English 10A

Today, I collected the literary pargraphs. 100% completed. Impressive. Way to go!

Next, we read our descriptive passages about the restaurant to a partner and then tried to write a scene which reveals character through dialogue. We set up the scene between a mother who had accidentally killed her budgie and an 18 yr old daughter, about to graduate, who wants to tell her mother that she's moving in with her long-time boyfriend, Luke. Don't reveal either secret directly. Allow the reader to infer the conflict through your descriptions, thoughts, and speech.

Next. We watched a video on the myth of OrpheusClick or paste this link into your browser:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltewSdCdAjM&feature=related

Homework: Read the story, by Don Bailey, in your text, called " A Few Notes For Orpheus". Post-it note the various ways Bailey reveals character. Look at our list from last day's class for ideas.

Finally, choose your favourite 5 techniques and put them on the chart. Explain what the technique is and what is revealed about the character. Use the chart below. Have a good weekend. Arrive to class with the chart completed for Tuesday.
Thanks.

HOW AUTHORS REVEAL CHARACTER

Read the story, “A Few Notes for Orpheus” by Don Bailey.

Create a chart where you find five different ways that character is revealed. (Look for diction, description, allusion, action, what other characters say, what they do, mannerisms, symbols, etc). You may focus on as many characters as you like. On the WHAT? side of the chart, provide the example from the text and the page number and on the SO WHAT? side, explain the implied trait and name the method the author using.

“A Few Notes for Orpheus” the story’s title	The title is a pun and an allusion. The pun is the double meaning of “notes”. It implies that Jake needs to take a few notes from his father and learn to be a better father, himself, but also refers to the music in the myth of Orpheus. He’s wasting his life due to anger and regret. The allusion is to the myth of Orpheus, which could apply to Jake and to Jake’s father. Jake keeps looking back at the past and his memories are painful so he can’t move forward. He is paralyzed by his belief that he is not important to his father and perhaps as a consequence, he has never been a reliable husband or father himself and he’s an incommunicative and unfaithful son. In the myth, when Orpheus looks back to see if Eurydice is following him, he defies Hades’ order and thus loses her forever. His father is described as not looking back when he walks toward the house which implies that he trusts in his love for and from his son and does not have to look back at the past to believe that Jake will follow. Allusion adds incredible depth to a story in a subtle way.

Writing 12

Monday: Meet in the language lab. Bring drafts that you are working on. Bring questions. This block is your time to work on the two poems which are due on We. Oct 5. Every day 1 now means two typed poems due. Review the poem criteria. You may use pieces from any of the exercises/assigments we've done in class. You may not re-submit poems that I have already marked.

You are always welcome to submit poems for editing. Just write PLEASE EDIT  on the top of the poem. All poems for editing must be typed.

Make sure you and your partner have all the books you need for your poetry presentation. You may use some of the day 9 language lab time to work together.

Today with all the 11s away I didn't introduce new concepts but we did write two poems in class. See me to pick up the handout. We used National Geographic magazines to write praise poems about objects, animals, cities or words.

PATRICK LANE WILL BE HERE ON WED. OCT 5. PLEASE DO NOT BE LATE. IF THE DOOR IS LOCKED, YOU ARE TOO LATE AND YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE UP TH EREADING BY ATTENDING ANOTHER READING OUTSIDE OF CLASS TIME. Your Patrick Lane response is due the next day so be sure to take notes during the reading. You will need to respond to his poems and to his advice about writing. Please bring your poetry questions to class so you can engage him in a discussion that is meaningful to you.
Thanks.

English 10 A

Today we focussed on how authors create memorable characters indirectly through describing objects or settings that could represent how they feel, their attitude or perspective.

Indirect presentation is used predomninantly in modern short story writing. Next, we bagan an exercise which I adapted from the great John Gardner's book, The Art of Fiction. Go buy it!

We reviewed the criteria for handing in workin an English 10A class: (follow the literary must-haves list, no ripped or scribbled-on sheets, typed or in blue or black ink, double spaced etc).

By respecting your work, you are respecting me and taking responsibility for your learning. We do not do "dumb" assignments in an English honours class. Each assignment requires certain skills. Like muscles, to keep in shape, we must practice. You MUST meet the deadlines or see me well in advance to establish a different deadline. Do not arrive on the day an assignment is due to ask for an extension. That practice is not honourable as it does not respect the learning environment. Often assignments are needed to be done in order to begin the next assigment. You do not want to be held back after school and have to have me email your coach because a paragraph is overdue.

