Building Futures English 20-2
This is the website for Mr. Chomistek's English 20-2 Class. This site will be organized by both Days and Literary Work. This website will be a gathering area for assignments, tests, and any other course materials.
In this class, we will striving towards the Alberta Education English Language Arts curricular goals. By the end of the course you will be able to:
1. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
2. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, cisual, and multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically, and creatively.
3. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to manage ideas and information.
4.listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to create oral, print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.
5.listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to respect, support, and collaborate with others.
These are the general outcomes. The specific outcomes for this grade are listed below.
During the year, as a student in this class, you will have the opportunity to:
General Outcome 1
1.1.1 - Form tentative understandings, interpretations, and positions
1.1.2 - Experiment with language, image and structure
1.2.1 - Consider new perspectives
1.2.2 - Express preferences, and expand interests
1.2.3 - Set personal goals for language growth
General Outcome 2
2.1.1 - Discern and analyze content
2.1.2 - Understand and interpret content
2.1.3 - Enage prior knowledge
2.1.4 - Use reference strategies and reference technologies
2.2.1 - Relate form, structure, and medium to purpose, audience and content
2.2.2 - Relate elements, devices, and techniques to created effects
2.3.1 - Connect self, text, culture, and mileu
2.3.2 - Evaluate the verisimilitude, appropriatenss, and significance of print and nonprint texts
2.3.3 - Appreciate the effectiveness and artistry of print and nonprint texts.
General Outcome 3
3.1.1 - Focus on purpose and presentation form
3.1.2 - Plan inquiry or research, and identify information needs and sources
3.2.1 - Select, record, and analyze information
3.2.2 - Evaluate sources, and assess information
3.2.3 - Form generalizations and conclusions
3.2.4 - Review inquiry or research process and findings
General Outcome 4
4.1.1 - Assess text creation context
4.1.2 - Consider and address form, structure, and medium
4.1.3 - Develop content
4.1.4 - Use production, publication, and presentation strategies and technologies consistent with context
4.2.1 - Enhance thought and understanding and support and detail
4.2.2 - Enhance organization
4.2.3 - Consider and address matters of choice
4.2.4 - Edit text for matters of correctness
General Outcome 5
5.1.1 - Use language and image to show respect and consideration
5.1.2 - Appreciate diversity of expression, opinion, and perspective
5.1.3 - Recognize accomplishments and events
5.2.1 - Cooperate with others, and contribute to group processes
5.2.2 - Understand and evaluate group processes
In this class, we will striving towards the Alberta Education English Language Arts curricular goals. By the end of the course you will be able to:
1. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.
2. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, cisual, and multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically, and creatively.
3. listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to manage ideas and information.
4.listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to create oral, print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.
5.listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to respect, support, and collaborate with others.
These are the general outcomes. The specific outcomes for this grade are listed below.
During the year, as a student in this class, you will have the opportunity to:
General Outcome 1
1.1.1 - Form tentative understandings, interpretations, and positions
1.1.2 - Experiment with language, image and structure
1.2.1 - Consider new perspectives
1.2.2 - Express preferences, and expand interests
1.2.3 - Set personal goals for language growth
General Outcome 2
2.1.1 - Discern and analyze content
2.1.2 - Understand and interpret content
2.1.3 - Enage prior knowledge
2.1.4 - Use reference strategies and reference technologies
2.2.1 - Relate form, structure, and medium to purpose, audience and content
2.2.2 - Relate elements, devices, and techniques to created effects
2.3.1 - Connect self, text, culture, and mileu
2.3.2 - Evaluate the verisimilitude, appropriatenss, and significance of print and nonprint texts
2.3.3 - Appreciate the effectiveness and artistry of print and nonprint texts.
General Outcome 3
3.1.1 - Focus on purpose and presentation form
3.1.2 - Plan inquiry or research, and identify information needs and sources
3.2.1 - Select, record, and analyze information
3.2.2 - Evaluate sources, and assess information
3.2.3 - Form generalizations and conclusions
3.2.4 - Review inquiry or research process and findings
General Outcome 4
4.1.1 - Assess text creation context
4.1.2 - Consider and address form, structure, and medium
4.1.3 - Develop content
4.1.4 - Use production, publication, and presentation strategies and technologies consistent with context
4.2.1 - Enhance thought and understanding and support and detail
4.2.2 - Enhance organization
4.2.3 - Consider and address matters of choice
4.2.4 - Edit text for matters of correctness
General Outcome 5
5.1.1 - Use language and image to show respect and consideration
5.1.2 - Appreciate diversity of expression, opinion, and perspective
5.1.3 - Recognize accomplishments and events
5.2.1 - Cooperate with others, and contribute to group processes
5.2.2 - Understand and evaluate group processes
Day 1
Welcome to the class.
