Secondary English Weekly #4
Issue Four / September 17-21, 2018
LOOKING FOR PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE NEWSLETTER?
CCS ELA 2018 AIR REPORT WITH RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
THE REPORT:
THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS/RESOURCE DOCUMENTS:
-During the summer of 2018, an AIR TASK GROUP looked closely at CCS’s ELA AIR data over the past three years to discover challenge areas and what could be done to make the most gains in 2019. The culmination of that work is linked above. You have links to the entire report, the READ Method for AIR Test Preparation, and the first Standardized Prep Thursday Lesson. To find these items on the ELA 6-12 Webpage, click on the "Standardized Testing" Quick Link.
-Below you will find the Reading and Writing Conclusions from the report as well as the READ Method Flyer (also linked above). Be on the look out for upcoming PD opportunities on the actionable items in the report. I will leave the report in the newsletter for a few weeks because I know it will take some time to peruse and process.
FOUR STUDENT CONTEST OPPORTUNITIES
HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.
Debate Type: Policy This is a two-on-two debate that focuses on a policy question that hones a student’s research, analytical, and delivery skills. Policy debate involves the proposal of a plan by the affirmative team to enact a policy, while the negative team offers reasons to reject that proposal and stay with the status quo. Throughout the debate, students give constructive and rebuttal speeches and have the opportunity to cross-examine one another. Each Constructive speech is 8 minutes. Each Cross Examination is 3 minutes. Each Rebuttal is 5 minutes. Each team has 5 minutes of prep time that can be used during the debate. A judge or panel of judges determines the winner based on the arguments presented.
Debate Teams: Debate teams are made of two students. Those students prepare to debate both the affirmative and negative sides of the debate resolution. On the day of the debate, each two-person team will be told which side (affirmative or negative) they will be debating during each of the three rounds. Each school can bring up to five teams (10 students).
Date of Debate Tournament: Friday, December 7th from 8:30am-1pm Team Check-ins from 8-8:30am; Tournament from 8:30am-12:30pm (three rounds: 8:30-9:44, 9:50-11:04am, and 11:10am-12:24pm); Award Ceremony from 12:45-1pm.
Location of Debate Tournament: Capital University, Ruff Learning Center, 631 Pleasant Ridge, Bexley, OH 43209
Registration and Resources: Click HERE to access the debate folder with registration form and numerous resources for preparing your students to be great debaters. Be sure to register your school NOW even if you don’t yet know the names of students on your teams. That can be added later. The deadline for having all your names added is November 2nd.
DEBATE FOLDER: https://tinyurl.com/debatehs2018
NOTE: Middle School Debate Information will be forthcoming from Gifted and Talented. Look for it after September 17th. I will put it in the newsletter as soon as it is released from G & T.
MLK BREAKFAST SPEAKER CONTEST
CCS will select one student speaker to represent the district at the 2019 Martin Luther King Breakfast, held on January 21st at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Exhibition Hall C. The student chosen will get into the breakfast free and receive two complimentary tickets for his/her parent or guardians. The competition to become that speaker is open to all students in Grades 6-12. The CCS Superintendent will introduce our student speaker.
Theme of Speech: The Purpose of Education-intelligence plus character
Length of Speech: 3 minutes max.
Deadline for Entry: Monday, December 10th
How to Enter: Have your teacher send or share a recording of you reciting your speech to the ELA 6-12 Curriculum Office or have your teacher contact the ELA Curriculum Office to come out and videotape you giving your speech. Teachers can email speeches as attachments or make a requests to have students recorded to cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us, or text/share videos to 740-228-1509. Please Include the student's name, school, grade, contact information, and the teacher’s email & phone number.
MADLAB THEATRE YOUNG WRITERS PROGRAM 2019
MadLab, a professional theatre in downtown Columbus, would like to tell you a little bit about their Young Writers Program in the hopes that you will get your students involved. Now entering their 8th year, they have worked with over 65 local high school students and produced almost 70 of their short plays. This 6-minute introductory video can tell you more about the program that began in 2011 as a way to help high school students grow as artists and playwrights, gain professional theatrical experience, and develop critical thinking and editing skills that will help them in the future. Each year, they select up to 10 short plays by local students to be produced in a festival. Over the course of 6 months students will:
Participate in writing workshops
See staged readings of their scripts by MadLab actors
Work with local and national playwright mentors to revise and improve their scripts
Experience a full-scale production of their scripts at MadLab
The Young Writers program is offered at no cost to the students. They are striving to reach new communities and populations with this program, and are willing to provide transportation, translation services, and anything else students who are selected might require. More information, photos, and videos from previous years can be found on our website and youtube page. DOWNLOAD THIS FLYER TO SHARE WITH YOUR STUDENTS!
POETRY SLAM CONTEST--NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION CONFERENCE—DEADLINE THIS THURSDAY!!
The 2018 National Dropout Prevention Conference is being held in Columbus from October 28-31 and they are looking for three students to spit poems and win prizes.