Friday: Your best version of the paragraph on the significance of the title to theme in Alden Nowlan's short story is due. Ensure it has a title, a date and your first and last name.

Tonight: In your creative writing journal, describe the restaurant this time from the boyfriend's point of view. His perspective is uncomfortable because he has to end the relationship with the young woman due to the fact that a former woman has returned and he wants to rekindle that initial relationship. He feels badly about the situation and reluctant to break it off.
Describe the restaurant (sights, sounds, smells, etc) which will depict his ambivalence and discomfort.

Start with

John sees Emily sitting at the table by the back wall.

(Now describe the restaurant). Be prepared to read this piece to the class. 100 to 200 words would be great. Please be indirect. Do not say directly how he is feeling. Choose apt details, appropriate diction, and dialogue which suggests and implies his distraught state.

Good luck. Great work today. You make me laugh and I love to laugh.

Writing 12

Thanks to Ariel and Gabe for offering to be our first author presentation. We expect that the two of you will set the bar high so that subsequent presentations all try to TOP your incredible offering.

Remember--this is a writing course so your presentation is to dazzle us with how to write information and why you think this particular poet is worth our time and what books we definitely MUST read. You may post some samples on EDMODO to entice us.

We'll vote at the end of the year for our fave poet from the presentations and there is a delicious (hmm food bribery-how gauche!) prize for the winning group.

Follow the author presentation guidelines and come to see me if you are unsure.

AP Lit

I've marked your compositions. In general they were much much better than the A&P essays. Well done. I suggest you pick them up asap so that you can use them to study and review before Thursday's test.

I'll hand out the Hamlet texts on Thursday as well. Please read the introduction to Hamlet, pages 10 to 14 and create a chart that puts the  characters into family groupings. See if you can make any predictions about what is to happen. We will be reading the play aloud and doing close analyses during class. It is imperative that you be in class and willing to participate. We will interject practice exam quizzes to keep working on our writing and multiple choice answer quizzes.

It's going to be fun!!

English 10 A

Make sure that you joing the Shelfari 10 A group (go to your shelfari homepage) and click on join group. The link should be on the upper right hand side.

Make sure you have your recitation chosen by Wed.

We reviewed the what / so what chart, criteria for a thesis statement, and I handed out the literary must-haves list. All literary paragraphs (paragraphs which discuss stories, plays, poems or novels) must follow these criteria. We wrote and checked our thesis statements against the criteria.

We will talk about / review how to cite in our next class.

Create a 300 to 400 formal, literary paragraph (one paragraph please) which responds to the question on Nowlan's story. I'm looking for your incite, your ability to support your opinions, use transitions, stay on topic and conclude. Marks awarded for insight and style. Be sure to proofread.

I will be editing this draft. (A first draft does not mean that it contains careless errors). A first draft is thoughtful, well edited and intriguing. Writing is a process so getting the first draft complete is an enormous relief. Letting it sit a few days helps to organize clearer thinking and then you can create a second draft.

See you Wednesday. Be sure to arrive with your paragraph.

Writing 12

It's day four so make sure to post a poem or something inspirational on Edmodo. Make sure you send it to Writing 12; if you do not, only Ms. Stenson can see the post. Thanks.

Still waiting for a few of you to complete you Animoto films. Email them to me.

Today we did a warm up using an abstract phrase (get a phrase from me if you were absent) and then we wrote a 10 to 12 line poem which doesn't use any other abstraction expressions.

We shared some of the poem's from Friday's bag exercise. They were wonderful. Thank you.

Next, we read a portion of a poem by Jan Zwicky. Please read the remainder of the poem. Start reading poems with your "writer" eyes so that you can steal whatever neat thing the poet you've discovered is doing. In this manner, you teach yourself to branch out and try things that you might not have thought of before.

Today's example was Zwicky's use of the double dash! Very exciting and very risky. We figured that even if we don't use the technique in our poems, we can still use the technique in our warmup exercises as it forces us to add detail in a new and energetic way.

Homework: Post on edmodo. Finish Animato. Look at the sheet for poet choices for your author presentation seminar.

MEET IN THE LIBRARY PERIOD 4 TOMORROW. WE'LL USE THE TIME TO SEARCH FOR AN EXCELLENT WRITER AND TO FIND A PARTNER AND TO HAND OUT PRESENTATION DATES.

writing 12

Thanks to all the students who created wonderful paper bags or boxes or envelopes filled to the brim with exotic scents, words, photos and items. It kept you all busy on those poems!! We also shared the poems you wrote in the language lab last day 9.

