11th Grade

Collaborative Blog Assignment

Danielle Ellis Leave a comment

Guest blogging

Throughout the school year, pairs of students will be tasked with recording all pertinent information from Ms. Ellis’ class for their assigned week. The blog is due every Saturday at 8pm. Email your blog to Ms. Ellis at msdrellis@gmail.com.

Create your blog in a word document. I will copy and paste your information into our WordPress blog. Please PROOFREAD your work. I will not proofread each post. Your grade will be negatively affected if your blog is unorganized, missing information, or unedited.

Groups should be keeping track of the following information:

  1. Specific HW list from the entire week. (include assignment titles, directions, dates due).

  2. Notes on all texts read. (Be specific! Titles, authors, notes)

  3. Key vocabulary (include definitions)

  4. Class activities (i.e., bellringers, exit slips, group activities/ discussions, tests, etc.)

  5. Any other relevant information covered during the week.

Please see below for a template for your blog. (NOTE: Your blogs do not have to look identical. Feel free to add pictures from class or videos of my lectures. Maybe an inspirational video that you want to share with your classmates. Be sure that anything included is APPROPRIATE for an 11th grade classroom setting.)

Week 2 (August 31- September 4, 2015)

By: Name and Name

(Do not include last names. Include last initial if another student in class shares your first name)

Essential Question (can be found on the dry erase board)

Vocabulary

Class Activities

Sites shown in class

Texts Read with Accompanying Notes

HW Completed Throughout the Week

Go get em tiger- small kitty pic

Coming to America Introduction: Group Activity

Danielle Ellis

PilgrimsPlymouth

Directions:

Imagine your group is the first to travel to North America.You are planning on living in North America permanently. (Think 17th century. The pilgrims came over to the New World September of 1620.)

Materials:  (all sheets will be submitted)

  1. Planning Sheet

  2. Lined Paper

  3. Printer Paper (from Ms. Ellis)

Jobs for Group Members:

  1. Scribe #1 (Jot down ideas on planning sheet)

  2. Scribe #2 (Clearly write down group’s specific explanatory paragraph of community’s design)

  3. Artist (Draw visual representation of explanation)

  4. Creative Thinkers (help group brainstorm the specific details of your society)

Video to get you brainstorming:

http://www.history.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us/videos/pilgrims-in-america

Get Started:

Create a planning sheet:

Where are you coming from?

What items would you bring? Why?

How many of you are making the voyage to the New World? (i.e., number of men, women, children, or lack thereof)

List from highest importance to lowest importance what you would do as soon as you disembark from your boat. (at least 10)

What laws would you institute to promote the American Dream? Be specific.

What does your community look like? Familial structure?

What is your procedure for meeting the indigenous peoples already residing in North America?

Name your community.

Explanation: (must be in paragraph format)

Write an explanation of your community on a separate sheet of paper. Be as specific as possible. The reader of your explanation should be able to clearly visualize what your community looks like, who lives there, how it came to be, and how the individuals function within its walls.

Visual Representation:

Draw your community. Include all important aspects! Make your explanation come to life.

Bellringer #1: Witness Protection Writing Exercise

Danielle Ellis
Where will your character go?

Where will your character go?

Directions: (to be completed in your class journal)

Put a character in a situation entirely new to the character, e.g., college, a new school, a new job, a new city or country. Let the character improvise a new identity, as most of us do when we’ve moved into a new world. This exercise should not be about the new situation but about how the character adjusts herself and her mind to the new situation.

(Brian Kiteley. The 3 A.M. Epiphany: Uncommon Writing Exercises That Transform Your Fiction. 105-106. Cincinnati, OH. 2005)

Remember: 

  1. Date your journal entry.

  2. Plan. Brainstorm your ideas before writing.

  3. Come up with a creative title.

  4. Specificity (use specific details to enhance your writing)

  5. Vocabulary (utilize the words learned throughout high school career)

  6. Writing Techniques (i.e., incorporate figurative language, sensory details, imagery, tone)

Length: at least three (3) paragraphs