All-star Synthesis Pages on “Ashes”

There were so many beautiful synthesis pages today it was hard to choose which to share!
Here are some really great ones.

All-Star Mentor SYNTHESIS PAGES from the past!

Here are some stellar examples of synthesis pages from the past!

How to Create a Synthesis Page

A synthesis page is a place where you can creatively express an idea you have based on your reading inquiry!

It could be a web, map, chart, comic, diagram, list, or any combination of words and illustrations to help you notice patterns and make sense of the focus and evidence. Be creative! Also, use this as a way to help you explore your ideas about the text and develop ideas you will most likely use to write your next reading response.

What to include on your synthesis page:

•   focus: stated as a sentence, title, or an inquiry question such as "”What do the different settings in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian represent?”

•   textual evidence: relevant quotations that best support the focus

•   your thoughts (I think... because...), inferences (this shows that...), questions (Why... How...), connections (This reminds me of ... because...)

•   illustrations or colors to help you organize your thinking and notice patterns

For a synthesis page, you could:

·     *Unpack a few lines that all connect to one focus – see what ideas come up

·     *Make a double or triple mountain – Notice how this can help you think about author’s purpose

·     *Make a character sketch and include small details, relevant quotes, and your ideas about the character

·     *Make a theme trail that connects conflict, resolution, and theme, with some writing about the lessons or messages the author sends

·     *Analyze the archetypal characters and journeys in the book to analyze author’s purpose

·    *Think and sketch about symbolism in the text – how does it work?

·     *Sketch the setting and brainstorm about its important

·    *Create graphic organizers and charts to sort through thoughts

*  *Organize your post-its into categories and draw conclusions from your annotations

·      *Create Venn Diagrams to compare/contrast elements of the story

·       *Be creative, and don’t be afraid to try anything you come up with!

After you have created a synthesis page, state your new understandings; these are the very beginning drafts of claims/thesis statements.

Summer Reading - Baseline Blog Post

Show me what you already know about writing a reading response!

Choose a book you read over the summer (it doesn't have to be from the MS 51 list...)  Write a reading response as well as you can, based on what you have been taught in the past.

This is a way for me to see what you already know how to do, and what steps we will take together to make you all more sophisticated, critically thinking readers and writers.

This post is DUE Friday, 9/27!!!

BANNED BOOKS WEEK Extra Credit and Stuff for Funsies

BANNED BOOKS WEEK!!!

SEPTEMBER 23 – 27, 2019

Here are some fun ways you can celebrate and recognize Banned Books Week – and earn extra credit for some of them!

1)   ***EXTRA CREDIT! Dress up as your favorite character from a banned or challenged comic or book on THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26! (There will a prize for the best costume!) Be ready to tell the class who you are and why the book was banned! Check out this link for some ideas: https://blog.aclupa.org/2012/10/15/costume-ideas-for-banned-after-dark/

2)   ***EXTRA CREDIT! Make a video for the ALA’s “Stand for the Banned” YouTube channel! Just make sure to email me at rrear@k051.org with a link to your YouTube video so I know you did it... Go here for info: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/standforthebanned

3)   ***EXTRA CREDIT! Watch the film version of a banned or challenged book or comic, and write a 3-5 paragraph response on your blog!

4)   Change your profile or cover photo on social media to one of the ALA’s free downloadable images: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/bannedbooksweek/ideasandresources/freedownloads

5)   Visit some websites of other organizations that help defend books against censorship:

·      The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression – www.abffe.org

·      The American Civil Liberties Union – www.aclu.org

·      The Freedom to Read Foundation – www.ftfr.org

·      The National Coalition Against Censorship – www.ncac.org