Poems of Childhood

1) Response to "Stupid Stuff" due.

2) Independent Novel Study suggestions - library to take out...

3) Close your eyes... do you remember... (a meditation?)

4) Poems of Childhood and http://www.favoritepoem.org/videos.html

5) Group work

Into the Wild - Into Poetry

1) Creative Projects for The Kite Runner Due

2) Self Assess and Submit. (Copies of Rubric)

3) Wild - connotations? Poetry - connotations?

4) Poetry Unit Outline
5) Tara, this is stupid stuff! And Questions to Ask of a Poem.
6) Review literary response style... response due tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Library to get independent novel study. Another two poems. Another written response.

Review

1) Round Robin: What will you most remember about this novel?
What have you learned from this novel?

2) Review Sheet and Ch 20 - 25 Q's

3) Time for Creative Projects

Tuesday - work day for projects

Wednesday - Test (MC, Short Answer and Written Response)

December!

1) Advent Calendar (Yes. I am still 5 years old way, way underneath...)

2) Winter Tale Voting and Winner

3) Reading/Discussion of The Kite Runner
Why do people sometimes want to die?
Ugh.
Tough question. Important question.

4) Creative and Visual Projects - tour of Wordle - samples of PostSecret (Library?)
Time to work.

Skateistan

SKATEISTAN: TO LIVE AND SKATE KABUL from Diesel New Voices on Vimeo.

Push to the Finish of The Kite Runner

1) Silent Reading - (up to 317 was assigned)

2) Reading out loud - Chapter 23 cont'd

3) Creative and Visual Project

4) Upcoming - Review class, Test Day, Movie Days and new unit...  poetry and independent novel study!

Are you genuine?

1) You are an iceburg. Look at the image. What do you notice? How is this like you?

2) Groups - what does this quote mean to you? How does it relate to the novel? "There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls." ~Howard Thurman

3) Read the rest of Chapter 20. Discuss.

4) Winter Tales entries - our own contest... winner gets 100% on the story and a GIANT chocolate bar.

5) Time to work on journal entries, comprehension questions.

Homework: cry for me while you have a day off... and finish the next two sets of comprehension questions. You should have at least 13 journal entries by now too.

Who are the Hazaras in Canada?

1) Silent Reading? Did you finish Chapter 19

2) Who are the Hazaras in Canada? Why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/charlie-angus/attawapiskat-emergency_b_1104370.html#s487212

3) Reading out loud... discussion.

4) Time for journals and comprehension questions.

5) Tomorrow: I will share our best Winter Tales! :) Email yours today if you have not yet.

Comma Sense!

Complete the sentences below by correctly inserting commas and semi-colons. 1. Andrew Mark and Eric all play on the varsity basketball team. 2. Monica was very disappointed in her performance she was never the less a gracious loser. 3. Although I have never been to Mexico I have always wanted to travel there. 4. Jason who is the youngest in the family was born August 12 1988. 5. Alisson didn't feel well however she came to school anyway. 6. It was a hot windy day but I still spent the afternoon working in the garden. 7. When she asked if he was hungry Joe replied "I'm starved" 8. I planted shade evergreen and flowering trees short tall and medium shrubs and red yellow and white roses.

Kite Runner Cont'd and Winter Tales

1) Silent Reading - assigned chapter
2) Read aloud and discuss
3) More journal entries available...
4) A Winter Interlude. I have been enchanted by a writing contest called The True Winter Tales Challenge. I think you would all enjoy the contest too. Let's have our own contest and aim to submit our best creations to the contest. You can win $1000!

400-500 words
Assessed on two criteria. Engaging story. ___/12 Punctuation ___/12 (punctuation lessons tomorrow)
Library time - half day tomorrow and most of class on Thursday.

Let's take a look... read some samples... start brainstorming.

Webquest To Do

1) Begin by understanding your task - to persuade a Taliban (they are coming in the novel...) that Kite Running is vital to Afghanistan. You can use your understanding of the history, customs, religion, education and struggles of the country to make your argument effective.

