Performance Task: How to Succeed

Goal: Create slides that illustrate the main idea, claims, and evidence presented in Tough's piece and screencast your slides

Agenda: 
Journal
Finish Claim/Evidence Organizer
Google Slide Deck
Screencasting Tutorial
SOAPSTone Form

1. Journal 
How are you feeling today? Write about it.

2. Finish Claim and Evidence Organizer 

• Yesterday we filled in the claims and evidence but today we'll start with breaking down the main idea of the WHOLE text. 
• The main idea should be able to include ALL claims and evidence we've presented in our work.
• It should be vague enough to cover everything but include a relevant message. 
• Finding the main idea is the toughest part

3. Google Slide Deck 

• There is a slide deck template for you in Google Classroom called "Performance Task: How to Succeed"
• Your job is to complete the slide deck AND change the theme so it's personalized. 
• I will show you your rubric in class and upload it here later:

4. Screencasting Tutorial 

• You can get extra credit for screencasting your slide presentation and sharing them with me. 
• If you get to a point where you are done with your slides early and want to aim for the extra credit, I highly encourage it. 
• Here are the steps you should follow: 

1. Go to Chrome extension store 
2. Download Screencastify as an extension 
3. Open up your slide presentation
4. Click on the Screencastify icon in the top right of your screen 
5. Allow access to the microphone and camera 
6. Record your slides 
7. Upload your video straight to Google Classroom 

5. SOAPSTone Form

• Complete this SOAPSTone Form for Tough's text, "How to Succeed" 
• You can work with people around you, but you are each responsible to fill in your own forms. 

Reminders: 

• Today is the last day of the grading period. 
• If you are trying to turn anything in for a regrade, please give it to me no later than lunch today.
• Grades will be updated by 4 o clock today. 
• PROM IS TONIGHT! See you there!! 

Breaking Down Claims and Evidence

Goal: Break down the types of evidence Tough incorporates in his text, "How to Succeed"

Agenda: 
Journal
Survey
Finish Precis/Precis Check
Model: Claim and Evidence Organizer
Individual Meetings

*Take THIS SURVEY for a group that is coming to talk to our campus next week. You can be honest; your answers are confidential and only to help the group coming to speak with us. 

1. Journal 
If an author interviewed you for their book like Tough interviewed Kewauna, what do you think would be their main message about your life?

2. Finish Precis/Precis Check 

• Yesterday at the end of class we wrote a 4 sentence precis about Tough's piece, "How to Succeed." 
• If you did not finish, now is your chance. 
• If you did finish, please be ready to show it to me as I circle around the room. 

3. Modeling Claim and Evidence Organizer 
I'll show you how to navigate this organizer, but I will only do one example of a claim and one example of evidence with you. The other two will be yours to complete!

4. Working Independently 

• Your job is to finish the other two claims and evidence boxes AS WELL AS to make an attempt at figuring out the main idea of this piece. 
• Tough tells many stories in this text so this is actually the toughest part (lol)

5. SOAPSTone Form

• Complete this SOAPSTone Form for Tough's text, "How to Succeed" 
• You can work with people around you, but you are each responsible to fill in your own forms. 

Reminders: 
Tomorrow is the last day of the grading period. If you are trying to turn anything in for a regrade, please give it to me no later than lunch tomorrow. Grades will be updated before we head into the weekend.

Writing a Precis

The Book our Text is From

Goal: Finish reading "How to Succeed" and begin to think about Tough's main ideas on a deeper level

Agenda: 
Journal
Finish Reading
NTW Questions
Write a Precis

1. Journal 
When will you know you have achieved full success? Is it even possible? Explain.

2. Finish Reading 

• Yesterday we left off at the heading "Dropping Out" 
• Today we are going to read the last portion of the text together.

3. Navigating the Waters Questions 

• There are questions in Google Classroom called "Navigating the Waters: How to Succeed" that you started yesterday (we answered #1-3 together) 
• Today you will answer #4 on your own.
• Please realize that #4 is another multiple question in one, so you should have more than one sentence as your answer.

4. Write a Précis 

• We've been practicing with writing a 4 sentence precis. 
• Your job is to write one about Paul Tough's piece, "How to Succeed." 
• You can write it in your journal or type it and share it with me. 

Reminders: 
Don't forget - you can still buy your prom tickets today. I really hope to see you there!

How to Succeed

Goal: Finish reading "How to Succeed" and begin to think about Tough's main ideas on a deeper
level

Agenda: 
Journal
Video Interview
Finish Reading
NTW Questions
Write a Precis

1. Journal 
How do you overcome things that are challenging in life?

2. Video Interview 

• We'll start today by getting a little bit of background on Paul Tough, the author of our current text. 
• As we watch, compare him to the other two authors we've read in class. Do you agree with what he's saying? Do you like or dislike the way he thinks? 
• Here he's answering the question, "Is a college education as valuable as it once was to students?" 

