Week of October 24-28 | Start of Creation Phase

The last few weeks in IDEAS Project Block have been focused on crafting arguments in the form of research papers. (Some students are completing alternative writing assignments, which have been determined collaboratively with a Language Arts teacher.) This week, a complete draft of that research paper is due. Addie would like these papers printed and turned into her office mailbox on Friday.

Based on our recent schedules and conversations, it is clear that each IDEAS Project Block group is in a different place with regard to developing research papers. Please review last week and the week before for resources, expectations, and suggestions regarding research papers. Students are encouraged to set up writing conferences to develop and refine arguments.

Research Phase Attendance Sheet

New Attendance Sheet for Creation Phase

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS

Students need to Self-Check and manage the following:

• Language Arts evidence
  Annotated Bibliography, Extended, Research Paper, Revisions
• Creative Intent
  At this point, you should be able to articulate what you are going to create, why - what are the parts and purposes of those parts in communicating your research, who will be impacted by the creation, and how you will go about creating it.
• Project Calendar hard copy or Gantt Chart
  Each person will have a hard copy calendar (provided by advisor) to plan and track project progress each day. Start by mapping out a plan, using the Project Block and IDEAS School calendars as a starting place. Best practice is for each calendar square to have two parts 1) An intention for the day 2) Actual progress/activity for that day.
• Exhibition of Learning vision
  In the next two weeks we will be requesting your vision for an Exhibition of Learning - Including your project 1) Title 2) Driving Question 3) Short Description 4) Exhibition Format/Venue
  

DISCIPLINARY GROUPS

Establish and use daily  routines for the following:

• Sharing out intentions and clarifying steps for studio time
  (Example: Any period of studio time will begin with the group physically circled up, and intentions will be documented on students' personal planning tools as well as a public whiteboard.)
• Documenting and reflecting on progress
  (Example: Engineers use physical notebooks - every engineer has an engineering notebook, where there is a page per-day that is dated, signed off, and documenting progress.)
• Identifying needs, supports, experiences
  (Example: Any period of studio time will conclude with the group physically circled up, and progress will be shared aloud and documented on the public whiteboard. There will be one area of the board marked "parking lot" where students will identify needs, like "looking for an example of how different artists draw eyes" or "looking for a 20 minute conference with someone who has created a production schedule before.")

Establish and use weekly routines for the following:

(Examples from last semester)

• Analyzing professional models
  (Example: Every Monday we will spend 30 minutes looking at a professional model and analyzing the choreographer, dancer, and/or audience perspective. Sometimes Molly will choose the model and facilitate, but students might also take this role - especially when the model is one they've studied as an extension of their project.)
• Facilitating workshops on disciplinary skill or process
  (Example: Each Wednesday we will have a 15 minute exploratory do now where in we will try something new in our or a related discipline.)
• Preparing for and facilitating feedback
  (Example: Each Tuesday we will have small group feedback, using the ladder of feedback to structure and document feedback. Each Friday we will have whole-group feedback, using a plan created by the project creator or group and facilitated with the assistance of an Advisor. There will be a schedule.)
• Additional disciplinary needs
  (Example: Schedules for using computers in editing room or dance studio.)

MONDAY >>

Focus on writing down and sharing out creative intent for all projects, to make sure that each student is with the right advisor for their project and learning needs. Publish creative intent in the form of a color, shape, line; headline; or other format; these can be revisited throughout creation phase. Students may still have writing and revisions to wok on, however the best use of time is to begin making arrangements for creation: calendars, materials, etc. Writing should occur on your own time now. The one exception is that you may use this time for writing conferences with Addie and Heather. (Feedback will be written on hard copies and returned to students. Additional feedback will be in Skyward. Hard copies are needed for revision conferences and submission.)

TUESDAY >>

Take time to discuss either daily or weekly routines needed. Continue the process of identifying creative intent if needed. Students should seek and pair share professional models. (Who do you have a creative crush on?)

Check out these professional models:

• The mothers who set up a radiation lab   

• 1,250 Paintings Compose a Stunning Dance Video

• On Lesbos, Dutch Volunteers Teach Migrants to Turn Boats into Backpacks   

• Be Amazed by This Marvelous Music Machine, Powered by 2,000 Marbles
• Fold up Wheel Barrel Design

WEDNESDAY >>

Look at a professional model chosen by a student. Use a thinking routine to reflect on it - considering the steps and time taken to create what they created. Continue individual project planning and/or the development of weekly routines.

Some students will be pulled during  GWT for Annotated Bibliography and Research Paper conferences. (Check the GWT schedule)

THURSDAY >>

Review, tweak, and commit to routines and ways you will document progress individually and as a group. Perhaps Compass Points will offer clarity on this: What is needed? What are the worries? What suggestions to people have? What are we excited about?  Establish a weekly routine based on models of previous years.

REMINDERS

Research Papers were due on October 21st. Print.

FRIDAY >>  Fall Recess. No school.

Monday, October 17 | Formal Writing Revisions

REMINDERS

• Formal writing components are DUE on Friday, October 21, 2016. You should setup a writer’s conference with Addie to discuss your essay before this date.
• Even if you have gotten feedback from Addie, all new reading and research should be added to your Annotated Bibliography throughout your project.
• YEAR-LONGS should have their panels scheduled and Addie should be present at your meeting. Please remember you are still required to complete all writing components by deadlines stated above. 

Advisors should continue to use the spreadsheet for attendance.


GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Who are we as a community of thinkers, researchers, and innovators?
• How does the world work?
• How do the needs of my community and audience influence my research?

OBJECTIVES:

• Disciplinary groups will continue to grow as a community of wonderers and project managers.
• Students will engage in academic research and writing.
• Students will reflect on their experience and approach to research, identifying specific next steps.
• Students will organize and create their essays by thinking about how we support our thinking in the writing process.

DO NOW:

• Print your research paper.
• Dan, Addie, Timi--> Office via advisor
• Erin, Stuart, Molly --> Hallway printer via student Chromebooks
• Heather, Becky, Mike, and Tim--> Beckah's room via advisor
• Read through our current draft with 3 colored pencils or highlighters
• Color 1: Highlight your thesis statement (your claim)
• Color 2: Highlight the argument in each paragraph that supports your claim
• How closely is this statement related to your claim? It is a loose connection or can the reader clearly see the connection and its support for your argument?
• Color 3: Highlight the evidence you used to support the argument
• Do you have a quote from your research? How did you explain the quote?
• How did you connect your evidence to your argument? What moves did you make as a writer? 

STUDIO WRITING TIME:

• Make revisions to the portion of your paper you identify needs the most depth added.
• DRAFTING AND REVISION: Self-reflection questions to consider during the writing process:
• Have I constructed an argument or am I merely summarizing the topic?
• Do I have sufficient evidence that supports my ideas rather than summarizes them? 
• Does my writing include a SO WHAT in which I identify the intent of my essay and what I want my audience to do with this the information presented in it?

• By the end of the day today, please make sure you have a solid, complete draft with all necessary paragraphs (intro, definition, argument x 3, and conclusion). 

REFLECTION:

• What did you accomplish and complete today during studio time? 
• What are your next steps tonight for Home Learning and tomorrow for IDEAS Block?

Wednesday, October 12 | Drafting

ANNOUNCEMENT
Freshmen and year-long students with first names that begin with A-L will have an Extended Bibliography workshop with Addie in the cafeteria tomorrow, Thursday, October 13, 2016.

REMINDERS

• Annotated Bibliographies are OVERDUE. 
• Even if you have gotten feedback from Addie, all new reading and research should be added to your Annotated Bibliography throughout your project.
• Drafts of formal writing component DUE on Friday, October 14, 2016. Remember if you have intentions of doing an alternative writing component (not a research paper) you MUST meet with Addie for approval. 
• Formal writing components are DUE on Friday, October 21, 2016. You should setup a writer’s conference with Addie to discuss your essay before this date. 
• YEAR-LONGS should have their panels scheduled and Addie should be present at your meeting. Please remember you are still required to complete all writing components by deadlines stated above. 

• Advisors should continue to use the spreadsheet for attendance. 

GUIDING QUESTIONS

• Who are we as a community of thinkers, innovators?
• What do I need to know about myself and my community, in order to develop a project?
• How does the world work?
• How do the needs of my community and audience influence my research?

OBJECTIVES:

• Disciplinary groups will continue to grow as a community of wonderers and project managers.
• Students will engage in academic research and writing.
• Students will reflect on their experience and approach to research, identifying specific next steps. 
• Students will organize and plan their essays by thinking about how we support our thinking in the writing process.

DO NOW:
(1) Provide data for Sam L.'s project: School Safety - Intruder Scenario

(2) Make your annotated bibliography physical (should not take more than five minutes). Consider the examples shared on Monday. What evidence will help support the elements of your essay and your thesis statement?

STUDIO WRITING TIME

• Begin the drafting phase by considering your visual plan. Simply write your thesis statement at the top of your document (do not worry about creating an introduction at this point). 
• Your thesis statement is the guiding map of your essay. It reminds you of the information, the argument you need to present to your audience. 
• Set your intention for studio time. Possible choices for studio time:
• Finishing your PAST DUE annotated bibs
• Solidifying your thesis statement using the template from yesterday
• Creating your visual outline for your writing component.

REFLECTION: Share out your progress on your intention for today. Create a plan for tomorrow.

If there are questions about expectations, resources, or other aspects of the research paper, please communicate those through project advisors.

Tuesday, October 11 | Thesis Statement

What is the purpose of my research paper?
What are the parts and purposes of my research paper?
Who am I as a writer?

GATHERING: Circle Up! Sentence Starts

• The most important thing about my topic is...
• After reading my research paper, I want people to feel/think ... about ...

STUDIO THESIS WORKSHOP: Respond to each prompt in order to develop a thesis statement for your research paper. This can be done on the hard copies or a google document in your IDEAS Block folder. Conference with your IDEAS Block advisor about your thesis statement. When you have determined a thesis, add it to your visual plan.

REFLECTION: Pair-Share working thesis statements, having a very brief conversation to identify areas where clarity is still needed. What is the argument?

Monday, October 10 | Essay Planning

*FRESHMEN: Freshmen are still required to send their annotated bibliography to Addie. If you have not done so, please complete your annotations today and send immediately. This week you will continue your work with the annotated bibliography by adding an introduction and conclusion. These new extensions are due Friday, October 21, 2016.


*NON-FRESHMEN: All IDEAS Block students (except freshmen this semester) are required to write a formal research paper. If you wish to construct an essay other than a research paper, you must setup an appointment with Addie for approval. Even if you have not gotten approval, you can begin the planning process today.

