1. What’s Next? Thinking About Life After High School
Expository Reading and Writing

2. Module Focus: Works Covered: Final Assignment:
Introduce students to reading & writing rhetorically
Teach students to organize& manage information from text & online research
Teach students to generate questions about ideas, arguments & perspectives
Teach students how to understand writing as a response to an audience, situation, or intention.
Works Covered:
Graff, Gerald. “Hidden Intellectualism.” They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic
Pérez, Angel B. “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail.” Education Week (2012): 23. Print.
Final Assignment:
*College Essay or Personal Narrative

3. Supplemental Articles
Rodriguez, Joe. “10 Rules for Going to College When Nobody Really Expected You To.” Student Sites. SunShine Web Enterprise, 4 June Web. 1 Aug < 10-rules-for-going-to-college-when-nobody-really-expected-you-to/>. Schlack, Lawrence B. “Not Going to College is a Viable Option.” Education.com, n.d. Web. Mar < “The 10 Most Common Excuses for Not Going to College and Why They’re All Wrong.” everyCircle.com, n.d. Web. Mar < University of North Texas. “Why Go to College?” How 2 Choose. University of North Texas, 23 Mar Web. 18 Aug <

4. DAY ONE

5. This module invites you to:
Activity 1: Getting Ready to Read An Overview of “What’s Next? Thinking About Life After High School
This module invites you to:
figure out what it is you want to do next
consider how well prepared you are for the next stage of your life
begin to develop plans for making the transition into life after high school

6. Activity 1: How? Look into your past experiences
Figure out where you excel and where you need more preparation
Put together a portfolio that will represent the work you have done to identify, assess, and then express your goals, plans, and readiness for whatever avenue of life you intend to pursue.

7. Activity 1: Final Assessment
Choose one!
1. If you plan on entering college, write a personal
essay for a college application or financial aid
application. OR
2. If you believe you are more inclined to pursue a
career or enter the work force or military, you
can also write a personal narrative required by
the group you will be applying to, or you may
write a “letter of introduction” to the work
community or job that you wish to pursue.

8. Due at the end of the module
Your portfolio will include the following items:
A collection of shorter writings you develop to help you generate ideas, think about your ideas, and finally make decisions about- or evaluate- the ideas you have.
Brainstorming notes and class notes (which are the answers to the unit activities) in which you take notes about important questions regarding your application for a school or career opportunity
Your collection of annotated articles
Your personal narrative essay for college/financial aid, etc. OR letter of introduction

9. What options do you have
Group Discussion
Answer the following question at your table groups:
What options do you have
after high school?
Come up with some good answers, then select someone to come and write your answers on the board.

10. Quick Write
Take 5 minutes and write about what you think you will be doing next year.
List reasons you think you are ready for this next state of your life.
List reasons you think you are not ready for this next stage and what you can do about it.

11. Activity 2: Time to Think
Answer one of the following questions. Make sure you answer both parts of the question that you choose.
1. If you are going to college, why did you make this decision and where will you go. What do you want to get from your college experience?
2. If you are going into the work world, military, police academy, etc, why are you choosing this option? What do you want from working or any other career you may be choosing?

12. Activity 3: Introducing Key Concepts
Look at the words on the chart.
Find words that best match ideas about who you think you are at this stage of your life
Write down 10 words that you think fit who you are.

13. DAY TWO

14. Activity 3: Self Reflection
The more language you have to describe yourself
and what you are bringing to the next stage of your
life, the more opportunities you have to represent
yourself accurately.
Task #1:
Look at the look at the list of words on the chart that follows (see handout as well)
2. Choose 10 words that best fit your sense of self.
3. Write them down.

15. Word List Absent-minded Self-aware Inarticulate Light hearted Curious
active
Self-promoter
Indispensible
Low self esteem
Dependable
Adventurous
Self-reliant
Influential
Mindful
Determined
analytical
Self-starter
Inquisitive/ Curious
Positive self esteem
Devoted
angry
Selfish
Intellectual
Optimistic
Disciplined
appreciative
Serious
Kind
Organized
Respectful
artistic
Shine at work
Social person
Outgoing
Responsible
Book smart
Shy person
Street smart
passionate
Enterprising
Talkative
Patient
Leader
Enthusiastic
Complicated
Stressed
Persuasive
Scientific
Helpful
Happy
Trustworthy
worrier
Goal-setter
Pessimistic
Motivated
cool
Procrastinator
Fearful
Family person
valiant

16. Word List Additions
Task #2: 1. Think of another 10 words of your own that describe how you see yourself at this stage of your life. 2. Write them down 3. When you have 20 words, make a list from #1-#20 As best you can, rank the list from most important to least important (#1 being most important, #20 being the least important to you).

