Theme notes and work

We took notes on theme and then completed a worksheet on theme.

Updated Marks

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Quiz, Poetry sweatshop

We did a quiz on ch. 14-16.

Then we did the poetry assignment below:

Poem on Poetry. 

After reading all the statements about poetry on the handout, begin thinking about your thoughts about poetry. (If you don't have the handout, just write a poem on how you feel about poetry)

Write a poem about your thoughts on poetry.  Begin on a lined piece of paper.  Transfer your good copy onto the sheet with all the poetry statements on them.  Give your sheet a splash of colour with illustrations and or drawings. Try to fill up most of the space on the page with your poem. 

Example

 

PBJ

Reading poetry

is like eating a peanut butter

sandwich with too much

                        peanut

                                    butter

It looks rich, like liquid chocolate, as the sweet

                                                                        oily

                                                                                    mess

                                                                                                glops

                                                                                                            out

                                                                                                                        the

                                                                                                                                    sides

But then when you take your first bite

Everything

S e I z e s u p

I n

Y o u r

F a c e

                                                            And then you look wistfully in the cupboard

                                                            At the Can of Tuna

                                                            That is mocking you

Setting notes, Woodtick, Jackson Katz TedTalk

Students handed in their character paragraphs.

We reviewed our notes on character and plot.
We examined setting notes and did some group work on setting in The Lovely Bones
We looked at the poem Woodtick by Joy Kogawa. http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/ltemplin/english11/stories/woodtick.htm We examined the change of setting in the poem as we annotated and wrote all over our copies of the poem.
Jackson Katz's TedTalk on Violence against women was viewed and a discussion about sexism ensued.
Students read quietly.

We'll do a quick quiz tomorrow on chapters 14 15 16

Plot notes, paragraph work.

Today we took some notes on Plot (Actually we just filled in the blanks on a sheet that I handed out). Then we worked on our character paragraph.
It is due on Thursday.
Keep reading.

Work on character paragraph, web-quest, Half-Way Test on Monday

We watched this video on empathy and sympathy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
Students learned how sympathy drives disconnection and rarely do sympathetic responses helpful.  Rather empathetic responses help foster connectedness which can only be done if the person helping shows their own vulnerabilities.

There will be a halfway test on Monday.  Read up to and including chapter 13 of The Lovely Bones.

Today we worked through the three step process from last day with regard to writing about character. We brainstormed about the character Buckley and discussed and formulated some thoughtful interpretations we could make about him in a paragraph.  Basically, I led students through the three step process.

Students, then, began work on their own paragraphs.  The topic is "Discuss the character of _________ in the Lovely Bones."  Students can chose any character: Abigail, Jack, Lindsey, Susie, Grandma Lynn, Ray, Ruth.  Paragraphs will be due Tuesday or Thursday of next week.

After break we did a web quest where students broke into groups, researched, and then presented on the following five topics:  Ecole Polytechnique, Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, Slut-shaming, Defence Techniques for Women, Violence against women on Campuses.

Notes on Character

We reviewed a list of new vocabulary from this year: haughty, belligerent, callous, disconsolate, empathetic, fallible, epiphany, layered plot, chattel, schadenfreude, mirth satire, farce.

We took notes on "character" and I laid out a plan on what to do when a teacher asks you to write about character.
1. determine one or more traits that help to define the character
2. scan the text to look for examples or scenes that exemplify that character trait
3. infer or interpret something about that character

Then I used Ruana as an example
1. I said that I thought she was detached and aloof and maybe mysterious
2. I recalled the scene where Jack goes to her house to speak with her son
3. I thought about Ruana and realized that Sebold uses Ruana's detached, almost haughty nature to help contrast, and thus further reinforce, Jack's determine to keep his family together and emotionally attached.

Students were told that their next assignment was going to be discuss a character from the novel -- at this point, it could be almost any major character.

