Week at a Glance: Dec 13 - Jan 3

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8

• Remember to bring The Outsiders to class EVERY DAY from now on. You should finish the book by the end of the first week of January.
• "What stories have shaped me?" Presentations in January = Aidan, Lexus, Shirin
• Spelling Bee on the 2nd Class back! If you want to prepare, check out some of the fun spelling sites in the bar on the right ---->

English 11 AP

Enjoy your break!

Writing 12: Next meeting: January 25th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archives.

• First assignment: Write your earliest memory. Help the reader experience that memory. Email it to a peer for feedback when you're done, then revise and email it to me with a question you'd like me to focus on and give you feedback about.
• 2nd assignment: Get a large piece of paper (or do this on a prezi or whatever suits your fancy) and make a massive web of everyone in your past and present life who you've had a signifiant connection to. From each person on your web make branches which explore the story that lies in that connection to each person. Ask your parents or siblings to fill in the years that you don't remember as well. This is brainstorming. Do not let any idea be censored. Shut up your inner critic and just go nuts with the web.

WRITING CONTESTS

• The Writers' Union has some awesome contests - deadlines range from Feb to the Spring: http://www.writersunion.ca/cn_main.asp

Week at a Glance: Dec 6 - 10

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.


English 8
Remember to bring The Outsiders to class EVERY DAY from now on.

• 1.3 due dates for your "What stories have shaped me?" Presentations
• Dec 7 = Brett, Jackie, Justin, Mia, Kalayna, Parker, Sean W
• Dec 9 = Melissa, Fin, Kenzie, Hootan, Sam, Chris
• Dec 13 = Sean M, Sacha, Wyatt, Nick, Austin, Sylvie, Jennifer, Phoebe
• Dec 15 = Brandon, Sophia
• WRITTEN STORIES ARE DUE December 15th and 16th.
• 2.1 due dates for your "What stories have shaped me?" Presentations
• Dec 8 = Brandon, Jeffrey, Ethan, Chris, Roy
• Dec 10 = Megan, Jacob, Michelle, Carla
• Dec 14 = Si Yeon, Simone, Maddie, Sienna, Kendall,
• Dec 16 = Frances, Tobias, Brooke, Alix, Lotte, Shirin, Lauren,
• January = Aidan, Lexus
• Written stories for 2.1 are due on Dec 16th

English 11 AP
Due for the 8th: Bring 1 of each type of question (of the 4 types) regarding your novel. Focus only on the pages that everyone in your group has already read.
Due on the 10th: a monster sentence using as many sentence shapes as you can.

Writing 12: Next meeting: January 25th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archives.

• First assignment: Write your earliest memory. Help the reader experience that memory. Email it to a peer for feedback when you're done, then revise and email it to me with a question you'd like me to focus on and give you feedback about.

Week at a Glance: Nov 29 - Dec 3

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8

• Remember to bring The Outsiders  to class EVERY DAY from now on.
• 1.3 due dates for your "What stories have shaped me?" Presentations
• Dec 3 = Brett
• Dec 7 = Jackie, Justin, Mia, Kalayna, Parker, Sean W
• Dec 9 = Melissa, Fin, Kenzie, Hootan, Sam, Chris
• Dec 13 = Sean M, Sacha, Wyatt, Nick, Austin, Sylvie, Jennifer, Phoebe
• Dec 15 = Brandon, Sophia
• WRITTEN STORIES ARE DUE December 15th and 16th. 

English 11 AP

• Socratic Seminars will take place Nov 30, Dec 2 and Dec 6th. Be prepared for any of these dates.

Writing 12: Next meeting: December 7th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archives for last week.

• By mid-month, please email me your edited/revised piece from October on which you would like my feedback. Be sure to include a note to me in the email about what specifically you are trying to improve at or where you'd like me to focus my attention.
• First assignment: Write a children's book. This book will be illustrated by our senior art classes. Aim your book for a grade 1 to 3 audience. Include the following characteristics, which we discovered as pretty typical in class: repetition, sensory imagery, realistic dialgue, and playfulness with words (rhyme, rhythm, made-up words). This story is due on November 15th. A children's writer will be reading your work and offering your feedback. Please email me your draft, in manuscript form, by midnight on the 15th: bmoore@sd45.bc.ca.
• Second assignment: Finish your children's book and edit your piece from October.
• Third assignment: You should have done the following by now:
• Emailed your children's book to me
• Emailed your edited piece from October to me with a note as to what specifically you'd like me to offer you feedback on.
• Revised the grammar edits I've emailed back to you on your Children's Story and sent a clean, grammar perfect version back to me. On Nov 17 and 18 (that's Wednesday and Thursday) I have a children's writer looking at your stories and offering you feedback on them. This will only happen if I get your grammar-mistake free version back from you. By the start of the fourth week you should have reviewed the comments from the children's writer and made any changes you'd like to make and emailed your final draft to me so I can pass it along to the illustrators.
• Fourth assignment: I've sent an email to each of you regarding your Term 1 mark. Please open the email, complete the task I describe within it, and reply to me by the 26th of November. This is the report card timeline - we need to stick to it. Thank you! (ps: if you did not receive an email from you, I do not have your email address or I have mistyped your email address - please email me to notify me of this problem and I'll fix it.)

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.

Week at a Glance: Nov 22 - 26

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8

• Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!
• Using the words from your spelling test of the Grade 5 list only, write a one page story or describe a scenario. 2.1: due Nov 22
• Spelling Test on the words from the first column of the Grade 6 list on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
• Short Story test on Thursday and Friday this week. If you'd like to prepare, please ensure you know the plot graph terms, how to describe a conflict, how to describe the setting, and how to describe a character.

English 11 AP

• Due Nov 22nd: Divide up the reading of Books 17-20 among your group and prepare notes for members of your group on your portion. Notes should draw connections, explain insights, or ask questions between your socratic seminar topic and your portion.
• Due Nov 24th: Same thing as above for Books 21-24.
• On Nov 26th you will have some time to prepare for your Socratic Seminar.
• Socratic Seminars will take place Nov 29, Dec 1 and Dec 3rd. Be prepared for any of these dates. 

Writing 12: Next meeting: December 7th at 7:15am.

To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archive for last week.

• By mid-month, please email me your edited/revised piece from October on which you would like my feedback. Be sure to include a note to me in the email about what specifically you are trying to improve at or where you'd like me to focus my attention.
• First assignment: Write a children's book. This book will be illustrated by our senior art classes. Aim your book for a grade 1 to 3 audience. Include the following characteristics, which we discovered as pretty typical in class: repetition, sensory imagery, realistic dialgue, and playfulness with words (rhyme, rhythm, made-up words). This story is due on November 15th. A children's writer will be reading your work and offering your feedback. Please email me your draft, in manuscript form, by midnight on the 15th: bmoore@sd45.bc.ca.
• Second assignment: Finish your children's book and edit your piece from October.
• Third assignment: You should have done the following by now:
• Emailed your children's book to me
• Emailed your edited piece from October to me with a note as to what specifically you'd like me to offer you feedback on.
• Revised the grammar edits I've emailed back to you on your Children's Story and sent a clean, grammar perfect version back to me. On Nov 17 and 18 (that's Wednesday and Thursday) I have a children's writer looking at your stories and offering you feedback on them. This will only happen if I get your grammar-mistake free version back from you. By the start of the fourth week you should have reviewed the comments from the children's writer and made any changes you'd like to make and emailed your final draft to me so I can pass it along to the illustrators.
• Fourth assignment: I've sent an email to each of you regarding your Term 1 mark. Please open the email, complete the task I describe within it, and reply to me by the 26th of November. This is the report card timeline - we need to stick to it. Thank you! (ps: if you did not receive an email from you, I do not have your email address or I have mistyped your email address - please email me to notify me of this problem and I'll fix it.)

