I found a short story that may be more accessible to our sophomores. Perhaps we (sophomore teachers) can come up with a writing prompt to give students so that they can read the story and respond to it during a class period. Then maybe we can give general feedback based on the 6+1 Traits rubric, and then meet as a group to share five papers from our classes?
The short story is called "Split Cherry Tree" by Jesse Stuart. It looks high-interest-ish, and would be good for the start of the school year, I think.
When the Deepwater Horizon oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year, teachers across the country recognized an opportunity to bring real-world applications of math and science into their classrooms. Similarly, the rescue of 33 Chilean miners has triggered student discussions about everything from heroism to human biology.
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