Day 3: A good Monday

The students are groovin'- keeping me on my toes but really getting the importance of transitions.  We can't have an active class with lots of collaboration and movement if they are not able to transition efficiently back to listening mode.  As long as I stay consistent on my signals, I see a bright future for our class endeavors.

Our yearlong lens for each unit in US HISTORY is "What does it mean to be an American?"
Today the students watched the first 17 minutes of Jose Antonio Vargas film, Documented and we used Lesson One of the curriculum that goes with the film- students beginning to write their own immigration stories.   I've only read one so far, but already teary & inspired by the empowerment in my students voice being able to write about this topic.

Reminders: 

• careful of the rabbit hole, changing an assignment and what I'm going to teach tomorrow- at 6pm in the evening
• I have 5th period prep, I don't have to eat that fast!
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A-Ha's

• My students will always reveal themselves to me in their writing whenever they get a chance- so I should always put a personal twist on quickwrites and always collect them.