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.
• http://www.bcyuk.legion.ca/main/youth-leadership-and-development/remembrance-poster-essay-and-literary-contest/remembrance-post

Week at a Glance: Nov 15 - 19

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.


English 8
Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!

• Write about a “social conspiracy”. One page – rough draft is fine.
• For 2.1 this is due on Monday the 15th.
• Finish writing your "The Note" story so that you have a twist ending.
• 2.1: due Nov 18
• 1.3: due Nov 17
• Using the words from your spelling test of the Grade 5 list only, write a one page story or describe a scenario.
• 1.3: due Nov 19
• 2.1: due Nov 22

 
English 11 AP

• Read up to Book 8 inclusive by the 9th.
• Read up to Book 12 inclusive by Friday. Friday you will be divided into study groups - one group per book. You will debrief on the book then present to the rest of the class so everyone goes deeply into one book and gets details on the others
• Due for the 16th, you should have read your article. Make notes re the article and prepare any questions regarding the article or the connections the article makes to The Odyssey.
• Reading of Books 13 – 16 due by the 18th.
• Due Nov 22nd: Divide up the reading of Books 17-20 among your group and prepare notes for members of your group on your portion. Notes should draw connections, explain insights, or ask questions between your socratic seminar topic and your portion.
• Due Nov 24th: Same thing as above for Books 21-24.
• On Nov 26th you will have the day to prepare for your Socratic Seminar.
• Socratic Seminars will take place Nov 29, Dec 1 and Dec 3rd. Be prepared for any of these dates.

Writing 12: Next meeting: December 7th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archive for last week.

• By mid-month, please email me your edited/revised piece from October on which you would like my feedback. Be sure to include a note to me in the email about what specifically you are trying to improve at or where you'd like me to focus my attention.
• First assignment: Write a children's book. This book will be illustrated by our senior art classes. Aim your book for a grade 1 to 3 audience. Include the following characteristics, which we discovered as pretty typical in class: repetition, sensory imagery, realistic dialgue, and playfulness with words (rhyme, rhythm, made-up words). This story is due on November 15th. A children's writer will be reading your work and offering your feedback. Please email me your draft, in manuscript form, by midnight on the 15th: bmoore@sd45.bc.ca.
• Second assignment: Finish your children's book and edit your piece from October.
• Third assignment: You should have done the following by now:
1. Emailed your children's book to me.
2. Emailed your edited piece from October to me with a note as to what specifically you'd like me to offer you feedback on.
3. Revised the grammar edits I've emailed back to you on your Children's Story and sent a clean, grammar perfect version back to me. On Nov 17 and 18 (that's Wednesday and Thursday) I have a children's writer looking at your stories and offering you feedback on them. This will only happen if I get your grammar-mistake free version back from you.
4. by the start of the fourth week you should have reviewed the comments from the children's writer and made any changes you'd like to make and emailed your final draft to me so I can pass it along to the illustrators.
• Fourth assignment: Details will be posted by Nov 22nd. Stay tuned.

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.
• http://www.bcyuk.legion.ca/main/youth-leadership-and-development/remembrance-poster-essay-and-literary-contest/remembrance-post

Week at a Glance: Nov 8-12

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8
Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!
Prepare for your Silent Reading Book presetation and be ready to go on your assigned date

• Write about a “social conspiracy”.  One page – rough draft is fine.
• For 2.1 this is due on Monday the 15th.
• For 1.3 this is due on Friday the 8th.

English 11 AP

• Read up to Book 8 inclusive by the 9th.
• Read up to Book 12 inclusive by Friday. Friday you will be divided into study groups - one group per book. You will debrief on the book then present to the rest of the class so everyone goes deeply into one book and gets details on the others
• Due for the 16th, you should have read your article. Make notes re the article and prepare any questions regarding the article or the connections the article makes to The Odyssey.
• Reading of Books 13 – 16 due by the 18^th.
• Due Nov 22nd: Divide up the reading of Books 17-20 among your group and prepare notes for members of your group on your portion. Notes should draw connections, explain insights, or ask questions between your socratic seminar topic and your portion.
• Due Nov 24th: Same thing as above for Books 21-24.
• On Nov 26th you will have the day to prepare for your Socratic Seminar.
• Socratic Seminars will take place Nov 29, Dec 1 and Dec 3rd. Be prepared for any of these dates.

Writing 12: Next meeting: December 7th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archive for last week. Between now and mid month, please email me your edited/revised piece from October on which you would like my feedback. Be sure to include a note to me in the email about what specifically you are trying to improve at or where you'd like me to focus my attention.

1. First assignment: Write a children's book. This book will be illustrated by our senior art classes. Aim your book for a grade 1 to 3 audience. Include the following characteristics, which we discovered as pretty typical in class: repetition, sensory imagery, realistic dialgue, and playfulness with words (rhyme, rhythm, made-up words). This story is due on November 15th. A children's writer will be reading your work and offering your feedback. Please email me your draft, in manuscript form, by midnight on the 15th: bmoore@sd45.bc.ca.
2. Second assignment: Finish your children's book and editing your piece from October.
3. Third assignment:
4. Fourth assignment:

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.
• http://www.bcyuk.legion.ca/main/youth-leadership-and-development/remembrance-poster-essay-and-literary-contest/remembrance-post

Week at a Glance: Nov 1 - 5

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8
Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!

• Prepare for your Silent Reading Book presetation and be ready to go on your assigned date

English 11 AP

• Macbeth Test on November 3rd.
• Macbeth End of Unit Assignment (adapted from Dominic Dedato’s Midsummer Nights’ Dream assignment) Task: For this assignment, you will study one of the main characters in Macbeth. At home, you will work individually on one of the options below. You want to show that you understand this character by revealing his/her thoughts, motives and opinions on the play’s action. If you need to add me as a Friend so I can access your Facebook page for your character, my Facebook name is BMoore IntheLoop.

Remember: No matter what option you choose, you will have to illustrate the character and events in as detailed a way as possible. All four options require you to speak/write/think in the voice of a character. Do not forget to acknowledge the changes that your character(s) experiences through the course of the play. Though properly cited quotations are acceptable, the purpose of the assignment is for you to interpret what happens in the play in your own words. You must submit your work by November 6th. To submit your project, please email me your link. Here are your options:

1. You will create a Blog on www.blogger.com. It will feature five entries (at least two paragraphs each), one for each Act. You will also write a minimum of four comments (minimum two sentences each) from at least three other characters in the play.

2. Your will create a well-developed Facebook profile for a character in Macbeth. It should include at least five status updates (one for each Act), 3 pictures and at least 5 paragraph-long notes (one for each Act). It may also include event invitation and plans and Applications (i.e. take some quizzes as the character). Make sure your profile is kept private and do NOT add any contacts.

3. If you do not have regular computer access, this option is for you. You will write a series of four letters between two characters in the play (from different points in the plot). Each letter should be no shorter than two full paragraphs. You can include creative sketches and/or items that may belong to your character.

