Like Lawyers!

Yesterday in class, we talked about the RHETORICAL TRIANGLE and what it represents. IN one corner, we have pathos (meaning emotion); in the second corner we have logos (meaning logic), and in the third corner we have ethos (meaning credibility and trust).

When a speaker or a writer or a debater or even a company makes an argument, they will often try to get listeners or readers (or shoppers) to be persuaded by making them THINK (logos), FEEL (pathos), and TRUST (ethos) that their argument is a good one.

Here is a graphic of the rhetorical triangle:

We also viewed the final courtroom scene from the film A Few Good Men to better understand and discuss what the rhetorical triangle looks like in action. Here is the clip we watched: A Few Good Men final courtroom scene. 

Our word of the day yesterday was...PATHOS (which is defined above in our rhetorical triangle). 

Today, we are in the library, typing up very rough drafts of our thesis essays. Our goal is to have a working draft of our book review by next Monday, November 23. Then we will begin revisions and editing!

Here is an example of our middle paragraph, as well as the proper heading (title, subtitle, name) to follow within your essay. Notice that this is a great document to checkout to make sure you are citing quotes properly!!

Be sure to look through our blue packet for a reminder of the overview of the assignment, an organizer for the middle paragraph, and another for the concluding paragraph to help you structure your essay. And remember: a rough draft is just that: rough! We will revise and improve our drafts all next week, and the final drafts will be due Wednesday, December 2. 

Peace!

Mr. R

Arguing with Passion and Purpose: Book Review Assignment

Welcome back!

Today, we introduced the book review assignment, now that we have finished reading and exploring Kathryn Erskine's The Absolute Value of Mike.

Here is a link to the actual assignment, which we read through and debriefed in class today. 

You'll notice that is is actually a brief writing assignment--only a single typed page! However, sometimes it is actually more difficult to write a powerful, clear single page than to write five vague ones!

We discussed the differences between informal writing (such as our Quick Write journals and our short story assignment) and formal writing (such as this book review and any thesis essay). Here is a picture of the notes from our board:

As we work though this essay, some other materials we will use are: this model of a book review from The New York Times (by reviewer Gary D. Schmidt); and here is a graphic organizer that we will use for our middle, body, paragraph. 

Our word for the day today is OBLITERATE, which is a verb that means to destroy.

For homework tonight, write a rough draft of your intro paragraph to this book review assignment. Don't worry just yet about making it great! This is a first draft--so we are just aiming to have an argument for our essays.

Some examples of a thesis statement that we created in class are:

EX.1. Mike and Poppy learn to have a great relationship in the novel, The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine.

EX.2. James Frost is a good and effective father in the novel, The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine.

EX.3. This book is great because it teaches a number of powerful life lessons.

These are examples of strong thesis statements. But don't use these. Forge your own in a paragraph tonight!

Peace,

Mr. R

Socratic Seminar!

Today, we held our first Socratic Seminar. It was wonderful to hear you all talk, debate, and reflect on four key questions that relate to themes from our novel, THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE.

Here is a picture of our four questions that we explored:

As I took notes on all of the comments and ideas you shared, I was deeply inspired and I learned a lot from you all. Here are a few ideas--quotes--that came out of your Socratic Seminar today:

"There is no such thing as success--it's not a real thing. But you can have various achievements, and those can make you feel proud."

"Success is reaching your own personal goals."

"There are multiple ways to be intelligent--and those ways can't always be measured by traditional schools."

"Ben Franklin is an interesting example of success: he never really had much schooling, and yet he was a creative genius and invented so much!"

"Success is so often shaped by other people's standards; people are pressured to achieve in certain ways."

"People who have a lot of empathy can often become despondent on behalf of others." 

"You can still have fun and grow a lot without being the best at something."

"Often discouragement ties into failure; what can help is finding a hobby you like--something you believe in that brings you joy and relaxation."

"Society too often values things like beauty and talent, instead of much more important things like honesty."

"Wealth is the most important hing in our society, because it allow people to get good educations."

"More people would rather (deep down) be less popular and have good friends."

"There are a lot of successful people who never went to college."

"Popularity goes too far: consider the book Wonder."

"Success is totally subjective, but society crafts a majority definition."

"People who grow old too often forget what mattered to them in their childhoods."

"Most of us judge by money and intelligence, but that isn't always good."

"I think success is self-pride."

"What can help people who are despondent--like Poppy--is having friends and social connections."

"People who have lived through a lot of bad situations see the world differently."

"Happiness matters the most; happiness is the key to success."

