Objective:  I can write an introduction to my essay by following the steps in the essay organizer and consulting with my neighbor.

BW:  Read the exemplar paragraph of an introduction.  Write down the pivot or transition sentence in your notebook.

Activities:

1.  Share Out:  What is the transition sentence?  What is the purpose of the sentences immediately after the quote?  What is the specific purpose of this transition sentence as it relates to the text?
2. Share Out:  What is the transition sentence in the next exemplar?  What is the metaphor that connects theme of greed in Shakespeare’s play to this theme in Gatsby’s novel?  Miller’s play?  etc.
3. Promethean Board:  Review the steps of writing an introduction from the essay organizer.  Make connections with the previous discussion.
4. Independent Study:  Identify a quote that provides evidence of a theme or main idea you are developing in your own essay.
5. Independent Study:  Apply the steps of the organizer to write a rough draft of your introduction.
6. Think Pair/Share:  Each student will provide feedback to his/her elbow partner on how well the steps were followed in the rough drafts of the introductions.
7.  Promethean Board:  If time allows, the steps for writing a conclusion will be read aloud.  Each step will be matched with the respective sentences of the sample conclusion.
8. Independent Study:  Each students will write a rough draft of his/her conclusion.

Objective:  I can write my third supporting paragraph by reviewing my elbow partner’s score and justification of my first supporting paragraph and completing the 4-Column Paragraph Organizer.

BW:  Each student will read the score and justification by his/her elbow partner for the first supporting paragraph and write a short paragraph to set a goal for writing the third one.

Activities:

1.  Share Out:  What is your goal for today’s writing assignment?
2. Independent Study:  In notebooks, students will complete the 4-Column Paragraph Organizer for the first main point of the third supporting paragraph.
3. (Optional)  Students who have not completed the third bucket must finish now!
4. Independent Study:  All students will complete the third supporting paragraph by following the steps in the paragraph organizer.
5. Independent Study:  Students who complete the paragraph beforehand will add inferences to their SSR logs after getting a starting point from the teacher.

Objective: I can rewrite my bucket organizer by following correction instructions from the first one and adding a third category.

BW:  Read the list of categories in the handout.  Start a bucket in which you match a quote with a category that you had not thought about in the first bucket organizer.  See the notes in your first bucket organizer.

Activities:

1.  Share Out:  What new match-up between quotes and buckets did you determine?  Can you use this bucket as your third category?
2. Independent Study:  Rewrite your first two buckets.  Use quotes at least one sentence long with the source and page in parentheses.
3. Turn-and-Talk:  Review your elbow partner’s first two buckets.  Share ideas about accomplishments and challenges.
4. Independent Study: Complete the third bucket.  If time allows, identify three quotes for a counterargument on your fourth bucket.
5. Reminder:  Tutoring for the essay is available before and after school on Tues, Wed, and Thurs. before and after school, and Fri. before school(6:30 am).

Objective:  I can write my second support paragraph by following the steps in my 4-Column Paragraph Organizer.

BW:  Underneath yesterday’s bellwork(exemplar paragraph organizer), list information from your bucket handout for at least one main point of your second supporting paragraph in your 4-Column Paragraph Organizer.  Students should have already completed the second bucket from the organizer.  If not, students should get caught up at this point.

Activities:

1. Independent Study:  After completing the bellwork, students should write their second supporting paragraph.  The goal is to develop two main points with at least three pieces of evidence as either direct quotes, indirect quotes, or paraphrases.
2. After completing this paragraph, students should complete their remaining third bucket and fourth buckets(counterargument). If this step is not completed, attend tutoring after school today or make an appointment to meet before school on Monday.
3. SSR:  Read to add inferences to your log in the back of your notebook.

Objective:  I can score my elbow partner’s first supporting paragraph by comparing “key terms” from the focus skills of “evidence” and “reasoning” in the argumentative essay rubric with the paragraph.  Also, I can write my second supporting paragraph by using the 4-Column Paragraph Organizer for support along with comments of my elbow partner’s justification of the score I received for the first supporting paragraph.

BW:  In your notebook, students will copy the exemplar of the 4-Column Paragraph Organizer.

1. Turn-and-Talk:  Students will open to page 4 of The Atlantic and read the paraphrase of “Marc Prensky.”  Students will discuss with their elbow partners how they could explain further or reason about the advantages of connecting with peers in other countries with cell phones.
2. Independent Study:  Students will complete their bucket lists for three categories and a counterargument bucket on the back.
3. Independent Study:  Students will score elbow partner’s first supporting paragraph and provide a short justification of the score(3-5 sent.)
4. Independent Study:  Students will review the scores and justifications for their focus skills(evidence and reasoning) written by their elbow partners about their first supporting paragraphs.
5. Share Out:  Volunteers will be asked to share their accomplishments and challenges with the rough draft of the first supporting paragraph.
6. Reminders:  Tutoring for the argumentative essay is available Thurs.(Nov. 30), Fri.(Dec. 1), and Tues.(Dec. 5) after school, or before school any day by appointment.