- THE CHALLENGE: Students should write a letter in the form of a poem to anyone (or anything) of their choice. Then, they need to videotape themselves reading it. The subject must be related to dropout prevention and civic engagement. The letter can be addressed to someone in their life or someone they’ve never met: maybe an at-riskstudent, a person they admire, or a political figure. They can write letters to their feelings - fears, joys, or even insecurities. The possibilities are endless! If they are not sure what to write about, have them start with "Dear..." and let their heart worry about the rest. You can also have them check out our 5 Tips for Writing Letter Poetry for ideas.
- ELIGIBILITY: Current high school students who are 18 years of age or younger are eligible to enter. They must submit a video of their poetry slam performance by Thursday, September 20. Submissions will be reviewed by a committee. Submissions are accepted online at bit.ly/SubmitMySlam.The top three slams will be featured at the 2018 National Dropout Prevention Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Other submissions may be on display throughout the conference.
- PRIZES: Grand Prize: $500 Scholarship, Second Place: $300 Scholarship, Third Place: $200 Scholarship SUBMIT SLAM POEM HERE. MORE INFORMATION HERE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEW TYPE OF QUESTION ON THE ELA AIR TESTS?
Standard: RL.9-10.3
Part A. How does the interaction between the two sons change after the father dies?
A. it intensifies B. it dissolves C. it becomes controversial D. it becomes adversarial
Part B. How does the interaction between the two sons develop the theme?
A. It makes the idea of love more universal.
B. It serves as a reason for making changes.
C. It places the emphasis on familial duties.
D. It acts as the true example of loss.
You can find this AIR Question Types document on the ELA Webpage at the "Standardized Testing" Quick Link. Use it to refresh your memory of the types of questions on the AIR tests.
DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE ACCESS TO STUDENT FRIENDLY VERSIONS OF THE ODE RUBRICS USED ON THE AIR TESTS?
- Writing Rubric ODE Argument 6-12 Student Friendly
- Writing Rubric ODE Informative/Explanatory 6-12 Student Friendly
- Writing Rubric ODE Argument 6-12
- Writing Rubric ODE Informative/Explanatory 6-12
- Writing Rubric Argument Model Curriculum
- Writing Rubric Informative Model Curriculum
- Writing Task Templates/Rubrics LCD Grades 6-12
- Writing Rubric LDC Argument 6-8 PDF
- Writing Rubric LDC Argument 6-8 DOC
- Writing Rubric LDC Argument 9-12 PDF
- Writing Rubric LDC Argument 9-12 DOC
- Writing Rubric LDC Info/Explanatory 6-8 PDF
- Writing Rubric LDC Info/Explanatory 6-8 DOC
- Writing Rubric LDC Info/Explanatory 9-12 PDF
- Writing Rubric LDC Info/Explanatory 9-12 DOC
USE THIS LIST TO GUIDE WHAT YOU DO IN THE CLASSROOM
Take a look at the list. How many of the practices could be observed in your classroom last week? Are you using the list when you plan lessons or units? How many of the practices will be observed this week in your classroom?
1-Make close reading of text central to lesson.
2-Structure majority of instruction so all students read grade-level complex texts.
3-Emphasize informational texts from early grades through graduation.
4-Provide scaffolding that does not preempt or replace text.
5-Ask text-dependent questions.
6-Provide extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).
7-Offer regular opportunities for students to share ideas, evidence, and research.
8-Offer systematic instruction in vocabulary.
9-Provide explicit instruction in grammar and conventions.
10-Cultivate students’ independence
BOOK NEWS: NATIONAL BOOK AWARD LONGLISTS AND BANNED BOOKS WEEK RESOURCES
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD LONGLIST
Check out the longlists of nominees for the National Book Awards. The finalists will be chosen on October 10th.
Fiction
Nonfiction
Poetry
Translated Literature
Young People's Literature
BANNED BOOKS WEEK IS SEPTEMBER 23-29
The theme of Banned Books Week is "Banning Books Silences Stories." Think about celebrating the stories in banned books in your classroom next week. HERE are some educator resources for the event.
WIN PRIZES, FIND IDEAS, GO ON OUTINGS, AND GET INVOLVED!
WIL HAYGOOD BOOK LAUNCH THIS THURSDAY!!!
On September 20 at 7:00 pm, Columbus City Schools will welcome award-winning author and journalist Wil Haygood to East High School to discuss his forthcoming book, Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing. Launching his national book tour, Haygood will share the story of Columbus' own East High School Tigers, who won baseball and basketball state championships in the midst of the racial turbulence and segregation of the late 1960s and inspired a community.
Space is limited. Tickets are free! GET YOURS HERE. A book signing will follow the presentation. Doors will open at 6:00 pm.
