The Hobbit - Roast Mutton

1. Hobbit quiz-do orally-mark orally

2. Read chapter 2 aloud – start with the section on the trolls

3. Work on questions

4. Quiet reading

5. Homework: read to end of chapter 4 by next class and complete questions.

6. Short story test - go over and discuss

7. Listen to audio of story and go over and discuss:

English 9 writing rubric

Read aloud paragraph topic from test

Read aloud several good paragraphs (there were lots!)

8. Runes creative activity. Discuss the rune that is on Thorin's map

Finish Ch.1 of The Hobbit

Today we reviewed  what hobbits are, Tolkien's life, and the genre of fantasy.  Although complete fiction and fantasy, The Hobbit is a novel where the author wishes to have the reader connect with the feelings of Bilbo and his comfy, cozy lifestyle.

We read to the end of chapter 1 and completed the 6 questions.

Homework: READ the first 7 pages of chapter 2 -- up to p. 34.

The Hobbit - Chapter 1

Today we began our first novel Study The Hobbit.
We discussed the setting and plot and read the first half of chapter 1.
We will finish reading chapter 1 during class tomorrow.

Test Day, Updated marks, Writing due Friday

Click HERE to get a look at your updated marks.

Today we worked on our creative writing. This is due Friday at the end of class.

After break we completed our Sightlines 9 test.

English 9 - Test next day

Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11th, you'll be writing your first test in English 9.
 Last week I gave you a summary of what you should study.  Briefly, you need to be familiar with all the notes we took, and all the stories we've read.

Today we studied for this test AND we worked on our creative writing project (that is due at the end of the class on Friday)


TEST TIP
Here's your tip for reading the blog:  after reading a story you've never read before, you will have to write a paragraph.  The topic of the paragraph will be EXACTLY THE SAME as the topic for the Blue Bead paragraph (Summarize the story, discuss the irony at the end, and explain what the irony reveals about the character).  You may want to re-read your Blue Bead paragraph in order to prepare. .

OK, here's one more tip:  there were only two piece of literature from our text that were linked to fairy tales:  "Coup de Grace", and "Once Upon a Time."

Creative Writing Work

Today I reminded students that their Sightlines 9 test is Wednesday (study notes, re-read stories and poems).
I also reminded them that their creative writing project is due on Friday this week.

We worked on our creative writing today 20 minutes of group work and discussion -- 35 minutes of quiet working time.

Pheasants and Creative Writing Topics

I returned our first major assignment: the paragraphs on The Blue Bead. I read out several paragraphs and I explained how marks were awarded.  Most students are welcome to re-write the paragraph and re-submit for a higher grade.

We then discussed pheasants and read the story "What Happened During the Ice Storm."  Students got into groups and discussed the following: the plot, the irony in the story, and what that irony reveals about the character.  This are the same topics that were discussed in the paragraphs on "The Blue Bead."

Creative Writing Assignment - due next Friday (before spring break.)
Students have a choice of three creative writing assignments. Choose only one of the following:
1. Script writing -- write a script that outlines what happens the next day in the story "Lamb to Slaughter" as Mary Maloney is questioned in the police department. See yellow handout for more details.
2. Twisted Fairy Tale -- Take a traditional fairy tale and give it a modern and/or ironic twist (or you can even write a modern version, like the short story "Once Upon a Time."  See yellow handout for more details
3. The Sacred Neercs -- Create a piece of writing like "The Sacred Rac" but this time you'll be making fun of our  obsession with screens (computer screens, TV screens, iPhone screens, iPod screens).  See orange handout for more details. 

Test next Wednesday!

We handed in our paragraphs from last day (still need one from Skyler, River, Wes, Kim, Lena, Alex, Lisa).

We wrote down the definition of foreshadowing and discussed examples from The Blue Bead.
Students wrote an inclass paragraph in which they discussed the following writing prompt: Women are not strong enough to work construction jobs (students were able to agree, disagree, give examples, and explain their thoughts).

We learned the difference between heroin, heroine, and hero.

We shared our thoughts and then read the poem "Think Like a Weightlifter".  We discussed at length the terms sexism, stereotypes, and prejudice. I gave oral questions to students and they answered orally.

We discussed our Sightlines 9 test which we will have next Wednesday. We wrote down an outline on what will be on the test.

We ended the class by reading "The Open Window" from p.22 of our textbook.  Students then had to complete #2 on p.27 in a short paragraph (this was handed in at the end of class).

"The Blue Bead"

Today's lesson: authors paint pictures using words.

We began with a pre-reading activity: we watched the following slideshow of photos of India.
Then we discussed the photos as a class.

Authors do the same thing as artists and photographers do: they paint pictures with words. In the first two pages of the story you're about to read, nothing really happens in the story: the author uses those words, though, to paint a picture of the setting.

Finally, we quietly read the story "The Blue Bead" in class and began working on the following paragraph: Briefly summarize the story "The Blue Bead." More importantly discuss the ironic ending. What does the irony say about the girl?

This paragraph is due for class tomorrow afternoon, March 6th.

The Sacred Rac & Course Selections for next year

Last Friday, we learned the terms
jargon and
slang.

We discussed what the word anthropology means: the study of human beings and  human culutre.

Then we read the short story,  "The Sacred Rac."  I explained that it is written in the form of an anthropological study -- it doesn't really seem like a story.  As you read it, I'm sure many of you began to realize that "The Sacred Rac" was fiction (in other words, it is NOT true).  You probably also realized that there is a bit of a secret to figure out (hint: it has something to do with the word RAC).

These are the questions we answered:

1.            Why is this Indian anthropologist fascinated by the Asu culture?

2.            Describe the rac and explain why people feel they must own one.

3.            Explain the puberty rite that most youths undergo at sixteen.

4.            What are the drawbacks of the rac?

5.            How does rac excrement differ from that of the cow?

6.            How is the rac dangerous?

7.            Describe where the rac is found?

8.            Explain the hidden meanings for ‘rac’ and ‘Asu’.

TODAY (Monday, March 4th) we went to the library and did our course selections (absent students today Jacob D, Lisa W -- please see your counsellor to find a time to do course selections).