English 9, Wed. Dec. 15

Thanks to all the incredibly organized presenters today. I really appreciated the thoroughness in and also your enthusiasm, even if the project didn't fulfill all of your expectations.

I am working my way through your literary essays on Farley Mowat and will return those tomorrow. Some of you will need to revise the essays and re-submit a corrected version. Others have mastered this form of writing.

Today, we started watching the film version of the novel. We left off with the character playing Farley eating "souris a la creme". It was difficult for those with weak stomachs. ha ha
We'll finish the film tomorrow and continue with vocabulary.
We start our poetry unit in the new year.

English 11E, Wed. Dec. 15

We covered all ten of Reilly's Rules for Excellent Writing today in class. You can find these rules in the Best American Sports Writing anthology which is in our library. Clear and to the point, Reilly is a professional in his field so why not follow his advice?

Tonight: let an idea find you! Reilly says the best ideas are right in front of you. What do you want to write about? Who will you interview? What unique angle can you take? Find the best details. Imitate the essays in your text.

This essay will be due Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. You are brilliant poets and short story writers so I am really curious to see what you will devise. We will also ensure that you get these babies published in the new year.

Arrive ready to write a first draft in class tomorrow. Bring laptops if you have them.

Writing 12, Wed. Dec.15

Last day for submitting the three micro-fiction pieces was today.

Meet in the computer lab tomorrow. Ensure that you have the blue criteria sheet for fiction manuscripts. Remember to email me a copy as well to the aurora address.

Can't wait to read your fiction. You are so talented.
Look forward to tomorrow.

English 9, Tuesday, Dec. 14

Today I collected the Mowat essays. Good copy stapled on top of the peer edited draft.

Tomorrow: Dec. 15: Literary Project Presentation. Looking forward to these!

USSR forms for December are due the first day back. Tues. Jan. 4. Be sure to take books and forms home for the holidays! Lots of time to read and relax.

English 11 E, Tues. Dec. 14

Essay Unit Test today. If you were absent, be sure to bring a note so that you will be able to write the test at a later date.

Returned the novel projects.

Read the opinion piece from yesterday's class. Be ready to discuss it Wed.

Writing 12, Tues. Dec. 14

Thanks for writing the Santa letters. They are so cute. Mrs. Biel puts them in the freezer before she hands them out so the kids get the North Pole effect. How sweet is that?

Wed: Use tomorrow's class to edit each other's work and to revise. I'm available for consulations in block 2 as well.

Thursday: Computer lab DON'T FORGET TO EMAIL ME A COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT THE HARD COPY.

Friday: Manuscripts are due.

ALSO, PLEASE CHECK THE MARK PRINTOUT AND ENSURE THAT IT IS CORRECT.
THANK YOU.

If you missed a literary event in term one, make it up over the holidays. Check Monday Magazine and the Thursday Times-Colonist for lists of events.
Also, if you missed one of our visiting authors, you need to make up that event outside of class time.
Have you made a date to visit a class? Do that this week.

English 11E, Mon. Dec. 13

SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND THIS WEEK!

Congrats to the students that made it a priority to be in class today!

We started learning about how to write and opinion piece and we wrote down criteria on the board for your opinion piece. Due date TBA. I also checked the 6 essay notes so if you were away, be sure to bring a note in order to earn these valuable participation marks.
Tomorrow is the essay test. Study. Bring your notes. You may not use your notes for the matching part of the test. This part is matching the techniques to examples.

Get those literary event forms in, too.
USSR forms for Dec. are due Jan. 4 (first day back after the holiday).

Writing 12, Mon. Dec. 13

Our last week of fiction. Seems sad! I'm really hoping that you stand up to the challenge this week. You know what good fiction is and I know you can do it but it takes time, patience, effort, revision.
GO FOR IT!
We've postponed our Wed. presentation until Jan. 11 so that means you have all week to work on your stories.
If you need an extension on our Dec. 17 fiction deadline, you must ask by block 1, Dec. 16. Thanks.

Bill Gaston responses and dramatic monologues were collected today.
Check the mark print out tomorrow and ensure it is correct. If you don't say anything, an error could become fact. Check and re-check.

PS
We're writing letters to the kindergarten classes tomorrow. Bring your ideas.
Meet in the computer lab.

English 9, Friday, Dec. 10

ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE THEIR EDITED DRAFTS IN CLASS MONDAY FOR PEER EDITING. IF YOU MISSED FRIDAY'S CLASS, YOU MISSED 65 MINUTES OF WRITING TIME IN THE LAB. YOU NEED TO MAKE UP THIS TIME OVER THE WEEKEND. THANK YOU.

Once you finish the draft, you need to edit it. Print it out. Take our your Pigman essay and check to ensure that you are not making the same mistakes. Making the same mistakes means you will not do well as I am looking for improvement here and I know you are too.

Check yesterday's blog for ideas for editing.

Also, use the green checklists and examples you have in your notebook from the Pigman essay.

I'm looking for improved writing style: sentence variety, formal vocabulary, scintillating synonyms, excellent transitions, proper topic sentences in each body paragraph that house ALL the topics to come and ensure you conclude well. Add a transition sentence between Body 1 and 2 and Body 2 and 3.

