Welcome to English 12
Note: Students wrote the BCP exam the morning of April 26. The results of the exam will be available May 28. There is the opportunity to write the BCP exam again on June 25 at 9 am, if necessary. Also, the LPI (Language Proficiency Index Test) was written on April 25.
Friday, May 25
No one was ready to present their how-to demo today:( Be ready for Monday!
Students worked on the novel study tasks or theme essay in the computer lab. This is the last weekend before the end of the term. Buckle down and complete your assignments! I received the BCP exam results today and students who were in class today received their marks. The exam can be written again on June 25th at 9:00am. See Mr. Janzen if you are interested in writing the BCP exam again.
The process analysis essay is now past due.
Be ready to present your how-to demo on Monday.
The 3 novel study tasks are due Monday.
The theme essay is due Tuesday.
Grammar quiz re-write is on Wednesday.
The cut-off for all term 4 assignments and revision work is next Friday, June 1st.
Thursday, May 24
Today students worked on assignments in the computer lab. Only two how-to demos were presented and they were well done: how to tie a neck tie - three styles, how to create computer animations.
The process analysis essay is now past due.
How-to demos begin today.
The 3 novel study tasks are due Monday.
The theme essay is due Tuesday.
Grammar quiz re-write is on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 23
I introduced the last assignment of the course. The theme essay is the fourth novel study task. I gave a hand-out demonstrating how to write a theme statement aa well as a sample theme essay and essay outline. We went over the information and discussed possible themes of the novels the students are reading. The rest of the class was spent in the computer lab working on the novel study tasks, process analysis essay, or the how-to demo script. Students who procrastinated the last few weeks during the novel study unit are going to have to buckle down this last week in order to complete everything by the June 1st cut-off date.
The process analysis essay is due today.
How-to demos begin tomorrow.
The 3 novel study tasks are due Monday.
The theme essay is due Tuesday.
Grammar quiz re-write is on Wednesday.
Tuesday, May 22
I hope everyone had a relaxing long weekend. Now it' s back to work! I introduced the how-to demo assignment and students may work with a partner on this one. Be ready to present to the class this Thursday or Friday. The rest of the class was spent in the computer lab working on the process analysis essay.
The process analysis essay is due tomorrow and many students have not even started writing it!
Friday, May 18
Students worked on the novel study tasks or process analysis essay in the computer lab. Not too many students showed up. I presume they were recovering from last night's festivities. Remember, the course is not over and these last few assignments are important in terms of passing and failing for some students.
The process analysis essay is due next Wednesday.
Thursday, May 17
Students were called down to the gym for the cap and gown rehearsal at 1:00. The rehearsal finished during class time but only three students showed up to class! Apparently many went home to get ready for the ceremony.
Wednesday, May 16
Today students were expected to work on the novel study tasks and/or begin writing the process analysis essay.
Tuesday, May 15
I introduced the process analysis essay. We read Ernest Hemingway's "Camping Out" and students were to answer some questions regarding the thesis, figurative language, audience, tone, and purpose of the essay. Next, they went to the computer lab to view the website "Wiki-how to camp" and they compared the audience, purpose, tone, and style to that of "Camping Out" (comparison chart). The key idea is that there are different methods of explaining a process (how to do something or give advice) and which one to choose depends upon your purpose and audience. The answers to the questions and the comparison chart are due tomorrow. Students can work with a partner on this in-class assignment.
We held lit. circle discussions for To Hell and Back, 1984, and Animal Farm. Some students who participated were well-prepared and some insightful ideas were shared, while others came unprepared and had barely started reading their novel. Get reading! 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. Those who were not participating in lit. circles were in the computer lab working on the novel study tasks.
Monday, May 14
Students worked on the novel study assignments and prepared for their next lit. circle discussion. I decided to postpone the lit. circle discussions that were scheduled for today until tomorrow. Students should be at least halfway through their novel by now.
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.
Note: Today is the cut-off for handing in the rant poem or the synthesis essay.
