Block B and F: Cornerstone Assessment Grades

Dear Blocks B and F,

I hope you are enjoying your evening!

I am writing to inform all of you that I finished grading your Cornerstone Assessments.

In Aspen x2, I created two assignments columns for this assessment: the first being the CRawScore and the second being CEffort.

The CRawScore is out of 50 points on Aspen, but is NOT included in your overall average (hence why it is crossed out here and on Aspen x2). This is your Raw Cornerstone Assessment score, A.K.A what you truly earned on this assessment based on the rubric requirements. In the comments of this assignment, I included the numerical score you have received on both categories: Idea Development and English Conventions.

For example, if you received a 18.5/50 on the assessment, this means you either received a 2 on Idea Development and a 1 on Conventions (or vise versa). This raw score will serve as your baseline, and, with much needed practice, your writing should improve over the duration of the year.

The CEffort is out of 20 points on Aspen, and IS included in your overall average. Your effort score is based on a few things: how well you did on the assessment, whether you made an apparent effort during testing and behavior while taking the test in the Learning Commons.

For example: If you showed your best effort, was concentrated on the assessment in the Learning Commons, but still recieved a low Raw Score, your effort score would reflect your studiousness.

Your Raw Score was determined, once again, by the Cornerstone Assessment Rubric. I graded these assessments very sternly, based on what you had written in the time allotted.

If your Raw score was low, this means that there is room for improvement. Remember, your score does not define you. Same applies if you had a high score, which is pretty rare to receive in general. As writers, we always need to seek better, because “writers are made, not born” (Nancy Atwell).

Averages on Cornerstone

Block B: The average Raw Score of this assessment was a 20.04/50, the highest being a 43.5/50 and the lowest being a 0/50. Please consult the comments of your own individual score to know where you landed under the Idea Development and Conventions categories.

Block F: The average Raw Score of the assessment was a 30.6/50, the highest being a 50/50 and the lowest being a 18.5/30. Again, please consult the comments of your own individual score to know where you landed under the Idea Development and Conventions categories.

Block G: The average Raw Score of the assessment was a 28.9/50, the highest being a 50/50 and the lowest being a 6/30. Again, please consult the comments of your own individual score to know where you landed under the Idea Development and Conventions categories.

If you have any questions about your Raw Score results, please see me. Again, your Raw scores will not be included in your average; only the Effort will.

Keep working hard, and keep writing!
Ms. F

Change in Schedule Tomorrow, 10/30

Dear students,

This is just a reminder that tomorrow we will be undergoing a schedule change.

Juniors and (some) Sophomores will be taking the PSAT, which will effect our morning schedule.

Tomorrow’s schedule is as follows:

Warning Bell 7:15

Homeroom 7:20-7:25

*A 7:29-9:11
Attention A Block: We will be meeting in C123.

*C 9:15-10:57

D 10:57-12:12
(1) 10:57 – 11:22 
(2) 11:22 – 11:47 
(3) 11:47 – 12:12

F 12:16-1:01

G 1:05-1:50

We will not have E block tomorrow.

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Ms. F

Block G: Cornerstone Assessment Instructions

Dear Block G,

This is just a reminder that we are taking the Cornerstone Assessment this Thursday, 10/31. Please read what follows:

The instructions below will help you login to Go Formative for the Cornerstone Assessment, as well as how to navigate the site once you have logged in. Please read these instructions carefully and ask questions if you need help.

Reminder: Phone use or extracurricular use of the computers during this assessment is prohibited. If you do not follow this rule, you will be asked to log out of the assessment and will have to take it after school, on your own time.

Instructions:

1. Go to Go Formative. Click the link below to access the assessment:

Block G

2. Click on Cornerstone 1

3. You are now in! You will notice the text boxes labeled 1-7. The first one is where you will write your response to the prompt. Boxes 2-7 go along the passages and are for you to summarize what is happening, annotate important information, type out the quotes that you want to use as evidence. Don’t worry about the points along the notes boxes. These are for your use only.