Define synthesis. As a do now, consider sketching the definition of the word "synthesis" and discussing patterns. How can you take the pieces of knowledge, argument, and perspective that you gained through research and synthesize it for a thesis? Try printing out your annotated bibliography and cutting it into pieces, categorizing, connecting, asking yourself "So what?" ...synthesizing.


The Formal Writing Component | Research Paper

Many think a research paper is merely an essay in which they define a topic. For example, they might research Web2.0 tools such as blogs then proceed to define what a blog is, who invented the blog, who uses a blog and why. This is true, but only in part. The main function or purpose of the research paper is to first analyze the topic (define Web2.0 tools and describe how they impact society) and second construct an argument in regards to the topic (Web2.0 tools turn the average writer into a true scholar with publication of writing).

There are four main elements to a research paper.

• Introduction
• Definition: The definition paragraph introduces your audience to your interpretation of the topic. This paragraph will answer the majority of the closed questions you researched, but it also needs to include your personal understanding of the topic. For example, while there is a specific definition of empathy, how we demonstrate empathy as individuals varies greatly, which is open to interpretation.
• Argument: This is the portion of your essay in which you will synthesize your argument using academic research. Remember that an innovative argument not only recognizes the conversations about the topic via academic research, but also adds to the conversation by offering new insight not yet considered. 
• Conclusion: Restate thesis. Restate argument. Restate purpose. Sounds simple. It is not. Remember that restate actually means that you have already provided your readers with this information once. While it is important to do so again to remind them of what your paper was about, you are actually doing so in a new way, not in fact restating. Restating is redundant and boring to your readers. 

Begin the planning stage of your essay by creating a visual outline. This can be done in several ways.

The Traditional Method: Effective for those students who like to organize their ideas using a strict structure. (Dan’s favorite)

The Doodle Method: Effective for those students who like to use images, symbols, text (doodles!) to assemble their ideas. Notice in this Pinterest example, the argument of the essay is in large letters at the bottom: “We use stories to make sense of and predict our lives.” (Addie’s favorite)

Sticky Notes: Effective for those students who like to move, manipulate, re-organize their ideas. (Beckah’s favorite)

Share Out: What is the argument?

Week of October 10-14 | Synthesizing Research

Synthesis. With a range of quality sources and thoughtful annotations, synthesis will yield a thesis that is specific and unique to the context of your project and reading. Research papers are actually exciting when they grow out of an authentic thesis.

Please note that the resources on the Humanities website include example, details, and links to additional resources. All of those things are there, so that writing conferences can focus on the ideas and structures of arguments.
Again, each disciplinary group should determine the conditions for research and writing this week. Incorporate gatherings, do now, studio goals, reflections, feedback, and professional models at your discretion. We are all still working toward building intellectual community, developing our habits of mind and professionalism, practicing academic research, clarifying our ideas and asserting them through a supported argument.

MONDAY>>

PLAN: Many students still need to complete or revise Annotated Bibliographies. Create a visual plan for essay.

TUESDAY>>

ARGUMENT: Create a thesis statement, discuss it, get feedback on it, and add it to visual plan.

WEDNESDAY>>

SUPPORT: Add research support to visual plan.

THURSDAY>>

DRAFT: Writing day.

FRIDAY>>

DRAFT: Writing day. Rough drafts are today.

Next week, all students are required to participate in a writing conference with Addie, Heather or Beckah. Additional Writing Center times will be available during IDEAS Block. Conferences will not last longer than ten minutes.

Friday, October 7 | Annotated Bibliography Deadline

Annotated Bibliographies are due for all students TODAY  Friday, October 7.

Please follow the directions below to submit your annotations. 

The steps in this process are:

(I) Prepare (review, export, organize)

(II) Compose (set up, content)

(III) Send

(I) PREPARE

(i) EasyBib : Review your project in EasyBib

• Are all of the sources you read cited?
• Are all of the sources you cited annotated?
• Have you proofread all annotations?
• How well do your annotations convey content?

(ii) EasyBib : Export

• Open your project in EasyBib
• In the upper right corner of the project, click "Export" and then "Google Docs"

(iii) Google Docs : Organize

• Change the name of your new Google document to Firstname Lastname | Annotated Bibliography | Fall 2016
• Change the title of your new Google document from "Works Cited" to "Annotated Bibliography" (Remember that a Works Cited consists of just the sources you cite in an essay. A Bibliography consists of all the sources you considered throughout your project; it should continually grow. An Annotated Bibliography is the same as a bibliography but each source has an annotated paragraph with it.
• Move your new Google Document into your Project Block folder in Google Drive
• Change sharing settings to "Anyone with the link can comment."

(II) COMPOSE

(i) Gmail : Set Up

• Create a new email
• In the To: field, enter Addie’s email address,  adegenhardt@etudegroup.org
• In the CC: field, enter the email address of your IDEAS Project Block Advisor (and Beckah, if appropriate).
• In the Subject field, enter your firstname lastname | Annotated Bibliography | Fall 2016
• Example: Addie Degenhardt | Annotated Bibliography | Fall 2016
• Note: Addie will be reviewing all of the annotated bibliographies from IDEAS Academy. In order to enhance efficiency in this process, please follow the naming guidelines diligently. 