4. Create 2 minute audio or video journal entries from a specific character from each of the five Acts in the play. You may use an audio or video cassette, DVD or create a podcast.

Writing 12: Next meeting: December 7th at 7:15am.
To see details regarding the last month's assignments, go to the archive for last week. Between now and mid month, please email me your edited/revised piece from October on which you would like my feedback. Be sure to include a note to me in the email about what specifically you are trying to improve at or where you'd like me to focus my attention.

• First assignment: Write a children's book. This book will be illustrated by our senior art classes. Aim your book for a grade 1 to 3 audience. Include the following characteristics, which we discovered as pretty typical in class: repetition, sensory imagery, realistic dialgue, and playfulness with words (rhyme, rhythm, made-up words). This story is due on November 15th. A children's writer will be reading your work and offering your feedback. Please email me your draft, in manuscript form, by midnight on the 15th: bmoore@sd45.bc.ca.
• Second assignment:
• Third assignment:
• Fourth assignment:

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.
• http://www.bcyuk.legion.ca/main/youth-leadership-and-development/remembrance-poster-essay-and-literary-contest/remembrance-post

Week at a Glance: Oct 25 - 29th

If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.

English 8
Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!

• 1.3: due Wednesday: write a paragraph using the vocabulary words from today's story "Act of a Hero." The words are as follows: undulating, acrid, rationalize, accolades, mockery, casualty.
• 2.1: due Thursday:  write a paragraph using the vocabulary words from today's story "Act of a Hero." The words are as follows: undulating, acrid, rationalize, accolades, mockery, casualty.
  
  English 11 AP
• Macbeth End of Unit Assignment (adapted from Dominic Dedato’s Midsummer Nights’ Dream assignment)
  
  Task: For this assignment, you will study one of the main characters in Macbeth. At home, you will work individually on one of the options below. You want to show that you understand this character by revealing his/her thoughts, motives and opinions on the play’s action.
  
  Remember: No matter what option you choose, you will have to illustrate the character and events in as detailed a way as possible. All four options require you to speak/write/think in the voice of a character. Do not forget to acknowledge the changes that your character(s) experiences through the course of the play. Though properly cited quotations are acceptable, the purpose of the assignment is for you to interpret what happens in the play in your own words.
  
  You must submit your work by November 6th. To submit your project, please email me your link. Here are your options:
  
  1. You will create a Blog on www.blogger.com. It will feature five entries (at least two paragraphs each), one for each Act. You will also write a minimum of four comments (minimum two sentences each) from at least three other characters in the play.
  2. Your will create a well-developed Facebook profile for a character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It should include at least 5 status updates (one for each Act), 3 pictures and at least 5 paragraph-long notes (one for each Act). It may also include event invitation and plans and Applications (i.e. take some quizzes as the character). Make sure your profile is kept private and do NOT add any contacts. For a bonus: create an extra entry!
  3. If you do not have regular computer access, this option is for you. You will write a series of four letters between two characters in the play (from different points in the plot). Each letter should be no shorter than two full paragraphs. You can include creative sketches and/or items that may belong to your character.
  4. Create 2 minute audio or video journal entries from a specific character from each of the five Acts in the play. You may use an audio or video cassette, DVD or create a podcast.

Writing 12

• Next meeting: November 2nd at 7:15am.
• First assignment: describe the view from a window - any window, bedroom, restaurant, bus, wherever - as seen by the character you gave birth to this morning and who has just received either very good or very bad news. Have some specific news in mind but do not mention it in the exercise. Don't even hint at it. The reader should be able to deduce if not the exact nature of the news, the tenor of it, whether it's good or bad, simply by the way you describe the view. The object here is to give the reader a sense of your character's internal life by relying on meaningful imagery alone. (This exercise is adapted from "through your character's eye" by Michael Knight in Naming the World.)
• 2nd assignment: make a list of ten things that might elicit a reaction from your character. (if he hates to swim, put him in a rickety boat, etc) Now write a scene using one of those situations and your character. (Adapted from Noah Lukeman's The Plot Thickens.)
• 3rd Assignment: Write a scene in which your character engages another character in dialogue. Make the scene mostly dialogue with little exposition. That means that your reader will understand what is occuring through what your characters say and how they say it. To make this scene more challenging, have your characters talk around an issue rather than confront it head on. For some help about writing good dialogue, check out this blog post: http://johnaugust.com/archives/2007/how-to-write-dialogue
• 4th Assignment: Bad news. I'm so sorry to tell you this, but your character died early this morning. I'm not sure how - but I'm sure I'll find out in the obituary you are about to write. Please get familiar with the style of an obituary by reading some - then write your own for your character: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/obituaries/.
• All assignments are due at our November 2nd workshop. Please bring them in manuscript form, which means typed and printed in double spaced. Times New Roman. Size 12.

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.

Week at a Glance: Oct 18 - 21

English 8

• If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.
• Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!
• Wednesday for 1.3 and Tuesday for 2.1: Your myth is due.Please hand in your rough draft AND your final draft. (The assignment was to choose a natural or supernatural phenomenon and create an explanation for this phenomenon. Write an interesting and well-developed story that fully details your explanation of this phenomenon. Your story must have a title page that highlights an appropriate and creative title and includes a visual of at least one scene in the story. Also, use your plan for improvement to check your writing and we'll see if it improves with the next rubric!
• Thursday for 2.1: Plot graph with the following labelled, defined in your own words, and with an example from a favourite movie: introduction, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, conclusion.

English 11 AP

• Tuesday: Due today -  a written response to one of the following prompts with regards to Acts 1 through 3 - I will assess it with the Reading Rubric
• Discuss Macbeth's use of language any time he discusses or thinks about killing Duncan.
• Discuss Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship.
• Discuss the lust for power.
• Thursday: Come prepared to perform your Readers' Theatre role. We'll try to get through all of Act 5. Also, come prepared to share a reflection of Macbeth that you see in the real world.

Writing 12

• Next meeting: November 2nd at 7:15am.
• First assignment: describe the view from a window - any window, bedroom, restaurant, bus, wherever - as seen by the character you gave birth to this morning and who has just received either very good or very bad news. Have some specific news in mind but do not mention it in the exercise. Don't even hint at it. The reader should be able to deduce if not the exact nature of the news, the tenor of it, whether it's good or bad, simply by the way you describe the view. The object here is to give the reader a sense of your character's internal life by relying on meaningful imagery alone. (This exercise is adapted from "through your character's eye" by Michael Knight in Naming the World.)
• 2nd assignment: make a list of ten things that might elicit a reaction from your character. (if he hates to swim, put him in a rickety boat, etc) Now write a scene using one of those situations and your character. (Adapted from Noah Lukeman's The Plot Thickens.)
• 3rd Assignment: Write a scene in which your character engages another character in dialogue. Make the scene mostly dialogue with little exposition. That means that your reader will understand what is occuring through what your characters say and how they say it. To make this scene more challenging, have your characters talk around an issue rather than confront it head on. For some help about writing good dialogue, check out this blog post: http://johnaugust.com/archives/2007/how-to-write-dialogue
• All assignments are due at our November 2nd workshop. Please bring them in manuscript form, which means typed and printed in double spaced. Times New Roman. Size 12.  

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

• Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.

Week at a Glance: Oct 12 - 15

English 8

• If you missed a class last week, please go to the archives and find out what you missed.
• Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!
• Friday 2.1: if you miss class on Friday, please write a myth to explain a phenonenom of your choice. Be sure to include a cultural symbol. Also, write with your plan for improvement in mind and we'll see if it improves with the next rubric!

