Answer Sheets

Girls and Boys Together, Taught Separately in School

Summary- Name the source Main Idea of the article Supporting details In your own words (paraphrased)

Response – Opinion – stated clearly Refer to a specific point in the article – then, discuss it and expand on it Connect your discussion of the article to the world – discuss your experiences, previous knowledge, experiences, previous studies, etc (This supports your opinion.)

Summaries

What is a summary?

Using your own words, briefly describe the writing’s main ideas.

Include: *Cite (name) your source    - Title, Author, where it was published   (such as the title of a newspaper) *Main idea(s)    -Talk about the story (supporting details) *Use your own words (paraphrase) *Longer than one sentence, shorter than original *Only talk about what the author has said *If there are two opinions, you must share BOTH

Don’t Include: *Small details    -Don’t retell the story *Do not quote the author directly *Do not share your opinion

Source?
Boys and Girls Together… Jennifer Medina … New York Times

What is/are the main idea(s)?
Children being taught separated from the opposite gender

What are some of the supporting details?
1. How classes are conducted
2. Not everyone agrees on the new system

3. Implemented to address decreasing test scores and increasing behavioral problems

4. It is an experiment – no scientific evidence of effectiveness

Are there two opinions? What are they?

Some parents see better behavior from their children

Some believe it reinforces bad things

Response: Boys and girls should not be separated

-       Discourages healthy interaction (Paragraphs 1 and 2 | Paragraph 4)

-       Won’t be prepared for the future (paragraph 5, line 3)

Some schools are teaching children in gender-segregated classrooms, according to the article “Boys and Girls Together, Taught Separately in School” by Jennifer Medina printed in The New York Times. In classrooms separate from the other gender, boys are taught by a teacher who behaves like he is coaching a sports team, while the girls are taught by a woman who uses a much more sensitive approach. The new approach is an experiment that many schools are trying across the country to address problems in test scores and students’ behavior, but the strategy is getting mixed reviews. While some parents feel that their child is paying more attention without the added distraction of the opposite gender in the classroom, some experts are worried about the future implications of the new teaching strategy, insisting that it will hurt children later in life when they can no longer avoid working with the opposite sex. Research hasn’t yet confirmed whether the teaching method is more effective than more traditional approaches.

           I believe that there is no way separating boys and girls will benefit students. It dissuades students from interacting with and learning about the opposite sex and makes them ill-prepared to face the future when they’ll be forced to work in a mixed environment. While I understand the goals of this experiment, I believe they are ultimately misguided. For instance, we see in the article how the teacher for the boys and the teacher for the girls run their classes completely differently. This reinforces the idea that girls and women are one way and boys and men are another, but we know today that not all men are exactly the same, nor are all women. I saw a commercial for a movie the other day that was about how boys are raised being taught that boys don’t cry, and they often have trouble expressing their emotions. Mr. Napolitano treating his group of boys like a basketball coach is exactly the kind of treatment that creates issues like this. I think society has come to the understanding that boys need girls around so that they can learn about a broader spectrum of behavior than simply yelling and roughhousing and sports. Additionally, the girls’ class is being taught as if the students there are all fragile and emotional. This is ridiculous to me, because not all girls respond to this kind of coddling. They need boys around to balance out this treatment.

            Another problem with this program is that it does not prepare students for the future. Sure, Samell Little is quoted as saying that his son is focusing better in school now that there aren’t girls around, but if his son is having that much trouble focusing now, how will it get better without him being taught how to focus and behave. Taking away the distraction is not the same as teaching him how to overcome it. One day he will be forced to work with women, and he will not know how to handle it. In the article, Kim Gandy seems to see this problem as well and states that “a boy who has never been beaten by a girl on an algebra test could have some major problems having a female supervisor.” I remember what it was like being a flirtatious and distracted middle schooler. I think learning how to get past that and focusing is one of the big lessons school is there to teach. Without this lesson, we’ll end up in the working world with men not trusting women’s math skills and women confused why men don’t respond when they don’t treat them like a coach would. This does not help them be successful in the future.

