Writing 12

You have definitely turned a corner if today's readings and the splendid presentation reflect your true abilities.

Sorry about any confusion regarding the two short poems. I promised the art class we'd have them ready by Nov. 1, which is tomorrow, yes, BUT, I want to make sure there is time for editing if you need it so please get me the poems today as soon as you can. I worked with Jackie and Gabe at recess and they have four spectacular entries. Very exciting. You can easily see amazing paintings unfolding from these works. Well done.
Harrison and Jackie, your lovely presentation on Crozier's work was inspiring and the exercise worked so well. You've inspired us all.

Welcome to Kaylaa!! We're delighted to have you join us. You might want to read previous blogs to see what we have been up to.

For Wed: type up and revise the poems / quick-writes that you created in class today. Use the Guppy editing sheet so that you are getting a lot of practice on the key ways to revise. Remember--revise houses another meaning: to re-vision!! While you edit, you find the heart of the poem (ITS VISION/VOICE/PURPOSE) and then you find the best SOUND for the poem (RHYTHM, RHYME, REPETITION, ASSONANCE, CONSONANCE, ALLITERATION ETC). 


Wonderful class. Wish you could dress up every day. Vunder-full! Loving the bowler, Sena!

AP Lit

Absolutely stunning presentations today. Thanks. They will help with our final project for Hamlet. I'll let the cat out of the bag on Wednesday. If you were away today, please make copious notes on the remaining sections and hand all your notes to me Wednesday. You will also need to create a thesis statement on Hamlet's character as a way of synthesizing your notes. We did that in class today. You should have made notes on all of Act 4 by now, yes? We won't be going over any passages but Hamlet's 7th soliloquy is in there and deserves a look as well as Claudius' seduction of Laertes. We watched Act 5, sc. 1. today and part of scene 2.
Read all of Act 5 for Wed. We'll discuss it in detail and I'll introduce the Hamlet in-class essay topic. We'll spend two days in class preparing for it and then one day writing it. Should be fun.

Next up is a dramatic poetry unit that will (excuse the cliche) knock your socks off.
I also have a list of former essay topics that you need to look at regarding the novel you are reading and annotating on your own.
Toodles.

English 10

Today, we edited the first drafts of the short stories. We focussed on the criteria.
Revise your story this weekend. Revision is not editing. Revision is re-visioning--finding the best way
to describe your characters, choose suitable dialogue, to add reliable action and motivation.
Make sure your story has an evocative title.
Stories due Tuesday.

Lit 12

Today we watched a short video introduction to the Renaissance era. Read pages 128-140 and complete the sheet for Monday.  If you would like to get ahead, read the notes on the sonnet form, pages 152-153 as you'll be able to help your group compete on Monday morning.

Also, keep reviewing the notes and literary terms from unit 1 as the Xmas exam and June exam is based on all material studied. I suggest you make flash cards or a power point presentation. One for literary  terms, one for characters, quotes and themes so that whenever you have a few minutes, you can study.

Creative Projects: DUE NOV. 3 (THURSDAY). No lates accepted so make sure you speak to me well in advance if you need an extension.

Writing 12

Today, we read Steve Guppy's tips for editing poetry, edited our own poems and practiced the workshop method. We'll use day 4 (period one) classes for our future workshop.

That means next day four we'll workshop sooooooooooooo you'll need to have three copies of your poem ready for your group a few days before. I'll remind you. We'll get used to the routine.

Two poems due next day 1.
Make sure that you edit them using Guppy's sheet before you hand it in for marks.
If you are having trouble editing your own poems, find some poetry buddies, people in our class willing to tell it like it is, " I'm so sorry, M'am, but that baby of yours is UGLY."
Don't let politeness interfere with getting to the good writing. Cliches? Cut. Dull adjectives? Cut. No context? Add some. Dull title? Change it. No sense of sound? Add some. No so what? Surprise yourself. If you are writing about something you already know and you learn nothing from the writing, chances are . . . your reader will agree and no one will want to read your poems, including you!!

One of the best ways to improve is to read, read, read modern poetry that appeals to you. Try to imitate it. Ask what is happening? How are they working with sound? Shape? Theme? Titles? Imagination? Metaphors? Line break?

Lit 12

Here is a quick introduction to the Renaissance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mgSPiAiBjU

The creative projects are based on an imaginative response to the literature we've studied. Have fun with it. Use what you've learned and expand on that knowledge to create something new. The best projects will offer a new understanding of the literature we studied.

English 10

I'll mark today's paragraphs and hand them back to you on Friday. Please make sure that your blue folders are up to date and returned to me as I will be meeting with your parents starting Monday night.

Typed, double spaced, wonderful draft of your short story is due Friday. Do not show up empty handed as we are planning peer editing and without a story, you will not be eligible for editing marks.
Good luck. Follow the criteria and you'll be fine.

Writing 12

What did you think of the pantoum? What happens when we repeat lines?

Tomorrow, bring four copies of a poem to be edited. We're going to learn how to revise!!

Writing 12

Be sure to keep copies of the poems that I mark and edit for you. If you did not have all three here today, could you email me the total mark out of 30? Thanks.

Check that you know the date of your day 5 presentation as well.

Have you been to a literary event yet? Be sure to submit your response. The lunch time Dave Morris presentation can count.
Please mark Nov. 9 on the calendar. It's The Claremont Review's 20 year (40th issue) celebration. There will be readings, refreshments and door prizes, plus congratulatory speeches by Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader and other VIPs such as Bob Snowden. We count on the local writing classes to support the magazine. You may wish to purchase a copy for yourself or for a friend.