English 11 AP

• Wednesday: in-class significant quotations assignment today.
• Friday: Come prepared to perform your Readers' Theatre role.

  

Writing 12

• Next meeting: November 2nd at 7:15am.
• First assignment: describe the view from a window - any window, bedroom, restaurant, bus, wherever - as seen by the character you gave birth to this morning and who has just received either very good or very bad news. Have some specific news in mind but do not mention it in the exercise. Don't even hint at it. The reader should be able to deduce if not the exact nature of the news, the tenor of it, whether it's good or bad, simply by the way you describe the view. The object here is to give the reader a sense of your character's internal life by relying on meaningful imagery alone. (This exercise is adapted from "through your character's eye" by Michael Knight in Naming the World.)
• 2nd assignment: make a list of ten things that might elicit a reaction from your character. (if he hates to swim, put him in a rickety boat, etc) Now write a scene using one of those situations and your character. (Adapted from Noah Lukeman's The Plot Thickens.)

Writing 12 Contests and Opportunities

•  Katherine has brought this to our attention - thank you, Katherine! http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/ National Novel Writing Month is coming up in November. The idea goal is to write up to a 175 page (Grade 11 can write anywhere from 17,000 to 35,000 words, and Grade 12 is anywhere from 25,000 to the full 50,00 words) novel in between midnight October 31st and midnight November 30th. I participated last year, and unfortunately didn't make it, but I'm going for the full 50,000 words this time around. I was hoping that some of the other writers in Writing 12 might want to join me, I know it's a huge undertaking but it really is fun to just write and not focus on whether everything is "perfect", and it would be nice to have a group who could support each other.
  
  

Week at a Glance: Oct 4-8

English 8

• Keep reading - each day at home and each day in class. Remember to bring your book to class!
• 2.1: Due Wednesday - Write either a story you are told, a story you retell, or a story that is told about you. Half to full page of writing, single spaced. First draft is fine.
• 1.3: Due Thursday- Write either a story you are told, a story you retell, or a story that is told about you. Half to full page of writing, single spaced. First draft is fine.

English 11 AP

• Monday: Due today - a statement in response to one of the following:
• Do you believe that everyone is involved in a personal battle with good and evil?
• What does it take to give into temptation - what is at stake and how does one decide to give in?
• Wednesday: Due today - Assigned Readers' Theatre Roles

Writing 12

• Next meeting: November 2nd at 7:15am.
• First assignment: describe the view from a window - any window, bedroom, restaurant, bus, wherever - as seen by the character you gave birth to this morning and who has just received either very good or very bad news. Have some specific news in mind but do not mention it in the exercise. Don't even hint at it. The reader should be able to deduce if not the exact nature of the news, the tenor of it, whether it's good or bad, simply by the way you describe the view. The obect here is to give the reader a sense of your character's internal life by relying on meaningful imagery alone. (This exercise is adapted from "through your character's eye" by Michael Knight in Naming the World.)

Week at a Glance: Sept 27 - Oct 1

English 8

• Please continue to bring your book to school and read every night at home!

English 11 AP

• Monday: In class essay. The prompt will be to comment on one of the novels. You can bring in an index card full of notes and you may have your novel open during the essay as well. I will expect to see you put your understanding of critical theory to use and present a well thought-out, well-explained interpretation.
• Thursday: Today we'll review your essays and their assessments to confirm our understanding of the criteria for Reading achievement. We'll also revise those criteria for student friendly language.

Week at a Glance: Sept 20 - 24

English 8

• Monday: Today we get books from the library!
• Wednesday: Bring your silent reading book to class every class from now on.

English 11AP

• Due Tuesday: Critical Theory Response Chart
• The columns of your chart should be as follows: Adult, Key Response, Critical Theory, Interpretation (what does framing your adult's response with a critical theory add to your understanding about their response and/or the story itself?)
• Due Thursday: you need to have finished reading one of the two books (Glass Castle or Slaughterhouse Five) before the start of class today.

Writing 12

• We'll meet on Tuesday next week at lunch in room W201 to set our schedule and course details.

Week at a Glance: Sept 13-17

English 11 AP

• Monday: Today will be learning about critical theory.
• Wednesday: Today you and your group will prepare to present your assigned theory to the class
• Friday:
• Presentations re critical theory due today
• Bring in notes regarding others' interpretations and reactions to "Story of an Hour". Be sure that you don't sway their ideas, but that you simply record their thoughts. If they're not sure what to say, you can ask them general questions like "What do you think of Mrs. Mallard?" and "Who do you most connect to in the story and why?".
• Looking ahead: Sept 23rd - in-class essay on either Slaughterhouse Five or The Glass Castle.

English 8

• Tuesday: Hand in the letter to yourself (that we started in class) in which you answer the following the prompts.
• Describe who you are at this time (likes, dislikes, habits, features, unique characteristics, etc.)
• Who is important to you (friends, family)?
• Who inspires you?
• How do you feel about being in grade 8 at Rockridge?
• Describe and discuss goals for this year.
• Do you want to join any clubs? Sports?
• What do you want out of this year? 
• Thursday: Today we'll be writing stories in class.

Week at a Glance: Sept 7-10

Welcome to my blog!
It was so great to meet you today in class. I got a good vibe from all my classes which  makes me think this is going to be a good, solid year. To be ready for next class, please bring the following items:

• blue or black pens
• paper in a binder
• 3 different coloured highlighters

As for the discussion, can you guess the answer to the joke my brother wrote?

• Why did the two melons get married in their hometown?

NOTE FOR GRADE 8s: Please come to class with a clean joke that you can share with us.

Note for English 11 AP students: Please acquire a copy of either Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut  or The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I'd like you to read one of these books by September 17th.

Note for Writing 12 students: Something went wrong during registration and some of your timetables don't list Writing 12 as one of your courses. Here's the scoop: the course has now moved entirely outside the timetable so rather than meeting during the day we'll meet once in awhile at a time and date that we all agree on. I'll be emailing you near the end of next week to straighten out the details. For this reason, the course will officially begin when you receive the email. I'm looking forward to meeting you all!

Week at a Glance: June 14 - 15th

English 11 and 11 AP

 

How to study for the Final Exam on June 16th at 12pm

• Ask yourself a bunch of the 4 Types of Questions for anything you read (newspaper article, poem, story, novel, brochure, etc). Answer your questions in writing and assess your writing with the Writign Rubric.
• Right There: a question for which the answer can be found "right there" in one spot in the text. Ex: How does Duncan react when first arriving at Macbeth's castle?
• Search and Find: a question for which the answer must be sought out from several parts of the text then put together for a full answer. EX: How do others see Macbeth?
• Authour and You: a question which demands that the answer involve examination of the text and the answerer's own ideas and opinions. Ex: Is Macbeth mad or bad?
• On Your Own: a question which does not require the answerer to have read the text - but the question itself draws a thematic link to the text. EX: When have you ever let fear control your actions?
• Know how to identify and describe the following terms:

• anaphora, allusion, similie, metaphor, imagery, paradox, parallelism, repetition, tone, voice, ehtos, pathos, logos, rhetorical question, active voice, alliteration, antithesis, contrast, diction, irony (verbal, situation, and dramatic), aside, soliloquy, rhyming couplet, character foil, stanza, denotation, conotation, round character, flat character, static character, dynamic character, stock character, first person point of view, second person point of view, third person point of view, third person omiscient point of view, third person limited omiscient point of view, third person objective point of view
• oxymoron, understatement, apostrophe, dissonance, onimatopoeia, attitude/tone

 

Writing 12

• June 14th: hand in Term 3 project.
• June 14th: Guest poet in the house today!
• Don't forget to bring a usb key so I can give you your memoir feedback!