This week we are writing about a first time. If you were away today, find a friend or me to get the handout. I want you to include narrative elements in your poem--action, conflict, setting, epiphany but still focussing on the craft of the poem--description that surprises/delights, metaphors and similes that seem exact, sound devices (alliteration, assonance, dissonance, etc)

Literary Events this weekend:

Friday night 7:30 at the Moka House on Hillside near Shelbourne. Get there early if you wish to read one of your poems at the Open Mic. $3.00 cover plus by something to support Moka House if you can.

Saturday night at 7 at The Well (cafe on Fort St. near Blanshard, on the same side of the street as Starbucks, a few doors down away from town) is 100, 000 poets for change. Come take part in this international event. 95 cities involved--google it and see why it's important. No charge but buy a drink or a cookie to support the cafe.

Enjoy reading the poetry handouts and the sample first time poems. Bring a copy of your first time poem to read to a partner.

Have a lovely weekend.

AP Lit

Thanks to the two groups who presented today. Well done (despite the creepy video). Thanks.

Next class, we'll have two more presentations.

Tuesday: Your compositions are due. No lates accepted on these. I need them by 3:20 Tuesday so make room. It will only take you 40 minutes. In fact, that's all the allotted time so do your best!! Read the marking rubric and the edits I made on your last papers for assistance. Focus on one aspect of your writing style you wish to improve and focus on one attribute of analysis you are working on. Which aspect of analysis do you neglect? Where are you over-generalizing? Can you write a clear, concise yet provocative thesis? Do you have sufficient evidence from the text to support your opinions?

These are questions a solid AP student is always asking. I look forward to reading your responses. I'll give you another practice one on Tuesday and then the test is on Thursday. Since AP is in the morning Tuesday, if you pop around my office at 3:20, I'll give you back your practice essay to use as a study tool for Thursday's test.

Have a great weekend. We start Hamlet next....There is something rotten in the state of . . . ?

English 10 A

Despite the fatiguing mindset which often accompanies period 5, once we settled down to read in the library, you all re-gained the enthusiasm needed for a fantastic English class. Once again I was excited to see how skilled you are. We worked on three diverse aspects of the course, creating Shelfari accounts, defining our literacy projects and committing to a recitation piece. Please have a piece chosen by Monday. There are 14 of you inside the 10A Shelfari group. A few of you are not in there yet. We'll make sure we're all in the group during our next class. Please be sure to post in the group. I'll bring a camera to class so we can upload a photo. Those blue avatars are a little dull.

Your chart is due next class on the story "The Fall of a City". Please review the criteria so that your chart is well developed, contains strong evidence from the text and several beyond-the-lines inferences/opinions/connections. Superb charts lead to superb thesis statements which lead to incredible paragraphs that delight and inform. Can't wait to see how well you write.

Have a good weekend contemplating, reading, and writing. More great things to come next week.

Literature 12

Today, we did a quiz using our Medieval notes and reviewed the MLA style citation rules. Thanks to Elliot for his amazing questions today. And thanks to all of the students so far for providing our review questions.

Next, we had another look at our paragraphs and chose two items to really focus on in our writing. Finally, we went up to the language lab to start typing a new draft. I also handed out an orange folder to keep track of your drafts and to use for peer and formative assessments. You'll be amazed by how quickly your writing improves when you focus on one or two attributes each time.

Please hand in your new, typed draft next class.

AP Lit

What a wonderful class!! I'm glad you were all here and you participated.
Thanks to the class for your amazing listening skills and your comments and questions. I feel exhilarated
by the discussions.

Homework: Complete the prose-response essay for Tuesday. I'll give you another one to practice before the in-class essay write on Thurs. Sept. 29. Don't spend more than the allotted 40 minutes.

Writing Criteria in AP

• a wide-ranging vocabulary  used with dontative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness  which means using language accuractely to prove your thesis (For a complete list of vocabulary and definitions, create an account on www.edmodo.com and type in the code dpx0sg)
• a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordinate and coordiante constructions which means use subordinate conjunctions such as

  after	how	till ( or 'til)
  although	if	unless
  as	inasmuch	until
  as if	in order that	when
  as long as	lest	whenever
  as much as	now that	where
  as soon as	provided (that)	wherever
  as though	since	while
  because	so that
  before	than
  even if	that
  even though	though

• a logical organization / coherent structure: use repetition, transisitons and emphasis
• a blance of general statements with specific evidence to illustrate your point
• an effective use of rhetoric, which means persuasive techniques,  including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent, formal tone, using parallel structures and antithesis
• use literary terms in context: irony, paradox, allusion, imagery, metaphor, metonymy etc (Review the terms from Literature 12)
• be able to discuss how various literary elements (diction, setting, character, irony, point of view, symbolism, plot, repetitions, rhythms)
• perceptive, persuasive, insightful interpretations

Writing 12

We watched three intro videos, two from Animoto and one from an apple program. All three were great. We'll watch a few each class.

