Friday 30 September 2016

Planning 10

Over the past few days, students worked on more quizzes on Myblueprint.ca.
Make sure you have both booklets handed in and all 5 quizzes completed.
We also watched the movie "Field of Dreams". We'll discuss it more next class.

Reminders:
  • Marks were posted today! Check for missing assignments

English 8

Over the past few days, we continued discussing "The Hockey Sweater" and watched the original NFB production, "The Sweater". Students also did an exercise on Foreshadowing and we read "The Monkey's Paw"; students then completed a mind map of the story. We also watched a couple video adaptations of it.

Today, we read "Ambush" and started working on questions. We'll finish them next class. We also had the Terry Fox run for the majority of the block.

English 9

Over the past few days, students read "The Bridge Builder" and we watched Armageddon; we'll complete a plot analysis for the film on Monday. I also gave a hand-out on terms and stories to know for the upcoming Sightlines 9 Test next week.

Reminders:
  • Sightlines Projects: due today!
  • Sightlines 9 Test - Blocks 1/2: Wednesday, October 5, 2016
        • Blocks 5/6: Thursday, October 6, 2016

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Planning 10

Today we finished watching the video on ethical behaviour in the workplace. Students then filled out a checklist in which they had to rate their skills. After that, students worked in groups and brainstormed transferable skills attained from non-academic activities (sport teams, clubs, work, and volunteering). To end class, students picked 2 jobs (out of the following jobs: server, fast-food worker, sales associate, babysitter, camp counselor, and construction worker) and wrote out skills that could be attained from those positions. We discussed their ideas as a class.

Reminders:
  • Make sure to have handed in 'skills' worksheets today!

English 9

Today students continued working on their mind maps for "Once Upon a Time". It was the last class given to work on it. We also read and discussed an article on Oscar Pistorius; it addresses racism in South Africa, and reinforces the theme of increased security measures in gun protection. There were corresponding questions with the article.

Reminders:
  • "Once Upon a Time" Mind Map: due next class
  • Oscar Pistorius article questions: due next class
  • Sightlines 9 Final Project: due Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 (no more class time for this)

English 8

The title pages look great so far!

To start off the day, students took notes on conjunctions, and we looked at the lyrics to the song "The Tell-Tale Heart" by the Alan Parsons Project. Students then continued working on their title pages that they started last week. After that, students completed some pre-reading questions about sport teams and loyalties, and we read the story "The Hockey Sweater". We'll continue the worksheet for this next class.

Reminders:
  • "Tell-Tale Heart" Title Pages: due Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016

Friday 23 September 2016

Planning 10

We started off class with a lesson on transferable skills and students completed a worksheet on academic transferable skills. After that, we started watching a Dateline documentary on inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.

Reminders:
  • Make sure your transferable skills worksheet was handed in!

English 8

Today we looked at adverbs, and worked on comprehension questions for "The Tell-Tale Heart"; we discussed the answers as a class. After that, we watched a video animation of the story and started working on a title page, which we'll continue next class.

English 9

We spent another class today working on students' Sightlines 9 projects. This was the last class given for this. It will be due in a week's time.

Reminders:
  • Sightlines 9 projects : due Friday Sept. 30, 2016 (no more classes given for this!)

Thursday 22 September 2016

English 8

Very interesting lessons on mental illness today!

Today, we went over the "Catch" questions while looking at examples of complete and incomplete sentences. Students then took some notes on adjectives. After that, I presented a Prezi on Edgar Allen Poe's life and works before we watched a Simpsons adaptation of his most popular poem "The Raven". We then read "Tell-Tale Heart" and students took notes on the 'unreliable narrator'. We'll work on the questions tomorrow.

During the second period, we went the the theatre for Victoria Maxwell's presentation on mental health.

Reminders:
  • Letter to Ms. Jones assignments due today!!!

Wednesday 21 September 2016

Planning 10

Today students created an account for myblueprint.ca; this is a very valuable tool for career planning and building resumes. Mr. Colvin explained some of the highlights of the website, and students completed a learning style quiz, a personality quiz, and an interests quiz. There was a booklet to complete with these activities. For the second period, we went for a walk along the greenbelt.

Reminders:
  • Hero projects: due today!!!
  • Myblueprint booklet: due Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

English 9

Today we read the story "Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer. We then discussed the setting and  South Africa during the Apartheid. Students also started a mind map showing their knowledge of the story. During the second period, students worked in the  Lab on the Sightlines final assignment. I'll give another class to work on this.