(ii) Gmail : Content & Guidelines

• Create a greeting to Addie
• In the first paragraph, explain that the purpose of the email is to turn in your Annotated Bibliography. Provide a description of the status of your Annotated Bibliography: Is is completed to your own expectations? Is it partial or incomplete? Explain what the factors are and communicate your plan for completion, including your expectations for quality and a timeline.
• In the second paragraph, share an overview of your research process so far. Tell us about how well you feel the sources you read match up with the intention of your project. Give specific details about especially enlightening sources or challenging sources. If they don't match up well, tell us what you feel is missing from your research. (We would like to help you find what you are looking for.) Finally, include any specific questions you have or feedback that you would like. 
• In the third paragraph, share a reflection on your Habits of Learning throughout this first portion of the Research Phase. What are your strengths as a learner? What is your area of growth as you approach writing a research paper?
• Hyperlink your Annotated Bibliography Google Doc into your email. 
• (Note: This is how you are turning in the evidence of learning.)
• End your email with a closing and your name.

(III) SEND

• Gmail : Check
• Double check your email setup
• Proofread your email
• Make sure you have included a hyperlink to your Annotated Bibliography Google Doc
• Send
• Note: We sincerely appreciate your attention to detail and the thought you put into your email. Please send only one email. We will do our best to get back to everyone in a timely fashion. If you submit your work late, be patient in getting a response.

Wednesday, October 5 | Read, Research, Annotate

Annotated bibliographies are due on Friday, October 7.  Instructions will be posted then on how to submit them professionally to Addie.

See an outstanding example that has already been submitted:
Superior Annotated Bibliography

Tuesday, October 4 | Reading, Researching, Annotating

Annotated bibliographies are due on Friday. Addie has already started grading ones that have been submitted early.


DO NOW: View an outstanding example of superior work.

Senior Level Annotated Bibliography



STUDIO TIME: Read, research, and annotate.


Schedule an appointment with Addie if you need help.

Writing Center


Students with year long projects, check Erin's blog.

Year Long Projects 2016-2017

Week of October 3-7 | Annotated Bibliographies

This is a reading week. We'll search and re-search...

...Research is a recursive process that allows for the rethinking, rephrasing, reimagining, and reframing of an idea. It involves careful searching and, as the idea becomes more clear and simultaneously more complex, more and more searching. Successful research will create an enormous gap between what you knew at the beginning and what you understand at the end. This understanding can only be accomplished through reading; real reading means immersing yourself in the ideas and experts surrounding the original idea. You should even go beyond this by thinking in new and divergent ways about your idea, by allowing the inevitable spiral of questions to emerge, by searching laterally for topics next to your ideas, and by persisting. Research is adventure.

This is also a writing week. We'll compose our analysis and responses to what we find in our searching.

Annotated Bibliographies should show a range of sources:

• foundational scholars and artists (like if I'm studying cubism in visual art, I better annotate a writing and/or painting by Picasso or if I'm studying Buddhism, I should definitely look at Siddhartha...am I right!)
• contemporary discussions of the ideas, including opposing perspectives (like if I'm looking at immigration, I better annotate a speech by President Obama and an article or op-ed by Donald Trump)
• personal inspirations for the project (like if I've listened to Run DMC since I was 8 and now I'm making a Hip Hop Opera, I should include "My Adidas" as a source and professional model)

Our Research Page has supporting materials for research and annotation. Deadline for turning in Annotated Bibliographies to Addie is Friday, October 7th. 

We strongly suggest annotating a source right after reading it.  (Do not wait until you've read all of your sources and then go back and annotate.) 

Each disciplinary group should determine the conditions for research this week. Incorporate, gatherings, do nows, studio goals, reflections, feedback, professional models at your discretion. We are all still working toward the same things: building an intellectual community within our groups, developing our habits of mind and applying our habits of learning, practicing academic research, developing creative and innovative projects that are relevant to ourselves and our communities that we will share them with.

Please continue to use the attendance sheet.


MONDAY>>  Reading day.

TUESDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

WEDNESDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

THURSDAY>>  Reading and annotating day.

FRIDAY>>  Reading and annotating day. DEADLINE for Annotated Bibliography

Note: All students with year long projects need to check Erin’s blog daily.

Year Long Projects 2016-2017

Friday, September 30 | Research

The continued focus today is on research and annotation. Please use your group norms and emphasize the importance of documenting thinking: studio goals and reflections, annotations, concept maps, definitions, sketches, prototypes, professional models and thinking routines. Keep it all.


GATHERING: So what?
Purpose: Reconnecting with the significance of projects, going beyond what is already known and made.

Quick Jot (write for 5 minutes without stopping):

• What is it about your project that prevents anyone from saying "So what?" after you tell them about it?
• What is your personal commitment to the ideas, emotions, and outcomes of your project?
• If someone took this project away from you, what would you still be fighting for?
• If someone were going to provide $100,000 of funding to just one IDEAS Block Project, why should it be yours?

Highlight 10 key words/phrases
Share out (Challenge each other...so what?)
Compare these 10 words/phrases to your Headline from last week.
Pair Share: How are you doing? What do you need?


STUDIO TIME: Replicate your agreed upon norms for setting and documenting goals, generating/suggesting studio time activities, and reflection at the end of the time.
(Note: Staff are encouraged to share sources with students.)

Students with Year Long Projects, check Erin's blog: Year Long Projects 2016-2017


REFLECTION: Credibility of Research
Purpose: Provide an opportunity to confirm or challenge quality of research sources.

• Circle Up
• Share one source, explain the characteristics that make the source credible
• Document characteristics of credible sources for the group.

