Communications

Good morning,

 

Class this week has been looking at resilience as a theme. We have a number of assignments to complete that will lead you toward writing a Spoken Word (poetry) piece. Here are a list of the assignments and the marks that you will obtain by completing them.

 

1. Getting Started: a list of poetic terms to help get you started (5 marks).

2. Historical Figure: choose a person from the provided list and create a biography (10).

3. Poster: create a poster of one of the resiliency attributes (15).

4. Connecting Community Figure: complete handout by answering all of the questions (15).

5. Letter of invitation: write a letter of invitation for the person for whom you are writing (10).

6. Spoken Word: write a Spoken Word for the person you are honouring (15).

Total marks: 70

 

Please be sure to ask questions if needed. All assignments have been discussed in class.

 

We have also watched three TED talks to date with resiliency being the main theme: 

 

Greg EEles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLzVJVM1BUc

 

Amy Purdy https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_purdy_living_beyond_limits

 

Chris Abani https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_abani_muses_on_humanity

 

Comm. 11

Greetings,

 

Students are well into their novels and have been working hard on their assignments. We discussed a timeline and completion dates for their assignments which is as follows:

 

Title Page...overdue

Compare and Contrast....Nov. 1st

Character Description.....Nov. 4th

Six Major Events........Nov. 8th

Vocabulary...Nov. 10th

Book Review...Nov. 14th

Book Talk...Nov. 16th

 

All assignments have been discussed in class. Please see me if you need extra help.

Comm 11

Students in Comm. 11 are beginning a self-directed novel study. Students have chosen an appropriate novel and have begun reading. Please be sure to get a list of the required assignments in class.

 

All assignments will be discussed in class. Total marks available are 75.

Comm 12

Good morning,

 

Today we will work on graphic/visual designs. Students are to pick a controversial issue (there are many) and create a poster which depicts one side of the issue.

 

1. Class discussion on visually appealing posters. Discussion points may vary, but will include points such as: colour, borders, not too much text, clear messaging, etc.

2. Research issues and pick one.

3. Create a rough copy

4. Make final copy

 

Students will be evaluated on:

 

Creativity (original ideas, colours and lettering/font)                                       /5

Quality of written expression (grammar, spelling, etc.)                                    /5

Clarity (point delivered, too much text/not enough text)                                  /5

Presentation (brief explanation of your project and why you chose it)            /5

 

 

                                                                             Total:                                   /20

Comm. 12

Good afternoon,

 

Today we will look at business letters. Copy the student notes below.

 

Business letters can be used to:

• seek information

• make requesrts

• place orders

• make a claim

• express your view

• say thank you

 

Business letters are: 

• formal

• clear

• concise

• complete in presentation

• worth 25% of your final exam

Tips: 

• be neat

• be polite...even when complaining

• avoid slang or jargon

• make your point clear

• proofread

 

Take notes on the "sample business letter" as shown in class.

 

Read "business letter basics" handout.

 

Complete "components of a business letter" handout.

Create a business letter using the format shown in class for 10 marks. 

 

 

 

 

Comm. 12

Good afternoon,

 

Today we will look at business letters. Copy the student notes below.

 

Business letters can be used to:

• seek information

• make requesrts

• placing orders

• making a claim

• expressing your view

• saying thank you

 

Business letters are: 

• formal

• clear

• concise

• complete in presentation

• worth 25% of your final exam

Tips: 

• be neat

• be polite...even when complaining

• avoid slang or jargon

• make your point clear

• proofread

 

Take notes on the "sample business letter" as shown in class.

 

Read "business letter basics" handout.

 

Complete "components of a business letter" handout.

Create a business letter using the format shown in class.

 

 

 

 

Comm 12

Good morning,

 

Today we will continue our writing project. Please be sure to complete your three rough copies, peer edits, and final copies by this Friday.

 

Remember to:

 

• Develop characters and setting

• Add relevant details

• Add suspense

Comm 11

Good morning,

Please be sure to hand in your completed written responses by this Friday.

Today we will begin watching the movie Freedom Writers. Students will be asked to select a character to follow and mark their changes throughout the film.

While watching, gather the following information about your character:

 

1. Name/nickname

2. Family situation

3. Three direct quotes

4. Moment(s) of change

Write a formal introduction, including a topic sentence. Here is an example:

 

Set in Longbeach California in the early 1990's, the movie Freedom Writers follows the story of a group of interracial teenagers and their naïve, yet hopeful and passionate, teacher Erin. Many of the students go through significant changes as they.....

Write one or two paragraphs using the style discussed in class. 

This assignment will be worth 12 marks.

