Welcome to English 11
Assignments for the remainder of the course:
1) Novel Study
2) Rant Poem
3) Original Composition
1) Novel Study
2) Rant Poem
3) Original Composition
I have decided to add more structure to the final two months of school, and I am hoping this will be helpful as you work from home. Here is a schedule with deadlines to help you stay on track. You will find more details about each assignment below this schedule.
Schedule for April 15 - June 5
Wednesday April 15 – Friday 17
Monday, April 20 – Friday 24
Monday, April 27 – May 1
Response/Journal #2 Guiding Questions:
Monday, May 4 – Friday, May 8
Response/Journal #3 Guiding Questions:
Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15.
Note: I have made some modifications to Part 4 so that is easier to complete at home.
Happy May Long Weekend!
Tuesday, May 19 – Friday, May 22
Monday, May 25 – Friday, May 29
All assignments must be handed in by Friday, May 29 at the latest.
Schedule for April 15 - June 5
Wednesday April 15 – Friday 17
- Choose a novel and email me the title and author. Read!
Monday, April 20 – Friday 24
- Read your novel and work on Part 1 Vocabulary (as you read write down unfamiliar words or interesting words/passages and the page numbers)
- Complete Novel Study Assignment Part 2 – Journal Entry #1 (based on what you read in the first third of novel). Choose three of the questions below to answer in Journal #1:
- Response/Journal #1 Guiding Questions:
- Describe the setting of the story so far. How was this contributed to the mood or atmosphere of the story?
- Who is the narrator of the story? How does this impact the book?
- Name and describe the main character (physically and emotionally) and give your own impression of him/her.
- Name and describe a secondary character. Describe why this character is important to the story.
- Describe the relationship between two characters and the significance to the story.
- Due Friday – Journal #1
Monday, April 27 – May 1
- Read your novel and continue to add to your list of vocabulary words for Part 1 of the novel study assignments
- Work on Part 2 – Journal Entry #2 (you should have read to the middle of novel at least)
Response/Journal #2 Guiding Questions:
- Explain one aspect of culture described in the book. Can you connect to that culture?
- Discuss the conflict within the story so far.
- Describe one important event and describe the importance to the story.
- Describe a connection you can make from the story to your life experiences.
- Choose a sentence or phrase and discuss why you chose it and the value it holds to the story.
- Due Friday – Journal #2
Monday, May 4 – Friday, May 8
- Finish reading your novel
- Complete Novel Study Assignment Part 1: Vocabulary
- Complete Journal #3
Response/Journal #3 Guiding Questions:
- Discuss the theme of the book and your reaction to it.
- Does the author use humour, irony, symbolism, foreshadowing, or metaphors? Give examples and explain the impact.
- If the author is Canadian, did you pick up on any references to Canada or our collective identity?
- What did you learn from this novel?
- What would you change about this novel?
- Due Friday: Novel Study Assignment Part 1 - Vocabulary and Journal #3
Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15.
Note: I have made some modifications to Part 4 so that is easier to complete at home.
- Complete Novel Study Assignments Part 3 or Part 4 if you are aiming for a mark of Proficient
- Complete Novel Study Assignments Parts 3 and 4 if you are aiming for a mark of Extending
- Begin work on the Rant Poem if you are not doing Parts 3 and 4 of the novel study
Happy May Long Weekend!
Tuesday, May 19 – Friday, May 22
- Complete the Rant Poem and submit both the brainstorm/outline/rough work as well as the final copy by Friday
Monday, May 25 – Friday, May 29
- Work on the Original Composition – choose one of the topics and begin brainstorming some ideas
- Transfer your ideas to the essay outline if you choose to use the essay outline
- Write your original composition and submit the brainstorm/essay outline as well as the final copy of the essay by Friday
All assignments must be handed in by Friday, May 29 at the latest.
1) Novel Study
After the spring break we were to begin a novel study, but instead of choosing from the class collection of novels, I am asking you to choose a novel. It can be any genre -- historical, fantasy, dystopian, realistic or science fiction, etc. I just ask that it tells a story with a plot including: rising action, conflicts, climax, falling action, conclusion as well as character development. The novel should also be at approximately a grade 11 reading level, give or take a year or two depending on your reading level. As much as I enjoy Harry Potter novels, they fall in the grade 5-6 reading level, so they would not be appropriate nor challenging enough for a grade 11 student.