           

Summary/Response, "Robot Mothers," "An Immigrant"

Summary: Briefly restate the reading in your own words	Response: Share your opinion about the reading
Source (author, title) Main idea (what is this reading about?) Supporting details (things mentined that support or explain the main idea) Different viewpoints +Must be in your own words (proves understanding) + 6-8 sentences max -No opinions -No quotes -No small details Write your summary as If the person reading it hasn’t read the same story/article as you	Share your opinion Connect your ideas to the world (apply them to real experiences) +Give examples of things you’ve seen, experienced, heard about, learned about, etc Refer to a specific point in the article Write your response as if the person reading it doesn’t agree with you and you are trying to convince them to see it your way

Source: Robot Mothers

Main Idea: Robots may replace babysitters or help mothers around the house

Supporting Details:

Motherhood is difficult
Mothers have many responsibilities, including work and school
Babysitters are expensive
Mothers need help with housework, which robots could do

Example Summary:

                According to the reading “Robot Mothers,” robots could one day be created to replace babysitters or help mothers around the house. Motherhood is difficult, and mothers often need to do work around the house as well as take care of the baby and themselves. They often go to school or work on top of mothering, so they need a babysitter to watch their child, but this can be very expensive. A robot could solve some of these problems by watching children or helpfing mothers with housework.

Example Response:

I do not think a robot would make a good substitute mother. The reading says that “the robot could help with household chores like cooking, vacuming, and washing clothes,” and I think that is a great idea, but I don’t like the idea of robots watching children. Robots do not have emotions and would likely have trouble reading emotions. How would they know what the children need? Plus we’re all aware that machines can malfuction, and something very bad could happen if a robot were alone with a small child when it broke in some way. Personally, I think robots could be helpers around the house, but could never replace a real, live person when it comes to childcare.

“An Immigrant” Discussion:

Summary –

Source:
An Immigrant (no author named)

Possible Main Ideas:

·         Hard work and dedication = success

·         Don’t let obstacles keep you from being successful

·         Don’t settle

·         Don’t let anything/anyone hold you back

Supporting details:

·         An immigrant with no skills or literacy (in English)

·         Tried to get a job but was turned down due to illiteracy

·         Continues to work hard anyway and became very successful

·         If he hadn’t had these challenges, he may not have been so successful

Possible Response Topics –

·         I wonder how the president of the synagogue felt

·         It was realistic, people who move to new countries find new and innovative ways to be successful

·         This is unrealistic, you can’t be successful in America without also being literate in English

·         How is this possible?

Example Summary/Response

In the story “An Immigrant,” the reader is shown how hard work and dedication can lead to success as long as we don’t settle for less. In the story, a European immigrant who is illiterate in English wants to work in New York City and tries to get a respectable job, but he is turned down since he cannot read or write. However, he does not let this stop him from supporting himself and he works as a peddler and eventually becomes very successful. When asked to imagine what he could have accomplished if he were literate as well, he suggests that he wouldn’t have been as challenged, and might have settled for lesser work.

Personally, I am impressed with this hardworking gentleman, but not at all surprised by his story. I have gotten to know and have worked with many immigrants since moving to New York City, and I’ve come to believe that it takes a certain kind of person to move to a new country and start over, and the people who do this type of thing tend to be the kind of people who are not afraid to work hard and strive to better their lives. Though I know this story is fiction, it didn’t surprise me to hear that after the peddler was turned down for a job, he just kept working hard and found another way to be successful, because I know real people who would work and have worked just as hard as this man. No one moves to America just to work in a coffee shop or restaurant, but many of my students work even two or three jobs in places like this just to fund their education and follow their dreams and be successful. 

Students Cheating

Source:
“Many Students Say Cheating Is OK” by Kathy Slobogin, published a CNN.U.S.

Main Idea(s):
Many students do not have a problem with cheating

Supporting Details:
Pressure and competition
Getting into good schools
The internet
Poor example set by the adult world
Teachers have started using new methods to fight cheating

Two sides?
Not really, though do mention both the students’ and teachers’ efforts

Possible beginnings:

In Kathy Slobogin’s article, “Many Students Say Cheating is OK” adapted from CNN.U.S, she explains that a large number of …

Kathy Slobogin’s article, “Many Students Say Cheating is OK” adapted from CNN.U.S, explains that a large number of …

In “Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” adapted from CNN.U.S, Kathy Slobogin explains that a large number of …

“Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” written by Kathy Slobogin and adapted from CNN.U.S, explains that a large number of …

According to Kathy Slobogin’s article “Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” adapted from CNN.U.S, a large number of …

