HONORS ENGLISH 9
Week 8: October 8-12, 2012
Due Today:
Roots Handout
MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2012

Walk-In: Turn in your roots homework, pick up a white
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Learning Objective:
binder off of the shelf and open up to your notes on the This I
Believe genre study.
Students will transfer their knowledge of theme subjects to
identify the core value and theme (statements) to identify
the belief statement.
 Students will transfer their knowledge of a traditional essay
structure and thesis to locate the author’s belief statement
to identify similarities and differences between writing
situations.
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Homework:
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Agenda:

This I Believe Immersion Mentor Text # 1
TRADITIONAL ESSAY REFLECTION
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Thinking back to the literary analysis essay,
what is the essay structure that we followed?
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How were the paragraphs organized?
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What type of evidence was used?
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What were the lengths of the paragraph like?
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What is the relationship between the body
paragraphs and the thesis?
THEME VS SUBJECT

While I read page 264 in the blue textbook,
identify the differences between theme and
subject.
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Subject:

Theme:
THIS I BELIEVE IMMERSION:
MENTOR TEXT 1
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Subject: The subject or main idea of a This I Believe
essay is the core value/belief. This will be one word.
While reading Mentor Text #1 make a list of possible
subjects present in the This I Believe essay.
Purpose: The purpose of a This I Believe essay is to
express a belief about the core value or subject. This
will be a statement, not a single word.
While reading Mentor Text #1, identify possible
sentences that you feel may hold the author’s belief
statement.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST TRADITIONAL
ESSAY WITH THIS I BELIEVE
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Compared to the first essay how is the This I Believe Essay
structured?
Compared to the traditional essay format, when was the subject
or main idea first introduced?
Compare to the traditional essay format, where is the
thesis/belief statement and how is it reinforced?
Compare the body paragraphs of a traditional essay. What
similarities or differences are there?
Compared to the traditional essay, what type of evidence was
used to support the belief statement/thesis?
COMPARE AND CONTRAST TRADITIONAL
ESSAY WITH THIS I BELIEVE

Now that you have the noticeings in front of you,
what other similarities or differences do you see
between the traditional essay and the This I
Believe essay?
REFLECTION AND WALKAWAY

Walkaway: What connection do you see between the
following elements?
Subject
Theme Thesis/Belief Statement Core Value
________ is like ________________ because _________________

________ is like ________________ because _________________
Due Today:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012

Walk-In: Pick up a white binder off of the shelf and open
to your “This I Believe” Notes.

Learning Objective:
Students will notice characteristics of a particular genre based on idea
development, organization, craft and style, and conventions.
 Based on noticeings students will form a conclusion or hypothesis
about the purpose behind different techniques.
 Students will understand that the quality of group discussions is
proportional to the collaborative efforts of each participant.


Agenda:

This I Believe Immersion Mentor Text # 2
Homework:
Go to www.thisibelieve.org
and read three more Mentor
Texts and record
noticienings by next Monday
THIS I BELIEVE IMMERSION:
MENTOR TEXT 2

Subject/Core Value

Thesis/Belief Statement
THIS I BELIEVE IMMERSION:
MENTOR TEXT 2

Ideas/Organization

Craft/Style

Conventions
THIS I BELIEVE SYNTHESIS/HYPOTHESIS


Reflect back to your our discussion from yesterday.
 Why would the placement of the thesis be at the end of
the introduction in a literary analysis essay?
 Why does the thesis/belief statement have the option to
be at the beginning or end of an essay?
Think back to Be Cool to the Pizza Dude and the noticeings
on the chart. What similarities or trends are you starting to
see among the This I Believe Genre?
 Why are these trends present? What purpose do these
techniques serve that may be necessary to the genre?
 What differences or unique characteristics have you
seen? What purpose do these unique traits serve? Why
does the writer deviate from the similarity or trend?
Due Today:
WED/THURS, OCTOBER 10-11, 2012

Walk-In: Pick up a white binder and take out your graphic

Learning Objective:
organizer for the This I Believe essays where you have been recording
your noticeings, and open up to your notes.



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Students will notice characteristics of a particular genre based on
idea development, organization, craft and style, and conventions.
Based on noticeings students will form a conclusion or hypothesis
about the purpose behind different techniques.
Students will understand that the quality of group discussions is
proportional to the collaborative efforts of each participant.
Agenda:
Quick Write
 Group Exploration
 Group Noticeings
 Position Discussion

Homework:
Go to www.thisibelieve.org and
read three more Mentor Texts
and record noticienings by next
Monday
THIS I BELIEVE SYNTHESIS/HYPOTHESIS