Email me the title and author of the novel so that I can approve of your choice -- don't worry I am not picky; I just want you to read! You may even choose to read a novel you have already read and enjoyed, especially if you struggle with reading or you don't really enjoy it. If you are stuck or do not have access to any novels, let me know via email and I can offer suggestions based on the genres you prefer or I may be able to find a novel from our library or the classroom and somehow get it to you. However, if you don't have access to a novel, reading an e-book may be the best option at this point. Here is a link to free e-books from the school library and the public library: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUxNqdsreWSs10YkSWEl_Jz1bGmXTwIzkQMiqGOWGNw/edit?usp=sharing
Novel Study Assignments
I have posted the novel study assignments under the Handouts for Grade 11 tab. I will post some exemplars as well. Email me if you have any questions. I am hoping you find curling up with a good book a helpful escape from COVID-19! Happy reading!
Novel Study Options: You decide how many of the novel study assignments you will complete based on the mark you are aiming for and the amount of effort you want to put forth.
After the spring break we were to begin a novel study, but instead of choosing from the class collection of novels, I am asking you to choose a novel. It can be any genre -- historical, fantasy, dystopian, realistic or science fiction, etc. I just ask that it tells a story with a plot including: rising action, conflicts, climax, falling action, conclusion as well as character development. The novel should also be at approximately a grade 11 reading level, give or take a year or two depending on your reading level. As much as I enjoy Harry Potter novels, they fall in the grade 5-6 reading level, so they would not be appropriate nor challenging enough for a grade 11 student.
Email me the title and author of the novel so that I can approve of your choice -- don't worry I am not picky; I just want you to read! You may even choose to read a novel you have already read and enjoyed, especially if you struggle with reading or you don't really enjoy it. If you are stuck or do not have access to any novels, let me know via email and I can offer suggestions based on the genres you prefer or I may be able to find a novel from our library or the classroom and somehow get it to you. However, if you don't have access to a novel, reading an e-book may be the best option at this point. Here is a link to free e-books from the school library and the public library: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iUxNqdsreWSs10YkSWEl_Jz1bGmXTwIzkQMiqGOWGNw/edit?usp=sharing
Novel Study Assignments
I have posted the novel study assignments under the Handouts for Grade 11 tab. I will post some exemplars as well. Email me if you have any questions. I am hoping you find curling up with a good book a helpful escape from COVID-19! Happy reading!
Novel Study Options: You decide how many of the novel study assignments you will complete based on the mark you are aiming for and the amount of effort you want to put forth.
- To earn an A or Extending, complete all four parts of the novel study and score Extending on a majority of the assignments (refer to rubric for each part).
- To earn a B or Proficient, complete Parts 1 and 2 as well as Part 3 or Part 4. You should score Proficient or higher on a majority of the assignments.
- To pass or earn a C, complete Parts 1 and 2 only. You should score Developing or higher on the assignments.
2) Rant Poem
Write a free verse poem about something that frustrates you. See the step-by-step process outlined below. I suspect COVID-19 will be a popular topic and writing about it could prove therapeutic. Last semester there were a lot of rant poems about bad drivers…interesting. See the Handouts tab for the exemplar from a student last semester. You can find an outline and rubric in the Handouts tab as well.
Rant – Persuasive Speech
Rant poetry comes in all shapes and sizes, but it is most commonly defined as a free-verse poem written about an exasperating subject. Follow the steps below to wax poetic about any subject that aggravates, pesters, or otherwise drives you batty.
1. Settle on a single subject that provokes, annoys, exasperates or infuriates you. This subject will be the topic of your rant poem.
2. Brainstorm a list of reasons why your subject maddens you. Jot down a list of 10-20 specific details about your subject that drive you bonkers.
3. Decide what tone you want your poem to convey. How do you want your poem to make the reader feel? You might want to make them laugh at your misery, or cringe at your excruciating details.
4. Choose the details from your brainstorm list that you think will stimulate your audience, and craft them into sentences that reflect your tone. For example, in "Airline Complaint," the writer states, "I constructed a stink shield by shoving one end of a blanket into the overhead compartment," which is a funny way to rant poetically about an airline lavatory.
5. Write your rant poem by stringing sentences from your brainstorm together in chronological order. Make sure each complaint flows to the next logically, like sentences do in paragraphs.
6. Break the lines of your poem where it feels appropriate. Poems like the rant don't need dramatic line breaks.
7. End your rant poem with the single most annoying complaint from your brainstorm list. Your rant poem should be at least 20 lines in length.
Tips
Write a free verse poem about something that frustrates you. See the step-by-step process outlined below. I suspect COVID-19 will be a popular topic and writing about it could prove therapeutic. Last semester there were a lot of rant poems about bad drivers…interesting. See the Handouts tab for the exemplar from a student last semester. You can find an outline and rubric in the Handouts tab as well.
Rant – Persuasive Speech
Rant poetry comes in all shapes and sizes, but it is most commonly defined as a free-verse poem written about an exasperating subject. Follow the steps below to wax poetic about any subject that aggravates, pesters, or otherwise drives you batty.
