English 11

Make sure you have read "A Handful of Dates", on page 123 of your text, as we will be working on it tomorrow in class.  On Friday, you will have a quiz on the terms explained in the yellow short story handouts that I have given you so far.  The handouts I will ask you questions on are "Purpose and the Short Story", "Character and the Short Story" and "Plot and the Short Story".

The vocabulary words for "A Handful of Dates" are ewer, ablutions, indolent, lilting, gurgling, dilapidated, jostling, sickle, stance, bray and rasping.  You will have a quiz on these at a later date.

English 11

Please read "A Handful of Dates" on page 123 of your textbook for Monday.

Graduation Transitions

I am sorry that today's class was interrupted by the fire drill.  I did not realize that we would have one until about 20 minutes into the class, and by then everyone had started the Sutherland Scholarship and Bursary questionnaire.

If you were unable to submit your information you might have to do the entire questionnaire again.  There may be a way for you to merge information given on two separate occasions, but you will have to check this with Mrs. Clark.

If you have extra information to add to you submission, please see Mrs. Clark once, with all the new information you want to add.  This will simplify the process for both you and her.

Two things will be due on Thursday:

1. The Attributes of the Ideal BC Graduate collage will be due at the start of class next Thursday.  
2. Your title pages (Personal Health, Community Connections, Career and Life, Appendix).

Monday/Tuesday group:

For next Monday...

1. Hand in your completed collage of the Ideal BC Graduate.
2. Have title pages for your portfolio tabs:  Personal Health, Community Connections, Career and Life, and Appendix.
3. Please bring a copy of your current resume to class.
4. All Wordles must be submitted.
5. Ask someone you know (a teacher/counselor, supervisor or employer) to write you a letter of reference.  This letter will be due in your portfolio just before spring break.

English 11

Today in class, students wrote paragraphs that answered this question:
Given that Winnie is the protagonist and the conflict is internal (character versus self), explain how the resolution of the conflict relates to why Budge Wilson wrote this story.

Some students are finishing this paragraph at home tonight.

We also looked at the parable "The Prodigal Son" and made a list of the similarities and differences between it and "The Charmer".  Students then had to come up with three ways that knowing the parable helped them understand the story better.

Graduation Transitions

Thursday/Friday group:

For tomorrow (Friday)...

1. Bring your labelled binders to class tomorrow. 

Also, tomorrow you will fill out the Sutherland Scholarship and Bursary form. Remember to bring the following:

1. your resume 
2. your PEN number 
3. your student number 
4. your Social Insurance Number (if you don't want to provide your SIN, you will have to supply your email address).

Two things will be due on Thursday:

1. The Attributes of the Ideal BC Graduate collage will be due at the start of class next Thursday.  
2. Your title pages (Personal Health, Community Connections, Career and Life, Appendix).

Monday/Tuesday group:

For next Monday...

1. Hand in your completed collage of the Ideal BC Graduate.
2. Have title pages for your portfolio tabs:  Personal Health, Community Connections, Career and Life, and Appendix.
3. Please bring a copy of your current resume to class.
4. All Wordles must be submitted.
5. Ask someone you know (a teacher/counselor, supervisor or employer) to write you a letter of reference.  This letter will be due in your portfolio just before spring break.

English 11

Tonight, read both sides of the yellow handout "Plot and the Short Story" and "Character and the Short Story".  Make sure that you have definitions for the terms allusion, parable and epiphany as they are words you will need to know for the final.

Tomorrow you will be answering the question: Given that Winnie is the protagonist and the conflict is internal (character versus self), explain how the resolution of the conflict relates to why Budge Wilson wrote this story.

For those of you who will be absent tomorrow, we will look at the story of the prodigal son and then look at how familiarity with this story informs our understanding of the short story "The Charmer".  We will also look at the difference between direct and indirect characterization.

English 11

Tonight, find the definitions for allusion, parable, and epiphany.  Also, complete Journal #1 "The Charmer" Feb.12.  It consists of the following questions:

1. What about this story did you find a) realistic b) unrealistic c)confusing?  Explain.  (Note: if you found nothing confusing or unrealistic, just say so.  As long as you have a thoughtful response for the first option, that will be fine with me.
2. Did this story remind you of any similar story you have heard of or person you have known?  Explain.
3. What do you think is the most important line in this story?  Explain.

Graduation Transitions

Thursday/Friday group (who I will see later this week):

Please bring the following to class...