Comm 11

Good morning,

Here is a list of our written-response questions:

 

1. What people, places, and things help you to feel connected.

2. What is something you will never forget?

3. Who is someone in your life that is a hero to you?

4. Who do you share the great mystery of the universe with?

5. When is the last time you accomplished something that took a group of people to do it?

6. When was the last time you felt invisible?

After our session on peer editing, students are asked to edit two responses from other students.

 

Here is a breakdown of the marks for this assignment:

 

1. Write 2/3 paragraphs on each of the response questions (3 marks each for a total of 18)

2. Have two peer edited (3 marks each for a total of 6)

3. Write one final copy with editing changes (12 marks)

Total marks:

 

Rough copies /18

Peer edits      /6

Final copy    /12

 

Total marks: 36

Comm 11

Final Vocabulary List:

 

1. Magenta

2. Septuagenarian

3. Episode

4. Stewards

5. Solemnity

6. Dirge

7. Reaping

8. Vistas

9. Exotic

10. Assertion

11. Tendrils

12. Rustic

13. Progressive

14. Privileged

15. Cavort

16. Abruptly

17. Kinship

18. Turmoil

19. Pinnacle

20. Galvanized

 

Comm 11

Good morning,

Here is our written response question from last Thursday:

Read pages 77-80

Describe a time you have felt invisible. How did it make you feel? How do you react when you see a homeless person? Do you feel sorry for them? Do you offer them money? What would you do to survive if you had no home? Where would you go?

Be sure to have all six written responses completed by Tuesday. Also, have your twenty vocabulary words, and definitions, completed. There will be a vocab test this Wednesday.

Communications 11

Today we will continue reading from One Native Life. Read pages 60-67.

Here are today's vocab words. Add to your list and be sure to have a definition written for each word:

Cavort

Abruptly

Kinship

Turmoil

Pinnacle

Richard states that "we heal each other with kindness, gentleness, and respect. Animals teach us that" (63).

What else can animals teach us? Write 2/3 paragraphs on this topic and hand it in before the bell.

 

The 10 day writing project has started. We will free-write for 5-10 minutes each day. There is no editing and no reading your previous work. Be brave and let go. At the end of ten days we will revisit our work.

Natalie Goldberg, in her book Wild Mind states that "the mind is raw, full of energy, alive and hungry...it does not think like we were brought up to think—well-mannered, congenial."

 

Brain break of the day:

 

https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en

 

 

Communications 11

Today we will continue reading from One Native Life by Richard Wagamese.

Read the chapter, Taking Flight, on page 49.

Describe three things that you take for granted:

Complete this vocabulary list (write the definition and use the word in a sentence).

Tendrils

Rustic

Progressive

Privileged

 

*Brain Break*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIho2S0ZahI&index=3&list=PLwpFrtWg2EJHyqlGm8qNueXjFRvSXu8Ft

 

 

Communications 12

After we finish reading our novel, we will view the movie. Please be sure to hand in your three-page work package along with any other missing work.

Comm 12

Good morning,

 

Yesterday we talked of dreams. In Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie dream about their farm and of course, the rabbits. Students were asked  the following questions:

 

List three dreams you would like to accomplish before you are 30.

Before you die.

Which is most important?

How will you fulfil your dreams?

What are you currently doing to ensure your dreams will be possible?

 

Using the previous information, write two-three paragraphs about your dreams.  

Communications 11

Good morning. Today we will continue to build vocabulary. Here is our list of words to date:

 

Magenta

Septuagenarian

Episode

Stewards

Solemnity

Dinge

Reaping

Vistas

Exotic

Assertion

 

We will also look at punctuation cues when trying to infer meaning (see worksheet).

 

Our free write question is:

 

When is the last time you witnessed something awesome in nature?

or

When is the last time you spent extended time in the outdoors/nature?

 

 

 

 

Communications 12

Good morning.

We are currently on page 53 of Of Mice and Men. Continue to read if you are missing class time.

Today we will read for 15min. before we tackle sentence sheet # 8.

We will also begin out Literary Terms sheet.

Our writing activity is as follows:

What are your dreams? How will you pursue them? What are you doing today to help make them happen?

Communications 12

Good morning.

1. Review the writing assignment from Friday. Review upper and lower case lettering.
2. Skills work (sentences).
3. Discussion topics: The Great Depression; Of Mice and Men--setting.
4. Show images of The Great Depression
5. Begin reading Of Mice and Men.
6. Review "topic sentences."

Written Response Question

Write one paragraph about some some of the challenges that migrant workers face. Use complete sentences.

• brainstorm and organize your thoughts
• use a topic sentence

Communications

Good morning,

Today we will be continuing with sentence structure and paragraph development.

