English 30-4
This is the website for Mr. Chomistek's English 30-4 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, visual, 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:
Course Outlines
Class Guidelines/Expectations
Extra Help TimesQuia
We will be writing many of our quizzes/assessments using this site. I will give you the address and the secret word. In this case, it is 'chargers'
Let's give it a try.
http://www.quia.com/quiz/4900520.html
Letter to your Teacher
Day 2 - Written Assignment Prep
Today, and for the rest of the week, we will be going over the three types of writing that we will be needing to know for the Diploma Exam at the end of Grade 12. Here is how our process will break down:
1. Look at the Assignment
2. Look at examples of Satisfactory, Proficient, and Excellent at each level.
3. Attempt to complete the assignment.
4. Collectively brainstorm the activities.
What did I find difficult with this assignment?
What did I find easy with this assignment?
What can I do to improve?
What can my teacher do to help me improve>
First: Visual Response.
Click here to see an example of a visual response and example responses.
Click here to get to the Big Picture section on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's 'I have a dream' speech. I will choose a photo to use to create your own visual response.
Day 3
See previous day for process. Today, however, we will be completing the same process for the Persuasive Writing.
Second: Persuasive Writing.
Click here to see an example of a persuasive writing sample and example responses.
Day 4
A big part of English Language Arts is Critical Analysis
Very simply, critical analysis is looking at the value of something. Is it good? Is it not good? What aspects make it good or not?
For example, when we watch a movie, we can judge the value of it based on the following:
Acting
Directing
Special Effects
Plot
Characters
Humor
What others?
We also compare movies to other ones. Let's try that: Choose two movies and think of which one is better. Why do you like it better? Why do you think the other is worse?
Today, we will look at the smallest versions of movies, their trailers. Trailers aren't supposed to entertain, they are supposed to entice you to watch a movie. So, in terms of their function, we need to ask ourselves, does this trailer make me want to watch this movie? Why or why not? What makes the trailer good? What about the trailer makes you want to watch the film or not? How are the trailers different?
We will watch a number of trailers. For each, please answer the following questions in point form:
Trailer name:
1. Did you like this trailer?
2. Does the trailer make you want to watch the film?
3. What about the trailer made you either want to or not want to watch the film?
4. What methods did the trailer use to make you want to watch it?(music, narration, action, comedy, etc)
5. What would you do to make the trailer better?
6. Do you think the trailer was well done(regardless of whether you want to watch the film)?
Day 4.5
We have a bit to do today. To begin, we will review Persuasive Writing(see Day 3)
Then, we will look at how to brainstorm for a literary exploration assignment, which is very similar to an essay. See student examples
here.
For the Literary Exploration practice, I would like you to do the following:
For the question provided, think of three examples that relate to the question. You have the following three categories to choose from:
Personal-how does the question relate to your own life?
Provided Text-how does the question relate to the short passage you are given?
Previous Texts-how does the question relate to something else you have read or watched in the past in an English class?
-just bullet points is fine for this assignment.
Then, I will hand back your Visual Responses. There are still some missing, as well as some without names.
Day 5
We will start by doing our metacognitive practice. I would like you to please answer the following questions. For each assignment,
A. What did you find easy?
B. What did you find difficult?
C. What can you do to improve?
D. What can your teacher do to help you improve?
Then, we will head down to get our textbooks. When we return, please do the pre-reading questions on the board:
From the title "Sooshewan"(page 36)
Then, I will be reading the story aloud, and you will complete question 1 and 2 on page 45. We will finish by discussing setting and character types.
Today, we will read "One Mile of Ice" pg. 14 and complete the questions for it.
1a.b.c.d.e and 2.
Then, use the critical comparison questions to compare this and 'Sooshewan'
Both are survival stories.
Did you prefer "Sooshewan" or "One Mile of Ice"?
Why?
What made it better? Please refer to at least two of the following in your comparison:
-setting
-characters
-plot
-descriptions
Day 6
Further discussion around 1 Mile of Ice
Writing Workshop: Commas with coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.
Background information for John Henry:
What is a folk tale? What are some Canadian folk tales?
-Here is a weird one that is very Canadian.....it's about flying canoes and fur traders and the devil.
La Chaisse Galerie
To give us a quick preview, here is Johnny Cash's telling of John Henry's story.
Silent Reading of John Henry, page 52.
Here is a video version:
Questions from the text:1-4.
Day 7
Short Story Writing Prompt:
The students can write a short story from one of the following prompts. Please tell them we will be doing free writing like this periodically. I will be taking their work in at the end of the class. I will not be judging it based on length necessarily or grammar, but on how much thought they put into it.
Survival Story:
I was all alone. I had seen situations like this on t.v. and in the movies, but I never thought it would happen to me. But here I was. No one to count on but myself. It would be at least three weeks before I had any help or anyone came around. If I was to survive, it was up to me.
Folk Tale:
They say you can't understand the story of (any country, town, province, or state) without understanding this story. We have all been told it since we were little. They say a person is defined by their actions, and this story is no exception to that. They said it could never be done, but that day was different.
Day 9-10.
I heard that you were outstanding for my sub. So, we will take a little reading break and do a super quick film study. We will watch Invictus, and you will answer the following questions in point form:
1. Describe the Captain of the Rugby team. Give three traits and explain why these traits are important to his character.
2. Describe Nelson Mandela. Give three traits and explain why these traits are important to his character.
3. What is the theme of the film?
Day 8
Irony discussion - 3 types
Point of View - 3 types
Read "Just Fiddln' With Stuff" pg. 224 and complete questions 1 and 2.
Day 9
Conflict: different types
Setting - importance
Mood/Atmosphere/Tone
Then, we will read "Litter of the Law" on page 211 and answer questions 1 and 2.
Day 10 - Documentary Film
Identify all of the elements of a short story we have studied so far:
Who is the protagonist?
What is the conflict?
What type of conflict is it?
Describe the atmosphere.
Is there any irony in this documentary?
Choose one of the characters and describe them in detail.
Novel Study: Deathwatch
Read Chapter 1: Answer the following questions:
1. What do we learn about Madec in the first chapter? List at least five things we now about him from his words, his actions, what Ben reveals about his dealings with him, or other details revealed in the story.
2. Identify three main differences between Ben and Madec. Are these differences significant? Would they interfere with the men being friends in another setting? Why or why not?
3. Where does the story take place?
4. What or who startled the big horn sheep and sent them running?
5. Who is the protagonist? How would you describe them?
Chapter 2
1. What is the old man doing in the hills?
2. What does Madec suggest to Ben they do about the old man? Would most people have reacted to Madec's offer the way Ben did? Would you?
3. What is Madec's argument for doing things his way? Is it logical? Explain.
4. How did the old man get shot twice?
5. Why does Ben decide it is 'worth staining a blanket'?
Chapter 3
1. How does Madec explain his idea of a "contingency"?
2. On page 40 Madec explains why he is a more important person than Ben. Do you agree with his reasons? Does Ben seem like a "loser"?
Chapter 4
1. Identify examples of Madec's cleverness/intelligence.
2. How does the incident with the watering can emphasize Madec's cruelty? 3. How does the paragraph about the stars (p.51) reflect Ben's feelings?
4. What does Ben find in the old man's box? How might this be useful?
5. Why does Ben leave the other things in the old man's tin box?
Chapter 5
1. How does Ben explain the difference between fear and foreboding?
2. On page 60 Ben wonders if Madec would deliberately shoot him. Would he? Explain.
3. Why doesn't Ben go north, away from Madec?
4. What are Ben's three choices? (pg. 64) Which sounds the best to you? Why?
5. On page 65 the author notes, "Mechanics, machines, supplies were not a part of this game. in the final analysis, even the guns were not a part of it". What does he mean? What will determine the winner of this deadly game?
Chapter 6
1. What has Madec done to the catch basin? What does this prove about him?
2. Why does Ben think the Jeep is so important?
3. Which way does Ben choose to walk? How far is it to safety?
4. Explain the following sentence, "That was all Ben needed to see and for a second he felt a great triumph, for he knew now where he was going" (p.74).
5. When is the saguaro cactus full grown?
6. Why is Ben happy to see a giant saguaro?
7. In what way is the Gila woodpecker smarter than people?
8. On page 69. the author uses the idea of a chain holding Ben and Madec together. Why is a chain a good symbol of their situation? What examples have we seen so far of this struggle having "no rules of behaviour, no sportsmanship, no gentlemanly conduct."