"Past is homeless, but he's happy."

"Failure is an important part of success."

[in response to above comment]: "But failure isn't always good; like, what if you fail at disarming a bomb?"

"Success is doing something that makes you feel more like the person you really want to be."

"Sometimes, success is unintentional."

"Success is about working at something again and again, over a long period of time."

Our word of the day is: OUTLIER, which means: a value far away from the average (think: a person who does something very differently than others, a school or place that is very different than the norm, etc).

For homework tonight, be sure to read Chapters 22 and 23 in THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE.

Peace!

Mr. R

Is Failure Essential to Success?

Today, we are exploring the theme of failure in life and in our novel, The Absolute Value of Mike. We are watching a speech given by famed writer J.K. Rowling, author of the widely popular and mesmerizing Harry Potter novels. (Here is the link in case you want to watch it again or are out from school today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c).

In Mike, we see that failure seems to be a part of his life, too. He isn't quite able to master math, to have a good relationship with his dad, or to feel intrinsically valued for anything about himself--until Do(n)over. Then, things begin to change.

Today, we are chatting about failure as J.K. Rowling defines it, and tomorrow we will explore Mike Frost's experiences with failure in closer detail.

Our word of the day today is INTRINSIC, an adjective which means of or relating to an inner value or inner ability or goal. 

Our homework for tonight is to read Chapter 19 in Mike, pp. 154 - 161.

Peace!

Mr. R

Life in an Orphanage...Reality and Literature

Today, we tried to step into what life might be like in an eastern European orphanage. First, we got out of our seats and each had a marker with which to write down key moments from Chapter 13 and Misha's life at the Romanian orphanage.

Then, with all of the evidence from the book on the board, you each had the chance to do a walk-about and record your reaction with a "+" that meant you agreed, or a "-" that meant you thought differently. Here are some images from this activity:

Next, we returned to our seats and I showed you some pictures from a trip my wife, Jennifer, and I took to Orphanage # 105 in Moscow, Russia, and our weeks living with kids there. We saw many similarities to Misha's life in The Absolute Value of Mike, and we discussed possible connections and emotions between the two examples.

Finally, we wrote 1st person POV narratives imagining a day in the life at one of the orphanages, trying to record the emotions and thoughts and experiences that we would have were we in their shoes.

Thank you for a wonderful class today.

Our word of the day was REDEMPTION, which means the process of gaining back what was lost, of returning value to something that appeared to be worthless. An example of the word in a sentence is: In our family, we use the idea of a "do-over" to show that any situation or person can undergo redemption.

For homework tonight, we are reading Chapters 15 and 16 in The Absolute Value of Mike (pp. 123 - 136).

Peace,

Mr. R

It's All About Empathy

After reading chapters 11 and 12 in The Absolute Value of Mike over the weekend, we used Mike's plan to raise $40,000 to adopt Misha from Romania as a topic for discussion and empathy. How might it feel to be vastly out of your reach to do something you love?

How do people like Poppy and Moo make ends meet?

Connecting to our recent field trip to Overlook Farm at Heifer International's MA site, today we explored how people struggle to make ends meet, and we brainstormed what we might do if we were in their shoes.

First, we used two-column notes to explore what Mike is doing to try and help raise the $40,000 to bring Misha from Romania to Karen, in Pennsylvania.

Then, I shared a personal story about my time in England with family and the difficulty of making ends meet.

Subsequently, we transitioned from literature to life. How would you fare if you were in Mike's shoes? What ideas would you craft to try to make ends meet and raise the $40,000?

Below are two examples from two classes on the ideas you generated for both Mike and for yourself:

I admire the ways in which you tried to empathize with the characters, and how you tried to see life from their perspective!

For homework tonight, we are reading Chapters 13 and 14 in The Absolute Value of Mike (pp. 107 - 122). 

Our word of the day today is SEGUE, which is a verb that means: to transition smoothly. Here is an example of the word in a sentence: A great writer knows how to segue from one idea to another.

Have an awesome rest of your day!

Peace,

Mr. R

Creativity & Exaggeration!

Today, we had our sixth creative vocab quiz, in which you wrote a letter to one of the characters (or objects!) from The Absolute Value of Mike. Thus far, I have seen fabulous letters to Doug, Mike, Moo, and even Tyrone (the car) and Junior (Moo's purse)!

Our word of the day today is HYPERBOLE, which means extreme exaggeration. An example of the word in a line is: when my 7-year old son asks how much I love him, it is time to use as much hyperbole as possible to make sure he understands!

