Welcome to English 11
Wednesday, May 16
Today students worked on the novel study tasks. Students should be finished reading their novel by now. Tomorrow we view the film versions of the novels and students will be expected to compare and contrast the novel to the film.
The symbolism assignment and 2 novel study tasks are due Friday, May 25.
Tuesday, May 15
We held lit. circle discussions for The Alice Network, The Martian, The Help and The Lovely Bones. Students were to share a powerful passage as well as a passage with imagery. They were also to choose a central character and discuss whether or not the character was believable. Students also worked on the novel study tasks which are due next Friday.
Monday, May 14
Students worked on the novel study assignments and prepared for their lit. circle discussion. We held lit. circle discussions for Animal Farm, Alive, and The Lord of the Flies. Students were to share a powerful passage as well as a passage with imagery. They were also to choose a central character and discuss whether or not the character was believable. Students also worked on the novel study tasks which are due next Friday.
Friday, May 11
Today students worked on the novel study whether it was reading their novel, preparing for the next lit. circle discussion, or working on the novel study assignments.
Thursday, May 10
We held our lit. circle discussion for The Lovely Bones, The Martian, The Alice Network, The Help. Remember these discussions are evaluated and are worth marks in the speaking category that makes up 20% of your mark. You need to be in class and participating in order to earn the marks.
Wednesday, May 9
I introduced the novel study tasks. Students are expected to complete two tasks plus the symbolism assignment. These assignments are due on May 25. Students worked in the library on the novel study: reading their novel, preparing for the next lit. circle discussion, or working on the novel study assignments.
Tuesday, May 8
I gave students a calendar for May, complete with all the assignments, lit. circles, and due dates. We held lit. circles for the following novels: The Cellist of Sarajevo, Indian Horse, Animal Farm, Alive, The Lord of the Flies. Students spent the class reading their novel, recording the symbols from the novel on the chart provided, and making notes for their next lit. circle discussion.
Reminder: Tomorrow is the last day to hand in the answers to the questions from the "Reel Injun" video on stereotypes in Hollywood films. The video can be found on YouTube.
Monday, May 7
Today many students arrived late! We went to the library and held a lit. circle discussion for the novels The Help, The Lovely Bones, The Alice Network and The Martian. Students are expected to be at least a quarter of the way through their novel and should be making notes as they read for upcoming lit. circle discussions. They should also be recording symbols own the novel on the chart provided last week.
Be prepared for lit. circle discussions tomorrow: Animal Farm, The Lord of the Flies, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Alive, Indian Horse.
Wednesday, May 2 - Friday, May 4
We continued the novel study. We held lit. circle discussions for Animal Farm, Alive, Lord of the Flies, and The Cellist of Sarajevo. Students did a great job evaluating the effectiveness of the hook and summarizing the story for students who are not reading the same novel. I also gave a note on other ways of contributing to a lit. circle discussion: read and discuss a powerful passage, find and explain interesting words or difficult words, make connections to the real world past or present, pose thought-provoking questions about the plot or characters. On Thursday, I gave the info for the symbols assignment which included step-by-step instructions, a chart, and a rubric for assessment. I explained the assignment and gave examples of symbols in the world and in literature. Students were also able to identify some symbols in their novel. They should record the symbols on the chart provided. Students are expected to read their novel daily, in class and also at home. Later, during Thursday's class, we went down to the gym for the presentation by author Joe Calendino of To Hell and Back. pOn Friday I was a chaperone for the Young Authors Conference at F.H. Collins, so there was a sub. Students read their novels and created notes for the lit. circle discussions that will be held on Monday.
Monday, April 30 - Tuesday, May 1
We viewed the video Reel Injun, stopping intermittedly to discuss and answer a set of questions. The answers to these questions are due by the end of Tuesday's class. If you missed one of these classes, you can find the video on YouTube; you are responsible for completing the questions and they will be assessed.
Friday, April 20
Students went to the library to write the poetry terms quiz and then they read their novels and worked on their notes.
Thursday, April 19
Today I was home sick, so there was a sub. Earlier this week students chose from a collection of novels that were peer and teacher selected: Indian Horse, The Help, Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies, To Hell and Back, Alive, The Martian, The Cellist of Sarajevo, The Lovely Bones. Students began reading their novel for the novel study and they were expected to make notes on the first few chapters. I gave a note template to record the effectiveness of the hook, setting, imagery, characters and students also needed to include quotes for support.
