Friday, September 9, 2011

SS 11: Friday 9 September

Today we completed (worksheets) Exercises 5 and 6.  For homework I'd like you to complete Question #1 from Exercise #7.

Have a nice weekend - don't forget to read your novels for English.

En 11: Friday, 9 Sept

Today we reviewed the questions for Part 1.  We noted some of the indications that Santiago is poor.  We also looked at p.23 to see indications of the Hemingway Code hero in Santiago:

"may not be as strong"
"prove us wrong"
"there is only you"
"I know many tricks"
I have resolution."

It would seem Santiago is a skilled fisherman - might any of these ideas be a foreshadow?

We spent the last 45 minutes of class reading.  Please ensure you have read up to p. 67 when you return to class on Monday.

En 8: Friday 9 Sep

Today we did a quick review of the four words that are the foundation of our approach this year: knowledge, experience, tools and help.

Next, we wrote descriptive paragraphs about marshmallows and Smarties.  We shared our writing with our partners.  We then had a discussion and saw that the candy could be used as a metaphor for the ways we look a people.

We read the children's story Something Else and then saw how it could springboard a discussion about differences.  Finally, we started a paragraph to explain whether we see ourselves as Smarties or marshmallows.  We don't want any homework, so we will finish this writing on Monday.

Have a great weekend.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

En 12: Thursday, 8 Sep

Today we began by collaborating to combine our personal definitions of "poetry" into group definitions.  Next, we investigated Kristina Wangler-Heine's on-line essay "The Evolution of Poetry."  We ended with a discussion of the same.

En 11: Thursday 8 September

Today, we did a short quiz for part one of the novel. 

Next, we discussed how to use the four-quadrant reading sheet with the following four words: imagery, language, emotions and physical senses.  It will help if you jot down a few ideas/words/comments every time you read.

We then discussed the Terrace scene on page 11.  We took notes and shared possible topic sentences. Finally, we started to write our descriptive paragraphs.  They should be about one page or between 100-150 words (see the prompt in black from the notes page.

Please complete your paragraphs and read up to page 34 for homework.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

English 12 Welcome

Welcome all: please post a motivational comment to yourself outlining your goals and expectations for this, your final high school English class.