1. Settle on a single subject that provokes, annoys, exasperates or infuriates you. This subject will be the topic of your rant poem.
2. Brainstorm a list of reasons why your subject maddens you. Jot down a list of 10-20 specific details about your subject that drive you bonkers.
3. Decide what tone you want your poem to convey. How do you want your poem to make the reader feel? You might want to make them laugh at your misery, or cringe at your excruciating details.
4. Choose the details from your brainstorm list that you think will stimulate your audience, and craft them into sentences that reflect your tone. For example, in "Airline Complaint," the writer states, "I constructed a stink shield by shoving one end of a blanket into the overhead compartment," which is a funny way to rant poetically about an airline lavatory.
5. Write your rant poem by stringing sentences from your brainstorm together in chronological order. Make sure each complaint flows to the next logically, like sentences do in paragraphs.
6. Break the lines of your poem where it feels appropriate. Poems like the rant don't need dramatic line breaks.
7. End your rant poem with the single most annoying complaint from your brainstorm list. Your rant poem should be at least 20 lines in length.
Tips
- Rant poems do not need to rhyme, follow any particular meter, or break into stanzas.
- Keep the topic to one rant-worthy subject to avoid confusing the reader.
- Write the rant poem in the present tense.
3) Original Composition
Using standard English, write a coherent, unified, multi-paragraph (3 or more paragraphs) composition of approximately 300 words on the topic below. In your composition you may apply any effective and appropriate method of development which includes any combination of exposition, persuasion, description, and narration. You should choose to write either a narrative or expository essay. See the Handouts tab for notes and essay outlines which may be helpful for planning and organizing your ideas.
Write a multi-paragraph composition on one of the topics below. You may draw on the experiences of others or from any aspect of your life, your reading and your experiences.
Topics:
Using standard English, write a coherent, unified, multi-paragraph (3 or more paragraphs) composition of approximately 300 words on the topic below. In your composition you may apply any effective and appropriate method of development which includes any combination of exposition, persuasion, description, and narration. You should choose to write either a narrative or expository essay. See the Handouts tab for notes and essay outlines which may be helpful for planning and organizing your ideas.
Write a multi-paragraph composition on one of the topics below. You may draw on the experiences of others or from any aspect of your life, your reading and your experiences.
Topics:
- Surprises can make life interesting.
- Each generation has something valuable to offer.
- Keeping an open mind allows for growth.
Email sent home on April 15th
Dear Students and Parents regarding English 11,
I hope this finds you healthy and safe. I am sad and very disappointed that we will not be able to work together face-to-face/in person for the rest of the school year. I miss working with each of you, and I miss our class discussions and conversations…but the world has changed and we must adapt. Here is an update detailing how I have adapted the English 11 course.
Curricular Competencies or Skills
On a positive note, I designed the course in such a way that we have already studied most of the key curricular competencies a.k.a. skills and most students have practiced and demonstrated most of the required skills in the course. Put simply, the main objective of English 11 is to provide students the opportunity to develop more sophisticated reading, writing and speaking skills, and as such, all the important skills are introduced or reviewed and practiced at the beginning of the course and students are given multiple opportunities throughout the course to demonstrate those skills. It is expected that students demonstrate improved skills by the end of the course and, therefore, usually the assignments from the second half of the course are weighted more heavily than those from the first half. However, due to the current circumstances, I will not be placing more emphasis or weight on the assignments from the second half of the course.
So, what curricular competencies or skills have we studied and practiced so far?
Comprehend and Connect - reading, listening and viewing
Create and Communicate – writing, speaking and representing
What do we still need to do in order to fully cover all the key curricular competencies or skills in the course? I have narrowed it down to three items:
1) Novel Study – Your choice of novel. See my teacher page for more details.
2) Write a Rant Poem – write a free verse poem about something that frustrates you. I suspect COVID-19 will be a popular topic and writing about it could prove therapeutic. Last semester there were a lot of rant poems about bad drivers. I will post an exemplar from a student last semester who gave me permission to share their poem with you.
3) Original Composition – Your choice of writing an expository, narrative (creative fiction or non-fiction) essay, or argumentative essay on one of three broad topics which I will provide. This is one of the main components of the final exam for English 11 and English 12, so it is good practice for next year. It is not official, but there will probably be no final exams nor final projects this year.
The research project that we were working on before the spring break and we were supposed to finish the week after the break is optional. Some students were planning on working on it over the spring break. If you did so, you can submit it in place of Parts 3 and 4 of the novel study assignments. Or you can email me what you did complete (you were expected to have the research completed before the break but many worked on the synthesis essay instead) and I can give you some marks for the research component of the project. In any case, you will not lose marks for not completing the research project.
