Blog Archives

Fall Topic Choices

9/16/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

College Essay FINAL Draft. DUE: Monday 9/16, Start of Class. Google Classroom.
Senior Project Interview Prep. DUE: Wednesday 10/9, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Idea Fishing- Part 2. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Wednesday 9/18, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

Announcements

College Essay Grading- TURN IT IN! I will be grading the draft you turn in today. If you continue to revise (which many of you will), and you want to re-submit a more final draft later in the semester, I will regrade the assignment and replace the earlier grade with the later one.

Review Prep for Interview Stuff (5 minutes)
Interview Guidelines- must have this done by Weds after Osprey Block:

A list of 3 people (1 local, 1 reach, 1 other) who might be helpful to talk to you about your thesis topic and/or your project ideas
Contact information for these people- emails, phone numbers
Interview Question Brainstorm complete for at least ONE of the people on your list. Finished one? Do questions for another one!

Fall Topic
Possible Topics- have groups draw them randomly out of a hat. (5 min)

Wealth and Income Inequality in the US
Social Media and Mental Health
Immigration
School Shootings/Guns
Opioid Epidemic

Research Requirements (30 min)

At least 2 chart/graph/correlation/data figure (1 for groups of 3 and 4)
At least 2 articles (1 for groups of 3)
1 political cartoon or op-ed
For each source, do the following:
1. Read it, summarize the main ideas
2. What new questions does this raise? List at least 3.

5 Minute Presentations (15 min to prep, 25 min for presentations)

What do you expect the data and research to show? What is your initial hypothesis/bias?
1. What did your articles and data show? What did you learn?
Scale of 1-5, how engaging is this topic? What are you curious about now?
How easy was it to find data on this?
1. Qualitative?
2. Charts/graphs/correlations
3. Other?
What sub-topics or questions can you identify for this topic?

Discuss in mixed group (not presentation groups)

Which of these topics do you think would be most interesting to explore for 5 weeks this fall? Why?
Which of these do you think would be most challenging?
Are there any topics that you think should not be explored? Why?

Google Form Survey

Rank the topics from 1-5. 1 = first choice, 5 = last choice
Explain your top choice
Are there any topics you absolutely don’t want to study? Why?

Interview Stuff with any Extra Time

College Essays - Day 6 - Revise

9/13/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

College Essay FINAL Draft. DUE: Monday 9/16, Start of Class. Google Classroom.
Senior Project Interview Prep. DUE: Wednesday 10/9, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Idea Fishing- Part 2. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Wednesday 9/18, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

Announcements

College Essay Grading- I will be grading the draft you turn in on Monday. If you continue to revise (which many of you will), and you want to re-submit a more final draft later in the semester, I will regrade the assignment and replace the earlier grade with the later one.
Monday- Normal Classes! Be here for your normal class schedule.

Starter 10- Essay Refinement
Read this short handout to compare how one student refined his essay and reflect on:

What changes did the student make? (In other words, what was somewhat weak about his first draft, and how did he improve it in the second?)
What is one thing you are taking away from his refinements that you could apply to your own essay? (It could either be based on something you liked about the student’s refined essay or something you did not like, and thus want to avoid or do differently!)

Work Time Priorities

Get another critique from a peer, OR have a classmate edit and proofread your essay when you think it’s done
Revise
1. Rewrite, re-organize, cut, add
2. THEN edit, proofread, nitpick, wordsmith, finalize
Create college essay cover sheet/display board

College Essays - Day 5 - Peer Critique

9/12/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

College Essay FINAL Draft. DUE: Monday 9/16, Start of Class. Google Classroom.
Senior Project Interview Prep. DUE: Wednesday 10/9, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Idea Fishing- Part 2. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Wednesday 9/18, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

Announcements

Tomorrow is the LAST WORK DAY we have in class on these. Your revised version is due at the START OF CLASS on MONDAY.
Monday = Regular class schedule..

Step 1: Prepare for the peer critique

What is one thing you really like about your essay/topic?
What is one thing you do not like or would like to change?
What is a question you need help with from your group?

EXAMPLES:

Does my word choice and tone show my personality?
How could my hook grab your attention better?
How can I end my essay in a less obvious way?
Do you understand the moral of my story clearly? How could that be clearer or stronger?
Where could I add more depth and detail?

