Today was the first day back to school. Welcome, everyone!
Today, in all my classes, we got to know each other.
Students started off by writing about the best thing from this summer. This was due as a classwork grade.
I introduced myself to the students and went over the course syllabus. For homework, students needed to get the syllabus signed at home.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 23
We're finishing the school year! Students in my classes have a final exam either Tuesday (Blocks One and Four), or Wednesday (Block Three). The final exam is nothing to stress over, but you should be mentally prepared.
It is:
*Worth the same as any other test
*98 multiple choice questions and one written response
*The multiple choice questions might be about:
-definitions, like "What is diction?" and you would select the correct definition from the choices
-reading comprehension, where you'll first read an excerpt and then answer a question
-grammar, where you'll look at a sentence and identify something about it
Following a brief discussion about the final exam, my classes today participated in something of a social experiment. I gave all students a role playing situation, and the student had to answer the situation individually. After that, students got together into small groups and tried to reach a group consensus on the problem. Here is the situation:
Heart Surgery Exercise
You are surgeons at a large hospital. Your committee must make a very important decision. You have received word that a donor heart is available, and from your list of possible recipients, you find that seven candidates could receive the heart. The committee must choose which patient gets the heart. Because of the importance of this decision, a simple majority vote will not work. You must come to consensus.
Patients:
1. A famous brain surgeon at the height of her career. Single, black woman. 31 years old.
2. A 12 year old musician. Japanese girl.
3. A 40 year old teacher. Hispanic male, two children.
4. A 15 year old pregnant woman. Unmarried, white, no other children.
5. A 35 year old Roman Catholic priest.
6. A 17 year old waitress. White, high school dropout. Helps support her family with her earnings.
7. A 38 year old scientist close to discovering a cure for AIDS. Chinese woman, no children, lesbian.
There is no right or wrong answer. The point of this assignment is to get students to think, and to force them to work together in groups to explain their reasoning.
It is:
*Worth the same as any other test
*98 multiple choice questions and one written response
*The multiple choice questions might be about:
-definitions, like "What is diction?" and you would select the correct definition from the choices
-reading comprehension, where you'll first read an excerpt and then answer a question
-grammar, where you'll look at a sentence and identify something about it
Following a brief discussion about the final exam, my classes today participated in something of a social experiment. I gave all students a role playing situation, and the student had to answer the situation individually. After that, students got together into small groups and tried to reach a group consensus on the problem. Here is the situation:
Heart Surgery Exercise
You are surgeons at a large hospital. Your committee must make a very important decision. You have received word that a donor heart is available, and from your list of possible recipients, you find that seven candidates could receive the heart. The committee must choose which patient gets the heart. Because of the importance of this decision, a simple majority vote will not work. You must come to consensus.
Patients:
1. A famous brain surgeon at the height of her career. Single, black woman. 31 years old.
2. A 12 year old musician. Japanese girl.
3. A 40 year old teacher. Hispanic male, two children.
4. A 15 year old pregnant woman. Unmarried, white, no other children.
5. A 35 year old Roman Catholic priest.
6. A 17 year old waitress. White, high school dropout. Helps support her family with her earnings.
7. A 38 year old scientist close to discovering a cure for AIDS. Chinese woman, no children, lesbian.
There is no right or wrong answer. The point of this assignment is to get students to think, and to force them to work together in groups to explain their reasoning.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
"Who owns the fish?" solution!
Yesterday in class (Friday, May 20), I distributed a word puzzle to students. In the puzzle, students had to determine which of the 5 people owned the fish.
I told everyone that they could find the solution online and that I would post a link to the solution on this blog. After I posted the link, I discovered a mistake in the solution!
The solution online says that the German owns the fish. This solution is correct for the version of the puzzle online, but the version I gave you is actually a little bit different.
Here is the online version.
Take a look at the fifth line. My handout reads, "The green house owner drinks tea," but the version online reads, "The green house's owner drinks coffee." Obviously, this difference changes the outcome of the puzzle.
The correct answer to the puzzle (for the handout I gave) is that the Dane owns the fish. I'm sorry for the mistake; it must have been very frustrating for those of you who worked hard on this!
I told everyone that they could find the solution online and that I would post a link to the solution on this blog. After I posted the link, I discovered a mistake in the solution!
The solution online says that the German owns the fish. This solution is correct for the version of the puzzle online, but the version I gave you is actually a little bit different.
Here is the online version.
Take a look at the fifth line. My handout reads, "The green house owner drinks tea," but the version online reads, "The green house's owner drinks coffee." Obviously, this difference changes the outcome of the puzzle.