Chapter 7 and 8
1. What are the stages of a person dying of thirst?
2. What is Ben's greatest fear?
3. How does Ben know he can't survive much longer?
4. Why does Ben say that he has been "cheated, he had been robbed" (p.99)? 5. What does Ben discover at the end of the tunnel? Why is this so important?
Chapter 9
1. What usually happens when people dying of thirst are rescued? Why is this strange? 2. Describe the lake Ben found?
3. Why would Ben feel hunger now and not earlier?
4. Why would the light at the ends of the tunnel be different now?
5. What is the importance of the slingshot?
6. Where did Ben get the buckshot?
7. How does Ben plan to cook his prey next time?
Chapter 10 and 11
1. What are the 'voices' Ben hears and why don't they scare him?
2. Why didn't Ben ever shave when he went on long trips in the desert?
3. In this chapter Ben again speaks of the "chain" between Madec and him. How can he shorten it? Why must he?
4. What is Madec's plan? Why is it so much easier for Madec to climb than for Ben?
5. How does Ben Know Denny O'Neil is the pilot?
6. Describe the man with Denny. Why is Ben sure the man isn't Les Stanton?
7 Why is it especially insulting to Ben to think of being killed by Madec?
8. When Madec walks back to the jeep, what does Ben notice about him?
Chapter 12
1. List Ben's three possible plans. What is the problem with each one?
2. What is Ben's plan? What do you think of this plan? Could you do it?
3. How does Ben use the two tubes from the sling shot?
4. What fears does Ben have as he waits in the sand?
Chapter 13
1. How has Madec foiled Ben's plans?
2. How does Ben get Madec to come back from the butte?
3. Who has the upper hand at the end of Chapter 13?
4. Explain how the author uses the idea of a chain to show how Ben's situation changes.
Chapter 14
1. Page 159 describes Madec staring at Ben. How do you interpret Madec's look - "A steady, cold, intelligent probing?" Why is it not anger, defeat or fear?
2. Before heading back to town why does Ben stop to get the old man's body? What does this tell you about Ben's character?
3. What 'jungle' does Madec live in?
4. During the conversation in the jeep, many differences show up between Ben and Madec. List some of these differences.
5. Would most poor, college age, men accept Madec's offer? Would you? Why doesn't Ben?
Chapter 15
1. How does the deputy's reaction to Madec and the old man differ?
2. How does Madec threaten Ben? Do you think Madec is really that powerful?
3. What two circumstances hurt Ben in this chapter?
4. Why does Ben receive such rough treatment from the doctor and the nurse?
5. How does Madec's shooting of the prospector twice, seem to be working to his advantage? 6. How does the multiple shooting incriminate Ben?
Chapter 16 and 17
1. How did the slingshot disappear?
2. What evidence is Ben's best hope of convincing the justice of the peace and the sheriff that he, not Madec, is telling the truth?
3. How do Mr. Madec's lawyers respond to the evidence?
4. How do Mr. Madec's lawyers explain Ben's gun wound?
5. The doctor's findings clear Ben. What are the four parts to the doctor's statement?
6. Who was the man who left the chopper to talk to Madec the day it landed by the butte? Explain why Ben didn't recognize him? (3 marks)
7. How did the doctor conclude that the .358 killed the prospector rather than the two Hornet bullets? (2 marks)
8. Explain the last paragraph on page 219. "Nobody said anything"
9. Explain Ben's last statement on page 220. Why wouldn't he want to press charges? Should he?
10. Is the ending satisfying? Would the ending have been better if Madec were convicted and imprisoned? Why or why not?
You will write a short story from one of the following prompts. Imagine you are Ben from the story “Deathwatch” in one of two situations. Please
Situation 1: After Madec realises that he shot the old prospector:
After seeing the body, Madec’s eyes go wide, and then very thin. He was hatching a plan. Ben could see that.
“Here’s what I think, Ben,” he said, “We should just bury this man. Give him a proper burial, and walk away. No muss. No fuss. I’ll even give you ten thousand dollars for your trouble and your silence.”
Ben thought for a minute. He had a decision to make….
Situation 2: As Ben lies in the sand.
He couldn’t exactly hear where Madec was. All he could hear was the faint tinkling of metal hitting metal. He was 50 metres from the Jeep. Fifty metres from freedom. Should he run now? Or was Madec waiting for him to do this.
Ben thought for a minute. He had a decision to make.
Day 23-24
Essay format/Literary Exploration Assignment(Jan 2012)
Steps:
1. Break down the question. What is it asking?
2. Read the short passage they give you:
3. Mind map the idea. What can I write about?
4. Relate it to our readings:
Of Mice and Men
One Mile of Ice
John Henry
Two Brothers
The Visitor
Start writing an outline.
Here are two worksheets to help you with your writing:
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Outline
Day 25: We will start our poetry unit:
We will analyze poems using the TFTASTI Approach. Here is a sheet that outlines it:
Day 26:
Imagery
Imagery is any descriptive language that appeals to the senses. The senses are:
Smell
Sight
Hearing
Touch
Taste
Any time that there is a description that appeals to one or more of the five senses, the author is using imagery:
We will come up with examples.
We will read "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley(in your booklets)
Then, please identify any examples of imagery from the poem.
Day 27
Figurative Language:
Today, we will be discussing similes, metaphors, and personification.
Simile - comparison of two unlike things using as, like, or than.
Examples:
Metaphors - a direct comparison of two unlike things. This does not use as, like, or than.
Examples
Personification - giving human characteristics to a non-human. This is a kind of metaphor
We will read "The Shooting of Dan McGrew"
Complete a TFTASTI, and then identify any examples of Simile, Metaphors, or Personification
Day 28:
Today, we will look at onomatopoeia, alliteration, and rhyming as a literary technique.
Onomatopoeia - words that sound like sounds
Examples:
Alliteration - the repetition of consonant sounds
Rhyming - the repetition of sounds at the end of words. Often, these come at the end of a line, but do not have to.
To look at rhymes, we will compare two poems. How do they compare? How is the rhyme scheme different? What is the effect?
For each poem, analyze the rhyme scheme.
Then, complete a TFTASTI for each poem.
The Lorax
Day 30
Day 30
Today we will look at symbolism.
Symbolism is when something concrete or tangible represents something that is not.
Example: Gun represents conflict. Heart represents love.
Read "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
What symbols exist in this poem? What are they symbols and what do they represent?
Day 32
Today, we will discuss 'shifts' in poetry.
Nearly every poem will have a shift, or a change somewhere in its lines. The shift can be in a number of areas:
A) Tone
B) Speaker
C) Purpose(ex. descriptive to questioning)
D) Tense(past, present, etc)
E) Rhyme Scheme
F) Rhythm
G) Diction or word choice
E) Structure
We will read "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes
Complete a TFTASTI for it.
Our final poetry assessment will be as follows:
You may choose a song and analyze it using the TFTASTI technique. The song must be school appropriate and incorporate at least two of the techniques listed below.
Imagery
Figurative Langauge
Rhyme/Rhythm
Symbolism
And you must write your own poem.
Your poem must make use of at least two of the following:
Imagery
Figurative Language
Rhyme
Rhythm
Symbolism
It must also include a significant shift.
Poetry Project
Day 30-35 - Film Study
In groups, please discuss:
What films do you like? Why do you like them? What is that makes them good?
To begin, we will watch this video on film techniques.
We will be watching two films by director Christopher Nolan and discussing the following in detail:
The films are:
The Prestige
Inception
We will go through the notes on camera angles and shot description. Then, we will watch "The Prestige"
As you watch, please answer these questions:
1. How would you describe the tone of "The Prestige"? Why?
2. Describe both magicians. How does the director exhibit these characteristics?
2. How would you describe the sound in this film? How does the sound help to tell the story?
3.How would you describe the lighting? How does the lighting impact your viewing of the film?
Then, we will watch Inception. Both movies are directed by Christopher Nolan. Please answer the following questions in a paragraph of 8-10 sentences.
What similarities can you between the films? How can you tell that both movies are directed by Christopher Nolan? How would you describe his style?
Shakespeare Unit: Macbeth
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
A video summary:
Synopsis: Here is a cartoon:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
And here is another full text of the play.
And of course, the Simpsons did a version.
Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Polanksi - 0:19-8:00
Goold- 0:00--6:00
Read the scene and the translation. Then, answer these questions.
1.Who is Macdonwald? What happened to him?