Today we need to go over the following:
Class Guidelines/Expectations
Extra Help Times
Course Outline
To begin, we will work on a guided novel study of "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.
Online Text
Audiobook Link
Please watch this video on the Great Depression!
I would suggest you copy and paste all of these into a google doc labelled "Of Mice and Men Novel Study"
I need the written response questions completed on a google doc. For all other questions, you may respond by filming yourself or recording you speaking your answers. If you choose to write or type out the answers, please feel free to use point form.
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
Why are dreams and goals important?
How do they help? Are they always helpful?
What is the 'America Dream?' Is there a Canadian version?
Why is friendship important?
What defines a good friend?
We will finish Chapter 1, and then answer these questions:
Chapter One:
1. Examine the following quote: “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got a thing to look ahead to.” Can you relate to this quote? What does it mean?
2. Steinbeck spends a lot of work describing the setting. How do you feel about this place? What places have you seen that are similar?
3. What do you think of the way George treats Lennie? George says he’d like to get rid of Lennie. Do you think that’s the way he really feels? Give proof for your opinion.
4. What has life been like for George and Lennie in the past? What do you expect it will be like for them now?
5. What would life be like for both these men if they didn’t have each other?
6. What is their dream? What do you think of it?
7. What happened in Weed?
8. What is Lennie supposed to do if the boss talks to him? Why?
Chapter Two:
1. What is the bunkhouse like?
2. Describe your first impression of Candy. Why does he clean out the bunkhouses?
3. Why does the blacksmith leave the ranch?
4. What do you learn about Curley and Curley’s wife?
5. What kind of work is being done on the ranch?
6. Why is Lennie such a good worker?
7. What is the problem with Candy's dog?
8. What does Carlson offer to do to Candy’s dog?
9. Why does George lie in this chapter?
10. In this chapter, we meet some of the workers at the ranch: Candy, Slim, and Carlson. How do they live? How do they get along together? How do they react to George and Lennie?
Written Response: Choose one of the characters and write a 4 sentence description of them. This will be a Written Response mark only, so write as well as you can!
Pre-Reading Chapter 3
Before we begin, let's make some predictions with the foreshadowing as information:
-What is going to happen with Lennie? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
-What is going to happen with Curley's wife? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
-What is going to happen with Candy's dog? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
We will read Chapter 3, and complete the following questions.
Chapter Three:
1. Carlson and Candy disagree about the dog. Who do you think is right? What would you do? Have you ever had a similar experience?
3. Why do you think George tells Slim what happened in Weed? How can he trust Slim?
5. What does Candy say to George after they shoot his dog? Why?
6. Why does Candy have so much more money than the others do? How has it affected his life? What does he want to make himself happy?
7. What is the plan of Lennie, George, and Candy? How much longer do they need to work on the farm to achieve this dream?
8. What do you think of Curley’s attacking Lennie?
Chapter Four:
1. What is Crooks doing at the beginning and at the end of the chapter?
2. How is the setting different in the chapter?
3. Why does Crooks “S’pose” a lot of situations to Lennie?
4. Why does Crooks offer to join in the dream of Candy, Lennie and George?
5. How does the arrival of Curley’s wife affect the three men in Crooks’ room? What do you think of her?
6. Why is George unhappy when he returns to the ranch? What do you think he should do?
7. What do you expect will happen next in the story?
Written Response: Character Comparison Paper
Instructions: You will be writing a one page, double spaced comparison paper of George and Lennie. You should structure it as follows:
Paragraph 1: :Lennie
Identify 3 of Lennie's most important character traits.
For each, provide three pieces of evidence from the novel that prove he has these traits.
Paragraph 2: :George
Identify 3 of George's most important character traits.
For each, provide three pieces of evidence from the novel that prove he has these traits.
Paragraph 3: Comparison: How are Lennie and George different? How are they the same? What about each of them makes them a good team? Why do they travel together?
No questions for Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Why did George do what he did?
Do you believe he made the right choice?
What will happen to George now?
What were the dreams of:
George
Lennie
Candy
Crooks
Curley's Wife
Did any of them achieve their dream?
Why did Curley act the way he did?
Why did Curley's wife act the way she did?