1. The Wordle (wordle.net) that includes words that pertain to these elements: what things are important to you, the personal traits you have that will serve you well in the future, the things that will occupy your time after graduation.
2. Your 13 sentences about the ideal BC graduate and your evidence (in one or two points) of how you demonstrate this attribute...just the sentences, the collage itself will be due the following week.
3. A new, clean binder with a name label along the spine and four dividers (Personal Health, Community Connections, Life and Career, and Appendix)

Monday/Tuesday group (who I just saw today):

For next Monday...

1. Hand in your completed collage of the Ideal BC Graduate.
2. Have title pages for your portfolio tabs:  Personal Health, Community Connections, Career and Life, and Appendix.
3. Please bring a copy of your current resume to class.
4. All Wordles must be submitted.
5. Ask someone you know (a teacher/counselor, supervisor or employer) to write you a letter of reference.  This letter will be due in your portfolio just before spring break.

Graduation Transitions (Mon/Tues)

For the students who I saw today, you will be my Monday/Tuesday class.  I will see you on Tuesday because Monday is a holiday.  The assignments that are due on Tuesday, February 12th are threefold:

1. The Wordle (wordle.net) that includes words that pertain to these elements: what things are important to you, the personal traits you have that will serve you well in the future, the things that will occupy your time after graduation.
2. Your 13 sentences about the ideal BC graduate and your evidence (in one or two points) of how you demonstrate this attribute...just the sentences, the collage itself will be due the following week.
3. A new, clean binder with a name label along the spine and four dividers (Personal Health, Community Connections, Life and Career, and Appendix)

English 11

Look up the nine vocabulary words for the short story, "Gentlemen, Your Verdict".

Graduation Transitions

For all of the students who were in class today, I will see you on Thursday. The "Attributes of the Ideal BC Graduate" collage is due on Thursday, February 14th.

English 11

Please complete the orange student questionnaire for homework tonight.

Graduation Transitions

For all of the students who were in class today, I will see you on Wednesday.  I look forward to meeting the rest of my Grad Trans students tomorrow (Tuesday).

English 8

Your masks of a mythological creature, god or goddess will be due on Friday.  Along with the mask, you must provide a brief story concerning your character.  You will present this to class on Friday and then hand in your mask and write up.

English 12

Students were given a performance assignment on Othello, which is due on Monday, January 21st.

English 8

Today we worked on adverbs.  Students were also given time to prepare for the poetry project, which is due on Friday.

English 8

English 8 Poetry Project
Due:  Friday, January 11th

Your assignment is to choose two of the following options:

1. Be a poem
Write or find a poem

• come to class dressed as that poem
• recite it to the class from memory and with an appropriate level of feeling

2.  Poetry book

Submit a book of your own poetry, with a minimum of five poems.  All work should be well presented in      a book/diary format.

3.  Theme assignment
Select a one word theme (e.g. fear, love, nature, death, war, hope, family, animals) and then find five      poems on that subject (theme).  You may choose a maximum of two songs to include in this particular assignment.  Write approximately 35 words about each poem.  Submit it either as a book or as a poster.

This is for a total of 30 marks.

I will give you rubrics on the first day we return to class.  

English 12

Finish the questions on Act III of Othello.

English 8

Write four questions about adjectives that you think might be included on Thursday's adjective quiz. Also, finish the second section of the poetic devices sheet. Finally, look up Ozymandias. Who was he? Why is he famous?

English 12

Please finish the questions we began in class and read up to line 325 in Act III, scene iii.

English 8

Please complete your paragraphs that state whether you are for or against changing the words tos"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to omit the references to smoking.  Torrow, we will review your answers to "The Highwayman".

English 8 - a reminder of the Poetry Journal topics assigned so far

Here are the topics:

"Poetry Journal #1":  Tell me about a time when you were greatly disappointed.  What happened?  Why did it happen?  Describe the emotions you experienced.  Did you learn anything from this?

"Poetry Journal #2": 
Choose one of the items listed below and write the story (7-10 sentences) that it might tell.  Personify this item by giving it several human qualities.
a. an ancient fir tree b. an old swingset c. a beach ball
d. Crosby’s hockey stick e. a retired space shuttle f. a guitar

"Poetry Journal #3": 
Once you have written the above story, choose one of the animals listed below.  Then, write the story it might tell about the people in its life (7-10 sentences).
a. a plant-eating slug in a garden b. a pigeon in a city c. a duck in a pond
d. an ant at a picnic e. a spider in a girl’s bedroom f. a moth in a closet

"Poetry Journal #4":
Describe a memory of a fantastic sunny (or snowy) day. Where were you? What were you doing? Who were you with? Include descriptions of sense images from three different senses (6 sentences at least).

