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Week 30, Tuesday

3/31/2020

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Every ZOOM meeting ever...
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This Week's Warm Read is EASY
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I had the chance to see and talk to many of you yesterday, and it really made me smile.  I have missed y'all.  I will schedule more ZOOMs soon.  Today, I just need more research to happen.  You should be starting to get an idea of what you are going to say.  I was able to help a few people yesterday to broaden or narrow their topics.  You think to think in terms of threes.  What are three main points you can make about your topic?  The format that we will use for our paper is just a five-paragraph essay on steroids.  While I know that many of you can write without using a standard format like that-- the point is to give you something you can fall back on later when the topic is more complicated or you are stuck and not sure what to do.  (Trying to give you a crutch for when a college class leaves you baffled and not sure what to do next.)  I am going to basically leave you alone to work today.  Please, please, please don't drag your feet.  I am looking to finish up this paper by the end of the week or middle of next week.  Throughout the day today I will be adding information about thesis writing and creating the outline, but from yesterday's conversations- it seems like y'all are not really ready for those steps.  So, today-- just research and make notes.  Nothing is due yet.  

If you have a minute, check out the newspaper online. We are constantly updating.

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Week 30, Monday. Welcome Back

3/30/2020

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I hope everyone had a relaxing week last week.  Things are definitely upside down in the world right now, but I am happy to be back with you (virtually, at least!) and back to somewhat of a routine.  I sure do miss your faces.  Now, back to business:  Today's information is listed below.  I know this whole format can be a little confusing and it is easy to get overwhelmed, but we will get this research paper knocked out and then it will be smooth sailing.  Remember that I post assignments at 9AM each day, but you can work on them around the schedules of your other classes. Please do not put off my work and let it pile up as the paper is worth major points and is something you need to know how to do moving forward.  

There will be several ZOOM meetings today- for all classes, I'm sure.  I am planning to do ones at 10AM, 11AM, and an AP one at 1PM.  If you can't make those times, do not worry.  I will post recordings of the ZOOMs or notes for those who miss.  Mainly, I want to touch base and talk about what we are doing this week. In the AP ZOOM, I will update you on the status of the exam and what info we have so far.  (Which isn't much.)

Today's Work:
1.  RESEARCH!  In peeking in folders, I am not seeing nearly as much notetaking as I should be seeing.  You cannot write a research paper without any research.  I created a notes sheet for you in an effort to help organize your research.  If you find that too confusing, just make a GoogleDoc and start making notes.  You will have to get creative with sources, but I am not insisting that they be SUPER academic.  Do the best you can.  I will post information about writing thesis statements and starting outlining today sometime, so you must have some research.  We are to the writing stage.  It is impossible to write a research paper if you haven't researched the topic.  I will make notes on your RC document or Notes document in your research folder.  I will work on that today anytime that I am not in a ZOOM.  
2.  I am not assigning a Warm Read today or anything else because I want you to get back into the swing of things.  I will post those things tomorrow.  Today, get yourself organized and get your research organized so we can write this paper and get it over with.  
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Week 29, Friday