 

English 8

• EVERY DAY: Bring your Silent Reading with an adult book.
• On June 15th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with the reading with an adult assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. Your presentation will be assessed, by your peers and me, with the Presentation Rubric.

Week at a Glace: June 7-11th

English 11 and 11 AP

• DUE on JUNE 11/14th: Revised versions of your in-class paragraph write - revised so as to improve according to the rubric. Block 1.1 is to answer the question about how setting influences the theme of "Because I never learned" and email it to me before the 14th. bmoore@sd45.bc.ca
• How to study for the Final Exam on June 16th at 12pm
• Ask yourself a bunch of the 4 Types of Questions for anything you read (newspaper article, poem, story, novel, brochure, etc). Answer your questions in writing and assess your writing with the Writign Rubric.
• Right There: a question for which the answer can be found "right there" in one spot in the text. Ex: How does Duncan react when first arriving at Macbeth's castle?
• Search and Find: a question for which the answer must be sought out from several parts of the text then put together for a full answer. EX: How do others see Macbeth?
• Authour and You: a question which demands that the answer involve examination of the text and the answerer's own ideas and opinions. Ex: Is Macbeth mad or bad?
• On Your Own: a question which does not require the answerer to have read the text - but the question itself draws a thematic link to the text. EX: When have you ever let fear control your actions?
• Know how to identify and describe the following terms:
• anaphora, allusion, similie, metaphor, imagery, paradox, parallelism, repetition, tone, voice, ehtos, pathos, logos, rhetorical question, active voice, alliteration, antithesis, contrast, diction, irony (verbal, situation, and dramatic), aside, soliloquy, rhyming couplet, character foil, stanza, denotation, conotation, round character, flat character, static character, dynamic character, stock character, first person point of view, second person point of view, third person point of view, third person omiscient point of view, third person limited omiscient point of view, third person objective point of view

Writing 12

• June 14th: hand in Term 3 project. 
• June 14th: Guest poet in the house today!
• Don't forget to bring a usb key so I can give you your memoir feedback!

English 8

• EVERY DAY: Bring your Silent Reading with an adult book.
• DUE JUNE 11th: your metaphor poem and your Found Poem.
• DUE JUNE 11th: a poem that you write about something you see. Go outside or walk around your house and describe something you see in a poem. Have fun with it!
• On June 15th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with the reading with an adult assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. Your presentation will be assessed, by your peers and me, with the Presentation Rubric.

Week at a Glance: May 28-June 4

English 11

• Everyday, starting on May 28th, everyone must be bringing your silent reading book and your TPCASTTed poem to class. Be prepared to discuss your poem with your group and me.
• Leaders: you should have the poem TPCASTTed and one of each of the 4 Questions:
1. Right There: a question for which the answer can be found "right there" in one spot in the text. EX: How does Duncan react when first arriving at Macbeth's castle?
2. Search and Find: a question for which the answer must be sought out from several parts of the text then put together for a full answer. EX: How do others see Macbeth?
3. Authour and You: a question which demands that the answer involve examination of the text and the answerer's own ideas and opinions. Ex: Is Macbeth mad or bad?
4. On Your Own: a question which does not require the answerer to have read the text - but the question itself draws a thematic link to the text. EX: When have you ever let fear control your actions?
• On June 8/9th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with the reading with an adult assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. Your presentation will be assessed, by your peers and me, with the Presentation Rubric.

English 11 AP

• Read with an Adult Projects due on June 4th.  
• Lit/Lines Presentation due on June 8th
• Everyday, everyone must be bringing your silent reading book and your TPCASTTed poem to class. Be prepared to discuss your poem with your group and me.
• Leaders: you should have the poem TPCASTTed and one of each of the 4 Questions:
1. Right There: a question for which the answer can be found "right there" in one spot in the text. EX: How does Duncan react when first arriving at Macbeth's castle?
2. Search and Find: a question for which the answer must be sought out from several parts of the text then put together for a full answer. EX: How do others see Macbeth?
3. Authour and You: a question which demands that the answer involve examination of the text and the answerer's own ideas and opinions. Ex: Is Macbeth mad or bad?
4. On Your Own: a question which does not require the answerer to have read the text - but the question itself draws a thematic link to the text. EX: When have you ever let fear control your actions?Final Exam on June 15th

Writing 12

• Our remaining in-class classes are as follows: June 2nd, 4th, 14th.
• June 14th: hand in Term 3 project.
• June 14th: Guest poet in the house today!
• Don't forget to bring a usb key so I can give you your memoir feedback!

English 8

 EVERY DAY: Bring your Silent Reading with an adult book.  

• On June 15th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with the reading with an adult assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. Your presentation will be assessed, by your peers and me, with the Presentation Rubric.

Week at a Glance: May 17 - 20

English 11

• PART ONE OF YOUR FINAL EXAM: May 19 and 20th - Impromptu Write. If you are planning to be away during your block (for the Children's Festival or a Dr appointment), plan to write it in one of these blocks:
• with Mr. Elliott during 2.3 and 2.4 on the 18th
• with Ms. Moore during 1.1 or 1.2 or 2.1 or 2.4 on the 19th and 20th
• Everyday: Bring your silent reading book.
• On June 7/8th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with this assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. You will be assessed, by your peers and I, with the Presentation Rubric. 

English 11 AP

• PART ONE OF YOUR FINAL EXAM: May 19 and 20th - Impromptu Write. If you are planning to be away during your block (for the Children's Festival or a Dr appointment), plan to write it in one of these blocks:
• with Mr. Elliott during 2.3 and 2.4 on the 18th
• with Ms. Moore during 1.1 or 1.2 or 2.1 or 2.4 on the 19th and 20th
• Future Due Dates:
• Read with an Adult Projects due on June 4th. 
• Lit/Lines Presentation due on June 8th
• Final Exam on June 15th

Writing 12

• May 19th: Hand in Verbal Visual
• Don't forget to bring a usb key so I can give you your memoir feedback!

English 8

•  EVERY DAY: Bring your Silent Reading with an adult book.
  On June 15th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with this assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. You will be assessed, by your peers and I, with the Presentation Rubric.

Week at a Glance: May 10-14

English 11

• PART ONE OF YOUR FINAL EXAM: May 19 and 20th - Impromptu Write. If you are planning to be away during your block (for the Children's Festival or a Dr appointment), plan to write it in one of these blocks:
• with Mr. Elliott during 2.3 and 2.4 on the 18th
• with Ms. Moore during 1.1 or 1.2 or 2.1 or 2.4 on the 19th and 20th
• Your journal portfolio is due Monday (day 2) and Tuesday (day 1).
• We have read the following stories:
• The Black Cat - Edgar Allan Poe, The Terrible Old Man - J.P. Lovecraft
• The Initiation - Sylvia Plath, The Luncheon - Jeffery Archer
• Araby - James Joyce, Birthday Girl - Haruki Murkami
• The Other Side of the Hedge (1.1 & 2.1), The Necklace - Guy De Maupassant
• Cell One - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, The Chaser - John Collier (1.1 & 2.4)
• An Upheaval - Anton Chekhov
• You may omit 2 of these + The Black Cat (That being noted, I will take further notice of those who submit a response for all of these stories).
• Since it is a portfolio please present it as such: "a portable case for holding material representative of a person's work". Bind it together in some creative or basic way and include a cover page.
• Take pride in your work. This will account for a considerable portion of your term three mark and it should therefore be of considerable quality. You've had more than a month to perfect a final product. The bar is high.