Unfortunately, the Yukon Stories Unit with its field trips and creative writing project will not happen this year, but I think I will include it in the new Creative Writing 12 course that some of you have signed up for next year; I have been told there is a good chance it will run. Also, the Argument and Persuasion Unit which culminates with an argumentative essay or debate will not happen this year as it requires much scaffolding in terms of in-class discussion, instruction and on-going assistance. I know there were quite a few students looking forward to the debate, but do not worry, as I will incorporate that unit into the English 12 course next year (I teach all the English 12 courses, so I will see you next year!).
Communication and Distance-Learning
In terms of communication and teaching platforms, I know many teachers are using Google Classroom and Zoom conferencing. I plan to use my teacher page instead as most students are already familiar with accessing and using it from the first couple months of the course. I will post everything there and it will be the go-to for information in the course.
The easiest way to access it is to do a Google search by entering ‘pcss teacher pages’ and then click on ‘Ms. Hamilton’ which is found on the far right of the screen or go to pcssrams.ca and click on the Teacher Pages tab at the top and then click on my name. Let me know if you cannot access it.
I plan to use email to correspond and connect with students either as a group or individually to provide assistance and to give feedback, etc. I can make myself available for phone calls from students requiring assistance, and I will also be emailing or setting up times to call students in order to check in with them regarding their progress at least once every week. If it becomes apparent that there are a group of students experiencing similar difficulties, I may consider using Zoom, but I am aware that it uses a lot of data so it is not my first choice. I prefer to give assistance via email or phone as it best resembles the individual assistance I give in the classroom.
Materials
I will provide online via my teacher page all the required materials such as notes, outlines, rubrics, exemplars, etc. (except for the novel) as lockers are still inaccessible at this point in time. I will provide a link to access free e-books from our library and the public library for the novel study. I will also provide paper packages to those students who have limited or no access to the internet and/or a computer. Please let me know if you require a paper package. The Department of Education has not yet decided the safest way to transfer these paper packages to students, but that should be determined soon.
Timelines and Deadlines
Students can work through the assignments in any order they wish, but I would like to see them emailing me an assignment or a component of an assignment once a week. I will post more details regarding timelines and deadlines on my teacher page. For students who cannot email me assignments, I will make alternate arrangements for collecting the assignments at a particular date.
Students on IEPs and SLPs
I will be contacting students on Individual Education Plans and Student Learning Plans individually to discuss any adaptations that can be made in order to ensure success in the course.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Linda Hamilton
Senior English Teacher and Languages Department Head
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
Porter Creek Secondary School
867-667-8044
I respectfully acknowledge that I work within the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the Ta’an Kwach’an Council.
Dear Students and Parents regarding English 11,
I hope this finds you healthy and safe. I am sad and very disappointed that we will not be able to work together face-to-face/in person for the rest of the school year. I miss working with each of you, and I miss our class discussions and conversations…but the world has changed and we must adapt. Here is an update detailing how I have adapted the English 11 course.
Curricular Competencies or Skills
On a positive note, I designed the course in such a way that we have already studied most of the key curricular competencies a.k.a. skills and most students have practiced and demonstrated most of the required skills in the course. Put simply, the main objective of English 11 is to provide students the opportunity to develop more sophisticated reading, writing and speaking skills, and as such, all the important skills are introduced or reviewed and practiced at the beginning of the course and students are given multiple opportunities throughout the course to demonstrate those skills. It is expected that students demonstrate improved skills by the end of the course and, therefore, usually the assignments from the second half of the course are weighted more heavily than those from the first half. However, due to the current circumstances, I will not be placing more emphasis or weight on the assignments from the second half of the course.
So, what curricular competencies or skills have we studied and practiced so far?
Comprehend and Connect - reading, listening and viewing
- Respond to a variety of texts in personal, creative, and critical ways
- Evaluate how literary elements, techniques and devices enhance and shape meaning and impact
- Non-fiction – film reviews, expository essays and articles, narrative essay
- Creative non-fiction
- Poetry
- Videos, one feature length film and film clips
- Evaluating the relevancy and authenticity of web sites as well as the authenticity of texts
Create and Communicate – writing, speaking and representing
- Demonstrate appropriate speaking and listening skills both formally and informally for a range of purposes
- Transform ideas and information to create original texts, using various genres, forms, structures and styles
- Use Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation proficiently
- Use citations to recognize property rights
- Mini-grammar projects and small group presentations
- Small group discussion, collaboration and analysis
- Class discussions and talking circles
- Citing sources using MLA format
- Expository writing – writing to explain
- Journal responses both creative and reflective
- Film review writing
- Synthesis essay/literary analysis essay writing with smoothly embedded quotations, otherwise known as in-text citations
What do we still need to do in order to fully cover all the key curricular competencies or skills in the course? I have narrowed it down to three items:
1) Novel Study – Your choice of novel. See my teacher page for more details.