-After Curley's wife's visit with Lennie, does she seem like a more sympathetic character? Why or why not?
Why does Crooks act the the way he did?
Then, please answer the following questions.
1) List a few of George’s actions that show his sympathy or understanding for Lennie.
2) How is the killing of Candy’s dog an example of foreshadowing and symbolism?
3) Consider what friendship is and write a definition. Demonstrate how Curley, Crooks, Candy, Curley’s wife, Slim and George are examples of either good friends or bad friends.
7) Which character is the protagonist? Why do you think so?
9) What does "Of Mice and Men" tell us about human nature? What broad statements about life can we learn from it?
Visual Response
Today, we will read "Deeper than the Holler" by Randy Travis. We will TF-TASTI it, and then do the following assignment:
1. Identify 5 similes and write them on the bottom of the page.
2. Underline the two things being compared.
Day 24
Quick Questions
Review
Today, we will read and listen to "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
We will TF-TASTI the poem, and analyze the rhyme scheme of the first two pages.
Day 25
Quick Questions
Review
Today, we will read and listen to "The Wedding Speech" by David Rakoff
Our assignment and notes are on this sheet.
Day 26
Quick Questions
Review
Poetry Project
We will work on this for a few days. The explanation is on this sheet.
Day 27
Quick Questions
Review
Quiz Review
Day 28
Poetry Quiz
Day 29
Take up Quiz
Writing Clinic: Persuasive Writing
Today we begin the process of going through the Persuasive Writing Assignment.
Follow these steps:
1. Choose an opinion.
2. Looking at the sources provided, write down 5 things that support your opinion.
3. Write an introduction in which you:
-introduce yourself(do not use your own name)
-explain the issue at hand
-explain why you are interested in the issue(what is your stake)
-explicitly state which side you are on.
*Tomorrow we will be going through your introductions and moving on to building good body paragraphs.
Day 30
Quick Questions
Review
Body Paragraphs.
For the body paragraphs, we will use a SEES approach. Write a Statement, then an Explanation, then find Evidence, then write a summary. You should have two or three body paragraphs and then a conclusion
Conclusion:
Restate your point.
Thank them for your time.
Mention your name and point again.
Remember! Maintain a polite tone throughout!
Day 31
Quick Questions
Review
Visual Response*
We worked on this yesterday. Students will have the rest of the class to work on this assignment. If they are done, they can work on other homework or read quietly.
Today we need to go over the following:
Class Guidelines/Expectations
Extra Help Times
Course Outline
To begin, we will work on a guided novel study of "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.
Online Text
Audiobook Link
Please watch this video on the Great Depression!
I would suggest you copy and paste all of these into a google doc labelled "Of Mice and Men Novel Study"
I need the written response questions completed on a google doc. For all other questions, you may respond by filming yourself or recording you speaking your answers. If you choose to write or type out the answers, please feel free to use point form.
Pre-Reading Discussion Questions
Why are dreams and goals important?
How do they help? Are they always helpful?
What is the 'America Dream?' Is there a Canadian version?
Why is friendship important?
What defines a good friend?
We will finish Chapter 1, and then answer these questions:
Chapter One:
1. Examine the following quote: “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got a thing to look ahead to.” Can you relate to this quote? What does it mean?
2. Steinbeck spends a lot of work describing the setting. How do you feel about this place? What places have you seen that are similar?
3. What do you think of the way George treats Lennie? George says he’d like to get rid of Lennie. Do you think that’s the way he really feels? Give proof for your opinion.
4. What has life been like for George and Lennie in the past? What do you expect it will be like for them now?
5. What would life be like for both these men if they didn’t have each other?
6. What is their dream? What do you think of it?
7. What happened in Weed?
8. What is Lennie supposed to do if the boss talks to him? Why?
Chapter Two:
1. What is the bunkhouse like?
2. Describe your first impression of Candy. Why does he clean out the bunkhouses?
3. Why does the blacksmith leave the ranch?
4. What do you learn about Curley and Curley’s wife?
5. What kind of work is being done on the ranch?
6. Why is Lennie such a good worker?
7. What is the problem with Candy's dog?
8. What does Carlson offer to do to Candy’s dog?
9. Why does George lie in this chapter?
10. In this chapter, we meet some of the workers at the ranch: Candy, Slim, and Carlson. How do they live? How do they get along together? How do they react to George and Lennie?
Written Response: Choose one of the characters and write a 4 sentence description of them. This will be a Written Response mark only, so write as well as you can!
