Tuesday, 8 September

Mr. Zartler collected the homework on "How Not to Be Hard on Yourself."

The class discussed "Essential Questions," and Mr. Zartler shared an Essential Question for the class:

"Are people good or evil?"

Students wrote and shared responses to this question.

Next students were assigned one of the articles from the previous entry and were asked to complete the following graphic organizer based on their assigned article.


Evidence of Good   | Evidence of Evil | Explanation / analysis / Personal Experience / Connection/ Question / Reflection

Students were directed to put this assignment in their planner with a due date of next class: Thursday.

The class went to the library and checked out a copy of Lord of the Flies. Students who missed class should check one out before next class.

Links for lessons on Tuesday, 8 September

Paris Train Attack, August 2015

The Guardian Article

The BBC Article

Opinion in The Guardian

The Daily Mail article

New York Times article

Thursday, 3 September

Class began with a quick review of a concept fleshed out last class.

Reading = constructing meaning (from writing) Writing = constructing meaning (for reading)

The class also explored what the question "How ya' doin'?" means. Ultimately most agreed that most of the time "How are you?" means "Will you give me social acknowledgement?" This became more clear when students considered the text (words) that existed, their experience with those words and ideas, and the context of the question.

The class continued practicing identifying what pieces of information are given in text, what their experience with those ideas has been, and the context of the text by analyzing the "How Not to Be Hard On Yourself" sheet.

HOMEWORK:

Answer the following questions:

Which illustration is most like you?

Which piece of advice would you most like to put into practice?

It was obvious to all, that in order for a reader to construct meaning from these answers, the answer would have to include information that answered "why?" and "how?" (and that a good way to do this would be to address "what is there?" "what experiences relate to this?" "what is the context for this?"

Thursday, September 3rd

Today we will considering the question:

"Are people good or evil?"

We will use the recent terrorist attack on a Paris train as a starting point. The following links go to news coverage of the story:

Paris Train Attack August 2015

1)

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/21/amsterdam-paris-train-gunman-france

2)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34055713

3)

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/23/the-guardian-view-on-heroes-of-the-paris-train-attack-the-ordinary-doing-the-extraordinary

4)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3209621/American-professor-Mark-Moogalian-shot-ripping-assault-rifle-Ayoub-El-Khazzani-s-hands-suspicious-gunman-took-suitcase-bathroom.html?ito=social-facebook

5)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/03/world/europe/a-vacation-that-ended-with-the-legion-of-honor.html?mabReward=CTM&moduleDetail=recommendations-1&action=click&contentCollection=Personal%20Tech&region=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&src=recg&pgtype=article&_r=0

Mr. Zartler's Tutorial Days are flex B-days!

Mr. Zartler's Tutorial Days are flex B-Days!

This is a change from what was originally shared. This week only, Mr. Zartler will be available BOTH A day and B day.

Tuesday, September 1st

Students had their student ID photos taken today. If you missed your photo pay attention to announcements of retake day.

The class spend most of the day considering the questions:
What is reading? What is writing? What is speaking?  The class discussed that besides recognizing the connection between written symbols and sounds; sounds and words; words and ideas that there was also a construction of meaning that happens when one reads.

The class practiced identifying the building blocks of meaning using the following reading assignment:

Tuesday, September 1st

Today we will be consider the evidence for whether humans are good or evil provided by the story covered in the articles below:

Paris Train Attack August 2015

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/21/amsterdam-paris-train-gunman-france

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34055713

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/23/the-guardian-view-on-heroes-of-the-paris-train-attack-the-ordinary-doing-the-extraordinary

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3209621/American-professor-Mark-Moogalian-shot-ripping-assault-rifle-Ayoub-El-Khazzani-s-hands-suspicious-gunman-took-suitcase-bathroom.html?ito=social-facebook