2) Write a Rant Poem – write a free verse poem about something that frustrates you. I suspect COVID-19 will be a popular topic and writing about it could prove therapeutic. Last semester there were a lot of rant poems about bad drivers. I will post an exemplar from a student last semester who gave me permission to share their poem with you.
3) Original Composition – Your choice of writing an expository, narrative (creative fiction or non-fiction) essay, or argumentative essay on one of three broad topics which I will provide. This is one of the main components of the final exam for English 11 and English 12, so it is good practice for next year. It is not official, but there will probably be no final exams nor final projects this year.
The research project that we were working on before the spring break and we were supposed to finish the week after the break is optional. Some students were planning on working on it over the spring break. If you did so, you can submit it in place of Parts 3 and 4 of the novel study assignments. Or you can email me what you did complete (you were expected to have the research completed before the break but many worked on the synthesis essay instead) and I can give you some marks for the research component of the project. In any case, you will not lose marks for not completing the research project.
Unfortunately, the Yukon Stories Unit with its field trips and creative writing project will not happen this year, but I think I will include it in the new Creative Writing 12 course that some of you have signed up for next year; I have been told there is a good chance it will run. Also, the Argument and Persuasion Unit which culminates with an argumentative essay or debate will not happen this year as it requires much scaffolding in terms of in-class discussion, instruction and on-going assistance. I know there were quite a few students looking forward to the debate, but do not worry, as I will incorporate that unit into the English 12 course next year (I teach all the English 12 courses, so I will see you next year!).
Communication and Distance-Learning
In terms of communication and teaching platforms, I know many teachers are using Google Classroom and Zoom conferencing. I plan to use my teacher page instead as most students are already familiar with accessing and using it from the first couple months of the course. I will post everything there and it will be the go-to for information in the course.
The easiest way to access it is to do a Google search by entering ‘pcss teacher pages’ and then click on ‘Ms. Hamilton’ which is found on the far right of the screen or go to pcssrams.ca and click on the Teacher Pages tab at the top and then click on my name. Let me know if you cannot access it.
I plan to use email to correspond and connect with students either as a group or individually to provide assistance and to give feedback, etc. I can make myself available for phone calls from students requiring assistance, and I will also be emailing or setting up times to call students in order to check in with them regarding their progress at least once every week. If it becomes apparent that there are a group of students experiencing similar difficulties, I may consider using Zoom, but I am aware that it uses a lot of data so it is not my first choice. I prefer to give assistance via email or phone as it best resembles the individual assistance I give in the classroom.
Materials
I will provide online via my teacher page all the required materials such as notes, outlines, rubrics, exemplars, etc. (except for the novel) as lockers are still inaccessible at this point in time. I will provide a link to access free e-books from our library and the public library for the novel study. I will also provide paper packages to those students who have limited or no access to the internet and/or a computer. Please let me know if you require a paper package. The Department of Education has not yet decided the safest way to transfer these paper packages to students, but that should be determined soon.
Timelines and Deadlines
Students can work through the assignments in any order they wish, but I would like to see them emailing me an assignment or a component of an assignment once a week. I will post more details regarding timelines and deadlines on my teacher page. For students who cannot email me assignments, I will make alternate arrangements for collecting the assignments at a particular date.
Students on IEPs and SLPs
I will be contacting students on Individual Education Plans and Student Learning Plans individually to discuss any adaptations that can be made in order to ensure success in the course.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Linda Hamilton
Senior English Teacher and Languages Department Head
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
Porter Creek Secondary School
867-667-8044
I respectfully acknowledge that I work within the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation and the Ta’an Kwach’an Council.
Monday, March 30
I hope you are all well and staying safe and healthy during these challenging times. Currently I am adjusting my year plans to focus on the most important skills required in the course. Assignments will be adapted as necessary so that students can complete them at home and email them to me. Stay tuned.
I hope you are all well and staying safe and healthy during these challenging times. Currently I am adjusting my year plans to focus on the most important skills required in the course. Assignments will be adapted as necessary so that students can complete them at home and email them to me. Stay tuned.
Monday, March 9 - Thursday, March 12
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Monday
- Synthesis Essay is due today.
- Introduce NoodleTools - create digital research note cards.
- Begin doing research for Beauty Unit Project.
Tuesday
- Go to library and use laptop computers to do research for Beauty Unit Project.
Wednesday
- Continue doing research for Beauty Unit Project in the library.
Thursday
- Finish research for Beauty Unit Project.
