English 12

Your second vocabulary test will be on December 17th.  Next class, we will discuss the Venn Diagrams you finished today in class.  As well, we will go over the short story questions.

Socials 10

No homework.  Be ready to make a large concept map of the Lower Canada Rebellion in class on Thursday.

English 8

Your articles are due on Thursday.  Please also answer questions #1-8 on "The Golden Pants".

English 10, Block 2

Complete the sheet distributed in class today.  There will be a homework check on Wednesday for this.

English 10, Block 1

Complete the sheet on similarities and differences between the story of Odysseus and the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou.  There will be a homework check on this.

English 12, Block 4

For homework, complete the Venn Diagram (overlapping circles) about similarities and differences between the two stories we went over in class.

For the students new to class, so far this term we have reviewed expository paragraph and essay formatting and read the following short stories:
"Two In One" by Flann O'Brien (handout)
"Identities" by WD Valgardson (textbook)
"Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield (textbook)
"Just Lather, That's All" by Hernando Tellez (textbook)
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (textbook)
"The Rocking Horse Winner" by DH Laurence (textbook)

Be sure to read these stories as well as the senior English handouts on purpose, plot, character, symbol, irony, point of view, setting/mood/tone, and theme, all of which you can find in the sidebar at the right hand side of the blog.

Also, all students should be studying their vocabulary words for the test we will have during the final week of classes.

1. morose - adj - gloomy, sullen  
2. penultimate- adj - second to last 
3. flummox - v - to perplex or to be perplexed by 
4. indubitably- adj - without a doubt; unquestionably 
5. zenith - n - the highest point 
6. nadir - n - the lowest point 
7. clandestine- adj - secretively 
8. adequate- adj - enough; average 
9. maudlin- adj - foolishly or tearfully affectionate 
10. censure - v - to blame or criticize something/someone
11. skullduggery - n underhanded or unscrupulous behaviour
12. temperate - adj moderate, self-restrained behaviour
13. tautology - n - needless repetition of an idea
14. absolutism - n- principles or practice of an arbitrary government 
15. aberration - n- something that differs from the norm
16. immiserate - n to make someone miserable
17. entrepreneurial - adj- taking financial risk in the hopes of profit
18. protocol - n - a system of rules about correct behaviour; an international agreement
19. vex - v- to cause annoyance or disturb
20. obfuscate - v- to render something unclear
21. eiderdown (noun) - small, soft feathers from the eider duck; a quilted bed cover, duvet, counterpane
22. disheveled (adj) - hanging in disorder; messy appearance
23. ambiguous (adj) - open to more than one interpretation
24. iota (noun) - a tiny amount
25. androgynous (adj) - displaying both male and female characteristics
26. gruntled (adj) - to be pleased with something/someone
27. loquacious (adj) - talkative
28. amicable (adj) - good-natured or friendly
29. fulminate (verb) - to loudly attack or denounce somebody; express vehement protest
30. transpire (verb) - occur; happen

English 10, Block 1

Remember that your independent novel assignment is due on Dec. 16th.

English 10, Block 2

For homework, complete the brainstorming sheet on similarities and differences between the story of Odysseus and the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou.
Remember that your independent novel assignment is due on Dec. 16th.

English 8

On Friday bring the rough copies of the newspaper article assignment that we worked on in class today.  The assignment is as follows:

You are a reporter near Pompeii and see Mount Vesuvius erupt.  As the journalist on the scene, write a news article about what has happened.  

In your opening two sentences, make sure that you include information about what has happened, where it happened, when it happened, and who has been affected. 

Once you have covered that information, spend the rest of your article providing details such as why the mountain erupted, how the people escaped, how many people died, how many people survived.  Your numbers don't have to be historically accurate, just believable.  

Include two quotes in your article (one from the story and one from your imagination) and make up the names of the interview subjects.  

Finally, include at least three different sense descriptions (what did people see, hear, taste, touch, or smell).

English 12, Block 7

Next class, remind me to distribute the list of the new vocabulary words.  Your independent novel assignments are due on Dec. 12.

English 12, Block 4

Read the two handouts "Circus in Town" and "Happyness (sic) for Sale" and complete the questions.  Your independent novel assignments are due on Dec. 12.

Socials 10

No homework. However, if you have not finished the paragraph on women in the 1800s, please do so by Friday.

English 10

When we finish watching the movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, we will begin planning synthesis essays on this film and "The Wanderings of Odysseus".  Your independent novel assignments are due on December 15 or 16, depending on which day class falls.

English 12, Block 7

Study your new vocabulary words.  The next vocabulary test will be in the final week of classes before Christmas.  Also, answer questions #1-7 on "The Rocking Horse Winner".

Socials 10

Make sure that page 1 of your sheet entitled "The Immigrant Experience" is complete for Wednesday.

English 8

For next class, write grammatically correct sentences using this week's vocabulary words.  You may use more than one vocabulary word per sentence. The words are...

1. coax
2. camphor
3. despair
4. merrymakers
5. tradesmen
6. merchants
7. naval
8. navel
9. stodgy
10. forum