logs 7, 8, and 9). People could also work on revisions for other assignments and I finished meeting with people about their academic habit goals during this time.

Homework:

Read to page 156 in Into the Wild for Friday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Complete your fifth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 7,8, and 9) for next Tuesday.

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

"My Life Among Wild Chimpanzees" reading questions (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man viewing notes (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man writing prompts (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1 & 2 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.17 - Authorial Subjectivity, Reading Logs

We started today's class with a polar opposites style discussion around authorial subjectivity in non-fiction texts (author's expressing their opinions while also conveying facts). In our discussion we used Lara Bazelon's article  Scalia's Embarrassing Question to frame our discussion and then began moving the discussion towards Krakauer's role as author in Into the Wild. This is a discussion we will continue tomorrow.

Polar Opposites: Authorial Subjectivity

Everyone had the remaining time in class to prepare for that discussion tomorrow by completing their fourth reading log for Into the Wild (this is a log selected from logs 4, 5, and 6).

At the end of class, we reviewed the work that is to be turned in at the end of the week and by the end of next week.

Homework:

Read to page 126 in Into the Wild for Wednesday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Complete your fourth reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompts 4, 5, and 6)

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Revisions:

"My Life Among Wild Chimpanzees" reading questions (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man viewing notes (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man writing prompts (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1 & 2 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.16 - Revisions and Check Ins

Today I returned a variety of assignments to people along with grade report sheets. With each returned assignment we reviewed the requirements for that assignment and revision dates for that work (where applicable).

Everyone had the remaining time in the period to work on their third reading log for Into the Wild and any revisions that they needed to complete. During this time, I met with people individually to check in on grades or specific assignments.

Submitted Today:

Authorial Subjectivity Assignment (based on article: Scalia's Embarrassing Question)

Homework:

Complete your third reading log for Into the Wild (choosing from prompt 4, 5, and 6)

Revisions:

"My Life Among Wild Chimpanzees" reading questions (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man viewing notes (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man writing prompts (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep (due Thurs. 3/19 or online by Fri. 3/20)

Marijuana Legalization Debate Research and Discussion (due Friday, 3/27)

Into the Wild Reading Logs 1 & 2 (due Friday, 3/27)

03.13 - Authorial Subjectivity

In today's class we returned to the work we started yesterday looking at how author's can portray their own subjective perspectives in non-fiction works. To help people in this process, I handed out a summary sheet reviewing the appeals, rhetorical devices, and logical fallacies that can come up in a work as an author reports on an event. 

We did a short activity in which each person wrote an argument using an appeal and a device or fallacy and other people listened to the argument to identify which techniques were in play. 

Everyone then had the rest of the period to work on this activity (see handouts below). I continued to meet with people about their reflection goal.

Handouts:

Rhetoric Summary Sheet

Authorial Subjectivity Assignment

Article: Scalia's Embarrassing Question (used with subjectivity assignment)

Homework:

Read to page 97 in Into the Wild for Tuesday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Begin work on your third log for Into the Wild for Monday.
Into the Wild Reading Logs

03.12 - Section 01 Discussion, Objectivity and Subjectivity

In the first half of class today, we had a discussion around the first section of reading logs that people have completed for today. This was an informal discussion which allowed us to begin developing an understanding of who McCandless seems to have been as a person.

Discussion questions available here.

Next, we began looking at the idea of objective perspectives and subjective perspectives in non-fiction texts. For this work we defined objective and subjective as follows:

Objective - Perspectives that consist of neutral/unbiased observation.

Subjective - Perspective that consists of personal opinion and judgments.

To practice with expressing these ideas, everyone watched the following video and then responded to the questions below.

In your writer's journal:

1 - Describe this video objectively in four sentences.

2 - Describe this video subjectively in four sentences.

After everyone had a chance to respond to this prompt, people shared their responses with a partner. Then, several people shared their objective and subjective descriptions. This allowed us to discuss the difference between objective writing and subjective writing and how readers respond to it.

In general, we noted that subjective writing was a bit more interesting to read/hear because it had more "flavor" or emotion. We will be working more with these ideas tomorrow as we take a look at a non-fiction piece which mixes objective and subjective perspectives.

