Web Resources for Curiosity Inquiry Projects

Students in Period 1 and 2 have embarked on a Curiosity Inquiry Project, gathering sources to help answer their guiding questions from a variety of perspectives (nonfiction/memoir/fiction). Below are some web resources to help illuminate the topics.

RadioLab~Just about any topic has probably been explored in some way by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the geniuses behind the RadioLab podcast. Please explore their archives to find something to inform your Curiosity Inquiry Project:

http://www.radiolab.org/archive/

Ted Talks~Brilliant people in a variety of fields (artists, scientists, writers, political leaders, sociologists) give talks on fascinating topics. 
http://new.ted.com/

This American Life~A radio program that focus on:  "a theme to each episode, and a variety of stories on that theme. It's mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always."

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives

The Moth: True Stories, Told Live~A storytelling series that gives listeners a window into another's extraordinary experience.
http://themoth.org/

Planet Money: National Public Radio’s “Economy Explained” website and podcasts.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/

Specific stories several students are exploring:
Interested in infectious diseases? Reading The Hot Zone ?

Check out RadioLab’s podcast on “Patient Zero.”
http://www.radiolab.org/story/169879-patient-zero/

Interested in Gambling? Reading Bringing Down the House?

Check out This American Life’s episode on Blackjack:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/466/blackjack

Interested in survival stories? Check out the Moth storytelling series, especially: http://themoth.org/posts/storytellers/deborah-scaling-kiley

Interested in Brain Function and Sleep? Check out This American Life's episode, "Fear of Sleep" or RadioLab's Sleep episode:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/361/fear-of-sleep
http://www.radiolab.org/story/91528-sleep/

Independent Reading: Literature Circles and Nonfiction Curiosity Projects

Students in periods 1 and 2 are reading nonfiction books they have chosen about topics they are curious about.

Students in periods 3 and 5 will be reading books for STEMM literature circles by Wednesday, February 19.

Students are expected to read 45 minutes to 1 hour a night, with students in literature circles making their group's deadlines.

Students should read actively, reread sections that are confusing, and note significant quotes or passages that they want to share with classmates and reflect on in their weekly reading reflections (to be reviewed on Friday).

Prepare for your Socratic Seminar!

9th Grade English:

Students will have the opportunity to discuss Of Mice and Men in a Socratic Seminar on Monday, 2/10. This in-class discussion will prepare students to write an essay analyzing a significant theme in Steinbeck's novel. We will write essays in class on Tuesday (2/11) and Wednesday, (2/12)

**ALL students will be expected to participate in the discussion and take notes.**

To prepare to thoughtfully discuss the book, students must do the following, in their writer's notebook:

1. Brainstorm questions you genuinely have about the book. Consider theme, characters, conflict, setting, and author choices regarding language, plot, symbols, or anything else that sparked your curiosity as a reader. 
Questions should: 
**Be good for class discussion (i.e., no straightforward "right" or "wrong" answer, no questions like "Where did Lennie and George get run out of town?"); 
**Require the text for evidence to answer the question (i.e., no "What do you think happened to Slim after the end of the book?")

2. From this list of questions, choose the top three you think would make good discussion questions. Answer the questions yourself, using specific page numbers and passages to support your ideas. Use PEEL strategy for exceptional responses, and to learn the strategy better!

Come on Monday, prepared to discuss the text, listen to others' ideas, and take notes to help you with your in-class essay.

P.E.E.L. Revision for Out of the Dust Essay

Out of the Dust Body Paragraph Revision: DUE Thursday,  2/6 P. 1, 2; Friday, 2/7 P. 3, 5, 6

WORTH 25 Points, to raise grade up to 95/100. If you have an 85 or above, revision can take you to 100/100.

Set up your paper with items 1-3, and follow all guidelines to get maximum points.

1. Prompt you are answering:

2. Thesis Statement:

3. PEEL revision: Pick ONE body paragraph to polish using this strategy.

Point: Must make a claim or point that supports your thesis. Must be an assertion, something you will prove.

Evidence:

*Must introduce quote (brief summary of previous action) In this quote…

*Must be in the form of a quote, and punctuated correctly (SEE BELOW for examples). Must use page numbers: “Such a sorrow doesn’t come suddenly,/there are a thousand steps to take…” (84).

Explanation:

*Interpret the quote and connect to your point, may need additional information about this section of the book. Explain significance so someone who hasn’t read the book understands.

Language and Link:
*Language: Discuss how the author uses key words, symbols, repetition, literary devices/poetic devices.

*Link back to point, add something new.

General Notes:

*Maintain a formal tone—no “I”

*Use your best vocabulary: be specific, and precise. No “stuff,” “things,” “She was sad.”
*Make sure you cite book correctly by underlining title.

*For In-class work, use your best printing (no handwriting, not rushed)

*Give a sense of an understanding of the WHOLE book, major conflicts. Your focus shouldn't be so narrow it seems like you didn't read the book.
*Transitions lead smoothly from one idea to the next.
*An appropriately formal tone is maintained. Avoid contractions (“has not” rather than “hasn’t”) and do not refer to yourself as “I” or to your reader as “you”. When discussing plot, the present verb tense is used.

QUOTE Tutorial:

 **Quotations are punctuated and presented in a manner consistent with MLA standards. There are several ways of doing this:

Scenario One:

Quoted material is usually preceded by a colon–or possibly a period–if the quotation is “formally” introduced by an independent clause.

Although he is very young, David feels a kind of sexual attraction for Marie: “She was sexy, though my love for her was, as a twelve-year-old’s love often is, chaste.”

ScenarioTwo: 
If the quotation is an integral part of the sentence structure, it is introduced by a comma or no punctuation at all.

On reason David is attracted to Marie is that she is “older, but not too old” and “not as quiet and conventional” as the other adults in his life.

Scenario Three: 
If the quotation is followed by an attributive phrase, the comma is enclosed within the quotation marks.

It is obvious that David’s father and Uncle Frank lack respect for Indians. “Frank said maybe he’ll do a little dance around the bed,” Wes jokingly says when he gets off the phone.

Scenario Four: 
For variety, you can break the quotation up. Just punctuate as you would in any narrative essay.

“What does she need, David?” Wes asks, ”A medicine man?”