English 10: Read chapters 5, 6, and 7 for Monday

As you read the three chapters, be sure to have your post-it notes handy so that you can find key passages that answer our three questions:
Who breaks the rules and why . . .
Who lets them break the rules . . .
Who makes the rules . . .

How do we eradicate ignorance boys and girls?Feel free to read ahead, especially if you have a busy week next week.

If you were absent Friday, you need to write a paragraph on chapters 1 to 4. Choose either 1 or two below:

Compare and contrast the Ewell family to the Cunningham family.

or

Atticus says, " ' You never really understand a person until you consider things fro his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it ' " (30). Discuss the examples of lack of empathy and / or  understanding that has been revealed in the first four chapters. 

Be sure to use your literary must-haves sheet, follow our template, use the how to cite sheet, our transitions examples, strong verbs and sentence variety.

English 11: How to edit a literary paragraph for basic yet key structural elements . . .

Today, we edited the paragraphs and re-wrote them with a focus on structure, style and insight. Be sure to get the notes from a peer if you were absent today.

I collected the USSR forms for October and any essays and quotation logs from students who had extensions.

Monday: Vocabulary Test on words 26 to embodiment and words 1 and 2

I will be away tomorrow but Ms. Moray will be here. Please treat her as a guest in our room and show her the routines. Arrive on time and start USSR immediately, please.

We will be reading the story, "The Sound of the Hollyhocks" by Hugh Garner, page 7. You will be asked to read the story slowly, using post-it notes, to find quotations which help to explain the importance of the title. This question will challenge you. You will need to find motif, symbol, changes in diction, pathetic fallacy, dramatic irony, changes in tone, sentence variety etc as an author's techniques reveal theme and character.

What is the sound of a daffodil? A violet? A crocus? A tulip? A hollyhock?

There are some direct discussions of the hollyhocks in the story but you will find your reasons elsewhere. Who is the hollyhock? What is his sound? Who listened? Who did not?

Be prepared to discuss and write about your discoveries on Monday. You will need to have the key quotations already highlighted with a post-it note. There will not be time to re-read the entire story.
Have a good weekend. Study your vocabulary.

Writing 12: Two new poems due tomorrow . . .

Also, if you have not yet submitted your Patrick Lane response, please hand it in tomorrow. Last day to do so. Please be sure that you have checked the marks and that they are accurate.

Manuscript is due next Thursday. You have 10+ poems due. Plan to spend an hour per poem. You will have time during class 3+ hours and 7 hours of homework over the next seven days. Do one poem per night.

If you plan to submit new poems in the manuscript, I need to have seen them and edited them before hand. No poems from English 10 or 11, please. Focus on the exercises or brand new poems for this year.

Hand these in before Tuesday in order to have them edited and returned to you by Wednesday.

We are in the lab on Monday and Wednesday next week.
Tuesday (Sage and Gabe) and Thursday, (Allie and Kaiti) we have student presentations.

We start fiction Nov. 12th. Amy and Tavin, I have you down for poetry on the 13th. Is that correct?

English 10: USSR forms collected, Vocab test 1-30

 If you are not pleased with your short story test mark, you may do a re-test this Wed. after school. You need to let me know by Monday if you wish to re-write the test and fill out a form so that I can give the E.A. a copy of the test for you. It will be a new story and a new question but the same criteria apply. You may want to come in for extra help and re-do your current paragraph before attempting this next test.

HOW DO WE ERADICATE IGNORANCE? This question should guide the reading of the novel. You will be writing an essay on this topic once we finish reading and discussing the novel.

You will need a lot of post-it notes to keep key quotations fresh in your mind.

Post-it note each time you find an example of any of the following: 

1. People who break rules and why . . . 
2. Reasons why they get away with it . . . 
3. Who makes the rules . . . 

Read chapters 3 and 4. Post-it note all of the above circumstances. Also, if you come across a word or acronym (entailment or WPA), look them up. 

English 11: Be sure to finish the paragraph . . .

Today: I collected the essay and the quotation log. 

Tomorrow: Please submit all your USSR forms. 

See yesterday's blog to help answer the question below. Memorize the definitions of

pathetic fallacy

motif

incongruence

diction

symbol

allusion Here is a link to the allusion The Thinker Rodin's sculpture

 

 

Discuss the influence parents can have on their children by referring to Teddy and his aunt and uncle. In your answer discuss how the use of literary techniques such as motif, incongruence, diction, setting, dialogue, allusion, or symbols promote our understanding of this character.

In the story, "The Fall of a City" by Alden Nowlan, the use of diction, allusion, and setting elucidate the relationship between Teddy and his caregivers; without positive role models, a child may never reach his potential and parents can  completely hinder a child's development.

English 10: Vocabulary Test and USSR forms due tomorrow . ..

Today I collected the short stories. We reviewed all 30 words.

We discussed the setting of Maycomb and the characters of the three children, Jem, Scout and Dill.

HOW DO WE ERADICATE IGNORANCE? This question should guide the reading of the novel. You will be writing an essay on this topic once we finish reading and discussing the novel.

You will need a lot of post-it notes to keep key quotations fresh in your mind.

Post-it note each time you find an example of any of the following: 

1. People who break rules and why . . . 
2. Reasons why they get away with it . . . 
3. Who makes the rules . . .

We finished reading chapter one during class. Read chapter two tonight.

Writing 12: a speech by Patrick Lane

Before you write your response to Patrick Lane, watch this link to the graduates at UBC Okanagan 2013. Patrick Lane's speech to the graduates

Tomorrow: Meet in the computer lab. If you need to eat a snack, arrive, start your computer, get settled and then go out into the hall to eat.

Friday: Two new poems due . . .

Remember: No new poems in the manuscript unless I have seen them. Please do not include work from grade 9, 10, or 11 English classes. I want to see new work that matches the criteria for the course. Yay.

Writing 12: Patrick Lane is coming . . .

If you were absent today, you need to show me your copy of the Susan Mitchell poem imitation which was due today and you need to do the two exercises from Erin and Anne's presentation.

We also workshopped our poems today so be sure to connect with your group.
If you need more time to complete the workshop, you may use the beginning of Thursday's class.

Two new, typed poems due Friday.

Tomorrow: Patrick Lane. Be sure to visit his site www.patricklane.ca

I'm looking forward to hearing your questions.

Patrick Lane response is due Thursday (Friday at the latest).

English 11: Essay and peer-edited draft and the quote log are due tomorrow . . .

If you were absent today, go to the Learning Commons and sign out a copy of our short story text, Tigers in the Snow. Read the story on page 41 by Alden Nowlan.