Wednesday, April 18
Last night I marked all the Macbeth Cornell note assignments using an assessment rubric. I returned the assignments today and students revised their work, paying careful attention to the rubric and the notes/suggestions I wrote on their work. Afterwards, students either finished writing the rant poem (these are past due!), studied for the upcoming poetry terms test, or reading their novel.
Tuesday, April 17
Today was the last day to work on the Cornell note assignment for one scene of Macbeth. Students worked diligently and most handed in the assignment by the end of the class.
The Cornell note assignment for Macbeth is due by the end of class today.
Quiz on the poetry terms this Friday.
Grammar quiz next Tuesday.
Monday, April 16
Today I introduced the novels for the novel study. Students will choose their novel tomorrow and we should begin reading later this week. We spent the class in the library working on the Cornell note assignment which is due by the end of tomorrow's class.
The Cornell note assignment for Macbeth is due tomorrow.
Quiz on the poetry terms this Friday.
Friday, April 13
It's Friday the 13th! Are you superstitious? In Shakespeare's day, most people were very superstitious. We are going to the library to work on the Cornell note assignment and will be using the laptop computers.
Thursday, April 12
We viewed the video below as a quick review and then discussed the key ideas and themes in Macbeth. Next, I gave a note on the Cornell note assignment. I went over the expectations for the assignment as well as the two exemplars included in the note package. Lastly, students went to the library to complete the Act II-III quiz and then they began work on the Cornell note assignment.
Wednesday, April 11 Sea of Pink Day!
Today students wrote an open book, partner quiz for Acts II and III. Most students finished the quiz before the end of the class and then they were expected to read Act V which is the last act! Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest and bloodiest tragedy.
Tuesday, April 10
Students finished the Act I quiz and then they read Acts III and IV. Lastly, I showed a short video about how Shakespeare's Macbeth is still relevant today.
Monday, April 9
Today students read Act II of Macbeth. We discussed the key events and then students went to the library to write an open book (graphic novel and original text) quiz on Act I. They could choose to work with a partner on the quiz. No one was able to finish the quiz, so we will spend a little time during tomorrow's class working on it.
Reminder: Rant poem is now past due.
Friday, April 6
We began reading Macbeth using graphic novels. Students read Act I and then we went to the library to work on completing and revising assignments.
The cut-off for term three assignments is midnight tonight.
The first draft of the rant poem is due today.
Thursday, April 5
We played a murder mystery game based on the murder of King Duncan in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Students took on character roles and used clues to ask questions of other characters and finally came up with an official accusation. Next, we went to the library for the second half of the class to work on completing and revising assignments.
The cut-off for term three assignments is midnight tomorrow.
The first draft of the rant poem is due tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 4
Students spent the class in the library finishing the visual for the poem autopsy assignment that was supposed to be completed and handed in before the spring break, but was not:( The cut-off for this assignment is this Friday at midnight. Basically, I expect your notes for the poem autopsy and three illustrations to be put together in the form of a poster, Prezi, PowerPoint, or Keynote. Students also worked on the rant assignment which is due this Friday.
Tuesday, April 3
Welcome back! Today I introduced the rant assignment. We reviewed the Beat poets of the 1950's and discussed the fact that their poems often expressed their frustration with certain aspects of society, culture and politics. We also viewed a video of the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver where Shane Koyczan presented his spoken word poem We Are More. We discussed the fact that in We Are More, Shane Koyczan is ranting against the stereotypes of Canada and Canadians with references to hockey, our politeness, and our love of the outdoors. Next, we read a sample rant written by Karen Mahoney called Roundabouts in which she describes her frustration with drivers who have not mastered the "circle of cement". Lastly, we went through the steps to writing a rant (see handout). I also gave a note with info on the structure of a rant - intro, middle, end. We brainstormed some topics of frustration and exasperation. Most students could name at least a couple pet peeves. Students spent the rest of the class choosing a topic, and writing a list of reasons for the frustration. Some students were able to start taking ideas from their list and turning them into sentences or fragments for the poem. The poem should be at least 20 lines in length.
The first draft of the rant poem is due this Friday.
The cut-off for term three assignments has been extended to this Friday:)
Friday, March 15
Students will finish the visual component of the poem autopsy and submit the assignment for assessment by the end of the class today.