2. What does the description of Macbeth's action emphasize?
3. What other captain is fighting alongside Macbeth?
4. Who's the thane of Cawdor? What does the king say about him? How is the king going to reward Macbeth?
5. Based on what you've read, what are some of Macbeth's personal qualities?
Act 1, Scene 3
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Read the scene and the translation. Then, answer these questions.
Act 1, Scene 4
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Polanski - 7:51-18:41
Goold - 6:00-18:50
Act 1, Scene 4 Questions:
1. What has happened to Macdonwald, the former Thane of Cawdor?
2. What does Duncan mean when he says, "There's no art / To find the mind's construction in the face: / He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust."
3. Who does Duncan announce will take the throne when he dies? How does this change Macbeth's plans?
4. Macbeth begins his descent into evil in this scene. How do we know this?
Act 1, Scene 5,6, and 7
We will read the summary, then listen to the audio version and follow along with the translation page.
Then, we will watch the films:
Polanski - 18:41-44:40
Goold - 18:52-40:50
Then, we will answer these questions.
Act I, Scene 5
1. The opening sentence in Macbeth’s letter makes it very clear how he feels about the witches. What is his opinion of them?
2. Lady Macbeth provides the audience with more information about her husband’s character. What does she say? From what you know so far of Macbeth’s character, would you agree?
Act I, Scene 6
1. The opening dialogue between King Duncan and Banquo depends on dramatic irony for its full effect. Why?
2. How is Lady Macbeth acting towards the King? How is this an example of dramatic irony?
Act I, Scene 7
1. In the opening soliloquy, Macbeth offers numerous reasons why it would be wrong to kill King Duncan. Summarize his reasons for not killing Duncan.
2. Lady Macbeth uses powerful language in her attempt to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan. How does Lady Macbeth persuade her husband to go through with the plan?
3. What does this scene reinforce about Lady Macbeth’s character?
Act 2 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 2, Scene 1
Scene 1
1. What evidence is there that Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth?
2. How would you describe Macbeth’s state of mind as he makes his way to King Duncan’s chambers?
3. What is Macbeth planning to do?
Act 2, Scene 2 and 3
1. Why is Lady Macbeth upset that Macbeth has brought the knives back with him? How does she fix the problem? Compare the way that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react to the murder.
2. How do Macduff’s and Banquo’s reactions differ when the king’s murder is discovered?
3. How does Macbeth explain why he killed Duncan’s servants?
4. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to flee? How do the other Thanes respond to their flight?
Movie - 45:14-59:09
Act 3 Audio
58:42-1:00:27
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 3 Scene 1
1. Whom does Banquo suspect has murdered Duncan?
2. What have Macbeth and Lady Macbeth planned for the evening?
3. What does Banquo say about where he is going? When will he return?
4. Why does Macbeth want to know who is going along?
5. Who does Macbeth want the murderers to kill? Why?
Act 3, Scene 3
1. What happens?
Scene 4,5, and 6 summaries.
Act 4 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 4, Scene 1
Scene 1:
1. What do the apparitions tell Macbeth?
2. What is the one more thing that Macbeth wants to know?
3. What do the witches show Macbeth in response to his last request?
4. What does Macbeth say he will do to Macduff?
Scene 2:
1. What happens at the end of this scene?
Write a one and a half page, page double spaces story of what you would do if you were Macbeth. You do not have to use Shakespearean language. You should use 'I' and you should start from the point immediately after Macbeth hears the prophecies from the witches.
Act 5 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 5
Scene 1:
1. What does the gentlewoman tell the doctor that Lady Macbeth has been doing?
2. What does Lady Macbeth want next to her at all times?
3. What does Lady Macbeth say in her sleepwalking that amazes the doctor?
Scene 2:
1. Who does Angus say they will meet near Birnam Wood?
2. What does Angus say is the feelings of the people who are in Macbeth’s army?
Scene 3:
1. Why is Macbeth not afraid of Malcolm?
2. What does the servant report to Macbeth?
Scene 4:
1. What does Malcolm say each soldier should do? Why?
Scene 5:
1. What news does Seyton give to Macbeth?
2. What news does the messenger bring to Macbeth?
3. Macbeth says, “There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. / I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun / And wish
th’ estate o’ th’ world were now undone.” What does he mean?
Scene 6:
- no questions
Scene 7:
1. What is the outcome of the fight between Young Siward and Macbeth?
2. What does Macduff say will happen to him if he isn’t the one who kills Macbeth?
3. What does Malcolm say about their foes?
Scene 8:
1. What reason does Macbeth give for not wanting to fight Macduff?
2. After Macbeth tells Macduff that he can’t be hurt any man born from a woman, what does Macduff tell
him?
3. What does Macduff say he will do with Macbeth if he truly won’t fight?
4. What does Macduff deliver to Malcolm?
Now, we will watch the Rupert Goold Version in its entirety.
This week, we will be doing 2 writing assignments in class:
Monday - Tuesday - Visual Response
Wednesday-Thursday - Persuasive Writing
Friday - Zombie Project
Then, until Christmas, we will be doing a
Thematic Unit on Philanthropy
For the next three weeks, we will be looking at a variety of print and non-print texts regarding philanthropy and good deeds. One of the main focuses will be on how form and function are related. That is, why is certain information presented in certain ways? In what ways does the way a message is presented affect how we interpret it.
As we go through the unit, please keep the following questions in mind:
Why do people do good deeds?
Why do we help each other out?
Do good deeds always help?
We will start by watching these two videos on Batkid.
News Story on Batkid
Batkid
1. What is the message?
2. How is the message delivered?
3. What is your opinion?
4. How does this video present the message better than the news article did? How is the format different?
Philanthropy and Business Article
5. What is the message?
6. How is the message delivered?
7. What is your opinion?
A Guide to Smarter Giving
7. What is the message?
8. How is the message delivered?
9. What is your opinion?
Both written articles have some elements of fact in them and some opinions. That is, the author is promoting their own views on a topic, rather than giving simply the facts. A single person's opinion that alters how facts are presented is known as bias. Which article has the most examples of bias?
Please answer these questions.
13. What are some examples of bias in the article?
14. Do you agree with their perspective? Why or why not?
Lastly, we will watch Bill Gates' TED Talk about his take on Philanthropy
How to Buy Happiness
10. What is the message?
11. How is the message delivered?
12. What is your opinion?
Now, we will return to the thematic questions for the unit.
Why do people do good deeds?
Why do we help each other out?
Do good deeds always help?
You will have the remainder of the class to work on these questions.
Infographics:
Infographics are a kind of visual text. They attempt to display information in a creative way. The idea is that the form matches function. That is, the way the information is presented is related to the information itself.
Please answer the following questions. You may answer the questions in point form, as this will be a Visual Comprehension Mark only.
Current Philanthropy Stats
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
Bill Gates' Giving Efforts
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
History of Giving
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
Water
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
4. How is a video different in terms of how you receive the information?
Short Story: Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy
We will read this story.
Please answer these questions.
1. What are the three questions that are asked?
2. What is the message of the short story? Do you agree? Why or why not?
3. Who are the characters in the story? Choose one and describe them?
Television Representations of Philanthropy:
We will watch "Crimes of the Hot", an episode of Futurama and "After the Fire" an episode of Modern Family and compare their representations of Philanthropy.
Again, we will be looking at how form and function are related, specifically with regards to sound.
How does "Crimes of the Hot" represent Philanthropy?
Futurama - Crimes of the Hot
1. How would you describe the tone of this episode?
2. Choose one of the characters and describe them in as much detail as possible.
3. Draw a plot diagram of the events in the episode.
4. How are comedic television shows different than dramatic shows?
5. How does "Futurama" represent the idea of helping others? Is it positive or negative?
Modern Family - After the Fire
1. How would you describe the tone of this episode?
2. Choose one of the characters and describe them in as much detail as possible.
3. How does "Modern Family" represent the idea of helping others? Is it positive or negative?
5-7 sentence paragraph.
Both: How are the sound effects,music, and visual presentation different in these two shows? What effect does this have?
Philanthropy Research Project
We will be completing a short digital research project / visual presentation on 'Philanthropy.' There are several key understandings we will hope to attain in this project:
1. What is philanthropy? What does it mean to me?
2. How do I do effective research?
3. How do I communicate ideas effectively?
This project will be divided up into Content and Form.
Content Questions
1. What is my definition of philanthropy?(must be in your own words) - 1 Slide
2. What are three groups that practice philanthropy? - 3 Slides
For each,
a. Who started them?
b. What are their goals?
c. Where do they operate?
d. Have they accomplished some of their goals?
