Overview from 1/27 and assignment for 2/3

Below you will find pictures of the class notes from 1/27 that should go in section 2 of your journal (you must copy them into your journal for points). On the last slide you will see the assignment that is due next week. Please email me if you are at all confused:

fameacademy.literacy@famefund.org

Click here for the Contrasts and Contradictions practice text assignment that was graded.

Today we went over book choosing strategies and the course journal format.

 Journal format: Everyone was provided with the same journal. If you were absent from class, you can get your journal next week and write this week’s journal on any lined piece of paper. Everyone was told to have a started cover page for their current book and one free journal entry by next Saturday. Feel free to reach out to me at fameacademy.literacy@famefund.org with questions or book approval. Genre notes can be found in the previous entry of your blog. You should write down notes on each genre in your “class notes (2^nd section)” of your journals.

Here is a link to the “Free Entries”handout I gave you in class.

Here is a link to a video of me reviewingthe journal format (you will see what a cover page needs in this video).

 Book Choosing Strategies: Student wrote a list of how they choose a book. I told them to be honest. Some wrote that they look for the shortest book they can find while others said they ask a teacher to recommend one. Here is the list of other book choosing strategies:

1.       Recommendation from a trusted reader (parent/friend/teacher/etc.)

2.       Award Winners (Coretta Scott King Award/Newbery Award/etc.)

3.       Favorite Author

4.       A Cover that catches your eye

5.       You liked the movie version or the movie is coming soon

6.       Part of a Series

7.       Books you “should” read (lists from goodreads.com, commonsensemedia.org, classicbooks.com, public library book lists, etc.)

DUE NEXT WEEK (1/27) Start a cover page for your current book and write ONE free journal entry. All of this is in the video that is linked above.

Your journal is 70% of your grade and needs to be at the Academy EVERY week.

Assignment for 1/13

As explained before break, you will all be choosing your own books for this spring semester of Critical Literacy. The goal is for EACH student to read at LEAST 4 books, 1 of each genre, before the end of the semester. Think of it as one book per month. 

When I come back on 1/20, I will explain the course in further detail and give you journals for the course. We will outline them together, and I will give you your first assignments. 

PLEASE LOOK OVER THE FOUR SELECTED GENRES AND TRY TO HAVE YOUR FIRST BOOK BY OUR MEETING ON 1/20. You do not have to start reading the book before we meet on 1/20, but I would like to know you have a book to start on that day. Pick the genre you want to start with first…again, you do not all have to read the same book or genres at the same time. The only genre options are below.

The Lexile reading level of your book should be AT LEAST 900. Remember, you can google a book’s Lexile level or ask me.

I was going to recommend some books, but I figured I would let you all try to find your own first. I don’t want you to think you have to read what is recommended. If you are really stuck, send me an email and I can suggest some titles. If you pick your own book and want my approval, I will happily let you know if I think it will work.

AS always, email me for anything. I try to check my email at least once a day during the week (usually around 9am).