Skill work

Complete sentence fragment worksheet.

Writing

Your goal here is to write for ten minutes—two 5 min. sessions.

Writing Prompt:

I remember...(5min.)

I don't remember...(5 min.)

-Mental Break-

Review five-sentence paragraphs

Choose a topic (i.e. Dogs)

Sentence 1: The best pet is a dog

Sentence 2: The first reason is...

Sentence 3: The second reason is...

Sentence 4: The third reason is...

Sentence 5: For these reasons, the best pet is a dog.

 

Complete your own and hand in for 5 marks!

Another year done

Well...it has been a busy, but rewarding year here at G.P. Vanier. Congratulations to all of the grads. Well done to you all. As for me, next year will be the fifth year for our hockey academy. Thank you to all who have supported this program. It has been a dream come true. I am also excited to be teaching Communications 11 and 12. As for semester two, it will be the first year for me as an Explore teacher. The program is in its 17th year. Mr. Neill is stepping away after 16 straight years working as one of the Outdoor Education teachers . I am happy to pick up the torch and I am really looking forward to taking on this new role.

Please feel free to e-mail me over the summer if you have any questions about the hockey academy. I can be reached at david.miller@sd71.bc.ca

Have a great summer break and we will see you in the Fall. Cheers...

English 9

Today students will review their introduction to poetry (handout). We will look at poetry forms and have a couple of poetry readings.

Students will begin their final project of the year and be reminded to complete or hand in all missing work.

English 9

Students are well into their novel and are working on completing their assignment. Please continue to read every day. We are at the mid-point of the novel with the goal of completing it by next week.

Projects are also due by the end of next week.

English 9

Students are continuing to read the novel Unwind. For this unit, students will be asked to create a notebook/scrapbook with vocabulary, themes, discussion topic notes, and any other relevant information. You decide how to represent your work. There will be three levels of marks available: Gold, silver, bronze.

While I am reading, keep thorough notes to help you with your final product. Project is due no later than June 8th.

 Gold (35-40 marks)

• three diagrams or images

• 15-20 vocabulary words and definitions

• clear and concise discussion notes

• two reflective written responses from class discussions (journals) 

• 5 facts (organ donors, harvesting organs, free will, teenage runaways, civil war, anything related to the novel either directly or indirectly)

• Title page (novel title with author)

• three or more activities from page 340

Silver (25-35 marks)

• two diagrams or images

• 10-15 vocabulary words and definitions

• clear and concise discussion notes

• one reflective written response from class discussions (journal) 

• 3 facts (organ donors, harvesting organs, free will, teenage runaways, civil war, anything related to the novel either directly or indirectly)

• Title page (novel title with author)

• two or more activities from page 340

 

Bronze (10-30 marks)

one diagram or images

5-10 vocabulary words and definitions

clear and concise discussion notes

one reflective written response from class discussions (journal)

1-2 facts (organ donors, harvesting organs, free will, teenage runaways, civil war, anything related to the novel either directly or indirectly)

title page (novel title with author)

one activity from page 340

 

Unwind discussion topics:

 

1. Do you have a place to escape to. Why do you go there? Who knows about it?

2. Have you ever run away from home? What happened? Was it worth it?

3. How do you handle pressure?

4. What is a soul?

5. What are your thoughts about death? Is there an afterlife? How do we know?

6. Is there someone you trust completely? Would you trust them with your life?

English 9

Today students will have a final day to wrap up some work. Check for missing assignments and use your time wisely.

Items of interest: Journals, current event, article (outline, rough copy, final copy), MND project assessment sheet, letter with Old English terms.

We will also be signing out the novel Unwind written by Neal Shusterman. Before reading, visit

Organdonar.gov and check out the site. Make note of recent statistics and other interesting information.

Write a one paragraph reaction to your findings. Use a topic sentence to start your response. (6 marks)

English 9

Good morning. Today students will explore what it is like to be a journalist. They are given the opportunity to work for Rolling Stone magazine. Students will be asked to do the following:

1. Review recent publications of RS magazine to identify elements of style, details and important information to include in their own writing.
2. Research a band or artist of their choice.
3. Learn how to write an effective lead.
4. Drafting and editing. Write and edit their copy before submitting.

Effective leads (class notes):

• The lead is the beginning of the piece.

• If the lead is not interesting, it is unlikely that the rest of the piece will be interesting. Every lead must hook the reader. A good lead captures the reader's interest, introduces the subject, and carries the reader into the following material.

• Leads can be a few sentences, while others may run several paragraphs.

• Students should write three or four leads before deciding upon their best.