Homework for this weekend is to read Chapters 11 and 12 (pp. 86 -106) in The Absolute Value of Mike.

Have an awesome weekend!

Peace,

Mr. R

Motivation Strategies in Literature and Life

Today, we had an awesome class in which we compared and contrasted the motivations strategies that we found in THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE by Kathryn Erskine and in a two-minute film clip from the movie RUDY.

We see, in our novel, that MIKE is trying with great diligence and persistence to get Poppy off his chair and active. In the film, we see the janitor try passionately to get Rudy NOT to quit the football team even though he has never played in an actual game.

We made a Venn Diagram and charted the similarities and differences that we found between the film and the novel, and then explored motivation in a bigger way--relating it even to our own lives.

Here is a snapshot of on of the compare/contrast diagrams from two classes today:

And here is the link to the RUDY film clip we watched, in case you were out OR you loved it so much that you want to watch it again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qoh3YkxuwVo

Our word of the day today was ASPIRE, which means: to work hard towards a certain goal; to dream; to hope for something.

For tonight, read Chs. 9 and 10 in MIKE (pp. 69-84).

Have an awesome evening!!

Peace,

Mr. R

Writing Portfolios

Today, we are sharing aloud from our 1st person POV narratives about Past's previous journey from The Absolute Value of Mike. After we share aloud, we are moving into the creation of our year-long WRITING PORTFOLIOS!

What begins as a boring manila folder shall be transformed into a thing of beauty (as poet John Keats would assert). We will be crafting collages, writing inspiring quotes, including captions and drawings, and preparing our folders for the year ahead.

In these folders, we will keep all of our formal writing for the year: all of our typed, revised writing pieces. These are different from our Creative Writing Quick Writes and our in-class writing activities.

At the end of the year, you'll be able to see how your writing has grown, and you can explore all the genres and areas you've explored through writing--both in this portfolio and in your journals.

Our word of the day today is DESPONDENT, which means deeply troubled, depressed, hopeless. An example of the word in a sentence is: In Room 340, we refuse to be despondent about any writing mission: we will simply revise and try again!

Our homework for tonight is to read Chapters 7 and 8 in The Absolute Value of Mike (pp. 54 - 68).

Peace,

Mr. R

What We Choose to Value

What a fun day!

It has been a real pleasure writing, thinking, and creating with you all today.

We began with our word of the day, SKEW, which means to go off course; slant; leave the norm. We talked about how little kids go from one point to another, but they skew constantly as they do so!

We then dove into a Quick Write for four and 1/2 minutes, writing our hearts out and making our hands sore as we thought about people we value (or any of your other creative ideas).

Then, we all gathered onto the floor in the middle of the room and I read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds to you. We talked about how value shapes shape depending on what we choose to value.

Then, we transitioned into exploring how Past is valued in our class novel, The Absolute Value of Mike. Are we able to see more than the surface level of his homelessness?

To do so, we wrote 1st person narratives in Past's voice and perspective to try to imagine his story, and how he got to be where he is.

It was awesome!

For tomorrow, we have our fifth creative vocab quiz, with the following words: INFERENCE, RECEDE, FLOURISH, SPUTTER, SKEW.

And the due date for our short story assignment is a window this year: anytime between Friday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 20 is good.

Peace! And thanks for a fabulous day,

Mr. R

Quotable Quotes!

Today in class we did a creative writing Quick Write with the optional prompt: How are you similar or different than our protagonist, Mike? Or, you had the option to do our non-stop six-minute writing session about anything else you wanted!

After our Quick Write, we talked about this QUOTE KEEPER organizer to help us keep track of engaging quotes as we read through The Absolute Value of Mike. (Click here for the Quote Keeper document.)

Then, we dove into a paired reading activity where you read Chapter 3 from The Absolute Value of Mike aloud with your partner--some of you even doing great voices for the different characters!

Our HOMEWORK for this four-day weekend is to read through Chapter 5 of the novel (through page 44) by class on Wednesday.

Our word of the day today is FLOURISH, which means to grow well, to thrive, to succeed.

Have an awesome weekend!

Peace,

Mr. R

Make Your Case!

Today, our word of the day was THESIS, which essentially is a statement that makes an argument. We explored why some statements are strong examples of a thesis, and some are not, and you each write a thesis about anything in the world that interested you.

You stood and shared your thesis with the world! (Okay, at least with Room 340.) Then, we dove into a brief clip from the film A Few Good Men. Together, we watched as Tom Cruise provided a strong thesis and tried to support that thesis with powerful, passionate, and purposeful evidence.