We'll work on this during Thursday's long block.
Monday:  First half test -- students will need to have read up to end of chapter 13

Writing Tips, ch6-8 discussion

Paragraphs were handed back and I noted six areas students should be aware of in their writing:
1. Do not use contractions
2. Indent paragraphs
3. Use present tense
4 Do not compliment (or insult) an author.  Instead  of an author doing "an amazing job" rather state that the author "is effective."
5. Avoid intensifiers ( really, totally, very extremely, hugely).

Then we discussed the ch 6-8 chapter questions:

Chapter 6

1. Why does the memory of the day with Ray Singh seem so important to Susie after her death? 

2. In Ray and Ruth’s meetings, they finally come to the topic of Susie.  What conclusions do they draw?  

3. Describe Mrs. Singh.  What do most people think about her. 

Ch7

1. Why is it logical that Buckley is the member of the family who first feels Susie’s presence? 

2. Susie describes the large house as having a widow’s walk.  What is that feature? 

Ch8

1. What purpose does this chapter serve?

Friday! Fern Hill. Ch3-5 Quiz. Halfway test on Feb. 22nd

Last day we discussed chapter 3 of Lovely Bones and examined Edgar Allen Poe's poem "A Dream within a Dream."

Students worked on the Ch1-2 questions from the novel and completed them in class.

Students were given a Character Trait Wordbank handout which will lead us to some work on character next week.

Halfway test (chapter 1-13) is tentatively set for Monday, February 22.

Today we completed the ch.3-5 quiz and then worked in groups to group the poem Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas.

up to p. 35 -- Paragraphs are due next day!

Today we discussed the main characters, plot, setting, and possible themes of The Lovely Bones.

Reactions from students included the realism that Sebold uses to describe Susie's sexual assault and murder.  Student learned that Sebold suffered a sexual attack which likely explains her realistic descriptions.

We took notes and discussed all the main characters, including Ruth Conners.

We looked at the epigraph in the opening and discussed how the penguin in the snow globe was similar to Susie -- they are both 'trapped' in a perfect world: Susie in heaven and the penguin in the globe

The novel will ultimately be a novel of reconciliation and healing.

Students then, worked on their paragraphs.

Toilet Training Cats and The Lovely Bones (read 2 chapters for homework)

I read over the extended metaphor poems that students wrote.
We went over and discussed the handout on the methods authors use to create humour, and found examples in Feschuk's article on Latisse.
We read and listened to Galway by Stuart MacLean (the audio version on Youtube is called Toilet Training the Cat -- it can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdUoYMO823o)
I gave a handout showing a paragraph that was barely adequate and we went over the 8 points that you should consider while writing a response to literature.
Students began working on the following assignment:    Discuss the use of comedy in the short story "Galway" in one or two paragraphs.  This will not be due until next Wednesday.

Students signed out copies of the novel The Lovely Bones and were asked to read the first two chapters for Tuesday's class. 

Humour both in Writing and on the screen

We began class by reviewing terms last day: eschew, juxtaposition, poetry prose

We looked at several examples of humorous videos on Youtube and then brainstormed synonyms for comedy: humorous, comedic, folly, glee, mirth, satire, zany, slapstick, irony, sarcasm, schadenfreude, farcical, black comedy.

We then read Conversation with Cattle by David McFadden.  We discussed the meaning of the poem and focused on the main point of today's lesson:  comedy in writing is often subtle and is virtually never laugh-out-loud hilarity.

Students learned that their first bigger writing assignment, in a few classes, will be to discuss humour in a piece of writing.

chattel -- property or items that are owned by a person.  There's  a subtle reference to this in the poem we read today.

Ground Zero

Course introduction
We read the poem Dog Hospital and learned that poetry sometimes does not tell a story: often poems simply convey a mood or feeling. In the case of Dog Hospital, a stark contrast or juxtaposition is the main feeling that is conveyed.

Students then read "Help I've Just been Run Over by a Bus"

Assignment:  Write a poem in the same manner as "Help I've Just Been Run Over by a Bus."  Like the poem, create an extended metaphor to describe a relationship that has soured over time.