Whatever type of lead you choose for a piece, it must:

 

• Capture the reader's interest

• Introduce your subject

• Move smoothly into the body of your piece

Here are some ways to write leads for non fiction:

• State a problem

• Use an interesting quotation

• Ask the reader a direct question

• Offer an interesting or unusual fact

• Offer an alarming or surprising statistic

• Relate a compelling anecdote, or a joke

 

What...more notes! No, But you need to read this before you begin your assignment.


Just a review before you write. In writing, good organization results in a smooth flow of main ideas and details that carry the reader along. Nonfiction writing is usually organized in a chronological or logical manner. Whatever way you use to organize your information, your ideas must be supported with facts, examples or statistics.

Your turn:

Write a 300-500 word article on an artist of your choice.

1. Choose your artist.

2. Research and gather facts, information, statistics, quotes, etc.

3. Organize your information.

4. Create an outline (5 marks)

5. Write a rough draft (5 marks)

6. Write 4-5 leads.

7. Choose you best lead.

8. Have somebody peer review your work for spelling, grammar, clarity, flow, etc.

9. Revise and write your final draft (12 marks).

10. Hand in all rough work and a final copy.

English 9

Today students will be completing projects and watching scenes performed by their peers. Please be sure to complete missing work before we begin our new unit.

English 9

Today students will complete watching A Midsummer Night's Dream with Calista FlockHart, Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.

We will also begin working on a variety of student projects. Please check in with your teacher to discuss your project idea, timeline and necessary materials.

English 9

Today we will complete reading Act II from A Midsummer's Night Dream. Students will then use the side notes to help them write a letter of persuasion to one of their peers. Find ten words that are new to you from the side notes and include them in letter. Highlight the words after you print your letter.

English 9

Today students will continue reading A Midsummer's Night Dream. We will look at themes and characters while making connections to the elements of the short story. We will also look at the literary terms fantasy, myth, and verse.

Section 1 # 27 and # 28

# 27 Describe the uses of the apostrophe.

The apostrophe is a mark of punctuation and a spelling symbol. It indicates omission of a letter or letters (wasn't, can't, he's); forms the possessive case of a noun (the horse's saddle, the boys' clubhouse).

# 28 Insert the correct punctuation in the following sentence: Joe asked politely May I borrow a dollar

Joe asked politely, "May I borrow a dollar?"

Themes for A Midsummer's Night Dream

• patriarchy

• law

• young love

• deception

• revenge

• rivalry

• magic

• reconciliation

• marriage

Notes

Fantasy

Imaginative literature that blends the real world with incredible characters, talking beasts, and unreal beings. May connect to symbolism.

Myth

Form of folklore that accounts for creation of all things, the origin of good and evil, and the salvation of the soul.

Verse

Highly compressed, literary works that appeal to emotion, rhythm, and sense.

Writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme.

Synonym: Poetry

Activity

Review the elements of the short story. Create a poster from the mind map on the white board. Add elements of the play to your poster. Include plot, characters, theme, point of view, and setting. Use specific quotes, imagery and examples to make your connections clear. This is an ongoing activity. Add to your poster as we progress thorough the play.

For a look at a somewhat modern show based on mixups and plot twists, check out Three's Company. Three's Company

English 9

Today students will take the opportunity to appreciate William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Before we begin, some house keeping.

1. Return your Crossroad and Inside Stories books to the library. While there, sign out your copy of the Play.
2. Complete Section 1, question 25 
3. Complete Vocabulary
4. Read introduction to Play
5. Complete Journal/Free Write 

Section 1—Grammar

# 25 Define quotation marks and describe the placement of end punctuation with quotation marks.

Quotation marks enclose words, phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs indicating the beginning and ending of material being repeated or quoted. The comma and periods always come inside quotation marks. Question marks, exclamation points and dashes come outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quotation. The semicolon and colon always go outside quotation marks.

Section 2—Vocabulary

Define the following terms:

Accustomed

Garments

Maiden

Senility

Symbol

Section 3—Journal/Free write

Write about the first lie you were ever caught in. Provide context (age, time, place) and descriptive language to help bring your story to life. As always, write 2-3 paragraphs.

English 9

Twisty Tales continued...

Trouble starting your story? Planning is the key. Here are some reminders and tips to writing:

1. Review notes from yesterday to reinforce: plot lines, traditional elements, character types, and twisted tales. 

2. Remember that fairy tales are just short stories. There are limited characters, description, and a focussed plot line.

3. Fairy Tales are short stories with a little magic. There is usually an evil antagonist. The plot line is typically the innocent overcoming evil or how someone is transformed.