The personal response is due today.
Thursday, May 10
We held our lit. circle discussion for I Am the Messenger, The Glass Castle. I gave a note on how to write a personal response to text or video and we discussed the key ideas. Next, students viewed a video on Cultural Appropriation. They made notes about the ideas they agreed and disagreed with on a template I gave them, and we stopped the video in places to discuss the ideas presented as a class. Students then wrote a personal response in paragraph form. This response is due tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 10
We held our lit. circle discussion for 1984, Animal Farm. 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.
Tuesday, May 8
I gave students the calendar for May. 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. We held lit. circle discussions for the novels: To Hell and Back, Three Day Road. Students spent the class reading their novel, preparing notes for upcoming lit. circle discussions or working on the novel study tasks.
Tomorrow's lit. circle discussions: 1984, I Am the Messenger, and Animal Farm.
Monday, May 7
Today I had the students preview a May calendar for the course, complete with all the assignments and due dates for the last four weeks of the course. We made a few changes and I will photocopy and give it out tomorrow. Next, I gave a note on the novel study tasks and I explained the choices involved as well as the assessment rubric. I recommend students begin working on some of these tasks while they are reading the novel. Next, students went to the library to prepare for lit. circle discussions and to read their novels. We decided to wait until tomorrow to begin the lit. circle discussions. Students should be a quarter of the way through their novel by now, but many are not :(
Be ready for lit. circle discussions tomorrow: Three Day Road, To Hell and Back, The Glass Castle.
Wednesday's lit. circle discussions: 1984, I Am the Messenger, and Animal Farm.
May 2 - May 4
We began the novel study. Students chose from a collection of novels that were peer and teacher selected: 1984, Three Day Road, Indian Horse, I Am the Messenger, The Glass Castle, To Hell and Back, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Students were given a note template to complete for the first few chapters of their novel. They need to comment on the effectiveness of the hook, describe the setting, find examples of imagery, and discuss the protagonist. 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. Students were expected to read their novel daily, in class and also at home. On Thursday, we went to the gym for the presentation by author Joe Calendino of To Hell and Back. On 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.
April 30 - 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.
April 27 - PD Day
No school for students.
Monday, April 23 - Thursday, April 26
Sorry for the late entry. I have been quite ill, so there was a sub in for me a few days this week. Students completed another practice piece for the BCP exam Part A - Stand Alone Text. We went over the answers to the terms quiz from Friday and the practice LPI Test. On Wednesday morning students wrote the LPI Test and on Thursday morning they wrote the BCP exam. Thursday afternoon we had the Triple A Assembly and the Hair Show.
Friday, April 20
Students wrote the BCP terms N-W quiz and then they worked on completing the rant poem or the synthesis essay. The synthesis essay is due today.
Thursday, April 19
Today I was home sick, so there was a sub. Students wrote the LPI practice test in the library and then they were to study for the BCP terms N-W quiz. The computer lab was also available for those who still needed to type up the synthesis essay.
Quiz on BCP terms N-W tomorrow.
Synthesis essay is due tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 18
A number of students who were away yesterday went to the library to write the grammar quiz. I gave a handout on the argumentative essay that students will write as part of the LPI test. We went over the 6-point marking scale, the structure the essay, the importance of choosing the topic you are most familiar with out of the three topics provided, as well as the importance of making sure you proofread and edit your essay. I gave a few samples essays and we discussed the differences between an essay that scored a 4, 5, and 6. Next, we reviewed the Reading Comprehension section of the LPI and I put on the board the answers to the practice multiple choice questions as well as the paragraph summaries. Students then did another practice piece for BCP Part - A Stand Alone Text which was worth marks. Lastly, we went to the library to work on the synthesis essay.
Practice LPI test tomorrow.
Quiz on BCP terms N-W on Friday.
Synthesis essay is due this Friday.
