All Boys, All Blogged: May 17, 2013

Focus: Presenting our mockumentaries!

1. A few final thoughts:

• Keep it on the quiet side...tests could be happening on the other side of the wall.
• No work will be accepted after class on Monday.
• Final grades for this class will be posted Tuesday by noon (and an 89.4% = B+).
• Watch each other's mockumentaries respectfully, and enjoy!

2. Setting up the presentation order (this will be done randomly)

3. Presenting our mockumentaries!

HW:

See you during the 1st hour MWF finals period on Monday (7:15-8:46 am).

All Boys, All Blogged: May 16, 2013

Focus: Performing final edits on your mockumentary film

1. Warm-up: Reminders about today and tomorrow:

• Mockumentaries are due tomorrow. No exceptions will be granted.

• Monday is the last day of class. No assignments will be accepted after class on Monday.

• Your final grade will be posted by Tuesday at noon. An 89.4 is a B+.  An 89.5 is rounded up to an A-.  Please do not contact me about rounding up your letter grade; it is what it is.

• Fines will be issued Monday morning for any missing F451 books. This will delay your scheduling, so please turn in your books ASAP.

2. Working on the final steps of creating your mockumentary

• If you are using Windows Movie Maker, you must take the final step of FINALIZING your film BEFORE you come to class on Friday. The icon will look different after the movie has been finalized.

• If you are using wevideo, make sure your video is finalized/published also.

• With either program, I highly recommend publishing your film to youtube to avoid any technical difficulties.  It is your responsibility to make sure that your film will play on the class computer before you show it in class.

• Quick audio tip: Make sure you have exported your narration as an MP3 before you attempt to add it to your film.

HW:
1.  Finish your mockumentary and SHARE THE URL WITH ME BEFORE CLASS TOMORROW. I highly recommend having your film in two different forms (ex: burn it to a DVD AND publish it to youtube).

2. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm tonight.

3. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class tomorrow.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason. It is your responsibility to make sure your film works properly before trying to show it to the class.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 15, 2013

Focus: Creating your mockumentary film

If you revised your synthesis essay, please turn it in now. Make sure you have followed the revision policy.

1. Warm-up: Assessing a sample student mockumentary using the rubric I handed out Monday

2. Working on the final steps of creating your mockumentary

• If you are using Windows Movie Maker, you must take the final step of FINALIZING your film BEFORE you come to class on Friday. The icon will look different after the movie has been finalized.

• If you are using wevideo, make sure your video is finalized/published also.

• With either program, I highly recommend publishing your film to youtube to avoid any technical difficulties.  It is your responsibility to make sure that your film will play on the class computer before you show it in class.

• Quick audio tip: Make sure you have exported your narration as an MP3 before you attempt to add it to your film.

HW:
1.  Continue working on your mockumentary (only one work day left after today). We do NOT have the computer lab tomorrow, but we will have a mockumentary work day in our regular classroom.

2. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

3. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 14, 2014

Focus: Synthesizing the book and the film

1. Warm-up: Perusing the book-film club website rubric (distributed in class)

2. Understanding the final task of your book clubs: Synthesizing the book and film

3. Finishing your theme activity and completing your book-film synthesis


HW:
1. Bring music, your recorded narration, and anything else you need to class on Wednesday to work on your mockumentary.

2. Synthesis essay revisions due TOMORROW, Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

3. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

4. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 13, 2013

Focus: Assembling and polishing your mockumentary

1. Warm-up: Grades, grades, grades...all you wanted to know and more

2. Working on your mockumentaries (only two work days left after today)


HW:
1. Bring music, your recorded narration, and anything else you need to class on Wednesday to work on your mockumentary.

2. Finish your book and watch the film version of your book by TOMORROW, which will be your final book club day.

3. Synthesis essay revisions due Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

4. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

5. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 10, 2013

Focus: Assembling your mockumentary film

1. Warm-up: A very important weekend reminder

2. Offering a few tips:

When recording your narration, try narrating into a program on your computer, such as Audacity, and then uploading this to wevideo.

When bringing music into your video, please keep in mind the following:

• iTunes will not share music with your film application...not now, not ever.

• The trick is to convert your music into MP3 form.

• Try burning your music onto a CD and bringing it to class.  When you insert the CD, a window will pop up asking what you want to do.  Select "Rip music using Windows Media Player," and this should save your selected music as MP3s in your music folder.

• You can also capture a Youtube music video and then use just the music without the video, but I'm not sure yet how this works with wevideo.

• Other ideas?  Matt?

3. Working on assembling our mockumentary films


HW:
1. Bring music, your recorded narration, and anything else you need to class on Monday to work on your mockumentary.