English 8 - Questions for "The Highwayman"

Questions on “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes

1. Does this poem have a regular rhythm and rhyme scheme?  What kind of poem is it? How do you know this?

2. List 5 words that are repeated.  Why does the poet emphasize these words?

3. Give an example of sight imagery, sound imagery, and touch imagery.

4. Name 4 colours that appear in the story more than once?  Why has the poet

highlighted these colours (State their connotations).

5. How does the speaker describe the highwayman? How does he describe Bess?

How does he describe Tim?  How does he describe the red-coats?

 
6. What is the mood of this poem?  What makes you feel this way?

7. List three metaphors, two similes, two examples of alliteration, an example of

hyperbole and an example of personification.

Spirit Week

Hello everyone,

In case you were wondering, next week is Spirit Week - Monday is Christmas hat day, Tuesday is Santa's helpers day, Wednesday is tacky shirt day, Thursday is red and green day, and Friday is pajama day.

English 12

Complete Handout #7: In Other Words for homework.  Also, read Act III, scene iii up to line 256 for Monday.

English 8

I'll collect your Poetry Journal entries #1-4 on Monday.  I will post the journal topics a little later today.  Also, I'll collect the "I Am From" poem, the three poems you wrote with the "This Is Just To Say" package, the two haikus you wrote for yesterday, PLUS one CONCRETE POEM that you must write this weekend. Your concrete poem does not have to rhyme.

You will have a poetry "quest" (quiz/test) next week.  Begin reviewing your poetry terms.

Finally, please make certain that your answers for "The Highwayman" are complete and ready to hand in on Monday.  Most of you should be almost finished this.

English 8

Complete the sheet on haikus tonight.  Also, finish Poetry Journal #4:  Describe a memory of a fantastic sunny (or snowy) day.  Where were you?  What were you doing?  Who were you with?  Give sense images from three different senses.

English 12

Complete the questions on Act II, scene i of Othello (#3, 7-10).  Also, state the two things we learn in Act II, scene ii.

English 12

This weekend, complete the quotation sheets on Othello, Iago, and Desdamona.  Also, take a look through Act I.  On Monday, I'll give you and some partners (2-3) people 10 min to prepare some dialogue from the play.  Everyone should speak about 5-6 lines with emphasis and feeling.

English 8

Look at the yellow sheets on verbs. From them, come up with four questions that you think I might put in a quiz on verbs.
Also, complete Poetry Journals #1 for Monday and #2 for Tuesday.  The journals are the two paragraphs on the green sheet on personification.  Remember, personification is when a writer or poet gives human qualities to non-human entities.

Journalism

Today, you were given a package of the stories that have been entered into Publisher to date.  Please make sure that you have completed the following notes on each story on the back of each page:

Headline notes - are the headlines and opening sentences catchy/appealing? Suggestions?
Images/photos - do we have good quality photos? Are they well-placed on the page?  Do they have appropriate captions?  Suggestions?
Layout - How does the printed story appear on the page?  Does the layout appeal to readers or dissuade them from reading the story?
Content - Do the stories need extra or fewer details? Are there any factual errors?  Are citations needed?

Please also make grammatical and stylistic edits right on the printed page.
This is Workbook Exercise #16 and it will be marked out of 10 -- 5 marks for completion and 5 marks for thoroughness.

English 12

We will continue reading Othello tomorrow.  Please ensure that you have completed the questions on Act I, scene i.  Also, please have the quiz ready for the start of class tomorrow.

English 8

Tomorrow, we will finish looking at the yellow sheet on verbs.  Then, we will continue with our poetry unit.  So far, in the poetry section of your binder, you should have three items:  an "I Am From" poem, the Poetry Journal #1 entry, and the worksheet on Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem".

English 12

For Thursday, finish the questions on I,i of Othello. Also, make sure you have completed the take home quiz.  If you missed class on Tuesday, see me an pick up copies of the handouts you missed.

English 8

Tomorrow, you will be given a quiz consisting of five words.  You must determine whether or not they are mass or count nouns and then put them in a sentence of your own composition using "fewer" or "less".