Monday, March 2 - Friday, March 6
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
- Write essay titles on board and students sign up for essay based on interest. Max 4 people per essay; once 4 people have signed up the essay is "full" and students should make another choice).
- Groups w/ large paper and felt pens complete essay analysis questions.
- When all groups are done, do a "Gallery Walk" of essay analyses; during the walk, each person must write a comment on another group's work (with his/her name). The comment could be about agreeing/disagreeing with something, or anything to do with the content of the analysis.
Tuesday
- Discuss: What is "cat calling"? What is objectification? What does it mean to objectify someone, and what effect does it have?
- Watch Killing Us Softly 4
- Read "Woman on the Roof" (see handouts tab)
- Do WOTR activity and hand it in for assessment (see handouts tab).
Wednesday
- Begin work on Summative Assessment Assignments: Literary Synthesis Essay and Beauty Unit Project (see handouts tab for copies of these assignments)
- Introduce Literary Synthesis Essay topics and outline.
Thursday
- Work on Literary Synthesis Essay.
- Complete essay outline.
Friday
- Type up Literary Synthesis Essay.
Monday, February 24 - Friday, February 28 Friday is a PD Day
Monday
2. Find five rhetorical devices from the list. Write the type of device and quote or explain its use in
"Pretty".
3. Choose the device you find most effective and explain why it is particularly powerful.
4. What cultural practice(s) of North America does Makkai seem to find offensive?
5. What is your group's response to the poem? You may consider questions such as what did you
like/dislike about it? Of what does it make you think? Can you relate to it?
Tuesday
2) Beauty is very important.
3) Beautiful people have an advantage in the world.
4) Beauty pressures are greater on women than men.
5) Society's gendered beauty norms have a negative effect on members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Wednesday
Thursday
Monday
- Read definition of cultural practices.
- Discuss:
- 1. What are some cultural practices in North America?
2. What are some practices related to bodies?
3. Which practices would seem most weird if you were an alien coming to Canada? - Watch "Am I Beautiful?" webisode #8 and discuss in relation to "Chicken Hips"
- Go over list of rhetorical devices (see Handouts tab).
- Watch Katie Makkai's "Pretty"
- In small groups of 2-3:
2. Find five rhetorical devices from the list. Write the type of device and quote or explain its use in
"Pretty".
3. Choose the device you find most effective and explain why it is particularly powerful.
4. What cultural practice(s) of North America does Makkai seem to find offensive?
5. What is your group's response to the poem? You may consider questions such as what did you
like/dislike about it? Of what does it make you think? Can you relate to it?
- Watch Dove's Beauty ad. To whom is it targeted? Is it an effective campaign? Why/why not?
- Beauty pressures are greater on women than men. Write 5 reasons why this is true and/or untrue.
Tuesday
- Finish assignment from yesterday and hand it in for assessment.
- Watch TED talk by Cameron Russell and discuss (see Button Text below).
- Learning journal topics (choose one or more topics from below) and journal rubric.
2) Beauty is very important.
3) Beautiful people have an advantage in the world.
4) Beauty pressures are greater on women than men.
5) Society's gendered beauty norms have a negative effect on members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Wednesday
- Watch video clip of Alice in Wonderland (see below).
- Read excerpt from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (see handouts tab).
- Read "Mirror Image" (see handouts tab).
- Do task at end of Alice in Wonderland excerpt (in small groups or individually).
Thursday
- Discuss suspension of disbelief in science fiction genre. Is the story believable?
- For which character did you feel the most empathy? Why?
- Discuss creative response journals; hand out and go over rubric (see handouts tab).
- Write journal from the perspective of either Jenny or Mr. Jarrod from "Mirror Image." How do you feel about the body transplant that Alice has undergone? Write 125-150 words, in character as Jenny or Mr. Jarrod (using first person perspective). Use this character journal template (see handouts tab) to help if you like.
- Print-out of marks
- Revision work
art_ranking_activity__landscape_.doc | |
File Size: | 1156 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Monday, February 17 - Thursday, February 20
Monday
Tuesday
2. How does the TED talk relate to the painting ranking activity we did?
3. What things/qualities are considered beautiful in all human beings in Canadian culture?
4. Make a chart of how beauty standards appear in media (movie, magazine, social media, advertising) for men (one side) and women (other side).
5. Why is it problematic that:
a) beauty standards exist in society?
b) gender stereotypes are reinforced through beauty standards?
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday is Heritage Day and there is no school. Have a great long weekend!
- Do Art Ranking activity (click on file above) individually, then consensus on most/least beautiful in groups of 2-3.
- 4 corners (agree/disagree):
- 1. Beauty is subjective (based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes or opinions).
2 . Beauty is very important.
3. Beautiful people have an advantage in the world. - Revision work
Tuesday
- Pairs compare Art Ranking from yesterday; share on board.