English 11 Pre-AP

• Due on Tuesday: Free-write (10 mins) re the significance of poetry often breaking grammar rules.
• Poems TPCASTTed and discussed: bill bisset's "it used 2 b" and Joy Kogawa's "Rush Hour Tokyo" and Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool"
• Due on Thursday: Free-write (10 mins) in response to the question, "How do poems shape our stories?"
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPz9lL0y8sE&feature=related
• In class essay today.

Writing 12

• NOTE: We are not meeting on Tuesday May 11th. Next In Class Class is on May 19th.
• DUE ON MAY 19th: Your verbal visual.
• Here is the link to Jonathan Harris' Ted Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_harris_collects_stories.html
• Here is the link to the Wade Davis Ted Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/wade_davis_on_endangered_cultures.html

Grade 8

• Wednesday, May 12th: Your Romeo and Juliet soundtrack is due.
• Your soundtrack will consist of the following: a song for each act, or a major event in each act. Choose a position on the unit theme (Ideal love is unrealistic. To what extent is this true?) and write a paragraph on that position. Write 5 one-pagers, double spaced (for each song) explaining how the song applies to the act/event you have chosen. Burn the song onto a CD. Make a cover for the CD and a track list on the back or inside. Title your CD. If you cannot burn a CD, bring me your track list and I will do it for you. Your songs should reflect the position you've taken on the theme. HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH THIS!
• EVERY DAY: Bring your Silent Reading with an adult book.
• On June 15th you will present a visual to the class which defines an aspect of your experience with this assignment. You may ask me to show you some examples of visuals, if you like, as I have some from previous students. You will be assessed, by your peers and I, with the Presentation Rubric.

Week at a Glance: May 3 - 7

English 11 Pre-AP

• Due MONDAY:
• Free Write for 10 minutes on this topic: "Does poetry provide a uniquely powerful vehicle for social commentary? How or how not?"
• BRING YOUR SILENT READING BOOK!
• Due WEDNESDAY:
• Bring your Free-write (for 10 minutes) on this question to class to hand in: What is the power of mixing media with poetry?
• The examples we used to explore this question on Monday are as follows:
• http://www.blakearchive.org/exist/blake/archive/object.xq?objectid=songsie.b.illbk.48&java=yes
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkg9kmLnX30&NR=1
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGcQsciSp_I&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfDpW3xUK8g&feature=related
• http://www.jennyholzer.com/Projections/site/Toronto2007/
• Bring your silent reading book.
• DUE FRIDAY
• Bring your free-write (10 minutes long) on this question: What does Frost's poetry do? If you weren't at class on Wednesday, roam around the web to find some of his poems and commentary about Frost (might want to start here: http://www.poets.org/)

English 11

• Your journal portfolio is due Monday (day 2) and Tuesday (day 1). 
• We have read the following stories:
• The Black Cat - Edgar Allan Poe, The Terrible Old Man - J.P. Lovecraft
• The Initiation - Sylvia Plath, The Luncheon - Jeffery Archer
• Araby - James Joyce, Birthday Girl - Haruki Murkami
• The Other Side of the Hedge (1.1 & 2.1), The Necklace - Guy De Maupassant
• Cell One - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, The Chaser - John Collier  (1.1 & 2.4)
• An Upheaval - Anton Chekhov
• You may omit 2 of these + The Black Cat (That being noted, I will take further notice of those who submit a response for all of these stories).
• Since it is a portfolio please present it as such: "a portable case for holding material representative of a person's work". Bind it together in some creative or basic way and include a cover page. 
• Take pride in your work. This will account for a considerable portion of your term three mark and it should therefore be of considerable quality. You've had more than a month to perfect a final product.  The bar is high.

Writing12

• PRACTICE YOUR READING so you're ready for FRIDAY NIGHT!!!!!!! 

Week a a Glance: April 26-30

Writing 12

• Tuesday: Bring the piece that you're going to read at the May 7th public reading. We'll do a run through, choose the MCs and write the invitations.
• Thursday: Dress rehersal before a live audience!

English 11

English 11 Pre-AP

• Tuesday: Choose a book for your Read with an Adult project!
• Due Thursday:
• Bring your "read with an adult" book to class for silent reading
• Read Chad Davidson's essay at http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5899 then prepare the following: Highlight key phrases ~ Pull out main points ~ Paraphrase main idea  ~  articulate your opinion of his main idea and arguments
• Future Due Dates:
• Read with an Adult Projects due on June 4th.
• Lit/Lines Presentation due on June 8th
• Final Exam on June 15th

English 8

Week at a Glance: April 19-23

Writing 12:

• Online Class: Choose a song that moves you, that you connect to, or that triggers a memory in you. Bring those lyrics to the next class (next Tuesday).
• ALSO, please revise the piece that you're reading at the public reading AND bring in a new draft of it. To get your new draft, choose to do one of the following: (1) add 50 more words, (2) cut 10 - 25% of the words, (3) re-write it from a different perspective. BRING BOTH DRAFTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• I have an about the authour blurb for the following people: Allie, Asya, Emma, Gemma, Giles, Glenn, Jocelyn, Kathryn, Laurel, Michelle, Taylor, Tiga, and Tim.
• IF YOU NAME IS NOT ON THIS LIST, then I need you to send me a realistic and respectful "About the Authour" blurb for your children story. ASAP.

English 11 Pre-AP:

• Terms to know for the Short Fiction Exam on Friday: active voice, alliteration, allusion, antagonist, antithesis, anti-climax, character tyeps, characterization types, cliche, climax, colloquial (a type of diction), conotation, contrast, denoument, dialogue, diction, dilemma, epiphany, falling action, figurative language, types of point of view, flashback, foil, foreshadowing, imagery, irony - all types, jargon, metaphor, monologue, mood, onomateopeia, oxymoron, paradox, parallelism, passive voice, pathos, plot points, slang, similie, symbolism, theme, thesis, tone
• hyperbole, personification, stereotypical character, dynamic character, a static character, flat character, euphemism
  English 11

• Short Stories and Journal Responses continued. We will study the following stories:

• Cell One - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• Forgiveness In Families - Alice Munro
• The Charmer - Budge Wilson

• Tentative due date for unit portfolio Monday, May 10th
• Instructions for short story journal responses:
• Your response does not need to be artistic, though I certainly encourage creativity.
• Your responses should, however, demonstrate originality of thought. I am not looking for a summarization of these stories; I am looking for an interpretation of these stories or an interpretation of some aspect of these stories. The interpretive medium you choose is at your discretion. However, if you choose a creative medium, you must provide written justification for why you have chosen to represent your work in this way. Because yours will be a subjective response, a piece of artwork, for example, alone, cannot support your interpretation. Your intention needs to be apparent to me, the objective observer. 
• As always, there is usually information on the internet which will further explain these stories. I recommend "enotes". Please feel free to use my name and password to access the information provided by this site - user name: tessmwood password: surinder.
• I will allow you to omit two responses from your final portfolio. However, You will be given special consideration for submitting responses for all the assigned work.
• "An Upheaval" URL address: 
• //www.online-literature.com/donne/1147/
• "The Terrible Old Man" URL address: http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theterribleoldman.htm

English 8

• Romeo and Juliet Act IV sc. i and i

Week at a Glance: March 22 - 26

English 11

• You will implement useful strategies in the reading of two versions of the story "The Luncheon".
• Reminder: Each short story should be followed by an entry to your Reflective Journal. The Reflective Journal will be explicitly discussed on Monday and Tuesday.