 A lot of current and former SMUS students will be reading as well. Kaylaa Dornan, Oliver Brooks etc
The band Leisure Suits will entertain us as well. It will be great!

Your writing is really changing. Congrats. Read as much modern poetry as you can. Find favourites to imitate. When you read, ask yourself, what in the world are they doing? How might I accomplish that?

WED: IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY SUBMITTED YOUR TWO SHORT POEMS FOR THE ART CLASS, I MUST SEE THEM TOMORROW. TYPE THEM UP TONIGHT.

Create a poem tonight based on today's handout.

AP Lit

If you want me to re-mark last Saturday's soliloquy 3 essays, hand in the new version, Thursday, or ask me for an extension asap. Please staple the new version to the previous version.

Also, if you have not yet signed up for the student-teacher conferences, you need to do so by Thursday.

Excellent work today!! We reviewed Act 3, Sc 1 with the quiz, practiced the vicious multiple choice (which we are finding easier, yay!),  and we predicted what needed to happen in the bedroom scene in order to initiate Hamlet's restoration to order.

We watched the film version of the bedroom scene and each of you has taken a passage to present to the class on Thursday.
Look for

• connections to previous scenes,
•  unravelling of the conflict,
• indirect references to the Great Chain of Being,
• changes in diction,
• Hamlet's rash murder of Polonius,
• the influence of the ghost
• Literary techniques which add depth to the passage
• Syntax

         We're now looking simulatenously at attitudes toward action and attitudes toward thought as Hamlet grapples with his father's murder and his commitment to vengeance.

Read Act 4 and notice all the changes in plot. What is unravelling as a result of the climax--what is happening?

What are the ramifications of Polonius' death and Hamlet's trip to England?

Soliloquy 7, the final soliloquy is in Act 4, why? We'll look at it closely for homework, Thursday night.

English 10

Yesterday, we managed to fill the hour with a number of activities. If you were absent, be sure to get the notes from a friend and read at least 15 pages of your USSR book.

We reviewed the notes from last week's blog regarding how to be successful in English class and we prepared for Wednesday's test. The test will consist of reading a short short story and answering a question in a well-organized, literary paragraph which follows the literary must-haves list, offers insight to the story (and does not re-tell what happens) and uses transistions appropriately. Marks awarded for a strong thesis which answers the question, three strong examples, integration of quotations and sentence variety. Study the paragraphs we have marked and revised and memorize the must-haves list. You may have your transition sheet, and the literary must-haves list on your desk as you write the paragraph. You may also bring a thesaurus as using synonyms is key to good writing.

Friday: The first draft of your short story is due for peer editing. Today, we worked in groups on the 6 criteria and presented examples from the stories, "Hot Chocolate" and "Abduction" from Naming the Baby. There are several stories in that collection that can inspire you and offer new ways to express your material. You may wish to try a style similar to Leon Rooke's story, |"Want to Play House," as well. Don't hand in the first draft you print as you DO NOT want your editors fixing paragraph structure and typos, right? You want the editors to help you with the 6 criteria.

See you Wednesday.

AP Lit

Study your notes from today so that you feel prepared for a short quiz. Keep reading and post-it noting your novel. Focus on key scenes.

Tonight--Read Act 3, sc. 2, but mostly focus on Hamlet's 5th soliloquy, page 58. It's very short but notice the diction. What does it reveal about his current state of mind. Compare it to previous soliloquies especially the To be or not to be speech.

Read sce. 3 closely as this scene is pivotal to plot. Hamlet has a chance to kill Claudius but doesn't. Be prepared to discuss why he doesn't do it. Try to go beyond a Sparks notes analysis by making connections to previous scenes, looking for motifs, noticing syntax, diction and punctuation. Look for imagery.

The scene we will read and watch in class is called The Bedroom Scene, which is the climax of the play where Hamlet confronts his mother and the ghost returns!! (Scary sounds here).

Also, if you wish to have a better mark on the sol. 3 essay, please submit to me by Thurs.

One-to-one essay conferences. Please meet at the beginning of the period in the Eng. office.
Wed. Oct 26 Jen perioid 2 and PEter per. 4
Thurs period 1 and 5 are free
Friday Oct. 28 period 1 Hannah,
Monday period 4 is free
Tues. Nov. 1  period 1 Jonty and period 4 Zach

AP Lit Friday Oct. 20

I emailed you today's question based on your analysis of Hamlet's third soliloquy. Please email me your response by Sat. 3 p.m. Write with a specific purpose this time. I.E: I am writing to improve my sentence variety or to integrate and explain quotes more thoroughly or to finish in 65 minutes etc.

The previous Hamlet essay that I marked needs some attention as well. Read it over, compare it to the rubric, mark it and justify the mark. Hand those to me Monday, Oct. 24th.

We'll read Act 3, sc 1 and watch it on Monday. If you get a chance, read it before you arrive. If not, we'll be reading it together. It's brilliant.

Writing 12

Class is cancelled Friday but you have the assignment. Read the Shane Rhodes' pieces. In the first one, I edited out all the imagery. Look familiar? Most new writers do not write enough. They write the word love (and inside their heads an enormous scene is painted but unless they write it down, the reader has no idea what you mean when you write that word). This week's assignment is asking you to be specific. Use language in unique ways.

Have you all posted a prose poem on Edmodo? Please go in and read your peers' work and comment on the ones that use language in unique and imaginative ways. Be specific in your compliments.

TWO POEMS DUE TUESDAY. ANY STYLE. FOLLOW THE CRITERIA. IF YOU ARE HANDING IN YOUR SHORT POEMS, TWO SHORT POEMS EQUALS 1.