Also, please ensure that your verb sheets are complete and that you have finished the "I Am From" poem.

English 12

This weekend, plan out the narrative essay you will write on Monday.  In you essay you can tell me about a particularly painful or frightening or happy or embarrassing experience.  This should be one scene--with a beginning, middle and and end--from the movie of your life that takes place over the space of minutes or hours.  Be sure that you include sensory experiences from at least three different senses, and use at least three examples of figurative language (metaphors, similes, hyperbole, personification, understatement, etc.)  Review your hand out on narrative essays and try to include as many elements as you can (a hook, dialogue, vivid verbs, figurative language, imagery, rhetorical questions, suspense/humour, and an echo). You may bring a planning sheet into class on Monday.

Also, in preparation for the Provincial Exam, create a personal timeline listing 5-10 important events in your life to date and 5-10 important or influential people in your life (try to make sure these people are of different ages).

English 8

Review the package on nouns as we will have a quiz on Monday.  The quiz will ask questions very similar to those posed in the package.

Also, please complete "Poetry Journal #1".
Here is the subject:  Tell me about a time when you were greatly disappointed.  What happened?  Why did it happen?  Describe the emotions you experienced.  Did you learn anything from this?

Please write at least 8-10 sentences for your response.

English 8

Review all questions, notes, and handouts to prepare for tomorrow's test on the class novel.

English 12

Tomorrow we will be writing the in-class synthesis essay on All Quiet on the Western Front and Kathryn Bigelow's movie The Hurt Locker.  You may bring one page of planning notes (not your entire essay) to class tomorrow.  I will give you marks for good evidence of planning.

English 12 questions to focus your thoughts

Why was Specialist Eldridge, the youngest member of the bomb disposal team, seeing a doctor? What were the worries he expressed to the doctor?

How did Sgt. William James react when Eldridge started to lose his composure during the desert ambush?

Why does James call his wife but not speak to her.

Why does James decide to deactivate the body bomb rather than detonate the bomb.

What motivates James to take the risks he does?

English 12

On Monday, we will finish watching The Hurt Locker.  The synthesis question which you will answer in class on Tuesday will be as follows:

Although they are set almost a century apart in wars which are vastly different, the two protagonists --Paul Baumer and Sergeant William James -- are affected by war in surprisingly similar ways.  Discuss in a 400-500 word synthesis essay.

Some topics which you might want to cover in your essay are alienation, desensitization, the loss of personal identity, camaraderie, the struggle to maintain humanity.

Look at my next post to see some guiding questions.

English 8

Complete your good copies of your newspaper for Monday.  Review your questions for the test on the novel on Tuesday.

English 12

On Friday, you must hand in the compositions about the most memorable aspects of the class novel.  I will be marking you on the quality of your written expression and the thoughtfulness of your response.

English 8

Tonight, answer the following questions:

1.  Why is the novel that we just finished called The Outsiders?  What is an outsider?  What does it mean to be one?
2.  What was the author's purpose in writing this novel?

I will give you some time in class to work on your newspaper articles tomorrow.  The rough copy of all your work is due on Friday.

Remember, too, to study for the spelling test on Friday.

English 8

Your good copy of the Ponyboy paragraph is due on Monday. Your peer editing sheet must be attached to it.   Also, your poster of two symbols from the story is due on Tuesday.  Part of  the assignment is to include a written explanation of the symbol (just a few sentences). Finally, because this is a poster project, artistic presentation is a must!!
Your spelling words for next Friday are as follows: mileage, moral, morale, murmur, naughty, necessary, neither, nervous, ninetieth, ninth, noticeable, obstacle, opposite, performance, permissible.

English 12

Our last lit circle has been postponed until Monday. Wow me with your investigations and connections.

English 8

Finish the questions on Chapter 12. Remember to write the 3 things you like best about the book.

Also, please write the rough draft of the paragraph explaining how Ponyboy is a dynamic character.

English 12

There will be a quiz on semicolons tomorrow.

Continue working on your literature circle role sheets for Friday.

English 8

Remember to review for the vocabulary test tomorrow.

Finish reading Chapter Seven of The Outsiders. Your words are clammy, gingerly, incredulous, nonchalantly, rarities, roguishly, sagely, stocky, resignedly, defiance, contemptuous, sheepish, premonition, ember, and apprehensive.

