January 28

English 10 (C & D blocks)

Today after silent reading, students were given a list of poetic terms.  Students were asked to test themselves to see how many they already knew.  Then we went reviewed the familiar terms and added definitions for the new ones.  Finally students were asked to organize the words in categories in a mind-map.  

Humanities 8

Today we started off with a A-Z writing list.  Students were asked to brainstorm different types of writing for each letter of the alphabet.  We shared ideas after the students had time to brainstorm.  There were some excellent ideas!  

A - apology, acrostic poem, adventure story 

B - biography, book, biopoem

After that, we went over the basic historical term sheet students worked on last class.  

January 27

Humanities 8

Today after silent reading, we organized all our poetry work into one package.  Then students were asked to do a worksheet with some basic history terms.  As a class we discussed the reasons why we study history and then I explained the connection between Roman chariots and space shuttles. 

English 10 (H block)

Today we skipped silent reading and briefly went over the rubric for the comparison essay that students are writing.  The remainder of the block was spent in the library writing the final version of the essay.  This was the last day to work on the essays and if students were unable to hand them in today, they were reminded that it had to be in on Thursday or else they would be expected to come into school on Friday to finish it off. 

Januarty 26

English 10 (C & D block)

Today we skipped silent reading and briefly went over the rubric for the comparison essay that students are writing.  The remainder of the block was spent in the library writing the final version of the essay.  This was the last day to work on the essays and if students were unable to hand them in today, they were reminded that it had to be in on Thursday or else they would be expected to come into school on Friday to finish it off. 

Humanities 8

Today students wrote their poetry tests.  When they were finished they were asked to fill in an assessment sheet for their poetry unit.  Once that was complete students were asked to finish off any missing work,  homework in other classes or to silent read.

January 25

Humanities 8

Today after silent reading, we did a practice test in preparation of our test tomorrow.  The remainder of the class was spent reviewing or finishing off the lyrics assignment.  

Poetry test: tomorrow!!

English 10 (H block)

Today after silent reading, we discussed different ideas for setting up our essays comparing the 2 poems Richard Cory and Roller Skate Man.  

body paragraph 1- similarities //  poem A   //  1st point of comparison

body paragraph 2- differences //  poem B   //  2nd point of comparison

body paragraph 3- n/a             // comparison  // 3rd point of comparison

It was emphasized that an outline is written in point form!!

We also discussed the two main focus points for this essay which are:  clarity and support.  We discussed how to provide support and when it would be appropriate.  The remainder of the class was provided to students as a work period to complete an outline and rough draft.  Completing a rough draft for homework was assigned .  Next class will be for editing and publishing a final draft.  

January 22

English 10 (C &D blocks)

Today after silent reading, we discussed different ideas for setting up our essays comparing the 2 poems Richard Cory and Roller Skate Man.  

body paragraph 1- similarities //  poem A   //  1st point of comparison

body paragraph 2- differences //  poem B   //  2nd point of comparison

body paragraph 3- n/a             // comparison  // 3rd point of comparison

It was emphasized that an outline is written in point form!!

We also discussed the two main focus points for this essay which are:  clarity and support.  We discussed how to provide support and when it would be appropriate.  The remainder of the class was provided to students as a work period to complete an outline and rough draft.  Completing a rough draft for homework was assigned .  Next class will be for editing and publishing a final draft.  

Humanities 8

Today after silent reading, students were given the period to finish off their lyrics assignment.  Students were asked to finish it for homework if they were not able to finish it in class.  

Tuesday is the poetry test!

January 21

Ms Allison was in today.

English 10 (C&D blocks)

After silent reading today, we looked at two poems.  Students were asked to gloss the poems in partners and then we went over the poems as a class.   Next students were asked to fill in a comparison graphic organizer in preparation for writing a comparison essay.  Next class students will be writing their outlines and rough drafts.  The following class will be for typing up their final draft.  This will be the last assignment for term 2!

Humanities 8

Today students started with silent reading. Next students worked on their lyrics assignments.  The minimum expectation was to have the chart completed and the song printed out and analyzed.  