Writing 12

• Your memoir and all its drafts are due on Friday this week. You must hand in the following items on Friday - in a folder. Please do not put it in pretty little binders or coutangs. Please use a foler with your name on it. Please put your work into the folder in this order:
• Final Draft on top (size 12, TIMES NEW ROMAN, 1 inch margins, and DOUBLE SPACED)
• your Wordle
• then a series of your rough drafts from most recent to least recent
• any notes or doddling your did while trying to write your memoir
• Check the Archives on the blog to see if you have compelted each draft that I have assigned. You must include them ALL in your package. You can print the drafts out in small type, wide margins and single spaced if you want to save paper.
• As for the class today, if you did not finish the subtle scene assignment, please do so and then email it to me. The subtle scene assignments asks you to write a scene in which you use detail to show the scene rather than outright telling the reader how things are (showing versus telling). Your last line should be an ironic statement. Please email this to me BEFORE FRIDAY.

English 8

• Dramatic reading of Act 1, sc v. You, and your partner, will choose a portion of the scene for your reading. This portion should be no less than 25 lines and no more than 50. Props are encouraged. The reading rubric provided to you will be the assessment tool. Consider these criterion when you prepare and perform your reading.

English 11 Pre-AP

• Continue to work on your short fiction unit.

Week a a Glance: March 15-19

Grade 11

• Short Stories: topics, themes and reading strategies
• Monday/Tuesday - "The Black Cat", Edgar Allan Poe
• Wednesday/Thursday - "The Terrible Old Man", H.P. Lovecraft (Weird Fiction) 
• Friday - "Death in the Schoolroom: (A Fact)", Walt Whitman

Grade 8

• Tuesday - Romeo and Juliet Act 1, sc v
• Thursday - Romeo and Juliet Act 2, sc i and ii

Grade 11Pre-AP

• Continue to work on your short fiction unit.

Writing 12

• We meet in class this week on Monday and Wednesday.
• Be sure to look in the archives for last week's online lessons if you haven't done them yet.

Week at a Glance: March 8-12

Writing 12

• This week during our online classes you should be working on your memoir revisions. Create a drafts folder and start collecting these drafts. Be sure to save a version of your memoir after each time you work it through. I'll ask you to hand in these revisions with your final memoir, SO MAKE SURE TO KEEP THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!! You should already have the highlighted version (from last week) in your drafts folder and labelled as Draft #1.
• Macro-revision #1: balance your setting, characterization, and dialogue according to the highlighting activity we did last week in class and save this new draft - print it and put it in your drafts folder. Label it Draft #2.
• Macro-revision #2: Do a wordle (http://www.wordle.net/create). Consider if the biggest words are really the words you want the most repeated. If not, do a CTL F in your memoir to find those words and revise them out. Print out your new draft, label it Draft #3 and print out your wordle and put both in your drafts folder.

English 11

• "Searching For Bobby Fischer" film study, assignment due date TBD.
• You will write a one page response to one of the following questions:
• Consider Josh's qualities and how they motivate the plot.
• After his initial cynicism, Bruce takes a great interest in Josh. Besides money, what motivates his mentorship? Why?
• Bruce and Vinnie are in opposition, though both act as mentors to Josh. What does this contrast suggest? (consider Josh, the theme, what each of these men represent).
• Write about a central theme in the story, and how it is relevant to the plot.
• "Play the man, not the board". What does Vinnie mean by this? Why is this significant to the theme of the movie?
• Fred Waitzkin changes the way he fathers Josh. Why? Explain with evidence.

English 11 Pre-AP

• Due on Tuesday: 3 of your best drafts with their rough drafts attached.

English 8

• We will be reading (and performing) "Romeo and Juliet", act 1, sc i - Monday
• Act 1, sc ii and iii - Wednesday
• Act 1, sc iv and v - Friday
• Homework assigned on Monday and due on Wednesday:
• "Romeo is a hopeless romantic and falls in love easily. Is this true? Is romanticism a good or bad quality?"
• Please keep all handouts (including discussion questions) provided to you. Put them in your binder immediately!

Week at a Glance: Feb 8-12 (and as a reminder over the Olympic Break!)

English 8

• This week we'll be praciting reading aloud with expression with our study into a couple short stories by Canadian author William Bell.
• Due Wednesday: Free-write using the following words correctly: comspiracy, vicinity, contempt, pompous, altercation, decadent
• Due Friday: add 1/2 page to your free-write from Wednesday using the following words correctly: guant, carcass, decrepit, dilapidated

English 11
Compare and Contrast Essay:

• Focus on one or more specific type attributes and compare them to yourself as defined by your own perception.
• Focus on the type itself - for example: Are you really Introverted, rather than Extroverted? You must use "type" and perceived attributes to argue your point.

MBTI websites:

• www.knowyourtype.com/16_types.html
• www.typelogic.com
• www.myersbriggs.org

Be creative and interpretive with this assignment - have fun with the topic.

Writing 12

• Memoir Due Dates:
• Entire 12 page draft due in class on March 3rd.
• Final Draft due March 26th
• In class on the 9th of February we took our memoirs through the following steps. Please do so if you were not in class. Please finish this task for your online class on Feb 11th.  KEEP THE DRAFT THAT YOU DO THIS TO IN BEFORE AND AFTER CONDITION. GOAL: Cut out 500 words (or 20% of your draft)
• Be ruthless with adjectives and adverbs
• To do this, please highlight ALL adjectives and adverbs in your draft. Then change or delete.
• Distil one paragraph into one sentence.
• Combine sentences.
• Employ mostly active voice.
• to to do this, please highlight (in a different colour from the adjectives and adverbs) all the following words in their full and contracted form – then change or delete them: is, am, were, was, are
• Here is a list of our IN CLASS classes for the next few months. Please print this out or make a note of these dates in your agenda:
• March 3, 5, 15, 17, 26, 30
• April 15, 19, 27, 29
• May 7, 11, 19, 25
• June 2, 4, 14
• FYI: North Shore Writers Contest http://www.nswriters.bc.ca/node/82

English 11 Pre-AP

Choose three tasks from numbers 3-7 on the task list that you will have brought to final draft and those will be due on March 9th. Everything else is due by March 30th.

When making your schedule of due dates, which you will hand in to me on Wednesday, be sure to include time for you to go through 2 rough drafts at least and then one final draft for each of the tasks.

For Term 2, your mark will be heavily based on the 3 items you hand in on the 9th.

Term 3's mark will have much to do with the rest of the unit and I will not accept anything beneath an Accomplished or Exemplary level, so you'll need to leave time for you to check your final drafts with me before you consider an item completed.

In the meantime, get started! March 9th will come MUCH FASTER than you think.