On Friday, you will have to hand in one acrostic poem of at least nine lines (or two smaller ones adding up to nine lines) which describes the character of one of the characters in the novel.  Your acrostic must be made up of complete sentences, not individual words or phrases.  You will also have to hand in two extended metaphors like the ones we wrote today in class. You will begin your metaphors like this:  "Ponyboy is lion because..."  You will have to give three qualities of your animal that are shared by your character.

These acrostic poems and extended metaphors (three items in total) must be handed in on Friday, and must be attractively presented so that I may post them in my classroom.

On Friday, too, there will be a spelling test on the words written, on our side whiteboard.  The words are:  incident, incredible, influential, inoculated, inseparable, justice, liquid, lacquer, laughter, largely, launder, laundry, liaison, mattress, maximum

Journalism

Get your stories in. We will start to desktop publish tomorrow.

English 8

Please read Chapter 5 of The Outsiders and do the corresponding questions. I will check your vocabulary words tomorrow - there will be a quiz on Wednesday. On Friday, we will have another spelling test. You should have written the words down today in class. I will add them to this blog later tonight.

English 12

Continue to read the novel and work on the next lit circle.  You must finish Chapter 8 by the end of the week.  Complete the six sentences on semicolons.  We'll have a quiz on semicolons on Thursday.
Read the poem "Base Details" and answer questions #1-4.

Journalism

Your workbooks will be due in on Tuesday.  The exercises are as follows:
1. Vivid verb sentences - The man walked down the street.  The bird landed on the pond.  The player scored a goal. The toddler was upset.
2. Field trip suggestions - your suggestions must include an educational rationale
3. Strengths and weaknesses of the last edition (I have seen everyone's but those belonging to Julian, Harrison, and Kyle)
4. Photo scavenger hunt - 4 photos of school life.  The categories are people, common sights, events and activities, and a free category.
5. Self-evaluation - this will be handed out and completed on Monday

Continue to file your stories.  Second articles should have been filed today.

English 12

Continue to read the novel and work on your lit circle.

English 8

Today in class, seven new vocabulary words were assigned to the eight words we have already reviewed.  The complete list of 15 vocabulary words are: clammy, gingerly, incredulous, nonchalantly, rarities, roguishly, sagely, stocky, resignedly, defiance, contemptuous, sheepish, premonition, ember, and apprehensive. The new words are in bold.  Our next vocabulary quiz will be on Wednesday, November 7.

Today, we also reviewed the questions for Chapter 2 and completed a chart noting the differences between Greasers and Socs.  See me if you were away and need the chart.

For homework this weekend, in addition to working on your new vocabulary words, finish Chapter Three and read Chapter Four.  Finally, answer the questions on Chapter Three.  The questions are as follows:

1. Who offered to take Cheery and Marcia home?  How?
2. What does Cherry think is the difference between the Socs and the Greasers?
3. What did Mickey Mouse mean to Soda?
4. Which characters felt that watching sunsets was important?
5. Why did the blue Mustang scare Johnny so much?
6. Who was Cherry's boyfriend and why was she angry with him?
7. Who finally drove Cherry and Marcia home?
8. Why was Ponyboy afraid to go home?
9. What did Darry do to Ponyboy?  How did Pony react?

English 8

I would love it if you could hand in your scary stories tomorrow so that we can begin to read some of them.  If you don't hand yours in tomorrow, you should know that the due date is Wednesday at the start of class.  Make sure that you have finished your work on The Outsiders.

English 12

Keep reading All Quiet on the Western Front and working on your lit circle sheet.  We will answer the questions to Chapter One tomorrow.

Journalism

The photo assignment which was due on Wednesday is now due next Monday, November 5th.  You will hand in four photos - one on each of the following three topics:  Sutherland people, Sutherland events, and common Sutherland sights.  The fourth photo will be of anything you wish (so long as it concerns the Sutherland community or your life as an adolescent).

Continue working on your stories.
Ellie - shoe drive
Julian - music performance/a small blurb about Bantam soccer/changes to curling story
Natasha - know your slang/Mr. N interview/advice column with Delainie
Delainie - best winter/comfort foods/advice with Natasha
Isaac - horoscope
Lydia - announcements/family story
Katie - updates to swim team story/driving adventures/modern war/photos of Halloween events
Kyle - driving adventures/Nutella??

Everyone should have their second story filed by Friday, November 2nd.

If you have not yet filed something, you are behind.