4. Start with some basic structural elements:

a great quest or task

a series of tests

animals that can speak or do magic

set in certain time periods: "long ago or far away"

always have a moral

Finally...be sure to research and read. Use an existing story to model your writing. This is intended to be a FUN assignments that helps to develop your writing skills.

English 9

Let's get Twisted

Students will begin a project today which will see them understand, and then create, a Twisted Fairy Tale. Traditional fairy tales were told orally by storytellers.

Here are our steps (notes for class):

1. Plot line of Fairy Tales

2. Traditional Elements

3. Stock Characters

4. Writing a Twisted Tale

Plot Lines

A typical fairy-tales plot is:

• Initial Situation

• Introduction of a problem/complication/task

• Hero(ine) attempts to address the complication (rescue someone, find someone, slay a dragon, you get the idea)

• Successful resolution

Traditional Elements

• princess is a victim

• prince

• evil person

• magic

• positive resolution

• forest

• broken family

• moral or message

Stock Characters

A stock character is a universal type that appears in plays, stories, films, etc. They are often based on stereotypes. They are easily recognized. Here are some examples:

• Ancient Stock Characters (the show-off, the coward, the greedy man)

• Good guys (a humble servant, the wise old man, prince charming, etc.)

• Bad guys (the mad scientist, the evil stepmother, etc.)

• Neutral characters (the damsel in distress, the nerd, the town drunk, etc.)

Students will look at a variety of examples to help with ideas. After taking notes and watching some "Fractured Tales," research and read a fairy tale to help develop your style of writing.

Begin to formulate a plan for writing your own "Twisty tale." You have three classes to write, edit, and finalize your story. I look forward reading.....





English 9

Welcome back. I hope you all had a great Spring Break. Here is your next project. Please ask if you have questions, otherwise, have fun and tap into those creative juices.

Who am I?

For this project, you will be creating a representation of YOU. In order to do so, one must first gain a deep understanding as to who you really are, or, more importantly, who you want to be.

In order to do this, you need to answer the following questions to get an idea of who you really are (You may have to do some research before you answer the questions):

The basics:

What is you full name?

Do you have a nickname?

Describe your family. Who do you live with? Include pets, animals, that uncle who lives in the basement, etc.

Where have you lived in your life?

Who has influenced you? You can include positive and negative influences.

Favourite colour?

Favourite foods?

Favourite band?

Favourite song?

Favourite sports team?

Favourite activities (hiking, fishing, etc.)

Favourite place to visit (The bug zoo)?

Are you a lone wolf or a social butterfly?

Do you have a favourite artist or work of art? If not, I suggest the group of seven as a starting point.

Do you have a Growth mindset?

Do you suffer from Cognitive dissonance?

How do You see You?

How do Others see You?

How do YOU want the world to see you?

What do you want to be doing in 1year, 5years, 10 years, 20 years.

What masks do you wear? In other words, do you take on different personalities in different circumstances?

Do you have a brand? What does it look like? What would your symbol look like? Think Nike swoosh.

Find a quote or slogan that has meaning for you.

Is there anything I missed? Include it here.

Now that you have developed a profile, I would like you to pick a method of representing yourself. Poster, painting, power point, Prezi, Story/essay, picture story, short film, song, scene, photograph, sculpture, caricature, other, etc.

You representation MUST include the following details:

1.    Your brand. Can be in the form of a symbol, but must have a connection to your profile in some way

2.    At least five images. Again, there must be a connection to your profile.

3.    Your quote or slogan

4.    Three influences (facebook, friends, etc.)

You will have three classes to research, gather information, and create your representation. Be sure to use class time wisely.

Assessment:

Use of time                                                                /5

Creativity                                                                   /5

·         Depth and quality of ideas

·         Organization and combination of ideas

Completion                                                                /5

Your criteria                                                             /5

English 9

Section 1

 

# 23 Define the dash and describe its uses. The dash is an emphatic mark that usually indicates an interruption of thought, a sharp break or a shift in thought. Uses are to: introduce a word or group that you wish to emphasize; a break in thought; to set off distinguished parenthetical material.

Section 3

 

Journal/free write question for the day: Write a scene that begins...."when I stepped off the train, I couldn't believe what I saw. I knew right then that...(my life would never be the same)."

English 9

Section 1

# 22

Define the colon and describe its uses.

The colon is a mark of expectation or addition. Major uses are to: introduce lists or tabulations; introduce a word or a phrase; precede an example or clarification of an idea suggested before the colon; to introduce a long formal quotation; act as a separating mark in special situations (letters, time, stating proportions, titles of books, acts or verses, etc.)

