English 9
This is the website for Mr. Chomistek's English 9 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 achieve the following outcomes:
PAT Practice Questions
PAT Practice Questions 2
This is the website for Mr. Chomistek's English 9 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 achieve the following outcomes:
PAT Practice Questions
PAT Practice Questions 2
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
Google Docs Tutorial
I would like documents called "lastnamefirstname assignmentname"
Short Story Unit
We will be working through our short story unit for the next month or so. We will be working through both content and form with these.
First, we will look at elements of plot and the short story in this powerpoint.
Here are some additional notes that we will refer back to:
Short Story Terminology
Narrative – a story
Setting – the physical and cultural environment in which a story takes place(time and location)
Plot – the plan of events in a story (phases of action)
*Conflict - The struggle between two forces. Without it there would be no plot
Types of conflict include:
-Person vs. Person
-Person vs. Self
-Person vs. Environment
Foreshadowing – hints of things to come
Narrator – the person telling the story
Dialogue - The actual speech of characters in the story / punctuated with quotation marks
Point of View - The events of a story told as they appear to one or more characters or Observers
- First person, third person, third person omniscient, third person limited
First Person Point of View - the narrator can be either a major or minor character in the story. The narrator uses pronouns such as “I, me, we, us”
Third Person Point of View – the narrator is an observer, not a participant. The third- person narrator does not use first-person pronouns such as I, me, my or our, except in dialogue.
Third Person Omniscient – Omniscient means all-knowing. A third person omniscient narrator reports what many of the characters are thinking and feeling.
Third Person Limited – this narrator will share the thoughts and feelings of only one character. Here the narrator limits the information to be shared with readers. Information that is withheld serves to create suspense
*Characterization – the development of the characters in a story Dynamic Character – undergoes change throughout the story
Static Character – a character who remains the same throughout the story
Protagonist - The central character in a story
Antagonist - The character / force in opposition of the protagonist
*Elements of a Plot Diagram
1. Exposition – the mood and conditions existing at the beginning of the story
Day 3
Today, we will look at characterization and the short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
The four types of characters we need to know are:
1. Dynamic- a character that undergoes a significant change
2. Static-a character that does not undergo a significant change
3. Round-a character that is complicated and many sided. Like a real person
4. Flat - a character that is simple to describe.
Please answer these questions.
1. How would you describe the main character? Give 3 traits.
2.How would you describe her husband? Give 2 traits.
3. What crime does she commit? How does she do it?
4. Why does she commit this crime?
5. What story does she try to tell the police?
6. What evidence is in the house when the police arrive? What happens to the evidence?
Day 4
Discussion of "Lamb to the Slaughter"
Irony and "The Monkey's Paw"
Irony is where something happens that is contrary to what is expected. Irony is done deliberately to be humorous or add depth to a story.
Examples:
A firehall burning down
High level athlete getting injured because of their clumsiness
There are three kinds:
Situational Irony - the standard type: where something happens that is contrary to what is expected
Dramatic Irony - where the audience is aware of something the audience is not
Verbal Irony - where what is said is opposite to what is meant. Sarcasm is verbal irony.
We will read "The Monkey's Paw"
How are the events in this story ironic?
Questions:
1. What are the conflicts in "The Monkey's Paw"? What types of conflict did you notice in this story?
2. How does W.W. Jacobs show character in "The Monkey's Paw?" Choose one character and describe them in detail.
4. Do you find the characters likable?
5. Does the story end the way you expected? Explain your answer
6. How important is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?
7. What is the message of the story? What themes are present?
Three Wishes Story Assignment:
Then, we will spend a few days writing our own short stories from the following prompt:
Imagine you got three wishes. What would you wish for? How would it change your life for the better? How would it change your life for the worse?
Brainstorming Day 1:
1. What grants the wishes?
2. Who is the wisher?
3. What are the wishes?
Brainstorming Day 2:
Fill out a plot diagram. You can see an example below:
Start writing.
Here is the rubric:
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
Google Docs Tutorial
I would like documents called "lastnamefirstname assignmentname"
Short Story Unit
We will be working through our short story unit for the next month or so. We will be working through both content and form with these.
First, we will look at elements of plot and the short story in this powerpoint.
Here are some additional notes that we will refer back to:
Short Story Terminology
Narrative – a story
Setting – the physical and cultural environment in which a story takes place(time and location)
Plot – the plan of events in a story (phases of action)
*Conflict - The struggle between two forces. Without it there would be no plot
Types of conflict include:
-Person vs. Person
-Person vs. Self
-Person vs. Environment
Foreshadowing – hints of things to come
Narrator – the person telling the story
Dialogue - The actual speech of characters in the story / punctuated with quotation marks
Point of View - The events of a story told as they appear to one or more characters or Observers
- First person, third person, third person omniscient, third person limited
First Person Point of View - the narrator can be either a major or minor character in the story. The narrator uses pronouns such as “I, me, we, us”
Third Person Point of View – the narrator is an observer, not a participant. The third- person narrator does not use first-person pronouns such as I, me, my or our, except in dialogue.
Third Person Omniscient – Omniscient means all-knowing. A third person omniscient narrator reports what many of the characters are thinking and feeling.
Third Person Limited – this narrator will share the thoughts and feelings of only one character. Here the narrator limits the information to be shared with readers. Information that is withheld serves to create suspense
*Characterization – the development of the characters in a story Dynamic Character – undergoes change throughout the story
Static Character – a character who remains the same throughout the story
Protagonist - The central character in a story
Antagonist - The character / force in opposition of the protagonist
- – A classic story would have a hero (protagonist) and a villain (antagonist)
- – However, if the story is told from the point of view of the villain, he/she
then becomes the protagonist and the hero the antagonist
- – Often the story’s characters are not always easily classified and often the antagonist becomes the character, group or force in opposition to the main character
*Theme – the central idea or issue that the text is communicating to the audience. This is not a moral, rather an insightful truth about human existence.
Ex.
*In Disney’s Finding Nemo the central theme would be the power of the family bond and its ability to inspire tremendous courage.
*The themes in Lord of the Flies include survival, fear, civilization vs. savagery, betrayal and the journey from childhood to adolescence.
*Mood - the dominant feeling or atmosphere of a work, created through the author’s choice of words and details.
*Elements of a Plot Diagram
1. Exposition – the mood and conditions existing at the beginning of the story
- - Setting identified
- - Main characters introduced
- - Initial conflict introduced – “hooks” the reader
2. Rising Action - The series of events, conflicts, and crises in the story that lead up to the climax, providing the progressive intensity, and complicate the conflict.
3. Climax - The turning point of the story. A crucial event takes place and from this point forward, the main character moves toward his inevitable end. The event may be either an action or a mental decision that the character makes.
4. Falling Action - The events occurring from the time of the climax to the end of the story. The main character may encounter more conflicts in this part of the story, but the end is inevitable.
5. Resolution - The tying up of loose ends and all of the threads in the story. The conclusion. The hero character either emerges triumphant or is defeated at this point.
Day 3
Today, we will look at characterization and the short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
The four types of characters we need to know are:
1. Dynamic- a character that undergoes a significant change
2. Static-a character that does not undergo a significant change
3. Round-a character that is complicated and many sided. Like a real person
4. Flat - a character that is simple to describe.
Please answer these questions.
1. How would you describe the main character? Give 3 traits.
2.How would you describe her husband? Give 2 traits.
3. What crime does she commit? How does she do it?
4. Why does she commit this crime?
5. What story does she try to tell the police?
6. What evidence is in the house when the police arrive? What happens to the evidence?
Day 4
Discussion of "Lamb to the Slaughter"
Irony and "The Monkey's Paw"
Irony is where something happens that is contrary to what is expected. Irony is done deliberately to be humorous or add depth to a story.
Examples:
A firehall burning down
High level athlete getting injured because of their clumsiness
There are three kinds:
Situational Irony - the standard type: where something happens that is contrary to what is expected
Dramatic Irony - where the audience is aware of something the audience is not
Verbal Irony - where what is said is opposite to what is meant. Sarcasm is verbal irony.
We will read "The Monkey's Paw"
How are the events in this story ironic?
Questions:
1. What are the conflicts in "The Monkey's Paw"? What types of conflict did you notice in this story?
2. How does W.W. Jacobs show character in "The Monkey's Paw?" Choose one character and describe them in detail.
4. Do you find the characters likable?
5. Does the story end the way you expected? Explain your answer
6. How important is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?
7. What is the message of the story? What themes are present?
Three Wishes Story Assignment:
Then, we will spend a few days writing our own short stories from the following prompt:
Imagine you got three wishes. What would you wish for? How would it change your life for the better? How would it change your life for the worse?