Reflect back to your our discussion from yesterday.
 Why would the placement of the thesis be at the end of
the introduction in a literary analysis essay?
 Why does the thesis/belief statement have the option to
be at the beginning or end of an essay?
Think back to Be Cool to the Pizza Dude and Just Do It and
the noticeings on the chart. What similarities or trends are
you starting to see among the This I Believe Genre?
 Why are these trends present? What purpose do these
techniques serve that may be necessary to the genre?
 What differences or unique characteristics have you
seen? What purpose do these unique traits serve? Why
does the writer deviate from the similarity or trend?
THIS I BELIEVE GROUP EXPLORATION
Preview the following This I Believe essays, from
www.thisibelieve.org , written by the following
“famous” people.
 Identify 4 that you would like to read.
 Then work with to decide on 3 that your group
will read today.
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Amy Tan
Saying Thanks to My Ghosts
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Eleanor Roosevelt
Growth that Starts from Thinking
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Muhammad Ali
I am Still the Greatest
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Bill Gates

Tony Hawk
Do What You Love
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Helen Keller
The Light of a Brighter Day
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Gloria Steinem
A Balance Between Nature and Nurture
Unleashing the Power of Creativity and Intelligence
THIS I BELIEVE GROUP EXPLORATION

Read the three essays your group chose from the
“famous” collection. You do not need to record
noticeings yet. For each essay, simply rate it out
of 5 and briefly explain why.

Amy Tan
Saying Thanks to My Ghosts

Eleanor Roosevelt
Growth that Starts from Thinking

Muhammad Ali
I am Still the Greatest

Bill Gates

Tony Hawk
Do What You Love

Helen Keller
The Light of a Brighter Day

Gloria Steinem
A Balance Between Nature and Nurture
Unleashing the Power of Creativity and Intelligence
THIS I BELIEVE IMMERSION:
MENTOR TEXT
Complete this in your notebook.
 Title:
Author:
 Subject/Core Value


Thesis/Belief Statement
THIS I BELIEVE GROUP EXPLORATION 3
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With your group, choose ONE of the This I
Believe Essays from the “famous” collection that
you would like to record detailed noticings about.
Be democratic when deciding which essay to
explore.
Reread the essay and then share and record as
many noticings as you can by having each person
notice one thing about the organizing concept in
the left hand column. Rotate around your group
until someone cannot add anything else to your
list.
POSITION DISCUSSION
On a half sheet of paper, read the following
statements, and write A for agree and D for
disagree.
 Go with your heart, with your values and beliefs.
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Due Today:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011



Walk-In: Pick up a White Binder and take our your graphic
organizer that we use to record our noticeings about the This I
Believe Essay on Blockday.
Learning Objective:
 Students will notice characteristics of a particular
genre based on idea development, organization,
craft and style, and conventions.
 Based on noticeings students will form a
conclusion or hypothesis about the purpose behind
different techniques.
Agenda:

This I Believe Group Exploration
Homework:
Independent This I
Believe Exploration
Vocab Workbook
TERM 1 REFLECTION CATEGORIES
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Learning Experiences: In Class Work & Homework
Thoughtfully completed & On time
 I am always / usually/ sometimes / rarely prepared for class
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Writing: Process, Ideas/Organization, Style/Craft,
Conventions (paragraph / essay)
Reading: Comprehension, Literature Study, Word Study
(Multiple Choice/Short Constructed Responses)
Attendance: (make up work, communication, etc. . .)
Class participation: Active listening, contributing to
whole, small and partner discussions

On task behaviors always / usually / sometimes / rarely.
Time Management: Access, Study Hall, Management of
Time In Class and outside of class, Long Term Projects
 Self Advocacy: Communicating needs, concerns, asking
questions
 Balance: extracurricular activities (involvement,
management of time, advanced planning, prioritizing work)

LIST EACH CATEGORY UNDER A HEADING
STRONG
Always
AVERAGE
Usually
WEAK
Sometimes
Or Rarely
FINAL REFLECTION
STEP ONE:
WRITTEN REFLECTION

Write a paragraph
reflection about your
learning and
performance in
Honors English
During Term 1.
STEP TWO:
WRITE TWO GOALS
Look at your average
and weak columns on
your chart.
 Identify two areas
that you want to focus
on during the next
term.
 Write a goal for each.


Try to write a realistic
and measurable goal.
One that you can
evaluate with data not
just observations.
THIS I BELIEVE GROUP EXPLORATION

Read the following This I Believe essays from the
website www.thisibelieve.org written by the
following teens. You do not need to record
noticeings yet. For each essay, simply rate it out
of 5 and briefly explain why.

Alaa El-Saad
America’s Beauty Lies In Its Diversity

Jake Hovenden
Inner Strength from Desperate Times

Anthony
Just Do It

Hannah

Josh Rittenberg
Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day

Cherie
My father told me I was fat
Middle School Should Be More Like Hogwarts
THIS I BELIEVE GROUP EXPLORATION



With your group, choose ONE of the This I
Believe Essays from the teen collection that you
would like to record detailed noticeings about.
Be democratic when deciding which essay to
explore.
Reread the essay and then share and record as
many noticeings as you can by having each
person notice one thing about the organizing
concept in the left hand column. Rotate around
your group until someone cannot add anything
else to your list.