January 20

Humanities 8

Today we started off with reading.  Then students worked in groups to work on identifying literary devices.  We also went over the Poetry unit test which is on Tuesday January 26.  Finally, I explained tomorrow's assignment.  

English 10 (H block)

After silent reading today, we looked at two poems.  Students were asked to gloss the poems and then fill in a comparison graphic organizer in preparation for writing a comparison essay.  Finally, students were asked to work on an outline for their essay.  Next class students will be writing their rough drafts.  The following class will be for typing up their final draft.  This will be the last assignment for term 2.  

January 19

English 10 (C and D blocks)

Today we started off with silent reading. Then students were broken into groups to work on a literary term sort.  Finally, we went over the poem Hockey.

Humanities 8

Today we started off class brainstorming how to analyze a poem.  Finally, we looked at the poem Anger to practice analyzing it.  Students wrote a structured paragraph to demonstrate their analysis.

January 18

Humanities 8

Today we started off with silent reading.  Students then added their poems to the po-e-tree.  Next students read their best poem to the class and then handed in their poetry anthologies with the assignment sheet attached!

English 10

Today we started off with silent reading. Then students were broken into groups to work on a literary term sort.  Finally, we went over the poem Hockey.

January 15

Humanities 8

Today we started with silent reading.  The remainder of the class was dedicated to finishing off the poetry anthology assignments, which are due on Monday!!!

English 10

Today as always, we started class with silent reading.  We reviewed poetry analysis and students were asked to write out the following list of strategies to keep in their folder.  Next we discussed glossing.  Students looked at an example of glossing and were asked to figure out the theme or main message of the poem Sadie and Maud.  Glossing simply means to identify your thinking/analysis of the poem by pointing out significant words, literary device etc.  We discussed how the strategies helped to figure out the meaning of the poem.  For the last few minutes of class students were asked to look at the poem Hockey and to try to gloss that poem in an effort to deduce the theme of that poem.  

Strategies for Analyzing a poem

1. Read the poem a few times. 
2. Pay careful attention to the title.  It often links to the theme of the poem.
3. Identify words you are unfamiliar with.  Consult a dictionary or use context clues to decode meaning.
4. Identify words that are emphasized in the poem.
5. What feelings are associated with the words chosen?  Are they silly, somber, cheerful, humorous, argumentative etc.
6. Are there any objects that may be symbols (representative of a more abstract idea or concept)?
7. Identify who the speaker might be.
8. What is the setting?  Time, place etc
9. Are there any clues indicated by the form?
10. Are there any literary devices that need to be reviewed?
11. Pay careful attention to the end of the poem.  It often links to the theme of the poem.  

Hockey

The ice is smooth, smooth, smooth.
The air bites to the center
Of warmth and flesh, and I whirl.
It begins in a game ...
The puck swims, skims, veers,
Goes leading my vision
Beyond the chasing reach of my stick.

The air is sharp, steel-sharp.
I suck needles of breathing,
And feel the players converge
It grows to a science ...
We clot, break, drive,
Electrons in motion
In the magnetic pull of the puck.

The play is fast, fierce, tense.
Sticks click and snap like teeth
Of wolves on the scent of prey.
It ends in the kill ...
I am one of the pack in a mad,
Taut leap of desperation
In the wild slashing drive for the goal

January 14

English 10 (C &D)

Today as always, we started class with silent reading.  We reviewed poetry analysis and students were asked to write out the following list of strategies to keep in their folder.  Next we discussed glossing.  Students looked at an example of glossing and were asked to figure out the theme or main message of the poem Sadie and Maud.  Glossing simply means to identify your thinking/analysis of the poem by pointing out significant words, literary device etc.  We discussed how the strategies helped to figure out the meaning of the poem.  For the last few minutes of class students were asked to look at the poem Hockey and to try to gloss that poem in an effort to deduce the theme of that poem.  