Pre-Reading Chapter 3
Before we begin, let's make some predictions with the foreshadowing as information:
-What is going to happen with Lennie? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
-What is going to happen with Curley's wife? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
-What is going to happen with Candy's dog? Why do you think so? What hints have you been given so far?
We will read Chapter 3, and complete the following questions.
Chapter Three:
1. Carlson and Candy disagree about the dog. Who do you think is right? What would you do? Have you ever had a similar experience?
3. Why do you think George tells Slim what happened in Weed? How can he trust Slim?
5. What does Candy say to George after they shoot his dog? Why?
6. Why does Candy have so much more money than the others do? How has it affected his life? What does he want to make himself happy?
7. What is the plan of Lennie, George, and Candy? How much longer do they need to work on the farm to achieve this dream?
8. What do you think of Curley’s attacking Lennie?
Chapter Four:
1. What is Crooks doing at the beginning and at the end of the chapter?
2. How is the setting different in the chapter?
3. Why does Crooks “S’pose” a lot of situations to Lennie?
4. Why does Crooks offer to join in the dream of Candy, Lennie and George?
5. How does the arrival of Curley’s wife affect the three men in Crooks’ room? What do you think of her?
6. Why is George unhappy when he returns to the ranch? What do you think he should do?
7. What do you expect will happen next in the story?
Written Response: Character Comparison Paper
Instructions: You will be writing a one page, double spaced comparison paper of George and Lennie. You should structure it as follows:
Paragraph 1: :Lennie
Identify 3 of Lennie's most important character traits.
For each, provide three pieces of evidence from the novel that prove he has these traits.
Paragraph 2: :George
Identify 3 of George's most important character traits.
For each, provide three pieces of evidence from the novel that prove he has these traits.
Paragraph 3: Comparison: How are Lennie and George different? How are they the same? What about each of them makes them a good team? Why do they travel together?
No questions for Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Why did George do what he did?
Do you believe he made the right choice?
What will happen to George now?
What were the dreams of:
George
Lennie
Candy
Crooks
Curley's Wife
Did any of them achieve their dream?
Why did Curley act the way he did?
Why did Curley's wife act the way she did?
-After Curley's wife's visit with Lennie, does she seem like a more sympathetic character? Why or why not?
Why does Crooks act the the way he did?
Then, please answer the following questions.
1) List a few of George’s actions that show his sympathy or understanding for Lennie.
2) How is the killing of Candy’s dog an example of foreshadowing and symbolism?
3) Consider what friendship is and write a definition. Demonstrate how Curley, Crooks, Candy, Curley’s wife, Slim and George are examples of either good friends or bad friends.
7) Which character is the protagonist? Why do you think so?
9) What does "Of Mice and Men" tell us about human nature? What broad statements about life can we learn from it?
Visual Response
Today, we will read "Deeper than the Holler" by Randy Travis. We will TF-TASTI it, and then do the following assignment:
1. Identify 5 similes and write them on the bottom of the page.
2. Underline the two things being compared.
Day 24
Quick Questions
Review
Today, we will read and listen to "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
We will TF-TASTI the poem, and analyze the rhyme scheme of the first two pages.
Day 25
Quick Questions
Review
Today, we will read and listen to "The Wedding Speech" by David Rakoff
Our assignment and notes are on this sheet.
Day 26
Quick Questions
Review
Poetry Project
We will work on this for a few days. The explanation is on this sheet.
Day 27
Quick Questions
Review
Quiz Review
Day 28
Poetry Quiz
Day 29
Take up Quiz
Writing Clinic: Persuasive Writing
Today we begin the process of going through the Persuasive Writing Assignment.
Follow these steps:
1. Choose an opinion.
2. Looking at the sources provided, write down 5 things that support your opinion.
3. Write an introduction in which you:
-introduce yourself(do not use your own name)
-explain the issue at hand
-explain why you are interested in the issue(what is your stake)
-explicitly state which side you are on.
*Tomorrow we will be going through your introductions and moving on to building good body paragraphs.
Day 30
Quick Questions
Review
Body Paragraphs.
For the body paragraphs, we will use a SEES approach. Write a Statement, then an Explanation, then find Evidence, then write a summary. You should have two or three body paragraphs and then a conclusion
Conclusion:
Restate your point.
Thank them for your time.
Mention your name and point again.
Remember! Maintain a polite tone throughout!
Day 31
Quick Questions
Review
Visual Response*
We worked on this yesterday. Students will have the rest of the class to work on this assignment. If they are done, they can work on other homework or read quietly.