English 9

Good afternoon. Five days until Spring Break! Today you have two main tasks:

1. Complete Section 1 up to # 21. Show Mr. Miller (before the end of class) when you are ready. You will receive 5 marks for being up to date and organized.

2.  Complete worksheet on semicolons.

When you are finished these two tasks, complete and hand in your "Tell-Tale Heart" handout package. Finally...is your plot graph poster displayed on my back wall?  

 

Section 1

#21 Define a semicolon and describe its uses.

 

The semicolon (;) is a mark of separation or division; that is, it is never used to introduce, enclose, or terminate a sentence. It is a stronger mark than a comma, but is weaker than a period. Uses are:

 

To separate independent clauses not joined by a simple conjunction; to separate clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (also, besides, however, for example, otherwise, thus, therefore, still); to separate phrases and clauses of considerable length and also series of words that need complete clarity.

English 9

Section One for today

 

# 20 What is a preposition? A preposition is a linking word used before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship to some other word in the sentence; usually indicate a location. Examples include: above, in, at, down, onto, over, upon, toward, within, for except

Commonly Used Prepositional Phrases

• According to the weather forecast
• Across many deserts
• After many tries
• Amid the confusion
• Around the world
• Before we start the meeting
• Between a rock and a hard place
• By the light of the moon
• Like a beautiful swan
• Near the ocean
• Of my boss
• Off the top
• Out the door
• Through the looking glass
• Throughout the thick forest
• To the amusement park

Don't forget our section one quiz this coming Friday. That completes Parts of the Sentence.

English 9

Section one for today

 

# 19 What is a conjunction? A conjunction is a linking word used to connect words or groups of words in a sentence. Examples include: and, for, but, or, nor, yet, either, since, because, as, while, so that, although, not only/but also, unless, and on and on and on

Check School House Rocks to help you out.

School House rocks

English 9

Good afternoon,

Today students will be participating in a Direct Listening—Thinking Activity, in which they listen to a reading of the "Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe.

Student Objectives:

• Improve their listening and comprehension and prediction skills
• Respond to literature read in class
• Practice strong and effective writing

Before reading

• Section 1
• Notes
• Poe 101
• Journal question
• Background knowledge on scary stories
• Vocabulary sheet

Section one

# 17  What is an adverb? An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or other adverb by describing or limiting to make meaning more precise; often have an—ly ending. Generally tell how, why, when, where, how often and how much.

# 18 Give an example of an adverb. Quickly ran, moved sideways, he treated us kindly.

Section 4 notes:

1. Suspense

2. Point of view

3. Imagery

4. Mood

1. Suspense—feeling of anxiety and uncertainty experienced by the reader about the outcome of events or protagonist's destiny. The author creates suspense by:

• Choice of words - "dreadfully nervous"

• Character's dialogue - "never kinder to the man before I killed him"

• Character's action - took a whole hour to put his head in the room

• Setting - deathwatches in the wall

     2. Point of View—the vantage point from which the author presents the action of the story:

• Third Person Omniscient - all knowing (author uses he/she)

• Third Person Limited - limited to the views of one character (uses he/she)

• First Person - voice and thoughts of one character (author uses I)

     3. Imagery—collection of images in a literary work used to create atmosphere, mood and tension

 

     4. Mood—the feeling or atmosphere that an author creates in a literary work. The mood can  suggest emotion, such as fear or joy; it can also suggest a quality of setting, such as gloom

A brief 101 on Poe:

Short biography of Poe

 

Journal Question

Choose one of the following questions to answer (2-3 paragraphs):

• Things that happen during the day that don't scare or worry you can sometimes keep you awake at night. Has this ever happened to you? Tell about your experience.

or

• Have you ever done something you knew you should not have done, and gotten away with it? Which is worse—the guilt you feel when you get away with it, or the consequences you face when you get caught.

Handout package:

Part  1 -  Background Knowledge
Describe 5 things that you expect to find in scary stories.

Part 2 - Vocabulary

Part 3 - Story prediction questions/marking text

Part 4 - Comprehension questions

Part 5 - Literal questions

English 9

Good morning. Today you will be asked to write a written response. Your journal question is this: What is your next big adventure? As always, be sure to be descriptive and write two to three paragraphs.



Watch the following video to help inspire your writing:
Dan the man

English 9

Good morning,

After students finish their vocabulary quiz, they can start their plot graph posters.

Plot Graph Poster

Using a short story of your choice, create a poster which depicts the elements of a Plot Graph. Use examples from your chosen story to complete your graph. Refer to your handout on the elements of the short story as a resource.

