How to Start Your Own Blog

We will be using blogger.com for your final project. Below are the directions for starting a blog.

Part 1: Starting the Blog

1. 1 member of your group goes to blogger.com
2. Blogger will either prompt you to open a gmail account or log on using your existing gmail account. You might want to choose a group member with an existing account for this reason.
3. Blogger will prompt you to name your blog, create a URL, and choose from some design templates. It would be wise if you chose a URL that is easy to remember and relates to your project.

Part 2: Adding your group members.

Adding group members is kind of tricky on blogger. This is how I do it:

1. Click on "New Post" in the upper right hand corner.
2. Click on settings
3. Click on permissions
4. Enter the email addresses of your group members. Give them author privileges.
5. Now, each member must go to his or her email and accept your request to join the blog. Once this step is complete, every member of your group can contribute to your blog.

Recap Wednesday, July 13 - Thursday, July 14

Wednesday:
In your journal:

1. Response to "The American Dream: Is it slipping away?"

Question:

How does the author define the American dream? What is happening to it? What type of evidence does he use?

2. Definitions of the works porous, nebulous, and indignity

3. Cluster web on the American dream

Thursday:

1. Pre-viewing for "The Pursuit of Happyness"
In your journal: What are some of the causes of homelessness? How likely are you to give money to homeless people?

2. Read "Homeless Woman Sleeping in Car"
In your journal: Why is Diane homeless?

"Inside Stories" essay due tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!

Recap Friday July 8th and Monday July 11th

Friday: Notes for "God Grew Tired of Us" that respond to the following questions:

What were some of the boys' perceptions of America before they arrived? What did they have the most trouble adjusting to? Ultimately, do you think they'll be better off in America?

Monday: 

1. Response to the following question on Chapter 2 of "What is the What"

--Describe Valentino's interactions with African-Americans. Why do you think the author chooses to focus on these interactions?

2. An outline of your Inside Stories essay

Recap Tuesday - Wednesday, July 5 - 6

On Tuesday, you should have had in your journal:

4 significant events from the chapter you read and summarized with your group

On Wednesday, you should have had a response to the following question:

Define activism. What types of activism is Luis engaged in and for what causes? What issues do you care most about today?

Recap Wednesday through Friday, June 29 - July 1

In your journal, you should have:

A response to the following question on "Black Men and Public Space" by Brent Staples:
"What evidence does Staples use to combat the stereotypes of black men?"

Analysis of 2 quotes from Chapter 6 of "Always Running."

Response to quickwrite question:
"On a scale of 1-10, how difficult is 'Always Running' to read? What makes it easy or challenging? Discuss a challenging text you've read and strategies you used to understand it."

H.W.: Write a paragraph of your "Inside Stories" essay.

Recap for Tuesday, June 28

Journal: "Perception/Reality/Evidence" chart for your "Inside Stories" essay.

Note: You can find the first handout for the essay on the sidebar of this blog.

Recap for Monday, June 27

In your journal, you should have a response to the following question on Chapter 4:

Why is Luis suicidal at the beginning of Chapter Four? Why does he choose to live? (hint: reread the beginning and the end of the chapter).

You also should have turned in your comic strip with your response to the question: "How is the scene you chose to illustrate significant? In other words, what does it tell you about Luis and the environment in which he lives?" (If you did not turn this in, put it in your journal).

--Ms. Mason

Recap for Thursday and Friday, June 23 - June 24

In your journal, you should have:

Quickwrite on self-segregation in schools.
Question: Agree or disagree: Many high school students self-segregate according to race. Give evidence to support your opinion.

Notes on the two newspaper articles we read and the articles' connection to the film and the book.

If you were missing items from your journal on Friday, you have until Monday to make them up.

Have a good weekend!

Recap for Wednesday, June 22

What you should have in your journal from today's class:

Responses to the following questions on Chapter 2 of "Always Running":

1. What happens between Luis and his brother, Rano?

2. Why do the boys choose The Tribe over Sangra?

That's all the journal work for today. Remember that I will be checking your journals on Friday.

Ms. Mason

Class Recap for June 20-June 21

Hi guys,

Here is what you should have in your journal so far:

1. Quickwrite on discrimination
Question: What is more common, conscious (intentional) discrimination, or unconscious (unintentional) discrimination? Have you experienced or observed either form of discrimination? Give examples.

2. Notes on the first half of "Bloods and Crips: Made in America." Your notes should respond to the question: "According to the documentary, what are some of the root (historical) causes of the development of gangs in Los Angeles?

We will discuss the documentary in more depth tomorrow and you will have a chance to update/complete your notes.

Lastly, please give your parents the letter from Mr. Berger and have them fill out the emergency contact form.

See you tomorrow!

--Ms. Mason

Welcome to English 1!

English 1: Outsiders in America
Summer 2011
Ms. Mason

Welcome to English 1! In this six-week class we will read interesting contemporary texts and view complimentary films designed to provoke your thinking about important social issues. Unit topics include gang life and prisons, racial discrimination and the civil rights movement, the achievement gap, homelessness and poverty, and refugees in America. The theme of this class is “Outsiders in America” because all of the authors we will read are using their unique perspectives to offer alternative views on the American dream.

How to succeed in this class: Let’s be realistic. This is summer school. Most of you would rather be at the beach, movie theater, or having fun outdoors. There will be very little homework in this class, which means that attendance and participation are that much more important. If you miss more than three classes, you cannot pass the class.  I will be grading you on the following categories:

1.      Participation: 25%

2.      Weekly journal checks (all journal writing done in class): 25%

3.      Inquiry project (mostly done in class and in computer labs): 25%

4.      Inside story essay (take home, but partially done in class): 25%

Key Texts:
Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Life in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez
Fences by August Wilson
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Excerpts from American Voices: Multicultural Literacy and Critical Thinking, Dolores LaGuardia and Hans P. Guth, eds.

Films:
Gangland or Crips and Bloods: Made in America (documentary)
Jackie Robinson (documentary)
The Great Debaters
Hoop Dreams and/or Akilah and the Bee
God Grew Tired of Us (documentary)
The Pursuit of Happiness