Brainstorming Day 1:
1. What grants the wishes?
2. Who is the wisher?
3. What are the wishes?
Brainstorming Day 2:
Fill out a plot diagram. You can see an example below:
Start writing.
Here is the rubric:
The Most Dangerous Game
Today, we will read through this short(ish) story.
Then, we will answer these questions:
1. What is meant by the following words?
a) Palpable
b) Righteous
c) Recoil
d) Condone
e) Indolently
2. What does the author mean by these phrases?
a) "He lived a year in a minute."
b) "I am still a beast at bay."
3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island?
4. If Rainsford wins the hunt what does Zaroff promise him?
5. What happened to Lazarus?
6. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt?
7. Write a description of Rainsford.
8. What experience of hunting has Rainsford had?
9.Describe Zaroff's mansion.
10. Draw a map of Ship-Trap island as described in the story.
11. How does Zaroff stock his island with 'game'?
12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story?
13. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man?
14. Do you agree that hunting is the 'best sport in the world'?
15. Why has Zaroff chosen an island for his sport?
16. Do you think Rainsford's attitude towards hunting changes through the story? Explain your answer.
Then, we will be working on a graphic novel/Dr. Seuss version of it.
Here is the rubric.
Here are some examples of what comics can look like. You can choose to adopt this style or create your own.
X Men:
Today, we will read through this short(ish) story.
Then, we will answer these questions:
1. What is meant by the following words?
a) Palpable
b) Righteous
c) Recoil
d) Condone
e) Indolently
2. What does the author mean by these phrases?
a) "He lived a year in a minute."
b) "I am still a beast at bay."
3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island?
4. If Rainsford wins the hunt what does Zaroff promise him?
5. What happened to Lazarus?
6. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt?
7. Write a description of Rainsford.
8. What experience of hunting has Rainsford had?
9.Describe Zaroff's mansion.
10. Draw a map of Ship-Trap island as described in the story.
11. How does Zaroff stock his island with 'game'?
12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story?
13. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man?
14. Do you agree that hunting is the 'best sport in the world'?
15. Why has Zaroff chosen an island for his sport?
16. Do you think Rainsford's attitude towards hunting changes through the story? Explain your answer.
Then, we will be working on a graphic novel/Dr. Seuss version of it.
Here is the rubric.
Here are some examples of what comics can look like. You can choose to adopt this style or create your own.
X Men:
Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Louis Riel, by Chester Brown
The Underwater Welder, by Jeff Lemire
If you are doing a Dr. Seuss version, it will need to rhyme and be illustrated. Keep in mind, the illustrations can be simple.
Tribes Novel Study
We will spend the next few weeks reading the novel, Tribes by Arthur Slade.
Today we will get the textbooks.
Our first activity will be a quick research project into the following questions. Make a presentation that answers the following questions:
1. What is an anthropologist?
2. What do they study?
3. Who is a famous anthropologist?
4. What did they discover? What was their main contribution to science?
5. Why is the work of anthropologists important?
Keep the following considerations in mind for your assignment:
-include at least 5 pictures
-do not copy and paste your answers. Summarize your findings in your own words.
-keep a references list. On your final page, include all of the websites you used for your research
-Question 5 is your opinion. Do not look up an answer for this.
We will read through and discuss the Prologue to Chapter 3.
Prologue:
1. What happened to Percy's father?
2. What was Percy's father's job?
Second Prologue:
1. Who is Percy named after?
2. Describe Percy's physical appearance.
Chapter 1:
1. How does the Chapter begin? Why do you believe the author begins the chapter in this way?
2. Who is Justin? What is occurring in his interaction with Percy?
3. What tribes are mentioned in this chapter?
4. How would you describe how Percy speaks?
5. What happens to Willard Spokes?
6. Who calls Percy over at the end of the chapter?
Please answer two of the following in a short paragraph(4-6 sentences)
1. When Percival Montmount Jr.'s father died in the Congo he was buried standing up facing the sunrise. This was the custom of the pygmies. How is this different from funeral customs in Canada or in other parts of the world?
2. Percy describes a tribe venturing westward toward the barren Canadian prairie. One such tribe named a town after the tasty purple berry that was found by the river. It was a Cree word Missask-quah-toomina. This name lent itself to the current city called Saskatoon. Research the origin of your town or city's name.
3. Percy describes different tribes present in his high school (Jock Tribe, Busybody Tribe, Logo Tribe, Digerati Tribe, Lipstick/ Hairspray Tribe, Gee-the-Seventies-Were-Great-Even-Though-I- Wasn't-Born-Yet Tribe, Hockey Tribe, Smile Tribe, Born-Again Tribe, Denture Tribe, Smoker Tribe, Skateboarder Tribe, Teacher Tribe, Highway Tribe, Necking Tribe, Cool and Detached Tribe, and the Quasi-omniscient Observers). We sometimes refer to these as "cliques". What are the dangers of stereotyping people into these groups?
4. "The gifted are often shunned by lesser intellects". What does Percy mean by this? How does it relate to his situation?
5. Assimilation is the process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture. Give an example of how cultures have been assimilated in Canada.
6. Gandhi believed in passive resistance. This meant he believed in nonviolence to solve problems . Karmina recognized Gandhi's beliefs when discussing fighting with Percy, "nonviolence is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction." Do you agree? Why or why not?
Chapter 4-7 Activity:
In paragraphs of 3-5 sentences.
1. One of the traditions that is celebrated in many families at Thanksgiving and Christmas is the "breaking of the wishbone" of the turkey. By gripping the bone with the baby finger two people challenge each other to see who is the winner. This is a tradition alluded to by Percy. This tradition was passed on from the Etruscans, through the Romans, the British, and onto us to pass on. What other traditions do you celebrate with your family and what is the origin of these traditions?
2. Percy's family believes in cleansing their body and soul in sweat lodges. Saunas vary in different cultures such as Mediterranean, Roman, Native American, Finnish, and Russian. Research the history of sweat lodges and see how they differ.
3. Elissa raises the issue of inequity of child labour and of name brand use in schools, "did you know a guy in Arizona was kicked out of school for wearing a Pepsi shirt on Coke day?... (page 32) Meanwhile students toddle around in shoes made by Third World children enslaved in factories and no one makes a peep. There's no logic to the educational system." It is often debated that name brands and commercialism have no place in schools. We see advertising on score clocks donated by soda companies for sole use of their product in the school. We also see schools opting for school uniforms to eliminate name brand wars and bullying over clothing. What are your thoughts on these issues?
4. Rituals can be defined as set or expected routines or "A ceremonial act or a series of such acts" (dictionary.com). Percy describes Graduation as a ritual and lists some of the specifics involved in this ritual. Describe the graduation rituals in your school. What other "rituals" go on in your school or community?
5. Percy said Principal Michaels was considering flying the school flag at half mast out of respect for Willard (page 35). In 1612 the first half-mast flag in Canada was flown. Why are flags flown at half-mast? Consider other symbolic ways flags are flown such as upside down, lower than others, etc. Research other pertinent information about your country or another country's flag.
Vocabulary Activity!
We will read chapters 8-11 in the next couple of days. We will, however take short reading breaks to work on a vocabulary activity.
Percy has a sophisticated vocabulary. For the following words, find their definition and use them in a sentence:
1. affidavit
2. cornucopia
3. disgorged
4. emblazoned
5. forage
6. intone
7. invariably
8. jovial
9. motif
10. mutation
11. oblivion
12. palpitate
13. procure
14. subside
15. tome
16. turmoil
17. voracious
18 affluent
19. agitation
20. arcane
21. ascertain
22. cavorting
23. copasetic
24. embark
25. emanated
26. ethereal
27. inevitable
28. inexorably
29. nonchalantly
30. proffered
Chapter 12-13
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each.
When Percy saw Delmar Brass playing the bagpipes he was amazed how two distinct cultures were present in one person. He told himself there was a lesson in this beauty: "never make assumptions. Rely on observation, then make a conclusion." Describe a situation where you assumed something about a person based on their religion, culture, age, or gender. Or, you can describe a situation where people assumed something about you based on your religion, culture, age, or gender, and how it affected you.
Chapter 14-16
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each:
In this chapter Percy and Elissa have a fight. It seems that, at times, they don't completely understand each other. Write about a time when you have had a disagreement or a fight with a friend. What happened? What was the cause of the fight? Were you able to resolve it? How was the fight resolved?
Chapters 17-the end of the novel
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each:
In these chapters, Percy experiences a huge, life changing surprise. Have you ever experienced a surprise or a shock that had a large impact on your life? This can be positive or negative. How did this change affect you? How does it impact your identity?