2. Finish your book and watch the film version of your book by TUESDAY, which will be your final book club day.

3. Synthesis essay revisions due Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

4. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

5. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 9, 2013

Focus: Analyzing motifs and themes in your book club books

1. Warm-up: Taking the single gender survey! Please click HERE to access the survey.

2. Reading your book club books (you should be close to finished at this point)--20 minutes

3. Meeting with your book clubs to finish and publish your motif activity

4. Starting on your theme activity if time; click HERE for directions

HW:
1. Bring music, your recorded narration, and anything else you need to class tomorrow to work on your mockumentary.

2. Finish your book and watch the film version of your book by TUESDAY, which will be your final book club day.


3. Synthesis essay revisions due Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

4. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

5. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 7, 2013

Focus: Analyzing motifs in your book-film clubs

1. Warm-up: Human minesweeper: Brainstorming concrete motifs vs. abstract motifs

2. Finishing your setting activities from last week if you have not done so (make sure it's published on your website)

3. Developing your motif activity (this one might take you a little longer) and publishing it on your website

HW:
1. Remember that MAP testing is tomorrow in the library computer lab.

2. Assigned book club reading for Thursday.


3. Synthesis essay revisions due Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

4. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

5. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 6, 2013

Focus: Developing your mockumentaries

Please meet in our normal classroom today.

1. Warm-up: Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a sample student mockumentary

2. Enjoying a quick mini-lesson on one of the tricky technical aspects of the mockumentary: Music

• iTunes will not share music with your film application...not now, not ever.

• The trick is to convert your music into MP3 form.

• Try burning your music onto a CD and bringing it to class.  When you insert the CD, a window will pop up asking what you want to do.  Select "Rip music using Windows Media Player," and this should save your selected music as MP3s in your music folder.

• You can also capture a Youtube music video and then use just the music without the video, but I'm not sure yet how this works with wevideo.

• Other ideas?  Matt?

3. Developing our mockumentary films

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading for tomorrow.

2. Continue working on your mockumentary, particularly the music and narration (only three in-class work days left).

3. Synthesis essay revisions due Wednesday, May 15.  Please highlight all changes on the new draft, type a brief explanation of the changes you made and why they strengthened your essay, and staple everything to your original draft and rubric with my comments.  Revisions will not be accepted unless you follow the revision policy.

4. Book club websites (including all daily activities) due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 16.

5. Final mockumentaries due at the beginning of class Friday, May 17.  NO extensions will be granted for any reason.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 3, 2013

Focus: Creating your mockumentary

1. Warm-up: Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a student mockumentary

2. Trying out www.wevideo.com

3. Creating your film (script, narration, and images)

NOTE: If you want to capture video today, please let me know right away so I can help you.

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading for Tuesday.
2. Only one and a half more weeks of mockumentary work time--get that script narrated if you haven't done so yet!

All Boys, All Blogged: May 2, 2013

Focus: Analyzing settings and motifs in your book-film club books

1. Warm-up: Offering you a few sample book-club sites to peruse

2. Finishing your website (if needed)

3. Working on and finishing your SETTING activity from yesterday; click HERE for directions.  Please publish your work on your website when you finish.

4. If time allows, starting your MOTIF activity; click HERE for directions

HW:
1. Finish your script and get it narrated (recorded).
2. Assigned book club reading for Tuesday.

All Boys, All Blogged: May 1, 2013

Focus: Analyzing SETTING with your book-film clubs

1. Warm-up: Wrapping up loose ends

Is your website finished, and have you published your expectations and your characterization activity?

2. Interpreting and discussing setting with your book-film clubs: Please click HERE for instructions.

3. Publishing your setting activity on your website

HW: 
1. Assigned book club reading for TOMORROW.
2. Complete your script and narrate it by the end of the week.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 30, 2013

Please meet in the C-22 computer lab today.

Focus: Starting to create your film!

1. Warm-up: Meet Windows Movie Maker!

Can you...

• Import an image?
• Create a text slide
• Import a video?
• Import music?
• Layer narration, music, and images?

2. Finishing your script and making a plan for recording it

3. Starting to gather images and create text slides for your mockumentary

SAVE ALL IMAGES--EVERY SINGLE ONE--ALL NARRATION, MUSIC, THE MOVIE ITSELF, ETC. IN A SINGLE FOLDER, THEN SAVE THAT FOLDER IN AT LEAST TWO PLACES.

KEEP TRACK OF ALL WEBSITES CONSULTED.

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading.
2. Finish your script and get it recorded by this Friday.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 29, 2013

Focus: Developing your mockumentary script and your book club website

Class, Part I


1. Warm-up: Listening to an opening clip from a "real" documentary

What do you notice about the script itself (powerful words and phrases)?

How does the script turn this into a movie about us? In other words, how does it capture human interest?

What ideas can you steal for your mockumentary?

2. Developing the script for your mockumentary

Brief Intermission

Class, Part II

3. Creating websites for your book clubs

Two possible web applications for your website: www.wikispaces.com and Google sites

Criteria for your website:
Remember that this website will be how you share all of your book club work with me.  Your website grade will be your culminating grade for this unit.