I collected today's poem. Thank you. They are wonderful.

We did a writing exercise using prompts from Patrick Lane and then we edited out any "expected" bits, i.e.
dancing a waltz or bird flies etc. We don't want our readers to be able to predict the next line.

I read the Patrick Lane poem so we could see how professional poets constantly surprise us but they do so in such a way that when we read their description we feel as if that is exactly the way birds fly or the way a boy dances or how a girl feels about herself.

Next, we read a number of descriptive pieces and we all tried describing the colour red by
looking back in our journals for random phrases and sticking them to the phrase red, like the . . .
by plucking out phrases randomly and plonking them down where we need to surprise ourselves, we invent language that is fresh and convincing.

That's what we want to do this week--write convincingly with new eyes.
Of course, when you create a first draft, let it all out, the cliches, the commercialized language, the phrases you've been saying for years but as you practice you will notice your writing change, as you gain more experience reading poetry and other literary works. You can't help it. Your ear will have changed.

Homework: Open your secret envelope and do whatever it tells you to do. (Place scary laugh here).
Bring it all to class on Friday. Also, finish the poem that you started in the language lab and bring that to share with a partner.

It was a great class. We missed you, Isabella.

Lit 12

We finished the notes on pages 43-53--Medieval Era. Be prepared for an open notebook quiz on the chapter in period 4 tomorrow.

We reviewed the literary must-haves list and predicted our marks on our first formative assessment: the Beowulf paragraph.

We reviewed the complex world of citing poetry using the MLA style.

We had a fire drill.

We talked about the paragraphs and the feedback I gave. You are all doing so many things well--diction and style are stupendous. Some of you need to focus on sentence structure and punctuation. Others need to focus on explaining how the evidence proves the thesis. A few of you need to focus on replacing pronouns with persuasive nouns. Some of you need to create clearer thesis statements.

It is clear that you all read and comprehend well and I look forward to watching your writing really grow this year. Choose one or two items on the list that you wish to focus on. For the next paragraph, I'll look for those items specifically. That way you get to choose what you want to improve and how much time you may need to learn the skill.

Adding insight and going beyond the obvious is probably the most difficult skill. I suggest that you really participate during class discussions and push yourself to make interesting discoveries which you may then add to your what? / so what? charts. Once you know what you want to say, you can easily concentrate on how you want to say it.

There is a big learning curve jumping from English 10 to Lit 12. You've given yourself a challenge and I'm confident that you will meet it. Be sure to ask for help and to offer others help when you feel confident with a skill.

Homework: Finish the notes as you will need them for the quiz. The quiz is fill-in-the-blank style so make sure that you have a lot of detail from the text written down.

AP Lit

Recitations in-class presentations: Wed. Oct. 19 period 3. No lates accepted so be prepared. Set dates on your calendar for choosing, practicing, memorizing.

Dave Morris Can. Slam Poet presents: Friday Oct. 14th at lunch in the Copeland Theatre. He is also offering a seminar to help us with recitations in period 4. You will need permission from your per. 4 teacher to attend. Oct. 14th is day 6. The seminar is also in the theatre.

Short Story Presentations: I hope you have delegated well!! Do not spend more than one hour preparing. Remember, we are learning to synthesize on the spot in AP Lit and to make connections and to live with ambiguity. All good skills for life.

We start on Thurs. All groups must be prepared. Some stories will require more time than others. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes. If you have sites, power points, notes etc, you may email me and I can forward them to the class. If you need me to photocopy anything, get me the materials well before Thurs. Thanks.

Read that annotation handout from Harvard. It's particularly helpful for the kinds of questions you will be asked on our AP exam.

I'm really looking forward to your presentations.
PS
Read over Jonty's composition example as it has many of the attributes of an A paper that we are working toward. Well done, Jonty.

English 10

USSR: Great to see you all arrive with your books and begin reading. Thanks for being on time, too! Your job is to pick a goal for USSR--1 book per month, 2, 3, 20?? What is ideal for your reading level? How quickly do you read? Can you focus on your reading speed? Do you have great books you want to read? Based on your goal, plus the criteria on the handout, we will use personal and peer formative assessments, and summative assessments to arrive at a mark for this section of the course.