Step 3: Essay Tuning Protocol

DONE? You could…

Revise and rewrite
Conference with Lori
Seek out more feedback

Senior Project WEDS- Poster Proposals

9/11/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.
College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Idea Fishing- Part 2. LAST DAY TURN IN: Wednesday 9/18, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

Explore Senior Projects (15 min)

Go to one or more of these class websites and find projects/thesis topics in fields you are most interested in pursuing for your own project.
For 1-2 read the abstract of their paper (this is on the title page of the essay) OR the introduction.
Be ready to share out two projects/thesis topics you like and why, as well as one thing this process has made you think of for your own project.
1. Senior projects 2018
2. Senior Project 2019
3. Senior Project 2020
4. Senior Project 2021 (Check out the FINALISTS tab!)
5. Senior Project 2022
6. Senior Project 2024

Share out!
Poster Expectations (50 min)
Using a piece of butcher paper, you have 1 period to create a poster that includes:

Overview or summary of topic
2 potential research questions (questions that you are still wondering after you read your resource)
2 project ideas
1 opportunity for collaboration with a peer or other local person.
1 organization that is working on this topic (local, global or national)
A visual image
A reflection, what is your level of excitement about this project? Explain.
Next Steps (at least three)- What do you want to look into further? What would be helpful to further hone and shape your ideas?

Gallery Walk Critique (35 min)
Group posters roughly by topic

Social Science
Literature/Arts
Science
Other?

Now is the time to walk around and give feedback to people’s ideas. Using post it notes, leave the following feedback for 5-8 people.

What questions does this inspire in you?
What ideas could you add?
Any community connections or project ideas?
Feedback/concerns/revisions

Interview Pre-Work (last part of class)

Do NOT call or contact anyone yet! We will set you up for that next week!
For next week, please come in with the following:
1. A list of 3 people (1 local, 1 reach, 1 other) who might be helpful to talk to you about your thesis topic and/or your project ideas
2. Contact information for these people- emails, phone numbers
3. A list of potential questions you might want to ask them (3-5 questions per person)

College Essays - Day 4 - WRITE WRITE WRITE!

9/11/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.
College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Starter 7- Creating the Magnet

Read Creating the Magnet
Go to your essay and write 2-3 variations of a starting sentence for your essay, using the techniques here..
Share with a partner for feedback.

Goals for Today

Revise and perfect your opening line
Have a completed rough draft that is within 100 words of the word count limit.
Conference with Erin C-R or Lori about your draft
By Monday, have a draft that is ready to share for peer critique!

Today’s Tasks:

Outline and draft your story idea. Your personal narrative.
Sign up for a conference with me - today is your last shot!
Help each other out! Talk through ideas with each other. 3 D’s ideas. The main message.
Come up to the front table and grab a resource! Or my DP!

College Essays - Day 3 - Writing a Draft

9/11/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.
College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Annotations for "Habits of Highly Cynical People" and "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline" articles. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.
In Class Writing. SEE LORI FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS UP: No later than Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.

Announcements/Reminders:

College Essay Conferences- Sign up with either Erin C-R or Lori. For Erin-CR, make an appointment with her!

Starter 7: 3Ds and Example Essay

First, read the article The 3 D’s: Details, Dialogue, and Description.
Then read one more of these example essays, OR one of these from former AHS students.
In your starter, provide 2 examples of the three D’s from your example essay (Copy and paste them, or jot them down). Be prepared to share one example.
List where you might include details, dialogue, and description in your own essay

Goal for Today
By the end of class, have a solid outline DONE. If possible, have started your draft! MAKE SURE IT ANSWERS THE QUESTION IN YOUR PROMPT!

Today’s Tasks:

Outline and draft your story idea. Your personal narrative.
Sign up for a conference with me - your name needs to be on the board!
Help each other out! Talk through ideas with each other. 3 D’s ideas. The main message.
Use the Resources on my DP. Look there for more things you can do!

College Essay Boot Camp - Day 2 - Outline

9/6/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.
College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Annotations for "Habits of Highly Cynical People" and "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline" articles. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.
In Class Writing. SEE LORI FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS UP: No later than Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.

Starter 5- Model Essays (10 min)
Read at least one of these examples. If you have time, read more than one. Then answer the questions below on your starter document.

Describe this person in one sentence
What did you learn about the individual?
What did you like? Dislike?
What did you notice about how this essay was written? What techniques did they use?

Debrief as a class

Ira Glass on Storytelling (10 min)
Listen to this. List 3-5 things that you learned about telling effective stories.
Turn to your partner- how can you incorporate this into your college essay?