NOTES:

• All students will be doing an annotated bibliography this semester. The deadline is next Friday, October 7. 
• This means that some reading and annotating may need to take place outside of project block time.
• Check it: If you can't stop thinking about your project because you are so intrigued by its potential to solve, change, impact, express something important to you, then reading should be something you want to do.
• If this is not the case, what do you need to do to modify your project focus?

Thursday, September 29 | Research and Annotation

As groups begin to understand who they are, regarding practices, personalities, and projects it's important to continue incorporating gatherings where students can articulate their thinking and commitments to their projects and intent. 

The continued focus this week is on research and annotation. Please use your group norms and emphasize the importance of documenting thinking: studio goals and reflections, annotations, concept maps, definitions, sketches, prototypes, professional models and thinking routines. Keep it all.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet.

DO NOW: Professional Model (continued from yesterday, optional)
Purpose: Look closely at professional work in order to gain insight on how the creative process is used to fulfill an intention; gain inspiration for projects; discuss how professional models serve as part of academic research.
Staff can choose from any of these possibilities, or explore your own:

• Solipsism
• Cymatics
• Kinetic Art

GATHERING: Sentence Starts

Purpose: Share and reconnect with the larger vision of the project and Habits of Learning.
Circle up and complete the following sentence by taking turns.

• "When I become famous because of this project, it will be because..."
• "Something that I need to gain an in-depth understanding of, in order to do this project well is..."

STUDIO TIME: Replicate your agreed upon norms for setting and documenting goals, generating/suggesting studio time activities, and reflection at the end of the time.

1. Students with year long projects: check Erin’s blog: Year Long Projects Blog
2. All students: communicate with advisors, document, document, document your thinking.
3. Staff: add notes to the spreadsheet, for helpful ideas on possible advisor moves.

REFLECTION: Share out a key word from your research and its definition.

NOTES:

1. All students will be doing an annotated bibliography this semester. The deadline is next Friday, October 7th.
2. Some reading and annotating may need to take place outside of project block time.
3. Check it: If you can't stop thinking about your project because you are so intrigued by its potential to solve, change, impact, express something important to you, then reading should be something you want to do. 
4. If this is not the case, what do you need to do to modify your project focus?

Wednesday, September 28 | Revisions and Research

Please be patient with students finishing proposals and those needing to join or leave your group to get individualized support. Our goal is to get everyone in the right spot by Friday morning.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet. A friendly reminder to read proposals of your group members and provide feedback.

DO NOW: Revisit Norms
Purpose: Provide an opportunity for all students to have voice in and to commit to norms.

• Take some silent think time to observe yesterday's chalk talk or other products from norms discussion
• Clarifying questions?
• Values? 
• Concerns? (Things you can't live with?)
• Suggestions? (Missing things you can't live without?)
• Vote

STUDIO TIME: Reading Day
Purpose: All students should refine proposals to the extent possible, organize research resources and plans, and get to a point of reading today.  Use established norms for setting and communicating studio time goals.

Possible Studio Activities:

• Refining proposals, establishing clear project expectations between students and staff
• Set up EasyBib project for Annotated Bibliography
• Identify reading list, search terms, open/closed questions to answer
• Locate a source
• Read
• Annotate

Reflect on and communicate progress on studio time goal

PROFESSIONAL MODEL: Staff Selected (if time...this could also be a Do Now for tomorrow)
Purpose: Look closely at professional work in order to gain insight on how the creative process is used to fulfill an intention; gain inspiration for projects; discuss how professional models serve as part of academic research.

• Introduce professional model
• Share model
• Thinking Routine
• Together, try creating a citation and annotation for this model as a piece of academic research. Annotate it as you would any article or book. Do this in a discussion format to expose the kinds of thinking involved.

Monday, September 26 | Proposal Revision and Initial Research

Today we will meet in disciplinary groups for the first time. In this transition it is important to be attentive to details and communication.

DO NOW: Gathering in Ideation Groups [10:00-10:10]
Purpose: Transition from Ideation Groups to Disciplinary Groups.

• Check proposals for feedback from new advisors
• Disciplinary Group lists are in the advisor’s tabs on the spreadsheet.
• Transition to new Disciplinary Groups

DO NEXT: Another GATHERING : Now in new groups [10:10-10:20]
Purpose: Get to know the other people and projects in the group.
Metaphor:

• Each person should choose an object from the room that represents their project idea/question. Take a few minutes to choose something meaningful and prepare an explanation of what problem you are trying to solve or what emotion, thought, or idea you are trying express through your project.
• [Example: My project is like an old photo of sturgeon fishermen, because I am taking on the heavy concept of institutionalized racism. I want to harpoon it by pulling racism out of systems, exposing it like this man with his fish above the ice. I also want to anthologize important stories and perspectives from the past.]
• Circle up and share these metaphors.
• After everyone has shared, debrief the gathering by discussing patterns and connections.

STATUS UPDATE: Compass Points [10:20-10:30]
Purpose: Students will look closely at the evidence of their thinking and learning, in order to create a detailed summary of their progress and identify next steps.

• Independently, all students should look at their feedback on their documents (physical and/or digital). Staff should respond to or collect clarifying questions.
• Independently, all students should complete a detailed compass points for their project or their role in their group project. Emphasis on detailed! This can be digital or on paper.

N >> What do you need to know? Clarifying questions you have for staff or about your own topic? What are your priorities going into research?
E >> What are you most excited about now and in the near future?
W >> What are you worried about? What specific obstacles are you facing in your project?
S >> What are your immediate next steps? What does your feedback suggest that you need to do? What suggestions do you have for yourself?