3. What are some of the effects that philanthropy has had on the world? - 3 Slides
Content Marks - This will follow our standard 5 Category Rubric
Excellent - I have answered the questions thoroughly and insightfully
Proficient - I have answered the questions thoroughly
Satisfactory - I have answered the questions satisfactorily. I have answered most of the questions completely.
Limited - I have answered the questions incompletely and have missed some key points.
Poor -
Form
1. How are you planning to visually and digitally present your information?(powerpoint, prezi, video, this cool site, etc)
2. Your presentation must contain at least one imbedded video.
3. You must do research for your presentation.
4. The facts that you include must be verified by TWO independent sources. That is, for every fact you include, you must be able to find proof of it in at least two places that do not cite each other on the internet.
5. How does the form that you have chosen help to present your information better in terms of multimedia, design, colors, etc?
Form marks - This will also follow our 5 Category Rubric. This will go in as a Visual Presentation mark.
Excellent - The presentation is visually engaging and the form is purposefully chosen for the content.
Proficient - The presentation is visually pleasant and the form suits the content.
Satisfactory - The presentation is visually interesting and the form mostly matches the content.
Limited - The presentation is visually interesting some of the time and the form is inconsistent with the content.
Good luck! This is meant to be a fairly quick project, as we will only be spending the day on them. Please email me the finished project by the end of the week.
Reading Comprehension Practice
4. Groundhog Day Film Study
-Writing Assignment:
Choose a day that you would like to do over. This can be a day that you would like to change or a day that you loved and would want to repeat. Write a one page, double spaced story about your experience of having your very own 'Groundhog Day.'
Last Two Weeks: Exam Review
Monday / Tuesday
We will start by reviewing the Literary Exploration. We will look at examples here:
Then, we will go through these old questions and brainstorm what literary works we could relate them to.
Previous Diploma Exam Topics for Assignment #2 – Literary Exploration
June 2004 What is your opinion of the idea that all people reach a point in their lives where they must face the unknown?
January 2004 What is your opinion of the idea that people need to know that they are not alone.
June 2003 What is your opinion of the idea that people discover passion and meaning when they are able to connect fully with things that are important to them?
January 2003 What is your opinion of the idea that being open to various possibilities allows for rewarding and enriching life experiences?
June 1999 What is your opinion of the idea that certain people and experiences influence us in important ways?
January 1999 What is your opinion of the idea that confronting our fears provides us with a sense of achievement?
June 1997 What is your opinion of the idea that people are strongly motivated by the need to prove themselves?
June 1994 What is your opinion of the idea that an intense desire for success can actually contribute to failure?
June 1993 What is your opinion of the idea that people are more influenced by the approval or disapproval of others than by what they think of themselves?
We will do a few together, and then you will do a few on your own.
Tuesday - We will practice writing introductions, ensuring that we have a thesis statement, a summary of our points, and a life statement.
First, we will identify the thesis statement and summary of points in the following three examples.
Then, using the questions above, we will write our own introductions.
Wednesday-Body Paragraphs
Before we begin, let's talk about how to reference literary works and characters in our essays.
Titles of shorter works - short stories, poems - are in quotation marks
Titles of longer works - novels, films, plays - are underlined
Names of Characters are always capitalized
Every body paragraph should have the following:
Statement / Topic Sentence
Evidence/Examples
Explanation
Conclusion / Topic Sentence
The topic sentence should be a more specific version of your thesis statement: one that relates to your chosen literary character or personal experience.
First, we will look at a body paragraph from a student version and break it down into its component parts.
To begin this process, answer the following:
1. What is the question for the essay?
2. Look at the introduction of the Proficient paper. What is the thesis statement?(the answer to the question)
3. Now look at the body paragraph. What is the topic sentence?
4. What is their evidence?
5. How do they conclude their paragraph?
Now, choose one of the questions from Monday's class and write a thesis statement(not a full introduction) and a body paragraph.
Thursday / Friday
Practice
Today we are going to practice beginning our essay. Here is how it will break down:
1. I will give you the topic.
2. You will have 10 minutes to brainstorm with a partner or group.
3. You will have 20 minutes to write out either
a. your brainstorming/outline
b. your introduction
c. your thesis statement and a body paragraph
How you choose to start is up to you. This will get you into the practice of beginning your essays and starting the writing process.
Topics
What is your opinion of the idea that respect is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that we must be prepared to respond to changing circumstances?
What is your opinion of the idea that hope is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that significant events can change in an individual’s perspective?
What is your opinion of the idea that courage is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that a moment of crisis can have significant consequences?
What is your opinion of the idea that dangers we face may lie beyond our understanding?
What is your opinion of the idea that our values influence the choices we make?
What is your opinion of the idea that a particular experience can have a lasting influence on our lives?
For each of the following, identify one literary example that you can relate to this topic.
June 2013
What is your opinion of the idea that a single action can lead to significant change?
January 2013
What is your opinion of the idea that individual actions affect the lives of others?
June 2012
What is your opinion of the idea that our identity is shaped by difficult experiences?
January 2012
What is your opinion of the idea that the ability to face hardship is an essential human quality?
June 2011
What is your opinion of the idea that a particular experience can have a lasting influence on our lives?
January 2011
What is your opinion of the idea that our beliefs are influenced by the actions of others?
June 2010
What is your opinion of the idea that our values influence the choice we make?
January 2010
What is your opinion of the idea that the dangers we face may lie beyond our understanding?
June 2009
What is your opinion of the idea that a moment of crisis can have significant consequences?
January 2009
What is your opinion of the idea that courage is an important quality?
June 2008
What is your opinion of the idea that significant events can change an individual’s perspective?
January 2008
What is your opinion of the idea that hope is an important quality?
June 2007
What is your opinion of the idea that we must be prepared to respond to changing circumstances?
January 2007
What is your opinion of the idea that respect is an important quality?
June 2006
What is your opinion of the idea that our environment shapes our perceptions?
Jan 2006
What is your opinion of the idea that we often cannot know the consequences of our actions?
June 2005
What is your opinion of the idea that we are often unprepared to face the unexpected?
Jan 2005
What is your opinion of the idea that people need something that creates comfort and security in their lives?
June 2004
What is your opinion of the idea that all people reach a point in their lives where they must face the unknown?
Jan 2004
What is your opinion of the idea that people need to know that they are not alone?
Jan 2003
What is your opinion of the idea that being open to various possibilities allows for rewarding and enriching life experiences?
June 2003
What is your opinion of the idea that we discover passion and meaning when we are able to connect fully with things that are important?
Jan 2002
What is your opinion of the idea of being open-minded about the circumstances we encounter in our lives?
Jan 2001
What is your opinion of the idea that we gain personal satisfaction through genuine involvement?
June 2001
What is your opinion of the idea that we can make important contributions through even the most ordinary of tasks?
June 2000
What is your opinion of the idea that a single event can significantly alter the way we live our lives?
Jan 2000
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that knowing what is right for you and where you belong gives you the strength and power?
Jan 1999
What is your opinion of the idea that confronting our fears provides us with a sense of achievement?
June 1999
What is your opinion of the idea that certain people and experiences influence us in important ways?
June 1998
What is your opinion of the narrator’s idea about the power of “right” attitudes?
Jan 1997
What is your opinion of the idea that personal growth and confidence comes to those who can seek out a challenge or take a risk?
June 1997
What is your opinion of the idea that we are strongly motivation by the need to prove ourselves?
Jan 1996
What is your opinion of Jim Cormier’s belief that, in coping with great difficulty, people display the best sides of their character?
June 1996
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that, in real life, “our victories are almost always the ones we force alone”?
June 1995
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that choices, once made, must be followed through?
January 1994
What is your opinion of the idea that imagination can provide the inner strength people need to face difficult situations?
June 1994
What is your opinion of the idea that an intense desire for success can actually contribute to failure?
Jan 1993
What is your opinion of the idea that we are comforted and strengthened by recognizing the connection between ourselves and the world around us?
June 1993
Do you believe that we are more influenced by the approval or disapproval of others than by what we think of ourselves?
Jan 1992
What is your opinion of the idea that life is made meaningful by establishing ties with others?
June 1992
What is your opinion of the idea that achievement creates confidence and a sense of freedom?