Recitations: Read and re-read the handout so you are familiar with the rules. Choose a piece to memorize by Sept. 28th. Visit SMUS tube to watch examples. Visit our library for ideas!! Visit our library website, too.

Literacy Projects: Those students planning to attend Book Club each Monday have created their project because joining Book Club counts!! We'll visit the library on Thursday to review all of the wonderful projects that our school's Book Club already to ensure that your group is not duplicating an event.

"The Fall of a City" by Alden Nowlan Reading Fiction Like A Writer

Review your notes. We focussed on the ways an author reveals character and theme indirectly. Several techniques at your disposal are direct (character descriptions--red hands, suspicious eyes) and indirect presentation (what the character does (action), what other characters say),  dialogue, description of weather, a room, an object etc which symbolically represent a character or a theme, symbols, verbs or dialogue tags, diction, etc.

Homework: Finish reading the story and post-it noting key passages.

We will write a diagnostic literary paragraph on Monday. To prepare for that writing, create a what? / so what? chart (Minimum 3 pieces of evidence and 9 opinions) to answer the following question:

In a literary paragraph of 300-400 words, discuss the significance of the title to the story's theme. Remember that theme is an observation of the world, a truth or revelation, an ah-ha moment.

Keep reading. We'll meet in our classroom Thurs. and then head to the library. If you get a chance to visit Shelfari on the web, that would be great.

AP Lit

We read and read and read today. I know you are skim reading in order to be able to choose a story to present but please make an effort to read all of the stories so that you can contribute heartily to our forthcoming class discussions. By fixing the story in its time period and then affixing a "mode" to it
Modern: social realism, psycological realism, surrealism or stream of consciousness
Post-modern: magic realism, intertextuality etc (see handout) you are then more able to discuss the story contextually.

Not every story will appeal to your interests, that's perfectly legitimate but I still expect you to appreciate the story's craft, particularly in light of its historical and cultural contexts. For example,  some of the language in D.H. Lawrence's story would make a literary editor cringe today but why is his work so important? Questions we must answer.

Also, I have chosen notable writers of short fiction so that you can get your bearings. These are some of the "greats". 

Tomorrow: time to work with a partner, due a close reading of several passages you plan to present, follow the presentation rubric and get ready to present. You will all need to be ready for Thursday.

Writing 12

If you were absent today, please see me to pick up three handouts:
1. Author Presentation
2. Criteria for Weekly Poems
3. How to write responses to monthly guest authors and responses to literary events

Also, if you were absent, ask me for your own private exercise.

Day 1: I'll collect a poem from each of you. We'll assign an author to each pair and a date for your presentation. I'll book a period in the library for your research. Ideally, on day 5.

Oct. 5 Patrick Lane is coming to class. Please visit his website www.patricklane.ca and pick up his books at the library. You may need to visit the local library. You can research their catalogue http://catalogue.gvpl.ca/ A quick glimpse reveals that they have 18 of his books and multiple copies of each. That gives you an idea of his stature in Can. Lit.

I'm really looking forward to reading your work.

If you haven't finished today's poem, yet, that's okay. You may finish it for day 3.

Tomorrow, I'll collect your first edited poem and we'll also read out the poem you wrote using the great list of elements.
Remember: I do not accept any late work on the weekly poems and it is ideal that you have edited your submission several times before submitting it so that we can work together on the components that really count: communicating your art to the reader.

Have a good night. Day 10 nights will forever be demonized now that day 1 equals two poems due. Add scary laugh here.
Toodles.

This week, we'll focus on adding unique details to a poem and when you need to add more detail and when you need to subtract detail.

Lit 12

Thanks to Orla for providing our review quiz. Well done. Josef will create one for Tuesday.

I checked the what/so what charts today. We discussed the components of an A thesis, reviewed and emphasized the literary must-haves list. We wrote and peer edited thesis statements based on question 2 or 8. We wrote down the elements of a strong thesis (see below) on the back of our must-haves list so we have all literary para. writing information handy. We also briefly mentioned recitations. Choose a passage, soon!

If you were absent today, please complete the following:

• Review your notes from last class.
• Ensure that your chart is thorough--good charts create good paragraphs but great charts create great paragraphs.
• Re-read and memorize your literary must-haves sheet.
• Write a thesis based on your chart and check it against the elements of a good thesis statement.
• Complete a 300-400 word, double-spaced paragraph on the question of your choice.