2) Decide on whether you want to do a newspaper (think a few different stories and images) or a powerpoint presentation.

3) Use the links on the webquest to do some research and collect some notes. Remember you are searching for information that can be used to be persuasive.

4) Transform your notes into your newspaper or powerpoint. Your notes can be combined with your original notes (on becoming an Afghanistan expert). Your notes are to be collected by yourself but you can create the newspaper/powerpoint in a small  group.

5) You will be provided several classes to work on this. Newspapers will be displayed in class. Powerpoints will be uploaded to this blog. Notes will also be handed in for credit.

Kite Runner Webquest

We're going to try something new! I'm dropping the expert handout presentation. Instead we are going to try out a new find: http://sites.google.com/site/kiterunnerwebquest/kiterunnerwebquest2

Announcement: Moved Ch.1 - 9 review to MONDAY

Homework: Chapter 5-9 Questions AND homework check for 4 journal entries

Quiz: Quiz on Tuesday

Still to come: Visual Project

Today: Library to begin webquest...

Who Cares?

1) Silent Reading

2) Discussion and next journal topic

It's just a novel. Right?
Why should we care about the story of Hassan and Amir?
Why should we ask tough questions like "How do we know what is wrong?" (as we did yesterday)
Why should we really assess what it is that we believe?

- Beliefs are a huge part of who we are as a person.. So if you want to be something more than a second hand self who mindlessly repeats the opinions of other people, you need to make sure your beliefs and opinion are genuinely your own.

- Beliefs matter because they affect your ACTIONS, and in some cases, beliefs can literally be a matter of life and death. An example: if you really think that calling someone "gay" or "LG" or whatever.... if you believe that is okay and you are the last person to speak to someone who is suicidal and you use one of these slurs, then your beliefs are having an impact. An everyday hero knows this and takes the higher road.

Journal Topic: Do you think we should respect the beliefs of a racist (like Assef) or a sexist? Name some examples of beliefs that are both misguided and dangerous (many are coming our way in The Kite Runner).

Review: Chapter 8 - best lines overview...everyone pick one... write on board
Read: Chapter 9
Tomorrow: Ch 1-9 Quiz - A few MC and one short paragraph response.

Time to write: You should have four or five journal entries done by now. I will do a homework check on Monday. Those who have nothing done in their journal will have to go to homework club or stay afterschool with me.

I have to be away...

... so I will not be reading the difficult scene in Chapter 7.

Instead you have the whole class to work on your journal. You can work on a computer if you like - then you can just, print and paste your responses into the paper journal.

You can also use the time to catch up on any missed work. Term 1 ends next Monday and I need to post current marks so that you can communicate these marks to home. Check the list on the right hand corner of this blog to see what you should have handed in by now.

See you tomorrow!

Kite Runner Journal Topics - choose 20

1) What do you think about the state of the world today? Do you keep yourself informed about the world? If not, why not?

2) Why is empathy/compassion important? For you? For our school? For the larger community?

3) How has 9/11 had an impact upon you? Do you remember those days? Has terrorism changed the way you live your life, or changed the way you see the world? Was it a loss of innocence for you?

4) How does the movie, "Slumdog Millionaire," relate to "The Ninny"? What themes, or main ideas, about life, do they share in common?

5) Characterize Baba and Amir's relationship. Why does "hate" enter into their father/son relationship? What quotations show us, the readers, the raw truths about their feelings towards one another?

6) Much of this novel is about discrimination and cultural divides across political/social/religious lines. Is it human nature to hate the "other"? Do we in Canada have our own stories of ugly discrimination? Or, what about right here in the hallways of Highland, what ugly divides and discriminations happen here? How can we deal with this sort of hatred?

7) Do you identify with Amir in any way? Most students see at least a glimmer of themselves in the complicated relationship he has with his father. In what ways are you like Amir?

8) Why can't Amir bring himself to do anything when he sees Hassan being raped? What happens to him in that terrifying moment? What can his example teach you about how to handle things differently if ever you witness a crime?