Short poems: Nov. 1 will be here soon. I'd like to see your drafts by WEd. Oct. 26th. Hand them in. Make sure they have titles.

HOMEWORK: Read modern poetry. Read the work of the poet you plan to present. The more you read, the more you train your eye, ear, heart. If you are in good imaginative shape, the poems will come. If not they hover and make you suffer!! AH it's a curse to be a writer but a blessing, too.

Lit 12

Today we wrote the Unit 1 test. Tomorrow's class is cancelled but you need to use the time for your Recitations. Good luck. Can't wait to hear them on Tues. period 4.

English 10 A

As I mark your paragraphs I realize that we need to establish our expectations for learning. Here are  a few tenets I believe create success in English. We'll discuss these next class. Please read them and tell me what you think.

         HOW TO BECOME A STRONGER ENGLISH STUDENT

• Give yourself a reason for what you are doing. For example, today, we were reading the two student stories in order to ensure that we understand the criteria for the stories we will write (due Oct. 28) Silent reading: My goal is two books a month, which is 30 pages a day. I need to arrive on time and get reading. I need to choose books that I can't wait to read.
• Don't ask your teacher for an answer. Ask your teacher to give you the steps you need to find the answer. Of course, the teacher knows the answer. Who cares about that? The important thing is to know how to learn. For example, today, how do we find theme? You need to make connections between the title, the opening, the conclusion,  or key passages. I call it the TICK steps: title, intro, conclusion, key passages. Focus on a few essential parts of the story so you can create a statement of theme. One thematic statement for "Hot Chocolate" could be: A simple cup of hot chocolate becomes the catalyst for a mother and a son to realize they love each other-- when they stop treating each other like mother and son and start treating one another like human beings, communication and connection occur.
• Take time to review. Before you hand in an assignment, check and re-check the criteria. To not do so is like showing up to play golf with a baseball bat and glove. You will not succeed at golf without the proper equipment, training and practice, right? To write a literary paragraph, you need to memorize and use the literary must-haves, and what you have learned so far about the strengths and weaknesses of your writing. You cannot expect different results if you keep making the same mistakes.
• Know that change takes time. Assessments are feedback, essential coaching. Studies show that students need a lot of feedback and they need it often. We have to be reminded of what is possible and we have to believe in ourselves. Revising our writing is what professional writers do.
• We don't do any stupid assignments in English 10 A. Remember?

HOW ARE YOUR LITERACY PROJECTS GOING? BE SURE TO CHECK IN WITH YOUR PARTNERS AND REPORT BACK.

Homework: Finish making notes on the two stories. The point here is to teach yourself about the components of modern fiction written by teens. What are they doing well? What can you imitate? What can you do better? Read The Claremont Review, Canada's only literay magazine for teen writers. What is getting published? Why?  

Start your short story. You can use the pieces you have started in your journal or you can start over. You can use the ideas on the short story assignment sheet. Lots of ideas. Best not to stare at a blank page. Look out the window or listen to music or describe an object, anything to start the imagination.

Enjoy.
See you Monday. Be prepared to articulate what you have learned from the stories in Naming the Baby.

English 10 A

Today we presented recitations. Everyone has now posted their book response on Shelfari and responded to at least two posts.

Post new books under the October group discussion. Keep reading. See if you can read more this month than last month. Bonus!!

Lit 12

Wonderful review work today. You certainly are prepared for our unit test, Thursday. I sent you the practice test via email and included the answer key. Try to predict what the paragraph topics will be so that you can memorize a few key quotes in order to support your opinions in the most insightful manner possible. However, you will not be penalized for not using quotes as long as you provide suffiencent examples (paraphrases) to support your insights.

If you are absent for the test, I need an email from your parents or house parents. Without a legitimate reason, you may not be able to have a second opportunity.

Memorize the literary must-haves. Double space and write in ink.

You may bring a laptop to write the paragraph.

RECITATION PRESENTATIONS MONDAY. IF YOU NEED AN EXTENSION LET ME KNOW TODAY. IF YOU ARE ABSENT YOU WILL NEED A DOCTOR'S NOTE. FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL. HOW DO YOU LIKE MY APHORISM?

I'm very proud of what you have accomplished during unit one. Well done. If you wish to rewrite your Beowulf or Chaucer paragraphs, please hand those new drafts stapled to the originals by Monday.

Friday, Oct. 21: Class is cancelled due to Ms. Stenson's absence. Practice with a friend. Be ready to delight and entertain the class with your superb rendering of your chosen piece.

Writing 12

We had an opportunity to read a number of prose poems and to write three of our own. Please post the best of your own prose poems on Edmodo by Wed. We're in the language lab Wed. I'll meet you there.

You need to create 2 short poems for the art class by Nov 1. These poems must be filled with imagery so that the artist can get inspired to create a painting. Your poem and the art will be on display at Eclectic Gallery in Oak Bay in Jan.

To ensure you are prepared for this deadline, write, write, write. Re-read the short poems on the handout I gave you and on Edmodo. I'd like to see what you have written early next week so I can give you feedback. Let me see two short poems by Tues. Oct. 25

If you are planning to submit the short ones for marks on day 1 (2 short poems = 1 for marks)

I'm in Van. Friday so  class is cancelled. I will give you your assignment on Wed.

However, since Friday is day 1, I'll collect your two poems on Tuesday. (Since you've had extra time, I suspect you'll make time to edit them and to check their attributes against the criteria for the course, right? What criteria, you may ask?

For now, concentrate on clarity and fresh language. Push your poems to show people in action. Add specific references to modern places, things, concepts, brand names, etc. and /or use research in your poems. Never sit and stare at a blank page. Have magazines, poetry books, picture books, music, and your writing journals around you to inspire your imagination. Play. Play. Play. Use the techniques we have been practicing during class.