17. Activity 4: Making Predictions and Asking Questions
After creating your list, write a short paragraph
about your choices that answers the following 5
questions.
1. Why did you rank them as you did?
2. What do your words tell you about your opinion of yourself in terms of readiness for work, the military, or college?
3. What would someone who knows you well think of the words you chose?
4. Based on your analysis of your key concepts, predict what you will need to learn more about to achieve your goals.
5. Predict how well your key concepts will work for you as you move into the next stage of your life. I.e.. If one of your words is “stubborn,” write about how that concept may work for you or against you in the future.

18. Activity 5: Understanding Key Vocabulary - Homework
For Homework: At lunch or after school or tonight, discuss your chosen words with someone you trust. 1. Ask them about the words you have chosen. 2. Write down 3 reactions/the gist of what they say. Just let them talk. Try not to argue or comment, just listen. 3. Bring your 3 reactions in tomorrow.

19. Activity 6: Surveying the Text Want to get into College? Learn to Fail.
Before we read Angel Perez’s article, take a little
time to preview it by responding to the following
questions:
Look at the title. What do you think will be Perez’s message?
Is this message similar to what you’ve heard so far? (in school, at home, etc)
This article is 752 words. Do you think this message can be fulfilled in an article of this length?
Skim through the first 2 paragraphs, and read the final paragraph. Once you have done that, can you add anything to your predictions about Perez’s message?

20. DAY THREE

21. Activity 7: First Reading
1. As you read the article, make the following annotations. Underline and place a check mark next to the best advice Perez gives about how to represent yourself. 2. Either as you read or when you are finished, create a dialectical journal by copying 5 pieces of advice in one column and writing a reflection opposite the sentence in column 2.

22. Example of Activity 7: Dialectical Journal
Advice Perez gives about how we represent ourselves to others
What his comments make you think about 1 2 3 4 5

23. Activity 8: Responding to Perez
After you have filled out the dialectical journal, write a one-page description of an event or moment when you were less than perfect and explain to a reader what your response to that moment says about your character, values, or potential for work or study.

24. DAY FOUR

25. Read Gerald Graff’s Hidden Intellectualism

26. DAY FIVE

27. Activity 9: Pre-Reading Activity Hidden Intellectualism
Take out a sheet of paper, and write down three people you feel are intellectuals.
In groups of 3-4, share your list and choose three from the combined list that all of you can agree are intellectuals.
After a class discussion, write down your definition of an intellectual.

28. Activity 9 Continued
From the following 3 quotes, which one best matches your definition of an intellectual?
“The demand for certainty is one which is natural to man, but is nevertheless an intellectual vice.” – Bertrand Russell
“An intellectual is a person who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
“An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself.” – Albert Camus

29. Activity 10: Understanding Key Vocabulary
In groups, jigsaw the vocabulary for the next article.
You will make predictions of what you think your word or phrase means.
Then go to the actual paragraph and underline it in your article.
Read the word or phrase in context and figure out it’s meaning More instructions…

30. Activity 10 continued
4. Then look at the function of the word or phrase (what it is doing in the section where it is used). See if you can add to your understanding of the word or phrase. 5. Finally, if needed, use the dictionary or other resource to finalize your understanding. 6. After you have filled out your group’s section, be prepared to share it with the rest of the class in re-organized groups.

31. Activity 11: Reading for Understanding- Stop and Respond
As we read the text, have a piece of paper ready to write responses.
Whenever we pause, write down at least a 2-3 sentence response to what was discussed. It can be questions, observations, comments, ideas, stories, things the text reminds you of, whatever comes to mind as you read.

32. DAY SIX

33. Activity 10: Talking to the Text
Reread Hidden Intellectualism making the following annotations as you go along:
Note Graff’s main claim/thesis
Note the arguments Graff uses as support for this claim/thesis
What examples does he give to support these arguments?
Put a + next to the ideas you like and a – next to the ideas you disagree with.