Tribes Final Project
Choose one of the following projects to demonstrate your understanding of the novel:
1. Create a word and/or picture collage representing the entire novel (main characters, major events, turning point, etc.). This must be done on a large sheet of drawing paper or poster board (8” x 11” paper is too small). This must be accompanied by a 1 page written explanation of why you selected the certain words and/or pictures. This must be neat and aesthetically pleasing.
2. Create a newspaper about the entire novel that includes such things as classified ads, obituaries, news items, sports articles, cartoons, etc.
3. Create a board game in which the game pieces represent the characters and the board shows the plot sequence/main events of the entire novel. This must include rules and be “playable”. You might want to consider games like Life, Monopoly, Clue, or Taboo.
4. Re-write the entire novel in comic book form. You should remain true to any physical or setting descriptions.
5. Keep a diary from a main character’s point of view (your gender doesn’t matter). This should include her/his thoughts & feelings, actions, and significant events from the entire novel.
6. Write a series of letters that 2 main characters in the novel might have written to one another during the course of the entire novel.
7. Create a Power Point Presentation/Book Report. This should include minimum of 15 slides, which have clipart, animations, & sounds. The following information must be included: title, author, main characters, minor characters, protagonist(s), antagonist(s), setting, conflict, 3 major events, conflict, & resolution. You will present the presentation to the class.
8. Make a movie about the events from the novel. You may choose to do a series of chapters, or try to encapsulate the most important scenes from the entire novel(I suggest the first option)
Project Rubric
Poetry Unit
Day 21
Poetry!
Today we will begin our study of Poetry, using the TFTASTI Method.
TFTASTI Handout
TFTASTI Student Copy
This method will help you analyze the poems we will cover in this class. I will be making student copies available throughout this unit.
New Concept:
Imagery:
Imagery is any language is a poem that appeals to one or more of the five senses. Those five senses are:
1. Sight * the most frequent one
2. Touch
3. Hearing
4. Smell
5. Taste
After doing TFTASTI for "The Cremation of Sam Mcgee" the students will find:
7 examples of imagery from the poem.
Only 1 can be sight
For each, you must also explain what sense it appeals to.
Day 23
New Concepts:
Simile-any comparison of two things using as, like, or than.
ex. The dog's eyes were as blue as the ocean.
Metaphor-a comparison of two things not using as, like, or than. A direct comparison.
ex. He was a warrior on the football field.
Today, we will read "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. 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.
This week, we will take a time out to do a film study based on the film, "Super 8." It has thematic ties to "Tribes."
Here is the powerpoint on film techniques.
Your assignment is:
Write a two paragraph response to the following prompt:
The main characters in both 'Tribes' and 'Super 8' are outcasts with an obsession, namely film and models in 'Super 8' and anthropology in 'Tribes.' In addition, the main character in both have a family trauma in their past. How do their obsessions and family trauma affect them? How do these factors change the telling of the story?
Day 24
Rhyme Scheme
Today, we will read and listen to "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
Here is the text of the poem:
We will TF-TASTI the poem, and analyze the rhyme scheme of the first two pages.
Day 25-28
Poetry Project
Day 29 - Non Fiction Unit
We will be studying non-fiction for the next two weeks. We will be looking at a number of non fiction articles. When we look at non fiction, we have to ask ourselves the following:
1. What are the biases present?
2. What is the purpose of the article?
3. What format is being used?
4. What is the message?
5. Who might disagree with the message?
Today, we will look at a news articles and ask these questions. First, however, we will look at bias.
Bias is defined as "prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair."
Bias can be overt(very obvious) or subtle(less obvious). It is nearly impossible to write without bias. Everyone and every author has a multitude of life experiences that shape their opinion one way or the other. To express oneself without having any bias present is nearly impossible.
CBC Article about Ferguson
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Crash Course Big History Video
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Radiolab: <kg
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Travelling Teaches Students in a Way School Can't
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Film Study
First, we will discuss character types and development in films.
Many films use a variety of techniques to explain their characters. They can do this in one of five ways:
Narration - this is the simplest. This is where the narrator simply describes the character and their traits.
The character's actions - where the character reveals something about themselves in how they act
The character's speech - where the character reveals something about themselves in what they say
Other character's actions - where we learn something about the character in how others act around them
Other character's speech - where we learn something about the character in what others say about them
Assignment: Choose two of the characters and write a paragraph(8-10 sentences) describing their traits. You must choose at least four traits(in total, so two each) and describe which of the techniques above is used to demonstrate each of these traits. You will be getting a visual response mark for this, as well as a written response mark.
Film Question
Choose one of the characters from "The Princess Bride" and identify three of their traits. Give examples of evidence of each of these traits from the film.(5-8 sentences)
3 Minute Film Festival!
For the next three weeks, we will be working on this. Here is the idea.
In groups, you will be creating a three minute(maximum) film. At the end of the unit, we will be showcasing this to a panel of judges and a winner will be announced.(There will be prizes)
Do not shoot vertically!
However, good films do not just come out of the ether. There is careful planning required and we will be going through the following steps:
1. Choose your crew/cast(5 maximum)
2. Come up with a plot/concept
3. Write your script
4. Make your storyboards
5. Film
6. Edit
Before we move into final edits, I will show you a variety of different films that show different editing techniques:
The Bourne Ultimatum
Touch of Evil
CSI
Lord of the Rings
The Fog of War
Bullying PSA
Music Video - Weapon of Choice
Music Video - Fell in Love with a Girl
Music Video - Hardest Button to Button
We will spend the next few weeks reading the novel, Tribes by Arthur Slade.
Today we will get the textbooks.
Our first activity will be a quick research project into the following questions. Make a presentation that answers the following questions:
1. What is an anthropologist?
2. What do they study?
3. Who is a famous anthropologist?
4. What did they discover? What was their main contribution to science?
5. Why is the work of anthropologists important?
Keep the following considerations in mind for your assignment:
-include at least 5 pictures
-do not copy and paste your answers. Summarize your findings in your own words.
-keep a references list. On your final page, include all of the websites you used for your research
-Question 5 is your opinion. Do not look up an answer for this.
We will read through and discuss the Prologue to Chapter 3.
Prologue:
1. What happened to Percy's father?
2. What was Percy's father's job?
Second Prologue:
1. Who is Percy named after?
2. Describe Percy's physical appearance.
Chapter 1:
1. How does the Chapter begin? Why do you believe the author begins the chapter in this way?
2. Who is Justin? What is occurring in his interaction with Percy?
3. What tribes are mentioned in this chapter?
4. How would you describe how Percy speaks?
5. What happens to Willard Spokes?
6. Who calls Percy over at the end of the chapter?
Please answer two of the following in a short paragraph(4-6 sentences)
1. When Percival Montmount Jr.'s father died in the Congo he was buried standing up facing the sunrise. This was the custom of the pygmies. How is this different from funeral customs in Canada or in other parts of the world?
2. Percy describes a tribe venturing westward toward the barren Canadian prairie. One such tribe named a town after the tasty purple berry that was found by the river. It was a Cree word Missask-quah-toomina. This name lent itself to the current city called Saskatoon. Research the origin of your town or city's name.
3. Percy describes different tribes present in his high school (Jock Tribe, Busybody Tribe, Logo Tribe, Digerati Tribe, Lipstick/ Hairspray Tribe, Gee-the-Seventies-Were-Great-Even-Though-I- Wasn't-Born-Yet Tribe, Hockey Tribe, Smile Tribe, Born-Again Tribe, Denture Tribe, Smoker Tribe, Skateboarder Tribe, Teacher Tribe, Highway Tribe, Necking Tribe, Cool and Detached Tribe, and the Quasi-omniscient Observers). We sometimes refer to these as "cliques". What are the dangers of stereotyping people into these groups?
4. "The gifted are often shunned by lesser intellects". What does Percy mean by this? How does it relate to his situation?
5. Assimilation is the process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture. Give an example of how cultures have been assimilated in Canada.
6. Gandhi believed in passive resistance. This meant he believed in nonviolence to solve problems . Karmina recognized Gandhi's beliefs when discussing fighting with Percy, "nonviolence is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction." Do you agree? Why or why not?
Chapter 4-7 Activity:
In paragraphs of 3-5 sentences.
1. One of the traditions that is celebrated in many families at Thanksgiving and Christmas is the "breaking of the wishbone" of the turkey. By gripping the bone with the baby finger two people challenge each other to see who is the winner. This is a tradition alluded to by Percy. This tradition was passed on from the Etruscans, through the Romans, the British, and onto us to pass on. What other traditions do you celebrate with your family and what is the origin of these traditions?