The correct answer to the puzzle (for the handout I gave) is that the Dane owns the fish. I'm sorry for the mistake; it must have been very frustrating for those of you who worked hard on this!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, May 20
Students received their grades for the EOCT this morning. I showed students how to read their EOCT report and also how to calculate their final grades. Of course, they can't figure it out totally, since we're still in the 2nd nine weeks, but they can get a good idea. Here's the formula:
(1st Nine Weeks X .475) + (2nd Nine Weeks X .475) + (EOCT X .15) = Final Grade
Following this, we read a non-fiction article about the rapper Lil' Wayne. I think it's good to read something modern and from real life once in a while, so that we can see that our reading skills do have a real use. Students took a quiz on their comprehension of the article.
We also worked on another logic puzzle. If you are interested in seeing the puzzle, click here.
If you are interested in the puzzle's solution, click here.
(1st Nine Weeks X .475) + (2nd Nine Weeks X .475) + (EOCT X .15) = Final Grade
Following this, we read a non-fiction article about the rapper Lil' Wayne. I think it's good to read something modern and from real life once in a while, so that we can see that our reading skills do have a real use. Students took a quiz on their comprehension of the article.
We also worked on another logic puzzle. If you are interested in seeing the puzzle, click here.
If you are interested in the puzzle's solution, click here.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 19
Today, we read the classic short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?" This story is infuriating to many readers because it lacks a true resolution, and the reader is left to determine the ending.
Here is a summary of the story:
A semibarbaric king creates a public arena in which to administer justice by chance. When someone is accused of a crime, the king makes them go to the arena. The man has to open one of two doors. Behind one door is a hungry tiger that will eat him. Behind the other is a beautiful lady suitable to marry.
In this story, the king is trying to punish a young man who dared to love his daughter, the princess. The princess learns which door is which, though, and she signals to her beloved. But does she send him to the lady, or the tiger?
If you were absent in class today, you should read the story on page 31 and write an ending to it. The story is also online at this link.
Turning in textbooks tomorrow. Bring yours or get a $63.55 fine.
Here is a summary of the story:
A semibarbaric king creates a public arena in which to administer justice by chance. When someone is accused of a crime, the king makes them go to the arena. The man has to open one of two doors. Behind one door is a hungry tiger that will eat him. Behind the other is a beautiful lady suitable to marry.
In this story, the king is trying to punish a young man who dared to love his daughter, the princess. The princess learns which door is which, though, and she signals to her beloved. But does she send him to the lady, or the tiger?
If you were absent in class today, you should read the story on page 31 and write an ending to it. The story is also online at this link.
Turning in textbooks tomorrow. Bring yours or get a $63.55 fine.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday, May 18
Today, we read one of my very favorite short stories. It's called "The Lottery", and it's by Shirley Jackson. It's about a lottery that's held every year in a small town. It's a tradition for them.
At first, the reader might be bored by the everyday happenings of this small town, and how the author describes, in detail, how they conduct the lottery. But, if the reader pays attention, we can find small clues that something in this small town is very wrong...
After reading the story together, students took a short quiz on the story. Then, we watched a film version of it.
Full text of the story is available online: "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson
There is also a film version online. Part 1 is here. Part 2 will probably be located in the sidebar to the right.
Students who were excused absent should read the short story and take the quiz.
At first, the reader might be bored by the everyday happenings of this small town, and how the author describes, in detail, how they conduct the lottery. But, if the reader pays attention, we can find small clues that something in this small town is very wrong...
After reading the story together, students took a short quiz on the story. Then, we watched a film version of it.
Full text of the story is available online: "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson
There is also a film version online. Part 1 is here. Part 2 will probably be located in the sidebar to the right.
Students who were excused absent should read the short story and take the quiz.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday, May 17
Class began with a quiz on the short story "The Most Dangerous Game", which students were supposed to finish for homework last night.
Following this quiz, we watched the 1932 film version of "The Most Dangerous Game."
The video can be found online on YouTube or by clicking this link.
Trivia about the movie: to cut down on production costs, this movie was filmed using the same cameras, lights, and many of the same actors as the classic movie "King Kong." They shot "King Kong" in the daytime and, at night, they shot "The Most Dangerous Game."
If you missed class today, make sure to make up the quiz on "The Most Dangerous Game."
Following this quiz, we watched the 1932 film version of "The Most Dangerous Game."
The video can be found online on YouTube or by clicking this link.
Trivia about the movie: to cut down on production costs, this movie was filmed using the same cameras, lights, and many of the same actors as the classic movie "King Kong." They shot "King Kong" in the daytime and, at night, they shot "The Most Dangerous Game."
If you missed class today, make sure to make up the quiz on "The Most Dangerous Game."
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