Week of December 15, 2008

Monday, December 15th
Bell Work: Evidence (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Checking Thesis Statements”
a. Complete the handout individually, then compare answers with a partner and discuss the reasons for any answer you don’t agree on.
2. Quiet Writing: Use the handout as a guide to check and revise your own theses. Choose a “seed idea” (the thesis) that you want to use in writing an essay over the next few weeks.
3. Reflection: Explain how hard or easy was to draft, revise, and choose your thesis statement.
Homework: Study for a vocabulary quiz tomorrow

Tuesday, December 16th
Bell Work: Vocabulary Quiz (Notes or dictionaries can NOT be used on this quiz!)
1. Mini Lesson: “Boxes and Bullets”
2. Quiet Writing: Frame your writing before you draft. The box holds the thesis statement – the big idea – your claim and the bullets are what you want to say about your big idea or thesis. You are to imagine and write several different plans or outlines for an essay.
a. Supporting Theses in Various Ways:
i. Possibility #1 – Kinds
ii. Possibility #2 –Parts
iii. Possibility #3 –Reasons
iv. Possibility #4 –Places/Ways
v. Possibility #5 –Times

Wednesday, December 17th
Bell Work: Supporting Information (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Checking Essay Planning”
2. Quiet Writing: Reread your essay outlines. Put a star next to your top three choices. Be sure that you choose the three pieces of evidence that will be most effective (persuasive).
3. Share Time: Read your top three choices to your partner and have him/her decide if they agree or disagree that your supporting evidence is effective.

Thursday, December 18th
Bell Work: Ethanol (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Students will read “Biofuels 101” and use the QAR strategy in order to answer questions about the article.
2. Class will wrap up with the completion of “Exit” slips.

Friday, December 19th
Bell Work: Transportation Technologies (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. We will go to the library.
2. Return, renew, and check out books.
3. Finish the Alternative Fuels WebQuest found using the following Internet address: http://www.glencoe.com/sec/Tech_Ed/altfuels.shtml
4. Complete Library Bingo sheet.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Have a wonderful and safe holiday break! School will be closed for Winter Break starting the end of the day December 19th, 2008. School will reopen on January 5th, 2009.