2. Percy's family believes in cleansing their body and soul in sweat lodges. Saunas vary in different cultures such as Mediterranean, Roman, Native American, Finnish, and Russian. Research the history of sweat lodges and see how they differ.
3. Elissa raises the issue of inequity of child labour and of name brand use in schools, "did you know a guy in Arizona was kicked out of school for wearing a Pepsi shirt on Coke day?... (page 32) Meanwhile students toddle around in shoes made by Third World children enslaved in factories and no one makes a peep. There's no logic to the educational system." It is often debated that name brands and commercialism have no place in schools. We see advertising on score clocks donated by soda companies for sole use of their product in the school. We also see schools opting for school uniforms to eliminate name brand wars and bullying over clothing. What are your thoughts on these issues?
4. Rituals can be defined as set or expected routines or "A ceremonial act or a series of such acts" (dictionary.com). Percy describes Graduation as a ritual and lists some of the specifics involved in this ritual. Describe the graduation rituals in your school. What other "rituals" go on in your school or community?
5. Percy said Principal Michaels was considering flying the school flag at half mast out of respect for Willard (page 35). In 1612 the first half-mast flag in Canada was flown. Why are flags flown at half-mast? Consider other symbolic ways flags are flown such as upside down, lower than others, etc. Research other pertinent information about your country or another country's flag.
Vocabulary Activity!
We will read chapters 8-11 in the next couple of days. We will, however take short reading breaks to work on a vocabulary activity.
Percy has a sophisticated vocabulary. For the following words, find their definition and use them in a sentence:
1. affidavit
2. cornucopia
3. disgorged
4. emblazoned
5. forage
6. intone
7. invariably
8. jovial
9. motif
10. mutation
11. oblivion
12. palpitate
13. procure
14. subside
15. tome
16. turmoil
17. voracious
18 affluent
19. agitation
20. arcane
21. ascertain
22. cavorting
23. copasetic
24. embark
25. emanated
26. ethereal
27. inevitable
28. inexorably
29. nonchalantly
30. proffered
Chapter 12-13
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each.
When Percy saw Delmar Brass playing the bagpipes he was amazed how two distinct cultures were present in one person. He told himself there was a lesson in this beauty: "never make assumptions. Rely on observation, then make a conclusion." Describe a situation where you assumed something about a person based on their religion, culture, age, or gender. Or, you can describe a situation where people assumed something about you based on your religion, culture, age, or gender, and how it affected you.
Chapter 14-16
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each:
In this chapter Percy and Elissa have a fight. It seems that, at times, they don't completely understand each other. Write about a time when you have had a disagreement or a fight with a friend. What happened? What was the cause of the fight? Were you able to resolve it? How was the fight resolved?
Chapters 17-the end of the novel
Answer the following prompt in two paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each:
In these chapters, Percy experiences a huge, life changing surprise. Have you ever experienced a surprise or a shock that had a large impact on your life? This can be positive or negative. How did this change affect you? How does it impact your identity?
Tribes Final Project
Choose one of the following projects to demonstrate your understanding of the novel:
1. Create a word and/or picture collage representing the entire novel (main characters, major events, turning point, etc.). This must be done on a large sheet of drawing paper or poster board (8” x 11” paper is too small). This must be accompanied by a 1 page written explanation of why you selected the certain words and/or pictures. This must be neat and aesthetically pleasing.
2. Create a newspaper about the entire novel that includes such things as classified ads, obituaries, news items, sports articles, cartoons, etc.
3. Create a board game in which the game pieces represent the characters and the board shows the plot sequence/main events of the entire novel. This must include rules and be “playable”. You might want to consider games like Life, Monopoly, Clue, or Taboo.
4. Re-write the entire novel in comic book form. You should remain true to any physical or setting descriptions.
5. Keep a diary from a main character’s point of view (your gender doesn’t matter). This should include her/his thoughts & feelings, actions, and significant events from the entire novel.
6. Write a series of letters that 2 main characters in the novel might have written to one another during the course of the entire novel.
7. Create a Power Point Presentation/Book Report. This should include minimum of 15 slides, which have clipart, animations, & sounds. The following information must be included: title, author, main characters, minor characters, protagonist(s), antagonist(s), setting, conflict, 3 major events, conflict, & resolution. You will present the presentation to the class.
8. Make a movie about the events from the novel. You may choose to do a series of chapters, or try to encapsulate the most important scenes from the entire novel(I suggest the first option)
Project Rubric
Poetry Unit
Day 21
Poetry!
Today we will begin our study of Poetry, using the TFTASTI Method.
TFTASTI Handout
TFTASTI Student Copy
This method will help you analyze the poems we will cover in this class. I will be making student copies available throughout this unit.
New Concept:
Imagery:
Imagery is any language is a poem that appeals to one or more of the five senses. Those five senses are:
1. Sight * the most frequent one
2. Touch
3. Hearing
4. Smell
5. Taste
After doing TFTASTI for "The Cremation of Sam Mcgee" the students will find:
7 examples of imagery from the poem.
Only 1 can be sight
For each, you must also explain what sense it appeals to.
Day 23
New Concepts:
Simile-any comparison of two things using as, like, or than.
ex. The dog's eyes were as blue as the ocean.
Metaphor-a comparison of two things not using as, like, or than. A direct comparison.
ex. He was a warrior on the football field.
Today, we will read "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. 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.
This week, we will take a time out to do a film study based on the film, "Super 8." It has thematic ties to "Tribes."
Here is the powerpoint on film techniques.
Your assignment is:
Write a two paragraph response to the following prompt:
The main characters in both 'Tribes' and 'Super 8' are outcasts with an obsession, namely film and models in 'Super 8' and anthropology in 'Tribes.' In addition, the main character in both have a family trauma in their past. How do their obsessions and family trauma affect them? How do these factors change the telling of the story?
Day 24
Rhyme Scheme
Today, we will read and listen to "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
Here is the text of the poem:
We will TF-TASTI the poem, and analyze the rhyme scheme of the first two pages.
Day 25-28
Poetry Project
Day 29 - Non Fiction Unit
We will be studying non-fiction for the next two weeks. We will be looking at a number of non fiction articles. When we look at non fiction, we have to ask ourselves the following:
1. What are the biases present?
2. What is the purpose of the article?
3. What format is being used?
4. What is the message?
5. Who might disagree with the message?
Today, we will look at a news articles and ask these questions. First, however, we will look at bias.
Bias is defined as "prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair."
Bias can be overt(very obvious) or subtle(less obvious). It is nearly impossible to write without bias. Everyone and every author has a multitude of life experiences that shape their opinion one way or the other. To express oneself without having any bias present is nearly impossible.
CBC Article about Ferguson
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Crash Course Big History Video
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Radiolab: <kg
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Travelling Teaches Students in a Way School Can't
Content Questions:
5 W's
1. Who is the article written by?
2. Who is the article about?
3. Where is the article taking place? What setting is the article about?
4. When is the topic of the article taking place? When is the article written?
5. What is the article discussing? Summarize it in five sentences.
6. Why is the article written? What is the author's purpose?
In Depth Questions
7. What are the biases present?
8. What is the purpose of the article?
9. What format is being used?
10. What is the message?
11. Who might disagree with the message?
Film Study
First, we will discuss character types and development in films.
Many films use a variety of techniques to explain their characters. They can do this in one of five ways:
Narration - this is the simplest. This is where the narrator simply describes the character and their traits.
The character's actions - where the character reveals something about themselves in how they act
The character's speech - where the character reveals something about themselves in what they say
Other character's actions - where we learn something about the character in how others act around them
Other character's speech - where we learn something about the character in what others say about them
Assignment: Choose two of the characters and write a paragraph(8-10 sentences) describing their traits. You must choose at least four traits(in total, so two each) and describe which of the techniques above is used to demonstrate each of these traits. You will be getting a visual response mark for this, as well as a written response mark.
Film Question
Choose one of the characters from "The Princess Bride" and identify three of their traits. Give examples of evidence of each of these traits from the film.(5-8 sentences)
3 Minute Film Festival!
For the next three weeks, we will be working on this. Here is the idea.
In groups, you will be creating a three minute(maximum) film. At the end of the unit, we will be showcasing this to a panel of judges and a winner will be announced.(There will be prizes)
Do not shoot vertically!