AP Lit

Oh the wail of a first period class. Thank you all for being somewhat awake. We covered a lot of material as usual. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the class compositions and took notes on how to improve. We marked the multiple choice test and tried to analyze what the question is actually asking (what skill) and how to approach it. Be sure to get the notes if you were absent. Ask a friend. We took notes on Prryhus and the Pyrrhic victory. Ask for the handout. Be sure to know these terms. What does the Lethe river represent?

Finally, we discussed Act 2. What is the purpose of a second act? What complications are revealed? How is Ophelia treated in scene 1? Why? What is revealed about Hamlet in Act 2? How is it revealed? His character is revealed through other people's descriptions, via similarities to a ghost, through diction, syntax, imagery,  through letters, through his fishmonger speech and its juxtaposition to his discussions with his friends, through is heartfelt confessions to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, through his interactions with the players and finally through his soliloquy.




Homework: Recitations: Present Wed. Oct. 19

                    Hamlet compositions: Take the essay that you wrote in class last Friday and using the rubrics that I handed out or the ones you already have, mark the essay out of 9. Pretend it is someone else's essay, i.e. you will highlight the passages that work well and explain which passages do not work well. You must justify your mark. Next week, you will sign up for a consultation with me to discuss your essay. Don't worry if it is not finished. Mark it as if it is finished. For example, if it is B quality all the way through, assume, had you finished it, B would remain.

                   Thurs. Oct. 20: Class cancelled as I'm away at the Writers' Fest. You will be given your assignment Wed. The assignment is another composition. This time it will be on Hamlet's third soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 2. You've already made notes on it. Focus on one or two of your writing weaknesses (If you were absent, borrow the list. We wrote down a list of strengths and weaknesses on the board). THIS ESSAY IS DUE SAT. AFTERNOON BY 3 P.M. NO LATES. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS DEADLINE, YOU NEED TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION WELL BEFORE SAT. AND YOU WILL NEED A REALLY GOOD REASON.

Keep reading your novels and marking key passages that you may wish to use on your in-class essay. The quotation log is worth 100 marks. Have a look at your handout and if you need clarification, be sure to ask for assistance.

We'll watch parts of Act 3 next Monday.

Read Act 3 Scene 1 (it's called the Nunnery Scene) and is one of the most poignant scenes in the play. Take note of Ophelia's soliloquy (153-163)  and what it reveals about herself and about Hamlet. This scene is not very long but reading and annotating it before we meet will help your analysis of the film.
Thanks.

English 10

We meet in the theatre today. Hand me your "Haunted House" paragraphs, unless you asked for an extension then you will hand it in or email it by the deadline we arranged.

This weekend: Recitations. Use what you learned from Dave Morris' workshop, plus from the practice sessions last year to do your best on Monday.

Will any of you be away on the eco trip? If so, let me know as you will need to ask for an extension.
Thanks.

Lit 12

We read "Bonny Barbara Allan" today and took notes on the ballad form. I handed out a review package on unit one. Complete the package for Tuesday as well as the practice test which I posted on a previous blog post. We will do review activities and quizzes Tuesday. If you were away, pick up the package Monday morning or get it from a friend.
Prepare for Tuesday's test in a number of ways:

Paragraph writing: Study the literary must-haves list. Practice creating strong thesis statements. Review how to cite. Be sure to use transitions between points. Remember to explain how each piece of evidence proves your thesis. Double space and use ink.

Content: Know author, title and how to cite. Know the plots, themes, characters, symbols and how they reflect the medieval era. Review your historical notes. Flashcards work well.

Literary Techniques: Be able to define and explain the usage of the following terms:
epic poem
kenning
alliteration
heroic tradition
chivalry
frame tale
satire: hyperbole, wit, understatement, sarcasm and irony
3 types of irony: dramatic, verbal and situational
heroic couplet: rhymed iambic pentametre
iamb: two syllables with the second syllable stressed
pentametre: 10 beats in the line
imagery
prologue
pathetic fallacy
aphorism
point of view
foreshadowing
elevated diction
colloquial diction
symbol
strophe
bob
wheel
caesura

Vocabulary:
stoic, stoicism
altruistic, altruism
fatalist, fatalistic, fatalism
pagan
scop
chivalry, chivalrous

Writing 12

Wonderful presentation, Gabe and Ariel. You have set the bar high and I thank you for that.
If you have not yet submitted a poem to edmodo do so today and please try to respond to some of the poems on there.
What makes a good poem?
Impossible to answer BUT find out what is getting published today and why? Read The Claremont Review, Read The Malahat Review. Both literary magazines are in the library. Bring a copy with you to class next day.
What we are looking for in our poems--
Surprise--get your characters doing things, show us the world you create in great detail
Language--play with words--succulent stones Trust your images
Craft--sound, line break, titles, literary techniques
So what? -- invite us to feel, think, be moved by your work
Context--where are we, why, put in names of places, things, product names,

YOU NEED TO BE READING GOOD MODERN POEMS DAILY, PLEASE.