This is the website for Mr. Chomistek's English 30-4 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, visual, 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:
Course Outlines
Class Guidelines/Expectations
Extra Help TimesQuia
We will be writing many of our quizzes/assessments using this site. I will give you the address and the secret word. In this case, it is 'chargers'
Let's give it a try.
http://www.quia.com/quiz/4900520.html
Letter to your Teacher
Day 2 - Written Assignment Prep
Today, and for the rest of the week, we will be going over the three types of writing that we will be needing to know for the Diploma Exam at the end of Grade 12. Here is how our process will break down:
1. Look at the Assignment
2. Look at examples of Satisfactory, Proficient, and Excellent at each level.
3. Attempt to complete the assignment.
4. Collectively brainstorm the activities.
What did I find difficult with this assignment?
What did I find easy with this assignment?
What can I do to improve?
What can my teacher do to help me improve>
First: Visual Response.
Click here to see an example of a visual response and example responses.
Click here to get to the Big Picture section on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's 'I have a dream' speech. I will choose a photo to use to create your own visual response.
Day 3
See previous day for process. Today, however, we will be completing the same process for the Persuasive Writing.
Second: Persuasive Writing.
Click here to see an example of a persuasive writing sample and example responses.
Day 4
A big part of English Language Arts is Critical Analysis
Very simply, critical analysis is looking at the value of something. Is it good? Is it not good? What aspects make it good or not?
For example, when we watch a movie, we can judge the value of it based on the following:
Acting
Directing
Special Effects
Plot
Characters
Humor
What others?
We also compare movies to other ones. Let's try that: Choose two movies and think of which one is better. Why do you like it better? Why do you think the other is worse?
Today, we will look at the smallest versions of movies, their trailers. Trailers aren't supposed to entertain, they are supposed to entice you to watch a movie. So, in terms of their function, we need to ask ourselves, does this trailer make me want to watch this movie? Why or why not? What makes the trailer good? What about the trailer makes you want to watch the film or not? How are the trailers different?
We will watch a number of trailers. For each, please answer the following questions in point form:
Trailer name:
1. Did you like this trailer?
2. Does the trailer make you want to watch the film?
3. What about the trailer made you either want to or not want to watch the film?
4. What methods did the trailer use to make you want to watch it?(music, narration, action, comedy, etc)
5. What would you do to make the trailer better?
6. Do you think the trailer was well done(regardless of whether you want to watch the film)?
Day 4.5
We have a bit to do today. To begin, we will review Persuasive Writing(see Day 3)
Then, we will look at how to brainstorm for a literary exploration assignment, which is very similar to an essay. See student examples
here.
For the Literary Exploration practice, I would like you to do the following:
For the question provided, think of three examples that relate to the question. You have the following three categories to choose from:
Personal-how does the question relate to your own life?
Provided Text-how does the question relate to the short passage you are given?
Previous Texts-how does the question relate to something else you have read or watched in the past in an English class?
-just bullet points is fine for this assignment.
Then, I will hand back your Visual Responses. There are still some missing, as well as some without names.
Day 5
We will start by doing our metacognitive practice. I would like you to please answer the following questions. For each assignment,
A. What did you find easy?
B. What did you find difficult?
C. What can you do to improve?
D. What can your teacher do to help you improve?
Then, we will head down to get our textbooks. When we return, please do the pre-reading questions on the board:
From the title "Sooshewan"(page 36)
Then, I will be reading the story aloud, and you will complete question 1 and 2 on page 45. We will finish by discussing setting and character types.
Today, we will read "One Mile of Ice" pg. 14 and complete the questions for it.
1a.b.c.d.e and 2.
Then, use the critical comparison questions to compare this and 'Sooshewan'
Both are survival stories.
Did you prefer "Sooshewan" or "One Mile of Ice"?
Why?
What made it better? Please refer to at least two of the following in your comparison:
-setting
-characters
-plot
-descriptions
Day 6
Further discussion around 1 Mile of Ice
Writing Workshop: Commas with coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.
Background information for John Henry:
What is a folk tale? What are some Canadian folk tales?
-Here is a weird one that is very Canadian.....it's about flying canoes and fur traders and the devil.
La Chaisse Galerie
To give us a quick preview, here is Johnny Cash's telling of John Henry's story.
Silent Reading of John Henry, page 52.
Here is a video version:
Questions from the text:1-4.
Day 7
Short Story Writing Prompt:
The students can write a short story from one of the following prompts. Please tell them we will be doing free writing like this periodically. I will be taking their work in at the end of the class. I will not be judging it based on length necessarily or grammar, but on how much thought they put into it.
Survival Story:
I was all alone. I had seen situations like this on t.v. and in the movies, but I never thought it would happen to me. But here I was. No one to count on but myself. It would be at least three weeks before I had any help or anyone came around. If I was to survive, it was up to me.
Folk Tale:
They say you can't understand the story of (any country, town, province, or state) without understanding this story. We have all been told it since we were little. They say a person is defined by their actions, and this story is no exception to that. They said it could never be done, but that day was different.
Day 9-10.
I heard that you were outstanding for my sub. So, we will take a little reading break and do a super quick film study. We will watch Invictus, and you will answer the following questions in point form:
1. Describe the Captain of the Rugby team. Give three traits and explain why these traits are important to his character.
2. Describe Nelson Mandela. Give three traits and explain why these traits are important to his character.
3. What is the theme of the film?
Day 8
Irony discussion - 3 types
Point of View - 3 types
Read "Just Fiddln' With Stuff" pg. 224 and complete questions 1 and 2.
Day 9
Conflict: different types
Setting - importance
Mood/Atmosphere/Tone
Then, we will read "Litter of the Law" on page 211 and answer questions 1 and 2.
Day 10 - Documentary Film
Identify all of the elements of a short story we have studied so far:
Who is the protagonist?
What is the conflict?
What type of conflict is it?
Describe the atmosphere.
Is there any irony in this documentary?
Choose one of the characters and describe them in detail.
Novel Study: Deathwatch
Read Chapter 1: Answer the following questions:
1. What do we learn about Madec in the first chapter? List at least five things we now about him from his words, his actions, what Ben reveals about his dealings with him, or other details revealed in the story.
2. Identify three main differences between Ben and Madec. Are these differences significant? Would they interfere with the men being friends in another setting? Why or why not?
3. Where does the story take place?
4. What or who startled the big horn sheep and sent them running?
5. Who is the protagonist? How would you describe them?
Chapter 2
1. What is the old man doing in the hills?
2. What does Madec suggest to Ben they do about the old man? Would most people have reacted to Madec's offer the way Ben did? Would you?
3. What is Madec's argument for doing things his way? Is it logical? Explain.
4. How did the old man get shot twice?
5. Why does Ben decide it is 'worth staining a blanket'?
Chapter 3
1. How does Madec explain his idea of a "contingency"?
2. On page 40 Madec explains why he is a more important person than Ben. Do you agree with his reasons? Does Ben seem like a "loser"?
Chapter 4
1. Identify examples of Madec's cleverness/intelligence.
2. How does the incident with the watering can emphasize Madec's cruelty? 3. How does the paragraph about the stars (p.51) reflect Ben's feelings?
4. What does Ben find in the old man's box? How might this be useful?
5. Why does Ben leave the other things in the old man's tin box?
Chapter 5
1. How does Ben explain the difference between fear and foreboding?
2. On page 60 Ben wonders if Madec would deliberately shoot him. Would he? Explain.
3. Why doesn't Ben go north, away from Madec?
4. What are Ben's three choices? (pg. 64) Which sounds the best to you? Why?
5. On page 65 the author notes, "Mechanics, machines, supplies were not a part of this game. in the final analysis, even the guns were not a part of it". What does he mean? What will determine the winner of this deadly game?
Chapter 6
1. What has Madec done to the catch basin? What does this prove about him?
2. Why does Ben think the Jeep is so important?
3. Which way does Ben choose to walk? How far is it to safety?
4. Explain the following sentence, "That was all Ben needed to see and for a second he felt a great triumph, for he knew now where he was going" (p.74).
5. When is the saguaro cactus full grown?
6. Why is Ben happy to see a giant saguaro?
7. In what way is the Gila woodpecker smarter than people?
8. On page 69. the author uses the idea of a chain holding Ben and Madec together. Why is a chain a good symbol of their situation? What examples have we seen so far of this struggle having "no rules of behaviour, no sportsmanship, no gentlemanly conduct."
Chapter 7 and 8
1. What are the stages of a person dying of thirst?
2. What is Ben's greatest fear?
3. How does Ben know he can't survive much longer?
4. Why does Ben say that he has been "cheated, he had been robbed" (p.99)? 5. What does Ben discover at the end of the tunnel? Why is this so important?
