November 4

Mr. Janz was in today.

HUMANITIES 8

Today was the last class looking at different styles of maps as well as the different types of information which can be presented using maps. We started the class by talking about the students' past work on the refugee crisis as this tied into one of the maps we looked at.

We also looked at a map indicating time zones and they learned about how the first sailors to circumnavigate the globe arrived home on a different day than it actually was. We looked at two different maps displaying the garbage and plastics in our oceans; a map showing what each country leads the world in (Canada was maple syrup and asteroid impacts); a map measuring the population of USA in 'units of Canada'; a map which displayed the most visited web sites per country; a map for oil consumption per day per country; a map showing the percentage of energy from renewable resources.

ENGLISH 10

Today's class started with a review of the three chapters read in the last lesson. We discussed a) Why doesn't Rowdy rip up the cartoon? b) Why does Penelope quasi date Junior? and c) What do you think of Rowdy's advice on love? And Gordy's advice?

Then students read three (3) more chapters: Dance, Dance, Dance, Don't Trust Your Computer, and My Sister Sends Me a Letter. Students were to write a brief summary of each chapter's events and then explain what they thought is the most important point that each chapter tries to communicate.

November 3

Mr. Janz was in today.

ENGLISH 10

ATDPTI assignments 1 - 4 were due today.
Today we added four (4) literary terms to the students' list of terms. These were Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Sarcasm, and Repetition. Students were asked to define each and provide an example either from the ATDPTI novel or from their imagination.
Next we reviewed chapters Slouching Toward Thanksgiving and My Sister Sends Me an E-Mail. Students then has in-class time for silent reading the next three (3) chapters:Thanksgiving, Hunger Pains, and Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love.
Finally, students were given a worksheet deciding which literary term ten different quotes suited best. They also have a personal response due:
Write a response on one of the following numbered topics below. Questions to think about before writing the response:·               What is your personal response?
·               What do you think the purpose was?
·               How does it connect to the greater themes of the novel?
·               Connections to the world, society, self, etc?


1. Alexie’s use of eating disorder in the novel.2. Alexie’s use of homophobia in the novel.3. Alexie’s reference to the missing Mexican girls. (p116)

HUMANITIES 8

Class continued exploring different ways people use mapping to present and understand information. Students viewed a PowerPoint slide show discussing what was presented. We discussed 'declination' (true north vs. magnetic north); we also explored finding volcanoes around the world using latitude and longitude; we talked about how maps can be used to manipulate and misrepresent information to bias the people viewing the maps.

November 2

November 2

Mr. Janz was in today.

HUMANITIES 8

We had a great lesson where students, in groups of two, visited 16 different stations investigating various types of maps as well as aspects of mapping which help decipher the information provided. All but four stations presented information without the legends and titles which would have explained clearly what was being presented.

Students were asked to record three (3) observations (things they thought they knew or guesses) and two (2) questions they had on the information being investigating at the station. There only had three minutes at each station before they were to move on.

Students were asked: What do people use maps for? We also spoke briefly about how different maps can show the same information differently - think of the size of Greenland on a globe versus a flat map.

ENGLISH 10

Today we added four (4) literary terms to the students' list of terms. These were Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Sarcasm, and Repetition. Students were asked to define each and provide an example either from the ATDPTI novel or from their imagination.
Next we reviewed chapters Slouching Toward Thanksgiving and My Sister Sends Me an E-Mail. Students then has in-class time for silent reading the next three (3) chapters: Thanksgiving, Hunger Pains, and Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love.

Finally, students were given a worksheet deciding which literary term ten different quotes suited best. They also have a personal response due:

Write a response on one of the following numbered topics below. Questions to think about before writing the response:

·               What is your personal response?

·               What do you think the purpose was? 

·               How does it connect to the greater themes of the novel? 

·               Connections to the world, society, self, etc?

1. Alexie’s use of eating disorder in the novel.

2. Alexie’s use of homophobia in the novel.

3. Alexie’s reference to the missing Mexican girls. (p116)

October 30

October 30

Mr. Janz was in today.

ENGLISH 10

Today students practiced their creative writing skills. We spoke about how these skills will be important at the very least when writing final exams. Students wrote their first piece of creative writing to submit to their new writing portfolios. They also completed their list of types of writing from 'eh' to 'zed' (A to Z).

HUMANITIES 8

Class finished viewing "The Outsiders". With the time left over, we discussed the differences noticed between the novel and the film as well as which medium is best for telling story with depth and thoroughness.

October 29

October 29

Mr. Janz was in today.

ENGLISH 10

This class was the same lesson as the English 10 classes yesterday, October 28.

HUMANITIES 8

In class today we talked about the students' impression of The Outsiders and how it might still be relevant for today's youth. We revisited some of the themes which are important to understand and are still as applicable to life in our society today as when Hinton wrote this novel in 1967.
From there we started viewing the film "The Outsiders" which we will finished tomorrow.

October 28

October 28

Mr. Janz was in today. It was a PLC day with shortened classes.

HUMANITIES 8

Today was "Game Day". Student game design teams kept one member with their game to facilitate game play with other students and answer the teachers questions to assess the team's game. Throughout the class, teams switched out their representative so that everyone had the opportunity to play other teams games.

ENGLISH 10

Class started with chapter reviews for Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice, Tears of a Clown, and Halloween. We discussed whether grandmother was right about Roger and why Roger started treating Arnold with respect.

We then discussed 'what is trauma?', examples of how people deal with trauma, and examples of trauma that Junior has ended so far. Types of trauma brought up included emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual. Ways people deal with trauma included substance abuse, ignoring it / depression, professional help or help from loved ones, personality changes (such as aggression), and risky lifestyle choices (like BASE jumping or multiple sex partners).

Students received a new worksheet: "Literary Log - Coping with Trauma". The worksheet asks to find examples of Junior's traumatic events, a quote (with page number) showing Junior's reaction to the event, and the student's analysis of why he reacted as he does.

Students were given time to read the two next chapters: Slouching Toward Thanksgiving and My Sister Sends Me an E-mail. Students were asked to complete the first side of the worksheet.

October 27

October 27

Mr. Janz was in today.

ENGLISH 10

This is the same as yesterday's classes: Class started with a review of chapters Rowdy Sings the Blues and How to Fight Monsters. We considered some questions while thinking about the chapters: Why is Rowdy do mad at Junior for going to Reardon? Why did Junior resort to violence when faced with the racist comments from Roger? Why does Roger not respond with violence?

Class then read the next three chapters: Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice, Tears of a Clown, and Halloween. After a brief discussion on what 'culture' is, students had to answer the fourth set of questions for ATDPTI:

1.     What expectations do:

A.     Your parents or guardians have for you?

B.     You have for yourself?

C.     We have as Canadians?

2.     What expectations does Junior have:

a.     From his family?

b.     From his tribe?

c.     About himself?

d.     About his peers at Rearden?

3.     How does culture impact what we expect of ourselves and of others?  Use your answers from above to support your answer.

4.     What is respect? 

5.     How do people earn your respect?

6.     Who do you think Arnold respects the most at this point in the novel?  Why?

HUMANITIES 8

Today was the last in-class day for student design teams to complete their The Outsiders game. TOMORROW IS 'GAME DAY'.