9) Ironies and symbolism abound in this novel. How do you feel about the irony that Kamal ends up raped himself (he was one of Assef's sidekicks)? How are these recurrent rapes symbolic? Who/what else is raped? Hint: this novel is a novel of Afghanistan - it is not just about Amir and Hassan, it is about the good and bad inside of a country.

10) Baba is a man's man. Afghani culture defines "real men" as tough, unemotional, successful, powerful, independent, etc... What do you think it takes to be a good man? What have we been taught in our own culture about what it takes to be a real man?

11) What does America stand for across cultures and nations? Is the American Dream a real thing or is it just a dream? Why do many nations/cultures hate America?

12) Baba transforms as he becomes an immigrant in a strange land. Why might it be hard to adjust to life in North America? What should immigrants do to adjust more easily? What should communities do to embrace their immigrants?

13) What are "the rules" for dating, or whatever you want to call it, for young people in North America? In Afghani culture, young men and women can barely look at each other, never mind speak. Is our way too loose? Is their way too strict? When you have been interested in someone, has it been easy or difficult, or something in between, to make y our relationship happen?

14) Should people keep secrets? Big secrets? Small secrets? Do secrets ultimately destroy you over time? Can we privately manage, inside of our own minds, the things we are not proud of? Why do we care so much about telling one another the truth, the whole truth?

15) If you found out your Mom or Dad, or someone else who takes care of you, was dying, would you have the strength to take care of them?

16)When Amir asks his dad "what am I going to do now?" Baba is furious and says that this is what he has been preparing him for... "so that you [Amir] would never have to ask this question." What does he mean by that?

17) Winter is described as the happiest of seasons in the lives of Afghan children. What is your favourite season? Write a descriptive paragraph that brings a time/place/memory of that season to life.

18) "People need stories to divert them at difficult times (139)." Do you agree? Does reading about someone else's life and troubles, make it easier to cope with your own? What do you read for pleasure/escapism? Why?

19) "Baba loved the idea of America" but living there was hard on him. What is your idea of America? What does the US stand for? Do you worship or loathe all that the USA represent? Have you travelled to the States? What was it like? What did you learn? Are the stereotypes true?

20) Did you win the life lottery? What are you going to do with your winning ticket?

21) Should we let bullies and jerks and liars rule our countries? Or do we? How do we make bullying stop? Do you even care about bullying? What do you do when you see someone being harrassed? Is non-action a form of bullying?

22) Why do we lie?

23) If you were to create a society with only 10 laws/rules, what would those rules be?

24) It is said, that human beings are a remarkably resilient creature, we bounce back from hardship and move forward. Do you agree?

25) Who are the Hazaras of Canada? Why are they? How do you feel about it? (Or: Who are the Hazaras of Highland? Why?) Why can't we just accept people who are different?

26) Are you genuine? Or, are you like and iceburg, with 90% hidden deep below the surface? Why are you like this? Do you want to change? How does this question relate to Amir?

27)  "There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls." ~Howard Thurman What does this quote mean to you? How does it relate to the novel?

28) When Amir finds out that Hassan is his half brother, he is angry and shocked? Why is he so enraged? Can you relate to these feelings? Why?

29) The last quarter of the novel, The Kite Runner, is filled with gritty descriptions of the decay and dust of Taliban Afghanistan? Why are the descriptions so effective? Do you feel fear, as a reader, as a result?

30) Why does Amir laugh in Chapter 22? How is this related to Assef's own story of an epiphany? Is Amir really redeemed?

31) So many things in this novel come full-circle. Sohrab takes out Assef's eye. A watch is used to heal and not to hurt. These full-circles can seem a bit magical/coincidental in the novel... but what might Hosseini be suggesting about how life works? Does what goes around, come around, as the saying goes?

32) When we played our little role play game of Hazaras punished by the rules of the Taliban, what mostly came to mind about the experience? Is the horror and unfairness inflicted by the Taliban just one example of the inhumanity that has been and will continue to be inflicted by humans?
  
33) The novel is a bildungsroman, a story of experience. How has Amir finally come of age?