Journalism

All students must post a story by the end of today.  Also, all students must take 2-3 pictures of school life and post them to the blog by Wednesday.  This is a workbook exercise that may end up in material for our next issue.  Remember, the photos must be of people being active (not sitting, standing, or simply smiling).  When you post the pictures, you must give the verb that names that action your subject is performing.  Good photos should tell a story.
In addition, your pictures of people should be relatively close up (unless you are submitting a sports photo where more action needs to be shown).  Think of the photos we looked at today in class.  Very few pictures showed people from head to foot.

English 8

Short story projects and poems are due on Monday.  The scary stories are due on Wednesday (so that we can read them aloud in class.  However, you may hand your stories in early so that we can read some of them on Tuesday as well.  Finally, please complete Chapter One of The Outsiders.

English 12

You should be working on you synthesis essay, which is due on Monday. Please also answer the questions on Chapter One of All Quiet on the Western Front.  Remember, you should be reading 20 pages a day.  Our first literature circle will be next Friday.  You will have to have read pages 19 -99 and have completed the role sheets by then.

English 12

You should be working on you synthesis essay, which is due on Monday.  Tonight, make sure you read "In the Trenches".  We will discuss the questions that follow the reading tomorrow in class.

English 8

Tomorrow, the compare/contrast paragraphs are due.  You should also be working on you short story project, which is due on Monday.  Remember there are two parts - the poem and the larger project.
Finally, read the three short story excerpts in the handout you received on Monday.  Answer question #1 after the story "A Light in the Black".  Also, be prepared to explain which of the three excerpts you found to be the most horrifying.

On Thursday, you will begin writing your scary story in class.  Come prepared to write!

Journalism

Everyone has an assignment for this week.  Everyone should have at least one story filed by Friday.

English 8

For homework tonight, read over the first page of the handout on horror stories.
Also, polish your compare/contrast paragraphs on "The Sweater" and "The Golden Pants".  The good copies are due this Thursday.
Finally, you should be steadily working on your projects that are due on Monday, October 29. Remember, you must write a poem about one of the stories we read.  Be sure that your large project (the cake/video/poster/story rewrite) is under control before the end of the week.

English 12

Complete the 8 sentences on semicolons.  Also, begin working on your take-home synthesis essay.  It is due first thing on Monday, October 29th.

English 12

Today in class, students were given a story they'd never seen before.  They had to answer some questions and then write a multi-paragraph composition on it.

Tomorrow, please have your Venn diagram completed listing the similarities and differences in the role of optimism in "Circus in Town" and "Happyness for Sale".  We will use this to begin discussion on how to write a syntheses essay (which you will need to do for the provincial exam).

English 8

We'll have a spelling test tomorrow on the words we discussed last week.  The words are gnawed, gorgeous, governor, guarantee, hurriedly, hygiene, hysterical, illegal, immediately, and  implement.

Please bring your compare/contrast paragraphs to school tomorrow for peer editing.

Finally, please make sure you have made notes on the two stories you read in class today ("The Spider Shouter" and "The Ghost in the Well").  The notes were to write down all the elements that make these tales horror stories.

English 8

Tonight, complete the rough copy of the compare/contrast paragraph on "The Golden Pants" and "The Sweater".
The unit test on short stories will be on Monday.  We will actually have our next spelling test on Tuesday (only on the ten words we discussed today in class).

English 12

The Short Story Unit Test is tomorrow.  Good luck to you.  Remember to complete the Venn Diagram on "Circus in Town" and "Happyness for Sale" for homework this weekend.

English 8

I will not be able to post marks tomorrow as the provincial computer system for marks is being glitchy and will not let me enter certain marks.  I will have someone fix this at the school tomorrow or Thursday (depending on our computer-whiz's availability) so that I can give you your marks to date as soon as possible.

Remember to study you spelling words for Friday.

Finally, the short story unit test will be on Monday.  Know your short story terms (see your notes and today's handout).  The only terms on the list that I will not require you to know for the test are mood and tone.  The stories we studied were "The Monkey's Paw", "A Secret for Two", "Leiningen and the Ants", "The Dog of Pompeii", "The Golden Pants", and "The Sweater".  We will have one more story tomorrow.

Make sure you know the characters, the plot outline, the conflicts, and the settings of each of the stories.

English 12

Finish your Short Story Review Sheet for tomorrow.  Also, Wednesday is your last chance to ask anything about short stories before the test.  If you have questions, ask them tomorrow.