Reading Like a Writer:

How do authors reveal character:
Through
setting: attic: educated, imaginative (attic is the brain, he is above the adults) kitchen cuts off his imagination because his parents are on a different level. The kitchen represents his parents. They cut off his imagination. Eating is a primitive act. Survival act. Setting reveals character quickly.
dialogue: Teddy lowers his diction when speaking to his aunt and uncle. There is an incongruence between his imaginative world and his real world. He prefers his imagination. He feels he is better than them even though he appreciates their kindness because their lack of interest in the imagination frustrates him.
interactions with other characters: The way he interacts with his uncle(small fists, hostile language, saucy). He wants to fit in. He is self-conscious. His imagination (in the attic is private)
incongruence: a gap (unexpected or unexplained distance between characters or a character's actions) Ex. Teddy's diction changes
diction:  WORD CHOICE
symbols (red, raw hands) shows that the aunt is a labourer so she is uneducated. Teddy is in school so he thinks he is above them.
pathetic fallacy --it shows the mood through weather of the main character
motif--a theme (symbol) repeated throughout bestial theme, rain, kingdom
dramatic irony: the audience knows something the character doesn't
allusion: a reference to something well known--historical, literary, sports figures, pop culture, music, art

Review all of the above.
Who is Alice Munro? Canada's first Nobel Prize Winner for Literature

Who is Anton Chekov? Famous short story writer from Russia
Why are artists often jailed or killed? They speak the truth. They go against the government. They promote free speech.

What is one  motif in the story, "The Fall of A City"?

English 10: Short story and peer-edited draft are due tomorrow . . .

If you have not asked for an extension, I expect your story and draft tomorrow.
Yay. I'm really excited to read them.

Today: We read chapter one of To Kill a Mockingbird and took notes on the author etc. Be sure to get the notes. We also reviewed all 30 vocabulary words. Test is Thursday. Study.

Bring post-it notes tomorrow for your novel study.

English 11: Today: The essay is due for peer editing . . . .

We will peer edit and write the conclusion and the cover page during class.

Take home the corrections and revise the essay.

Wed: Hand in the good copy of the essay, the peer-edited draft, and your quotation log.

Check the criteria for both assignments so that you know what is required.

English10: Short stories are due Wednesday

Using the peer editing ideas, revise, re-write, re-think your story and finish it by Wednesday.

Please staple the new version to the corrected version.

If you were absent, you will need to get your story edited. You have missed the editing mark.

Also, pick up a copy of the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird in the library. Please return the Naming the Baby text and/or Inside Stories II, if you have not yet returned.

Thursday: All USSR response forms are due. You need to have read three books for an A, have arrived on time and started reading in a focused manner, choose a variety of books, have a positive attitude toward becoming an avid reader.

Writing 12: Check yesterday's blog . . .

If you were absent, we have new workshop groups and a new seating plan. Be sure to get the poems to your crew tomorrow.

I handed out the manuscript criteria list. You will need one. It is due Nov. 6. The next two weeks is Writing 12 time. Work on your poems every night.

Today, we edited our workshop poems. Tomorrow is workshop day.

We also will have a presentation by Annie and Erin. Yay.

If you were absent you have two poems to write tonight.
1: Imitate the Ritsos poem (see Thursday's blog).
2. Imitate the Mitchell poem (see the blog) In this poem, create a child narrator and have this child try on a piece of clothing or equipment of someone else in the house. Focus on the way both Ritsos and Mitchell use action in their poems to show rather than tell.

DO NOT MISS ANY MORE WRITING 12 CLASSES. IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP. A BLOG DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO DESCRIBING WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. PLUS, YOU LET YOUR WORKSHOP GROUP DOWN. 


Wednesday: PATRICK LANE!!! Canada's best poet. Lucky you. Visit patricklane.com to view his work.

Your Patrick Lane responses will be due Thursday.

Computer lab will be Thursday this week to accommodate Hallowe'een.

You will have two new typed poems due Friday, Oct. 31 and any overdue Lane responses.

English 10: short story due on Monday . . .

Finish the draft of the story. Type it up. Edit it. Revise as best you can but know it is still a draft and there is still room to improve it. Give it a title with an image in it.

Double space it.

Print it.

Bring to class on Monday. No extensions, please. You have had a lot of class time to write the story. Be ready for peer editing Monday.

If you were absent today, you missed a test. Be sure to bring a note to explain your absence.

Writing 12: Using detail to bring your poems to life . . .

Deadline: Oct. 26th. Get those poems in today!
Youth Writing Contest: $5.00 entry fee per poem or story

The above contest is optional. Last year a few students from Writing 12 entered this contest and we took the top two prizes: the $300.00 first prize and the $200.00 second prize. It's worth throwing your hat into the ring. You need a paypal account or a credit card so send in the poems from home with your parents' credit card. Fee is $5.00 per poem or story.

Also, the winning entries get published in The Claremont Review. Yay.



Homework: Create a new poem that uses detail effectively. Follow the criteria. Print out four copies for your workshop group. New workshop groups on Monday.

I read a poem by Yannis Ritsos aloud, called "Minatures" Go to the link to read it: Miniatures: remember those circles of lemon? He described them as yellow wheels for a very small carriage . . .

Here is a copy of the poem by Susan Mitchell which I read aloud.

The Death

I heard the crying and came closer.
Father was sitting in the half-filled bathtub.
He wasn't covering his face with his hands.
He was crying into the air.
Mother was washing him. She rand the sapy cloth
round and round on his chest.
After a while, she dried him.
Then he took the towel and put it over his face.

I walked out of the house certain I would not come back.
Downstairs a neighbour's daughter was tearing
leaves off a hedge. When we rubbed the leaves into our hands
our hands turned green. I put my green hands
on her face and wondered where I would go
now that I was never coming back.
I walked to the subway station
and for hours I watched the trains going east
to Coney Island. Then I went back.

When Mother told me
were were sitting int he car, just the two of us.
I must have climbed
out of the front seat because
I see myself sitting alone in the back
in the not quite dark. I have taken
my father's canvas hat from the floor
and put it on my head. Through its visor
the first green night is coming on. A green woman is rocking a green carriage.
A green man sits and smokes on his green stoop.

Remember also to send your poems to the Vancouver Writers' Festival Contest. I know one of you has chosen her poems and is ready to go.

Deadline is Sunday!! Oct. 26th. 

English 11: Finish writing the third body paragraph at home . . .

Today we edited body paragraph one using the checklist on the back of the sample sheet for body paragraphs.

Next, we treated writing body paragraph two like a test though that you can see how quickly the work can get done when you focus.

Homework: Type up all four body paragraphs. Edit them using the checklists. Revise. Double space. Print them out. You need to have them here on Monday. No matter what. Print them out at lunch if your printer jams at home.

At this level, you need to have all the literary must-haves in the essay so that I can focus on the development of your ideas and on your writing style (verb choice, vocabulary usage, sentence structure, sentence variety, varying the beginnings of sentences, quote integration, citing, etc).

Edited, typed, double-spaced draft (not including the conclusion) is due: 
Monday, Oct. 27th


Essay is due: Wednesday, Oct. 29th (You will need a cover page and a bibliography) We'll discuss these on Monday.

English 11: First body paragraph is due . . .

Tomorrow, you will have a chance to have your body paragraph edited by a peer. Be sure to have it double spaced. You need to follow all of the criteria on the body paragraph handout.

There is a checklist on the back of the handout. Check off each one so that you know you have met all of the criteria.


REMEMBER: AT THIS GRADE LEVEL, YOUR ABILITY TO OFFER OPNINIONS AND SUPPORT THEM WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT IS KEY.

YOUR WRITING STYLE IS ALSO CRUCIAL TO YOUR MARK.

• Once you have written your draft of the first body paragraph, begin to edit. 
• Use the vocabulary list.
• Use strong verbs. 
• Replace it, this, them, he, that, with persuasive nouns and phrases
• Find synonyms for words you need to use often: bestial, savage, boy, island, etc
• Use the word allegory somewhere in your essay to demonstrate that you know you have just read an allegory
• Vary your sentence length, type, and beginnings of each sentence
• Use interesting transistions.

