Warm-up Do you enjoy talking? Why or why not? Are you more talkative in a structured or unstructured environment? Why? What are some ways in which talking with one another helps us learn?

Brainstorm with your neighbor… What is considered a conversation and what isn’t? What are some important discussion norms that we should follow within this classroom?

Brainstorm with your neighbor… A list of interesting or controversial issues that are relevant to you

Five core skills of academic conversation: Elaborate and clarify Support ideas with examples Build on and/or challenge a partner’s idea Paraphrase Synthesize conversation points

Agenda Read through “Core Academic Conversation Skills” Practice hand motions  Mini- conversations

Mini Conversations With your partner: Pick a topic Partner A will begin to speak on that subject Partner B will respond with one of the conversation skills Partner A will respond Partner A will wrap up Switch (Repeat the process with partner B leading the conversation)

Student Volunteers Two Mini-conversations in front of the class Constructive feedback

Looking Ahead We will be using these discussion skills in our discussion tomorrow Be familiar with the sentence starters (study the handout tonight) Have the handout with you tomorrow

Creating Meaningful Discussion Questions You will be creating four questions which will be used in the discussion tomorrow. Those four questions should reflect Bloom’s Question Starters from level 3 through 6. Let’s look at the handout together

Remaining Time Work on questions

Read and Annotate “After McKinley” Annotate the article for ideas that you agree and disagree with Highlight possible talking points Write down your opinion of the issue in appropriate locations You should have at least one annotation per paragraph

Looking ahead… Friday: In the commons After McKinley Discussions HW: Read and Annotate “The Veldt”