After we explored the film clip, you shared some ideas on how being a lawyer is an analogy for a writer making a case with a thesis. Here's the board from our discussion on these ideas:

Finally, we explored our next writing mission--a book review! Here is the link to the assignment in case you need another copy. Or, in case you would like to print off 100 copies and cover your bedroom walls with this writing mission. Or, in case you would like to print off 1,000 copies and wallpaper your entire house with this writing mission. (*Check with your parents first.) 

Just in case you missed that link, here is the link again. 

Did you miss the link again? Really? If so, we will have to build a strong thesis statement that argues why you may be missing so many links. Perhaps space gnomes are invading your ability to click on important links. Watch out for any space gnomes who steal clickable links!

And, in conclusion, the goal for tonight is to write a single thesis statement for The Absolute Value of Mike. Tomorrow, we will roll up our sleeves and work with these thesis statements (after we defeat the space gnomes!). 

Peace,

Mr. R. 

The Unwritten Chapter

Today, we finished our first class novel, The Absolute Value of Mike. But many authors sometimes end their novels with small cliffhangers--questions we have about the characters and about what will happen next.

A novel is often like a life: we wonder what is going to happen next. What will the next chapter of YOUR life look like? What characters will you meet in the next chapter of your life? How will those characters inspire or challenge you? What does the plot of your life-novel look like?

These questions apply to Kathryn Erskine's novel as much as they apply to our own lives. What will happen with Gladys? Will she go back to Numnut? How about Misha--will Mike and the town of Do Over raise enough to help Karen adopt him? And will Mike and his dad's relationship look different from this point onward?

In class, we are writing CHAPTER 32--the unwritten chapter! You are all sharing your visions, ideas, and hopes for what these characters will encounter next. And as you write the next chapter for these characters, always remember that your next chapter can always be written fresh--imbued with hope and possibility.

Our word for the day, today, is TUMULTUOUS, which means chaotic, in a state of uproar. It is an adjective, and here's an example of the word in a sentence: The birthday party for the six-year old became tumultuous after the pinata broke up and candy fell like a downpour of rain!

For tomorrow, we have a creative vocab quiz on the following words: obliterate, copious, neuron, impervious, transformation, and tumultuous.

Have a marvelous evening!

Breaking Free!

Today, we crafted inspiring and creative folders for all of our formal writing that we'll do this year. Prior to getting elbow deep in paper scraps, inspiring quotes, construction paper, glue sticks, and New Yorker magazine clippings, we also shared one of our four powerful quotes that you found last night.

Your writing folders are incredibly beautiful and inspiring to me! I loved watching you create with cleverness and joy.

Over this weekend, be sure to read through the end of Chapter 24 in The Absolute Value of Mike.

Our word for the day, today, was OBLITERATE, which means to destroy completely. An example of the word in a line is: Every summer, when I was growing up, my brothers and I would create the biggest sandcastle we possibly could; then the tide moved in to OBLITERATE it.

Our word for the day from yesterday was COPIOUS, which is an adjective which means very plentiful. An example of the word in a line is: You all have COPIOUS amounts of insight when we discuss our class novel.

After reading through Chapter 24 in Mike, share your insights regarding this question: What do you think enables people who are stuck--like Poppy--to break free? What inspires them to move past their walls?

Bringing Words to Life with Love (or Laughter)

Today, you explored Mike and his dad's relationship from The Absolute Value of Mike. You each wrote a scene--in true theater format--that envisioned what a meeting of Mike and his did would be like at this point in the novel.

Your scenes have been creative, funny, heartbreaking, sad, redemptive, and joyful. You used all of our words for the week within your creative scenes, and you began acting out your scenes in pairs today. Tomorrow, we will finish performing our scenes.

Our word for the day was EPIPHANY, which is a noun. An EPIPHANY is a sudden insight, a moment of tremendous clarity, or a great awakening of the mind. We don;t use the word epiphany for any small growth or understanding--but it is used for something truly life-changing. I shared with you all my own epiphany about what it means to succeed--but this epiphany did not occur until college!

Here's my example with the word in context: When I was a senior in college, I had an epiphany: success meant far more than obtaining great grades and winning sports' games. Success was about the kind of relationships I formed and the kindness and boldness with which I tried to live life.

And....3--2--1...our board from today!

For tonight, be sure to read Chapter 18 in the Absolute Value of Mike. Have an awesome evening--get outside and enjoy some of this warmth and sunshine!

Ideal? Or Real?