Writing 12: Adrian Southin and the UVic writing program

Thanks for your keen attention and questions today. You really made Adrian feel welcome. It was kind of him to take time from his busy schedule to let us in on all the secrets of the university's writing program. If you were absent today, please google the writing program at the University of Victoria, make notes and hand in so I know that you have the info you need.

Tomorrow: Bring two new poems to submit for marking. Make sure you have edited your workshop group's poems and that you have some feedback for them.

Chelsi and Denika are presenting the poems of Robin Skelton to class. Should be good and then we will have time to workshop.

English 11: Type up your introductions . . .

Your introduction to the Lord of the Flies essay is due at the beginning of the class. If you have printer problems at home, please print in the Learning Commons or in my room at lunch. THANKS.

Everything you need to know about writing the introduction we did in class today.
You went home with your draft in your hand which means that tonight you can focus on the style of your writing. Use the words in our vocabulary list. Vary the sentence lengths. Vary the sentence beginnings. Use strong verbs. Use synonyms. End the essay emotionally. Choose a strong hook.

If you were absent today, be sure to contact your homework buddy.

Writing 12: Poetry Contest deadline is Oct. 26 / 2014

Youth Writing Contest: $5.00 entry fee per poem or story

The above contest is optional. Last year a few students from Writing 12 entered this contest and we took the top two prizes: the $300.00 first prize and the $200.00 second prize. It's worth throwing your hat into the ring. You need a paypal account or a credit card so send in the poems from home with your parents' credit card. Fee is $5.00 per poem or story.

Also, the winning entries get published in The Claremont Review. Yay.


Homework:

1. Edit the workshop poems for Thursday, please.
2. Consider entering the above contest or go ahead and ENTER. Don't have to wait for the 26th. You may enter today.
3. Arrive on time tomorrow as we will have Adrian Southin, a Claremont grad, and UVic student reading to us and discussing the program options in Writing at UVic.
4. Two new poems due Thursday. YAY

This weekend: Start compiling your manuscript as we are getting closer to the end of term and you will have written 8 poems for submission. You need your best 10 to 12 poems in the manuscript. You are welcome to submit more than 12 but 10 is the minimum. Use the editing sheets I have given you and your own instincts and experience to make the poems work. Check and re-check the criteria. Read published poets' work to get inspired. Work with the peers in your workshop group for feedback and encouragement.

I can also re-edit new versions of poems. (Not for marks). This process can help you get more feedback if you need it. You probably just need to sit with the poem to figure out where you want it to take you.

English 10: Warding Off Writers' Block, Learning to Learn, How to study for a test

Writers' Block is a euphemism for FEAR. That horrible F word!

Today, we discussed ways to ward off fear.

What we often do when we are challenged is venture into blame. We get sick. We give up. We blame the course, the brain. We say mean things to ourselves and we start to believe them: I am not creative. I hate English. ETC

Don't be fooled by these ideas. They are not real. They are the voice of fear.

Stand up to these voices in English 10 and you'll be able to stand up to these voices at work, in sports, in recitals, when giving a speech at church or in your community.

Feel the fear and do the job!

Steps to get the story written:

1. USE THE TEMPLATE.
2. IT'S YOUR STORY. TELL IT YOUR WAY.
3. KNOW WHY YOU ARE WRITING IT.
4. FOCUS ON SMALL SCENES. DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW IT WILL END UNTIL YOU GET TO THE END.
5. PUT YOURSELF IN YOUR CHARACTER'S SHOES. WHAT DOES HE/SHE NEED TO SAY OR DO? WHY CAN'T THEY SAY OR DO IT? WHAT OBSTACLES--MENTAL OR PHYSICAL MUST THEY FACE?
6. RE-READ STORIES WE HAVE STUDIED OR READ NEW STORIES IN YOUR NAMING THE BABY BOOK.

Find a reason to guide you through this process. Why am I writing this story? If you bring a sense of choice to each assignment rather than BECAUSE I HAVE TO PASS, it is much easier to stay motivated. You resist any psychological blocks.

Finish the sentence below:

I am writing this story because . . .

Some reasons could be

• I want to see what my character does.
• I want to reveal the truth about . . . 
• I want to explore another view of the world. 
• I want to try to figure out what I feel about what happened to me last summer.
• I want to be a writer. 
• I want to play God. 
• I want to use words in a new way . . . 

FINAL SHORT STORY TEST IS THURSDAY:

You will read a short story and answer a question in a formal, literary paragraph. You must finish on time.

You will be marked on your ability to find good examples from the story and cite them properly. How well you form an insightful thesis. Your use of sentence variety and vocabulary. Your sense of grammar, spelling, punctuation and how to use language effectively to create a logical but passionate argument. Your ability to use the # 3 quote integration rule. Your use of all the literary must-haves: DO NOT USE THIS SHOWS OR THIS MEANS OR THIS REVEALS . . . . Revise the sentence to avoid using this or say what THIS represents.

For example: This shows that Sibylla is represented by the sick pigeon because . . .

Change it to: Society's contempt for Sibylla reveals that the sick pigeon not only represents . . . 

STUDY:

1. Memorize the literary must-haves' list.

2. Memorize all three ways to integrate quotations.

3. Know how to cite using the MLA style sheet.

4. Study our vocabulary words and use them in your answer.

5. Study synonyms for reveals, shows, portrays. Try strong verbs such as exemplify, elucidates, depicts, emphasizes, suggests, etc.

6. Study the two paragraphs that I have marked. Is there something you need to learn? Do you use semi-colons and commas and apostrophes correctly? If not, google their usage. Study the rules. Are your sentences dull? How might you improve your sentence variety? Google: How to improve sentence variety.

Part of grade 10 English is learning how to be a student. How do I learn? What do I need to do differently? How can I get more involved in taking responsibility for my own progress? How can I stop the negative self talk and/or the procrastination? How can I organize my time?


Short stories: Bring an edited, typed copy of your short story (double spaced) for peer editing on Monday.

Final deadline for the story is Wed. Oct. 29th.

English 11: Complete the quotation log . . .

Remember: DO A FANTASTIC JOB ON THE QUOTATION LOG AND THE ESSAY WRITES ITSELF! Yay.

For each quotation:

• Cite it correctly with page number
• Go beyond the obvious in your response 
• Say what is happening 
• Discuss the words in the quote (trotting, tearing, claws, skull-like) etc
• Make connections to other parts of the book to build more evidence
• State clearly what this quotation reveals about your topic

If you adhere to the above list, you are guaranteed 100% on the log and you have actually put a lot of thought into your essay before you write it, an act that imitates real writing and what a real writer does. 

TUESDAY: THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASS OF ALL TIME. DO NOT MISS IT.

Bring your completed log to class. Bring three different coloured high-liters.
Be ready to create a strong thesis.

Writing 12: Finish the pantoum . . .

If you needed an extra night for your Jay Ruzesky response, please submit it tomorrow. Make sure you have given your workshop group copies of your new poem.

Tonight: Finish your pantoum. Bring it to class to read to a partner. What do you notice about writing using a form? What works? What doesn't work?

