Feature Writing Rubric

Please print a copy of the rubric. It must be handed in with your final published piece. You can find a link to the rubric on Teacherease. It is located in Term 2 assignments. See me if you have any questions.

Day 2: Listening and Editing

Remember the tips we learned in class as you prepare for Day #2 of the NYS ELA test:

• 2 strategies for notetaking; listen plus notes, then listen plus notes OR listen only, then notes.
• Don't attempt to take down every word of the listening section; highlight key points (dates, names, places, etc.), main idea, and themes.
• The short response questions are 2-part questions - answer both parts! answer them completely!
• When the question stem says "give details" use 2 or more text-based pieces of evidence that support your answer.
• The editing passage contains NO SPELLING MISTAKES. You have to find and correct each error (in capitalization, grammar, usage or punctuation) to get the maximum number of points.
• Each error you introduce negates an error you have found.

Testing Mon. April 26 and Tues. April 27

Please note:

• Make sure to get a good night's sleep on Sunday and to eat a good breakfast Monday morning.
• You must bring at least two sharpened #2 pencils and an eraser. You may not use scrap paper or other supplies.
• Leave your cell phones in your lockers. If you bring a cell phone into class with you, it will be collected and brought to the main office.
• If you are done with the test before time is called, you may not do anything but sit quietly. Don't bring books or notebooks - it is against testing rules to let you read or write.
• Good luck!

SEE THE DANCE/SPOKEN WORD TROUPE IN ACTION

GROOVALOOS

http://www.groovaloos.com/

Test Sophistication

Tips for taking the ELA test (April 26-27)...

Multiple-choice questions measure how well you comprehend the text (reading passage) and how well you can locate information, identify and define vocabulary words, and think critically about fiction and nonfiction.

• "on the page" questions can be answered with information that is literally found in the passage (you can point to the info - either in the very same words, or rephrased).
• "off the page" questions require you to think critically to arrive at the answer - to make an inference, come to a conclusion based on what you have read.

TIPS: You have to select the BEST answer, not the first one you see that looks right. Read all answer choices. Eliminate - first the impossible answers then the possible but not totally right answers. Select the choice that most closely answers the question.

Short-response questions measure how well you comprehend the text, can critically think about the text, and are able to find support (text evidence) for your answer.

They are 2-part questions. Part 1 asks you to make an inference; part 2 asks you to support your answer. They are graded on a 2-point rubric. To get the full credit, you have to answer the question (both parts) accurately and clearly.

TIPS: Rephrase the question in your answer. As you answer each part, check the part off in the question stem.

Don't over-generalize or over-specify in your answer. Just simply answer the question that is asked and used text evidence to support your thinking.

ONLY USE INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT. DO NOT USE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THIS TEST.

Works Cited

Use the Son of Citation web site to format your sources in APA Style. The Works Cited page is part of your grade (will be graded in the Factual Support section of the rubric). Please submit the Works Cited page with your final publication.

1. You need to have 3 pages open simultaneously: "Sources" (googledocs), a new page called "Works Cited" (googledocs) and a browser. Please remember that you need a minimum of 3 sources (one must be an interview with an expert).

2. In the browser, follow this link: http://citationmachine.net/

3. Choose "APA" from the left menu.

4. Choose print or non-print format (i.e. web page, electronic book, online media, etc.) from the left menu of the "APA" page. Make sure you are choosing the correct format for the source!

5. Using your "Sources" doc, plug info into the Citation Machine site. If any info, such as author or date is missing, leave the field blank.

6. When all info is plugged in, hit "submit". A grey dialog box with the formatted citation will appear at the top of the page.

7. Copy and paste the info from the gray dialog box into the "Works Cited" doc. Please re-read the citation to make sure there are no errors such as the words "Initials" or "Author" - this means that you did not format it correctly.

8. Once steps #4-#7 are done for each source, put the sources in alphabetical order and number them.

9. Make sure the page is titled, "Works Cited" and share with me via googledocs.

***If you have done any of the steps incorrectly, please go back and revise your work and reshare via googledocs. This is also a classwork grade!***

Will Your Argument Convince Your Audience?

Checklist:
Did you identify your audience?
Did you state your issue and your position clearly?
Did you show the urgency of your issue with facts, historical background, expert quotes (interview), and other support?
Did you offer the audience solutions/a call to action?

