Senior Project - Week of May 21

This week's goals: 
Present your project
Edit your rough draft

It's presentation week! This week you'll get a chance to show what you've learned through your weeks of research.

For homework, continue editing your rough draft. Final drafts are due June 1, to be turned in on google docs.

Let's make this last assignment of the year really sing!

Senior Project - Week of May 14

This week's goals: 
Finish your presentation.
Edit your rough draft.

We'll be working on presentations this week, and begin presenting on Monday, May 21. Save your presentation to google docs, so that it's accessible here at school. Remember, if you want a video clip (from Youtube, for instance) in your presentation, you must download it at home first, then put the video into a slide. Links to Youtube and similar sites won't open at school. Download instructions are available on the library web page.

You can sign up for a presentation date, though be prepared to present as early as Monday, in the event that your date needs to be bumped up.

Putting together your presentation is the fun part. (Really!) Enjoy your creation. I can't wait to see what kinds of things you come up with. :)

Senior Project - Week of May 7

This week's goal: Finish your rough draft.

Storyboards are due Monday, May 7. Completed rough drafts are due Friday, May 11.

We're in the home stretch now! Next week, you'll be editing your rough draft and creating your presentation.

Some points to remember when writing and editing:
-Formal papers (such as research papers and most essays) are in 3rd person. You should eliminate 1st person (I, me, my, we, us, our) and 2nd person (you, your).
-Follow the format listed in your "Organizing Your Senior Project" sheet. A copy is available on edmodo if you've misplaced your original. Save your opinion for the section in which it belongs.
-Please reexamine your handout on avoiding plagiarism. If you're uncertain about some of your material, please ask me about it. Before you turn in your final draft, you'll be running it through a plagiarism checker.

Senior Project - Week of April 30

This week's goals:
Complete four more pages of your rough draft. You should have a total of seven double-spaced pages by Friday, May 4.
Complete your storyboard for your presentation by Monday, May 7.

Remember: there are no late grades available from this point onward, so turn things in on the due date. If leaving materials at home is a problem, save everything to your google docs account.

If you need help on your rough draft or presentation, please see me in class, during B or D period, or after school so I can help to keep you on track.

Senior Project - Week of April 23

This week's goal: 3 pages completed of your rough draft

You'll be turning your rough drafts and final copy in through google docs. If you don't have an account, you can sign up for one in class. If you have one already, and you haven't yet linked it to your noodle tools, now is the time to do that.

We'll be working on our rough draft this week, partly in class and partly as homework. Mrs. Distasio and her intern, Mr. Hallwood, will spend a few days with you in the library showing you how to set up your presentation, which is something you can start thinking about now, even though we won't be working on it for a few more weeks.

Senior Project - Week of April 9

This week's goal: 
Complete your outline

Be sure to check your "Organizing Your Senior Project" sheet, which will give you an overview of how to construct your research paper (which will determine how you structure your outline).

Create a thorough outline, including a thesis statement portion, topic sentences, sub-topics, and specific evidence, including quotes you may wish to use.

We're getting toward the end. Just keep swimming!

Senior Project - Week of April 2

This week's goals:
CP: Final 5 annotated bibliographies (total of 20)
H: Final 6 annotated bibliographies (total of 25)

You should wrap up your search for resources this week. Be sure to make use of the library databases. (If you are using them from home, the username and password are both "dhsstudent.") If your interviews have not worked out or are delayed, please let me know. Your three interviews count as part of your total sources.

You should already have taken notes on most/many of your sources. If you haven't yet, it's time to catch up (since next week you'll be doing an outline). Be sure to read the handout on paraphrasing that you received this week (also available on edmodo in the senior project folder). It is crucial that you don't accidentally (or intentionally) plagiarize.

Senior Project - Week of March 26

This week's goals: 
Complete paper briefing (see handout)
Complete sheet for interview three and contact interviewee.

I'll pass out the handout for the project briefing in class on Friday (3/23). It is also available on edmodo in the senior project folder.

Remember, this week we'll be spending our in-class time on other work, while your senior project moves along as homework for the next few weeks. We'll return to in-class work on senior project around April 30.