4. In order to receive the maximum points (50), you need to have multiple paragraphs pertaining to the topic (think long comp/4-6 paragraphs). Review your rubric and writing when you are finished your essay.

5. There is no tab key to indent paragraphs. For a new paragraph just skip a line between starting your new paragraph and don’t worry about indenting. Simply skip a line in between paragraphs.

6. You can press the zoom button at the top right to see larger text. If you need the notes box to be present as well, you can hit control + to zoom in and control – to zoom out.

7. In the text box while typing, if you want anything to be underlined/bold/italic just select what you would like to change and a little pop-up box will appear.

8. You cannot highlight information within the passages to copy and paste, only within your own text.

9. Once you have finished and completely sure you are ready to turn it in, click submit.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you,
Ms. F

Block G: Cornerstone Rubric

Dear Block G,

Below is the rubric for the Cornerstone Assessment. This will be used in order to grade your writing. You may use this as a reference during the assessment.

Idea Development

–Quality and development of central idea/thesis –Selection and explanation of evidence and/or details –Organization/ expression of ideas –Awareness of task or mode

5	-Central idea/thesis is insightful and fully developed. -Skillful selection and explanation of evidence and/or details -Skillful and/or subtle organization -Rich expression of ideas -Full awareness of the task and mode

4	-Central idea/thesis is clear and well-developed -Effective selection and explanation of evidence and/or details -Effective organization -Clear expression of ideas -Full awareness of the task and mode

3	-Central idea/thesis is general and moderately developed -Appropriate selection and explanation of evidence and/or details -Moderate organization -Adequate expression of ideas -Sufficient awareness of the task and mode

2	-Central idea/thesis may be present and is somewhat developed -Limited selection and explanation of evidence and/or details -Limited organization -Basic expression of ideas -Partial awareness of the task and mode

1	-Central idea/thesis is not developed -Insufficient evidence and/or details -Minimal organization -Poor expression of ideas -Minimal awareness of the task and mode

0	The response shows evidence the student has read the text, but does not address the question or incorrectly responds to the question

*For narrative writing (Standard 3), the quality and development of narrative elements will be assessed in place of a central idea. Narrative elements should include but are not limited to: plot, character, setting, dialogue, action, and/or description. Students should use evidence/details to demonstrate understanding of text.

Standard English Conventions

-Sentence structure -Grammar, usage and mechanics

3	-Consistent control of a variety of sentence structures relative to length of essay -Consistent control of grammar, usage and mechanics relative to complexity and/or length of essay

2	-Mostly consistent control of sentence structures relative to length of essay -Mostly consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/or length of essay

1	-Little control and/or no variety in sentence structure and/or -Little control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/or insufficient length

0	-Sentences are formed incorrectly with no control of grammar, usage and mechanics and/or insufficient length.

Again, this Cornerstone Assessment rubric will be used in order to determine the quality of your writing, based on the prompt given to you. You may use this as a guide as you write.

If you have any questions, please see me.

Thank you,
Ms. F

Block B, F and G: Extra Credit Opportunity (NaNoWrimo)

Dear Blocks B, F and G:

I hope you are enjoying your evening. I am writing tonight in order to offer an extra credit opportunity to anyone interested.

NaNoWrimo stands for National Novel Writing Month, where people around the globe challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in 30 days!

I have participated in NaNoWrimo for nearly ten years. And, since many of you expressed your interest in writing (and interest in boosting your grade)– I offer this to you:

Join NaNoWrimo’s Young Writer’s Program. The link to Sign Up is here:
https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/

If you are struggling with to navigating the website, click this link for instructions: https://ywp.nanowrimo.org/pages/for-writers

Be sure to register as a Student. This will allow you to join the classroom I have created for each section.

Block B: You will use the classroom code UOZEYKQZ to join.

Block F: You will use the classroom code FWGMHLVA to join.

Block G: You will use the classroom code SHQPCRZW to join.

Once you have joined the classroom you can then Take on the NaNoWrimo 2019 Challenge! All you’d have to click is: “Yes, I Accept!”

