Today I explained the ins and outs of exam week -- Jan. 24th - 28th.
The English 8 exam will be on Tuesday, Jan 25th in the morning from 8:45 to 11:00. The exam will count for 20% of the students' overall grade. Jan. 26-28th are project completion days (only students who are failing or at risk of failing will have to attend).
In class today we discussed the term imagery and students began working on their "Creative Writing -- Memory Assignment" where they imagine they are the Giver as they transmit a memory to a person (using descriptive writing). The focus of the assignment is to have students use imagery and descriptive writing to engage ALL FIVE SENSES.
Students worked on this during class and a good copy will be due for homework.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
English 10
Provincial Exam Discussion, Preparation, and Practice.
Today's work focused specifically on the English 10 provincial exam coming up at the end of January. Students worked through an entire exam, section by section. We stopped, corrected, and commented on most questions. We read student samples of literary essays from the exam and we marked and discussed them.
Students were also handed out the BC Ministry of Education List of Terms and Devices that they must know for the final exam.
Today's work focused specifically on the English 10 provincial exam coming up at the end of January. Students worked through an entire exam, section by section. We stopped, corrected, and commented on most questions. We read student samples of literary essays from the exam and we marked and discussed them.
Students were also handed out the BC Ministry of Education List of Terms and Devices that they must know for the final exam.
English 8
Homework assigned: read chapter 16, 17 and 18 for homework.
We reviewed two of the themes of the novel: the necessity of having, remembering, and learning from unpleasant memories; the importance of being given choice in our lives.
We read quietly for a while and then we discussed and defined the term IMAGERY. After a pink worksheet on imagery, students were given a writing assignment where they will pretend that they are Jonas and that the Giver is giving them a descriptive memory. This writing assignment won't be due until next week some time.
Paragraphs are still needed from Angus, Chase and Brooke.
We reviewed two of the themes of the novel: the necessity of having, remembering, and learning from unpleasant memories; the importance of being given choice in our lives.
We read quietly for a while and then we discussed and defined the term IMAGERY. After a pink worksheet on imagery, students were given a writing assignment where they will pretend that they are Jonas and that the Giver is giving them a descriptive memory. This writing assignment won't be due until next week some time.
Paragraphs are still needed from Angus, Chase and Brooke.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
English 10
Compositions from the end of December were handed back. No comments were given: students were encouraged to see me to ask for feedback. Each student may also choose to re-write the composition in homework club this week (I will take the higher mark of the two compositions that were written.) A different topic will be given.
Writing Tips were discussed
#1 Familiarize yourself with and use the word 'epiphany'.
#2 Don't use slang/jargon no matter what subject you are discussing (i.e. even an essay on free skiing cannot use the phrase "slaying gnarly lines.")
#3 Avoid intensifiers (e.g. very, really, so totally, completely, extremely, ridiculously . . . ). Instead of describing something as 'very interesting', describe it as 'intriguing' or 'captivating'.
We read Act 2 scene 1 and discussed the significance of Mercutio's famous line "a plague on both your houses."
No homework was given, although I expect several students will choose to re-write their compositions.
Writing Tips were discussed
#1 Familiarize yourself with and use the word 'epiphany'.
#2 Don't use slang/jargon no matter what subject you are discussing (i.e. even an essay on free skiing cannot use the phrase "slaying gnarly lines.")
#3 Avoid intensifiers (e.g. very, really, so totally, completely, extremely, ridiculously . . . ). Instead of describing something as 'very interesting', describe it as 'intriguing' or 'captivating'.
We read Act 2 scene 1 and discussed the significance of Mercutio's famous line "a plague on both your houses."
No homework was given, although I expect several students will choose to re-write their compositions.
English 8
Today we learned that when an author writes a novel, she often has two purposes: create an interesting story, and reveal a theme (or message) to the reader.
In Lowry's novel The Giver, one of her themes is that choice is important, and even if we make errors when we choose something, we gain important experience that will help us in our lives. She also reveals another important theme, and that is that painful memories are important because they help make us stronger and, like the other theme mentioned, help us learn from the past.
Several students still have to hand in their paragraphs on careers from last class: Chase, Brooke, Angus, Jayden, Curtis.
Homework: read to the end of chapter 15 for next class (Thursday morning).
In Lowry's novel The Giver, one of her themes is that choice is important, and even if we make errors when we choose something, we gain important experience that will help us in our lives. She also reveals another important theme, and that is that painful memories are important because they help make us stronger and, like the other theme mentioned, help us learn from the past.
Several students still have to hand in their paragraphs on careers from last class: Chase, Brooke, Angus, Jayden, Curtis.
Homework: read to the end of chapter 15 for next class (Thursday morning).
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