Tuesday, April 17
I introduced the novels for the novel study. Students chose their novel and we will begin reading next week. Next, we played a Kahoot to review the BCP terms N-W and there is a quiz on the terms this Friday. Afterwards, students wrote the grammar quiz and then they went to the library to work on the synthesis essay.
Practice LPI test on Thursday.
Quiz on BCP terms N-W this Friday.
Synthesis essay is due this Friday.
Monday, April 16
Today students were supposed to have the first draft of their synthesis essay ready to be reviewed/edited by a peer. Unfortunately, no one had their essay written out and most hadn't even completed the essay outline! I was not impressed. Students wrote a brief practice grammar quiz in preparation for the quiz tomorrow and we went over the answers. Afterwards, we went to the library and I worked with students who were struggling with the essay or who were away on the Sled Ed trip. I am available to assist students at lunch, so you may want to consider coming in for some extra help outside of class time if you are struggling with this assignment.
Grammar quiz tomorrow!
Friday, April 13
Students wrote the quiz for BCP terms G-M. Afterwards, they went to the computer lab or the library to complete the first draft of the synthesis essay.
The first draft of the synthesis essay is due Monday.
Thursday, April 12
Today we continued working on the literary synthesis essay. Students were expected to complete the T-chart with quotes from both texts. We went over the format of the essay as well as some writing tips. Lastly, students began working on the essay outline. The first draft of the essay is due on Monday. Each student received a calendar which outlines what we will be doing each class up until the end of April. All practice quizzes, quizzes, tests, assignment due dates, etc. are listed on the calendar as well.
BCP Terms G-M Quiz is tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 11 Sea of Pink Day!
Students worked in their groups to finish yesterday's activity. I also asked them to review the key ideas/ main events in the story, choosing someone in their group to present a summary to the class. When the class reconvened, 8 versions of the story were told, and then we when over the ironies and symbols (see chart paper posted in classroom). Afterwards, I showed a slideshare that explained the allusions and symbols in the story. We also discussed the theme of the story: it does not who you are, there is no escape from death. Lastly, students chose one of the two topics for the literary synthesis essay and began finding quotes from both pieces which they recorded on a T-chart.
BCP Terms G-M Quiz is this Friday.
Tuesday, April 10
Today students began to prepare to write their own literary synthesis essays. They read the first two pages of The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe. As they read, they highlighted 6 difficult words and then defined them. after reading the rest of the story, they worked in groups to find 3 ironies and and 3 symbols.
Monday, April 9
We played a Kahoot to review BCP terms G-M. Students will write a quiz on this material on Friday. We began our review of Part D of the BCP exam, Synthesis of Texts. Students will be expected to write a literary essay that synthesizes two given texts. We read two sample texts and discussed them. Next, I gave students several sample essays to read. Each essay was scored on a scale of 6 and we reviewed the scoring criteria. Afterwards, I read aloud a sample essay that scored a 6 and noted what differentiates a level 6 essay from a level 5 essay. I encouraged students to read the other sample essays in the package.
Reminder: I am still missing a number of rant poems from students.
BCP Terms G-M Quiz is this Friday.
Friday, April 6
Students wrote the BCP terms A-F quiz today. Afterwards, they worked on Part 3 of the LPI review - Reading Comprehension.
The cut-off for term three assignments is midnight tonight.
Reminder: Rant poem is now past due.
Thursday, April 5
We continued preparation for the LPI test. I gave a handout with examples of nine usage errors in English. Students completed the practice exercises in class and we went over the answers. Next, we studied the dramatic monologue. We read the poem Hood and answered some comprehension questions as a class. Finally, we went to the library to complete the rant poem which is due today or to do revision work.
The first draft of the rant poem is due today.
Quiz tomorrow on the BCP terms A-F.
The cut-off for term three assignments is tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 4
We began preparation for the LPI test. I gave a note and practice exercises on Part 1 - Sentence Structure Errors. The practice exercises were completed in class and we went over the answers. Next, I gave format for the BCP terms A-F quiz that students will write this Friday. There will be a combination of matching, fill in the blanks, and multiple choice questions. Lastly, students went to the library to work on the rant assignment or to revise assignments for term three.