Great work today. I enjoyed reading all of the poems this weekend.

English 10: Writing a short story . . . due Monday, Oct. 27th.

I finished another book on the weekend. I'm so proud that I have read four books since we started Sept. 22nd. I feel more relaxed and energized due to just setting aside a few extra minutes before dinner, before bed, when I get up in the morning, during USSR time etc. Putting effort into reading really pays off. It teaches empathy. It builds vocabulary. It expands the imagination. It opens the heart.

You can read anything you are interested in-- science, sports, math, literature, psychology, murder mysteries, horror, fantasy, poetry, plays, biographies.

It's your world. Make time for it.

Today we read for fifteen minutes and added two new words to our list.

We peer edited our stories. If you were absent, get a friend or family member to edit the first page of your story. You want detailed feedback.

Peer Editing:

Read it four times. Each time you read the page, look for something new.

1. Copy Editing: Check paragraphing and dialogue. Each new speaker starts a new paragraph which must be indented. Check dialogue punctuation using the dialogue handout. Check capitalization, grammar, spelling and punctuation.

2. Re-read our criteria. Does this page meet our list? If not, write down what is missing.

3. Check the use of descriptive detail and unique dialogue. Check the rhythm and the pace of the piece. Check sentence variety. Cut dull or redundant words. Cut excessive adjective usage. Remember the story needs to involve the reader by implying the conflict. Implying the character traits. This is not a diary entry.

4. Does the story interest you? Why or why not? Write your reasons on the back of the page.

Discuss your responses with your partner.


We used the remaining time during class to write.

Due date: Monday, October 27th. Double spaced. Edited, revised. Edited, revised.

English 11: Quotation Log is due Tuesday: 100 marks . . .

 Homework: Choose a topic that interests you and your essay will be engaging. We brainstormed a number of topics together on the board today such as the duality of man, the impact of war, the role of Simon or Piggy, the descent into savagery, abuse of power, loss of innocence, etc

Next:

 Find at least 6 quotations on your topic and write your 75 to 100 word response for each one. Cite the quotation properly with page number and ensure that your response adds insight to your topic. Don't simply put the quotation into your own words, please. Instead, interpret the words, look for techniques such as irony, imagery, pathetic fallacy, personification, metaphor, symbol etc so that you can point out the significance of each quotation.

Why is the ending ironic?

• rescued by the fire whose purpose was to trap and eventually kill Ralph
• the fire destroys their food source--completely insane now -- choosing killing over feeding ourselves similar to destroying farms, cutting off food supply in
• sent away to be protected from war and end up creating their own
• resuce by the naval officer in his uniform looking at his trim cruiser (there is a war on and he is paid to participate in it)
• ironic that he criticizes the boys for doing what he does for a living 

Theme of the novel

How do we deal with our dual nature? Our bestial selves as  Golding suggests?

At the end of the novel, it is the first time that Ralph cries. He never questioned society before. He liked the idea of having an island to themselves. He thought it would be fun. Piggy pushes him to be chief.

Why is the novel called Lord of the Flies? Who is the lord? Who are the flies?

You will have part of Monday's class to work on the quotation log. It is due on Tuesday. 

Writing 12: Two items due Monday!

1. Jay Ruzesky response. Follow the sample I gave you.

2. Three or four copies of a new, typed poem for your workshop group. If you forget to print it, please email copies to your group members.

Next week: No school Friday. Provincial pro-d day.

Wed: Two U Vic writing students will visit. Adrian Southin and mystery guest.

The week after we will have Patrick Lane!! Patrick Lane

Have a look at Patrick's website. He is launching a new book, Sunday, Nov. 2. at 7 p.m. If you haven't attended a literary event outside of school yet, I highly recommend this one. I will be there. The event is free and will have free food. You may also wish to buy a copy of his book there and have him sign it for you.

It takes place at Open Space Gallery on Fort St. near Wharf St. Easy to find.

We won't have any computer lab time this week due to the guests on Wednesday.

We will do our workshop on Tuesday which means that you'll only have one night to edit your workshop group's poems so I'll give you time during class on Monday.

English 10: Write the first page of your story, type it up for Monday . . .

Use the criteria sheet. Use the Naming the Baby text, full of student stories. Use the notes from class today regarding good dialogue and good description.

Effective dialogue:
1. Don't have the characters speak directly to each other.
2. Don't need to say says, said, mumbled, etc each time.
3. Have a conflict the dialogue seeks to reveal. Such as the pro-vegetarian/anti-vegetarian diet in our example today.
4. Be descriptive (use ideas from the stories we have read this year). Use place names, people's names, things (big-Daddy-bison burger), action-the character taps the car for luck, locks his girlfriend in the car, the mug has "My mom's from Sweden, whey do you ask?" etc

Sample dialogue:

     Suzie says, "Please pass the tofurkey."

     Dad bites into his big-Daddy-bison burger. The Smiths have been eating burgers on Friday nights as long as Susie can remember.

     Mom says, "There was another article in Macleans this week, honey. It really upset me."

    "I said, pass the tofurkey."

    A little sauce dribble out of Dad's mouth and curled on his chin like a sleepy snake about to unfurl. "What the hell is tofurkey?" Dad mumbled.


FIRST PAGE OR 200 WORDS IS DUE MONDAY. TYPED AND PRINTED OUT FOR PEER EDITING PLEASE. 

REMEMBER EACH NEW SPEAKER STARTS A NEW PARAGRAPH. USE THE DIALOGUE-PUNCTUATION SHEET TO ENSURE YOUR PUNCTUATION IS CORRECT.

English 11: Finish reading Chapter 12: choose a topic for your quotation log . . .

I returned the chapter 9 and 10 tests. We had our vocabulary test on the last 20 words (26 to 46).

Next: Create a chart based on last night's homework and hand it in.

Title: Chapter 11 Review

How do you explain Piggy's death?

Choose the three best quotes from the chapter to answer the question. Cite it properly with page numbers. After each quotation, write an insightful interpretation of the quotation.

Sample:

" ' I got the conch ' " (198).

Piggy says this to the boys at Castle Rock because he still believes logic, rules and civilization will save him. He does not see that his so-called civilized society is also at war. People are charged with war crimes all of the time because in war people do not follow the rules.

or

" Below [Roger], Ralph was a shock of hair and Piggy a bag of fat " (199). To kill, we dehumanize. For example, the boys pretended Simon was the beast and they can kill a beast because it is not human. If you refuse to see the enemy as human, they are easier to kill. Also, Roger is so bestial, he loves to kill for fun. No connection / no remorse. He is above them, separate from them and no longer sees the boys as Ralph and Piggy, just a bit of hair or a bag of fat.

Homework: Read chapter 12: Why is the ending ironic. Write down your answer. Call a friend. See if you can discover the reason. Make connections to other events in the novel.

Writing 12: Jay Ruzesky tomorrow and two poems due . . .

Jay Ruzesky is coming. Yay!! Bring any questions you have about writing, poetry, publishing, VIU's writing programs and as you listen to the poems he reads, ask questions about what you have just heard. Don't be shy. The discussion we had with Laisha Rosnau was great.

Two poems due at the beginning of class tomorrow please.

Please be on time to respect our guest.