34) What would you say to someone who has lost all hope and only feels that life is pain? As much as we know that what a suicidal person really craves is someone who will listen and understand, what would you say to someone who wants to die? What can we do, as a school culture, to prevent suicide?

35) In some ways, this novel is a morality tale. The Kite Runner is teaching as some lessons. What are they? What are the morals of this tale?

36) The Kite Runner makes you feel. Some students have claimed that it has has made them feel something new, even. What are the emotions that you have experienced in the journey through Afghani culture?

37) The novel taps into the ways that the personal and political are connected. The horrible happenings of Afghanistan's history have a direct impact on the horrible events of Hassan's life... do you believe that your political context will effect your lived life in a significant way?

38) Remember the news story I shared with you about The Attawapiskat Nation that was in crisis and being ignored. A large number of people in the Comox Valley became enraged as I, and others, circulated the story on Facebook. A number of letters and emails were sent to the local MP, John Duncan, who has become Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Canada, and with that pressure, and more unpleasant media attention the government had finally responded. I like The Kite Runner because it motivates me to shout out and stop what is happening in the back alleys of the world when I can. Do you think you can make that pledge too. Can you start today? How?

39) What did you think of the film, "Skateistan"? What did you notice? Do you think that an organization like that can make a difference in the lives of Kabul children?

40) In the photographs of Afghanistan that a student's dad took of the Canadian Forces mixing with the people there is a sort of tension between the old Afghani culture and the new ways of Canadian peace-keepers. What do you think of Canada's presence in Afghanistan? Should we be there? Are all the lost soldiers worth it?

Slumdog Millionaire

1) I am home taking care of a very sick little girl. She's five and she's fevered and I really, really wanted to be starting The Kite Runner with you today, but I cannot.

2) In light of our conversations about empathy and international mindedness, I'd like you to watch, "Slumdog Millionaire." It's an oscar winning film that is both joyful and heart-breaking. (TOC - I believe the film is in the library.)

A Mumbai teen who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers.

While watching, consider this question: how does this film connect to the story, "The Ninny"?

Teachers Wanted

1) Silent Reading

2) Groups of 3-4 people. Select an Afghanistan topic area to become a specialist in.

Political history in a nutshell
The place of women
Education
Afghanistan today
Canadians in Afghanistan
Social customs
Religions/Ethnicities

3) Prepare a handout for the whole class.

• Only one page double-sided.
• Include information from five sources.
• Include two images.
• If you can find a relevant interactive media, include a link to it.
• Include a list of work cited.

International Mindedness and Empathy Needed

1) Silent Reading

2) Empathy? What is it?

3) A Spectrum or a false dichotomy? Altruism to Hedonism... where do you fit in? Faith in absolute rights and wrongs OR nothing is purely right/wrong...

4) What about the world?
2 questions: How many TV's does the average home have? What does the average kid eat for dinner?

What is international mindedness? http://www.jamesmollison.com/wherechildrensleep.php?project_id=6&p=synop

Flags presentation:

International quiz (silent) - What happened in Egypt recently? Libya? Where is there a massive shortage of food at the moment? What is happening on Wall Street? Where are Canadian troops currently stationed?

5) How do you become more empathic? More aware?
Leaving self behind. The authentic self - "If you really knew me... you would know..."

6) Journal Topics: CHOICE - What do you think about the state of the world today? Do you see your place in the world? Do you have worries about the world you are moving into? Are you aware of the world you are moving in to? OR Why is compassion/empathy important? Do you see compassion in your world? Can we learn to be empathic? How are you empathic? Tell a story of empathy in action.

Coming Up: First Unit overview and interviews, Immersion/research in all things Afghanistan... Begin The Kite Runner.

Touch the Dragon

http://www.karenconnelly.ca/touch-the-dragon

1) Silent Reading
2) Think of a time when you have been completely out of your usual comfort zone... what does it feel like to be away from what you know? 6 word story. Share.
3) Back to Touch the Dragon - what connotations come to mind when you think of a dragon? Why is a dragon so apt as the central symbol of a story about moving in to a foriegn land?
4) Multiple Choice (switch and mark) - some debate might be okay here...
5) Discuss the elements of fiction in the excerpt/story.