Chapter 9
1. What usually happens when people dying of thirst are rescued? Why is this strange? 2. Describe the lake Ben found?
3. Why would Ben feel hunger now and not earlier?
4. Why would the light at the ends of the tunnel be different now?
5. What is the importance of the slingshot?
6. Where did Ben get the buckshot?
7. How does Ben plan to cook his prey next time?
Chapter 10 and 11
1. What are the 'voices' Ben hears and why don't they scare him?
2. Why didn't Ben ever shave when he went on long trips in the desert?
3. In this chapter Ben again speaks of the "chain" between Madec and him. How can he shorten it? Why must he?
4. What is Madec's plan? Why is it so much easier for Madec to climb than for Ben?
5. How does Ben Know Denny O'Neil is the pilot?
6. Describe the man with Denny. Why is Ben sure the man isn't Les Stanton?
7 Why is it especially insulting to Ben to think of being killed by Madec?
8. When Madec walks back to the jeep, what does Ben notice about him?
Chapter 12
1. List Ben's three possible plans. What is the problem with each one?
2. What is Ben's plan? What do you think of this plan? Could you do it?
3. How does Ben use the two tubes from the sling shot?
4. What fears does Ben have as he waits in the sand?
Chapter 13
1. How has Madec foiled Ben's plans?
2. How does Ben get Madec to come back from the butte?
3. Who has the upper hand at the end of Chapter 13?
4. Explain how the author uses the idea of a chain to show how Ben's situation changes.
Chapter 14
1. Page 159 describes Madec staring at Ben. How do you interpret Madec's look - "A steady, cold, intelligent probing?" Why is it not anger, defeat or fear?
2. Before heading back to town why does Ben stop to get the old man's body? What does this tell you about Ben's character?
3. What 'jungle' does Madec live in?
4. During the conversation in the jeep, many differences show up between Ben and Madec. List some of these differences.
5. Would most poor, college age, men accept Madec's offer? Would you? Why doesn't Ben?
Chapter 15
1. How does the deputy's reaction to Madec and the old man differ?
2. How does Madec threaten Ben? Do you think Madec is really that powerful?
3. What two circumstances hurt Ben in this chapter?
4. Why does Ben receive such rough treatment from the doctor and the nurse?
5. How does Madec's shooting of the prospector twice, seem to be working to his advantage? 6. How does the multiple shooting incriminate Ben?
Chapter 16 and 17
1. How did the slingshot disappear?
2. What evidence is Ben's best hope of convincing the justice of the peace and the sheriff that he, not Madec, is telling the truth?
3. How do Mr. Madec's lawyers respond to the evidence?
4. How do Mr. Madec's lawyers explain Ben's gun wound?
5. The doctor's findings clear Ben. What are the four parts to the doctor's statement?
6. Who was the man who left the chopper to talk to Madec the day it landed by the butte? Explain why Ben didn't recognize him? (3 marks)
7. How did the doctor conclude that the .358 killed the prospector rather than the two Hornet bullets? (2 marks)
8. Explain the last paragraph on page 219. "Nobody said anything"
9. Explain Ben's last statement on page 220. Why wouldn't he want to press charges? Should he?
10. Is the ending satisfying? Would the ending have been better if Madec were convicted and imprisoned? Why or why not?
You will write a short story from one of the following prompts. Imagine you are Ben from the story “Deathwatch” in one of two situations. Please
Situation 1: After Madec realises that he shot the old prospector:
After seeing the body, Madec’s eyes go wide, and then very thin. He was hatching a plan. Ben could see that.
“Here’s what I think, Ben,” he said, “We should just bury this man. Give him a proper burial, and walk away. No muss. No fuss. I’ll even give you ten thousand dollars for your trouble and your silence.”
Ben thought for a minute. He had a decision to make….
Situation 2: As Ben lies in the sand.
He couldn’t exactly hear where Madec was. All he could hear was the faint tinkling of metal hitting metal. He was 50 metres from the Jeep. Fifty metres from freedom. Should he run now? Or was Madec waiting for him to do this.
Ben thought for a minute. He had a decision to make.
Day 23-24
Essay format/Literary Exploration Assignment(Jan 2012)
Steps:
1. Break down the question. What is it asking?
2. Read the short passage they give you:
3. Mind map the idea. What can I write about?
4. Relate it to our readings:
Of Mice and Men
One Mile of Ice
John Henry
Two Brothers
The Visitor
Start writing an outline.
Here are two worksheets to help you with your writing:
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
Outline
Day 25: We will start our poetry unit:
We will analyze poems using the TFTASTI Approach. Here is a sheet that outlines it:
Day 26:
Imagery
Imagery is any descriptive language that appeals to the senses. The senses are:
Smell
Sight
Hearing
Touch
Taste
Any time that there is a description that appeals to one or more of the five senses, the author is using imagery:
We will come up with examples.
We will read "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley(in your booklets)
Then, please identify any examples of imagery from the poem.
Day 27
Figurative Language:
Today, we will be discussing similes, metaphors, and personification.
Simile - comparison of two unlike things using as, like, or than.
Examples:
Metaphors - a direct comparison of two unlike things. This does not use as, like, or than.
Examples
Personification - giving human characteristics to a non-human. This is a kind of metaphor
We will read "The Shooting of Dan McGrew"
Complete a TFTASTI, and then identify any examples of Simile, Metaphors, or Personification
Day 28:
Today, we will look at onomatopoeia, alliteration, and rhyming as a literary technique.
Onomatopoeia - words that sound like sounds
Examples:
Alliteration - the repetition of consonant sounds
Rhyming - the repetition of sounds at the end of words. Often, these come at the end of a line, but do not have to.
To look at rhymes, we will compare two poems. How do they compare? How is the rhyme scheme different? What is the effect?
For each poem, analyze the rhyme scheme.
Then, complete a TFTASTI for each poem.
The Lorax
Day 30
Day 30
Today we will look at symbolism.
Symbolism is when something concrete or tangible represents something that is not.
Example: Gun represents conflict. Heart represents love.
Read "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
What symbols exist in this poem? What are they symbols and what do they represent?
Day 32
Today, we will discuss 'shifts' in poetry.
Nearly every poem will have a shift, or a change somewhere in its lines. The shift can be in a number of areas:
A) Tone
B) Speaker
C) Purpose(ex. descriptive to questioning)
D) Tense(past, present, etc)
E) Rhyme Scheme
F) Rhythm
G) Diction or word choice
E) Structure
We will read "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes
Complete a TFTASTI for it.
Our final poetry assessment will be as follows:
You may choose a song and analyze it using the TFTASTI technique. The song must be school appropriate and incorporate at least two of the techniques listed below.
Imagery
Figurative Langauge
Rhyme/Rhythm
Symbolism
And you must write your own poem.
Your poem must make use of at least two of the following:
Imagery
Figurative Language
Rhyme
Rhythm
Symbolism
It must also include a significant shift.
Poetry Project
Day 30-35 - Film Study
In groups, please discuss:
What films do you like? Why do you like them? What is that makes them good?
To begin, we will watch this video on film techniques.
We will be watching two films by director Christopher Nolan and discussing the following in detail:
The films are:
The Prestige
Inception
We will go through the notes on camera angles and shot description. Then, we will watch "The Prestige"
As you watch, please answer these questions:
1. How would you describe the tone of "The Prestige"? Why?
2. Describe both magicians. How does the director exhibit these characteristics?
2. How would you describe the sound in this film? How does the sound help to tell the story?
3.How would you describe the lighting? How does the lighting impact your viewing of the film?
Then, we will watch Inception. Both movies are directed by Christopher Nolan. Please answer the following questions in a paragraph of 8-10 sentences.
What similarities can you between the films? How can you tell that both movies are directed by Christopher Nolan? How would you describe his style?
Shakespeare Unit: Macbeth
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
A video summary:
Synopsis: Here is a cartoon:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
And here is another full text of the play.
And of course, the Simpsons did a version.
Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Polanksi - 0:19-8:00
Goold- 0:00--6:00
Read the scene and the translation. Then, answer these questions.
1.Who is Macdonwald? What happened to him?
2. What does the description of Macbeth's action emphasize?
3. What other captain is fighting alongside Macbeth?
4. Who's the thane of Cawdor? What does the king say about him? How is the king going to reward Macbeth?
5. Based on what you've read, what are some of Macbeth's personal qualities?
Act 1, Scene 3
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Read the scene and the translation. Then, answer these questions.
- Both Macbeth and Banquo speak of things being “foul” or “fair”. Give examples.