Neatness /5
Creativity /5
Plot Elements /5

Total marks /15

English 9

Section 1 today:

# 15.  What is an adjective? An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun by describing, limiting or making it more exact; it may indicate quality or quantity. There are three general types: descriptive, limiting and proper.

# 16.  Give an example. Descriptive (yellow, wide house), limiting (third, several boys), proper (Canadian policy).

English 9

After reading the story "The Sea Devil" answer the following questions:

 

1. What is a dilemma? Describe a recent dilemma you have had to deal with (2-3 sentences).

2. Identify the following parts of the stories' plot:

• the complicating incident (p.256—Glossary of terms)

• a single crisis

• the climax

• the resolution

     3. Review the section on conflict in your handout titled, The Five Basic Elements of the Short Story. Write 2-3 paragraphs that relates a recent brush with danger or death. After writing, identify what type of conflict (either external or internal) your story is and also identify the kind of conflict your story most resembles (man vs. man, man vs. circumstance, man vs. society, man vs. himself/herself).   

English 9

Section 1 Questions

# 12 Give an example of a transitive verb:

A transitive verb is followed by a noun or pronoun (the object) which completes the action specified by the verb. Example: Jim hit the dog.

# 13 Give an example of an intransitive verb:

An intransitive verb does not need to be followed by a noun or pronoun to make sense. It shows location or being. Example: She walked down the street.

# 14 Give an example of a linking verb:

A linking verb shows a relationship between the subject and the noun that follows it. Often a form of the verb "to be." Example: That play was good.

English 9

Vocabulary

 

Here is a list of words to add to your vocabulary section. For each word, write the definition as well as a synonym for each word. This list should be typed or written very neatly.

*A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as one or more other words. Example: happy—content      cold—chilly

 

1. Ascertain

2. Elicit

3. Deduce

4. Incidental

5. Inquiry

6. Conjecture

7. Intrusion

8. Absolved

9. Conjure

10. Conceal

11. Depict

English 9

Today we will continue working on our detective notebook. Be sure to collect all relevant information to build a good case. Too much information is not an issue when collecting data; you don't have to use it all for your final project.

When you have completed your notebook, start working on your final project. For this assignment, students will write a formal police report. Here are the basics:

Summary of the crime (18 marks)

Write a 200-300 word summary of the case. This is a formal written report, so pay attention to the quality of your written expression. Write the details in chronological order showing how the case unfolded. Be sure to include the crucial evidence which helped you to solve the case.

Checklist:

• title (The Case of the Crooked Man)
• date
• rough draft
• edit for spelling, sentence structure, clarity

Hand in your notebook along with your summary by Friday, February 19th

English 9

Good morning,

Section 1 question for the day:

 

# 10 What is a verb?  A verb is a word that specifies actions or events that take place in a time or a relation between two things.

 

# 11 What are three kinds of verbs? There are transitive, intransitive and linking verbs.

 

Review nouns and pronouns by watching this beauty from way back:

Pronouns
Nouns

Now that you have read "The Crooked Man" by Arthur Conan Doyle and looked at the essential elements of a mystery, you are ready to take the role of detective. As a detective, you will need to start a notebook to keep all of your findings and clues. As you review the story, keep detailed notes to help you solve the crime. Here are the basics:

Details of interest (5 marks)

• The 5 W's
• Setting (where and when does the story take place)

Two character sketches (5marks)

• provide character traits
• age
• relevant details

Discoveries and clues (5 marks)

• what does Sherlock notice or deduce
• provide quotes to paraphrase text
• Example: "the blinds were not down, for the room was seldom used in the evening" (220).

Facts: 5 Crucial  and 5 Incidental (10 marks)

Example: "Mrs. Morrison...denied any knowledge of ill humour" (223)

One Sketch (5 marks)

Example: footprints, paw prints, murder scene, murder weapon, keyhole

Total marks: 30

English 9

Today we will be reviewing a major part of the short story: Plot

By using the fable Red Riding Hood as our guide, we will be able to better understand the five essential elements of any story: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and Denouement.

 

 

Mystery and Suspense

After reviewing the main elements of mystery (page 263 Inside Stories), students will be assigned a reading from Inside Stories I: "The Crooked Man" by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Section 1

9. What are different types of Pronouns?

Personal (I, yours, her, them)
Relative (who, which)
Demonstrative (this, these)
Interrogative (who, whom, whose, which, whichever, whomever)
Reflexive (myself, himself)
Intensive (himself)
Indefinite (all, another, any, none, several, each, everyone, anything)
Reciprocal (each other, one another)

English 9

Today we completed reading "The Friday Everything Changed" from Inside Stories I. Students were asked to answer three of the seven questions from page 11. Students were reminded to answer questions in complete sentences, not one or two-word answers.