Format for presenting your argument:
WHAT : issue/position
WHY: reasons why issue is urgent
HOW: solutions/call to action

WJPS news story: media influence on teens.

http://wjpsnews.ning.com/video/the-medias-affect-on-teens

Persuasive Publications Deadline Extended

...to March 5 (Friday). We will miss significant class time for predictive testing this Thursday and Friday, as well as the entire day on Wed. (advisory trip).

Please work on this project at home as well as in school. Preparation is key. Use the rubric as your guide.

Follow this format for your persuasive publication:

1. Identify your position and the issue.

2. Explain to the select audience WHY the issue is such a problem.

3. Offer solutions.

You must CONVINCE your SELECT AUDIENCE to CHANGE ITS MINDS and TAKE ACTION to solve the problem.

Things to Do Over Break....

1. Don't leave ePortfolio until the day before portfolio conferences!!! Upload, reflect on the site (find the link and directions to the left, about halfway down the page). It has been updated to include Persuasive Publications (due Feb. 26) and Letter to the Editor (which should have been completed by the end of the day today and shared with me via GoogleDocs.
2. Read and respond. Annotate your bibliography for DIR.
3. Any student who has received an NC for term 1 and who HAS NOT made up work or completed work to grade standards has an extension until the Monday we return to school (Feb. 22). Work that is not complete/revised will result in a term 1 grade of F.
Have a good break!

NYT Article/Letter to the Editor

"If Your Kids Are Awake, They're Probably Online"

Letter to the Editor Format:

• Dear Editor,
• Position Statement
• Factual Support - 2 facts (cited) + 1 personal connection
• Restate Position
• Sign
• Contact E-mail

Sharing Documents

• When logged into GoogleDocs, hit "share" button at top right corner.
• Choose "invite people"
• Share your work with your partners and with me (shari.marks@wjps.org)
• Make sure that the "to edit" button is selected when you are sharing with me, so I can give you feedback.

What should be shared so far...

1. Your list of sources (2-3 reputable sources with notes/images as needed)

2. An expert to be interviewed + at least 5 open-ended questions (701 due Monday, 702/703 due Tuesday)

GoogleDocs/Research/Citing Sources

All of the links to your sources and the information you find as a result of your search must be compiled in GoogleDocs.

1. Login to your WJPS email account
2. Click "Documents" at the top left toolbar
3. Once in GoogleDocs, create a new Word document
4. Highlight link or text in address bar or web page
5. Command + C to copy information
6. Put cursor in Word document
7. Command + V to paste information

Cite all of your sources! You must show where you got your information, whether you copy and paste a link or information directly (word-for-word) from the source, or whether you paraphrase (put in your own words). Any thought that did not come from your own mind (original thoughts) must be cited!!!

Trust only .gov and .edu extensions. Be cautious with any other extension, such as .com, .org, or .net. Read "About Us" page to learn more about the creators/owners of the site. Determine if you can trust it from the information they provide on that page.

RAFTS

R.A.F.T.S. is an ideal way to organize thinking and plan for research/writing/presentation of persuasive publications.
R-role. what part does speaker/writer play? (counselor, giver of advice, coach, etc.)
A-audience. to whom is speaker/writer sending message? who are you trying to reach?
F-format. how are you sending the message? (the medium you are using, for example, public service announcement, powerpoint, poster, speech, etc.)
T-topic. what are you writing about?
S-strategy. what is your plan for sending your message?

702 ONLY: Homework due Tuesday, Jan. 26

Do this in on loose-leaf. Turn in at the start of class on Tuesday, Jan. 26

Step 1:
Go to the AdCouncil website's anti-steroids campaign (Asterisk) and listen to the 2 radio spots (rap and metal), view all 3 print ads and the 2 outdoor ads. These links can be found at the right side of the page.
http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=520

Step 2: Create a pros and cons chart (in T-chart format) with three columns: rap, metal, print.

Step 3: Analyze the different media in terms of effectiveness. What are the positives about each spot? What are the negatives? Give as much detail as you can.

This work will be graded as classwork and will serve as your first grade for the new term. Any work not completed will be marked zero.

103 Things to Do Before, During and After Reading

You have tons to choose from for our last response to literature assignment. Every student received a short story today and worked on locating unfamiliar vocabulary words, and predicting/finding defintions. You will complete a characterization chart and identify big ideas supported by text evidence.

Then...you get to choose the response method. Find something that fits your talents and interests.

Here is the link to the Reading Rockets list of 103 response strategies. Print it if you have lost/misplaced your copy.

http://readingrockets.org/article/82?theme=print