Monday: Your response to Jay's reading is due. Follow the sample you have. Remember to take notes during the reading to copy down key quotes that you like. These quotes can be from the poems or from his comments to your questions. If you need an extra day, you may submit the response on Tuesday. No response equals 0. If you are absent, you get a zero, unless you research the author's work and respond or go to an extra literary event outside of class.

WORKSHOP GROUP: Bring a new, typed poem (3 or 4 copies depending on how big your group is) for Monday) Celestial, you will need to bring four copies. 

English 10: Getting Ready to Write a Story . . .

Today: I handed back the paragraphs we wrote during class yesterday. We read the comments and wrote down ONE thing we want to do better next time.

Vocabulary Test: If you were absent, you can do the test tomorrow during USSR
We marked and I returned them.

We watched two films which you can watch here: One Stitch Closer and The Meaning of Life from a grade 3's perspective

We watched these films to enter our imaginations. To feel open and ready to write.

I handed out a package to guide you through your writing process. Please read through the package and bring any questions you may have to class tomorrow.

English 11: Vocabulary Test and Read chapter 11

Study words 26 to 46 for tomorrow's test. Know the part of speech, how to use it in a sentence and be able to provide a synonym.

Chapter 11: Find three reasons to explain Piggy's death. Post-it note all three. Go beyond the obvious. Tie the reasons to the way the boys reacted individually to Simon's death.

Be ready to discuss the differences between the way the boys killed Simon and the way they kill Piggy.


Why was Piggy so naive to think that he could reason with Jack and the gang at Castle Rock?

Tomorrow we will read chapter 12 together and discuss the theme of the novel. Friday, you will start your first major assignment: the quote log.

Start thinking of a topic you would like to write about.

Writing 12: Two poems due Friday this week . . .

Don't miss Friday as Jay Ruzesky will be here. He is a teacher, poet, writer, critic, and film maker who teaches at Vancouver Island University.

Tomorrow: Please arrive prepared. Ensure that you have edited to your best ability and that you can explain what you mean to the author during our workshop tomorrow.

You will have some time to ask me questions about the writing and editing process and we'll read some of Jay's poems.

Study for the vocabulary quiz . . .

Today we wrote our paragraphs in 50 minutes and most students were able to complete the paragraphs. I have marked them and I will give you feedback tomorrow. Find one error to eradicate before writing your next paragraph.

Writing is a large part of the final exam so we need a lot of practice and we need to time ourselves on occasion in order to finish on time.

Vocabulary test is tomorrow so please study 1 to 20. Know the parts of speech, the definition or synonym and how to use it correctly in an error-free sentence.


Tonight: Read at least 15 pages of your USSR book. Thanks.

English 11: Read chapters 9 and 10 and due the following . . .

Congratulations to all of the winners of our scavenger hunt. Those Rogers Chocolates were yummy.

If you were absent today, be sure to procure the notes from an avid note taker; otherwise, you may be lost when you begin to write your essay.

We added the next two words to our vocabulary list. Test Thursday.

Chapter 9: This chapter is a key turning point for the boys and it builds off of our discussion of Simon and the pig's head. As you read this short chapter, post-it note at least one key line on each page that you feel helps you to appreciate the theme, make connections to previous chapters or foreshadows what is to come.

Bonus point: Find at least one example of pathetic fallacy.

Read chapter 10: This chapter is a direct result of the death in chapter 9. Focus on the boys' reactions to the deaths as they are key. Post-it note a quote for Jack's reaction, Piggy's reaction and Ralph's reaction and you will be well prepared for tomorrow's quiz.

Have fun reading!

It was great to see how many people have read one, two, or three books already for USSR. Very impressive. Fill out the blue form before starting your next book. 
I will collect all of the blue forms at the end of the month. 

Writing 12: Lindsay and Alice present . . . . Lorna Crozier

Today I returned last Thursday's poems. Don't be discouraged. You are learning something new. You have fantastic ideas and you are seeking the best way to express those ideas.

If you are getting 7.5 or 8, you are close, close, close. If not, please use the editing sheets we have (three different ways to edit) and read a lot of poetry. Read the criteria. Read The Claremont Review and other literary magazines. Ask Jay Ruzesky for his view of your poem, etc.

We shared the workshop poems today. If you were absent, hand the poems to your partners. In future, email the poems to your partners in the event of an absence or get someone to drop them off to me and I can distribute them.

Be sure to look up Lorna Crozier and her work on-line. Find her sex lives of vegetable poems to inspire you to use appropriate detail and your imagination.

We did three poetry exercises today. If you were absent today, get the prompts from a friend and complete all three exercises during our computer lab time tomorrow.

Meet in the lab tomorrow.

Friday-two poems due.

Jay Ruzesky will read to us on Friday. Bring your questions to class. I'll introduce his work to the class on Thursday. I did read his poem, "Hope" to the class last week.

Monday: Jay Ruzesky response is due. 

English 10: Create a TICK chart and a thesis tonight . . .

Today, we read the story, "Want to Play House?" by Leon Rooke. If you were absent, ask me for a copy.

Choose one of the last three stories we read: "Haunted House", "Sick Pigeon" or "Want to Play House?" and answer the question below in a paragraph which you will write during class tomorrow.

Explain how the title adds to the theme of the story. Theme is not obvious in these literary stories. If it is obvious, we would not have to read the story.

Your best defense? A solid offense. Create a TICK chart similar to the one we did on the story, "A Lamp At Noon". Once you create the TICK, you can create a statement of theme and then figure out how the title adds to this theme.

Create your thesis.

Arrive with your thesis and your TICK chart completed.

You may use the story and your research during the in-class paragraph write tomorrow.

Study your vocabulary. Quiz on numbers 1 to 20 is Wed.

English 11: Friday, Chapter 8, scavenger hunt, Roger and Simon

Chapter 8:

1: Scavenger Hunt: Post-it note all of the following and claim your prize on Tuesday:

1. Who calls the meeting?Jack

2. Who wants to re-climb the mountain to verify the beast's existence? Simon

3. What great idea is the simplest? build the fire on the beach

4. Who says, " ' We're going to forget about the beast ' " ? Jack

5. Which boy is crudest and cruelest?Robert / Roger / Jack

6. What gift is offered to the beast?the pig's head on the stick

2: Read pages 151 to 157 slowly and carefully or you will not understand what is going on . . . .

Be ready to discuss these pages on Tuesday.

English 10: Sick Pigeon

Be sure to finish a USSR book or two this  weekend. It is supposed to rain on Sunday and Monday so find a good book, a great chair, something warm to drink, cozy clothes or a blanket and read all day long. Wow. What a luxurious thing to do.

Make sure that you have read and understood how the image of the sick pigeon represents Sybylla. Go beyond the obvious. Think of the pigeon at the beginning, middle and at the end of the story so you don't make assumptions you cannot support with evidence from the text.

Writing 12: If you were absent today, be sure to call a friend to get the prompts . . .

Today's exercises keep asking you to stretch as you make connections.

The first exercise in the kitchen required you to get so far and then stop and regroup, foreshadow, hint, flashback, rewind, refresh. Similar to yesterday's exercise where I threw words out into the room and you had to catch them and place them in your writing. Great job. I love love love your enthusiasm. I'll read your poems this weekend and return them to you on Thursday.

Your job this weekend?