So What? Exercise (20 min)
Based on your brainstorms yesterday and today, list your top 3 anecdotes/experiences for your college essays. This is going to be a rapid fire verbal brainstorm with different partners to suss out the possible So What of your essay. You will want something to take notes with.

Partner 1/Topic 1

Take 1 minute to explain your anecdote. Just tell the story, describe the experience. DON’T explain why it’s important to you.
Partner: Ask, “So what?”
Answer them (30 sec)
Partner: Ask, “So what?” again
Answer them (30 sec)
Take 1 minute to write down insights you want to capture from this process
Repeat with your partner’s topic.

Repeat with Partner and Topics 2 and 3

Choose Your Own Adventure:

CHOOSE A PROMPT! YOU MUST CHOOSE A PROMPT! Then answer the question in the prompt!
Brainstorm some more (see resources linked on my DP)
Outline (see the outline resources linked on my DP)
Start writing a draft

College Essay Boot Camp - Day 1 - Brainstorm

9/5/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 9/11, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.
College Essay Rough Draft. DUE: Thursday 9/12, Start of Class. Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Annotations for "Habits of Highly Cynical People" and "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline" articles. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.
In Class Writing. SEE LORI FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS UP: No later than Tuesday 9/10, End of Class.

Starter- This is Water, by David Foster Wallace (10 min video, 15 total)

Jot down key ideas/takeaways- at least 3

Pair Share

To what extent do you agree with these claims or pieces of advice? Do any ring true for you? Others you know? How so?
Starting college essays today, where you’ll be focusing SOLELY on yourself and your own beliefs/experiences, etc… What is one big idea you can take from his speech to help you with your essay? (post it on board)

Instructions (5-10 min)

Log on to Google Classroom
Find the College Essay Assignment under Classwork
Open it and read through silently
Let’s look at the list of resources on my Resources page (2 minutes)
- College Essay Guy is amazing! You need to email to request access to the free guide, but it is worth it! Do it! We’ll check out the various resources he has listed in that guide real quick….

GOAL = Refined 2nd draft of at least one college essay.

Which phrase best describes your current situation in regards to college essay writing? (5 min)

I haven't started yet, and don't have a clue what the outcome might look like.
I have a prompt and have started writing, but I'm nowhere near done.
I have finished at least one essay, but it would benefit from some more refinement
I have mostly finished my college essays, but still have a few more and/or supplementary writing I can work on and refine.

Write your names on the paper in your corner- we will come back to this tomorrow to help us form some groups!

Narrative Structure- Straightforward, linear story.

Challenges + Effects or EXPERIENCES
This part gets into specific detail regarding a specific challenge the student has faced, and the various effects of that challenge. Tough stuff you’ve been through. Big experiences. Their subsequent impacts. Various obstacles you’ve had to overcome. NO TRAUMA DUMPING.
What I Did About Them
Actions you took to overcome those challenges and their effects, often to meet specific needs. These actions help to illustrate your values and growth.
What I Learned
Lessons and insights you’ve gained through these experiences. Reflection on how your experiences have shaped you and why that matters. What you will bring to that college because of these experiences.

Montage Structure

A technique that involves creating a new whole from separate fragments (pictures, words, music, etc.).
A few images tell the whole story. And you can use this technique for your essay. (Example - Bracelets)
Find a focusing lens: You can’t discuss every single aspect of your life; you can, however, show us a few important points through a single lens or metaphor.

GOAL TODAY = Lots of brainstorming and ideation
Even if you already have an essay, I can tell you that so many students throw out the drafts they have midway through this semester to start again. My goal here is to give ALL of you many ideas to return to and to start with, and to make sure that ideas that you have are unique and specific to YOU.

Create a brainstorming document! If you prefer to do this by hand, grab some paper. Here we go.

Brainstorm 1: Core Values Exercise

Narrow down your values.
Connect your values to your experiences- for each value, come up with an experience or story.

Brainstorm Framing-
Our goal here is to identify key experiences, qualities, values, and touchstones that you can use regardless of your essay structure that you choose.

Brainstorm 2: I Love + I Know
Spend one minute making a random list of things you love. If you have a partner nearby, set a timer and speak your list aloud while your partner writes down what you say. Examples: I love ... the ocean. I love ... the way clean laundry smells. I love ... physics. I love ... my grandmother's pupusas, etc. Then switch roles, and you write while your partner makes their list. Here's a video of me doing this one.