6) Homework - 300 word topic - see handout.

Tuesday, Oct. 4th

1) Silent reading

2) Story Gallery

3) Finish "Identities" Discussion - Flashback, Irony

4) Group write of theme statement.

5) Next story - see video...

War Story in Sand

Mondaaaaaay!!! October 3rd

1) Silent Reading

2) Story and Image Due - presentation assembly

3) New Story - Identities

- Connotations of Identity?
- Exam-lik story
- Read twice - annotate
- Story-Reading strategies
4) Groups - team write a theme statement. 2 -3 sentences using 2-3, 2-3 word quotes. Oh, and you've got 23 minutes. Groups will stand and present. Clear, confident voices and eyes.

A Short Story Rubric

What do this mean? "Works are judged anonymously on the basis of the author's use of language, originality of subject and writing style."  This is from a CBC writing contest.


Let's build our rubric together - then, off to the library.

Make the image and the story into a visual. See example.

Examples of Short, Short stories...

http://www.cbc.ca/books/strangerthanfiction/yourstories/behaviour/

Thursday, Sept. 28th

1) Silent Reading 2) Hand Raising "Discussion" - Who has ever felt contrained by the expectations of their gender? Who thinks that boys and girls have equal access to opportunities in most things? Who has been made fun of for their gender? Who has used names like pansy, pu---, girly to insult people? Who thinks that there is still work to be done in terms of society's expectations for girls and boys?
3) "Boys and Girls" questions - discuss...


4) Creative Writing Assignment - Write your own initiation/loss of innocence/coming of age short story.

It can be a memoir or a complete fiction.
Maximum of 500 words.
Whichever you choose, you are to select an inspirational image as your starting place.
This story will be displayed along with the image and we will make a story gallery in the class.
We'll be creating the marking rubric in class.

Monday, Sept. 26th

1) Silent Reading - 10 minutes

2) "I saw the best minds..." essay due. As I am home sick, you can hand it in tomorrow, if you like.

Our version of "girl."

3) Boy and Girls - the story... (Teacher read aloud - stop and check for understanding every two pages. The story is on my desk.)

Keeping in mind our discussions of Friday about stereotypes and vast generalizations about gender, listen to this story and see what issues and ideas come to mind.

Also, watch out for SYMBOLS - Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. There are many of them in the story.

Enjoy your rainy day storytime!

4) Study Questions - due tomorrow...you can find them here.

 And cut and pasted here:

1. Who is the narrator? What perspective does she have on the events in the story?
2. Where and when does the story take place?
3. What roles are assigned to men and to women in the world of this story? How do the mother, the father, Henry Bailey, the narrator, and her brother Laird exemplify aspects of these masculine and feminine roles?
4. What people and things represent freedom in this story? What people and things are not “free”?
5. What do you see as the primary conflict in the story; in other words, what does the dramatic tension come from?
6. What do you see as the turning point in the story?
7. What changes occur in the course of the story --to the girl, to her fantasies, to her relationship with Laird and her father?
8. The phrase “only a girl” is used in two different situations. What meaning does the phrase have for the girl in each situation? How does it contribute to the overall meaning of the story?
9. This sort of story is called a “coming of age” or “initiation” story. Why do you think that is? What is the girl “initiated” into? Of what does she become aware?
10. In “Boys and Girls”, what does the girl gain? What does she lose? Do you think what she becomes reflects nature or nurture? Do you see these changes and losses as necessary?

Thursday, Sept. 21st

1) What do you think is destroying your generation? Did you know the title of our recent story is an allusion to a famous poem by Allan Ginsberg, "Howl." Define allusion.

2) How to add quotes to your writing.

Good handout here.

3) Today is the last day to finish the videos and work on your essay response to "The best minds of my generation were destroyed by Google."