The first draft of the rant poem is due this Friday.
Quiz this Friday on the BCP terms A-F.
The cut-off for term three assignments is this Friday
Tuesday, April 3
Welcome back! Today we played a game of Kahoot to review the BCP terms A-F. There will be a quiz this Friday on these terms. Next, 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.
Quiz this Friday on the BCP terms A-F.
The cut-off for term three assignments is this Friday (I have extended it by a day):)
Friday, March 15
Students will finish viewing The Princess Bride. They will complete the terms and devices scavenger hunt and hand it in for assessment by the end of the class.
Due today: Terms and Devices Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday, March 13 - Thursday, March 14
The re-test for the figurative language terms and devices was returned to students on Wednesday. Students reviewed the fiction terms by reading The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin and answered a set of questions, individually or with a partner. These were due by the end of the class and handed in for assessment. Students were also given a practice test for Part B of the BCP exam - Synthesis Texts. They were to complete it by the end of the class but only two students were able to do so.
Tuesday, March 13
Today was the last day to write the personal essay. This was an in-class timed assignment, but students will be able to revise the essay later. Some students chose to write the figurative language terms and devices re-test. We also continued our preparation work for the BCP exam. Students were given two more practice pieces for Part A - Stand Alone Text. They answered the multiple choice sections and then chose one of the paragraph answer questions to answer in point-form. These practice assignments were due by the end of the class. Some students also needed to complete the peer and partner evaluation for the mini-grammar lesson assignment. Good work!
Monday, March 12
Today was the last day for mini-grammar lesson presentations and we had three: misplaced modifiers, em dash, and apostrophes. Well done! Afterwards, I showed a video on test-taking tips for answering multiple choice questions (see below) and we discussed the most helpful strategies from the video. Lastly, students worked through a practice exam for Part A - Stand Alone Text. This was handed in and counts for marks. For each section of the BCP exam, we will do multiple practice pieces and I will take the two highest marks. I also suggest that students go over the green booklet from Thursday with all the BCP exam info, and put a star beside or highlight all the terms that they do not know. They should look up any unfamiliar terms (see terms booklet given at the beginning of the course) and make notes with definitions.
Tomorrow is the last day to write the personal essay.
Tomorrow is also the figurative language terms and definitions re-test.
Thursday, March 8
I gave a BCP exam information booklet to each student and we went through the contents including: the terms students are expected to know, the four parts of the exam, the number and types of multiple choice questions, and the 6-point assessment scale. Students worked in the computer lab doing revision work, completing missing assignments, writing the in-class personal essay or preparing for the BCP exam.
Reminder: There is no school tomorrow. Have a great long weekend!
IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday, March 12 - Last day to present the mini-grammar lesson
Tuesday, March 13 - Figurative language terms and devices re-test
Tuesday, March 13 - Cut-off for writing in-class
personal essay
April 5 - Cut-off for term one assignments and revision work. No exceptions.
Tuesday, March 6
Today was the last day to work on the mini-grammar assignment. Students worked in the library and used the lap top computers 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.
Teams must be ready to present their grammar lesson tomorrow.
I also gave back some marked assignments, as well as student and teacher evaluations for the satire projects, and a print-out of each student's current mark in the course. Students are always encouraged to revise assignments and hand them in for further assessment.
The cut-off for submitting all term one summative assignments (including all revision work) is Wednesday, April 4. No exceptions.
Monday, March 5
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 library using the lap top computers and will be given tomorrow's class to complete the assignment. Presentations occur on Wednesday. Be ready!
Friday, March 2
Students wrote the personal essay today in the computer lab. If you were absent, it is your responsibility to talk to me and make arrangements for writing the essay during a spare or at lunch.