- Four Corners: Beauty is subjective.
- TED talk: "A Darwinian Theory of Beauty" and note-taking (see handouts tab)
- Small group discussion questions:
2. How does the TED talk relate to the painting ranking activity we did?
3. What things/qualities are considered beautiful in all human beings in Canadian culture?
4. Make a chart of how beauty standards appear in media (movie, magazine, social media, advertising) for men (one side) and women (other side).
5. Why is it problematic that:
a) beauty standards exist in society?
b) gender stereotypes are reinforced through beauty standards?
- Go over responses to discussion questions.
Wednesday
- Read "Chicken Hips" essay (See Handouts tab).
- Answer "Chicken Hips" essay analysis questions. Use the list of terms to help you if necessary (See Handouts tab). This assignment is due tomorrow.
Thursday
- First Nations Trapping and Life on the Land event in the gym.
- Hand in the "Chicken Hips" essay analysis questions.
Friday is Heritage Day and there is no school. Have a great long weekend!
Monday, February 10 - Friday, February 14
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Monday
- Begin viewing the film The Grizzlies in the classroom. There were a few students who want to view The Whale Rider instead, so they will go to the library and view the film on a laptop computer.
- Students are to fill in the note while they view the film as a review of elements of a story. They are also to think about the authenticity of the film which they will write about in a film review later this week.
- Next Monday is the cut-off for handing in the artifact assignment, evaluating website and authenticity assignments.
Tuesday
- Finish viewing the film from yesterday and complete the notes on elements of a story.
- Review the authenticity chart for Dances with Wolves and discuss the authenticity of the film we viewed in class.
- Go over the handout with sample film reviews for Dances with Wolves and discuss the criteria for creating a film review for The Grizzlies or The Whale Rider.
- Students will begin doing research on the film they viewed and make notes using the authenticity chart handout.
Wednesday
- Go over the elements of a story chart from yesterday.
- Review the authenticity chart for Dances with Wolves and discuss the authenticity of the film we viewed in class.
- Students will begin doing research on the film they viewed and make notes using the authenticity chart handout. Read the three articles below in the Button Texts for some information to get you started.
Film Review from Native Appropriations
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Film Review from Reelreviews Movie Reviews
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Film Review by Roger Ebert
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CBC article
The Grizzlies: 15 things about the groundbreaking new Canadian film |
The Grizzlies Cast
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Article from Nunavut newspaper
The Grizzlies captures—and captivates—Nunavut |
Thursday
Friday
- Complete the survey by a grade 12 student for a Capstone Project.
- Go over the handout with sample film reviews for Dances with Wolves and discuss the criteria for creating a film review for The Grizzlies or The Whale Rider. Read the sample reviews for Dances with Wolves in the Button Texts above.
- Go over the assessment criteria for film review assignment.
- Finish research on the authenticity of the film viewed in class.
- Begin writing a film review using the outline given in class and then take the ideas from the outline and put them into complete sentences in multi-paragraph form.
Friday
- Finish writing the film review and hand it in, along with your research notes and outline, for assessment.
- Revision work
- Monday is the cut-off for handing in the artifact assignment, evaluating website and authenticity assignments.
Monday, February 3 - Friday, February 7
Monday
What additional information do you need to accurately tell another's story?
Monday
- Challenges with Representation Lesson 1 - Introduction: Authentic texts, voice and representation
- Class activity: Working in pairs, tell one another a story about something that has actually happened to you. Each student then attempts to retell the story as accurately as possible back to the other student.
- Class discussion questions:
What additional information do you need to accurately tell another's story?
- As a class, discuss the ideas of authenticity, authentic voice, representation and authentic text using Evaluating Authenticity: First Peoples Texts.
- Students brainstorm what they know about Pocahontas.
- View and discuss each scene from the Disney film, Pocahontas.
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Scene 4: Pocahontas is introduced. Consider the portrayal of First Nations people and potential stereotypes in this scene. Scene 11: "Gold" How are Europeans portrayed? |
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Scene 12: "Smith and Pocahontas" Consider the point of view of this scene; sources of bias? Stereotypes? |
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Scene 22: "Pocahontas and the Prisoner" Scene 23: "Savages" |
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Scene 24: Finale |
Tuesday
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- With a partner, create a T-Chart comparing the actual events with the Disney version of Pocahontas, Smith, and the events depicted in the film.
- Discussion questions: Why has the real story been altered? Why does it matter that a story aimed at children deviates from its historical basis? After all, most Disney films take liberties with the original stories from which they are drawn(eg. Jungle Book, Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid).