Independent Short Story Work

Terms/Introduction - Genre, Science Fiction, Sentence Variety

Find the assignment template here.

Watch the video series over here.

Monday, Sept. 19th

1) Silent Reading

2) A&P draft due.

3)The literary response recipe.

4) Peer editing and re-writing.
5) Due at end of class...

6) Tomorrow: New Story - bring ear buds!!! You'll be working with online videos...

Friday September 16th

1) Quiz - Elements of Fiction

2) Group Presentations

3) Select a topic - time to prepare first ever multi-paragraph response with 3 supporting quotes.

Thursday, Sept. 15th

1) Silent Reading
2) Finish Notes (from yesterday)
3)A&P group questions - 6 groups. View video to review the story.

A & P
Get More: A & P

     - Is Sammy's quitting a form of rebellion or a statement of some sort? Does it have any meaning? What is he rebelling against? Are there unconscious targets of his rebellion? Who is the enemy here? Are there any forms of oppression at work in the story? Who is oppressed (or "embarrassed" for that matter)? Is Sammy's standing up for the girls in some way a form of standing up for himself?
    -Is the girls behavior itself a kind of statement or rebellion of some sort? What message are they sending by walking into the A&P in their bathing suits? What messages do the girls send to "the sheep" of the store? Why is it significant that they choose a supermarket for their self-display?    
   - What are Queenie and the girls symbolic of? Is Queenie an upper class girl? Is she more free than Sammy? Why? What does Sammy think? How does he imagine her life? How does he contrast his own existence to that of Queenie? Is Queenie her real name? What does Sammy know for a fact about her? What does her behavior reveal? What in a sense is he trying to achieve by impressing Queenie?
  
For all groups - collect 4 quotes from the story that back up your answers.

Present findings. All take down quotes.

4) Writing Assignment - pick one of the sets of questions tonight and begin a brainstorm. Prepare to write tomorrow.

Day Two

1) Move to Lab - My projector is bwoken. Waaaahhhhh!

2) Daily English 11 - here we are! Subscribe via email...

3) Finish Outline - think, pair, share for each remaining section. Video.

4) Spreadsheet.

4) Review Epic and Paradox.
5) First writing sample. Paradox paragraph.

Tomorrow - present yourself, your paradox to class... If you really know me, you'd know...

Welcome to English 11!

1) Meet the Creature. Define Paradox.

2) The Epic Outline

3) All I ever needed to learn about how not to behave, I learned from cats:

Insults and the rest of Act 4

1) Shakespeare Insult Game!

2) Read remainder of Act 4

3) Film version...

Tuesday and Wednesday

Remember when we started this semester I told you that it was a very unusual one as I would be pulled away frequently for responsibilities outside of my class? Well, Tuesday and Wednesday I am away on a field trip... but this is it! No more days away.

To make things productive and enjoyable, I ask that you accomplish two things each day.

1) Read Macbeth out loud for half of the class. Stop an make sure you understand what is going on. I'll review the most essential lines when I return. You are on Act 1 Scene 4.

2) For the last half of each day, watch the most famous adaptation of Macbeth - The Throne of Blood (1957). It is set in Fuedal Japan and you will see all the same themes and ideas at play.
After a great military victory, Lords Washizu and Miki are lost in the dense Cobweb Forest, where they meet a mysterious old woman who predicts great things for Washizu and even greater things for Miki's descendants. Once out of the forest, Washizu and Miki are immediately promoted by the Emperor. Washizu, encouraged by his ambitious wife, plots to make even more of the prophecy come true, even if it means killing the Emperor...

Enjoy!

Week Three Lit. Circle Tasks

Discussion Directors - Alright, it is time to take a stab at it - what are the primary themes of the novel? Literature worth its salt, always has at least a few ideas about life that it is imparting. What are the themes that you are encountering? How do you know?

Summarizer - Summarize the third quarter of the novel. Do the math and figure out what page number or chapter everyone should be up to speed on. You may also ask a question that is related to your summary.

Two paragraphs minimum.