Due today: Poem Autopsy Assignment
Wednesday, March 14 - Thursday, March 15
Students who had not already chosen a poem for the poem autopsy assignment did so today. They created notes on all the sections using the booklet they were given in class and the class model notes. The notes were due by the end of Thursday's class.
Tuesday, March 13
Today two groups presented their Kahoots to the class. These were well done! Afterwards, students continued the in-class poem autopsy activity. We went over their ideas on the poster paper and we discussed the meaning of the poem and its theme. Ms Estabrook created a poetry collection for us and students spent time pouring over the books searching for a poem that is of interest. The goal was to choose a poem by the end of the class and many students did so.
Monday, March 12
Students learned how to do an in-depth analysis of a poem, a.k.a. a poem autopsy, using Michael McClure's For the Death of 100 Whales as an example. Students defined several difficult words, drew a five-frame cartoon of the key images as I read the poem aloud and added corresponding quotes from the poem. They were given a note (see Poem Autopsy in the handouts tab) and were asked to focus on one of the following sections from the note: form and structure, grammar, imagery, phonology, lexis, and poetic voice. Each student put their ideas on poster paper to share with the rest of the class. Lastly, I explained and gave a paper copy (see handouts tab) of the poem autopsy assignment that students will work on individually this week. I also gave a rubric for the assignment (see handouts tab) which we discussed, and I asked students for their input regarding any changes or additions to the rubric. Good work today!
Thursday, March 8
I returned some assignments today and students worked in the library doing revision work, completing missing assignments and creating a works cited page for their argumentative essay. Most students were quite productive.
Reminder: There is no school tomorrow. Have a great long weekend!
IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday, March 12 - Last day to present the mini-grammar lesson
April 4 - Cut-off for term three assignments and revision work. No exceptions.
Wednesday, March 7
|
Tuesday, March 6
We had an earthquake drill at the beginning of class and then students worked in the library on the mini grammar lesson that they will present to the class tomorrow. Each team is required to create a one-page note with a definition of the error, two erroneous sentences with corrected sentences, references, and an engaging visual or game. Students worked very diligently on this assignment. Well done! If only they worked so productively on the argumentative essay!
Tomorrow they will give their mini-lesson to the class.
Monday, March 5
We marked the multiple choice questions on the unit test and then we went over the answers to half of the grammar pre-test that was written a while back. I referred to notes and examples when explaining the different grammar concepts, such as: subject and predicate, parts of speech, active and passive voice, direct and indirect objects, types of sentences, dependent and independent clauses. Most of these concepts were review but many students indicated on the pre-test that they did not remember much of this. Students were encouraged to copy the notes or take a photo of them, but few if any of them did so. We began the mini-grammar assignment. Students were put into groups of 3-4 and given one or two sentence errors or grammar concepts to research. Each group was to work collaboratively to create a 3-5 minute engaging mini-lesson with a note and visual or game to reinforce the concepts. Students worked on this assignment in the computer lab and will be given tomorrow's class to complete the assignment. Presentations occur on Wednesday. Be ready!
Friday, March 2
This was the last class students were given to work on the first draft of the argumentative essay. They went to the library and used the lap top computers. They were expected to hand in the first draft by the end of class.
Thursday, March 1
Students wrote the argument and persuasion unit test today. I was there to get them started on it, but I had a sub come in as I was feeling quite ill. Afterwards, students were to work on their argumentative essay. The first draft should be completed and handed in by the end of tomorrow's class.
Wednesday, February 28
Students continued to work on the argumentative essay. It is taking longer than I expected, but everyone is working diligently. I did have to review how to cite supporting research within the essay, APA style. Some students were including the URL address or the name of websites after a quote, but I explained that this info goes at the end of the essay in a works cited/references page. We also did some review for the unit test on Friday. We reviewed the purpose, audience and methods of persuasion for the print advertisements from the Slideshare earlier in the unit. Students should understand and be able to apply these persuasive techniques: bandwagon, repetition, testimonial, humour, emotional appeal, and rhetorical question. Reminder: The unit test is tomorrow. It will consist of one news article, 12 multiple choice questions, and 2 print ads.
Tuesday, February 27
Today we went to the computer lab to type up the argumentative essay. Many students did not have the outline completed or all the research completed, so it was difficult to type up the essay. Only two students handed in a first draft today. It is expected that students will complete the first draft outside of class time at this point.