Today, we explored the parents we see populating the pages of The Absolute Value of Mike. We explored and discussed Poppy, Moo, Mike's Dad (James), Mike's Mom, Karen, and Gladys's parents. With each parent, we tried to think about the iceberg, and what might be going on beneath the surface and why these parents act the way they do.

I really appreciated all your insightful comments--and how you used the text to support your ideas and inferences!

We also did a Quick Write from the prompt, The best parent would... You wrote for six minutes without picking your pens up off the page, and we encouraged tangents and let our gooey, mushy brains take our hands wherever they wanted to go!

Towards the end of class, in pairs, you each created a list of seven attributes you believed an ideal parent would possess. Then, we discussed how those apply (or do not apply) to the parents in Mike. Finally, we wondered as a class whether the ideal was even possible--or whether we all deal with the real, while we constantly grow and yearn for the ideal.

Our word for the day was SEGUE, which means to make a smooth transition from one topic to another (verb). An example of the word in a line would be: Harold began by talking about honey and then segued into a discussion of why he loves bees.

Have a great night, and remember that Draft # 2 of your short stories are due tomorrow. Be sure to staple the first draft on the back, and include the cover page (here's the link to how to do your cover page, in case you need a refresher). 

Rock on!

Making Characters Real

Today you all dove into an interactive vocabulary quiz, whereby you pretended to be one of the characters from The Absolute Value of Mike and wrote a letter to another character from the novel. You shared your writing with a partner, and then read the response your partner wrote. And you powerfully used our lovely words: boisterous, despondent, jovial, aspire, and mosaic.

Awesome!

Over the weekend, we are reading through the end of Chapter 12 in The Absolute Value of Mike.

Our word for the day, today, was hyperbole, which means an extreme exaggeration. An example would be: Authors love using hyperbole in their writing because it helps to poetically show character and scene. And, an example of hyperbole would be: Jehoshaphat ran faster than a locomotive in the one-million meter dash!

Share your thoughts, below, regarding this question: In the novel, we see a lot of imperfect people all trying to love and be loved. After reading through Chapter 12, what would you say it means to love another person? What does authentic love look like?

Revision is at the Heart of Great Writing (and Great Living!)

Today, we explored your first drafts of your short story project. You received your drafts back with what may feel like an enormous amount of comments and notes from me! However, do not worry! All good writers STILL receive tons of comments and revisions on their writing.

Remember: All good writing involves loads of revision and hard work. It's a process that is riveting and fun--but also one that is all about perseverance.

We explored the ways I've made comments on your papers, and here are two pictures of our boards today so you can be reminded of what we discussed in conjunction with your stories. Refer to your notes and these pictures to help as you work on your revisions. Remember that your second drafts are due next Wednesday, October 22. Include your first drafts stapled underneath your second drafts.

Here is the link for the video on how to make your cover page for your second draft of your short story. 

Our word for the day was JOVIAL, which means cheerful, joyful, gleefully happy. I was jovial when I arrived in Room 340 this morning to teach!

And, before signing off, here is a question to ponder and share about The Absolute Value of Mike: How are you similar to or different than Mike? 

Standing and Speaking to Create Synapses!

Today, you each stood on your chair--one at a time--and spoke your line using one of our perspicacious vocabulary words. The connection between moving our bodies and helping things stick in our brains is so important! And you each spoke with confidence, clarity, and boldness. I loved watching you say your lines aloud, and hearing your voices fill Room 340. Thank you.

After our standing and speaking study session, you took our vocabulary quiz, during which you explored connections to Mike and how Mike and Moo's relationship is going thus far in the novel.

For tonight, be sure to read Chapter 3 and put your best inferences into the web I passed out in class. Here is a picture of the web in case a zombie devoured yours on the way home, or in case an undaunted yet ferocious puppy attacked you and demanded your web, or in case Spiderman said he was all out and asked if he could borrow yours.

Our word for the day was ASPIRE, which means to work towards something high and great. I aspired to be an astronaut when I was five; when I was ten, I aspired to be a teacher. Now here I am, living my dream!

Our quote for the day was from poet Walt Whitman: "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

Have a fabulous evening!

Absolute Values!

Today, we began our first whole-class novel of the year: The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine. We explored the covers, made some predictions, and inferred what the symbols on the front cover may represent.

We also talked about the tiny font on the Copyright page, and what some of the information represents (tiny numbers! book printings!). Then, we dove into a read-aloud for the first chapter to see Mike and his Dad and their relationship.

Our word for the day was Sputter, which means to spit out food, or to stutter or speak haltingly (usually with some emotion involved).

The homework is to study for our Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday. Have an awesome evening!