Homework:

Read to page 69 in Into the Wild for Friday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Begin work on your third log for Into the Wild (there will be twenty minutes in class tomorrow to work on this as well).
Into the Wild Reading Logs

03.11 - Section 1 Reading and Logs

Everyone had the period to work on their reading and reading logs for Into the Wild today. The goal was for people to have their reading caught up and both their first and second log ready to be handed in tomorrow. Any work not completed in class should be finished for homework.

While people were working on their reading and logs, I continued to meet with people to check in on the goal setting that we did on Monday, March 09.

Tomorrow in class, we will discuss people's perceptions of the first part of the book.

Handouts:
Sample reading log

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, complete your second log for Into the Wild for the beginning of class tomorrow (your first log should also be complete).
Into the Wild Reading Logs

Read to page 69 in Into the Wild for Friday.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

03.10 - Reading and Logs

We started today's class by looking at and evaluating a reading log that responds to one of the prompts used with our Into the Wild logs (see handouts). Everyone had a chance to read, assess, and critique this log and then we came together as a class and had everyone rate the log in a four corners activity. We rent around to each group and heard how and why they assessed the log as they did.

I then explained how I would assess the log (just below a 92, it focuses more on the readers perspectives than Goodall's, but does use and discuss quotes). Following this, everyone had time to work on their reading (up to page 24) and complete a reading log. While everyone was working on this, I met with people individually to discuss the goals that they created in class yesterday.

We used the last ten minutes of the class to discuss people's impressions of the book so far (see the section 01 questions in this presentation to get a sense of our discussion).

Submitted Today:
Grizzly Man viewing notes

Grizzly Man writing prompts

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep

these assignments may have also been handed in previously, today was just the official collection

Sample reading log critique


Handouts:
Sample reading log


Homework:

If you did not do so in class, complete your first log for Into the Wild for tomorrow.
Into the Wild Reading Logs

Read to page 46 in Into the Wild.
Into the Wild Reading Schedule

03.09 - Into the Wild

In today's class we did a reflection activity around academic habits and the preparedness slips that students have been completing when they don't have an assignment. We reviewed the reflection (see handouts below) and discussed how to respond to the various questions on the front of the sheet. Everyone then had time to respond to these questions. 

Following this, I handed out the "not prepared for class" slips that I have collected from people so far and they used in reflection to create a goal for their academic work in the next quarter.

Next, I introduced the text we will be reading as we continue our work with civic action and exploration of the relationship people have to nature. The book we will be reading with this is Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I handed out reading schedules and reading log information (see handouts) which we reviewed in class. Everyone also received a copy of the book and signed it out in class. 

We used the last ten minutes of class to begin reading the book with everyone recording the page on which they ended. We will use this to help with pacing and planning logs.

Handouts:

Reflection and Goal Setting

Into the Wild Reading Schedule

Into the Wild Reading Logs

Homework:

Read to page 24 in Into the Wild.

03.06 - Grizzly Man Socratic Seminar

At the beginning of class today, we reviewed the context and purpose of Timothy Treadwell's work with grizzly bears (working in Katmai national park, educating people about grizzly bears to protect them). We then finished watching the last fifteen minutes of Grizzly Man.

Following the film, those people who had completed their prep sheets had a Socratic seminar discussion on the movie. At the end of this discussion the listening group discussed what they found to be interesting for ideas and perspectives from the discussion.

Submitted Today:

Grizzly Man writing prompts

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, finish responding to the Socratic seminar prompt. 

Revisions:

"Living Like Weasels" reading questions (due today)

Concentric circles: civic action discussion reflection (due today)

03.05 - Grizzly Man Analysis

I was attending an AVEC Young Writer's conference with several students today so the work done is class was facilitated by a substitute.

Today in class, everyone was using their notes from Grizzly Man on the two parts of our work. The first part involved two writing prompts and the second focused on preparing for a Socratic seminar that we will have tomorrow. What is not done in class will need to be finished for homework.

People were only completing the “Preparing for the Discussion” section on the Socratic seminar sheet (we will address the other two sections tomorrow).

Everyone was working independently on both of these assignments (our work tomorrow with the discussion will be collaborative).

Handouts:

Grizzly Man writing prompts

Grizzly Man Socratic seminar prep

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, finish responding to the writing prompts for Grizzly Man.

If you did not do so in class, finish the Socratic seminar prep sheet for Grizzly Man.

Revisions:

"Living Like Weasels" reading questions (due Friday, 3/6)

Concentric circles: civic action discussion reflection (due Friday 3/6)