Concept English September Updates
Hard to believe that some of us are already a month into the new 2017/2018 school year. Included in this update is information on Curriculum, Professional Development Opportunities, Literacy Special Events, Other:
Questions:
Have you modified the Master Unit with your name?
How are you tracking your changes to the Master Units? Another color type?
Are you clear on your school’s expectations for daily lesson plans?
Do you need help with your planning? We can help.
Are you struggling with writing instruction? It is our favorite thing to plan.
CURRICULUM
Core English Classes 6-12th grade are all in Unit 1:
Friendly reminder: Each unit has a list of ideas/strategies/activities (orange) to get you into the unit. Have you tried any of them?
6th Grade
NOTE: Please make sure you did your pre-writing assessment
Theme: Facing Fear
PBA: Expository Essay
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded your writing each week to build to the final assessment?
7th Grade
NOTE: Please make sure you did your pre-writing assessment
Theme: Bold Actions
PBA: Oral Commentary
Strategies
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
8th Grade
NOTE: Please make sure you did your pre-writing assessment
Theme: Culture and Belonging
PBA: Personal Narrative
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
9th Grade
Theme: Finding Common Ground
PBA: Write and Present a Speech
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
10th Grade
Theme: Ourselves and Others
PBA: Write and Present a Speech
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
11th Grade
Theme: Coming To America
PBA: Write an Argument
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
12th Grade
Theme: Chasing Success
PBA: Write a Compare/Contrast Essay
Strategies:
ALL STRATEGIES ATTACHED IN SIS!
Questions:
Are you clear on the FOCUS standards for the unit?
Have you embedded writing/speaking tasks each week to build to the final assessment?
Professional Development
This year, we will be working twice a month with HSA Belmont, McKinley Park, and SW Chicago as well as one day a month with Milwaukee Math and Science Academy. The primary goal is to model best practice, coach, and build capacity in our instruction. If you are interested in being observed and coached and you are not one of these schools, simply request an observation under PD offerings in SIS. It is best to have two teachers. Once you have made the request in SIS we can work on the details and customize this visit.
In addition, we offer a two hour Webinar to help better develop lesson plans which focus on Guided vs. Close Reading and writing. If you need help with your data and how to re-teach, there is also a 1 hour Webinar on data analysis.
The CSAD team will also be visiting schools beginning in October. More on these visits should be coming in the next few weeks.
Below is a screenshot of SIS. The options listed above are bolded:
Literacy Special Events
There is a drop down menu for our events. Eventually, there will be information under each of the tabs:
Spelling Bee
We just learned that we will be taking over the Concept Spelling Bee again. We will be moving as fast as possible to get the theme and poster design in place and attached under tab 1. The date this year for the annual event is November 11th here in Chicago. We have asked our local schools to help plan the event this year and will be striving to increase attendance.
Spoken Word
This years Spoken Word theme is: A Change Is Going To Come. The event is being run by Ms. Brooks, Director of Social Studies, and will be held again in Indianapolis, Indiana on March 3, 2018.
Writing Competition
Our Theme: # It’s A Matter Of Words. This year we have decided to focus on how and why words matter. As a STEM network we realize that if scientists and mathematicians had not written down their ideas, systems, and procedures many of the advancements that have been made would have been lost. We want to celebrate those who have gone before and focus on how using words to explain things make us smarter and wiser and maybe, one day, even renowned in our respective fields.
The program will be open to ALL teachers in ALL subjects: journals, lab reports, math explanations/word problems, expository essays, etc. For more information contact Andy Flaherty at aflaherty@conceptschools.org. Click here to download the poster
And, yes, we will be creating our second publication #WordsWorthWriting, in the Spring.
Parent Writing
Concept English will be working with our schools and their public relations teams to launch this years Parent Writing Initiative. Our focus will be on building strong parent relationships that foster an advocacy of the school choice option via a testimonial and story writing focused on the success of children in Concept programs. We will launch this years initiative in October while visiting our 30 schools.
High School Blogging/Book Mark Challenge
We are looking for teachers with ideas on how to best implement these two programs. We would love to get to know you and your students a bit better. Please give us a call: 773-655-1029.
Other
Web Resources
A number of folks have asked, again, about a list of web resources. We have them under the resource tab on our website (scroll down until you see Top 100 Websites for Educators): http://english.conceptschools.org/resources/
Finally, here are a few fun tools that I learned how to use via or Director of Social Studies:
Create expectations that all will be called on by using the Random Name Picker
https://www.classtools.net/random-name-picker/
When reading difficult texts or teaching how to paraphrase, try Rewowrdify
Again, we would love to help, just let us know what you need.