According to “Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” written by Kathy Slobogin and adapted from CNN.U.S, a large number of …

You CANNOT say:

According to “Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” written by Kathy Slobogin and adapted from CNN.U.S, explains that a large number of …

According to “Many Students Say Cheating is OK,” written by Kathy Slobogin and adapted from CNN.U.S. (Fragment)

In Kathy Slobogin’s article, “Many Students Say Cheating is OK” adapted from CNN.US, she explains that a large number of today’s students find no problem with cheating. They are found to cite the pressure of competition and the need to get into a good school as justification. The internet has also made plagiarism so easy that any student willing to pay can have their homework completed in minutes. Finally, some say the adult world sets a poor example for students, which leads to their cheating. Now, teachers are having to work just as fast as students to come up with and use new ways to combat the amount of dishonesty in students’ work these days.

CATW Structure and Google Essay

When do you take the CATW?

-          After level 2 (if you are doing very well in the course) and level 3 (if you are passing the course)

What is the CATW?

-          An in-class writing done in 90 minutes

-          Read, summarize, and respond in essay form

Essay Structure	Summary/Response
Introduction: General statement Introduce the topic(s) Thesis Body: Topic sentences Discussion Proof/Evidence/Examples Conclusion: Reword Remind, Relate	+Source + Paraphrase (in your own words – proves your understanding) + Main Idea (thesis) + Supporting Details (big ideas that support the thesis) No small details, no quotes, no opinions	+Your opinion +Support and examples for your opinion (make your opinion more than just an idea, but something that can be proven) +Direct reference to the reading (quotes or paraphrase)
CATW Essay
Introduction: General statement or hook Summary of the reading Thesis (your opinion about the reading) Body (Response to the reading): Topic sentence Discussion, support, examples Direct reference to the reading Conclusion: Reword Remind Relate

Source: Nicholas Carr
Main Idea: Google is slowing down our ability to think for ourselves

Supporting Details:

-          We don’t think deeply when we rely on Google

-          Google distracts us, and when we’re distracted, we don’t think deeply or remember well

-          Google profits from our distraction and over use

-          Don’t rely on the internet if you want to really use your brain

Introduction Structure:

General statement/hook

Summary

Thesis

Example Thesis:

After reading this article, I think it is clear that Google is damaging our thinking because ____ and ___.

I think using Google has both positive and negative effects.

I completely disagree with Carr about Google’s harmful attributes. I think usuing Google is beneficial and helps us expand our minds.

                In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid,” Nicholas Carr wrote that, “In the blink of an eye,” the search engine gives good information about anything you could want. However, he believes one thing we should think about is what Google does to our brains, because really, the thing that makes us intelligent is our ability to think about something deeply, not finding a lot of information all at once. Although the net gives us a lot of information rapidly, Carr believes we lose things because we do not think in a practical way and that if we continue Googling and texting, we will not remember things well anymore, because this does not properly develop our brains. Additionally, he says Google doesn’t want us to slow down, because every time we use it and the more it shows us, the more money it can make. The author believes that if we want to develop our minds, we need to slow down with our use of the computers and telephones and start thinking for ourselves; however, I think it would be totally ridiculous to not use Google to search for information.

        I can say that this article does not give strong enough evidence to convince me or anybody else to stop using Google to search for things, because we need to do some research to have a good idea about what we want to learn about, and Google is the best way to do that. The author said that “even as Google is giving us all that useful information, it’s also encouraging us to think superficially. It’s making us shallow.” For me, this is untrue. It is not making us shallow; it helps me have more knowledge about various topics than I would otherwise. For example, I had some homework where I had to write about my country. I know a little bit about the history of my country, but not everything. When I made some searches on Google, I found a lot of good points and combined them with my own ideas to make my homework stronger. Additionally, if you have a reading class, you can do some research on class topics to learn more about the subject and practice. Google doesn’t ruin our thinking; it helps us think about subjects more completely.

        In conclusion, I don’t think Google is harmful at all. Instead, I believe helps me to develop new ideas and learn more about various subjects. I think it would be completely ridiculous to stop using Google.   

ACR 95 Homework

Read the following short story: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

Write a summary of the story. Then, make a new paragraph respond to the story, being sure to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

Would you stay, go, or set the child free? Why? What lead you to this decision. What in the story convinces you this is the right choice? What consequence would this decision have on you? What consequence would this decision have on the people of Omelas? Why do you think anyone would make either of the other choices?