Tuesday 20 September 2016

English 8

Today students took some notes on verbs. Then, they were paired up to peer edit their rough copies for the 'Letter to Ms. Jones' assignment. They then spent time working on their good copies. We finished class by going over the events in the story "Catch", which we read yesterday.

Reminders:
  • Letter to Ms. Jones (plan, edit, draft and good copy): due Thursday, Sept. 22. 2016
  • "Catch" questions : due Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016

Planning 10

Today we spent the majority of class visiting the Alberta Post-Secondary exhibition. Students were able to talk to representatives form different institutions. After that, we did an activity using the various viewing booklets from the schools.

Reminders:
  • 'Hero/Role' Model project: due tomorrow!

English 9

Today we focused on the theme of gender roles. We watched a clip of young kids explaining their views of how boys and girls act and what they look like. We also watched a street test in which people had to guess a person's job based on their looks (specifically male and female). We had discussions around job stereotyping for girls and boys. We also looked at various images in media that may reinforce gender behaviours. To supplement this discussion, we read "Think Like a Weightlifter, Think Like a Woman" and "What Happened During The Ice Storm" in Sightlines 9. Students answered questions for the excerpts.

Reminders:
  • "Think Like a Weightlifter, Think Like a Woman" and "What Happened During the Ice Storm" questions: due next class

Monday 19 September 2016

Planning 10

Today was the last day given to work on the 'hero/role model' project. It will be due Wednesday.

Reminders:
  • 'Hero/Role Model' Project: due Wednesday, Sept 21, 2016

English 8

Today we discussed the use of 'pronouns' and started a 'Letter to Ms. Jones' assignment(based off the short story "Thank You Ma'am"). We will continue working on this next class. We also read the story "Catch" from Sightlines 8. 

Reminders:
  • 'Letter to Ms. Jones' rough copy: due next class

English 9

Today we read and discussed "Sentry" and "The Sacred Rac" from Sightlines 9. Both excerpts make strong statements about humans and societal 'norms'. There were corresponding questions to complete.

Reminders:
  • "Sentry" worksheet: due next class

Friday 16 September 2016

Planning 10

Today we finished watching The Bucket List, and students started completing some reflective questions.

Reminders:
  • The Bucket List questions: due next class

English 9: Blocks 1/2 and 5/6

Thanks for the great discussions today!

Today students took more notes on parts of speech. We then talked about living conditions in the Third World and the daily struggle to survive in some environments. I showed personal pictures from Africa and Asia to demonstrate some of the poverty that exists. We then read and discussed the story "The Blue Bead", which is about a girl's struggles in India.

Reminders:
  • We'll go over "The Blue Bead" questions Monday, Sept. 19, 2016

English 8

Have a great weekend!

Today students took some notes on the use of nouns. We then read an article called "Doin Time" about a teenager in prison. We discussed motivations and stereotypes of criminals, and completed questions as a class; the hand-out was to be turned in. After that, we read the story "Thank You Ma'am" and worked on questions.

Reminders:
  • "Thank You Ma'am" worksheet: due Monday, Sept. 19, 2016

Thursday 15 September 2016

Planning 10

Today students continued working on their hero/role model projects that they started on Tuesday. I booked another class for us next week to finish it up. During the second half of class, we discussed goal-setting. There was a booklet to complete notes and reflection questions, which students turned in. We then started watching "The Bucket List".

Reminders:
  • Collages due today!!!

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Planning 10

Collages due Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016 :)

English 8

It was nice to see you again; I'm sorry for my absence!

Yesterday students finished reading and discussing the short story "The Veldt". Today, we continued notes on Elements of Plot and discussed the types of irony.

We then did an activity on themes and types of conflict. We watched four Pixar short films, and students were assigned to groups in which they noted the theme and conflict for each film. We went over our ideas as a class.

After that, we read the "Street That Got Mislaid", and students completed questions and a Character Map. At the end of class, we looked at examples of different types of Point of View in literature.

Reminders:
  • Thumbprints  and questions for "The Veldt" due today!
  • "The Street That Got Mislaid" worksheet: due Friday, Sept. 16, 2016

English 9 : Blocks 1/2 and 5/6

I'm sorry I was away the last few classes; here is an update of what we've been doing.

Students finished completing a comparison on the story and film version of "Lamb to the Slaughter". Yesterday, they completed an exercise on pronouns and verbs, and read "The Interlopers". There was a worksheet for this that needed to be handed in.