Journalism

Natasha is this issue's formatter.  She needs your news articles as soon as possible.  The articles on the Terry  Fox Run, Pitch In Sutherland, Best Buddies Program, the sports teams/profiles, and the school announcements are particularly pressing.

Journalism

Everyone knows what he or she has to do.  We are in good shape so far, but  please post your articles as soon as possible to expedite next week's publishing process.

English 8

We will have a spelling test on Thursday, so learn these words: gnawed, gorgeous, governor, guarantee, hurriedly, hygiene, hysterical, illegal, immediately, implement, incident, incredible, influential, inoculated, and inseparable. 

 If you want to get one bonus mark, choose any five of the 15 words and look up their origins on www.etymonline.com.  Write those words and their origins on a piece of paper and then write one more sentence explaining which word origin you find the most interesting (ex. "I find ___________ to have the most interesting origin because __________.").

Tonight, write down the moral of both "The Golden Pants" and "The Sweater".  Then, try to write down one theme statement for each story.  You might say that "The Golden Pants" is about forgiveness or confidence, so choose one of those terms to build your theme statement.  You will begin the theme statement by saying something like this: "Sometimes people..." or "Children often...".  The could be said to be "Sweater" about keeping one's temper or gratitude or fitting in with the group.  Take one of these three concepts and try to write a theme statement that begins with "Sometimes (or often or frequently) people (or children)...."  Theme statements are hard, but try your best.

English 12

Complete the Short Story Review sheets by Wednesday.
Remember, we will have a quiz on commas tomorrow (so review those rules).

Also, we will have a unit test on short stories on Thursday.  On the test, there will be 25 questions about the terms you need to know.  There will also be a short answer section on quotations from the various stories.  You will have to give the significance within the story of each quote.  Don't worry, the quotes will all be important ones that we have discussed in class.  Finally, the last section will require that you provide SHORT paragraph answers to certain questions (these will be questions on the big ideas in the unit: plot, character, symbol, irony, point of view, and theme).

Wear pink on Monday

To take a stand against bullying and remember Amanda Todd, wear something pink to school on Monday. One of my students emailed me and asked me to spread the word. I'll be in pink. Will you?

Journalism

Everyone knows what he or she needs to complete this weekend.  On Monday, Julian will use my computer and the class projector to show you how to use the formatting program.  Remember, the more we complete now, the faster we can assemble the paper. So keep writing and posting!

English 12

This weekend, complete the Comma Review Sheet, and fill in the first two or three rows of the Short Story Review Sheet.
Also, read "Happyness for Sale" (the misspelling is intentional) and complete the questions that follow the story.

English 8

Please complete this journal assignment for homework:

Tell me about your favourite article of clothing and about the least favourite thing you have ever been forced to wear.

 Remember to start reviewing your short story terms as we are nearing the end of this unit.

Next week's spelling words (for Thursday) are gnawed, gorgeous, governor, guarantee, hurriedly, hygiene, hysterical, illegal, immediately, implement, incident, incredible, influential, inoculated, inseparable.

This week's spelling bonus mark assignment will not be to put all these words into a story.  The assignment will be different.  Ask me about it in class.

Journalism

Everyone should file something by the end of tomorrow.

English 8

Polish your good copy of the news article tonight, and study for the spelling test tomorrow.

Also, write your three sentences about our short stories' themes tonight.

English 12

As we will be having a short story unit test next week, keep studying your terms.

Tonight, finish reading "Circus in Town" and answer the questions.  Then, write down three of Jenny's personality traits which allow her to cope with her difficult life circumstances.  For each trait, provide one example AND one quotation from the text.

Finally, this is just a reminder of the quiz on commas on Monday.

English 8

Write your rough copies of your Pompeii news articles tonight.  We will peer edit them tomorrow.  Keep studying for your spelling quiz on Friday.

Journalism

Here are the assignments that you have said you will complete by Friday:

Hengameh - create two pie charts from the answers of our technology poll.  Find three interview subjects for Hallowe'en memories.
Katie - article on the swim club and create a poll (with Lydia)  to distribute to the class.
Julian - Terry Fox Run story.  Possible story on the curling team.
Natasha - Photos for photo essay of the SJ hike (plus a sentence or two introducing the photo essay).  Post the Grade 8 story.
Kyle - interview with Brodie by the end of the week.
Isaac - opinion article.
Harrison - Pitch In Sutherland article.
Lydia - type out and post short story.  Work with Katie to develop the survey
Delainie - BBs program.
Ellie - spookify your horrorscope.
 