Thursday, March 1
There was a sub today. I left at noon as I was feeling quite ill. Students did a Kahoot to review fiction terms. Next, they were expected to read Helen Keller's Three Days to See and highlight in the text examples of each of the criteria of a personal essay as listed on the green handout from Tuesday's class. This assignment was to be handed in for assessment by the end of the class. Lastly, they were to finalize their essay outlines, work on incomplete assignments, or revise earlier assignments and hand them in for further assessment.
Reminder: Tomorrow come prepared with your essay outline and be ready to write the in-class personal essay.
Wednesday, February 28
Today we viewed a few more student satire presentations. Afterwards, students read a sample personal essay that a student wrote as part of an application to a university. We discussed the author's style, literary techniques, thesis and strengths of the essay. Afterwards, students chose one of the four topics and worked on their outline.
There are still a number of students who have not handed in assignments, including: the artifacts writing assignment, poem, and ode visual assignment. Get them done and hand them in asap!
Tuesday, February 27
I hope everyone had a great Rendezvous weekend! Three groups presented their satire projects today. Several groups/individuals were not ready. You need to speak with me if you will not be ready to present tomorrow. After the presentations, I gave a note on the personal essay along with essay topics. We read a sample essay called "This Side of Paradise" and noted the author's style in terms of diction, sentence structure, use of figurative language and voice. This Friday students will write a timed, in-class personal essay. They will be given class time this week to prepare an outline for their personal essay which they can use to assist them on Friday.
Thursday, February 22
Thank you to all the students who participated in Experiential Day today.
Monday, February 19 - Wednesday, February 21
On Monday and Tuesday students were given lots of class time to work on the satire project. Presentations began on Wednesday, but only one group was ready and presented their project to the class. The rest of Wednesday's class was spent doing revision work on assignments such as: the ode visual or the artifacts writing assignment. Students are expected to be ready to present the satire project on Tuesday of next week.
Friday, February 16
Students worked in the computer lab on the satire project.
The ode, sonnet or elegy poem is due today.
Thursday, February 15
Today students were expected to have a first draft of their poem, however, many did not. We viewed part of a video about Sylvia Plath (see February 9th's post) to remind students of the purpose of poetry and importance of word choice. I asked students to peer or self-review their poem with the checklist provided. Students are expected to revise their poem and hand it in tomorrow for assessment. Next, we discussed the differences between parody and satire. I gave a note with a definition of each term as well as the different elements of satire. We viewed a few videos and noted the elements of satire in each, and I encouraged students to find other examples of satire to share with the class. Lastly, I discussed and gave a handout on the satire project. I explained some projects that students in previous classes have presented. Students were asked to choose a world or local problem to satirize and be ready to start the research process tomorrow.
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Wednesday, February 14
Students worked on deciphering some Valentine's Day idioms. Next, they viewed the video on Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal and then read the essay using a guided reading version. They were to complete all questions and activities in the booklet and hand it in by the end of the class. Students were also expected to finish writing the first draft of their poem. It is due at the beginning of tomorrow's class.
Tuesday, February 13
Everyone but our two grade 11 students went to the library for the grad retreat. In class, we worked on writing an ode, elegy, ballad or sonnet.
Monday, February 12
Mr. Janzen was the teacher today. We began our study of parody and satire and the plan was to view the two videos below and discuss the elements of parody: imitation, exaggeration and humour. Unfortunately, the internet was not working well, so the videos were a no-go. Students read William Carlos William's poem "This is Just to Say" and then the parody of it (see handouts tab). They noted the number of lines, the number of stanzas, exaggeration and humour. Afterwards, they wrote their own parody of "This is Just to Say" and handed it in for assessment. Lastly, they worked on their ode, elegy, ballad or sonnet.
The first draft of their poem is due this Wednesday. The ode visual is past due.
Reminder: Tomorrow afternoon you will meet in the library for the Grad Retreat.
Friday, February 9
Today students began writing either an ode, elegy, ballad or sonnet. I provided tips and templates to help them get started and we spent the rest of the class working in the library either finishing the ode visual or writing a poem.