- For review of how to evaluate web resources, see video below:
Wednesday
2. What was the last review you read or listened to?
3. Is there a particular reviewer you prefer or website you go to for reviews?
4. What was the purpose for seeking a review?
5. Was the review helpful? How so?
Silently think about these questions for a couple minutes and then turn to a classmate nearby to share your answers. Share ideas with the class.
- Think-Pair-Share:
2. What was the last review you read or listened to?
3. Is there a particular reviewer you prefer or website you go to for reviews?
4. What was the purpose for seeking a review?
5. Was the review helpful? How so?
Silently think about these questions for a couple minutes and then turn to a classmate nearby to share your answers. Share ideas with the class.
- Authenticity in film - View the first 24 minutes of the film review of Dances with Wolves (see video below)
- Complete note-taking chart on authenticity while viewing Dances with Wolves film (see handouts tab) and hand in for assessment
Thursday
- Read and examine in terms of authentic voice "A Tribe Called Red's Thanksgiving Track Is Tougher To Swallow Than Turkey and Stuffing" and the Paula Gunn Allen poem "Pocahontas to her English Husband, John Rolfe" (see the button texts below).
- Evaluate the two websites using the Evaluating Websites sheets.
- Choose two of the texts on these websites (the poem, the article, the music video or the Addams Family video) and evaluate their authenticity using the Evaluating Authenticity: First Peoples texts handout from earlier this week.
Huffington Post article "A Tribe Called Red's Thanksgiving Track Is Tougher To Swallow Than Turkey and Stuffing"
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Paula Gunn Allen poem "Pocahontas to her English Husband, John Rolfe"
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- Go over Learning Journal handout and rubric.
- Begin writing a two-page journal entry based on what you have learned this week about authenticity and answer the question, "Why does representation matter?" You should mention Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves and the texts you viewed today. You are also encouraged to do some research on authenticity and representation, and refer to other texts in your journal entry.
Friday
- View the trailers for The Whale Rider and The Grizzlies and choose which one you will watch next in class week.
- Catch-up - finish any outstanding assignments from this week, including the two-page learning journal from yesterday's class. I am still missing some artifact assignments from some students!
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Monday, January 27 - January 31
Monday
- Give students a copy and go over the co-created classroom cell phone policy as well as the co-created guidelines for respectful communication and a healthy work environment
- I will model my expectations for the written and verbal Stories of Who I Am - Artifact Assignment
- Students should make sure to email me a copy of their one-page of grammar notes if they have not already done so
- Prepare for mini-grammar lesson presentations which start tomorrow
- Work on the artifact assignment
Tuesday
- Mini-grammar lesson presentations
- Work on the artifact assignment
Wednesday
- Mini-grammar lesson presentations
- Work on the artifact assignment
Thursday
- Work on the artifact assignment
- Share one artifact verbally with a classmate tomorrow
Friday
- Work on the artifact assignment
- Share one artifact verbally with a classmate
- Written artifact is due Monday
Monday, January 20 - Friday, January 24
Monday
Tuesday - Literacy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so this morning.
Wednesday - Numeracy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so today if their last name begins with A - L)
Thursday - Numeracy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so today if their last name begins with M - Z)
Friday
Monday
- Introductions and go over course syllabus
- Game to highlight a few components of the course syllabus
- Talking Circle to co-create the guidelines for respectful communication and healthy work environment
- Talking Circle to co-create the classroom cell phone policy
Tuesday - Literacy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so this morning.
- Introduce the mini-grammar lesson assignment - see note in Handouts Tab
- Students choose topics and decide if they are working individually or in a group of 2-3 people
- Do research and begin creating one page of point-form notes (see exemplar in Handouts Tab) on a topic as well as a visual for the presentation such as: a PowerPoint, Keynote or poster
Wednesday - Numeracy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so today if their last name begins with A - L)
- Continue working on mini-grammar lesson assignment
- I will model the presentation component of the assignment and we will discuss how students will be peer evaluated
- Make sure you create a brief game or worksheet for students to complete after your presentation in order for you to assess their understanding of your topic
Thursday - Numeracy 10 assessment (some grade 11 students may not have previously written it, so they will do so today if their last name begins with M - Z)
- Continue working on mini-grammar lesson assignment
- I will review how to cite your web sources using a free online citation generator (use MLA format)
- Your sources should be cited at the bottom of your one-page note as well as on the last slide of your PowerPoint
- We also went over the expectations and components of the peer assessment and each student was provided with a copy to assist them in preparing for the presentation
Friday
- Play a Kahoot to review literary terms
- Last class to work on mini-grammar lesson assignment - presentations will begin next Tuesday
- Introduce Stories of Who I Am - Artifact Assignment and go over exemplar as well as the assessment rubric for the written component
- I will provide an exemplar of my own and model the process using a template to organize ideas on Monday