3. Finish Reading 

• Yesterday we began reading but today we're going to work on finishing it. 
• We will read a little bit together, then you will read the rest with your tables. 

4. Navigating the Waters Questions 

• There are questions in Google Classroom called "Navigating the Waters: How to Succeed" 
• You can work on these alone or with your table group. 
• PLEASE NOTICE that #1, 2, and 4 all ask you two questions. That means you should have two different sentences for those answers, answering the whole thing.

5. Write a Précis 

• We've been practicing with writing a 4 sentence precis. 
• Your job is to write one about Paul Tough's piece, "How to Succeed." 
• You can write it in your journal or type it and share it with me. 

Reminders: 
Don't forget - you can still buy your prom tickets until tomorrow. I really hope to see you!

Starting a New Text

Goal: Begin reading "How to Succeed," the final text of our education unit

Agenda: 
Journal
Survey the Text
Read the Text
Respond to Questions

A quick note: 
Your stories were amazing and so many of you wrote heartfelt pieces that deeply moved me. I am still working on responding to all of them and since they are lengthier pieces, my goal is to have them to you by the end of this week. 

1. Journal 
What is one personal trait you have that helps you to be successful?

2. Survey the Text 
Before reading, let's ask ourselves:

• What is the background of the author who wrote this piece? 
• What predictions can I make based on the title of the piece? 
• Looking through the text, what proper nouns do I see?
• Does it seem like this piece includes lots of people, places, and things I know? 
• How can I sort the proper nouns to get more meaning? 

3. Read the Text 

• I'm giving you each a copy of "How to Succeed" by Paul Tough. 
• This is the last major text in our Education Unit and we will be moving on next week to start a totally new topic. 
• As we go, highlight different pieces of evidence Tough uses to support his main idea. 

4. Respond to Questions 

• There are questions posted in Google Classroom called "Navigating the Waters: How to Succeed." 
• Please try to finish these today by the end of the period. 
• 1st period, work with each other and Mr. G to finish the questions. I know you can do it! 

Reminders: 
Don't forget to buy your prom tickets. Prom is this Friday evening!

Peer Review our Writing

Goal: Read, peer review our writing to a specific audience, and finish the TED Talk précis

Agenda: 
Read
Submit Your Writing
Finish TED Talk + Précis
Peer Review
Powerschool Check-Up

1. Read 
We're starting our Friday with 20 minutes of reading to get in the zone, Starbooks style. No journal prompt today!

2. Submit Your Writing

• You have had all week dedicated to writing your letter to a specific audience. Today is the absolute last day it is due. 
• Your work should be typed and submitted to Google Classroom where I have an assignment called "Op-Ed: Fake News and Bias in Reporting" 

3. Finish TED Talk + Précis 

• Yesterday a few of you began the assignment to watch this TED Talk by Eduardo Zanetta but not everyone finished.
• Write a 4 sentence précis in your journal titled "Precis: Failure is a Part of Success" under today's journal entry
• I'm coming around to check your precis and stamp it for this week's journal score

Eduardo Zanetta's TED Talk

4. Peergrade

• We're going to check out our classmates' work and score them on a rubric online. 
• You will anonymously view three classmates' work and score them according to a set of questions. 
• Take your time and give genuine feedback that could help. 
• Follow the link in Google Classroom to peergrade to get started but wait for my direct instruction to go any further. 

5. Powerschool Check-Up
Check Powerschool and make up an assignment that you didn't do so well on. You can always request a regrade on any assignment that was done on paper or submitted online (just not verbal assignments like discussions).

Reminders: 
Have a great weekend. See you Monday!

Wrapping up Writing

Goal: Finish your writing about high school and watch a TED Talk

Agenda: 
Journal
Writing Time
TED Talk
Powerschool Check
Check Out a Book

1. Journal 
What's one piece of advice you would give a middle schooler about going to high school?

2. Writing 

• Today is yours to finish writing. 
• Remember, your letter is to a specific audience. Do not lose sight of that.
• Use your thesis planning document from yesterday to help you write. 
• Your final version should be typed and submitted to Google Classroom using the MLA formatted template I provided. 

Remember, the question you are answering is:

How does experiencing failure actually help the journey toward success?

3. TED Talk 

• Put on headphones and watch this TED Talk. 
• Write a 4 sentence précis in your journal titled "Precis: Failure is a Part of Success" under today's journal entry

Eduardo Zanetta's TED Talk 

4. Powerschool Check-Up

Check Powerschool and make up an assignment that you didn't do so well on. You can always request a regrade on any assignment that was done on paper or submitted online (just not verbal assignments like discussions).

5. Check out a Book

• Check out a book from the classroom library and read if you are finished with all of your work and have extra time. 
• However, I'd encourage you to go back and make sure all of your assignments are in a good place. 

Reminders: 
Be prepared to engage in a peer review of your writing tomorrow.