Good luck.
Peer editing Monday.

GOOD COPY IS DUE TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15 YOU AND YOUR GROUP PRESENT YOUR LITERACY PROJECT EVALUATIONS. WE WROTE DOWN ALL THE CRITERIA FOR THESE PRESENTATIONS. I'm looking forward to reading them.

English 11E, Friday, Dec. 10

We wrote down the test outline for Tuesday's essay test. Be sure to get the notes from a friend.
All six responses to the essays are due Monday. We start writing our own essays on Monday.
Don't miss any days next week or you'll miss the opportunity to do the exercises. These are fun and informative.

Writing 12, Friday, Dec. 10

Thanks to all the wonderful writers who particpated in our reading in the library today.
We'll bring Sandy Mayzell in that first week back in Jan. to teach you how to prepare for a reading.
Second Tuesday in January--make sure you are free--to read at Francellis in the Royal Oak Mall.

This weekend make time for your fiction manuscript. Have a look at the criteria. Make that story ready for publication.

Dramatic Monologue due Tuesday.

English 9, Thurs. Dec. 9

Superb work on your essays today in the library.

We will continue tomorrow.

Bring a completed typed (double spaced) draft to class Monday.

Tonight and this weekend, make stylistic edits.
Ensure: each body paragraph has 300 words, transitions. Each opinion is supported with evidence.
Use persuasive nouns to replace pronouns such as this, it, he, she
Find good synonyms for wolf. Check for present verb tense and no contractions.
Make sure each body paragraph has a strong concluding sentence followed by a transition sentence.
Next, review your verbs. Replace weak verbs with strong ones: emphasizes, reveals, portrays, depicts, elucidates, etc.
Use your thesaurus. Bonus for including words from our vocabulary list.

English 11 E, Thurs. Dec. 9

Excellent work today. I'd like to hand back the novel projects but a couple of people asked for extensions. Please get your projects in asap.

Must have all the essays read and responded to by Monday.
Test Tuesday.

Writing 12, Thursday, Dec. 9

We're in the library tomorrow. Please come early to help set up.
Nolan is the MC
Readers
Adrian
Carli
Tara
Kate
Nicole
Max
Hanna
Sara
Julia
Alisa
Dawn

Hand in your post card stories Friday. Some of you have prose poems to submit as well.
Monday: dramatic monologues are due.
Tuesday-Computer Lab (Nick and Barbara present Wed.)
Thursday, Dec. 16-Computer Lab
Friday-Fiction Manuscripts due

English 9, Wed. Dec. 8

Journals due tomorrow.

We corrected our introductions and ensured that each body paragraph will have enough material for 300 words. We completed essay outline forms. Call your homework buddy to discuss.

Thurs. /Fri in the lab. Meet their. Bring your introduction, quote log, how to cite sheet, how to incorporate quotes sheet, literary must-haves list and your novel so that you'll be able to write an
excellent essay.

Good copy of the essay is due Monday (double spaced) for peer editing.

English 9, Tuesday, Dec. 7

The literary essay on Never Cry Wolf. Today, we organized our quotes into topics, wrote summary statements and created a thesis for the general topic: myths/realities of wolves in Never Cry Wolf.
Some of the topics we brainstormed were
1. how people can't let go of the myths about wolves
2. good things about wolves
3. why some peoplefear wolves and others do not
4. wolf life: diet, relationship to caribou, family life,
5. compare and contrast myths to humans
6. boundaries that separate Farley from the wolves
7. consequences of the myths
8. adaptations Farley makes--yet, ultimately, he fails to adapt to the "lost world"
9. Ootek's relationship to the wolves

Next, we spent 30 minutes choosing the ten best quotes from the ones we had post-it noted during our reading of the novel.
Next, take out your notes on The Pigman essay. Remember how we colour-coded the quotes and labeled each colour? That is what we did today. It's a quick and easy way to arrive at your thesis statement. Reviewing your Pigman notes will help you write this essay.
We also reviewed the purpose of an essay. Email your homework buddy if you are stuck.

Make sure that you have a list of excellent quotes (properly cited) to bring with you to the computer lab on Thursday.

Also due Thursday: 15 journal entries on the novel. Ensure that you have checked and re-checked the criteria.

Wed: Final debates.
Thurs/Fri Computer Lab

Writing 12, Tues. Dec. 7

We had a presentation on Timothy Findley's writing and then we did a wonderful exercise. Be sure to get the notes from Max.

Next, the postcard story. I read three stellar examples (ask for them, plus I handed out a package). Read the package, get the story prompts and create a postcard story, doublespaced, typed for Thursday. I collected the prose poems today.

English 9, Monday, Dec. 6

Today we reviewed the week's activities. You must be finished reading the novel by Tuesday and have post-it notes for key passages regarding the myths and realities of wolves. We'll be starting our essays in class tomorrow. I've booked the computer lab for Thursday and Friday to write the essay. It will be do in good copy form next week.

Thursday: Farley Mowat journals are due. You need all 15 entries. You must follow the critieria. See previous posts for the list or ask your homework buddies.