Today students took some notes on parts of speech. We then talked about elements of Science Fiction, since one of our short stories we are studying is Sci-Fi. We also talked about how characterization is revealed: what they say, how they act, what they look like, the effect they have on others and by what others say about them. To solidify our understanding of this concept, we watched the first episode of "Stranger Things" (also a Sci-Fi genre), and completed a characterization sheet in detail. This was to be handed in. After that, we read the short story "Gore", completed and discussed questions, and students started a Character Map.

Reminders:
  • Make sure "Lamb to the Slaughter" Comparison and "Interlopers" worksheets have been handed in
  • "Gore" booklet: due Friday, Sept. 16, 2016

Friday 9 September 2016

English 8

Today students took notes on Elements of Plot terminology. We looked at setting, foreshadowing, theme, and conflict. Students then spent the rest of class working on the Thumbprint Profiles. This was the last class time given to work on them.

Reminders:
  • Thumbprint Profiles: due Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2016

Planning 10

We started off class with a Ted Talks video on the definition of success. The link to the video is listed below. Students then wrote a journal response answering the following questions:
1. What is the definition of success?
2. What is success to you? How could you be successful (examples)?
Link to video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmc6HohWVCs 

We also continued working on the student's personal collages, which we'll continue again on Monday.


English 9

Thanks for your participation today Grade 9's!

Today we reviewed Elements of Plot terminology, and read our first short story of the year, "Lamb to the Slaughter" (p.10 in Sightlines 9). We then discussed customs and roles of women in the 1950's, which helps explain Mary Maloney's character. We finished by completing questions and going over vocabulary.

Reminders:
  • Letters were due today!
  • "Lamb to the Slaughter" worksheet: complete for homework if not finished in class

Thursday 8 September 2016

English 8

Today we reviewed the parts of plot and did some practice with a couple of ghost stories I told aloud students filled out a worksheet for this and handed it in. We then started a Thumbprint Profiles assignment, which we will contnue working on tomorrow.

Reminders:
  • I'm still accepting signed course outlines!

English 9

Today students continued working on their letters, which was the last class given for this. We also did some practice with parts of plot and a ghost story. We then reviewed more terminology for Elements of Plot.

Reminders:
  • Letters (plan, draft, and good copy): due tomorrow, September 9, 2016

Planning 10

Today we reviewed Personality Types and discussed the definition of values. We talked about types of values and how values are instilled. Students filled out a worksheet that assesses their own personal values. We then started working on a personal collage, which we'll continue tomorrow. I have posted the assignment below:


Personal Collage
Create a collage or scrapbook representing yourself.
Highlight  the following:
·      Your Interests
·      Your Skills
·      Your Values
·      Your Personality and Personal Style
·      What you see in your future (life/career/travel goals)
*After the collage is completed, write a short explanation of your masterpiece.
Your collage can include personal photos, illustrations, or images from magazines.

Marking Criteria:
/10 Illustrates interests, skills, values, personality, and future aspirations
/5 Includes written explanation
/5 Demonstrates appropriate effort
/5 Neatness, originality, and overall presentation
Total    /25

Wednesday 7 September 2016

English 8

Welcome English 8!

Today students started off with a survey about themselves (this helps me get to know them). Students then took notes on the Parts of Plot in Short Stories. Please don't loose these notes, as you will be tested on the terminology in the future. We also went to the library to get copies of Sightlines 8. 

Reminders:
  • Have your Course Outlines signed and brought back!
  • Finish the survey if you didn't in class

Planning 10

In order to start contemplating a career path or any post graduation goals, it is important to understand our personalities, our skills, and our values. To start, we looked at different personality traits (introverts/extroverts; active/passive). We then used the Simpsons to explore this concept further. We looked at the personalities of Bart and Lisa and tried to guess possible jobs for them. We then watched an episode called "Separate Vocations" and looked at the advantages and disadvantages of career tests. There was a worksheet associated with this for students to complete; we went over the questions as a class.

Reminders:
  • "Separate Vocations" worksheet due next class
  • Red Consent Packages for you parents to sign - return this to Ms. Maltby

English 9: Block 1/2 and 5/6

Welcome English 9!

Today we started a formal block letter as out first assignment. I didn't assign this for homework, as we will continue it next class. We also reviewed terminology for the parts of plot in short stories. Don't lose these notes (you will be tested on them in the future)!

Reminders:
  • Have your Course Outlines signed!