In Class on Wednesday:

  • Discussion (10-15 min):  In class, discuss briefly what we learned about the article from rereading. Also discuss what we learned about reading strategies, and how you can use them and your own reading process.
  • Introduce Unit 2: Unit Two Assignment Sheet . Let students know they’ll have time to come up with a topic– the key here is finding something they’re truly curious about!
  • Sources Activity: You don’t always need to agree with your sources! We’re going to look at 2 sources that (partially) disagree and offer different points of view ( or opposing perspectives/opinions). 
    • From the “Later Library” – Watch the first 7:30 of “The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers”  While watching, fill out the left side of a Double-Entry Journal, just like we did on Friday. You can use the DEJ handout or just draw a line down a piece of paper. You should write down 4-5 quotes or keywords/ideas. When you’re done, take 5-10 mins to respond, then discuss the talk as a class.
    • Now read “Procrastination as a Virtue: Why it’s False.” This should take 10-15 minutes. Annotate to stay engaged while we read. Keep an eye out for how the author responds to Grant (the guy from the TED Talk).  Discuss as a class.

Homework for Friday:

  • READ AND ANNOTATE: “Research Starts with a Thesis Statement” from Bad Ideas about Writing
  • THINK: Start thinking about a topic you are interested in, something you might want to know more about.  This can be something heavy, like police brutality, or it can be something that seems on the surface more light-hearted, like the MTA or the Mets. The only criteria is that you are actually curious about it.  
    • This may seem like strange advice, but it can be helpful to go for a short walk around the block where the only goal is to think about topics what topics you might like to write about. Come home and jot down a few notes, try to come up with at least 2 options that you can think about more. By next week, you will be expected to have an idea for a topic you’d like to research, even if it’s a bit vague. 

In Class on Friday:

  • Today we will go ove SOURCE ENTRIES
  •  Genre discussion: In Unit 2, you will look at three sources from three different genres. Now is a good time to review the idea of genre. You can use this slide show, or this slide show (I like this one better– and it includes a worksheet!) or  just discuss.
    • Each item in the Later Library is a different genre– we’ve already looked at a few. Why would you want to write a podcast vs a magazine article vs a tiktok (vs a canva slide show?) Don’t think so much about which is best– that’s impossible to answer, but what genre is best for what occasion/ what audience?

Homework for next Wednesday:

  • READ AND ANNOTATE: “Schools are Killing Curiosity” from The Guardian
  • WRITE: OpenLab Post (at least 300 words, select Unit 2 Student Work for Category): 
    • What is something you were interested in when you were a kid? Are you still interested in that topic? How did asking questions help you learn more about that topic?
    • If so, how has your curiosity changed and grown over the years? And what role did the educational system play in your curiosity (good or bad)? 
    • If you are not interested in this topic anymore, what do you think happened to that interest? Do you remember the specific time you LOST interest?  What did you become interested in instead (and why?)