Thanks Guys!

Reading-Comp 4.1, Fall 12

Grammar-Listening/Speaking 3.2, Fall 12

Is American Education Failing or Innovative?

From the reading we did in class, I would like you to write a response to the ideas in the text and from class discussion.

This should be one to two paragraphs in length and should show the same qualities of focus, coherence and development we've discussed all quarter.


Address the following in your blog post and publish it by Aug. 1.

1. Paraphrase the main idea from the reading. 
2. Paraphrase another provocative idea from the reading -- this can be something that is interesting to you, confusing or overall just something that caught your attention. Explain why it was provocative!
3. What did at least one of your classmates say about the question of America being innovative?
4. Finally, what is your response to the text and your classmate(s)? Do you agree, disagree, something inbetween?

QR Code Scramble: Using Smartphones for Good

Left to Right: Ali, Khalid and Mazi unscrambling a text, 21st century style

Everyday we have to tell our students to put their phones away. ARG! After all they distract them from learning!

Despite our best pleas and threats, our good-cop and bad-cop discussions, we can't win this struggle.

Technology is obviously omnipresent, and, in fact, it is so embedded in students' lives that they think about, learn about and understand their word through those pesky little devices that can drive us insane.

So why NOT use them instead of forbid them? Furthermore, while we obviously have to make sure they don't abuse the power they have in their palms, there are ways to incorporate them into our instruction while engaging our students. ...

Reading Log 1

For your first reading log you will need to find an article that is related to the topic you chose for your Cause and Effect essay. Below the jump are the prompts you will need to fill out. ...

Also, from this reading you will want to chose FIVE vocabulary words for your word study.

 Please post your word study and reading log in on a blog post by Friday, June 29.

Word Study Guidelines for Blog Posts

Similar to Vocabulary Cards, we will be making blog posts where we learn new words related to our study topics. After the jump is an example of how this looks and a template you may use to fill yours out. 

Word Doc version

Welcome Summer 4.2 Reading/Composition!

I am very pleased to have you in class. Please let me know how I can help you achieve your goals in this class. ;-)

Bookclub Assignment: Persepolis

Now that we’ve read the book, it is time to respond to the ideas in it. One of the things I really enjoy about this text is how we can relate to so much of what we read in Persepolis simply because we grew up. However, since we’re international students we also have a lot of experiences with the difficulty of adjusting to a different culture, difficulties in communicating in a second language and many others.  You may have even witnessed political/societal changes that helped influence the person you’ve become.

Word Doc Version (includes graphic organizers)