Week of October 24, Research for The Color of Water

Hi everyone,

This week we are using our computer time to continue doing our research for The Color of Water by James Mc Bride.

Please share a computer with the people on your research team.

Here are the group topics:

·      The KKK

·      Sitting Shiva

·      Reciting the Kaddish and death rituals in Judaism

·      Gospel music and the Black Baptist church

·      Kosher dietary laws

·      The Black Panthers and the Black Power Movement

·      The Harlem Renaissance

·      Malcolm X

Use this time to create the quiz for your topic, to be given after your presentation.

Remember, you need to have:

1. Two research logs from each student in the group attached to a copy of the printed articles.
2. A group poster that uses images and text written by you (paraphrase)
3. A quiz for the other students to take when you have finished your presentation, so that you can see if they really understood the main ideas of your topic. 

We will be presenting on Monday October 29, and it counts as a test!

Be prepared and please do your best!!

Week of October 17, Grades for Marking Period 1

Hi everyone,

Today we will think about grades for the first marking period. 

• I am using a program called Engrade to calculate your grades. Please go to the Engrade website to register and see your grades. You need your access code to do this.

• Now please answer the questions below in Google Docs:

• Please give me feedback (comments/suggestions) about your experience in the class. Please be specific and honest as this will help make the class better for you and everyone else in the coming semester.

1. What did you enjoy about class this marking period?  Why?  Please refer to specific activities, projects, workshops, etc.
2. What didn't you enjoy and why?  Please be specific.
3. Were there any activities/projects/topics that we didn't cover that you want us to cover?  Which ones? 
4. What can I do to make the class better for you (aside from no homework J )?  Please be specific.
5. Has your English improved since the class began?  If yes, how?  If no, why not?  Please think carefully about this.
6. When and where do you usually do your homework?
7. Do you find it difficult to do your homework? Why?
8. How much time do you spend looking at your class notes each week?
9. What can you do to improve your class participation?
10. How do you study for tests and quizzes?
11. Do you feel that the grade you are getting right now is the best you can do? Why?
12. What strategies will you use to get a better grade next marking period?
13. What advice can you give to your classmates to make their experience in this class more meaningful?
14. Fill in the blanks..."From class this marking period, one thing I will take is _______________ and one thing I will give is ________________."

• Finally, post your answers as a comment to our class blog.

Week of October 1, "Replay" scavenger hunt

Jewish boys with Yarmulkes

Hi everyone,

This week we are going to find images of topics mentioned in "Replay".

1. Use Google images to find pictures of the following things, and paste what you find into a document in Google Docs (call it Blog 3):

• yarmulke
• courtyard
• jumprope
• Holocaust

2. Use Google to find information about the following and write what you find in your Blog 3 document in Google Docs:

• The Holocaust
• Anti-semitism

3.  Post your Blog 3 document to the comments section of our blog.

4. Read another classmate's post and tell him/her what you learned.

5. Congratulations to our students for their excellent presentation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Tahmid, Nathaly, Domenica, and Michelle presenting at the Met

Here is what another teacher said about them:

Dear Ms. Mann,

I am on my way home from the Open House for Educators at the Met with one of my colleagues. I must tell you how blown away the both of us were by your students. 

First of all, the students projects were very well done. But then their presentations and enthusiasm for their work, their school, and their teachers was awe inspiring. I am not an effusive person and I don't often send out emails like this. I thought it was important for you to know how delightful it was to talk with your students and to hear their stories. 

Sincerely,
Lisa Federici
Art Teacher
Kennedy High School - Bellmore