Lit 12 Oct 12

Sorry, this blog is a little late. If you were away yesterday, please read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which begins on page 89. Take notes on the Medieval Romance genre, and predict what you think Gawain will learn before he begins his quest. When you return to class, be sure to get the notes on
strophe, bob, wheel, etc I also handed out a creative project list of activities. Choose one from the list below or create one of your own. Ask me for a copy of the handout when next we meet. This project is due Nov. 3. Before you begin, be sure that you understand all of the criteria, as that is how the project will be assessed.
Dates to Remember:
Test: Oct. 20 (Complete the practice test so you are familiar with the format. Study as the test is content based and you will be writing a paragraph as well).
Recitation Practice Oct 21 (Ms. Stenson is away so class is cancelled)
Recitation Presentations (15% of first term grade) Oct. 24 (Monday, period 4) No lates accepted. If you cannot make this date, see me well in advance. If you are ill, be sure to have a note to explain the absence.
FRIDAY OCT. 14 LUNCH AND PERIOD 4 Dave Morris Slam Champ in the theatre. Workshop in period four is a must-see for all students new to SMUS. Students who take the time to attend these events will be compensated.

UNIT ONE: CREATIVE PROJECT IDEAS

CHOOSE ONE FROM THE LIST BELOW OR PRESENT YOUR OWN IDEA TO THE TEACHER FOR APPROVAL.

1.       CREATIVE WRITING: Use any character from the literature studied so far and create a 500 to 750 word subsequent adventure ( a scene, an alternate ending, another pilgrim, a new challenge for Sir Gawain, a new ballad, a set of poems that reflect Anglo-Saxon elements or satirical elements.

2.       TECHNO FUN: Create a facebook page or a blog or twitter account or a film for youtube ,  for a character and create friends or followers and links etc  that reveals your understanding of the era.

3.       ART: Design a beautiful book cover, poster or collage to suit a work.

4.       RESEARCH: Take an aspect of the culture (food, art, philosophy, politics, myths, medicine, language etc) that you wish to learn more about. Turn your new-found knowledge into a project of some sort: recipe book, art work, report, Ted talk, power point, etc. Be sure to include a bibliography.

5.       BIOGRAPHY: Create a resume and cover letter or university application (entrance essay) for a character. Include all the characteristics you’ve learned about: experience, education, proof of loyalty, altruism, honour, fate etc.

6.       LITERARY TERMS: This course consists of numerous literary terms. Create a project that helps you to learn, remember, utilize and appreciate the terms form this unit. Flash cards, rhymes, power point, skit, youtube, fortune cookies. Be creative.

7.       OTHER: LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND.

CRITERIA:

1.       THE PROJECT USES KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORK IN A CREATIVE WAY AND ADDS TO OUR UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OR THE ERA.

2.       IT IS DONE WITH CARE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

3.       YOU ARE PROUD OF YOUR TOPIC AND WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.

4.       YOU CAN EASILY EXPLAIN YOUR RATIONALE FOR THE PROJECT AND HOW OUR APRECIATION OF YOUR PROJECT WILL HELP US LEARN.

5.       THE PROJECT IS IMPRESSIVE. YOU ARE PROUD OF IT.

6.       THE PROJECT HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND, APPRECIATE AND REMEMBER THE WORKS STUDIED IN UNIT ONE

English 10 A

Excellent work today despite the wasp and the spider. Insects love stories, too! We didn't kill the spider or the wasp.

Have a look at the suggestions I made on the scenes you wrote about the two people in the car. The task here was to reveal their characters and conflicts indirectly using any number of methods we have been studying: diction, strong verbs, action, symbols, settings, contrast, allusion, what other characters say, etc. Many of you aced this assignment. For those of you who are still exercising your creative muscles, you will need to email me a new copy by Friday.

Today's class--we reviewed analogy and how it also works not only to reveal character but to add depth to a story to elucidate its theme indirectly. We highlighted the key parts of analogy in the story, "Haunted House". The paragraph on this story is due Friday. We are in the theatre for Friday's class and you are not required to bring books. Consequently, you may email me a copy or if you are handwriting a copy, hand me your paragraph at the beginning of period 4.

Since we are attending the workshop, you must attend the noon hour presentation. If you must miss it due to a prior commitment, google Dave Morris and listen to his poems on his website. There might be a few on youtube, too.

RECITATIONS TUES. OCT 18
SHELFARI DUE SUNDAY OCT 16

PRIORIZE YOUR WORK. IF YOU NEED EXTENSIONS, SEE ME WELL IN ADVANCE OF DEADLINES.
GREAT WORK TODAY.

Writing 12

We had a small group of grade 12s today because all the 11s were writing the PSAT. Hope it went well. We focused on the "short poem" today. Please pick up the handout from me before you leave today. Thanks. We stood in front of one of the fabulous posters in room 233 and wrote 3, 4 line poems on the same picture. They worked so well but we read and discussed how short poems work, first. You missed that so find someone in the class to discuss the form with. We read them aloud and they were so good because they are concise descriptions which do not editorialize or preach! Yay to the short poem. Remember, you need two really concrete short poems to submit to the art class by Nov. 1. If you decide to submit them to me for marks as well--2 short poems equal 1 poem for marks.

I'm doing interim reports this week and all of you get As. Well done!

Don't forget to submit the Patrick Lane responses via email. They are now officially LATE!!

Post a short poem on Edmodo today and please read the other postings. If you can respond to a poem on Edmodo, too, that would be wonderful.

Next, I introduced the technique called anaphora--google it.

We wrote 5 descriptions of action similar to yesterday's exercise but using the pronoun I.
For example: I jumped up and down on one leg because the bus was late.
                      I reached for the candle and accidentally touched the light but did not burn.
                      I am afraid of birds, coffee, and you. That is why I run.

Choose one of the phrases below or make up your own. Add the phrase to each one of your five descriptions:

When you kissed me . . . I . . .  ( You may try variations on the verb tense as well).
When you left . . . I  . . .
When the dog barked . . . I . . .
When the bell rang . . . I . . .
When you crossed the street . . .