Write a poem that meets our criteria (may use anything from our class exercises or new work). Type it up. Edit it as best you can. Print three copies for your workshop group (which will be assigned Tuesday) and bring them to class.

Tuesday: Lindsay and Alice present Lorna Crozier's work and then we'll pass out the workshop poems in our new groups.

Wed. Computer Lab

Thursday: Time to write and edit the poems due Friday.

Friday: Submit two new poems. One should be the one you workshopped with your group. 

English 11: How are Ralph and Jack changing?

As you read chapter seven, be sure to post-it note the changes you notice in these two main characters. In chapter 6, Jack and Ralph re-connect briefly and help each other to search for the beast but in this chapter, their relationship breaks down.

How do you account for these changes? Is there a single or a multiple cause?

We'll discuss these changes on Tuesday. Tomorrow, Ms. Moray will be teaching the class as I cannot be here. Be sure to treat her as a guest in our room and help her navigate my notes and follow our routines.

Please sit in your regular assigned seats so that she can do attendance.

Tomorrow's chapter, 8, is quite long.

You may wish to get ahead. There is a scavenger hunt on this chapter and great prizes.
Good luck.

Writing 12: New poem due Tuesday for your workshop group . . .

We'll have a new seating plan and the three people sitting around you will be your workshop group.

Tomorrow we will do two more exercises so you will have a lot of raw material to work with over the weekend or write a brand new poem. Use our criteria sheet. You will have time to write so you won't have much homework over the long weekend. Please arrive with your three copies printed.

If you were absent today, you missed an editing opportunity. You'll have to make it up next week.

Next week, your two poems will be due Friday instead of Thurs. to accommodate Thanksgiving.

We have UVic students arriving on Wednesday to read to you and talk about their programs so bring your questions.

Today's prompts:

I watch the reflection of the dancers in the window . . .

I should have chosen a different costume . . .

Once, I walked on fire at the Balinese market and . . .

English 10: Finish your USSR book by Tuesday . . .

Be sure to finish one book (minimum) Many students are almost finished book number 2. You need to read at home in order to make USSR more fun. Once you get involved in a book, it is easier to keep reading it. Focus during class so that you get at least 15 pages read per day.

Today: We added the next two words: altercation and decrepit
We finished reading Haunted House and chose one of the following questions to guide our reading. If you were absent, choose one of the questions below and underline key passages that will support your answers. Once finished the story, write your answers to the question in point form.

Demonstrate, with three examples, how the author prepares the reader for Shelly's decision at the end of the story.

or

Discuss the final image in the story--bubbles, blowing bubbles. Explain how this image adds to the theme of the story.

Homework: Read waaaaaay ahead in your USSR books. YAY.

Start thinking about what you want to write about in your short story.

Tomorrow, we will read Claremont grad's story, "Sick Pigeon", by M.A.C. (Marian) Farrant.

English 11: Chapter 5

Today we discussed chapter 12, "man's essential illness", and began reading chapter 6.

Be sure to get any notes missed.

There will be a short quiz on chapter 6 tomorrow.

Writing 12: Two poems due tomorrow . . .

A little noisy in the computer lab today. If you do not need computer lab time, we can do something else. Let me know your views. I don't want to waste our valuable time. In the past, classes valued that time.


Two poems due tomorrow. Any style. Any theme as long as you meet the criteria.

Can't wait.

No writer this Friday but we will have students from UVic's Writing program read to us next Wednesday, the 22nd, because the 24th is a non-instructional day.

We have two short weeks coming up, which means less time to write during class so be sure to write at home.

English 11: finish reading chapter 5 and answer the question below

 The boys discuss the children's fear of a beast. Several examples point to the boys being the beast. Find three examples.

Simon says that he things there is no external beast. He says they are the beast.
What does he mean? (page 96)

"Simon became inarticulate to in his effort to express mankind's essential illness" (96).

 This next  question is challenging. To answer it, you will need to have read the chapter carefully. At the end of the chapter on page 102, Ralph wishes the adult world would send them a sign. Read the first page of the next chapter to find the sign from the adult world.
In the next chapter, the adult world does send them a sign.What is the sign? Discuss why it is ironic.

English 10: Creative Writing Assigment . . .

Great work today. We learned two new words from our list, curmudgeon and pallor.

We read and discussed the first scene in the story, "Haunted House". If you were absent, be sure to get the notes.

Tonight: Create a scene of 150 to 200 words or more that reveals something about a relationship between two characters. You can imitate the first scene in "Haunted House".

Add:

• dialogue
• description (be subtle) Show us via action and dialogue
• action
• a few thoughts 
• conflict
• resolution 

A scene has a beginning, middle and an end. It is like a story within a story. It appeals (adds to) the story's main conflict, but it has its own conflict built in. This conflict is resolved in the scene via action.

For example in "Haunted House", the mother wants Shelly to come down and visit with her. Shelly wants to finish her painting but chooses, in the end, to come down and help her mother. She takes her mother's hand and leads her inside.

Let your reader figure out the relationship. Don't tell us too much. Describe things happening in the room. The light, the curtains, the light bulb in the refrigerator, leftovers, what is playing on the TV or radio or Ipod, etc

Writing 12: Using a motif or a title to tie the poem together . . .

Choose two topics. For example, childhood is a Puerto Rican fiesta and then use imagery associated with Puerto Rico and the fiesta to explore what childhood is like, similar to the poem that used infidelity and compared it to something in the garden.

Tomorrow: Meet in the centre lab. You will have the class to write and edit.

Two poems due Thursday.

Thanks to Cormac and Megan for the great presentation on Al Pudy.

English 10: Writing a strong thesis statement . . .

If you were absent today, please see me to write today's quiz on thesis statements.

We spoke of what makes a strong or a weak thesis.

We added two new words to our vocabulary list.

I returned the Lamp paragraphs and the vocabulary quizzes.

Why is the thesis below considered weak?

The weather in "The Lamp At Noon" by Sinclair Ross is the cause of the characters' problems and the baby's demise.

English 11: We took notes on chapter 3 and we read chapter 4 Homework below . . .

We added the words tremulous and leviathan to our list and I returned the vocab. quiz. If you scored less than 14, you must re-do the test. Study, ask for a re-do.

If you have finished a book for USSR, be sure to complete a response form. You should be pretty close to the end of book one by now.


TONIGHT:  Finish reading chapter 4. Be sure to post-it note all the consequences which occur once the boys miss a chance at rescue ---

Also, write down an answer to this question: What does this "break from civilization" or "missed chance" represent? There is no RIGHT answer for this question. This type of question requires you to make connections with what you have read so far, what you predict will happen and your ability to see the events in the novel allegorically. These boys represent us and western civilization. Explore what happens in the novel. 


BRING POST-IT NOTES TO CLASS. YOU WILL NEED THEM ALL YEAR.
Thanks.

Writing 12: Editing, Revising, Marking, Course Outline

Today, we all read poetry during our USSR time so that we can expand our definition of poetry and train our ears to the poetic line. If you do not yet have a book of poetry to read during USSR, please pick one up in the learning commons.

I went over the course outline today. If you were absent, please ask for a copy.

You need to attend a literary event outside of school. Write a response to the event and its author/s using the same setup we use for response writing for writers that visit our class. Check the local papers or bookstore websites to find out when events are happening.

Hand in the response the next school day.