- How do the witches hail Macbeth? How do they hail Banquo? (three each)
- How does Macbeth’s reaction differ from Banquo’s reaction?
Act 1, Scene 4
-We will listen to an audio version first, then watch a film version of the scene.
Polanski - 7:51-18:41
Goold - 6:00-18:50
Act 1, Scene 4 Questions:
1. What has happened to Macdonwald, the former Thane of Cawdor?
2. What does Duncan mean when he says, "There's no art / To find the mind's construction in the face: / He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust."
3. Who does Duncan announce will take the throne when he dies? How does this change Macbeth's plans?
4. Macbeth begins his descent into evil in this scene. How do we know this?
Act 1, Scene 5,6, and 7
We will read the summary, then listen to the audio version and follow along with the translation page.
Then, we will watch the films:
Polanski - 18:41-44:40
Goold - 18:52-40:50
Then, we will answer these questions.
Act I, Scene 5
1. The opening sentence in Macbeth’s letter makes it very clear how he feels about the witches. What is his opinion of them?
2. Lady Macbeth provides the audience with more information about her husband’s character. What does she say? From what you know so far of Macbeth’s character, would you agree?
Act I, Scene 6
1. The opening dialogue between King Duncan and Banquo depends on dramatic irony for its full effect. Why?
2. How is Lady Macbeth acting towards the King? How is this an example of dramatic irony?
Act I, Scene 7
1. In the opening soliloquy, Macbeth offers numerous reasons why it would be wrong to kill King Duncan. Summarize his reasons for not killing Duncan.
2. Lady Macbeth uses powerful language in her attempt to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan. How does Lady Macbeth persuade her husband to go through with the plan?
3. What does this scene reinforce about Lady Macbeth’s character?
Act 2 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 2, Scene 1
Scene 1
1. What evidence is there that Banquo is suspicious of Macbeth?
2. How would you describe Macbeth’s state of mind as he makes his way to King Duncan’s chambers?
3. What is Macbeth planning to do?
Act 2, Scene 2 and 3
1. Why is Lady Macbeth upset that Macbeth has brought the knives back with him? How does she fix the problem? Compare the way that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth react to the murder.
2. How do Macduff’s and Banquo’s reactions differ when the king’s murder is discovered?
3. How does Macbeth explain why he killed Duncan’s servants?
4. Why do Malcolm and Donalbain decide to flee? How do the other Thanes respond to their flight?
Movie - 45:14-59:09
Act 3 Audio
58:42-1:00:27
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 3 Scene 1
1. Whom does Banquo suspect has murdered Duncan?
2. What have Macbeth and Lady Macbeth planned for the evening?
3. What does Banquo say about where he is going? When will he return?
4. Why does Macbeth want to know who is going along?
5. Who does Macbeth want the murderers to kill? Why?
Act 3, Scene 3
1. What happens?
Scene 4,5, and 6 summaries.
Act 4 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 4, Scene 1
Scene 1:
1. What do the apparitions tell Macbeth?
2. What is the one more thing that Macbeth wants to know?
3. What do the witches show Macbeth in response to his last request?
4. What does Macbeth say he will do to Macduff?
Scene 2:
1. What happens at the end of this scene?
Write a one and a half page, page double spaces story of what you would do if you were Macbeth. You do not have to use Shakespearean language. You should use 'I' and you should start from the point immediately after Macbeth hears the prophecies from the witches.
Act 5 Audio
We will be using this site to help with our translations.
Act 5
Scene 1:
1. What does the gentlewoman tell the doctor that Lady Macbeth has been doing?
2. What does Lady Macbeth want next to her at all times?
3. What does Lady Macbeth say in her sleepwalking that amazes the doctor?
Scene 2:
1. Who does Angus say they will meet near Birnam Wood?
2. What does Angus say is the feelings of the people who are in Macbeth’s army?
Scene 3:
1. Why is Macbeth not afraid of Malcolm?
2. What does the servant report to Macbeth?
Scene 4:
1. What does Malcolm say each soldier should do? Why?
Scene 5:
1. What news does Seyton give to Macbeth?
2. What news does the messenger bring to Macbeth?
3. Macbeth says, “There is nor flying hence nor tarrying here. / I ‘gin to be aweary of the sun / And wish
th’ estate o’ th’ world were now undone.” What does he mean?
Scene 6:
- no questions
Scene 7:
1. What is the outcome of the fight between Young Siward and Macbeth?
2. What does Macduff say will happen to him if he isn’t the one who kills Macbeth?
3. What does Malcolm say about their foes?
Scene 8:
1. What reason does Macbeth give for not wanting to fight Macduff?
2. After Macbeth tells Macduff that he can’t be hurt any man born from a woman, what does Macduff tell
him?
3. What does Macduff say he will do with Macbeth if he truly won’t fight?
4. What does Macduff deliver to Malcolm?
Now, we will watch the Rupert Goold Version in its entirety.
This week, we will be doing 2 writing assignments in class:
Monday - Tuesday - Visual Response
Wednesday-Thursday - Persuasive Writing
Friday - Zombie Project
Then, until Christmas, we will be doing a
Thematic Unit on Philanthropy
For the next three weeks, we will be looking at a variety of print and non-print texts regarding philanthropy and good deeds. One of the main focuses will be on how form and function are related. That is, why is certain information presented in certain ways? In what ways does the way a message is presented affect how we interpret it.
As we go through the unit, please keep the following questions in mind:
Why do people do good deeds?
Why do we help each other out?
Do good deeds always help?
We will start by watching these two videos on Batkid.
News Story on Batkid
Batkid
1. What is the message?
2. How is the message delivered?
3. What is your opinion?
4. How does this video present the message better than the news article did? How is the format different?
Philanthropy and Business Article
5. What is the message?
6. How is the message delivered?
7. What is your opinion?
A Guide to Smarter Giving
7. What is the message?
8. How is the message delivered?
9. What is your opinion?
Both written articles have some elements of fact in them and some opinions. That is, the author is promoting their own views on a topic, rather than giving simply the facts. A single person's opinion that alters how facts are presented is known as bias. Which article has the most examples of bias?
Please answer these questions.
13. What are some examples of bias in the article?
14. Do you agree with their perspective? Why or why not?
Lastly, we will watch Bill Gates' TED Talk about his take on Philanthropy
How to Buy Happiness
10. What is the message?
11. How is the message delivered?
12. What is your opinion?
Now, we will return to the thematic questions for the unit.
Why do people do good deeds?
Why do we help each other out?
Do good deeds always help?
You will have the remainder of the class to work on these questions.
Infographics:
Infographics are a kind of visual text. They attempt to display information in a creative way. The idea is that the form matches function. That is, the way the information is presented is related to the information itself.
Please answer the following questions. You may answer the questions in point form, as this will be a Visual Comprehension Mark only.
Current Philanthropy Stats
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
Bill Gates' Giving Efforts
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
History of Giving
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
Water
1. What information is being presented? Summarize it.
2. How is it being presented?
3. How does the way it is being presented help you to better understand the information?
4. How is a video different in terms of how you receive the information?
Short Story: Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy
We will read this story.
Please answer these questions.
1. What are the three questions that are asked?
2. What is the message of the short story? Do you agree? Why or why not?
3. Who are the characters in the story? Choose one and describe them?
Television Representations of Philanthropy:
We will watch "Crimes of the Hot", an episode of Futurama and "After the Fire" an episode of Modern Family and compare their representations of Philanthropy.
Again, we will be looking at how form and function are related, specifically with regards to sound.
How does "Crimes of the Hot" represent Philanthropy?
Futurama - Crimes of the Hot
1. How would you describe the tone of this episode?
2. Choose one of the characters and describe them in as much detail as possible.
3. Draw a plot diagram of the events in the episode.
4. How are comedic television shows different than dramatic shows?
5. How does "Futurama" represent the idea of helping others? Is it positive or negative?
Modern Family - After the Fire
1. How would you describe the tone of this episode?
2. Choose one of the characters and describe them in as much detail as possible.
3. How does "Modern Family" represent the idea of helping others? Is it positive or negative?
5-7 sentence paragraph.
Both: How are the sound effects,music, and visual presentation different in these two shows? What effect does this have?
Philanthropy Research Project
We will be completing a short digital research project / visual presentation on 'Philanthropy.' There are several key understandings we will hope to attain in this project:
1. What is philanthropy? What does it mean to me?
2. How do I do effective research?
3. How do I communicate ideas effectively?
This project will be divided up into Content and Form.