3/20/2020

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Can y'all believe we made it to the end of the first week?  I miss y'all like crazy!  Today will be another semi-easy day.  You need to complete the Cold Read Fingerprints located on the WR,CR,Quiz,Tests tab.  Then, you need to continue researching.  A few reminders:
1.  If you have not made a folder in your own GoogleDrive and shared it with missmccalister.magnet@gmail.com, please do so IMMEDIATELY.  Click here to see a picture of my shared drive and see if I have your folder shared with me.   I still have people who have it shared with ammccalister@caddoschools.org.  I am trying to keep that email clear for communications from school officials and/or parents.  I still have people who have embedded their folder inside the 2020 Research folder.  Please watch the video that I posted yesterday if you are one of those people.  I will be moving and organizing over the weekend, and I can't chase down your information every day.
2.  This week we have had several assignments: Reading Confirmation, Creating a Folder, Agreeing to the Research Components, Plagiarism, Getting to Know MLA8, WR After Apple-Picking, study.com, and CR Fingerprints.  (I think that is everything!)  If you have not completed any of those, please scroll through the week's directions to locate and complete those before Sunday at midnight.  
3.  I will post a list of people who have stuff missing on Monday.  I know that it is Spring Break- you do not have to DO those things over Spring Break- but that is when the information will be posted. You will not have any assignments during Spring Break; however, you would be wise to continue your research.  I have allocated the week after the Break for writing the paper.  I will help you with thesis statements and organization, so please don't go rogue and write the paper yet.  There is a certain way I want it written-- that way it gives you a fall-back pattern in college should you need it.  
4.  I will be checking in your research folders to see that everyone has some research done.  This is important.  Everyone is working so diligently, that I will not reward those who are not.  I have been so proud of y'all this week with the level of maturity, personal responsibility, and engagement that I have seen.  The people who have not participated much are the same people who did not participate much when we were physically AT school.  To those people, I say:  WE ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND WE ARE NOT IMPRESSED BY YOUR APATHY.  I will not allow the few people with negative attitudes to mess up a good thing.  I talk to Ms. Jones and some of the other teachers daily, and they just can't say enough about how amazing Magnet kids have been doing this week.  
5.  I know that I have said this in many, many posts, but I want to make sure that each of you know how extremely impressed I am with your patience and work this week.  I feel so blessed to teach at our school.  I know as teenagers y'all are jaded and hate everything-- but I hope you will really stop and think about how lucky you are to go to an awesome school with the best. most caring students and teachers.  I have worked in the best and worst schools in this city- and there is nowhere I would rather be right now.  I know some of you may be comparing what you are doing to what your friends at other schools are doing.  Just remember that we transitioned to this seamlessly, y'all already had the skills and work ethic to make this happen, and you are doing AMAZING!  If I have not touched base with you yet-- I will in the coming days.  I will be setting up some Zoom sessions over the Break just to check in with everybody-- not for work, but just to see your smiling faces!  I'll let you know when those will be.  I love you!  I miss you!  Have a great break!  

Here is your daily dose of the class mascot helping with my work.  
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Week #29, Thursday

3/19/2020

1 Comment

 
Today is pretty straight forward.  You will complete the Warm Read (like always) and continue your research.  I am glad to see that some people are researching and finding that they need to change works, add works, consider other aspects, etc.  Sometimes in research, that's what you have to do.  You don't always know what is available until you start looking around.  If you need information on dates, requirements, etc... look back at that Research Components file or visit the Writing tab.  I have the directions/requirements listed on both.  You may notice that I have tomorrow listed as a "due date" for research.  That's not a real "due date."  It just means that when I look in your folder tomorrow I should see that you are in the process of doing your research.  You will have to continue the researching and come up with a thesis statement over the break.  While we don't have actual class over Spring Break, if you need me I will be here.  I can help with thesis statements then.  For now, just research.  

If you are having trouble making the folder, see the video in the post from yesterday.  (I am becoming a YouTube Legend... move over Vlog Squad!)

Just a little check in... I hope everyone is doing okay.  I am climbing the walls a little.  But, I am here if you just need to chat or vent or whatever.  All of our home situations are different, so I get it if this isn't so easy.  My home situation is good, and I still get down when I am stuck in the house and without people.  I think my dog may even be getting irritated by me!  So, please reach out if you need to!!!  Your teachers are definitely here for you.  We are missing you as much as you (admit it) might be missing us.
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March 18th, 2020

3/18/2020

5 Comments

 
 (Update:  Video is below) **  I don't know why I can't comment on the responses below... but I have received some of these.  I will make a quick video showing what to do for anybody who is having trouble.  GoogleDrive is the devil, but once we get everybody set up, it should make things easy.  I miss y'all so much!!!

These people do not have a folder that they have created in their personal drive and have shared with me. In some cases they shared with ammccalister and just need to reshare to missmccalister.magnet@gmail.com. if you can just make a folder- I can put the files into it. Don't put it in 2020 research. Just put it in your drive and add me as a share. I am trying to get everything organized so I'm not missing anything. 