34. Activity 11: Structured discussion
Work in your table groups.
[10 minutes] Person 1 (blue) & 2 (green) Discuss question while 3 (pink) & 4 (yellow & purple) take notes in a T-Chart. (Make sure to reference the annotations on your article.)
[5 minutes] 3 (pink) Summarizes and then asks for elaboration or clarification on any underdeveloped ideas, but important point AND joins the conversation while 4 (purple/yellow) continues to take notes in T-Chart.
4 (purple/yellow) Synthesizes work of the group into a short statement. They must give credit to individuals for significant ideas &
Each group shares their short statement for our classroom discussion.
We might want to add a slide about the 7 principles or make these principles more explicit in some way…hand out hard copies of pre-PPT b/c no one had the pres

35. Building a Learning community
Question to discuss:
What is ‘hidden intellectualism’?
Who would Graff say is an intellectual?
What really is the shared vision??? Should we put participant responses on post its and add them to chart paper with ERWC motif
Building a Learning community

36. Activity 11: Structured discussion
Work in your table groups.
[10 minutes] Person 1 (blue) & 2 (green) Discuss question while 3 (pink) & 4 (yellow & purple) take notes in a T-Chart. (Make sure to reference the annotations on your article.)
[5 minutes] 3 (pink) Summarizes and then asks for elaboration or clarification on any underdeveloped ideas, but important point AND joins the conversation while 4 (purple/yellow) continues to take notes in T-Chart.
4 (purple/yellow) Synthesizes work of the group into a short statement. They must give credit to individuals for significant ideas &
Each group shares their short statement for our classroom discussion.
We might want to add a slide about the 7 principles or make these principles more explicit in some way…hand out hard copies of pre-PPT b/c no one had the pres

37. Activity 12: Thinking Critically
Think about the Perez article and the Graff article.
Write 1-2 paragraphs explaining your thoughts about these articles.
Assignment: Getting your thoughts down.
(You can use the questions below to guide your thoughts.)
How can you connect the ideas/claims from these articles?
What are the similarities between the two articles?
What are the differences?
How do the ideas presented in these articles relate to the words you chose to describe yourself?

38. DAY SEVEN

39. Activity 13: Summarizing and Responding
Without really worrying about how well you spell or whether you are making complete sense, write a letter to a trusted person about how well you are- or are not- prepared for the next stage of your life. (Use ideas from article to support your belief)

40. Activity 14: Surveying the Text
What kind of information do you think the article will provide?
What value do you think the article will have in relation to your own research needs?
What do you think is the purpose of the article?
Who do you think is the intended audience for the article?
What do you think the writer wants you to do or believe?

41. Activity 15: Reading for Understanding
Jigsaw Activity! There are 4 different articles.
You will be responsible for 1 of the 4 articles
Read the article you are assigned and prepare to report out to the class the following:
A brief summary of the article’s arguments
Important quotes or information the writer provides
An explanation of what you think is important about the article.

42. Activity 16: Summarizing and Responding
Each group report to the class
Quickwrite: Is it best to go to college or move into work, the military, etc?

43. Activity 17: Making Predictions and Asking Questions
Read “Web Site Resources”
Those most interested in a career may have questions like…
How much money will I make as a mechanic?
What do I need to know if I want to be a baker?
What skills are best if I want to be a banker or entrepreneur?

44. Activity 18: Considering the Structure of the Web Site
Ms. G will demonstrate effective searches on Web sites of interest for career or college information. You will be doing your own search for your paper, so take notes on:
The process of an effective search
Staying organized
Finding relevant information
Skills and strategies that support effective searches

45. Activity 19: Reading for Understanding and Collecting Information
Review the “FAQ Guide for College or Work,” and select four topics for research!
If you are career-bound, you may choose:
What kinds of skills or abilities you need to enter your career
The outlook for finding work
Common tasks associated for work
Pay for specific jobs

46. More Activity 19 If you are college-bound, you may look into…
Deadlines and admission requirements
Financial aid requirements or opportunities
The process of selecting a major and the opportunities for particular majors
Details of life in the town where you would like to go to college

47. Activity 20: Summarizing Research Findings
Create 10 personal FAQ for your portfolio
Provide simple answers to these questions
You will read each other’s FAQs
Here’s an example:
When is the deadline for applying for the CSU?
Answer: All CSUs have the same application deadline for freshman. For the fall term, the application deadline is ________. Go to csumentor.edu for the up-to-date information.

48. Activity 21: Reflecting on Your Research Findings
In small groups, share your FAQs.
Write down any helpful information you find on someone else’s FAQs.
Give each other feedback by writing any comments you have on their FAQs.

49. Activity 22: Considering the Writing Task
Choose one of the following tasks:
1) If you believe you are more inclined to pursue a career or enter the work force, write a “letter of introduction” to the work community or job you wish to pursue
2) If you plan on entering college, write a personal lessay for your college application