Strategies for Analyzing a poem

1. Read the poem a few times. 
2. Pay careful attention to the title.  It often links to the theme of the poem.
3. Identify words you are unfamiliar with.  Consult a dictionary or use context clues to decode meaning.
4. Identify words that are emphasized in the poem.
5. What feelings are associated with the words chosen?  Are they silly, somber, cheerful, humorous, argumentative etc.
6. Are there any objects that may be symbols (representative of a more abstract idea or concept)?
7. Identify who the speaker might be.
8. What is the setting?  Time, place etc
9. Are there any clues indicated by the form?
10. Are there any literary devices that need to be reviewed?
11. Pay careful attention to the end of the poem.  It often links to the theme of the poem.  

Hockey

The ice is smooth, smooth, smooth.
The air bites to the center
Of warmth and flesh, and I whirl.
It begins in a game ...
The puck swims, skims, veers,
Goes leading my vision
Beyond the chasing reach of my stick.

The air is sharp, steel-sharp.
I suck needles of breathing,
And feel the players converge
It grows to a science ...
We clot, break, drive,
Electrons in motion
In the magnetic pull of the puck.

The play is fast, fierce, tense.
Sticks click and snap like teeth
Of wolves on the scent of prey.
It ends in the kill ...
I am one of the pack in a mad,
Taut leap of desperation
In the wild slashing drive for the goal

Humanities 8

Today we started off with creating a goal for today's class as it was another work period.  Students then worked on finishing off their poetry anthologies which are due on Monday!!!  Goals were assessed at the end of the class. 

January 13

Humanities 8

Today we skipped silent reading due to the shorter class because of PLC day.  Students were reminded that their poems that are free verse, acrostic or shape have to be at least 6 lines to be fully meeting expectations.  The remainder of the time, students worked on their poems.  They were asked to show me their poems before they started typing them up, so that I could give them some hints to improve their work and to make sure they have completed all the criteria.  

Due date: Monday January 19th!

English 10 (H block)

Today we skipped silent reading due to the shorter class because of PLC day.  We started off with assessing ourselves on our work in last class.  Next I explained the goal of the day (analyzing a poem and identifying strategies for poetry analysis).  Next students were asked to write down the following poem and write their thoughts/analysis of the poem around and beside it.  Then as a class we discussed the poem.  The emphasis was that although it seemed like a note or not much of poem on the first reading.  After analyzing and decoding it, there is a deeper/hidden meaning.  At the end of the class, students were asked to assess themselves.

This is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

William Carlos Williams (1938)

January 12

English 10 (C & D block)

Today we started off with silent reading and then we reviewed last day's learning goals.  Next we looked at assessing ourselves for term 2 silent reading.  We also went over the intent of the portfolios and the self assessment chart.  Students were asked to assess themselves on last day's lesson as well as today's lesson using the criteria indicated.  Finally, we analyzed the poem "This is Just to Say."  Students were directed to keep all of their poetry work in their portfolios.

Humanities 8

Today we went over the poem rubric that is on the back of the Anthology assignment sheet.   I also read two examples of poems to demonstrate and level 3 (fully meeting expectations) and a level 4 (exceeding expectations).  Students were reminded that they need to print out 2 copies of their best poem.  One to display on the wall and one to include in their Anthology booklets.  Students were also reminded that they will read one of their poems to the class on the due date, which is Monday January19th!!!  The rest of the time, students continued to work on their poems.  

January 11

Humanities 8

Today we started off with silent reading.  Next students were asked to assess themselves for their silent reading for the term. They recorded their assessment in their poetry assessment chart.  Students were also ask to make a learning goal for the day, which they assessed at the end of the class. 

The remainder of the class was dedicated to working on their poetry anthologies.  Students should be finished 4 poems by the end of class.  

Reminder:  Poetry Anthologies are due January 18th - a week today!!

English 10 (H block)

Today we started off with silent reading.  Then we brainstormed the purposes of poetry (to flirt, to express emotions, coping with trauma, career - spoken word poet, jingle writer etc).  Next students were given quotes about poetry and they were asked to paraphrase the quotes to explain how it relates to poetry.  Students then shared their quotes and explanations with the class.  Students were also asked to assess their silent reading using their poetry portfolio chart.  