Today, we used our criteria list to edit a partner's political poem. Giving feedback means using and connecting to our criteria list. Keep reading it over. Edit your own poems with the criteria in mind.

Tonight: Write a poem with a lighthearted or sweet tone similar to the two poems I read in class, the one about the mangoes and the one about the newborn baby on the bed big enough for its own small moon.

Bring this poem to class ready to share.

I collected the Laisha Rosnau  responses today. Since I do not collect late work, you now have a 0 for your first Writing 12 mark.

Get organized. Write down homework. Submit it on time.

Thank you.

If you miss a class, make up the work and ensure that whatever is due, gets done by checking the blog and/or contacting a student. 

English 10: "The Doll's House" by Katherine Mansfield

1. Explain how the symbol of the doll's house represents a glimpse of the problems in society.

OR

2. Explain how Katherine Mansfield's use of imagery provides a clear picture of the Kelveys' place in society. 

Tonight: Be sure to finish reading the story and post-it note all the key passages which apply to your topic. 

Tomorrow: You will have 30 minutes to choose the best three passages, copy them out and cite them properly and create a strong thesis statement to answer the question above. 

We will read three more stories this week that all use an object in the title as a key symbol in the story. Next week, you will write a story that comments on some aspect of your life and uses a key symbol to reflect and represent your ideas. 

English 11: Read chapter 3 and buy post-it notes this weekend . . .

We completed our first vocabulary test. To pass, you must achieve a 13 or better out of 17. If you didn't pass, find out why. Are you studying daily? Are you paying attention when you write the words down? Do you need a copy of the definitions so you can study instead of write? Do you have good sentences for each word?


Finish reading chapter 3: As you read the chapter, post-it note all the mishaps. There are at least five in this chapter.

Also, read pages 56 to 59 slowly. Based on the descriptions and actions of Simon, what do you think Simon's character represents. Be prepared to support your answer  with examples from the text. You may write down your answer or write on post-it notes attached to key passages.

I collected and marked your paragraph check-lists. If you have not yet analyzed your corrected paragraph for its strengths and weaknesses, please submit Monday.

Writing 12: Two assignments due Monday

If you were absent today (Cormac and Gabe) and missed Laisha Rosnau's presentation, find her works and writing comments on line and write a response of your own.

Due Monday: Laisha response. Be sure to include at least three quotations.
                           Political or social commentary poem.

Tuesday: Cormac and Megan present the author, Al Purdy. You are in for a treat!

I will return your ugly babies on Monday.

English 10: Revise and complete the good copy of your paragraph on the story

Use the checklist I gave you to ensure that all the criteria are met for the paragraph. If you forgot your checklist at school, or you want to use an electronic checklist, I have pasted it below.

If you can't hand it in on Monday, you have already spoken to me and asked for an extension. Do not arrive to class without your paragraph, your draft, and your completed checklist. Thank you!

Need help? Come in at lunch. Arrive with specific questions so that we can target the area that has you stumped.


I handed out the USSR response forms. Please do not read a second book before you complete your response form.

You worked well today.

Thanks to Julie and Isaiah for volunteering to get the class reading if I am ever late to class.

Appreciate your help.

Improving Literary Paragraph Writing

STYLE ____ All verbs are in the present tense ____ No contractions are used. ____ I do not re-tell the story ____ Quotes are incorporated well ____ Sentence beginnings vary ____ Sentence length varies ____ I have a least one short sentence ____ My tone is persuasive ____ My vocabulary is decisive and accurate ____ I use precise synonyms ____ The hook is impressive ____ The thesis answers the question in an insightful manner and makes the reader think ____ I have planned my work so I can focus on how I want to express my opinions, not on what I have to say ____ I use blue or black ink or it is typed ____ I double space ____ I proofread my work to catch annoying errors or typos ____ I use great verbs such as reveals, demonstrates, elucidates, offers, emphasizes, portray, depicts, exposes, represents, etc.

CONTENT ____ I have found three really good examples from the story and at least one of them is a quotation ____ I link all my examples to the thesis so that I answer the question directly ____ I make sure I explain my examples clearly ____ I use transition words or phrases between points ____ I have a hook, a thesis, three pieces of evidence which I explain, transitions, and I conclude by repeating my thesis ____ I make sure I use synonyms for words that I have to repeat a lot during the paragraph ____ I always use my literary “must-have” list ____ My thesis is a 6! ____ I stay on topic ____ I feel confident that I can answer the question because my opinion / evidence chart is elaborate ____ I have read and re-read the story until my answer is crystal clear ____ My response is PAGE PERFECT – no rips or tears, no wrinkles. I have a title, a date and my first and last name at the top of the assignment

GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ____ I know the difference between a comma , and a semi-colon ; and use them correctly _____ I know the difference between a plural and a possessive: boys (pl.), boy’s bike (poss.) ____ I read my work aloud so that I catch any incomplete sentences ___ I correct any run-on sentences ___ I never use a comma to join two complete sentences ____ I replace the word “this” with a noun or a phrase. For example This shows how frightened the character is. (We don’t know what you mean by this. Replace it with a phrase: By hiding in the cupboard, the character reveals her fear or a noun: Rebellion shows how vulnerable the character feels). ____ I replace pronouns such as it, he, she, they, this, that with nouns _____ I use nouns not pronouns

INSIGHT _____ I have found several pieces of evidence to use in my paragraph and I cite correctly _____ I have made inferences for each piece of evidence and I explain my quotes expertly _____ My thesis goes beyond the obvious _____ My opinions about the story offer the reader of my paragraph a deeper understanding of the story _____ I do not re-tell the story _____ I use transitions well so that I clearly prove my thesis _____ My paragraph proves my thesis _____ I organize my evidence so that the link between the question and the answer is clear _____ My answer stands out from the crowd _____ I offer a view of the story that required me to think a lot about the significance of the events _____ My opinions are inferences. I don’t re-tell. _____ I surprise myself and I enjoy the story more now that I have spent time thinking about it

English 11: Learning from writing . . .

I returned the paragraphs today. Tonight, re-read your paragraph, read all my comments, and make sure you understand my suggestions and/or how to correct the errors. Do the check-list. Check any item you forgot to put into the paragraph and/or check the items you had no idea needed to be in the paragraph.

We will use this checklist for the next paragraph that you write.

Staple your paragraph to this checklist, please.

If you were absent today, be sure to get the notes from a partner.

We discussed allegory and we made notes on chapter 2.

Tomorrow is picture day. Dress up nicely and brush your teeth. he he he

Several students have finished one book so far for USSR. Tonight, read ahead. Read for an hour. Finish that book. It feels so good!!

Writing 12: Laisha Rosnau tomorrow . . . two items due Monday

Check yesterday's blog to find links to Laisha's biography and poem samples.

Arrive tomorrow prepared to listen and to ask questions.


Write up a response to Laisha's presentation and bring it to class on Monday, please.

Also, create a new political poem for Monday. You may use today's exercise done in class or you may start a brand new poem. Use the poems in your text book for ideas.

Thanks for handing in today's poems on time. I will edit them and return them to you on Monday.

Keep writing.

English 10: Finish the second part of the paragraph . . .