• Students should share these with at least one other student, getting feedback, additional suggestions, and adding more detail.

STUDIO TIME: Next Steps [10:30-11:05]
Purpose: Students will refine proposals or begin research, according to the next steps identified above. Staff will check in with each student, giving emphasis to students who do not have completed or approved proposals.

• Identify a studio time goal. Share it.
• (Note: This will become a routine. Where will students in your group document studio time goals and progress? How and when will reflection take place? Tomorrow's gathering will be focused on this.)
• Staff will set priorities for conferencing during studio time.
• Reflection on studio time.

YEAR LONG PROJECT BLOG

Students who are working on Year Long Projects should clink on the link above today, and conference with Erin tomorrow.


CLOSING: Two Word Wave [11:05-11:15]
Purpose: All voices share a reflection on their studio time.

• Circle up
• Think Time: What is one word to describe how you feel about the transition to research today? What is one word to describe your next step tomorrow?
• Share two words

Week of September 26-30 | Proposal Clarity & Research Phase

We will be meeting in project disciplines this week. The student-staff pairings are based primarily on student proposals, some of which are still being revised and completed. If changes need to be made to disciplinary groups, they will be made collaboratively starting on Wednesday and concluding on Friday morning.

It is a priority to make thinking visible throughout the research phase, so that we can see how our thinking changes, what influences us, what challenges us, and how we use our community and resources to learn and create. Keep group thinking alive in the room. Keep individual notes in manilla folders and Google Drive.

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet.

OBJECTIVES THIS WEEK

• Build community within disciplinary groups - learning about each other as wonderers and project managers.
• Refine project ideas and articulate thorough proposals.
• Engage in Academic Research and utilize the IDEAS Language Arts Research and Annotation Guide to 1) Locate credible sources for projects, 2) Read and annotate sources, 3) Manage an EasyBib project. 
• Analyze and select professionals models and inspirations related to a particular concept in academic content or art form.
• Reflect on Habits of Learning.

MONDAY>>
Start with ideation groups, then we will meet in disciplinary groups for the first time today. We will get to know the people and projects in the groups in order to begin building community. Students will identify specific needs, refine proposals, and begin research.

TUESDAY>>
Groups will establish norms for research in their space and with their resources. This will be a reading and conferencing day - working toward Annotated Bibliographies.

WEDNESDAY>>
Staff will share a professional model, establishing structures for collecting professional models as part of research. Adjustments to disciplinary groups, if needed.

THURSDAY>>
Reading and conferencing day.

FRIDAY>>
Reading day. Students will share Annotated Bibliography drafts for feedback and recommendations.


As we enter the research phase of IDEAS Block, consider these elements of our learning community:

Freshmen: All freshmen complete an extended bibliography during Fall 2016 semester. During the Spring 2017 semester, freshmen complete a traditional annotated bibliography along with a traditional research paper.

Research Paper: All sophomores, juniors, and seniors need to complete a research paper UNLESS they have had another formal writing component pre-approved by Addie based on the needs of their project. In order to receive this pre-approval, students need to set up a formal writing conference with Addie in The Writing Center.

Unfortunately, students have tried to use other writing endeavors in order to "get out" of truly demonstrating writing standards. Summaries of projects or "persuasive" arguments that merely supply the student's opinion are NOT accepted.

Acceptable formal writing endeavors are listed under the Academic Writing tab on the Humanities website.

Friday, September 23 | Proposals Due Today

The focus of Friday is the continual work to clarify thinking about projects through writing. These proposals are essentially the criteria against which students can measure their own success and growth. At the same time, they serve as a map for how we will use staff and school resources to support each project.

Consider the elements of a successful proposal, and the assessment standards to which those elements correspond:

• Driving Question -- Wondering
• Personal Connection -- Connecting
• Research Plan -- Reasoning/Interpreting 
• Creative/Innovative Project/Art Form -- Innovating
• Overall Proposal - Deadline -- Habits of Work

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet. Next week, we will be in disciplinary groups, to be determined at tonight’s proposal meeting.

GATHERING: Headline [10:00 - 10:15am]
Purpose: Isolate and share the essence of your project to focus revision.

• Imagine you've finished your project. Write a headline that announces what you have accomplished, solved, found, expressed, or otherwise done. 
• Headlines must have a noun and action verb; they are short but specific; they bring attention to the most important information; the report newsworthy happenings.
• Share headlines.

READ ALOUD: Student Blog [10:15 - 10:25am]

Purpose: Reconnect with purpose and opportunity of Project Block

• Read Ted's Student Blog Post on Creativity
• Clarifying Questions? Values? Concerns for your project? Next Steps or Suggestions for your project or projects in general?
• Optional: If you look closely at your headline, how might you revise it to make a greater connection to the blog post? What might you need to add, revise, question about your current proposal to push it even further?

STUDIO TIME: Finish Writing Proposals [10:25 - 11:10am]
Purpose: Engage in a conversation about projects through interpreting feedback.

• Staff should share feedback with students’ proposal drafts submitted yesterday.
• Students consider that feedback and revise as needed.
• What is your next step?
• Complete missing proposal pieces.
• Revisions of Proposal - What specifically?
• Communicate with staff, seeking help and clarification.
• Please stay within project block rooms. Staff may arrange collaborations, if needed, through Google Hangouts. 