After you've done that, spend one minute making a list of things you know a lot about. (Examples: I know a lot about ... board games ... World War II history ... constructed languages, etc.) Again, if you have a partner, take turns talking and writing.

Connect to values- star the ones that connect to your values when you’re done!

Brainstorm 3: Feelings and Needs
Walk through the handout.

Brainstorm 4: Essence Objects (10 min)
Spend at least five minutes naming 10 "essence objects." These are tangible things that represent memories, moments, relationships, or values that are important to you. Briefly say why each one is meaningful (Ex: "The beads on my desk were hand-painted by my friends for my daughter and they represent the love from my community.")
Here are 20 questions to help you brainstorm (again, you can write them below):

What’s an object that reminds you of home?
What object makes you feel safe?
What’s a food that reminds you of your family?
What object represents a challenge you’ve faced?
What’s a dream or goal you have for the future?
What’s something about you that sometimes surprises people?
Who are you with and what are you doing when you feel most like yourself?
What brings you joy?
What’s hanging on your bedroom walls?
What are you proud of?
What’s an object that reminds you of something that still feels unresolved in your life?
What’s an object that represents something you know now that you didn’t know five years ago?
What action or gesture represents love to you?
What do you like to do that does not involve technology?
What will you save for your child someday?
What's the most memorable meal you've ever eaten or made?
What's in your bag right now? Anything that's always there?
What do you like to collect?
What have you kept from a trip?
What’s something that people associate with you?

Cynicism In-Class Writing

9/3/2024

DUE DATES- ON TIME

Annotations for "Habits of Highly Cynical People" and "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline" articles. DUE: Tuesday 10/3, End of Class. Turn these in with the in-class writing that day- you may need them to complete it.
In Class Writing. DUE: Tuesday, 10/3, End of Class. Google Classroom.
Idea Fishing- Part 2. DUE: Wednesday 10/4, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

DUE DATES- LATE (-10%)

Idea Fishing. LAST DAY TO TURN IN: Wednesday 10/4, Start of 2nd period (9:25 am). Google Classroom.

Announcements:

Fall Senior Postsecondary night-Tomorrow! Wednesday, September 4th, 5:30-7:00pm, AHS Commons. We will discuss a timeline for senior year, the college application process, work based learning opportunities/LINK 2.0, and Financial aid/FAFSA.

Some Guidelines:

Use the whole two hours! You will get full credit for this assignment if you work diligently during the time provided.
This is a baseline writing assessment that gives me information about how you are writing. Rather than a grade, you will receive feedback on the rubric and this will inform the writing goals we develop together for your work moving forward.
There is no world where using AI on this assignment benefits you! It can only hurt the authenticity of our writing goals and take away these 20 easy completion points.
If you finish early, go back and revise! Add an interesting intro? Play with your conclusion? Do additional research?
If you are really done done, go ahead and finish Idea Fishing Part 2 (due tomorrow before class!)

Seminar Writing:
Choose any of seminar questions listed below, and write a 500-750 word response to the question. This writing should include the following:

A clear thesis statement that answers the question.
At least two body paragraphs that quote or paraphrase the text(s) that are organized and clear.
A small conclusion- this doesn’t have to be large, but a short paragraph that wraps up your argument and synthesizes your ideas.

Choose ONE of the following to answer:

In this essay, Solnit offers a number of criticisms of naïve cynicism. What is the most important/cutting critique she offers? Why?
What kind of thinking habits do we need to cultivate to move beyond naïve cynicism?
To what extent are you a naïve cynic? How much of what Solnit describes rings true to you about yourself? Explain.
How do these articles connect to your education? To your senior project/thesis?
What impact do you think naive cynicism plays in our current political climate and dialogue?
What is a connection you can make between the idea’s in Solnit’s text and the ideas in “Screw motivation…”? What new insight can we gain from that connection?
If you have a different question you would like to address that is NOT on this list, run it by Lori/Jessica for approval!

Fall Topic Choices

College Essays - Day 6 - Revise

College Essays - Day 5 - Peer Critique

Senior Project WEDS- Poster Proposals

College Essays - Day 4 - WRITE WRITE WRITE!

College Essays - Day 3 - Writing a Draft

College Essay Boot Camp - Day 2 - Outline

College Essay Boot Camp - Day 1 - Brainstorm

Cynicism In-Class Writing

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