When you kissed me I was afraid of birds, coffee, and you. That is why I ran.
When you kissed me, I reached for the candle and accidentally touched the light. Did not burn.
When you kissed me, ....getting the idea

One other neat thing that we did today was think of weird tidbits of esoteric knowledge we may have garnered in a class this year

Ask Liam and Sena to share their bits. These make fascinating parts to a poem
ie when you fold a piece of paper a hundred times . . .
or when you look at the sun . . .
If you don't have scientific or historical tidbits at your fingertips, look it up.... What fun poetry is.
Toodles.

Writing 12

Day 5: Ariel and Gabe present the poet, Anne Carson.
Day 4: Please post a short but wonderful (concrete) poem on edmodo.
Friday: Come to the theatre at lunch to watch Dave Morris, Can. Slam Champ

Short Poems: We need to create two pieces each for the art class. They will create a piece of art inspired by your poem. The poems and the art work will be displayed at Eclectic Gallery in Oak Bay for a week in January. There will be an opening with writers and artists in attendance. Due Nov. 1. Make sure you get me to edit them before we submit them to the art class.

Homework:

Read poetry every day. Train your eye and your ear. Read poems you love. Read poems that startle, challenge, enliven you. Read poems that you do not understand. Ask yourself--what is the poet doing? Why are the lines broken here?

Focus on being more specific in your writing. There is no room in poetry for abstract, vague lines such as despair and hostility or anguish or sad etc. How can you show sad? What does despair eat for dinner? Who loves anguish? Where do you take anguish on a first date?

Push yourself to use language in fresh ways. Cut hot sun, loyal dog, tears rolling etc as we've heard these expressions a thousand times.

Stay with each word as you write. Don't get ahead of yourself. When you are thinking about the next line, you make a mess of the line you are on because you lose focus.

It's a good idea to build on an idea from the first line of the poem. If you describe the bus stop as a glass jar, the way Gabe did today, you can have images throughout the poem that come from glass, or jars. Try it. See what happens.

PATRICK LANE RESPONSES DUE TONIGHT BY 9. EMAIL ONLY, PLEASE.

AP Lit

Despite the groggy-eyed, 80s-attired distractions, we managed to get through most of the film version of Act 1. I stopped the film during key scenes to discuss the following:
How does scene 1 prepare us to meet Hamlet?
What attitudes toward love are revealed in Act 1?
What is the view of passion versus reason? How do you know?
Has Hamlet seduced Ophelia in the same way that Claudius has seduced Gertrude? What say you?
How is Horatio's "mote in the eye" motif revealed for each character? What is Hamlet's mote? Gertrude's? etc
Re-read the ghost's recollection of his poisoning scene 5. Who else has been "poisoned" so far? How? Why are the ghost's sins still blossoming? What does the fact that he is in purgatory suggest about him? We thought he was a great and noble king? Is he a sinner, too?
How does Act 1 set the major themes, attitudes, conflicts and motifs to support the subsequent scenes?

Be sure to be able to answer all of the above questions. Support your answers with evidence from the text.

Homework: Make sure you've completed the homework from last Thurs. Oct. 6. Check the blog.
Tonight: Read and post-it note your novel. Have a theme that you are searching for that can be narrowed down to a thesis for an in-class essay in Nov.
Complete the short multiple-choice (AP Lit style) Hamlet quiz.
Recitations: Please attend the spoken word event in the theatre at lunch this Friday, Oct. 14, with slam poet Can. champ--Dave Morris. If you'd like to attend his workshop in period 4, email me or let me know and I will register you. Get permission from your period 4 teacher.

Please bring a notebook to class so that you can take notes, answer questions, write longer reponses than you can in the text. Thanks.

English 10 A

A number of students were away and a number of students had to leave early today but despite the disruptions we managed to do a lot of work.

1. Before I collected the creative writing scenes, I had each student highlight the examples of indirect presentation of the character. How are you showing the character's traits through dialogue, action, symbol, setting, diction or what other characters say? If you were absent today, highlight the examples and above the highlight, write in which technique you were applying. I collected the work. Get me your work Tuesday please if you were absent today.

2. We reviewed the Orpheus charts and worked in pairs to add three more examples of indirect presentation and what it revealed about the characters. Next, we chose either Jake or his father and wrote an evocative but provable thesis about the character. If you were absent, please add three more examples and create a thesis.

3. Next, I read aloud a sample of a modern short story called "Want to Play House," by Canadian author, Leon Rooke. We wrote a 100 to 200 word response in our creative writing journals. If you were absent, pick up the story from my desk in room 233 on Tuesday so that you'll be prepared to discuss it on Wed. Make sure you write a journal entry as well. I have emailed you the details of the journal entry.

4. Lastly, we had 15 minutes to read our wonderful novels. Ideally, you will find a lot of time to read this weekend and add your review to Shelfari.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Lit 12

Today, we completed our literary paragraph on what Chaucer values and explained which satirical elements helped to reveal these values.

This week review what we have done so far in order to prepare for your test Oct. 20.

Fri. Oct. 21--I'll be in Vancouver. No need to come to class as this period is your opportunity to prepare for the recitations which will be presented in class Oct. 24.

We have "The Pardoner's Tale," "Bonny Barbara Ann," and an excerpt from "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" to complete before the unit test. We will be ready. Below is a practice test. Your unit test will consist of 25 multiple choice questions testing literary terms, knowledge of character, plot and theme, identifying key pilgrims, and character traits. The second section is a paragraph. There will be five topics. You choose one topic and choose examples from any of the works studied in class in order to answer the paragraph. You must complete the time in the 65 minutes but if you are prepared, you will have ample time.