TICKET OUT: Evidence of Learning [11:10 - 11:15am]
Purpose: Share proposal status.

• Have you submitted the Proposal Submission Form and attached your completed Proposal?
• If yes, GREAT! If no, state how you will get this completed by 3pm today.

Thursday, September 22 | Proposals Due Tomorrow

Please take attendance using the spreadsheet. Staff, please consider taking notes on this spreadsheet about students' project ideas and possible project advisors. The more information we have about each project, the better we will be able to assemble groups.

It is important for everyone to understand the importance of meeting today's deadline, and tomorrow's. Tomorrow evening, the entire staff will look at each proposal, providing feedback and direction. It is rare and valuable to have all of our great minds focused on you! The more information we have during that conversation, the better we can support you and your projects for the rest of the semester.  Today, you will submit a draft of your proposal to your current project block advisor.


DO NOW: Participate in this survey  [10:00-10:02am]

Purpose: To provide data and help Ethan with his proposal.

Thoughts of Breakfast and Food

DO NEXT: Review Proposal Page [10:02 - 10:15am]
Purpose: Clarify directions and expectations. Generate suggestions

• Read Proposal Page independently
• Open your proposal document in Google Drive
• As a group, discuss the parts and purposes of the proposal. Clarifying questions? Please consider that this is a formal piece of writing. What will it take to effectively communicate your ideas, so that the proposal is approved and you end up with the advisor who has the expertise/resources you'll need?

STUDIO TIME: Write [10:15 - 11:10am]
Purpose: Complete proposals for creative and innovative projects.

• Set up norms for Studio Time writing based on your space and group. 
• Determine noise level.
• Determine location for conferencing with staff and create an order/sign up for conferences needed.
• Students should stay in their project block rooms today. Since everyone needs their own proposal, groups can share documents with one another or email if needed. Staff should keep Hangouts open, in the case that exceptions need to be made. 
• Write proposals.
• Make sure no one wants to say "so what?" when they read about your project idea. 

TICKET OUT: Share [11:10 - 11:15am]
Purpose: Submit your proposal, in whatever state of completion it is in, to your current P-Block advisor for preview.


Staff, please remember that we will meet tomorrow at 4:00pm to review proposals. Please gather as much information about students' intentions with their projects as you can. This can be done through project block, advisory, and classes.

Wednesday, September 21 | Questions

There has been a range of conversations this week, spanning the spectrum of our Habits of Learning from a fixed position about what does make a project (because that's what we've always done) to the fluid thinking of what could make a project (because it's never been done before). Please remember that a project "topic" (like painting the life cycles of sturgeon) needs your personal attention and affection. So what? (Why paint life cycles if you can already google them? Who cares about sturgeon anyway?) You must defend your purpose. Keep the wheels spinning for the next 24 hours...and more.

Today's focus is questions. Questions lead to discovery as well as clarity. We would like all proposals to include open and closed questions.

Please take attendance on the spreadsheet. Staff, please consider taking notes on this spreadsheet about students' project ideas and possible project advisors. (See my sheet as an example.) The more information we have about each project, the better we will be able to assemble groups.

The following agenda is to be used at staff discretion. It is important that students follow up on their work from earlier this week, sharing out progress or getting feedback/extensions, but it is also important to make time for developing questions. If you haven't already shared out initial project ideas as a group, start with a gathering. If students need more time to organize and ideate, start with studio time. Please make sure that the group gets what they need.

The plan is to write proposals from beginning to end during IDEAS Project Block time tomorrow, Thursday, September 22.

DO: Questions [Time: You decide]
Purpose: Create and capture questions to guide and clarify thinking about a project.

• All students should create a document in their Google Folders called Firstname Lastname | Questions | Fall 2016 and create a table with two columns. Label one "Open Questions" and the other "Closed Questions."
• Review the questions page on the Humanities Website.
• Try to create 20 open and 20 closed questions for your project idea. 
• Begin by describing your current project idea above the table in your doc.
• Start listing questions, as many as you can.
• Ask for input using a pair share, move chairs, or conferences.
• Read questions and make sure they are in the right category of "open" or "closed"
• Highlight or bold the 5 most significant questions in each category

DO THIS, TOO: Ideation, Studio Time, & Proposals [Time: You decide]
Purpose: Get real with yourself. Commit to a project idea. Prepare to write a proposal.

• Set studio time goals. What will you do? Why? What evidence will you have?
• Share them with peer or advisor.
• Use studio time
• Reflect on studio time...what will you commit to doing/thinking/deciding between now and 10am tomorrow (Capture these intentions in a public/shared place.)

Please remember that GWT is a good opportunity to continue to develop these ideas. Students are also encouraged to discuss project ideas with their Humanities teachers, who will be helping with the writing of proposals and revisions.

Tuesday, September 20 | Ideation

Today's focus is to continue ideation. Students should have a purpose for the ways in which they choose to interact with their own ideas and be prepared to show evidence of thinking. After some studio time we will come back together as a group to offer feedback and to push each other's ideas toward clarity and creativity.

Please take attendance on the spreadsheet. Staff, please consider taking notes on this spreadsheet about students' project ideas and possible project advisors. The more information we have about each project, the better we will be able to assemble groups.

Note Regarding Student Surveys: Do not send a mass email to collect student opinions. If you need survey data, create a form and share it with Erin (ethomas@etudegroup.org) first. She will help you with revising it, so that it meets IDEAS standards of data collection. Your survey will then be posted here, as a Do Now. This protocol helps them with their project, and it helps the community because the project they share with us will have more meaning and a stronger impact on our learning.

