Saturday, November 13, 2010

SS 11 Notes from Friday, 12 Nov

Today we just reviewed the vocabulary terms from the First World War.  You are all now responsible to know them and be able to give the "what/so what" details if asked to on a quiz.  That will not represent "deep" understanding, but it is a place from where we can begin.  You have also answered the textbook chapter questions so I am expecting that you now understand the basics.  You must also be familiar with the geography of western Europe, and be able to identify the areas where Canadians ventured.  You must also be familiar with the following key land engagements:

     Ypres, 1915; Somme, 1916; Vimy Ridge, 1917; Passchendaele, 1917; and, the Hundred Days,  
     1918. There is something special that is associated with each and you must know it (the "so what").

You should also be able to comment on the air war and the war at sea.

Finally (and this is a BIG one because it connects so well with our central question of "what does it mean to be Canadian") you must be familiar with how the war affected the home front.  Specifically, think of the following:

     women, conscription (French-English tension?), and the economy of total war.

SOCIALS 11 IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT - YOU MUST GET INVOLVED OUTSIDE OF CLASS IF YOU ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL (you don't have to be a history nerd, but it helps).

Friday, November 12, 2010

En 12 Notes from Friday 12 Nov

We will have our poetry unit test on Monday:

a) On a past provincial exam, be prepared to read a poem, answer some multiple-choice questions and write a paragraph response. 

b) Using the list of terms I gave you on my 8.5 X 14 inch matching exercise at the start of the unit, be prepared to define some devices and name some devices from quotations I give.

To help you study, here are the answers from the last poem in Friday's study package:

"Finding a Name"
22. d
23. c
24. c
25. d
26. d
27. b
28. b
29. c

Good luck; good studying; and have a good weekend.  (hey, that's a great example of parallel structure).

En 10: Henry V homework from Friday's class on 12 Nov

Today we looked at the "Harfleur speech" from the beginning of Act 3 (scene 1).  Before Monday's class, please ensure you do the following:

a) find three quotations from the speech that you find to be motivating or inspiring.

b) write your own speech (people often write about sports) that meets the following guide lines:
     * about 15 lines long
     * colourful adjectives and adverbs
     * powerful verbs (ex. instead of "run" try "charge" or "attack")
     * employ some figurative language such as metaphors or similes (ex. "our defenders are a wall" or we
        will crush them like the fleas that they are")

Enjoy your weekend

Monday, November 8, 2010

English 11: from Monday, 8 Nov

Today, we reviewed Act One together orally.  Next, on loose-leaf paper, we answered the 10 "round bullet" questions for Act One at the back of the study package.  Afterwords, we watched the first four scenes of Act I of the movie. Finally, we were introduced to 12 "quotable quotations" from Act I; we will find out the following information for each:

a) line citation (ex. I, ii, 23-28)
b) who's speaking
c) who's the audience
d) what's happening, and so what?

The quotations are NOT for homework, but you are free to get started.

En 12: From Monday, 8 Nov

Today we continued our discussion on the logging poetry of Pete Trower and paid attention to how "poetic" something that we often associate with ruggedness, can be.  We also saw how a poem can be made "authentic" through not only the use of jargon, but by language "of the people" under examination.  Next day we will look at answering the paragraph-type questions on provincial exams - starting with Trower's "Railway Club Blues."  We will also start the Remembrance Day assignment looking at the shift in war poetry that occurred during the First World War.  That will be all the "new" work except prep for the unit test.