You can then create your Novel. For extra credit: Aim to write 4,000 words this Month (set this as your word count goal!). This means you write about 1,000 words a week.

Each week, I’ll add an assignment called “NaNoWrimo Week #1 (#2, 3, 4) and make it out of 25 points.

You will type your Novel on the website. Every 1,000 words– you will receive 25 points of extra credit, making a max of 100 points towards your Q2 average.

This Extra Credit assignment is exclusive to the month of November. If you’d like to participate, sign up and begin writing! Again, every 1,000 words, you will receive 25/25 on Aspen x2. This will help your average tremendously!

Your participation in NaNoWrimo will also supplement your required Journal entries during this month. This means you can write towards your word count during Journal writing days.

I will be reviewing these parameters and how to navigate the website this week before NaNoWrimo starts (November 1st!)

If you have any questions, let me know! I do NaNoWrimo every year (since 2010 to be exact!) I hope to see you on there!

Ms. F

10/17-10/25 Individual Overachievers of Dracut’s Writing Initiative

Dear Block B, F and G,

After much deliberation and counting, I finally have the final totals regarding our Individual Overachievers during the second round of Dracut’s Writing Initiative!

Below are students that have written the most pages out of all four sections:

~Individual Overachievers~

1ST PLACE: Liam Ahearn, Block B, 17 pages

2ND PLACE: Giana Prieto, Block G, 11 pages

3RD PLACE: Katarina Morse, Block G, 10.5 pages

4TH PLACE: Julia Gacek, Block G, 10 pages

All four of you should be very proud of yourselves! You will be rewarded for your ambition at the start of the week.

For the rest of y’all, get inspired! Continue to write and maybe you will make it on this list!

Excellent work, everyone.
Ms. F

Block G: Food & Allergy Survey

Dear Block G,

First of all, congrats on the win! I’m very proud of you guys!

Since you’ve won, we will be celebrating with a fun little shindig. I will be bringing some food and snacks, but would like your input before buying anything.

Please click this link and fill out the questionnaire: 
https://forms.gle/K3RcyTwbhtiuQS5e7

This contains questions about food options (what you would like to eat), dietary restrictions (vegan/vegetarian/gluten), and allergies.

Our celebration will be taking place next Thursday, 11/7. Please respond as soon as possible, so that I can hear from everyone and gather everything we want/need this weekend.

Have a great evening!
Ms. F

10/17-10/25 Dracut’s Writing Initiative Results

Below are the totals for the second round of Dracut’s Writing Initiative!

1ST PLACE: G Block with 160.25 pages!

2ND PLACE: F Block with 135.5 pages!

3RD PLACE: B Block with 130.2 pages!

This Week’s Winner of Dracut’s Writing Initiative is BLOCK G!!

We will be celebrating their win on Thursday, 11/7, during long block. I will generating a survey to tally results regarding food options/ allergies/ food preferences.

I will also be gathering the individual achievements results out of all three classes, and bestowing an award to those who were over achievers during this initiative. I will write a follow up post regarding these results.

The next biweekly writing competition has already began! Keep writing in order to boost the chances that you might win!

Enjoy the weekend!
Ms. F

Important: Quarter 1 Ends 11/4

Dear students,

This is just a reminder that Quarter 1 will come to a close on Monday, 11/4.

You have from now until the day of to turn in any missing assignments, rewrites, etc.

Please check your average and grades on assignments on Aspen x2. I will be sitting down with each and everyone next week and the week after.

After our discussion of your grades, it is up to you to get to me assignments you may have missed.

Thank you all. Enjoy your weekend!
Ms. F

B Block Writing Results (2nd Round)

Hello students of B, F and G Block,

We have the second result in so far for the second round of the Dracut Writing Initiative. If you want to learn more about the parameters, click here.

B Block’s results are in… they wrote a whopping 130.2 pages! It’s incredible!

Now let’s see what you can do, F Block!

Thanks and happy writing!

Ms. F