About Tigerland
In the midst of the racial turbulence of 1968/1969, East High School wins the Ohio state baseball and basketball championships. Wil Haygood gives a spirited and stirring account of this improbable triumph and deeply takes us into the personal lives of these local heroes: Robert Wright, power forward, whose father was a murderer; and Kenny Mizelle, the Tigers' second baseman, who grew up under the false impression that his father had died; and Eddie "Rat" Ratleff, the star of both teams, who would play for the 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball team. We meet Jack Gibbs, the first black principal at East High; Bob Hart, the white basketball coach, determined to fight against the injustices he saw inflicting his team; and the hometown fans who followed the Tigers to stadiums across the state. And, just as important, Haygood puts the Tigers' story in the context of the racially charged late 1960s. The result is both an inspiring sports story and a singularly illuminating social history.
NEW TOOLS FOR ACT PREPARATION
Take minute to explore what is new for ACT preparation HERE.
TEACHINGBOOKS & SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL WEBINAR—THIS THURSDAY!
-TeachingBooks and School Library Journal are hosting a Webinar on Thursday, September 20, 2:00 PM ET to acquaint you with the newest content on TeachingBooks. Register here for "For the Love of Reading: TeachingBooks.net." This Webinar could prove extremely helpful if you have never used TeachingBooks:)
FALL TEACHINGBOOKS WEBINARS TO EXPLORE
-TeachingBooks has an Essential Elements Webinar Series happening this fall that includes four Webinars to introduce you to TeachingBooks and leverage your usage of TeachingBooks. Click HERE to see descriptions and to register for any of the fall webinars.
NCTE CONFERENCE 2018 (NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH)
Registration for the 2018 NCTE Annual Convention in Houston, TX on November 15-18, 2018 includes access to all General Sessions, concurrent sessions, Special Interest Group meetings, the Now Screening film festival, NCTE Central, and the Exhibit Hall. Check out featured speakers and sessions or register HERE. Register by November 5 for the best rates. After November 5, registrations will still be accepted here as well as onsite at the George R. Brown Convention Center at the higher price.
NCTE TWITTER CHATS
#NCTEchat is a fast-paced monthly Twitter chat where incredible ideas fly and solid advice comes in 280-character snippets. Join the conversation!
- Sunday, September 16, 8:00 p.m. EST: Banning Books Silences Stories
- Sunday, October 14, 8:00 p.m. EST: Writing for Empathy
- Sunday, November 11, 8:00 p.m. EST: #NCTE18
AMLE CONFERENCE 2018 (ASSOCIATION FOR MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION)
Are you attending AMLE2018 in Orlando on October 25-27? http://www.amle.org/annual Your choice of 400+ sessions, one-on-one discussions with education leaders, and networking with other passionate middle school educators. Save $50 off registration with promo code A18SM.
ECHOES & REFLECTIONS WEBINARS
Echoes & Reflections has a series of free one-hour Webinars designed to help educators promote student learning and understanding of the Holocaust and its lasting effect on the world. Upcoming webinars include Spotlight on Contemporary Antisemitism,Operation Last Chance: Final Efforts to Bring Nazi War Criminals to Justice, Using Holocaust Films in the Classroom, and more. Register here.
CORWIN WEBINAR SERIES
Starting September 17, Corwin's free Monday Afternoon Webinar Series will resume. This season you can look forward to live Webinars with John Hattie, Jessica and John Hannigan, and Ken O'Connor—to name just a few. It doesn’t get much better! Download the print schedule here. Register here.
Must-Know Logistics:
- Frequency: An average 3-4 webinars per month
- When: Just about every Monday
- Time: Almost always at 3:30 PDT / 6:30 EDT
- Duration: One hour
- Cost: FREE!
SARAH MCCOY: THURBER HOUSE EVENINGS WITH AUTHORS
- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018
- 7:30 PM 9:00 PM
- COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART (MAP)
Sarah McCoy, New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of The Mapmaker’s Children and The Baker’s Daughter, visits Thurber House with her latest novel, Marilla of Green Gables. This bold, heartfelt tale explores life at Green Gables – before Anne. Described as a “marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel,” Marilla is set in rural Prince Edward Island in the 1800s. Plucky and ambitious, Marilla Cuthbert is 13 when her beloved mother dies in childbirth, and Marilla must bear the responsibilities of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, keeping house, and overseeing day-to-day life of Green Gables. In Avonlea, a small farming town on a remote island, life holds few options for farm girls. Emboldened by her aunt, Marilla dares to venture beyond the safety of Green Gables and discovers new friends and new opportunities. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
THE GREAT AMERICAN READ
Explore the list of 100 books and vote for your favorite novels once a day, every day! Voting will close on October 18th. Consider having your students vote and root for their favorites.
Vote Now. Tune into PBS every Tuesday at 8pm for The Great American Read episodes.
FREE AND FUN BOOK CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS FROM TEACHINGBOOKS BLOG
Contests and Giveaways | September 2018
BULKBOOKSTORE $500 MONTHLY GIVEAWAY
BulkBookstore's Educators Monthly Giveaway of $500 in free books shows appreciation for teachers, librarians, and schools around the country. Click HERE to enter.
Carla Mae Phillips
Email: cphillips3865@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/English6-12
Phone: (614) 365-8386
Tim Wangler
Email: twangler8446@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/English6-12
Phone: (614) 365-8386