However, good films do not just come out of the ether. There is careful planning required and we will be going through the following steps:
1. Choose your crew/cast(5 maximum)
2. Come up with a plot/concept
3. Write your script
4. Make your storyboards
5. Film
6. Edit
Before we move into final edits, I will show you a variety of different films that show different editing techniques:
The Bourne Ultimatum
Touch of Evil
CSI
Lord of the Rings
The Fog of War
Bullying PSA
Music Video - Weapon of Choice
Music Video - Fell in Love with a Girl
Music Video - Hardest Button to Button
Film Rubric
Business Letters
We will spend some time attending to format for business letters.
Here is the format.
Here is your assignment and an example.
Here is the rubric.
Research Project
This week, we will be engaging in a research project.
Here is the rubric.
Here is your assignment:
You will be completing a research project on a person. They could be someone from your family, a historical figure, a celebrity, an athlete. Anyone, really. This project will have four stages:
1. Ideation(1 day)
2. Research(2-3 days)
3. Written Report(2 days)
4. Multimedia Presentation(2 days)
Stage 1 - Ideation
This is where you choose who you will be researching. I will give you the entire class to decide, but you must have chosen by the end of today's class. We will go over who some interesting choices could be.
Stage 2 - Research
We will be discussing what good research consists of. For this project, you must have research from five different sources.
One of them must be a primary source(direct quote, interview, journal entry)
Only one can be wikipedia(I will show how to look where wikipedia gets their information)
One must be a multimedia file(video, sound, news article)
Stage 3 - Written Report
We will be writing our written reports today. This will accompany your final project. It must be at least four pages, double spaced, and include the following headings:
1. Introduction
2. Family
3. School
4. Accomplishments
You must include a bibliography.
You may include other headings. That is up to you.
Written Response Rubric
Stage 4 - Multimedia Presentations
We will be starting our presentations today. You may use Prezi, Powerpoint or any other program you like to get across the information. Remember, this should be a summary of your written response.
Visual Assignment Rubric
Stage 5 - Presentations to the class
You will be making a presentation to the class. Your presentation can include your multimedia presentation, but does not have to. Your presentations should be around 5 minutes long(anywhere from 4:30-5:30 is fine).
Oral Presentation Rubric
Guided Reading Unit
As we read through these literary works, we are going to incorporate some reading comprehension strategies:
1. Predict - based on the title, and then at a few points thoughout, make predictions about what is to occur next or what the ending will be.
2. Visualize - try to get a picture in your head about what is occurring. Be specific when you build the environment.
3. Question - try to think of why characters do what they do or why things are why they are in the story. Ask yourself questions that intrigue you.
4. Evaluate - do you like this story? What makes it good or bad? What could make it better.
Try to do all of these as you go through the story.
A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
These questions require that you take a second look at the story.
1. __________________ is the name of the character who wants to hunt.
2. The hunter wants to specifically hunt _____________________.
3. Fill in the blanks:
Time ___________ Inc.
Safaris to any
_______ in the ______
You name the __________.
We take you __________.
You __________ it.
4. It costs $___________________ to go on this safari.
5. The clerk behind the desk wants to scare the hunter out of hunting because _________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________.
6. How does the author show time passing by? ___________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
7. How many men went on the safari? ________
8. The men tell the hunter NOT to step off the _________________________.
9. What could happen if the hunter does not follow directions? _____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What animal does Travis use in his example to prove his point to the hunter? ________________________
11. The animals are marked with _____________________________.
12. How are the animals chosen? ______________________________________________________________
13. What do the hunters hear specifically in the jungle? ___________________________________________
14. What happens to the hunter as he is presented with his prey? ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. What does the hunter do that he does not at first notice? _______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Flip Page Over)
16. ______________________________ is president when the story begins, but ________________________ is president when the story ends.
17. Why does Travis want to kill the hunter? _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
18. What does the hunter offer to do? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
19. What is different about the sign upon their return? ____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
20. What can you infer happens to the hunter at the end of the story? ________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
What If?(A Non-Fiction Work)
1. What does the author compare the speed of 1 foot per second to?
2. What building had a spire that was originally designed to moor baloons?
3. What is another word for moor?
-fly?
-burst?
-dock?
-destroy?
4. What country has the leading experts on freezing to death?
5. What is the name of the height at which there is not enough air for a human to survive?
6. Whose remains were placed in the New Horizons spacecraft?
The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost
1. What does the speaker of the poem do while traveling into the woods?
2. How does the speaker say that he feels because he cannot take both roads?
3. What are the differences between the two roads?
4. Where is the author standing while making his choice?
5. Knowing he has to make a choice, what choice does the speaker choose?
6. Looking at the last 3 lines of the poem, do you think the speaker feels that he made the right decision? Support your answer.
7. Do you think that he had to make a difficult decision? Find evidence to support the idea that he struggled with this decision.
8. Why does the author use 'roads' as a symbol for decisions in our lives?
9. Frost says he will probably never go back to the other road. What advice might the speaker give about looking back?
The Interlopers
1. Explain the cause of the feud between the families of Ulrich von Gladwitz and Georg Znaeym.
2. What brought the two men out into the disputed territory that night? What happened to them?
3. Why was Ulrich not able to shoot at his enemy?
4. At first, how did the two behave toward each other? Why? What threats did they make to one another? What was the truth behind their threats?
5. What did Ulrich tell Georg? What do you think prompted this change of heart?
6. How did Georg respond? Why do you think he had a similar change of heart?
7. Why did each man hope that his friends would be the first to arrive to rescue them?
8. In the end, what was surrounding the two trapped men?
9. What do you think happened to them? Why? How could this be considered ironic? Why do you think the author chose to end the story this way?
10. Below, in one paragraph, explain the points that the author is making about hatred, friendship, and forgiveness. Use examples from the story.
The End of Calvin and Hobbes
1. Who wrote the Calvin and Hobbes comics?
2. Find one simile in this passage.
3.What does the author say are the 'real subject' of the comic strip? Why does he say this is the case?
4. Identify three aspects of Calvin's imagination.
5. What two things are Calvin 'hopeless' at?
6. Define nostalgia.
7. What is the purpose of the article?
Business Letters
We will spend some time attending to format for business letters.
Here is the format.
Here is your assignment and an example.
Here is the rubric.
Research Project
This week, we will be engaging in a research project.
Here is the rubric.
Here is your assignment:
You will be completing a research project on a person. They could be someone from your family, a historical figure, a celebrity, an athlete. Anyone, really. This project will have four stages:
1. Ideation(1 day)
2. Research(2-3 days)
3. Written Report(2 days)
4. Multimedia Presentation(2 days)
Stage 1 - Ideation
This is where you choose who you will be researching. I will give you the entire class to decide, but you must have chosen by the end of today's class. We will go over who some interesting choices could be.
Stage 2 - Research
We will be discussing what good research consists of. For this project, you must have research from five different sources.
One of them must be a primary source(direct quote, interview, journal entry)
Only one can be wikipedia(I will show how to look where wikipedia gets their information)
One must be a multimedia file(video, sound, news article)
Stage 3 - Written Report
We will be writing our written reports today. This will accompany your final project. It must be at least four pages, double spaced, and include the following headings:
1. Introduction
2. Family
3. School
4. Accomplishments
You must include a bibliography.
You may include other headings. That is up to you.
Written Response Rubric
Stage 4 - Multimedia Presentations
We will be starting our presentations today. You may use Prezi, Powerpoint or any other program you like to get across the information. Remember, this should be a summary of your written response.
Visual Assignment Rubric
Stage 5 - Presentations to the class
You will be making a presentation to the class. Your presentation can include your multimedia presentation, but does not have to. Your presentations should be around 5 minutes long(anywhere from 4:30-5:30 is fine).
Oral Presentation Rubric
Guided Reading Unit
As we read through these literary works, we are going to incorporate some reading comprehension strategies:
1. Predict - based on the title, and then at a few points thoughout, make predictions about what is to occur next or what the ending will be.
2. Visualize - try to get a picture in your head about what is occurring. Be specific when you build the environment.
3. Question - try to think of why characters do what they do or why things are why they are in the story. Ask yourself questions that intrigue you.
4. Evaluate - do you like this story? What makes it good or bad? What could make it better.
Try to do all of these as you go through the story.
A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
These questions require that you take a second look at the story.
1. __________________ is the name of the character who wants to hunt.
2. The hunter wants to specifically hunt _____________________.
3. Fill in the blanks:
Time ___________ Inc.
Safaris to any
_______ in the ______
You name the __________.
We take you __________.
You __________ it.
4. It costs $___________________ to go on this safari.
5. The clerk behind the desk wants to scare the hunter out of hunting because _________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________.