Arrive tomorrow having written the following parts of your paragraphs:

Thesis
First Point (usually 1 to 2 sentences)
First Example (usually 1 sentence)
First Explanation (1-5 sentences for this section)

Transition

Second Point
Second Example
Second explanation

Be ready to complete the final three sentences and edit your paragraph during class Friday.

You will take the paragraph home, do a good copy, attach it to your draft.

Good copies must be typed, double spaced, include all our literary must-haves, and answer the question with style and insight.

The question, in this case, is proving your thematic statement. Prove why you think your sentence is the theme to this story.

I marked your found poems today. They are beautiful. I've made a display outside our classroom door and it really brightens the hallway.

Vocabulary quiz on the first ten words has been postponed until Monday due to picture day tomorrow.

Have a great night.

English 11: How many pages have you read?

You should have completed 115 pages by today if you are just reading at school and many more pages if you are aiming for a B or an A in the class. As soon as you finish a book, ask for a response form. Fill it out in great detail to show what you loved about the book's ideas, the author's style or the attitude toward its topic.


Today: If you need more time to finish the paragraph, you will have 30 minutes. All paragraphs are due today.

Read chapter 2: A lot goes wrong in this chapter. Post-it note all the things that go wrong and post-it note all the reasons for these mishaps. Arrive with at least 8 quotations post-it noted.

Be ready to discuss chapter 2 on Thursday.

Spartan Day Thursday. Dress in your house colours. Bring money to support the Cops for Cancer initiative. Twoonies will be collected at the door but you may bring more money if you want to contribute to teacher and student head-shaves.

English 10: Found Poem is due, Spartan Day tomorrow, first four sentences of your paragraph are due . . .

Spartan Day and Cops for Cancer Tomorrow: Be sure to bring a twoonie or more for our fundraiser. Dress in your house colours.

Found Poems: Can't wait to see these beauties.

Literary Paragraph on Theme:

Follow the template, the literary-must-haves, the how-to-cite sheet and you will be fine!!

Add style! Sentence variety. Rhythm. Vocabulary usage (diction). Integrate quotations using method number 3!! Try a new beginning for each sentence to remove dull writing. 


Sample:

In the short story, "The Lamp At Noon," by Sinclair Ross, a loss of faith eradicates hope and a loss of communication destroys a family.

First Point: Faith is difficult to maintain when the farm fails year after year and the soil erodes before your eyes and springs into your lungs.

First example: As a result, Ellen cannot acknowledge Paul's affinity with the land because he refuses to share it with her. Consequently,  the "impenetrable fog" (Ross 109), clearly exemplifies the silence between the alienated couple and Ellen's vast isolation, symbolized by the window she stares through while she waits for Paul, continues to grow.

First explanation: Due to the lack of shared vision for the farm and for their family, both characters live isolated lives which drives the shattered wife to deliriously kill her child. The fact that she loses her way in the dust storm symbolizes her need to leave and her lack of power to do so. Her only way out is to lose her mind.

(YOUR EXPLANATION MAY BE 1 TO 5 SENTENCES DEPENDING UPON YOUR INSIGHT AND HOW COMPLEX THE QUOTATION IS THAT YOU ARE EXPLAINING).

First transition: Similar to a lack of faith, pride also erodes . . . . (a transition can be a word from our sheet or one that you make up based on your thesis)

Writing 12 . . . Two poems due tomorrow . . . Happy Editing . . . Spartan Day tomorrow, dress up, bring money

Be sure to follow the criteria for your best shot at achieving a satisfying poem and a good mark. For the next three weeks focus on experimenting. Read a lot of poems. Find ones you like. Imitate what they do. Use the how to edit suggestions on the reverse side of our Criteria sheet. Great suggestions there.

If you need more ideas, use your life. My bat walk this morning. Chelsi's annoying line in the girls' washroom. Write down bits and pieces of what you overhear on the bus, in the lounge or learning commons, while listening to your family talk.

Make time to write. Away from social media, the pressure of more math problems, projects. Write at the beach, on the roof, in a cafe, on the bus, in the shower (be creative here), in math class. You get the picture?

Writers write. The worst thing on paper is better than the best idea in your head. Put it all down. Let the voices float through your head. Pay no attention to the "OOOO, I'm a great writer"  and pay no attention to the "OOOO, I'm a terrible writer" voices that will inevitably arise.

Tonight: Edit two poems. Check the criteria. Edit some more. Choose a title. Put your name on it. Type it up. Print it out. Arrive tomorrow ready to submit two new poems.

Also, Laisha Rosnau will be our first writer this year. Here is a link to read a little about her: The writer, Laisha Rosnau

Here is a review of her second volume of poetry entitled Lousy Explorers Poetry Review

Here is a sample poem: Sample Poem

Someone Else’s North
We mark papers and hire sitters and drink to once upon
when we ranged north, spent summers in tents, biked
from Yukon to Alaska alone. Now, we apply for more grants,
allow ourselves to be stream-fed scraps of gossip.
Even in daydreams, we have the same décor: the animal skull
hung off-centre on a white wall, an iconic chair, vintage globe,
the taxidermied bird, for godsake—all ironic, or not.
Who is this we? you ask. Why am I roping you into this?
This is no mountain I’ve climbed alone, this dailiness,
these details. We are all complicit. A friend closes a door
behind a grad student and you don’t say anything, then or later.
Before we documented everything, I had nothing but memory
to mark my solo ascents. Halfway up Montana Mountain,
I heard the rasp of breath first then hooves severed
the icy skein of snow before I looked up from my climb
to catch the sidelong glance of a caribou as it ran by.
I can see its large, glossy eyeball roll toward me,
hear the whir of insects alighting on my exposed skin
until I climbed high enough that I was through them.
That is someone else’s north now; my polestar shifting
as my compass trembles like a pulse. Friends appear
onscreen, well-linked and adorned with witticisms.
Our time-lines flicker, back-lit. We’re all amateurs—
our history, our cartography as looped and twisted as string.

- See more at: http://arcpoetry.ca/?p=7421#sthash.AxoW8brU.dpuf

Someone Else’s North
We mark papers and hire sitters and drink to once upon
when we ranged north, spent summers in tents, biked
from Yukon to Alaska alone. Now, we apply for more grants,
allow ourselves to be stream-fed scraps of gossip.
Even in daydreams, we have the same décor: the animal skull
hung off-centre on a white wall, an iconic chair, vintage globe,
the taxidermied bird, for godsake—all ironic, or not.
Who is this we? you ask. Why am I roping you into this?
This is no mountain I’ve climbed alone, this dailiness,
these details. We are all complicit. A friend closes a door
behind a grad student and you don’t say anything, then or later.
Before we documented everything, I had nothing but memory
to mark my solo ascents. Halfway up Montana Mountain,
I heard the rasp of breath first then hooves severed
the icy skein of snow before I looked up from my climb
to catch the sidelong glance of a caribou as it ran by.
I can see its large, glossy eyeball roll toward me,
hear the whir of insects alighting on my exposed skin
until I climbed high enough that I was through them.
That is someone else’s north now; my polestar shifting
as my compass trembles like a pulse. Friends appear
onscreen, well-linked and adorned with witticisms.
Our time-lines flicker, back-lit. We’re all amateurs—
our history, our cartography as looped and twisted as string.

- See more at: http://arcpoetry.ca/?p=7421#sthash.AxoW8brU.dpuf