Reminder: The test on the argument and persuasion non-fiction unit is this Thursday.
Thursday, February 22
Thank you to all the students who participated in Experiential Day today.
Monday, February 19 - Wednesday, February 21
I gave another note on embedding quotations which also included how to use the ellipsis (...) and brackets [ ]. We discussed in-text citations and read a paragraph where we determined which sentences required a citation. I gave a reference booklet on in-text citations and we went through the ways to cite short and long quotations with and without an author, APA style. We also discussed how to create a Works Cited page a.k.a. bibliography/reference page. I showed students how to access the school library databases in order to find articles for their topics. We spent time in the library doing research on the lap top computers each day. I decided that, due to the nature of many of the topics, no book source is required; however, four reputable online sources are required.
All research and the outline for the argumentative essay should be completed for Tuesday, February 27.
Friday, February 16
We did a bit more practice integrating quotations. I gave a note and we discussed the three basic rules to follow when choosing quotations (see green booklet that was given in class). Students practiced integrating a quote at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of a sentence and used proper punctuation in each case. Afterwards, students went to the library and used the lap top computers to research their argumentative essay topics. They are expected to be recording their research and their sources in the booklet they were given.
Thursday, February 15
Today I went over the booklet on the argumentative essay that was given yesterday. Students chose a topic and began doing research on the lap top computers. We discussed reputable sources versus non-reputable sources and how to determine if a source is reputable. Next, students went to the computer lab to begin researching their topics.
Wednesday, February 14
I was at a meeting this afternoon, so there was a sub. Students did a Valentine's Day idiom activity matching idioms to their meanings. Afterwards, they went to the library to write their personal response or complete the 5 W's news article assignment from Monday. They were given a list of topics for their argumentative essay or they could come up with their own topic. They were also given a booklet for the argumentative essay that contains: an explanation of argumentative techniques, an essay outline, a research outline, a page for recording sources, tips for writing an argumentative essay and an assessment rubric. We will go through this booklet tomorrow as well as read a sample argumentative essay written by a student last semester.
Tuesday, February 13
We played a Kahoot game to assess student understanding of the definition of sexual harassment and examples of sexual harassment. Next, we reviewed the key ideas from yesterday's articles and students worked in groups to answer some overarching questions about sexual harassment in society. Students put their ideas on poster paper and we discussed them. Afterwards, most students participated in a barometer activity where I read a statement and they placed themselves along a line, one end of which was strongly agree and the opposite was strongly disagree. Great participation and discussion! We watched Wyatt, Grayson and Axle's commercial. Nice work! And lastly, I gave a note on personal responses and asked students to write a personal response to the video, articles and discussions we have had over the last three classes on #MeToo Movement and sexual harassment in our society. Students only had a few minutes to get started on this, so we will spend some time during tomorrow's class working on the written response.
Monday, February 12
Students worked in pairs or groups of three to read and summarize the main ideas of a news article from a collection on various topics related to sexual harassment. They completed a graphic organizer for four different points of view in the article and expanded with quotes and explanation for two of the points of view. Each group shared the key ideas and points of view with the class and we discussed some of the controversial ideas. Lastly, students went to the library to find a Canadian news article from a reputable Canadian online source on the #MeToo Movement or related topic. They recorded the source as well as the 5 W's of the article and handed it in.
The irony paragraph is now past due.
Friday, February 9
Today we continued our non-fiction unit with a video, discussion and a news article on sexual harassment and the #MeToo Movement. Students participated in a think-pair-share activity to assess what they knew about the topic and then they viewed the video below for some historical context. While viewing the video, they used a graphic organizer to record information regarding the definition of sexual harassment. After discussing the key ideas in the video, students read a news article and were asked to highlight and label examples of: loaded language/words, statistical evidence, anecdotal evidence, and expert testimony. They were also given a set of questions to answer after they read the article. If the work was not completed in class, it must be done for homework this weekend. The irony paragraph is due today.