Unit One Practice Test

Section 1: Multiple Choice

1. Why are Beowulf’s followers unable to harm Grendel?

A. They are badly wounded.

B. They lack sufficient courage.

C. Grendel proves too powerful.

D. Grendel has put a spell on their weapons.

2. In “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales, which word best describes the Reeve?

A. lazy

B. witty

C. deceptive

D. honourable

3. In Beowulf, why does Beowulf choose to fight Grendel with his bare hands?

A. Grendel fights without weapons.

B. Beowulf’s weapon is bewitched.

C. God has commanded that he do so.

D. King Hrothgar has challenged Beowulf to fight unarmed.

4. The Parson is most critical of the

A. poor.

B. sinful.

C. wealthy.

D. obstinate.

5. What is Gawain’s response after the Green Knight’s revelations?

A. He laughs heartily and thanks God for his delivery.

B. He blushes in shame and throws the belt to the Knight.

C. He thanks the Knight courteously and rides back to Camelot.

D. He flushes with anger and strikes at the Knight with his sword.

6. In “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales, how is the Parson described?

A. “a very festive fellow”

B. “a fat and personable priest”

C. “rich in holy thought and work”

D. “an easy man in penance-giving”

7. Which of the traits listed below best represent Anglo-Saxon heroic values?

A. loyalty to the land and boasting

B. loyalty to king and receiver of king’s gratitude

C. courtesy, valor, cowardice

D. courtesy, misgivings, bravery

8. Which two literary elements are essential to Anglo-Saxon poetry?

A. caesura and allusion

B. alliteration and kennings

C. alliteration and allusion

D. caesura and rhyme

9. “. . . spoke daintily in French, extremely,

        After the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe;

        French in the Paris style she did not know.”

A. Wife of Bath

B. Squire

C. Knight

D. Nun

Section 2: Matching

Match the key trait or description with each pilgrim:

1. Knight                                    a. a noble pillar to his Order
2. Squire                                     b. noble varlet
3. Nun                                        c. deceptive
4. Monk                                     d. big in brawn and bone
5. Friar                                        e. chivalrous and courteous
6. Doctor                                    f. fatherly and pure
7. Wife of Bath                        g. hose were of the finest scarlet red
8. Parson                                    h. takes a cut from the apothecaries
9. Plowman                               i. effeminate
10. Miller                                      j. his prominent eyeballs never seemed to settle
11. Reeve                                     k. thinks highly of herself
12. Summoner                            l. an honourable worker    
13. Pardoner                                m. as thin as his horse
14. Oxford Cleric                        l. vain

Section 3: Definitions

Define the terms below:

1. caesura
2. kenning
3. epic poem
4. heroic tradition
5. chivalry
6. bob
7. wheel
8. ballad
9. reverdi
10. morality play
11. satire
12. alliteration
13. romance tale

Section 4: Literary Paragraph 300 word minimum. Follow literary must-haves list. Marks awarded for the examples you choose, how well they are explained and cited, effective vocabulary, sentence structure variety, logical development, transitions, insight, and style.  48 marks 6 X 8

Choose one question from the list below.

1. Beowulf is an example of an epic poem. Explain.
2. Most religious figures Chaucer represents in The Canterbury Tales all deviate in one way or another from what was traditionally expected of them.
3. Setting is used effectively to reveal theme in Beowulf and in “The Pardoner’s Tale.”
4. Writers often use satire in order to poke fun at religious or political figures.

AP Lit

Please finish reading Act 1. Make notes on Hamlet's soliloquy two in Act 1 Sc. 5 Lines 91 to 111.

Keep looking for the motifs that we uncovered in soliloquy one. Pay particular attention to the mood in this piece.

Read as much of your novel as possible.

Writing 12

Patrick Lane responses (follow the Larissa Horlor sample in your notebooks) is due Tues. Oct. 11 period 3 or by the end of the day Tuesday. Email is fine. I want to read what you learn about writing from Patrick's presentation and how you plan to use the information in your own creative endeavours.

Also: Mark Nov. 9th on your calendars--The Claremont Review is celebrating 20 years and launching the 40th issue in the Copeland Theatre, 7 to 9 p.m. I expect you all to be there unless you are already booked with another SMUS activity.

Remember to post a great poem in Edmodo on day 4.

Thanks!

It will be fun and there will be lots to eat.

Lit 12

Work on organizing your thoughts and perfecting the thesis for the following question (we'll write the paragraph in class--if you do really well in class, you will not have to re-write it)

In a literary paragraph of min. 300 words, discuss what Chaucer values. Include in your discussion which satirical devices effectively reveal these values. Some of the values we discussed are honesty, courage, kindness, humility, morality, service, hard work, equality, fairness, respect and truth. Choose one or two only. Focus on the best examples you can find to prove your thesis.

Tonight: Read "The Pardoner's Tale" and post-it note three strong examples of irony. You may choose dramatic irony, situational irony or verbal irony.

In class tomorrow for the paragraph, you may use your text, your notes, your literary must-haves list, a thesaurus.

Lit 12

Excellent work today! You read and infer so well. I look forward to seeing how far you get tonight. Read and make notes on the next few characters (refer to your core list) and we'll finish them off in class tomorrow and begin our next literary paragraph. Congrats on the last batch of paragraphs. Exquisitely done. Accomplished, personal, scholarly--brilliant!

Also, keep in mind that you need to prepare for recitations. If you need help, ask. If you are good at recitations, please offer to help. We have a lot of new students at SMUS this year and they may not be familiar with this tradition.