Due today: the ode visual
Thursday, February 8
We studied the ballad today, in its traditional form (Barbara Allen) as well as a more modern form (Bob Dylan's, Time They Are A-Changing). We also listened to part of Iron Maiden's interpretation of the ballad, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and briefly discussed the poem. Afterwards, students went to the computer lab to complete the ode visual assignment.
Thursday, February 8
Wednesday, February 7
Today students studied modern and classical elegies (see handouts tab for notes and in-class assignment).
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 went to the library to work on the ode visual assignment. This assignment is due Friday.
Monday, February 5
Today we did a quick practice sheet on parallelism a.k.a. parallel structure. Afterwards, students went to the library to begin work on the ode visual assignment (see handouts tab). I am still missing some artifacts assignments.
Friday, February 2
We studied the ode today. First I gave a note on writer's style and we discussed the elements of style, including: word choice/diction, structure, and voice. Next, we read "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes" (see video below) and "Ode to a Mannequin". Working in pairs, students were given a stanza from one of the poems to analyze in terms of: rhyme scheme and rhythm, literary devices, writer's style and meaning. Students wrote their ideas on poster paper and put them on the board where we discussed each stanza. A number of students were absent due to basketball, but the students who were present did a good job analyzing the poems.
Thursday, February 1
Today students presented their artifact to the group. This took longer than I expected, so we did not get to the odes. Thank you to all those who shared their artifact. We had some interesting conversations and some students brought in wonderful family treasures. The written part of this assignment is due by midnight Friday.
Wednesday, January 31
We marked the quiz from yesterday and then I went over a sample artifact write-up using the criteria from the rubric. I have noticed that many students' written pieces require more detail and depth. Next, students learned about two different types of sonnets, Italian/Petrarchan and Elizabethan/Shakespearean, and they worked in groups to determine the rhyme scheme, number of stanzas, imagery and mood of a sonnet written by one of the following writers: Shakespeare, feminism activist Edna St. Vincent Millay who was the third woman to win the Pulitzer Prize (1923) for Poetry, or Percy Bysshe Shelley's famous "Ozymandias".
Tomorrow be ready to share one artifact with your classmates.
Tuesday, January 30
I was at a meeting today, so there was a sub. Students played a Kahoot to review for the literary terms and devices quiz. Afterwards, they wrote the quiz and then they went to the library to finish the 4 artifacts assignment. Be ready to share one artifact with the class on Thursday and to submit the write-ups for the other three artifacts on Friday.
Monday, January 29
We viewed a newscast on the Tide Pod Challenge and then a commercial that was made by the detergent company to persuade teens to stop eating Tide Pods. We discussed the persuasive techniques employed in the ad. Next, we viewed a Ted Talk on what makes a video go viral (all of these videos are posted on the English 11 site - press tab above). Students were each given 1-2 questions to answer while viewing the Ted Talk. We briefly discussed how social media influences pop culture. Next, students went to the library to work in groups on a review activity for tomorrow's quiz on literary terms and devices. Lastly, students worked on the 4 artifacts assignment which is due this week.
Reminder: Quiz on literary devices/figurative language tomorrow.
Friday, January 26
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Thursday, January 25
We started class with a review of the rules regarding vaping on school grounds, hall pass use, and cell phones. These rules were discussed at the mini-assembly yesterday. Next, I gave a note on allusions and students are encouraged to choose four from the list and explain each reference. We also worked on an activity to deepen student understanding of allusions using the song "American Pie" by Don McLean (see video below). I presented a PowerPoint which provided a detailed explanation of the numerous allusions to American society and culture of the late 1950's and early 1960's in the song "American Pie". Many students left at 2:45 for a grad meeting.
Reminders: Letter of Introduction is due tomorrow.
Quiz on literary devices/figurative language on Tues. Jan. 30.
Share one of your artifacts on Thursday, Feb. 1.
Write-up on 3 artifacts is due Fri. Feb. 2.
Wednesday, January 24
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Tuesday, January 23
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