Click to set custom HTML
Thursday, February 8
We did not make it to the computer lab yesterday, so students went there today to type up the literary response paragraph. Students who had not chosen their courses for next year did so during this class. A first draft of the paragraph is due tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 7
Today students added a hook and a conclusion to the literary response paragraph on irony in The Interlopers. Next, they went to the computer lab to type up the paragraph and a few students worked on their commercial video.
|
|
Tuesday, February 6
Students wrote a grammar pre-test that was not for marks, rather it was a diagnostic assessment tool. The results will help me plan future lessons. Afterwards, we reviewed how to integrate quotes and they worked on the outline for the literary response paragraph. The outline should be completed except for the hook, which we will discuss tomorrow.
Monday, February 5
We did a quick review of the different types of irony (dramatic, situational and verbal) using cartoons (see handouts tab) and a short video (see below). Next, we watched a 10 minute video version of the short story, The Interlopers, which we read on Friday, and students were to note at least three ironies. It was disappointing that only one student completed the assignment from Friday:( Students worked in pairs and put the answer to one or two questions from Friday on poster paper. We then discussed the answers and this completed the review of the fiction terminology. Next, I gave a note on how to write a literary response as well as an outline. We discussed the note and students began working on the outline. Students will be writing a literary response paragraph on the use of irony in The Interlopers.
Friday, February 2
Today I gave a booklet with the terms and devices students are required to know in this course. We went over the fiction terms section and added to the notes. Afterwards, I gave some fiction terms questions students were to answer after reading the short story, The Interlopers. I read the story aloud and stopped to discuss certain aspects such as the irony in the story or any unfamiliar words. Students spent the rest of the class working on the questions. This assignment is due on Monday.
Thursday, February 1
Students had 15 minutes to prepare for their commercial presentation in the library. Afterwards, they took turns either pitching their commercial to a small group of students or being the audience and assessing a marketing group's pitch. Most students were prepared, but a few were not:(
Students did a great job demonstrating their knowledge of persuasive techniques through this summative assignment.
Wednesday, January 31
Today was the last day to work on the commercial project and students should have completed their script by the end of class. I provided two sample scripts that students could use to assist them in the writing of their own script, and students used laptop computers in the library to work, work, work! Presentations are tomorrow. Be ready! You are expected to present something, even if it is not complete.
Tuesday, January 30
I was at a meeting today, so there was a sub. Students worked on the commercial project. The visual for the presentation should have been completed by the end of the class.
Monday, January 29
We spent the first part of class discussing slogans or taglines in more depth. I discussed the characteristics of slogans and we viewed some examples from a website (press button below). Next, we went to the library to continue work on the commercial project. I discussed the timeline with students, which is as follows:
Jan. 29 - rough draft of 10-frames for commercial should be completed
Jan. 30 - final copy of 10-frame visual on poster board or computer should be completed
Jan. 31 - script for presentation should be written and you should spend time in class practicing for the presentation
Feb. 1 - gallery walk-style presentations (present twice each time to two classmates who will be assessing you)
Feb. 2 - create a video of your commercial (optional) - necessary if you are aiming for an A on this project
Friday, January 26
Today I showed the students a couple more sample commercial projects and then we went to the library to work the the assignment. Most students were fairly productive. I also returned the print ad assignment from Wednesday. I provided verbal feedback and suggestions as well as a mark using the rubric. Students were given the opportunity to revise this assignment and hand in it by Monday.
Reminder: Letter of Introduction was due today!
Thursday, January 25
We started class by viewing a newscast about the Tide Pod Challenge (press button below to view newscast) and then we watched a commercial created to persuade teens from eating Tide Pods (see below). Students were asked to identify the methods of persuasion used in the commercial. They came up with four methods. Nice work. Next, we viewed a Ted Talk to learn why videos, such as those posted by teens eating Tide Pods, go viral. Each student was given one question to answer while listening to the Ted Talk and we discussed the answers afterwards. Lastly, I introduced the commercial project. Students were given a booklet of info including: the learning outcomes, a step-by-step planner, graphic organizer, more examples of persuasive methods, and an assessment rubric. I showed a number of examples both strong and weak, and we discussed the expectations for the finished product.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/as-tide-pod-challenge-videos-go-viral-experts-warn-of-risks/
Wednesday, January 24
Today we discussed some more methods of persuasion via a Slideshare (see below) on persuasive techniques used in commercials. We identified the purpose, audience and methods of persuasion for the first print ad on the Slideshare and then students went to the library to complete three of the print ads with a partner. Each group put the info for one of their print ads on chart paper and handed in the others for assessment. This assignment should have been completed by the end of class.
Tuesday, January 23
|