Objective:  I can score Student Samples A and B by listing “key terms” for focus skills(evidence and reasoning) and then consulting with my elbow partner.

BW:  In your notebook, list “key terms” for the focus skills of “evidence” and “reasoning” for scores of 4-1 in the Argumentative Rubric.  i.e. “reasoning”-4-“insightful”, 3-“adequate”

Activities:

1. Random Share Out:  What “key term(s)” did you identify for the focus skill of “reasoning” at a score of “2”?  Why?
2.  Independent Study:  Read Student Sample A.
3. Think Pair/Share:  With your elbow partner reread(if necessary) and decide on scores for Student Sample A to match the focus skills of “evidence” and “reasoning.”  Write a short justification(1-2) sentences for each choice.  i.e. I thought the “reasoning” was adequate because it made a point, but didn’t totally win me over.
4. Random Share Out:  What score did you and your elbow partner determine for “evidence”?  Why?  What was your justification?
5. Repeat steps 2,3, and 4 for Sample B.
6. Independent Study:  Complete the bucket organizer for all three categories.  Use at least 3 quotes for each bucket.  Ensure that each of the three buckets is a distinctly separate idea.  Remember, quotes should be able to support two or three main points.

Objective:  I can write the first supporting paragraph of my essay by following the steps illustrated on the video image of a body paragraph and using the category and evidence from my bucket organizer.

BW:  Read the student sample of the first bucket.  What is the student’s claim and first category?  After reading through each of the three quotes, attempt to figure out at least one main point or main idea from them.  Look for “key terms” that are similar or form a group.  Turn-and-Talk to your elbow partner for support.

Activities:

1.  Share Out:  What is a possible main point? Why?
2. Review Video Image of a Body Paragraph:  Topic/Main Point/Evidence/Reasoning.
3. Independent Study:  Write your first body paragraph.  Begin with one of these sentence starters depending on your claim:   Cell phone use in school diminishes learning because…, or Cell phone use in schools does not diminish learning…
4. Share Out:  If time allows,  students can volunteer to read aloud work for quick/tips.
5. Reminder:  Mr. Sapienza is available Tues., Thurs. and Fri. after school or before school by appointment for tutoring on the essay.  All writing for the essay remains in your folders.  No writing is taken home.

Objective:  I can complete writing my first supporting paragraph by following the instructions in the video and using the topic and evidence from the first category of my bucket organizer.

BW:  DLW(3:3)

Activities:

1.  Student as teacher makes corrections with standard usage.
2. Independent Study:  Complete the first category with three quotes in your bucket organizer.
3. View Video:  What is the difference between the topic and a main idea in a paragraph?  What is the difference between a main idea and evidence?
4. Independent Study:  Students will write the rough draft of their first supporting paragraph.  Possible sentence starters:  Cell phones diminish the ability for students to learn because…, Cell phones do not diminish the ability for students to learn because…(see “Sentence Starters”).  Use the three quotes from your organizer as evidence.  Use direct or indirect quotes and/or paraphrases in the way you have written them in the past.

Objective:  I can complete the first category of my bucket organizer by reviewing quotes from previous research and listing them to the left of the bucket.  Also, I can score my elbow partner’s summary by comparing and contrasting it with the four models(1-4) and discussing the rubric with her/him.

BW:  Complete the first bucket in the organizer by adding two more quotes from yesterday’s work.

Activities:

1.  Independent Study:  Read through each model(1-4) of the summaries.
2. Think Pair/Share:  Compare and contrast the models with your elbow partner’s work.  Discuss the different levels on the rubric by isolating “key terms.”
3. Independent Study:  Assess your elbow partner’s score.
4. Reflection:  Each student will write a reflection of about seven or more sentences explaining accomplishments and challenges for the next summary writing activity.
5. Independent Study:  Students will complete their final drafts of the “I Am” poem, colored on copy paper.

Objective:  I can list quotes that match buckets(categories) for the claim of my essay by reviewing my research notes and consulting with my neighbor.

BW:  DLW(3:2)

Activities:

1.  Student as teacher corrects with standard usage.
2. Video:  Answer these questions:  What is the difference between the “topic” and “main point” as Stieglitz instructs?  What do you notice before each piece of evidence?  What do you notice after each piece of evidence?
3. Independent Study:  Write your claim for the argumentative essay at the top of the bucket organizer sheet.  Determine 3 categories.  And write one quote for the first category.
4. Share Out:  Does the evidence match the category?  Is the evidence compelling?
5. Think Pair/Share:  Complete your bucket organizer for the first bucket with at least three quotes for the category.
6. Independent Study:  Continue to complete the remaining two buckets.