Wed: We will finish our debates. Please make sure that all team members are prepared.

English 11 E, Mon. Dec. 6

We signed out essay books and started our new unit. We learned 12 new terms regarding persuasive essay writing. Be sure to get the notes from a peer. We read the essay, "A Locker Room With A View" by Lesley Visser. Essay unit test is an open notebook test so excellent notetaking is required.

These next two weeks will go fast. This is NOT a time to be absent.

Homework: Novel projects are due Tuesday. You must submit the projects with the contract on top and return the novel at the same time. Ensure that loose bits are enclosed in bags or folders where necessary.

Writing 12, Monday, Dec. 6

If you missed today, be sure to get all of the prompts from a peer as we wrote about five or six practice prose poems. We also took notes on the form.
Due Tuesday: a typed draft of a prose poem.

I collected the good copies of the stories today.
I also handed out the fiction manuscript criteria. Due date is Dec. 17th. No lates accepted.
If you are away that day, be sure to have the manuscript delivered to me.
I'll return the stories, Wednesday.
Thurs: Bill Gaston
Fri: Writing 12 Reads in the library

English 9, Friday, Dec. 3

Today we worked on our journal entries.
Journals are due next Thursday, Dec. 9th. Make sure each entry follows the criteria and you will be rewarded for your efforts. Read some of your peers' journal entries for idea.

We'll be finished reading the novel by Tuesday. We should be able to finish our debates next week as well. Thursday and Friday we are in the computer lab to write our essay on Never Cry Wolf.

English 11 E, Friday, Dec. 3

I am really impressed by how well everyone is using class time for the novel projects. I look forward to collecting them on Tuesday.

Monday: We start our next unit: personal essays and opinion pieces.

January: It's Shakepeare and exam review. Three hour exam at the end of January. Keep all your notes!

Writing 12 Friday, Dec. 3

Excellent work today. These stories will be amazing. I'm looking forward to reading them.

Literary Event: It's a Wonderful Life is now playing at the Ridge Theatre and Nolan and Hanna are in it! Go to see it. Get your response form in the next day. It plays tonight and Sat. and next Wed. to Sat. nights.

Good copy, double spaced, following the criteria is due Monday.
Thursday: Bill Gaston
Friday: Reading in the library If you haven't read yet, you are reading Friday.

Monday we start micro-fiction: postcards, prose poems and monologues.
It's going to be a great and busy two weeks.

English 9, Thurs. Dec. 2

Literacy Project Presentations  Wed. Dec. 15. See your group members for all of the criteria for the presentation as we wrote them on the board today and put them in our agenda books. I'm looking forward to hearing of your adventures in literacy.

I checked the homework. Show me that you have read chapter 13 and completed a journal entry.
We took notes on chapter 13. Be sure to copy them down from a friend.

Some students worked with their literacy project group members while other students used the time to get ahead on the reading homework. Please read and post-it note chapters 14, 15, and 16 tonight.

Always review your vocabulary when you get a chance.
I also sent around the updated marks list. Ask me to see your marks when you return.

English 11 E, Thurs. Dec. 2

Today is the penultimate class for working on your exciting novel projects. Yesterday, the room buzzed with action and I expect the same will occur today.

All projects due Tuesday. Put the contract on top with the name of each assignment filled in.

Monday: we start personal essays and opinion pieces. It's really fun!! You'll be a published author before you know it.

Writing 12, Thurs. Dec. 2

Bill Gaston will be coming next Thursday to read to us!
Next week the focus is on micro-fiction: the postcard, the prose poem, the monologue.

Good copy of your story due Monday. Please follow the criteria sheet to avoid disappointment. Also, please ensure all dialogue is punctuated properly and paragraphs are indented correctly.
Review the sheets you have on good dialogue tips and how to punctuate.

The key here is a story that works. It makes us feel, think, ponder about something that is important to the writer. It avoids sentimentalism, Hollywood and cliched language.

Attention is paid to imagery and sentence variety.

You vary your paragraph length. You ensure there are several scenes and the story is light on exposition. No room for dull journal entries here.

Today, we workshopped the stories. The following students will need to have their story workshopped before I accept it on Monday: Sara, Mitch, Emily, Eryn, Nolan, Hanna, Max and Nicole. Thank you. There will be consequences for late work (as you know).

English 9, Wed. Dec 1

We added two more words to our vocabulary list. We also did two quizzes on chapters 8, 9, 10 and 11. We read chapter 12 aloud. Chapter 13 is for homework. Keep post-it noting key passages.

At home tonight, add a journal entry. Be sure to follow the criteria.

English 11 E, Wed. Dec. 1

Excellent work on the novel projects today. Projects due Tuesday.
Keep reading your USSR books, too.

Writing 12, Wed. Dec. 1

Thanks to Adrian, Dawn and Alisa for their presentation on the fiction of Patick Lane. If you were away today, ask me to loan you one or two of his stories I have photocopied. His fiction is filled with imagery.

Tomorrow is workshop day. Please arrive with the requisite number of stories (double spaced) ready to go. No time to print during class.

Good copy is due Monday.

Please return you library books from Nov. and sign out new ones for Dec.