NOTE: Bring your vocabulary books to class on Monday, May 2nd

ESOL 011W HOMEWORK

Homework - due Monday, May 2nd (no late assignments, no excuses)

Choose ONE of the following topics to write about. Be sure and construct a good argumentative essay with the structure and features discussed in class.

1. Should cigarettes and other tobacco products be outlawed?
2. Does freedom of speech give people the right to use hate speech?
3. Do people who commit heinous crimes deserve the death penalty?
4. Is there too much pressure on teenagers to go to college?
5. At what age should citizens be allowed to vote in the United States?
6. Should more rights be given to immigrants?
7. Can online dating replace meeting a person in real life?
8. Do TV shows and movies have the responsibility of being more diverse?
9. Do children deserve/need an allowance?
10. Is it okay for parents to monitor teens’ internet use?

NOTE: BRING YOUR BOOK TO CLASS ON MONDAY, MAY 2ND





Some example introduction styles (do not copy these word-for-word!):

General Statement(s)
Introduce the topic
Share your opinion in a clear thesis

Immigration remains a hot-button issue even today. One thing people are always discussing is an immigrant’s responsibility to integrate into their new culture. One of the main ways to do this is to learn the language of the country they’ve moved to. Some people believe immigrants coming to the United States don’t have any responsibility to learn English. However, I believe that anyone aged fifty or younger who immigrates to the U.S. should go to school to learn English.

Immigration remains a hot-button issue even today. One thing people are always discussing is an immigrant’s responsibility to integrate into their new culture. One of the main ways to do this is to learn the language of the country they’ve moved to. Many people believe learning English should be a requirement to moving to the United States, while others believe immigrants moving here don’t have any responsibility to learn English. However, I believe that anyone aged fifty or younger who immigrates to the U.S. should go to school to learn English.

Fixing "The Right to Die" essay's thesis statement:

I believe that euthanasia should be legal because many patients do not want to be kept alive on machines, the cost to their family is astronomical, and their loved ones suffer constantly.

Common structure of body paragraphs in an argumentative essay:

Topic sentence
Explain
Give an example (anecdote, statistic, etc)
Connect that example explicitly with the topic sentence/thesis

(look at the first body paragraph in the “Right to Die” essay)

Contrast signals:

Although many people feel that doctors must to everything possible to keep their patients alive, I believe that euthanasia should be legal for three reasons.

Although X, I think Y.

Police departments say that curfew laws to control teenage gangs are necessary, but I feel that such laws are unfair, unconstitutional, and counterproductive.

Some believe X, but I believe Y.

Many people believe that women should not serve in the military, but women have proven many times they are up to the task and deserve a spot in our armed services.

Society often ignores steroid use by well-known professional athletes because of the athletes’ popularity. However, we should take this abuse of illegal substances seriously not matter who the athlete may be because they are role models and it’s not a fair competition with drugs involved.

Although professional athletes undoubtedly feel that they deserve their million-dollar salaries, I feel that we pay them far too much just to play a game.

Some people are in favor of drug testing for high school athletes, but I believe it is an unnecessary and embarrassing invasion of privacy.

Some people feel that the United States needs more laws to control the sale and ownership of guns. However, gun ownership is one of our basic rights in America and taking away that right is dangerous.

REMEMBER: Everything in your essay must support your thesis. If you want to mention the other side, you must refute it before ending your paragraph.

Example planning methods:

Thesis: I believe uniforms are a necessity in a well-functioning school today.

1: Uniforms unite students.

2: Uniforms save time and money.

3: Uniforms increase safety.

A lot of people think lotteries are harmless fun, I strongly believe buying lottery tickets is a bad idea.

1.       Waste of money

a.       People spend hundreds every week or day

b.      People are losing their life savings and going into debt to play

2.       Lotteries are addictive

a.       Many people gamble compulsively and cannot stop

b.      There is even a gambling addiction hotline

3.       Not a good way to get money

a.       There is no guarantee you will ever gain a profit

b.      It encourages people to believe in the idea that money and fortune will fall into their laps

… change their behavior because they are wasting their money, in danger of becoming addicted, and will never find fortune this way.