6. How does the author show time passing by? ___________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
7. How many men went on the safari? ________
8. The men tell the hunter NOT to step off the _________________________.
9. What could happen if the hunter does not follow directions? _____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What animal does Travis use in his example to prove his point to the hunter? ________________________
11. The animals are marked with _____________________________.
12. How are the animals chosen? ______________________________________________________________
13. What do the hunters hear specifically in the jungle? ___________________________________________
14. What happens to the hunter as he is presented with his prey? ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. What does the hunter do that he does not at first notice? _______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Flip Page Over)
16. ______________________________ is president when the story begins, but ________________________ is president when the story ends.
17. Why does Travis want to kill the hunter? _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
18. What does the hunter offer to do? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
19. What is different about the sign upon their return? ____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
20. What can you infer happens to the hunter at the end of the story? ________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
What If?(A Non-Fiction Work)
1. What does the author compare the speed of 1 foot per second to?
2. What building had a spire that was originally designed to moor baloons?
3. What is another word for moor?
-fly?
-burst?
-dock?
-destroy?
4. What country has the leading experts on freezing to death?
5. What is the name of the height at which there is not enough air for a human to survive?
6. Whose remains were placed in the New Horizons spacecraft?
The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost
1. What does the speaker of the poem do while traveling into the woods?
2. How does the speaker say that he feels because he cannot take both roads?
3. What are the differences between the two roads?
4. Where is the author standing while making his choice?
5. Knowing he has to make a choice, what choice does the speaker choose?
6. Looking at the last 3 lines of the poem, do you think the speaker feels that he made the right decision? Support your answer.
7. Do you think that he had to make a difficult decision? Find evidence to support the idea that he struggled with this decision.
8. Why does the author use 'roads' as a symbol for decisions in our lives?
9. Frost says he will probably never go back to the other road. What advice might the speaker give about looking back?
The Interlopers
1. Explain the cause of the feud between the families of Ulrich von Gladwitz and Georg Znaeym.
2. What brought the two men out into the disputed territory that night? What happened to them?
3. Why was Ulrich not able to shoot at his enemy?
4. At first, how did the two behave toward each other? Why? What threats did they make to one another? What was the truth behind their threats?
5. What did Ulrich tell Georg? What do you think prompted this change of heart?
6. How did Georg respond? Why do you think he had a similar change of heart?
7. Why did each man hope that his friends would be the first to arrive to rescue them?
8. In the end, what was surrounding the two trapped men?
9. What do you think happened to them? Why? How could this be considered ironic? Why do you think the author chose to end the story this way?
10. Below, in one paragraph, explain the points that the author is making about hatred, friendship, and forgiveness. Use examples from the story.
The End of Calvin and Hobbes
1. Who wrote the Calvin and Hobbes comics?
2. Find one simile in this passage.
3.What does the author say are the 'real subject' of the comic strip? Why does he say this is the case?
4. Identify three aspects of Calvin's imagination.
5. What two things are Calvin 'hopeless' at?
6. Define nostalgia.
7. What is the purpose of the article?
Visual Images are a little different to comprehend. We need to ask a few basic questions:
We will start with the main literary ones:
1. What is happening?
2. Who are the characters?
3. Where is it happening?
4. What is the message?
Now we will look at the visual aspects of this texts.
1. What is the color scheme? Why did the author choose this color scheme?
2. What is the format? What is unique about the format?
3. How would you describe the comic?
4. How are the characters shown? What does this say about the characters?
We will do the same thing for the short film: The Eagleman Stag
1. What is happening?
2. Who are the characters?
3. Where is it happening?
4. What is the message?
Now we will look at the visual aspects of this text.
1. What is the color scheme? Why did the author choose this color scheme?
2. What is the format? What is unique about the format?
3. How would you describe the film?
4. How are the characters shown? What does this say about the characters?
Non Fiction: Chernobyl Article
1. What country is Chernobyl in?
2. What is dangerous about Chernobyl?
3. How does Vince Novak describe the task of containing the danger?
4. What was Chernobyl? What happened?
5. What must the structure be able to withstand?
6. What is the 'donor gap'?
7. Describe the arch.
8. Do you believe nuclear power is safe? What are the alternatives?
9. What is another example of a nuclear reactor that has 'melted down'?
10. Would you support the construction of a nuclear plant near your community? Why or why not?
Harrison Bergeron - Kurt Vonnegut
1. What is the tone of this story?
2. In your opinion, what does it mean to be equal? Does being equal mean that everyone must be the same? What do you feel is Vonnegut's view on equality?
3. When Harrison Bergeron is completely free from his handicaps, he defies the laws of gravity and motion. What might Vonnegut be suggesting about the potential of free human beings?
4. In traditional stories, the hero is a superhuman figure, who "saves" people from an enemy. In what passages is Harrison superhuman? How are the results of Harrison's efforts ironic?
5. Is competition good, bad, or a little of both? Why do you feel that way?
6. What ideas or programs in society do you think Vonnegut might be ridiculing in "Harrison Bergeron"?
7. Why do you think Vonnegut wrote this story?
Dulce et Decorum Est
Let's do a quick TFTASTI:
Make a Prediction
What are the facts:
1. Who?
2. When?
3. Where?
4. What is happening?
5. Why did the author write this poem?
What techniques are used?
1. Is there any examples of similes, metaphors, imagery, symbolism, onomatopeia, or alliteration?
2. Does it rhyme? What effect does the rhyme scheme have?
What is the attitude of the poem?
What is the shift in this poem?
What is the meaning of the title?
What is the main idea of the poem?
Writing Practice - Number 1
Writing Practice - Number 2
Here is the format.
Envelope Format
Business Letter - 1
Business Letter - 2
Business Letter - 3
Final PAT Practice - This will take 2 classes. You must do both. Please put both in the same document labelled:
FirstnameLastname Final PAT Practice
Narrative or Essay
Business Letter
Guest Webcomic Author Assignment:
Pretend you are a guest author for a webcomic. You are to, in groups, take one of the following formats, and make it your own. Two things are very important for this assignment:
1. You need to emulate the style visually.
2. You need to incorporate your own voice or identity into it. It should be clear that, although the website is the same, the author is different.
Examples:
We will start with the main literary ones:
1. What is happening?
2. Who are the characters?
3. Where is it happening?
4. What is the message?
Now we will look at the visual aspects of this texts.
1. What is the color scheme? Why did the author choose this color scheme?
2. What is the format? What is unique about the format?
3. How would you describe the comic?
4. How are the characters shown? What does this say about the characters?
We will do the same thing for the short film: The Eagleman Stag
1. What is happening?
2. Who are the characters?
3. Where is it happening?
4. What is the message?
Now we will look at the visual aspects of this text.
1. What is the color scheme? Why did the author choose this color scheme?
2. What is the format? What is unique about the format?
3. How would you describe the film?
4. How are the characters shown? What does this say about the characters?
Non Fiction: Chernobyl Article
1. What country is Chernobyl in?
2. What is dangerous about Chernobyl?
3. How does Vince Novak describe the task of containing the danger?
4. What was Chernobyl? What happened?
5. What must the structure be able to withstand?
6. What is the 'donor gap'?
7. Describe the arch.
8. Do you believe nuclear power is safe? What are the alternatives?
9. What is another example of a nuclear reactor that has 'melted down'?
10. Would you support the construction of a nuclear plant near your community? Why or why not?
Harrison Bergeron - Kurt Vonnegut
1. What is the tone of this story?
2. In your opinion, what does it mean to be equal? Does being equal mean that everyone must be the same? What do you feel is Vonnegut's view on equality?
3. When Harrison Bergeron is completely free from his handicaps, he defies the laws of gravity and motion. What might Vonnegut be suggesting about the potential of free human beings?
4. In traditional stories, the hero is a superhuman figure, who "saves" people from an enemy. In what passages is Harrison superhuman? How are the results of Harrison's efforts ironic?
5. Is competition good, bad, or a little of both? Why do you feel that way?
6. What ideas or programs in society do you think Vonnegut might be ridiculing in "Harrison Bergeron"?
7. Why do you think Vonnegut wrote this story?
Dulce et Decorum Est
- 1. Why are the soldiers knock-kneed and coughing like hags?
- 2. Notice the verb in line two, which states the soldiers "cursed through sludge." What are the connotations of this verb, as opposed to "marched" or "walked?"
- 3. The poet creates a neologism(new word) in line six, "blood-shod." What do you suppose this word means?
- 4. What are Five-Nines?
- 5. Why does the poet capitalize the word "GAS" when he repeats it?
- 6. When the Five-Nines hit, why does the world become filled with "thick green light" "as under a green sea"? Why does the poet say the man next to him is "drowning"? How can you be drowning when there is no water nearby? How can he be drowning in fire or lime?
