Fri. Apr. 29, 2016: Unit Exam (poetry)

Students wrote their unit exam today. If you were not here, you will need to see me about writing the alternative. Bring your independent novels for Monday (and every day, actually) in case you get time to read.

Thurs. Apr. 28, 2016: Test Prep

Today, I reviewed the exam with the students. the following was on the handout presented. Please remember that, if you miss this exam, you will have to write an alternative.

Poetry Test: Test Prep Sheet (ELA B30)

In order to do well on the upcoming exam, you will need to study and apply the steps to reading poetry. On an exam, I will NOT mark you on questions, summary, purpose or topic so you will NOT need to demonstrate these. I WILL mark you on title analysis, rhyme scheme, stanzas, lines, punctuation highlight, layout anomaly identification, highlighting unknown words (though you will not be able to look them up; it still helps with identification), and highlighting and defining literary devices.

You will also need to know the following literary devices from your literary devices sheet:

Irony                                        Paradox                          Simile

Alliteration                              Metaphor                       Parallelism

Allusion                                   Metonymy                      Personification

Prolepsis                                  Onomatopoeia              Satire

Hyperbole                                Oxymoron                      Pun

In addition, some of the following words may be unfamiliar to you (if they are, look them up and study them within the context of sentences):

Reinforce

Emphasize

Convey

Parallelism (parallel)

Contrast

Implication (implied, implies)

Paradox (paradoxical)

Pathos

Perception

Exhibitionist

Marvel

Metaphorically

illustrate

chaos

customariness

ineptitude

attainable

narrative

Thurs. Apr. 21, to Tues. Apr. 26, 2016: Poetry Analysis

Today, students were given poems based on the choices they requested yesterday. These poems will need to all be submitted by next Wednesday (they are to do a full poetry analysis on each one, using the twelve steps).All poem analysis must be submitted by Wednesday. The students will then get a review day with me on Thursday and their unit exam on Friday.

Wed. Apr. 20, 2016: Poetry Analysis

Each student has been provided with a random poem that has been approved by Saskatchewan Education. They have been instructed to read it actively using the twelve steps on how to read a poem and their stylistic devices sheet.

Students then picked out an additional four poems to study (independent analysis). These poems will be given to them for tomorrow's class.

They will be due on Wednesday, April 27 (Dead-lined).

Their exam will be on Friday, April 29.

Tues. Apr. 19, 2016: Poetry Unit Introduction

Today, I gave out the sheet "How to Read Poetry" and the poem "The Grandmother." As a class, we applied the twelve steps to the poem. If you have me last semester in A30, you are already familiar with this process.
I then had you use the remaining time to study your stylistic devices sheet.

Reminder: Be sure to bring in your highlighters as they are necessary for this unit.

Wed. Apr. 13 to Fri. Apr. 15, 2016: Essay Writing

For the duration of this week, you will work on your essay. The information pertaining to it is in earlier blogs. It is due at the end of the day on Friday.

Tues. Apr. 12, 2016: Lord of the Flies Film Completion

Today, we finished watching the 1990 version of Lord of the Flies. Students then started to work on outlines for their essay in which they address the question: Why did the director make the changes he did?

Mon. Apr. 11, 2016: Lord of the Flies Modern Film

Today, students viewed the modern version of the film Lord of the Flies to determine the differences and to prepare to answer the question "Why did the director choose to make changes?" We got up to 47:54 minutes. We will continue watching tomorrow.

Fri. Apr. 8, 2016: Two Month INS Check-In

Today, students brought their independent novels to class and did a two month check in. Realistically, most should be finished with the reading (I purposely did not assign work over the break so they could meet this objective). We will view our second film for this unit starting on Monday.

Thurs. April 7, 2016: Lord of the Flies unit exam

Today, you wrote your unit exam. We will then move on to a more modern version of this text. The comprehension exam had to be written now before the next film as the differences can be confusing.

Instead of our two month novel study check in being next Monday, it has been moved up to tomorrow (that way we don't interrupt the film).

Wed. Apr. 6, 2016: Lord of the Flies: Feature Film One Completion

Today, we finished viewing Peter brook's version of the film Lord of the Flies. I then allowed time to study for tomorrow's exam. I also informed the students that if they attend the school's play on Monday or Tuesday, I can give them an alternate assignment to fix an area of concern. See me if you need more details.

Tues. Apr. 5, 2016: Lord of the Flies Feature Film One Continued

Today, I handed out a test prep sheet to every student (it is in their portfolios). The comprehension exam for this unit (as already stated) will occur immediately after the first film, so I recommend studying now.
We then watched the film up to the point when Simon comes down from the mountain. If you were not here, I can let you view it at lunch.

Mon. April 4, 2016: Lord of the Flies Feature Film One

Today, you were to hand in your reading questions for the novel, Lord of the Flies. We then did a ten minute timed writing activity.
I then explained the next essay you will write. We will view two movies: one is Lord of the Flies from 1964 and the other one is a more modern version. We will watch the earlier version and take notes on the differences between the novel and the film. After this film, you will write your comprehension exam. You will then watch the more modern version of the text and take notes on the similarities and differences between the text and the earlier version.
At then end of all this, you will write an essay of a comparative nature in which you will examine two or more of the texts presented to determine what the directors' purpose was in altering the text when changed to film.