Sample thesis for question 2:

The epic poem, Beowulf, utilizes the evil descendant of Cain, Grendel, to illustrate the notion of chaos. Since the Anglo-Saxon era epitomized insecurity and war, Grendel's isolation and anti-heroic traits teach the tribe to value the heroic tradition.

Elements of a great thesis: (Copy these notes onto the back of your literary must-haves sheet).

1. A thesis must answer the question. Tip:Re-word the question but use synonyms to replace 
the words in the question.
2. Provide a provocative (thought-provoking) answer which responds to the question So What? Tip: use the best parts of your so-what chart here. You need an insightful, enthusiastic response that you feel confident you can prove.
3. Ensure that the thesis includes all of the points you plan to discuss. Tip: This extra effort before you begin to write will enable you to write coherently and in an organized fashion.

If I say in my thesis that I will discuss the features of red, green and yellow  umbrellas, the only points allowed in my paragraph are those of red, green and yellow umbrellas. All other points must be cut. Follow these tips to an A, friends.

Excellent work today. I was impressed by your dedication to revision. Yay Lit 12!

Submit the chart and the paragraph on Tuesday.
Ensure that all assignments include a title, date and your first and last name.
Ensure that all assignments are double-spaced and in blue or black ink or typed.
Follow the literary must-haves list.

NO USING PRONOUNS IN LITERARY WRITING. NO THIS SHOWS OR THIS QUOTE REVEALS EITHER. Discuss these items with a peer if you missed today's class. I can't emphasize this point enough. PRONOUNS EQUAL LAZY, SUPERFICIAL WRITING.

There. I will now stop ranting and start working.
Good luck. These paragraphs will offer you great ideas for improvement. I will award 6 points for each section on the literary must-haves list.

Writing 12

Hello Wonderful Writers:

We're still getting our feet wet, remembering to breathe, taking risks to share and not judge our work, getting to know others. Take a risk and next day, sit beside someone you do not yet know well. (That way I'll know you've read this bog. Add diabolical laugh here).

Create a poem including the following elements. The poem may be on any topic in any style. Continue to focus on concrete imagery which appeals to the five senses and using words and phrases that just seem to pop up from your unconscious. A way to facilitate this "popping up" is to peruse various quick-writes/exercises in your notebook and "find" cool lines that you move to your new piece. Try it. It's fun.
Exercise: Grounding the poem in a time period. Use these elements in your poem. You may use the words in any order.
1. a month
2. a body of water (any size--puddle to North Sea or tear)
3. a season
4. The word I
5. a car name and year
6. a brand name
7. The word you
8. an animal
9. a type of tree
10. a description of light
11. a name of a place
12. The word love
13. a character from a film/book/TV/commerical/art
14. a time (could be specific 6 o'clock or morning or midnight)
Good luck

AP Lit

I'll return your compositions on Monday once I confer with Ms. Fraser to ensure we are both interpreting the 9 point scale in the same manner. No one had questions on the multiple choice test so I hope you actually did read all the reasons for your errors and you feel empowered to do better on the next practice test.

I handed out a summary of the various modes of fiction in order to ground the weight of the O'Connor story. You need to know that she is parodying the American dream and parodying social realism so her story is reflecting the changing (breaking up /  blowing up) of societal norms (which no longer serve the larger population) You can't simply drive by a poor, naked black child and think it's CUTE!!! or want to put a picture of it on your wall.

Pick up the handout and get the notes from a friend if you were absent today.
Next, we discussed the story, the themes, the language, the repetitions and took notes.

Assignment: Facilitated Discussion--Group Project.
For Monday: Start reading the stories in the list below. You need to have them all read by Tuesday but you will have all of Monday's class to read as well (65 minutes) You know how quickly you read so you will know how much time you'll need to get the stories read. Read them quickly so you know what happens and why but we will study them in more depth starting next Thursday.

Read:
A Worn Path page 112
The House on Mango Street 235
The Found Boat 277
The Chrysanthemums 347
Araby 387
The Horse Dealer's Daughter 391
The Yellow Wallpaper 491
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings 486
The Lottery 196

Criteria for the presentations
Introduce the author, era, mode of fiction
Point out key passages which demonstrate your close reading of the text
Bring something to our attention we wouldn't notice without your expertise
Surprise yourself -- make the story make you question!
Ask the class questions you can't find an answer to
Any opinion you offer us must be supported by evidence from the text

I'll give you a rubric for your presentations.

Literature 12

Superb work today. Can't wait until the course really gets going.