- 7. What does the poet see each night in his dreams?
- 8. In the description, the dying man "plunges" at the speaker. Why would he be reaching out for the speaker, and why is that particularly disturbing?
- 9. In the last stanza, the poet uses some particularly bitter imagery in a string of similes. Give one example of such visual imagery, gustatory imagery, tactile imagery, and audial imagery.
- 10. Why would children be "ardent for some desperate glory"?
- 11. What is the meaning of the Latin phrase "dulce et decorum est, pro patria mori? From what work is this quotation derived?
- 12. How would the Latin phrase change in its meaning if we read it without the context of the rest of the poem?
- 13. Does the meaning of the poem change if we know that Owen died a few months after writing it?
Let's do a quick TFTASTI:
Make a Prediction
What are the facts:
1. Who?
2. When?
3. Where?
4. What is happening?
5. Why did the author write this poem?
What techniques are used?
1. Is there any examples of similes, metaphors, imagery, symbolism, onomatopeia, or alliteration?
2. Does it rhyme? What effect does the rhyme scheme have?
What is the attitude of the poem?
What is the shift in this poem?
What is the meaning of the title?
What is the main idea of the poem?
Writing Practice - Number 1
Writing Practice - Number 2
Here is the format.
Envelope Format
Business Letter - 1
Business Letter - 2
Business Letter - 3
Final PAT Practice - This will take 2 classes. You must do both. Please put both in the same document labelled:
FirstnameLastname Final PAT Practice
Narrative or Essay
Business Letter
Guest Webcomic Author Assignment:
Pretend you are a guest author for a webcomic. You are to, in groups, take one of the following formats, and make it your own. Two things are very important for this assignment:
1. You need to emulate the style visually.
2. You need to incorporate your own voice or identity into it. It should be clear that, although the website is the same, the author is different.
Examples:
From xkcd.com
From Hark! A Vagrant!
Starting today, you will be guest writing a webcomic. Using one of these formats, create a one of your own.
Film Study: The Goonies
There are many examples of stock characters in this film. Stock characters are characters who are very similar in different films(the jock, the bookworm, among others)
1. Choose three stock characters from The Goonies and identify what are their main characteristics(three). What other films or books have had a very similar character. List the film and the character name.
2. Where does the film take place?
3. Who are the antagonists?
4. Label a plot diagram for the film.
5. How does the film end?
My Summer Mix Tape
or
My Radio Show
We will spend the rest of this week working on a project that gets us to find meaning through songs. Here is your task:
Make a mix tape(a youtube playlist) that communicates your thoughts and feelings about the school year that has just passed or the summer coming up.
You must select 30 minutes(approximately) worth of music. This is around 10 songs.
For each song, you must explain why it is significant or why you have chosen this song. Are the lyrics meaningful to you? Is the melody, the arrangement, or the composition something that strikes a chord(a thank you) with you? Why?
Your explanation should be 3-5 sentences.
Here is my example:
New Madrid - Uncle Tupelo
I chose this song because it has long been a favourite of mine. I particularly like the banjo accompaniment and the harmonies during the chorus. There is something remarkably optimistic about this song. It is part of my summer mix tape because I listened to it a lot as I was raising my son this summer. It has always reminded me of new beginnings, as I discovered it the summer before I went to University in Edmonton. It was a new start in a new city, and this song always reminds me that although new experiences can be daunting, they are also rewarding.
You could, for example, make your playlist chronologically. One song for September, another for October, etc.
Challenge Project!
*Try to make this as a Radio Show. This will require you to fade songs in and out, as well as actually narrating your project between songs.
Reading Comprehension Practice
Remember our steps!
Guided Reading Unit
As we read through these literary works, we are going to incorporate some reading comprehension strategies:
1. Predict - based on the title, and then at a few points thoughout, make predictions about what is to occur next or what the ending will be.
2. Visualize - try to get a picture in your head about what is occurring. Be specific when you build the environment.
3. Question - try to think of why characters do what they do or why things are why they are in the story. Ask yourself questions that intrigue you.
4. Evaluate - do you like this story? What makes it good or bad? What could make it better.
When Mount Everest Shook
Questions:
1. How many climbers and sherpas were on Mount Everest when the earthquake hit?
2.What is Nepal's capital city?
3. What percent of Nepal's economy comes from tourism?
4. Who are five of the climbers?
5. Where is Kuntal Joisher from?
6. What is a tourniquet?
7. Describe the events of the earthquake on Mount Everest? What happened that made it dangerous?
8. Do you believe that any of the climbers from that day will ever return to climb the mountain?
9. Chose one of the people who are described in this story and describe them in as much detail as possible.(3-5 sentences)
10. What is the thesis or the main message of this article?
Last Contact - Stephen Baxter
March 15
1. What is the main conflict in the story?
2. What type of conflict is it?
3. What is the relationship between Maureen and Caitlin?
4. What is meant by the phrase, "You mustn't think like that."
June 5
5. What is implied by the line, '"Joe, eh?" Caitlin grinned.'
6. Why will the stars look funny by Autumn?
7. How would you describe the mood of Caitlin and Maureen?
October 14
8. Why did Maureen wake up early?
9. Why did Maureen continue to grow her garden? Would you?
10. What were the alien signals saying?
11. What is the theme of this story?
Annabel Lee - Edgar Allan Poe
1. Who is the author?
2. Who is the assumed speaker?
3. What is the setting?
4. What is the format? Describe in terms of stanzas and rhyme scheme.
5. According to the speaker, why did Annabel die? Support your answer.
6. How old are the speaker and Annabel Lee?
7. What does “coveted” mean, and who portrayed this action?
8. What is a synonym for the word “angel”?
9. In the 4th stanza, what sound device is “chilling and killing” an example of?
10. What is a synonym for tomb or crypt? Use a word from the poem.
11. The speaker states that his and Annabel’s love is stronger than what two groups of people?
12. What is a synonym for “separate”?
13. Line 34 is an example of what sound device?
14. Where does the speaker spend most of this time after the death of Annabel?
15. The speaker seems to have difficulty forgetting his love; what lines support this inference?
16. How does the speaker describe Annabel Lee?
17. What is the theme or message of this poem?
Buddy Interviews!
Choose a person in the class to interview! You will be doing what is called the Proust Questions, which were modelled after a set of questions from Marcel Proust. This is given to celebrities on the back page of Vanity Fair. They are also often accompanied by a caricature(drawing of the person). For our assignment, you will be picking a person from the class and asking them the following questions. Record your answers, and then make a graphical representation of them. This can be a sketch, a wordle, or any other visual representation of the person. These will need to be printed off, as we will be posting them up in the classroom.
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
by Mark Twain
1. What is the tone of the story? What in the text supports this idea?
2. Does the narrator describing the story as a “monotonous narrative” (122) when he heard it have any affect on how you perceived it?
3. How does Simon Wheeler use exaggeration to establish the kind of man Jim Smiley is? Is exaggeration still a common vehicle for humor today? Can you think of any examples?
4. What causes Andrew Jackson to die?
5. How does Smiley’s cunning in choosing animals that don’t look like they could compete compare to the cunning of the stranger in filling the frog with quail shot? Is there a ethical distinction between the two? (Lorcher)
6. What character traits are elevated above others in the story? (Cleverness vs. education? Ethics even among swindlers? Westerners’ love of a good tall tale vs. Easterner’s perspective of it as monotonous?)
7. How does point-of-view contribute to the humorous effect of the story?
8. Though this story is classified as a tall tale, there are several aspects of the story that make it realistic. Explain how setting, characterization, and diction contribute to its realism.
9. What is the main message or theme of this story?
The Human Toll of FIFA's Corruption
1. What did it take for Americans to care about soccer, according to the article?
2. What do the charges against FIFA include?
3. What is FIFA?
4. Why was Qatar a controversial pick for the World Cup?
5. How many deaths are anticipated as a result of the World Cup construction in Qatar?
6. Describe the chart. How is this an effective way to communicate the number of deaths?
7. Watch the video. What are five things you learned from it?
PAT Practice Questions 2
Thursday - Factory Hour
Friday - Catch Up Day
Monday - The White Mountains/Of Ducks, Trucks, and Bucks
Tuesday - Dana Moran
Wednesday - Guardian of the Dark
Thursday - Zits
Friday - Monday - Film
Film Study: The Goonies
There are many examples of stock characters in this film. Stock characters are characters who are very similar in different films(the jock, the bookworm, among others)
1. Choose three stock characters from The Goonies and identify what are their main characteristics(three). What other films or books have had a very similar character. List the film and the character name.