Content Questions
1. What is my definition of philanthropy?(must be in your own words) - 1 Slide
2. What are three groups that practice philanthropy? - 3 Slides
For each,
a. Who started them?
b. What are their goals?
c. Where do they operate?
d. Have they accomplished some of their goals?
3. What are some of the effects that philanthropy has had on the world? - 3 Slides
Content Marks - This will follow our standard 5 Category Rubric
Excellent - I have answered the questions thoroughly and insightfully
Proficient - I have answered the questions thoroughly
Satisfactory - I have answered the questions satisfactorily. I have answered most of the questions completely.
Limited - I have answered the questions incompletely and have missed some key points.
Poor -
Form
1. How are you planning to visually and digitally present your information?(powerpoint, prezi, video, this cool site, etc)
2. Your presentation must contain at least one imbedded video.
3. You must do research for your presentation.
4. The facts that you include must be verified by TWO independent sources. That is, for every fact you include, you must be able to find proof of it in at least two places that do not cite each other on the internet.
5. How does the form that you have chosen help to present your information better in terms of multimedia, design, colors, etc?
Form marks - This will also follow our 5 Category Rubric. This will go in as a Visual Presentation mark.
Excellent - The presentation is visually engaging and the form is purposefully chosen for the content.
Proficient - The presentation is visually pleasant and the form suits the content.
Satisfactory - The presentation is visually interesting and the form mostly matches the content.
Limited - The presentation is visually interesting some of the time and the form is inconsistent with the content.
Good luck! This is meant to be a fairly quick project, as we will only be spending the day on them. Please email me the finished project by the end of the week.
Reading Comprehension Practice
4. Groundhog Day Film Study
-Writing Assignment:
Choose a day that you would like to do over. This can be a day that you would like to change or a day that you loved and would want to repeat. Write a one page, double spaced story about your experience of having your very own 'Groundhog Day.'
Last Two Weeks: Exam Review
Monday / Tuesday
We will start by reviewing the Literary Exploration. We will look at examples here:
Then, we will go through these old questions and brainstorm what literary works we could relate them to.
Previous Diploma Exam Topics for Assignment #2 – Literary Exploration
June 2004 What is your opinion of the idea that all people reach a point in their lives where they must face the unknown?
January 2004 What is your opinion of the idea that people need to know that they are not alone.
June 2003 What is your opinion of the idea that people discover passion and meaning when they are able to connect fully with things that are important to them?
January 2003 What is your opinion of the idea that being open to various possibilities allows for rewarding and enriching life experiences?
June 1999 What is your opinion of the idea that certain people and experiences influence us in important ways?
January 1999 What is your opinion of the idea that confronting our fears provides us with a sense of achievement?
June 1997 What is your opinion of the idea that people are strongly motivated by the need to prove themselves?
June 1994 What is your opinion of the idea that an intense desire for success can actually contribute to failure?
June 1993 What is your opinion of the idea that people are more influenced by the approval or disapproval of others than by what they think of themselves?
We will do a few together, and then you will do a few on your own.
Tuesday - We will practice writing introductions, ensuring that we have a thesis statement, a summary of our points, and a life statement.
First, we will identify the thesis statement and summary of points in the following three examples.
Then, using the questions above, we will write our own introductions.
Wednesday-Body Paragraphs
Before we begin, let's talk about how to reference literary works and characters in our essays.
Titles of shorter works - short stories, poems - are in quotation marks
Titles of longer works - novels, films, plays - are underlined
Names of Characters are always capitalized
Every body paragraph should have the following:
Statement / Topic Sentence
Evidence/Examples
Explanation
Conclusion / Topic Sentence
The topic sentence should be a more specific version of your thesis statement: one that relates to your chosen literary character or personal experience.
First, we will look at a body paragraph from a student version and break it down into its component parts.
To begin this process, answer the following:
1. What is the question for the essay?
2. Look at the introduction of the Proficient paper. What is the thesis statement?(the answer to the question)
3. Now look at the body paragraph. What is the topic sentence?
4. What is their evidence?
5. How do they conclude their paragraph?
Now, choose one of the questions from Monday's class and write a thesis statement(not a full introduction) and a body paragraph.
Thursday / Friday
Practice
Today we are going to practice beginning our essay. Here is how it will break down:
1. I will give you the topic.
2. You will have 10 minutes to brainstorm with a partner or group.
3. You will have 20 minutes to write out either
a. your brainstorming/outline
b. your introduction
c. your thesis statement and a body paragraph
How you choose to start is up to you. This will get you into the practice of beginning your essays and starting the writing process.
Topics
What is your opinion of the idea that respect is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that we must be prepared to respond to changing circumstances?
What is your opinion of the idea that hope is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that significant events can change in an individual’s perspective?
What is your opinion of the idea that courage is an important quality?
What is your opinion of the idea that a moment of crisis can have significant consequences?
What is your opinion of the idea that dangers we face may lie beyond our understanding?
What is your opinion of the idea that our values influence the choices we make?
What is your opinion of the idea that a particular experience can have a lasting influence on our lives?
For each of the following, identify one literary example that you can relate to this topic.
June 2013
What is your opinion of the idea that a single action can lead to significant change?
January 2013
What is your opinion of the idea that individual actions affect the lives of others?
June 2012
What is your opinion of the idea that our identity is shaped by difficult experiences?
January 2012
What is your opinion of the idea that the ability to face hardship is an essential human quality?
June 2011
What is your opinion of the idea that a particular experience can have a lasting influence on our lives?
January 2011
What is your opinion of the idea that our beliefs are influenced by the actions of others?
June 2010
What is your opinion of the idea that our values influence the choice we make?
January 2010
What is your opinion of the idea that the dangers we face may lie beyond our understanding?
June 2009
What is your opinion of the idea that a moment of crisis can have significant consequences?
January 2009
What is your opinion of the idea that courage is an important quality?
June 2008
What is your opinion of the idea that significant events can change an individual’s perspective?
January 2008
What is your opinion of the idea that hope is an important quality?
June 2007
What is your opinion of the idea that we must be prepared to respond to changing circumstances?
January 2007
What is your opinion of the idea that respect is an important quality?
June 2006
What is your opinion of the idea that our environment shapes our perceptions?
Jan 2006
What is your opinion of the idea that we often cannot know the consequences of our actions?
June 2005
What is your opinion of the idea that we are often unprepared to face the unexpected?
Jan 2005
What is your opinion of the idea that people need something that creates comfort and security in their lives?
June 2004
What is your opinion of the idea that all people reach a point in their lives where they must face the unknown?
Jan 2004
What is your opinion of the idea that people need to know that they are not alone?
Jan 2003
What is your opinion of the idea that being open to various possibilities allows for rewarding and enriching life experiences?
June 2003
What is your opinion of the idea that we discover passion and meaning when we are able to connect fully with things that are important?
Jan 2002
What is your opinion of the idea of being open-minded about the circumstances we encounter in our lives?
Jan 2001
What is your opinion of the idea that we gain personal satisfaction through genuine involvement?
June 2001
What is your opinion of the idea that we can make important contributions through even the most ordinary of tasks?
June 2000
What is your opinion of the idea that a single event can significantly alter the way we live our lives?
Jan 2000
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that knowing what is right for you and where you belong gives you the strength and power?
Jan 1999
What is your opinion of the idea that confronting our fears provides us with a sense of achievement?
June 1999
What is your opinion of the idea that certain people and experiences influence us in important ways?
June 1998
What is your opinion of the narrator’s idea about the power of “right” attitudes?
Jan 1997
What is your opinion of the idea that personal growth and confidence comes to those who can seek out a challenge or take a risk?
June 1997
What is your opinion of the idea that we are strongly motivation by the need to prove ourselves?
Jan 1996
What is your opinion of Jim Cormier’s belief that, in coping with great difficulty, people display the best sides of their character?
June 1996
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that, in real life, “our victories are almost always the ones we force alone”?
June 1995
What is your opinion of the narrator’s belief that choices, once made, must be followed through?
January 1994
What is your opinion of the idea that imagination can provide the inner strength people need to face difficult situations?
June 1994
What is your opinion of the idea that an intense desire for success can actually contribute to failure?
Jan 1993
What is your opinion of the idea that we are comforted and strengthened by recognizing the connection between ourselves and the world around us?
June 1993
Do you believe that we are more influenced by the approval or disapproval of others than by what we think of ourselves?
Jan 1992
What is your opinion of the idea that life is made meaningful by establishing ties with others?
June 1992
What is your opinion of the idea that achievement creates confidence and a sense of freedom?