Next week the following articles will be filed:
Hengameh - 3 interviews about Hallowe'en memories
Katie - Hallowe'en-like traditions from around the world (with Natasha??).  Article (with Lydia) based on the poll
Julian - curling team story
Natasha -costumes and advice column
Kyle - the history of Hallowe'en/possible Ft Night reveiw??
Isaac - Hallowe'en recipes
Harrison - lockout story, Hallowe'en recipes??
Lydia - Article with Katie based on the poll
Delainie - Sports overview/ Ft Night reveiw??
Ellie - article on the visiting writer

If you think that you will be unable to file a particular story in time for the deadline, please see me ASAP.

English 12

Work on the questions on "The Destructors".  You will have 20 minutes of class time to complete this tomorrow.

English 8

Tonight, complete the news article planning sheet.  You will be writing the rough copy of your story tomorrow.
Your 15 spelling words for the test on Friday are echoes, economy, emergency, envelop, evident, exhibit, facilities, familiar, February, formally, formerly, futile, gauge, generation, and genuine.

Journalism

Keep working on your first stories of the next issue.  Try to have at least one item posted by the end of Tuesday.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!

English 12

Finish reading "The Destructors" in your short story textbooks.  When you are finished, complete questions #3 and #6 for homework.  Make your answers as complete as you can.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!

English 8

Finish reading "The Dog of Pompeii" in your Focus textbooks.  Then complete questions #1-7 for Tuesday. Remember to write in clear, complete sentences.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!

English 12

Tomorrow, I will be collecting your journal entries from the past month.  They are:
1.  Write about a time you misjudged someone based upon appearances, or when someone misjudged you.
2.  Write down your first impressions of the short story "Miss Brill".  What did you find thought-provoking, strange or confusing about it?
3.   Does evil exist?  Explain why you think it does or does not.  If you believe it does exist, explain what makes some people evil.
4.  What was your reaction to the story "The Lottery"?  What did you find thought-provoking, strange or confusing about it?
5.  Explain what similarities there are between Philip Zimbardo's TEDTalk on the Lucifer Effect and Shirley Jackson's story "The Lottery".  The handout that I gave you in class should be a help in remembering Zimbardo's main points.

Also, remember to study for the vocabulary quiz tomorrow. Your vocabulary words (from "The Lottery") for the quiz are profuse, a scold (the noun), interminable, boisterous, recital, petulantly, reprimand, perfunctory, jovial, civic, craned, and lapse.  

Journalism

Your workbook exercises are due in tomorrow.  Please make sure that your reviews have been polished.  Also, remember that the polls are due tomorrow for Hengameh.

English 8

Review the spelling words for tomorrow's test.

English 8

Please come to class with your Leiningen work ready to be handed in (the five questions on the plot, the sketch of the farm and the brainstorming for the paragraphs we wrote).  We will then proceed to the library for your final day of orientation there.

English 12

Continue reviewing the short story handouts in preparation for our unit final.  This final will take place within the next two weeks.  Remember to review your vocabulary words for Friday.

English 12

Complete the sheet on symbolism in "The Lottery" for homework tonight.  Remember to review for the vocabulary quiz on Friday.

English 8

Tomorrow before having our library orientation, we will meet in our classroom and you will hand in the good copy of your "Leiningen is a brave and resourceful man" paragraphs.  You will actually hand in THREE pieces of paper:  the GOOD COPY of your paragraph, the ROUGH COPY that we peer edited today, as well as your PEER EDITING sheet.  I will mark these paragraphs on how well you argue that Leiningen is brave and resourceful. Remember to use specific details from the story, include an engaging first sentence (see the sheet on opening "hook" sentences"), and proofread your work.

Journalism

Ensure your workbook exercises are in order. You will submit them on Friday.

English 8

Remember to bring your Focus texts to class tomorrow. Keep studying for your spelling test on Friday.

English 12

Answer questions #1-6 on "The Lottery" for homework tonight. 
Today in class, students completed Journal #4: What was your reaction to the story "The Lottery"?  What did you find thought-provoking, strange or confusing about it? I will take in your journals on Friday of this week, so ensure that they are all complete.
Your vocabulary words (from "The Lottery") for the quiz on Friday are profuse, a scold (the noun), interminable, boisterous, recital, petulantly, reprimand, perfunctory, jovial, civic, craned, and lapse.