Day 1
Standards
Objectives
•
• Students will be able to…
•
Reading: 1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and
Systematic Vocabulary Development- Students apply
their knowledge of word origins to determine the
meaning of new words encountered in reading materials
and use those words accurately. Vocabulary and
Concept Development- 1.3 Discern the meaning of
analogies encountered, analyzing specific comparisons
as well as relationships and inferences. Structural
Features of Informational Materials 2.1 Analyze both
the features and the rhetorical devices of different types
of public documents (e.g., policy statements, speeches,
debates, platforms) and the way in which authors use
those features and devices. Comprehension and
Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text2.3 Verify
and clarify facts presented in other types of expository
texts by using a variety of consumer, workplace, and
public documents.
Writing: 2.3 Write reflective compositions: a. Explore
the significance of personal experiences, events,
conditions, or concerns by using rhetorical strategies
(e.g., narration, description, exposition, persuasion). b.
Draw comparisons between specific incidents and
broader themes that illustrate the writer's important
beliefs or generalizations about life. c. Maintain a
balance in describing individual incidents and relate
those incidents to more general and abstract ideas.
– resolve final questions about
personal statements.
– provide feedback to other
students on their writing.
– identify perceived issues with
the American public school
system and American students
and express their own beliefs.
– survey a text and make relevant
predictions and create relevant
questions.
– identify, define, and utilize newly
presented vocabulary.
– read a text and identify logical
and emotional appeals.
– read a text and formulate a
supportive statement, whether
they agree or not.
Personal Statements Wrap Up
• Remember:
– When it comes to personal statements you need to be honest,
real, and authentic… NOT “cookie-cutter” perfect and cliché.
– Write about what you know, it’ll make it easier.
– Make sure you get your statement edited by others.
– Proofread like crazy!
• Peer edit:
– Those that have a rough draft will switch with a partner and
have some time to read and comment. Offering constructive
criticism and some proofreading.
– Those who do not have a rough draft will respond to the
following prompt during the peer editing:
• Identity and culture are clearly intertwined. How has your experience
of culture influenced the development of your own personal identity?
Prereading
• Activity #1: Introducing Key Concepts
– In your group, discuss everything you have
heard about the state of the public school
system in America and the picture of the
American student that has been painted by
the media.
– The major issues:
• Test Score Comparisons
• Educational Superiority
• Work Ethic
Prereading
• Activity #2: Getting Ready to Read
– Do you feel that American students are
lazier and less educated than students
from other countries? Compare and
contrast the information the groups
came up with, with what you have
actually experienced as a public school
student.
Prereading
• Activity #3: Survey the Text
– This unit has six different articles, number them as
follows:
• 1. “The Manufactured Crisis”
• 2. “Comparing American students’ academic performance to
other countries”
• 3. “My lazy American students”
• 4. “Lazy American students? Uninformed professor!”
• 5. “Lazy American Students: After the Deluge”
• 6. “Are American Students Lazy?”
– This is the order they should be read in
– Scan through the articles and notice the authors, dates of
publication, and where/how the articles were published.
• Some on paper, some on websites as comments or articles, one
author’s original piece and a rebuttal to arguments.
Prereading
• Activity #4: Making Predictions and Asking
Questions
– 1. Based on the title of article, predict what you think
each article will be about.
– 2. Rate each article as being positive, negative, or
neutral in tone.
– 3. What do think is the purpose of each article?
(Persuade, inform, entertain)
– 4. Quickly scan through the articles, do you feel the
diction and syntax will be simple or more advanced?
How do you think this will affect the articles?
Prereading
Activity #5: Introducing Key Vocabulary
• Article #1
– discrepancies
– cogently
• Article #2
– educational
superiority
– drastic
• Article #3
– work ethic
– mediocre
– palpable
– disengaged
• Article #4
– plethora
– overgeneralizations
• Article #5
– deluge
• Article #6
– No Child Left Behind
– Helicopter Parents
Prereading
Activity #5: Introducing Key Vocabulary
•Locate each vocabulary word and define it,
using the context of the article and/or
dictionary as needed.
•Using at least five of the vocabulary words
from theses articles, write your own statement
to the media about the state of the American
public education system and students.
Reading
• Activity #6: First Reading
– Read through the articles playing the “believing
game” or “going with the grain.” Take them for
what they are saying. Make notes in the margins
next to pieces of the text that appeal to your logic
(label with a big “L”) and the ones that appeal to
your emotion (Label with a big “E”). At the end of
each article, whether you agree or not, write a
statement in support of what that article was
claiming.
– Also, note (in the margins) if any of your
complaints about school are relevant, mentioned
or, discussed in any of the articles.