DO NOW: Provide Data [10:00-10:02]
Purpose: Help Casey and Bianka with their proposal

• Skin Disorder Survey

DO NEXT: Organize [10:02 - 10:10am]
Purpose: Review evidence of thinking and learning, prepare a mindset for ideation.

• Organize and review evidence of thinking and learning from where you left off yesterday. 
• Prepare one piece of evidence to share with the group. Now that you look back at your thinking from yesterday, what stands out to you and why?
• Review the lists created by your group: 1) Yesterday we developed a menu of different ideation strategies. Each person shared something that has worked for them. Look over this list as you decide how to spend studio time today.  2) On Friday we developed a list of qualities of memorable, important, creative projects. Look at that list as a reminder of what we are working towards this semester. All are challenged to go beyond the obvious, beyond the first idea, beyond what you think you know now.
• Create a studio time goal and write it down in the same place as yesterday. Be specific about who, what, where, when, why you are doing what you are doing. Name the evidence you expect to have at the end of the time.  EXAMPLE: I intend to use today's studio time to collect news stories related to the idea of caring for elderly parents. I will create a list of bookmarks.

GATHERING: Share [10:10 - 10:20am]
Purpose: Utilize the group to make best use of time and resources today.

• Go around and share evidence of thinking and learning from yesterday as well as studio time goal for today. 
• For each person, highlight values and suggestions for their goals.  EXAMPLE (for the goal above): I value that you are looking for more perspectives on the topic "caring for elderly parents." I suggest you try to find about how elderly people view their lives; find out what they want. Try ideation by using the of circle of viewpoints thinking routine.

STUDIO TIME: Ideation [10:20am - 11:00am]
Purpose: Develop an understanding of ourselves and the world and transform that understanding into a project idea.

• Follow your studio time goal, intention.
• During studio time, students are encouraged to spend some time in independent ideation but may travel to other rooms to meet with staff or students. (Please do not gather in hallways.)
• Remember to collect evidence of your thinking. This includes notes from conversations with peers and staff. 

Year Long Projects: If you have not already filled out this application, do it by the end of the day TODAY. Also make sure to email your proposed panel members as early as possible.

Year Long Project Application

EXTENSIONS: Ideation [11:00 - 11:15am]
Purpose: Share ideation with peers who know your intention in order to get new ideas. Remix.

• At 11:00am everyone should return to their rooms and "set up" their evidence of thinking and learning from today and/or yesterday, by placing it in a spot on a table next to your manilla folder. It should be "set up" in a way that others can look at it. 
• As people return to the room, they should do a gallery walk - looking at the ideas of others and placing post-it notes with probing questions and extensions. How can this person get their ideas to really great project ideas? What might be an interesting remix?
• EXAMPLE: If I created a mind map for prehistoric sturgeon, I would place it on the table. Other people in my group would come over and read my mind map. They would leave post it notes with questions like "I wonder what the geography of the Wisconsin River and Mars have in common?" or "What if you designed a dress inspired by the way sturgeon look?" They might also challenge me with extensions like "How are you going to get people to care about sturgeon?" and "What are you trying to express through a project on sturgeon?"

Collect all feedback and evidence.

Friday, September 16th | Ideation & Initial Research

Who are we as a community of thinkers, innovators?

What do I need to know about myself and my community, in order to develop a project?
How can I document and share my thinking through effective routines and organization?

Please remember to take Attendance.

At the end of this week of exploration, we begin narrowing ideas toward a driving question and a course of research.

DO NOW (10:00-10:10): Five Minutes of Research, and then SHARE OUT
On a scale from 0-5, how much information did you find? Share out, including one piece of new information and the source. Consider, the quality of the source.

SEE. - What did you notice in your 5 minutes of research? In our share out?

THINK. - What do you think a lot/little information in 5 minutes means? What do you think about the quality of sources found in 5 minutes?

WONDER: What does this experience make you wonder about your own research process.



EASYBIB SETUP (10:10-10:30): Set up an account and new project in Easy Bib by following these directions. 

• Click login on the EasyBib website. 
• Click Sign in with Google so that your new Easybib account is associated with your Etude Group email. Click allow. 

• Click +New Project 

• Title your new project: First and Last Name | IDEAS Block | Fall 2016 
• Example: Addie Degenhardt | IDEAS Block | Fall 2016 
• Click Share on the right side of your new project. 
• Share your project with adegenhardt@etudegroup.org or hsheets@etudegroup.org (depending on your English teacher). 
• Once you have been assigned a formal IDEAS Block advisor, also share the project with them. 

MORE QUESTIONS (10:30-11:05): Working toward a driving question.

• Create a new document in your Project Block folder. Name it : Firstname Lastname | Driving Question | Fall 2016 
• Read the Driving Question page on the Humanities Website. 
• In your document, generate clear lists of Open and Closed questions on a topic. 
• When you begin the research phase, answer the closed questions first. This will provide you with some basic background knowledge about your topic before you begin attempting to research and synthesize your open questions. 
• Remember, there are multiple ways to answer your driving questions. The research phase is about finding all of those ways BEFORE you provide one viable answer based on your own beliefs and understandings. 
• Share your questions with your current IDEAS Block advisor. **NOTE: The Writing Center will be up and running next week. Please watch for an announcement about time, location, and appointment protocol.