Thank you for checking the blog. It can help to keep you on track.
Today, we signed up to present review questions to keep the previous lesson alive. Thanks to brave Orla for going first. You create questions based on the previous lesson's or lessons' material (you may go back as far as you want!!) in order to keep the terms, characters, and themes fresh. Be sure to add some beyond-the-lines questions, too. If you were away today, pick up the handout.

Next, we chose a question, 2 or 8, to guide the reading of Beowulf, and post-it noted and made notes on key passages that will help us to write our first paragraph. I handed out a guide called Literary Must-Haves (which summarizes the blue poster at the front of the room) to review the basics of paragraph writing.

Homework: Create a what? (evidence) and so what? chart to organize your evidence and ideas to write a paragraph during class on Friday. You need at least 3 pieces of evidence (including one quotation cited correctly) (Beowulf (in italics) 55) for the first quote and just the number for any subsequent quotes. We use MLA style in the English department. You may use a combination of quotations and paraphrases to prove your point.

Remember: Who is your audience? In other words, who are you addressing as you write?

A reader who wants your expert advice. A reader who wants to know your interpretation of the work, the epic poem in this case. Assume the reader has read the piece so you do not have to explain the plot. You start with a strong thesis and you prove it with sufficient evidence from the text. Use formal diction since a literary paragraph requires formal writing.

See you on Friday.

Writing 12

We read the list poems aloud noticing how a title will hold together a seemingly random list. This technique teaches the novice writer to trust the image and to withhold information in order to create tension and consequently interest for the reader. We focused on using concrete detail which appeals to the senses.

Today we did a prompt . . . This morning . . . Email a classmate to get the details. We created a poem using a line I gave each student.

Homework. Use the following words in a short poem of 10 to 14 lines. cabin, scissors, canvas, gumboots, egg. Use them in any order. Use any form you wish, any stanza types. Read The Claremont Review to get inspired and to see a variety of ways to shape the poem.  Focus on creating a poem rich in imagery: sensory and concrete detail.

Choose one of the titles below.

Decided
Wet T-shirt
Last but not Least
Leash
Canoe

AP Lit

Read over the explanations for the correct answers and bring your questions to class. Thursday.
Also, read the Flannery O'Connor story on page 501. Pay particular attention to the way the grandmother is characterized and the significance of the title.

Literature 12

If you forgot to hand in your page 2 to 9 notes, please give them to me during flex tomorrow. See yesterday's blog for more details.

English 10 A

Superb work today. Best class in the universe for sure! Loving the English Tens.

No homework other than to read your USSR books when you can to meet your self-directed reading goals which we will talk about the next time we meet.

We are booked into the library Sept. 23 to ensure that you get your literacy projects organized and launched with Mrs. Tweedie's help. Don't feel that you need to have a project chosen before we meet. This day is designed to give you ideas and to motivate you.

Hopefully, we'll have time to introduce you to Shelfari (an electronic bookshelf where you post books you have read, rate them, discuss them with friends). It's really fun. I've emailed you an invitation so you can join when you get back.

Have a wonderful trip. I'm excited to be teaching you all.

Writing 12

I loved the poems that you shared and the insights you had about what makes a good poem.

Homework: Animoto intro: due Sept. 21
                    On day 4s, post a poem to our edmodo account. The code is in your email boxes.
                    Fighting "mortgage brain".
                   How will you allow yourself time to nourish your creative side?
                    Ideas:
Visit poetry sites such as the ones listed on the board today. Sign up for an e-newsletter from one of the literary magazines such as Geist or Arc or The Malahat Review. Start a RSS feed to your google reader. Use a subject that interests you: teenage poetry, Canadian poetry, Margaret Atwood, Patrick Lane, guardian poetry, etc. Go to Planet Earth Poetry at the Moka House on Hillside every Friday night at 7:30. Sit in the back and write as you listen. Write daily. Read daily.

Today, you wrote a list using sensory, concrete details and I gave each of you a random title. For those students who had to leave early, choose one of the titles below and stick it onto your list. Don't worry if it doesn't make sense to you. It will make sense to the reader. Type up your list and bring it to class tomorrow to share. We're working here with this idea: how titles hold poems together.

Optional titles:

Nothing in a Day Goes By
A Poem for a Thousand Years
Morning in Canada
Outside This Window
Gerard Manley Hopkins

Thanks again for arriving to class on time. By doing so you are giving yourself the attention you need in order to make time for your wonderful writing.

See you soon.

Writing 12

I emailed you the Animoto code that you will need if you want to start early on your intro. video.