Jahlayna, Olivia, Ashli, Connor, Jacob, Jakobe, Caiden, Makenzie
Uriah, Sharron, Parker, Jernescia, Sophia, Garrett, Cameron, Corbyn, Jalynn, Zaria, Nathan
Elijah Boston, Carla, Chiara, McKenna, Trinity Palmer , Shakera, Drew, Trinity W, CJ
Cris, Jayden, Hannah, Lindsey

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Week 29, Wednesday

3/17/2020

9 Comments

 
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Today's assignment is pretty simple.  You need to continue your research.  This should be an ongoing thing.  I will update the comments in this message as I think of reminders over the next couple of hours.  I made a table of topics.  You can find it here.  If there is not topic listed by your name, please copy and paste your topic into the document.  (This time you are actually editing the document, not making a copy.)  The only other thing you need to do today is take the Getting to Know MLA Quiz.  You can look for the answers on the this website, I do not expect you to know this stuff.  Y'all are doing GREAT; keep it up.  Comment below any questions you have as they may help others.
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Video Walking Through Monday and Tuesday

3/17/2020

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Week 29, Tuesday

3/17/2020

4 Comments

 
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This is what happens when I try to adult.  Zoey doesn't want me to work! 

Congratulations, we've made it to Day 2!  If you have not agreed to the instructions on the Home page, please do so ASAP.  If you didn't do the assignments from yesterday-- scroll down to yesterday's post and get to it.  But, for the rest of us-- here are the assignments for today:
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Today, you will start your research.  Go to the WRITING tab and watch the video about notetaking.  I have recreated the form suggested by the man in the video for your use.  It is located in the 2020 Research folder.  Make as many copies as you need.  I would probably start a new document for each source or you could simply start a new page within the document for each source.  Hopefully you have read the requirements as listed in the directions you downloaded yesterday.  I will be reviewing selected topics and getting with you regarding your research ASAP.  Be mindful to find legitimate sources.  I have placed several links on the WRITING page to help you with that.  I will not give you an amount you must get done today-- only tell you to get started using the advice given in the video.  Since the document on which you are taking notes is shared with me-- I should be able to check in on your work at the end of the day to see if you are on the right track.  

I have assigned a study.com lesson concerning the research process.  It needs to be done by Sunday at midnight.  It is a light day today-- mainly, just get started researching your topic.  
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Week 29, Monday

3/15/2020

89 Comments

 
By now, you have read the introduction information on the home page and completed the response box to let me know that you did so.  If you haven't done this-- do it before starting today's work.

Today's Work:
  1. This week's Warm Read #29:  Apple-Picking by Robert Frost
  2. Review requirements of the research paper.  In your GoogleDocs, make a folder titled LastName_FirstName_Research.  Share the folder with me.  You will eventually turn your paper in through TURNITIN.COM, but while you are working, we will use the folder to hold all applicable parts of the paper.  Go to the GoogleDoc  Research Paper Components. Make a copy of the document and label it LastName_FirstName_RC.  Put it in the folder that you shared with me. We will communicate using the document.  There will be other documents I will upload and you will copy and place into the folder.  It is very important that you name things as I ask so I know what I am looking at.  
  3. Complete the Plagiarism Activity.  Look in the Research 2020 folder for the plagiarism activity.  Open it.  Make a copy.  Label it with your LastName_FirstName_Plagiarism.  Place the copy in the folder that you shared with me.  
  4. Review the document 2020 Research Paper Topics.  Select a topic and figure out what stories, poems, authors, etc you could use to answer the given prompt/question. When you have selected a topic and figured out what works you will use, post the topic (copy/paste) and works as a comment to this post.  Only one person may do a particular prompt/set of works.  You may have to use the same prompt, but you must use different works. Please don't claim a topic until you feel confident that you know what literary works you want to work with.  If you need help figuring what you want to research, I can help you with ideas.  ​
  5. Support information for completing the research paper can be found under the WRITING tab of the website. We will complete this in a step-by-step way.  Today's work (as listed above) should be done before Tuesday morning at 9:00.  Tuesday's assignment will go up at 9:00 AM.  
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    Access the shared research 2020 folder below.  Remember to COPY anything to you drive so you don't alter the original file. 
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    https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/21575904
    Ignore the half-naked men on the front of the books.  These actually were some quick, funny reads.  And I have a point.  READ.... it doesn't matter if it an award-winning novel or a trashy romance, JUST READ.  It exercises your brain and gets you outta the house when you can't actually get outta the house.  

    Thursday, April 23

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    Thursday, April 16

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    Monday, April 13

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    Thursday, April 9

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    Wednesday, Apr 8

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