Week at a Glance: Feb 1-5

English 11

• If you missed last class, or have yet to send your 4 letters to bmoore@sd45.bc.ca, go to the Blog Archive for last week and check it out.

English 8

• Bring The Outsiders to class on Tuesday - it's our last day with the novel...
• A few people (you know who you are) have a letter to write for Tuesday.

Writing 12

• Work on your memoirs! AND, email me a brief note about what you work on during your online classes.

English 11 Pre-AP

• Choose three tasks from numbers 3-7 on the task list that you will have brought to final draft and those will be due on March 9th.
• Everything else is due by March 30th.
• When making your schedule of due dates, which you will hand in to me on Wednesday, be sure to include time for you to go through 2 rough drafts at least and then one final draft for each of the tasks.
• For Term 2, your mark will be based on the 3 items you hand in on the 9th.
• Term's 3 mark will have much to do with the rest of the unit and you will not accept anything beneath an Accomplished or Exemplary level, so you'll need to leave time for you to check your final drafts with me before you consider an item completed.
• In the meantime, get started! March 9th will come MUCH FASTER than you think.

Week at a Glance: Jan 25-29

English 8

• We'll be working in the library on Monday and Wednesday in order to answer the following questions which you will need to fully understand in order to move forward in your science class:
• What is an encyclopaedia and is it important to recognize outside sources when writing an encyclopaedia article?
• On Friday guest speakers for your Health and Career Education class will be using our English block to work with you.
• Next week we'll finish our study of Outsiders with a final presentation.

English 11

• Monday, Day 2: Macebth projects are due. Literary Devices Test. Essay outlines are due.
• Tuesday, Day 1: Macbeth projects are due. Essay Outlines are due.
• Wednesday: Visit: http://www.similarminds.com/
• Select the "Personality Tests" option. On the right hand column you will see "Jung Test I-E-S-N-F-T-J-P".
• Select the first option below, which is: "Short Test (53 questions)". 
• Once you have completed the test you will receive a four letter "score". Write down the four letters and bring them to class, or email them to Ms. Moore.
• 
  
  Thursday: Visit: www.similarminds.com and email your letters to bmoore@sd45.bc.ca or bring them to class with you on Monday. See above for instructions.
  
• Looking Ahead: Compare and Contrast essay due February 11th for Day 1 and February 12th for Day 2.
• Length=2 pages double spaced.
• Written either in "Block Style" or "Point-By-Point" style.
• In this essay you will use a selection of your Meyers Briggs (MBTI) type characteristics as points of comparison. Though your MBTI type is generated based on your own responses, you will likely disagree with some of the characteristics attributed to your type - and you will base your essay on these variables.

English 11 Pre-AP

• Tuesday: Finish watching Macbeth film and start organizing presentation.
• Thursday: present reading to class and begin Writing unit.

Writing 12

• Tuesday: Bring what you've got so far of your memoir to class.
• Thursday: Bring what you've got so far of your memoir to class.

Week at a Glance: Jan 18-21

English 11

• Monday Day 2: Work on Project, consultations re essay outlines, and literary devices checkpoint
• Tuesday Day 1: Work on Project, consultations re essay outlines, and literary devices checkpoint
• Wednesday Day 2: Work on Project, consultations re essay outlines, and literary devices checkpoint
• Thursday Day 1: consultations re essay outlines, and literary devices test

English 11 Pre-AP

• Think about Macbeth through your chosen lens... gather your thoughts, take notes, draw pictures, whatever - just do what you need to do to get thinking about it.
• Also, find out what you can about lyrical poetry in preparation of Tuesday's Guest Lecturer from Quest University.

English 8
Monday: Guest Speaker

 

Writing 12
Please get busy writing your memoir!

 

Week at a Glance: Jan 11-15

English 11

• Monday Day 1: Work on Project
• Tuesday Day 2: Work on Project and consultations re essay outlines
• Wednesday: Work on Project and consultations re essay outlines
• Thursday: same as Tuesday with a literary devices checkpoint
• Friday: same as Wednesday with a literary devices checkpoint

English 11 Pre-AP

• Due on Wednesday: T-Chart with 6 quotations denoting significant events or bits of text on one side and explanations as to why they are significant on the other side. One of them must be the climax - which is a turning point and not necessarily the most exciting part of the play.
• Due on Friday: Prepare your thoughts on paper as to the concept of manliness as shown in the conversation about the killing of Macduff's family in Act 4 Scene 3 of Macbeth. Consider your reaction, your own analysis, any outside reading you've done, and the attachment that I've emailed to you. (NOTE: I have only emailed Elinor, Kelly, Lauren T, Lauren N, Laura, Stephie, Stef, Nell, Mariam, Charlie and Jake as I have their email addresses on file. Please email them and/or me for the attachment.) In addition, consider the pacing of the dialogue between Ross, Malcolm and Macduff regarding the slaughter of Macduff's family.

English 8

• Finish reading The Outsiders for Thursday.

Writing 12
Monday: for a change in pace, check this link out... send me an email in which you tell me about how you think Bolz' choice to begin her memoir with a scene of death rather than birth might change your response to it. Email me with a list of scenes like this (not necessarily about death but about big significant moments in your life) that you think might be a good starting place for your memoir. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/river_teeth/v005/5.1bolz.pdf

Week at a Glance: Jan 4 - 8

Happy New Year!

English 11

• Monday/Tuesday: We'll be choosing books from the library for silent reading - which we'll have at the start of every class from now on. We'll also start your Macbeth essay outline.
• Wednesday / Thursday: Your essay outline is due today. Please hand in by the end of class. During the last ten minutes of class, you'll be getting into your production companies for the Macbeth Production Project!
• Friday: Today 2.1 and 2.4 classes will be working on the casting and doing some read throughs.

English 8

• Monday: We'll be discussing the Frost poem and starting letters from Ponyboy to one of his brothers. Due next class.
• Wednesday: Today you'll have time to finish your letters from Ponyboy.
• Friday: Reminder of the quiz today on everything up until Chapter 9. You should be ready to discuss some of the events, their importance, characters' relationships, and the characters themselves.

English 11AP

• Tuesday: Today we'll get into Macbeth. Ms. Smith is in for you today as I am at home working on getting healthy.
• Wednesday: Guest Lecturer from Quest University! We'll be looking at lyrical poetry in this seminar style lesson.

Writing 12

• Tuesday: Ms. Smith is in for you today and you'll be writing about memories, brainstorming memories like crazy.
• Thursday: Go to the following link and read Chapter One of Frederick Douglass' famous memoir. Mr. Douglass, as you'll find out, was a slave in the US and he used his life to work for freedom for himself and others like him. As you read it, consider how he shapes his story. At what point in his life does he begin his story? Would it be better if he started with a flashback, withs ome action, or do you enjoy the way it feels like he's talking right to you? After you've read it, I'd like you to email me your thoughts as to why or why not you think your memoir would be good to start at the very beginning as well. http://books.google.com/books?id=3dqI0o5PyToC&dq=Frederick+Douglass&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=QpdDS73kEYLcsgP37MTwBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=11&ved=0CCoQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=&f=false
• Monday: for a change in pace, check this link out... send me an email in which you tell me about how you think Bolz' choice to begin her memoir with a scene of death rather than birth might change your response to it. Email me with a list of scenes like this (not necessarily about death but about big significant moments in your life) that you think might be a good starting place for your memoir. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/river_teeth/v005/5.1bolz.pdf