2. Where does the film take place?
3. Who are the antagonists?
4. Label a plot diagram for the film.
5. How does the film end?
My Summer Mix Tape
or
My Radio Show
We will spend the rest of this week working on a project that gets us to find meaning through songs. Here is your task:
Make a mix tape(a youtube playlist) that communicates your thoughts and feelings about the school year that has just passed or the summer coming up.
You must select 30 minutes(approximately) worth of music. This is around 10 songs.
For each song, you must explain why it is significant or why you have chosen this song. Are the lyrics meaningful to you? Is the melody, the arrangement, or the composition something that strikes a chord(a thank you) with you? Why?
Your explanation should be 3-5 sentences.
Here is my example:
New Madrid - Uncle Tupelo
I chose this song because it has long been a favourite of mine. I particularly like the banjo accompaniment and the harmonies during the chorus. There is something remarkably optimistic about this song. It is part of my summer mix tape because I listened to it a lot as I was raising my son this summer. It has always reminded me of new beginnings, as I discovered it the summer before I went to University in Edmonton. It was a new start in a new city, and this song always reminds me that although new experiences can be daunting, they are also rewarding.
You could, for example, make your playlist chronologically. One song for September, another for October, etc.
Challenge Project!
*Try to make this as a Radio Show. This will require you to fade songs in and out, as well as actually narrating your project between songs.
Reading Comprehension Practice
Remember our steps!
Guided Reading Unit
As we read through these literary works, we are going to incorporate some reading comprehension strategies:
1. Predict - based on the title, and then at a few points thoughout, make predictions about what is to occur next or what the ending will be.
2. Visualize - try to get a picture in your head about what is occurring. Be specific when you build the environment.
3. Question - try to think of why characters do what they do or why things are why they are in the story. Ask yourself questions that intrigue you.
4. Evaluate - do you like this story? What makes it good or bad? What could make it better.
When Mount Everest Shook
Questions:
1. How many climbers and sherpas were on Mount Everest when the earthquake hit?
2.What is Nepal's capital city?
3. What percent of Nepal's economy comes from tourism?
4. Who are five of the climbers?
5. Where is Kuntal Joisher from?
6. What is a tourniquet?
7. Describe the events of the earthquake on Mount Everest? What happened that made it dangerous?
8. Do you believe that any of the climbers from that day will ever return to climb the mountain?
9. Chose one of the people who are described in this story and describe them in as much detail as possible.(3-5 sentences)
10. What is the thesis or the main message of this article?
Last Contact - Stephen Baxter
March 15
1. What is the main conflict in the story?
2. What type of conflict is it?
3. What is the relationship between Maureen and Caitlin?
4. What is meant by the phrase, "You mustn't think like that."
June 5
5. What is implied by the line, '"Joe, eh?" Caitlin grinned.'
6. Why will the stars look funny by Autumn?
7. How would you describe the mood of Caitlin and Maureen?
October 14
8. Why did Maureen wake up early?
9. Why did Maureen continue to grow her garden? Would you?
10. What were the alien signals saying?
11. What is the theme of this story?
Annabel Lee - Edgar Allan Poe
1. Who is the author?
2. Who is the assumed speaker?
3. What is the setting?
4. What is the format? Describe in terms of stanzas and rhyme scheme.
5. According to the speaker, why did Annabel die? Support your answer.
6. How old are the speaker and Annabel Lee?
7. What does “coveted” mean, and who portrayed this action?
8. What is a synonym for the word “angel”?
9. In the 4th stanza, what sound device is “chilling and killing” an example of?
10. What is a synonym for tomb or crypt? Use a word from the poem.
11. The speaker states that his and Annabel’s love is stronger than what two groups of people?
12. What is a synonym for “separate”?
13. Line 34 is an example of what sound device?
14. Where does the speaker spend most of this time after the death of Annabel?
15. The speaker seems to have difficulty forgetting his love; what lines support this inference?
16. How does the speaker describe Annabel Lee?
17. What is the theme or message of this poem?
Buddy Interviews!
Choose a person in the class to interview! You will be doing what is called the Proust Questions, which were modelled after a set of questions from Marcel Proust. This is given to celebrities on the back page of Vanity Fair. They are also often accompanied by a caricature(drawing of the person). For our assignment, you will be picking a person from the class and asking them the following questions. Record your answers, and then make a graphical representation of them. This can be a sketch, a wordle, or any other visual representation of the person. These will need to be printed off, as we will be posting them up in the classroom.
- What is your idea of perfect happiness?
- What is your greatest fear?
- What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
- What is the trait you most deplore in others?
- Which living person do you most admire?
- What is your greatest extravagance?
- What is your current state of mind?
- What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
- On what occasion do you lie?
- What do you most dislike about your appearance?
- Which living person do you most despise?
- What is the quality you most like in a man?
- What is the quality you most like in a woman?
- Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
- What or who is the greatest love of your life?
- When and where were you happiest?
- Which talent would you most like to have?
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
- What do you consider your greatest achievement?
- If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
- Where would you most like to live?
- What is your most treasured possession?
- What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
- What is your favorite occupation?
- What is your most marked characteristic?
- What do you most value in your friends?
- Who are your favorite writers?
- Who is your hero of fiction?
- Which historical figure do you most identify with?
- Who are your heroes in real life?
- What are your favorite names?
- What is it that you most dislike?
- What is your greatest regret?
- What is your motto?
- What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being with my family, hearing my little boy laugh.
- What is your greatest fear? Losing my son.
- What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Quickness to anger.
- What is the trait you most deplore in others? Dishonesty.
- Which living person do you most admire? My Grandma Graham
- What is your greatest extravagance? My house.
- What is your current state of mind? Content
- What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Modesty.
- On what occasion do you lie? I don't.
- What do you most dislike about your appearance? My teeth.
- Which living person do you most despise? Omar al-Bashir - The President of Sudan
- What is the quality you most like in a man? Genuineness
- What is the quality you most like in a woman? Genuineness
- Which words or phrases do you most overuse? So.......
- What or who is the greatest love of your life? My wife
- When and where were you happiest? The moment my son was born.
- Which talent would you most like to have? Drawing.
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would be more patient and have less of a temper.
- What do you consider your greatest achievement? My son.
- If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
- Where would you most like to live? The mountains.
- What is your most treasured possession? My wedding ring.
- What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Being without my family.
- What is your favorite occupation? Teaching.
- What is your most marked characteristic? My optimism.
- What do you most value in your friends? Earnestness.
- Who are your favorite writers? W.B. Yeats, Bill Bryson, Mary Roach, and Jeff Lemire.
- Who is your hero of fiction? Sweet Tooth.
- Which historical figure do you most identify with?
- Who are your heroes in real life? My mom, my dad, and all four of my grandparents.
- What are your favorite names? Dolan
- What is it that you most dislike? Lies
- What is your greatest regret?
- What is your motto?
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
by Mark Twain
1. What is the tone of the story? What in the text supports this idea?
2. Does the narrator describing the story as a “monotonous narrative” (122) when he heard it have any affect on how you perceived it?
3. How does Simon Wheeler use exaggeration to establish the kind of man Jim Smiley is? Is exaggeration still a common vehicle for humor today? Can you think of any examples?
4. What causes Andrew Jackson to die?
5. How does Smiley’s cunning in choosing animals that don’t look like they could compete compare to the cunning of the stranger in filling the frog with quail shot? Is there a ethical distinction between the two? (Lorcher)
6. What character traits are elevated above others in the story? (Cleverness vs. education? Ethics even among swindlers? Westerners’ love of a good tall tale vs. Easterner’s perspective of it as monotonous?)
7. How does point-of-view contribute to the humorous effect of the story?
8. Though this story is classified as a tall tale, there are several aspects of the story that make it realistic. Explain how setting, characterization, and diction contribute to its realism.
9. What is the main message or theme of this story?
The Human Toll of FIFA's Corruption
1. What did it take for Americans to care about soccer, according to the article?
2. What do the charges against FIFA include?
3. What is FIFA?
4. Why was Qatar a controversial pick for the World Cup?
5. How many deaths are anticipated as a result of the World Cup construction in Qatar?
6. Describe the chart. How is this an effective way to communicate the number of deaths?
7. Watch the video. What are five things you learned from it?
PAT Practice Questions 2
Thursday - Factory Hour
Friday - Catch Up Day
Monday - The White Mountains/Of Ducks, Trucks, and Bucks
Tuesday - Dana Moran
Wednesday - Guardian of the Dark
Thursday - Zits
Friday - Monday - Film