AP Lit

Read Hamlet's first soliloquy carefully. Be prepared to present answers to the following question:

How is Hamlet's character revealed through literary devices such as syntax, punctuation, diction, shifts in mood, imagery or symbolism? Be sure to find strong adjectives to describe Hamlet and infer what the literary device offers. It's great to point out the literary device but at this level you must also evaluate its effectiveness.

Great class today.

If you were away, be sure to get the notes. Take good notes during class so that you build your analytical skills and note-taking skills.

Homework: above plus bring the book to class that you are reading for term one's supplemental reading text.

English 10A

Great work today. I enjoyed reading your first literary paragraphs and offering a few ideas to improve.
If you have been asked to re-submit your paragraph, please hand it to me on Thursday.

We created blue writing portfolios to keep track of the changes you are making in your writing, your spelling demons' page, your independent corrections sheet, etc. If you were absent, please set up your portfolio file in class next day.

Shelfari responses for your first book are due Oct. 16. Please ensure that they are posted in the 10A group.

Recitation performances are due Oct. 18th. Remember to come to the Copeland Theatre Oct. 14th at lunch and then we'll stay there for period 4 for the seminar with Slam Poetry Champion Dave Morris.

Homework:

We'll go over your fantastic charts on Orpheus next day.

Due: The 500 word creative writing practice. Create a scene with two characters who have a "lame" conflict on the surface but it is obvious that there are deeper regrets or motivations under the surface. Use all of the techniques we've been learning in your scene:
dialogue, interior monologue, revealing characters indirectily: symbols, descriptions of setting, objects, weather, diction, action and what other characters say or how other characters react to your character.
Have the characters pull in to a restaurant, park, town, street of some kind so that descriptions of the setting can heighten our understanding of the characters.

Look forward to hearing what you create.

Double space it. Put it on a separate piece of paper outside of your journal. You may type it if you like.

AP Lit

Good to see that you are all reading this blog on a daily basis. If you are arriving to class without homework completed, this blog will save you!!

We reviewed the criteria, read an American sample, and three of our own samples, regarding the Johnny Get Your Gun novel excerpt. We agreed to work toward improving our perceptions of the works, organizing our thoughts better, write shorter, more precise introductions, and substantiating / explaining our insights clearly. You are welcome to re-write this assignment. Let me know soon.

We also reviewed the supplementary reading lists for AP Lit. You must complete a 10 passage assessment for each work on a specified topic of your choice. From this analysis, you will create a thesis statement and write a thorough in-class essay. You may bring your quotation log and your introduction to class. The first one is due Nov. 21. No late work accepted. If you are absent, please provide an excellent reason. I will try to book a computer lab for that date so that you can type your essay.

We started Hamlet today. I implored you to treat this unit with the respect it deserves and to try to remove any obsessions with marks. Perfect attendance is key during this unit. The homework will be reading your novel. Read the novels with a highlighter (if you own the book) or with post-it notes so that I can do periodic checks to see what you are choosing to highlight. I can show you my copy of Joyce's Portrait . . . to give you an idea of an academic reading of a novel. It is a great idea to read the same novel as someone else in the class so that you can have weekly discussions.

Recitations: Must be ready to perform in class, Oct. 19. Please offer Hannah any great SMUS advice.

Who's there? Nay, answer me! We have a lot to discuss.
Have a great night.
Show me the novel/play you are planning to read this term on Thurs. Oct 6 .
These three assignments are the minimum. I suggest that you read as many books on the list as possible so that you will have a lot of flexibility for the final open-ended exam question.

Writing 12

We met in the language lab today to write/edit/create. We have Patrick Lane visiting on Wed. See notes below. Since we have a visitor, I will collect your two poems at the end of the class. Don't let me forget!! Make sure they are typed, titled, and have your first and last name near the top. Thanks.

VISITING AUTHOR EXPECTATIONS

Wed. Oct. 5^th in period 5, we have the good fortune to have Patrick Lane visit our class.

The purpose of these visits are to expose you to the best writers in the country so that you begin to make connections, introduce yourself after the reading, network, get inspired, buy their books, find out who influenced them, what they are reading, how they edit, does writers’ block exist, how do you get published etc.

Expectations for the Writing 12 Students:

·        

A    Arrive on time.

·         Take notes. (You need to include quotations in your response).

·         Engage the visitor and make him or her feel welcome.                                                                                                         Let the author know that you appreciate their valuable time.

·         Body language: please sit up, look at the author, listen, laugh, cry, etc at appropriate intervals. Don’t sit there like sticks. Don’t fall asleep. Don’t put your head on your desk or eat while the writer is reading. ETC.

·        Make sure you have read at least 5 poems, (Google Patrick Lane) so that you can have a serious discussion with him.

·        Finally, having authors visit our class is an essential part of the learning we’ll do this year. It’s an incredible privilege as these authors respect you and your intention to learn the craft. They will not treat you like students. They will treat you like writers and that kind of respect is something you need to cheer yourself on when the blank page feels ominous and overwhelming.

Response to the Visiting Writers: /20

1.      You have a handout entitled Larissa Horlor. You may use that response as a model. These responses may be informally written (but edited properly) but should use specific detail from the reading (including quotations) and offer your opinion of how what you heard will influence you as a writer. / 10

2.      You also are marked on you performance during the class. Are you listening, offering responses or asking questions. Are you questions interesting? Are you questions based on what you are hearing or on what you have already read? Are you questions helpful for us as writers? Are you really listening? Are you looking at the writer? Smiling now and then? Laughing or commenting on the readings? / 10 If you are absent for one of our visiting writer presentations, you must attend an extra literary event outside of class within two weeks of the initial deadline. Thanks. 

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