Homework: Read through the two copies of The Claremont Review that you chose. Pick out a favourite poem and bring it to class. Be prepared to discuss (in a small group) what you like/love/admire about it. Why do you think it was chosen for publication? Would you change anything? Which aspect seems to grab your attention: language? structure? theme? humour? other?

Have a great weekend. It was wonderful to meet you all.

AP Lit

Superb work today as usual (although two days does a small sample make). If you were absent today, you will need to get the notes you missed and you'll need to print out the handout below. Sometimes I lose formatting. Does anyone know if I can attach documents to this blog?

The short essay is due on Tuesday. Typed, double spaced. I'm looking to see how well you answer the question (analysis, inferences, examples, and explanations) and your format (intro/body paragraphs/conclusion) as well as your style (present tense of verbs, sentence variety, strong but accurate vocabulary, transitions, integration of quotations, use of quotations, citing) which should all be review. I'm also looking for your logical development, coherence, and voice.

That's a lot!! This piece of writing is diagnostic in nature. Do your best. Arrive with questions. Confer with friends. If you'd like to post your piece on edmodo and receive feedback from peers, go to
www.edmodo.com and open an account. When it asks you for a code, type in dpx0sg, which will give you access to our AP Lit group. Please explore the site when you have a minute and let me know what you think. I have posted a few things on there that are for fun. They are not assignments at this stage although they may appear that way as I am learning the limitations and strengths of this system.

I thought your analysis of diction, characterization, and setting was accurate and confident today.
Well done. Can't wait until our next class.
Arrive rested as we are going to have a look at the multiple choice section of the exam to assuage any annoying fears you may have.

English 10 A

Your enthusiasm for the literacy projects is infectious. Thank you! I can't wait until we finalize some of these great ideas and begin . . . Keep the ideas flowing. Share ideas. Search the net. Think of what has inspired you to love books, to write, to express yourself, to debate, recite, and publish? How might you use your expertise to inspire others? How much time can you reasonably give to the project?
What will you need? Whom will you need to speak to? Will you need funds? How will you manage all of the aspects of the plan--design, implementation and assessment?

Hope you find a great book to read this weekend. You have all set a reading goal for Monday. Good luck. Remember: one minute per page is ample time for most books that we read for pleasure. Choose a book that you'll be able to concentrate on during class.

Appreciate you respecting the classroom today, arriving on time, and particpating so willingly. We have a lot to learn together and I'm looking forward to learning from you. We'll start our short story unit on Monday.

I have us booked into the library to really research the literacy projects and confer with Mrs. Tweedie.

Have a great weekend.

Lit 12

Great to meet you all today. Looking forward to seeing a variety of notetaking methods when you submit the notes on pages 2 - 9 to begin our discussion of The Middle Ages.

Choose the details sparingly so that only the facts / examples which you deem important are put into your chart/web/Cornell notes/ etc.

After each point, add an opinion or a connection to something you have read. You may also wish to predict how the historical, social, political or cultural implications will affect/impact the style and themes of the writing. Don't be afraid to be "wrong" here. Predicting while notetaking keeps you involved with the text and will help you make more connections when we read the literature.

These notes will be shared for peer and formative assessments. This exercise is your chance to proclaim an effective method of reading and responding to text.

See you on Monday.

AP Lit

I thought it was good to start our first AP class with a story called "A & P," didn't you? Forgot to point that out. First impressions--(I'm very impressionable but . . . ) I think this arrangement is going to work out well. You are definitely in the right place.

Tonight, as you may recall, you are to finish reading and annotating the story via post-it notes. It's on page 63.

Create a chart to best prepare you to begin our class discussion tomorrow.  We will discuss the story and get you well on your way to completing that composition during class tomorrow. It will be due the next time we meet.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

Read the story, "A & P," by John Updike, page 63, slowly, paying attention to the colloquial diction, and the details the narrator reveals about the girls and what they might represent to the narrator. Use post-it notes to "highlight" key words, actions or passages.

Create a chart :

What does the character want? (Put all your inferences / opinions / predictions here)

What are the character's motives for wanting this? (Paraphrase from the story here)

Where in the story is this made clear to the reader? (Put quotations/symbols/ironies here)

Tomorrow, in class, we'll discuss the story in preparation for a short composition which addresses the following question:

What motivates Sammy's sudden resignation? In a thorough discussion of diction, setting and characterization,  demonstrate how Updike subtly prepares us for Sammy's surprising act.

Homeroom

Introduce yourselves by creating an Animoto video at http://www.animato.com/. If you need the access code, email me at school. Hope you all had a great day today.