Senior Project - Week of March 19

This week's goals:
-Do questions for interview #2 and set up the interview.
-College Prep: 5 more annotated bibliographies (for a total of 15). Include a second print source.
-Honors: 7 more annotated bibliographies (for a total of 19). Include a second print source.

Now that you have collected a fair amount of material, it's time to make sure that you're reading this material (if you haven't been already). Just another reminder: you should be taking notes. I'm not grading the notes, but they will be crucial to your process.

Some of you may prefer electronic/online notes on Noodle Tools or Google docs; some may like to highlight and make marginal notes; some of you may be loosely structuring your paper already with a skeleton of notes. Whatever process you use, be sure to take notes. Refer to the handout on note taking if you need to. (It's also available in the Senior Project folder of edmodo.)

Review your "Organizing Your Senior Project" sheet to remind you of the eventual structure of your paper. (It was one of your handouts and is available in the Senior Project folder of edmodo.)

By the end of the week, you should be solidly on track with your project. If you're feeling uncertain, come see me, and we'll work out the rough spots.

NOTE: After this week, we'll be spending our in-class time on other items in the English 12 curriculum. Continue working on the project for homework. Around the end of April, when it's time to begin your rough draft, we'll go back to working on this in class full time.

Senior Project - Week of March 12

Weekly goals: 
5 more annotated bibliography entries, including a print source. (College Prep.) 
Total College Prep entries: 10
                      
 7 more annotated bibliography entries, including a print source. (Honors) Total entries: 12
     
All classes: Have an interview set up or completed.

This week you need to post your project proposal to edmodo. (Use the "reply" function rather than "turn it in.") Comment on the proposals of three other people in your group by end of the day Tuesday for points.

Just a reminder: On Monday, you'll be getting up in front of the class to read aloud or explain your project proposal. Points are for participation only. It's OK if you need to read directly off your sheet at this point, but take this opportunity to practice given a presentation.

This week I'll be giving you sheets to help you set up your interviews. (They're also available on edmodo.) You'll need to keep on researching and coming up with sources, including one print resource. I'll be checking bibliographic entries Friday at the end of class, which is when they're due.

If you are struggling or have questions, please see me either during the day or after school so that I can help you. Falling behind doesn't have to happen because I want you to do well and will help you every step of the way. :)

Week of March 5 - Senior Project

This week's goals:
Complete Project Proposal
Complete 3 more annotated bibliographies on Noodle Tools (for a total of 5)

I've posted the Project Proposal assignment on edmodo. You were randomly assigned to groups of 3 or 4 other people, on whose proposals you will be commenting on edmodo. (They will be commenting on your proposal as well.) Edmodo assignments should be posted by end of the day March 12, and comments should be made by the end of the day on March 13 for points.

Proposals are due at the start of class Monday, March 12. (We'll be on the field trip Friday, when they were originally due.)   

Remember: You will be giving a two-minute talk on your proposal on March 12. You may read directly off the printed copy if you like, but it's good practice to start working toward a more sophisticated presentation style.

Instructions for the Project Proposal are on one of your handouts and are available in the "Senior Project" folder on edmodo.

Week of February 27 - Senior Project

Weekly goals:  
general topic
pre-search sheet 
two annotated bibliographies
 
By the end of this week, you should have a general topic in mind. If you have already narrowed down your topic, that's great! (But don't worry if you haven't done so yet.)

Also by the end of the week, you should have your pre-search sheet and two annotated bibliographies completed. (I'm aware that your topic may not be rock-solid yet, so these bibliographies might be a bit more general.)

Turn your annotated bibliographies into the noodle tools drop box.

http://www.noodletools.com/index.php

NOTE: Use the MLA advanced setting and title your project with your name and whatever else you'd like to add.
To find the drop box, create a project and click "sharing." Type in "Senior Project _ Block" (in the blank, type the letter of whichever block you're in), and the drop box for my class will show up on a menu.

If you haven't found a topic by Thursday, come to see me after school so we can keep you on track!

Happy hunting!
Mrs. Desai