Section 1 Questions:

6. Write down the nouns in the following sentence: Her pride suffered because of her forgetfulness, but his courtesy brought her happiness. (Qualities)

7.  Write down the nouns in the following sentence: Her honour had been preserved. (General idea)

Students also received a handout on the Five Basic Elements of the Short Story.

English 9

Good morning. Answer your section one question after 10 minutes of silent reading .

• Sec 1

Write down the nouns in the following sentence: They were on the way to the dance, which was held in the fall, usually in November.

• Topic sentence review

• Paragraph review

• Journal/Free Write Question (2-3 paragraphs):

What are some traditions in your family? It could be a yearly trip or something you do at dinner.

English 9

Create a mind map on a topic of your choice. Be sure that it expands to at least three levels.

From your mind map, choose three sub topics. Write an eight sentence paragraph as shown in class. Be sure to underline the topic sentence and the concluding statement.

Example paragraph:

The best pet is a dog.

The first reason is that they are loyal. My dog runs to my side when I get home.

The second reason is that they are happy. She is always wagging her tail and smiling.

The third reason is that they are friendly. My dog always rubs up against me and wants to cuddle.

For these reasons, dogs are the best pet.


Mind map (6 marks)
Paragraph (6 marks)

English 9

Section 1 work thus far:

1. Define a noun
2. Write down the nouns in the following sentence: Albert met his sisters' best friend, a pretty girl (Albert, sisters, friend, girl).
3. Write down the nouns in the following sentence: They stood on the corner of Broadway and Third in the downtown section of New York (Broadway, Third, section, New York).

For Friday's Section 1 question:

     4. Write down the nouns in the following sentence: He was carrying a coat, tie and a hat (coat, tie, hat).

We also started building our vocabulary. Students should write the word, a definition, and place it into a sentence. Here are our first four words:

1. Forlornly
2. Galvanized
3. Pirouette
4. Transfixed

Finally, student started a mind map/web. After choosing a topic, students were asked to place the topic in the middle of the page and expand their maps outwards until they reached at least three levels. We will be using the concept of mind maps to help with the writing process.

English 9

Today's lesson included:

1. Section 1: What is a noun? Definition and examples
2. Writing strategies to help students get started

• One minute free write.....non stop
• Sentence variations
• Six word stories

English 9

Welcome to English 9. This blog is intended for students and parents to stay up to date with current assignments and important dates. Please e-mail me at any time with specific questions or comments. We will be starting the year with a number of concepts. Here are a few to ponder:

Staying Organized
Establishing Routines
Language Conventions
Journal Writing
Vocabulary Building
BIG IDEAS


Tuesday's lesson includes setting up our binders into four sections, a TED talk and our first journal question.

Binder sections

1. Section 1 (Language features, structures and conventions)
2. Vocabulary
3. Journal writing/written responses
4. Story and/or text notes and assignments

Ted Talk

Amy Purdy's Living Beyond Limits

Question of the day (2-3 paragraphs)

If life were a book and you were the author, how would you want your story to go?

English 10

This week is the last week to complete any missing Romeo and Juliet projects. In conjunction with project time, students will be preparing for their Provincial exam.

Good luck!

Comm 12

This week students are preparing for their Provincial exam. Here are the items for review:

• Organization and planning
• Writing strategies
• Visual design
• Business letters
• Reading and comprehension

Please hand in all missing ASAP!

Good luck to all of you.

English 10

This week, student are finishing their Romeo and Juliet Unit.

Three assignments worth marks are as follows:

1. Posters-Find an example of a literary device (oxymoron) from the play. Include a definition of the term, a quote from the play, the Act and scene number, and some imagery.
2. Study guides-Complete all questions in preparation for your projects
3. Projects-A variety of projects have been assigned to students.

Due dates:

Poster (12 marks) Due-Friday, Jan. 8th                      
Study Guides (20 marks) Due-Monday, Jan. 11th
Projects (20 marks) Due-Jan 15th

Communications 12

Happy New Year everyone.

Comm. 12 is beginning their exam prep.

This week we are looking at visual design, which is  Part C of the BC provincial Exam: Communication  Products.

For this assignment, students are shown that posters use words and images to send a message to the audience. They are to list three things which they think make a poster effective.

Their next task is to choose an issue that they feel strongly about.

1.  Develop ideas for a poster to help communicate their ideas. The purpose of this assignment is to convince an audience that their point of view is correct.
2. Develop a rough draft.
3. Create a final draft.
4. Publish and display your poster in the classroom.

This assignment will be scored out of six using the scoring guide for visual design.