Self-Tracking Our Progress

Engrade Gradebook

Aim: How do we evaluate our academic progress?  

Quick Write: Write a well-organized paragraph evaluating your progress in this class on a 0-4 scale. (See rubric for key.) Your evaluation is an opinion, so in order for it to be credible, you MUST support it with detailed evidence and facts.

Today we will be opening Engrade accounts so that you can monitor your own progress in this class on a 24/7 basis. Engrade is also another option for messaging me. You'll have to get the handout from me with your 4-digit access code. If you are reading this from home, email me and I will email you an invitation to open an account.

To create an account, enter your assigned access code and then choose a username/password combination. Write it down someplace safe! Once you have opened your account, you can use your username and password to log in anytime and anyplace to see your up-to-the-minute classroom information on Engrade and/or to message me or other students in the class.

Your access code is:

Crotonaacademy1-student ID#-four digit code

Write down the code exactly, hyphens included.

For those of you who already opened Engrade accounts in the past, you can sign on with your old username and password. If you forgot your password, Engrade will offer you the option of re-setting it.

Students who already have Engrade accounts might volunteer to help those who are new to this electronic gradebook.

If you missed this class or need a refresher on how to sign up and use Engrade, watch this tutorial.

After you have signed on, you will have to send me a message through Engrade to earn your class work points. Explain what if anything is amiss and what your plans are for using Engrade as a learning tool.

Changing Your Mindset (If You Want To Change)

Aim: How do we change our mindset?

Do Now: Check out the blog of the student on your immediate right. Leave two comments on his or her blog: one detail that you especially liked and one suggestion for making it even better.

Today we will continue reading and analyzing the psychology of "mindset" by reading the first chapter in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

As we read together or independently, use this Cornell Note-taking template to take notes.

Click here to read Chapter 1 of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

Hard copies of the chapter and Cornell note-taking form are available in the classroom.

Before you leave today, revisit the survey questions that you answered on Monday (True Grit posting) and are also found at the end of the "Mindsets" chapter. Write a two-paragraph reflection on your blog explaining how your answers may now have changed or become clearer or more meaningful since completing the reading.

Final Reflection: Click here and complete the form.

Reading "The Mindsets"

Aim: How do we define and understand mindset?

Quick Write: If you could change any attribute or characteristic about yourself as a student, what would it be? Explain.

Today we will  begin reading and analyzing the psychology of "mindset" by reading the first chapter in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

As we read together or independently, use this Cornell Note-taking template to take notes.

Click here to read Chapter 1 of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

Hard copies of the chapter and Cornell note-taking form are available in the classroom.

Before you leave today, post a reflection at least one-paragraph in length connecting what you wrote in today's Quick Write to what you learned from your reading so far.

True Grit

Aim: How do we define and understand grit?

Quick Write: Think of a time when you failed--whether in school, on the playing field, or any other type of challenging situation. Be honest. What was your reaction to your failure? Explain.

Read these statements and decide if you mostly agree or disagree with each. When you have finished, share your answers with a partner.

1. Your intelligence is something very basic about you that you can't change very much.
2. You can learn new things, but you can't really change how intelligent you are.
3. No matter how much intelligence you have, you can always change it quite a bit.
4. You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.

Read these statements about personal qualities and character and, again, decide if you mostly agree or disagree with each one. Then, share your answers with a partner.

1. You are a certain kind of person, and there is not much that can be done to really change that.
2. No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially.
3. You can do things differently, but the important parts of who you are can't really be changed.
4. You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are.


Do you have Grit? A claim is an argument or opinion that is powerful, unique, and can be supported by evidence. Watch this video and take notes on three claims made by Angela Lee Duckworth about grit and I.Q. Post the claims on your blog.

After viewing this video, write a reflection on you and grit. Think hard about yourself. Do you have grit? Why or why not? How did you get it or how did you lose it? What steps do you need to take to develop it? How can school and more specifically this class help you develop your grit. Are you even interested in developing it? After you complete the reflection ask a partner to proofread it for you before publishing it. Use the rubric posted as a page on this blog to evaluate each other's work.

Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.       CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one,  in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.       CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Creating Our Own Essential Questions

Aim: How do we generate our own essential questions?

Quick Write: How tough are you? On your blog, explain why you said what you did. Don't forget to give context for your international readers!

Today we'll begin getting into the meat of this course. To help fuel our thinking, we need to come up with some essential questions. Essential questions are questions that are designed to make you think. They can't be answered with a simple yes or no or even with one word. The best open-ended questions begin with Why? or How?

Read this article. You may work with a partner to read it together, using a technique called "reciprocal teaching." To do this, one person reads out loud and the other interjects with questions as they come up. Look up any vocabulary words that you don't understand.

"How to be as Tough as a Drill Sergeant."

After you have read the article, go back to your quick write. Would you change your answer in any way now? How? Why?

On your blog, post at least three essential questions related to tough-mindedness. These questions will later form the basis of a Socratic seminar.

Click here to see your homework assignment for winter break.

Welcome to the Spring Semester of Brain Science Literacy

Aim: How do we create a blog so that we can write to learn?

Do Now: Sign onto your laptop and go to this site:
    www.brainiacsofcrotona.blogspot.com  
Bookmark the page and write it down because you will be using it each day.

Welcome to the Spring Semester of Brain Science Literacy! 

Whereas last semester we were primarily focusing on the science of the brain, this semester we will be focused primarily on the mind. We will explore psychology by reading non-fiction articles and then by reading literature through a psychological lens. Not sure what "psychology" means exactly? Well, if you are reading this, you are sitting at a computer. Google it!

In order to proceed, you will need to create your own blog if you were not part of this class last semester. Your blog will be your "virtual" portfolio for this course. Do Nows and daily Writing Workshop activities will all be posted on your blog. In order to get some great online discussion going, we also will link all of our blogs together.

You must have a gmail account for blogger. If you don't already have a gmail account, create one now. Please give yourself a professional email address that you can use your whole life.

Here are the steps for creating your own blog:

1. Go to google.com
2. Under "more" at the top of the page find and click on "blogger."
3. Sign in on your gmail account to create your own blog.
4. Click on "Create a blog."
5. Choose a title for your blog.
6. Choose a design and template for your blog.
7. In settings, please be sure to set the time and date for Eastern Standard Time.
8. Under comment moderation (also in settings), please turn OFF word verification so that I don't have to prove I'm not a robot every time I want to leave a comment on your blog.
9. Create your profile. (Add a photo if you want.)
10. When you are done, write your first post. Introduce yourself in your post. Explain a little about yourself, where you live, and what you hope to explore in this course. Be detailed. Finally, write one open-ended question (can't be answered with yes or no or one word) that you have related to psychology or the mind. 
11. Send an email to msbecker4@gmail.com with the link to your blog so that I can follow it and share it with the other students in the Brain Science Literacy classes.

Congratulations! If you reached this step, you have created your own blog and filed your first post. Don't worry--your design, template and even your first post can be edited.

I welcome your comments. (It all counts toward participation!)

****A reminder that you are responsible for sending me a letter. See the February 7 posting on this blog for the full assignment.*****

Today's Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

Please Write!

Aim: How do we write about ourselves?

Quick Write: On a post-it, write down what unique quality or talent you bring to this learning culture. Me? My stick-to-it-ness.

Today, I am requesting you write me a letter. I promise to write back. To see the assignment and my letter to you, click here.

Please submit all letters to msbecker4@gmail.com. You will be graded this time merely on learning outcomes and effort.