    First names of group members (no last names, please).
    Title and author of book club book

You will need separate links/pages within your website for the following items:

1. Statement of purpose: Who are you, and why are you creating this site?
2. Group expectations (created last week)
3. Characterization activity (description of assignment and link to it and the product you created, whether it was a series of brains or a discussion)
4. Setting activity
5. Motif activity
6. Theme activity
7. Book-film comparison

Please e-mail your website link before the end of class.

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading
2. Your big,big task of the week: Finish your script and record your narration by Friday.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 26, 2013

Focus: Developing the script for your mockumentary

Class ends at 8:11 am today (spring assembly).

1. Warm-up: Listening to an opening clip from a "real" documentary

What do you notice about the script itself (powerful words and phrases)?

How does the script turn this into a movie about us? In other words, how does it capture human interest?

What ideas can you steal for your mockumentary?

2. Offering a few thoughts about the script:

It should have a powerful opening and closing.

It needs smooth transitions between years/events.

This is a great place to show off your creative voice; choose your words carefully.

You need to have it written out EXACTLY as it will be narrated.

3. Time to finish your timeline and work on your script.

HW:

1. Finish your timeline before tomorrow morning and make sure it's shared with me.

2. Continue working on your script.

3. Assigned book club reading.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 25, 2013

Focus: Transforming your timeline into a script

1. Warm-up: Listening to the openings from two "real" mock/documentaries:

Example #1: Remember Epic?
Example #2: Supersize Me

Your task: As you listen, describe the opening of each script, typing up powerful words, phrases, and tactics.

2. Finishing your timeline (please be sure to share it with me)

3. Composing a rough draft of your script with a focus on your script's opening

I will walk around and show you the grades you have been receiving so far on your 

mockumentary preparation work.

HW: 
1. Timeline must be finished and shared with me before the weekend.

2. Assigned book film club reading.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 24, 2013

Focus: Exploring characterization in your book-film clubs

1. Warm-up: Thinking about your most memorable characters

2. Quickly overviewing your daily group focus grade (see handout)

3. Meeting with your book clubs to discuss CHARACTERS!

a. Click HERE  for Option #1

b. Click HERE for Option #2

(Feel free to mix and match Options 1 and 2)

4. If time allows, start setting up a website for your book club and e-mail me the address.

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading
2. Continue working on your mockumentary timeline (due before the weekend).

All Boys, All Blogged: April 23, 2013

ACT: Class Ends at 11:53 Today

Focus: Diving into your book film club books

1. Warm-up: Quickly finishing our reading calendars

TURN IN SIGNED PROPOSALS (or grab A Separate Peace and start reading)

2. Reading our books to prepare for tomorrow

Advice from my seniors on group work:

• Don't be THAT guy.
• Delegate the work and make sure each member knows what he's in charge of.
• Try to fix it yourself before going to the teacher.

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading

2. Mockumentary timeline and script (Thursday and Friday will be work days)

All Boys, All Blogged: April 22, 2013

Focus: Setting up expectations for book-film clubs

Please have out your signed book club proposals and book club books.

1. Warm-up: Final banned book presentations

John
Austin
Andrew

2. Warm-up: What would you do if...

2. Establishing in-class and out-of-class expectations for your club; after receiving my approval, please print and sign them.

—Outside of class:

—Work Ethic: How much time should we spend on reading each night?  What do we need to do as we read?  What is our division of labor (writing prompts, discussion questions, activities)?

—Accountability: What happens of some members of our group drop the ball?  Forget their book?  Don’t finish the assigned reading?  How do we prevent ugly situations?  How do we enforce the expectations?

—In class:

—Work Ethic: What are our expectations for discussion? How do we plan to spend class time?

—Accountability: What happens if two of us (or all of us) starting losing our focus?  What happens if the bell rings and we haven’t accomplished everything we were supposed to do?

3. Setting up your reading calendar for the next three weeks (see Google calendar)

4. Creating your Google site and/or wikispace and/or other website for your book club

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading for Wednesday; BRING YOUR BOOK TOMORROW FOR READING TIME.

2. Please be here by 11:25 tomorrow and bring your banned book; you will have a banned book reading day.  If you do not have your signed proposal by tomorrow,  you will be reading A Separate Peace (a school-approved book) for the entire book film club unit.

3. Continue working on your timeline and script for your mockumentary.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 19, 2013

Focus: Planning your schedule for next year (and beyond...)

1. Meet in the Forum, and be prepared to take notes and ask questions.

2. If time allows, return to the classroom to work on schedules and set up reading schedules.

3. Be sure to turn in your essay during class time this morning.

HW:
1. Bring your book-film club book and your signed proposal to class on Monday.
2. Talk to your parents about the classes you plan to take next year.