January 8

English 10 (C& D block)

Today we started off with silent reading.  Then we brainstormed the purposes of poetry (to flirt, to express emotions, coping with trauma, career - spoken word poet, jingle writer etc).  Next students were given quotes about poetry and they were asked to paraphrase the quotes to explain how it relates to poetry.  Students then shared their quotes and explanations with the class.  Finally, students wrote the following poem out and took a stab at the meaning. 

This is Just to Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

William Carlos Williams (1938)

Humanities 8

Today students started off with silent reading.  Then we did a quick review of literary devices and poetry forms.  Finally students worked on their Poetry Anthologies.  They are due on Monday January 18th.  

January 7

Mrs. Morris was in today.

English 10 (C & D blocks)

Today students were given the rubric for their partner essay.  They were then directed to type up their essays in the library making sure to do the edits suggested on their rough drafts.  They were also reminded to use their rubrics to tweak their essays and underline some examples of transition words.  Students self-assessed and handed in their outlines, drafts, final and self-assessment at the end of the class. 

Humanities 8

Today students started with sacred drawing time.  Students were asked to draw two of the literary devices they have written in their folders.  Literary devices are often ways which help the reader visualize the topic, comparison, point etc.  Students were asked to make the link by taking the words and turning them into illustrations.  For the remainder of the class, students worked on their poetry anthologies.  

January 6

Humanities 8

Today we started off with reading.  Then students were asked to brainstorm topics for writing their poems.  Next students were directed to finish off yesterday's assignments and to start working on their rough drafts of their poems.  Students were advised that brainstorming before writing a poem is also a very good idea. 

English 10 (H Block)

Today students were given the rubric for their partner essay.  They were then directed to type up their essays making sure to do the edits suggested on their rough drafts.  They were also reminded to use their rubrics to tweak their essays and underline some examples of transition words.  Students self-assessed and handed in their outlines, drafts, final and self-assessment at the end of the class. 

January 5

English 10

Today we started off with a check in.  Students were asked to hand in their Star Wars assignments if they hadn't already.  Work was returned while students did some silent reading.  We went over the Star Wars assignment and then we looked at an essay example to demo the importance of a thesis and topic sentences.  We also looked at transition words and students were shown a booklet with a list of transition words to refer to.  

Students were asked to focus on the following for their essays:

• structure - thesis and topic sentences
• transitions
• avoiding the use of "I"

The remainder of the class was used for working on their essays in preparation for typing them up on Thursday.

Humanities 8

Today we started with sacred writing time.  Students were asked to write the following:

5 Onomatopoeia
2 similes
2 examples of alliteration.

Next we went over the Religion test and students were notified that Socials marks were posted.

Then we went back to working on poetry and specifically the Anthology assignment.  Students were asked to paraphrase (write their own definitions) of the 5 words they need to include in their glossary. They were asked to leave space for examples.

Students were then directed to add these assignments to their portfolio assessment sheet.

Finally, students were shown examples of Poetry Anthologies in preparation of starting to work on them tomorrow. 

January 4

Humanities 8

Today we started off with a check-in and then we did some silent reading.  Next we looked at our 2 pieces of writing in our folders and students were asked to select the best one and write why they thought it was the best one.  The 3 pieces of writing were handed in.  Next students were introduced to their poetry portfolio assignment assessment chart and we filled in the first 3 assignments.  Finally, students were introduced to their Poetry Anthology assignment, which will be working on for the next week or two.

English 10

Today we started off with a check in.  Students were asked to hand in their Star Wars assignments if they hadn't already.  Work was returned while students did some silent reading.  We went over the Star Wars assignment and then we looked at an essay example to demo the importance of a thesis and topic sentences.  We also looked at transition words and students were provided with a booklet with a list of transition words to refer to.  

Students were asked to focus on the following for their essays:

• structure - paragraphing and topic sentences
• transitions
• avoiding the use of "I"

The remainder of the class was used for working on their essays.