Passage Picker - Every novel has emotional beats, ups and downs, what are three of the most pivotal shifts in the novel in this section? List them, describe them and explain what we learn from them.

Connection Maker - The world has undergone so many dramatic changes lately. Osama Bin Laden was killed, the Canadian election was historically significant, the rebellions in the Middle East are ongoing... what text-to-world connections are you making as you read the novel? Explain the connections.Two paragraphs minimum.

Week Two Tasks - Lit Circle

Remember that you should be writing a couple of paragraphs in the elevens every week. You should also reply to a few posts each time too.

Discussion Directors - It's time to start delving in with some depth. If you considered the conflict last week, this week consider the main characters - if you discussed characters, then this week discuss the conflict. AND begin to collect and list any significant SYMBOLS that have been presented so far. How do these symbols connect with the developing theme?

Summarizer - Summarize the second quarter of the novel. Do the math and figure out what page number or chapter everyone should be up to speed on. You may also ask a question that is related to your summary.

Two paragraphs minimum.

Passage Picker - What are the four most momentous scenes in the second quarter of the novel? Explain and describe each one and ask your group about what they think about these moments. How do these scenes mark major shifts in the central character(s) development?

Connection Maker - Start with a discussion of text-to-text connections. What other books, movies, TV shows, poems, song lyrics, commercials, artwork has the novel made you think of so far? Explain the connections.Two paragraphs minimum.

Assignments Updated

Look at the homework boxes over here ------------------------>>>>

Your Desiderata

You are just one long year away from graduation, as we wrap up our study of poetry, I want us to end on a personally reflective moment... let's think a little bit about what we think the essential elements are for leading a good life.

1) View and Discuss - Let's start with an old graduation speech from 1997: Sunscreen.


2) Read and discuss... notice the sililairities... notice how both use sentence variety for effect.

The Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser people than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble,
it is a real posession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is.
Many persons strive for high ideals
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in face of sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars.
You have a right to be here.
And whether it is clear to you or not,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive of him to be,
and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful. Strive to be happy.

3) Think about what you value. Consider your ideals. Determine what annoys and/or scares you.
Now, write your own Desiderata, Manifesto, Oath, Rant, Speech that evokes your essential values.

Minimum of 20 lines.
Focus on sentence variety and elevating your vocabulary.

Catching Up...

As some of you know, I have been struggling with a long-lasting virus that is forcing me to live with vertigo, a state that has been making normal tasks extra hard, including keeping up on my class blogs.

Soooo... I am finally getting in here to post the most recent work.

the elevens - Week One Tasks

Once your group has sorted out who is going to have what role, proceed to your first writing tasks. Compose them first in MS Word so that you can keep a copy in case there are any problems with working online. There will be more than one person with a role - remember to make all of these inside of the DISCUSSIONS inside of your GROUP. Look at the rubric if you need to be reminded about how you will be graded.


Discussion Directors - Begin a discussion about the first impressions of the novel. As part of your discussion starter, consider one of the following elements of fiction - character or conflict. This should be at least two paragraphs in length.

Summarizer - Summarize the first quarter of the novel. Do the math and figure out what page number or chapter everyone should be up to speed on. You may also ask a question that is related to your summary.
Two paragraphs minimum.

Passage Picker - What are the six most important quotable moments in the novel so far? Explain each one and ask your group about what they think about these.

Connection Maker - Start with a discussion of text-to-self connections. What has the novel made you think of in your own life so far? Or maybe consider connections to similiar things about our little community and the lives of others around you. Two paragraphs minimum.

Still sick... soooo sorry...

Yup - even teachers get sick too.

1) Silent Reading



2) We were going to watch a movie at the end of this unit... why not start watching it now? Enjoy!

Monday 11th

1) Silent Reading - remember that you need to be 1/4 of the way through your novel by Thursday.

2) "The Dumka" - what is happening in this poem? What are the contrasts?

Suggestions Regarding Response:
• “alone,” yet “together” lines 1; 39–40
• they sit quietly but in their thoughts, “something dense / and radiant swirled around them” lines 10 and 11
• the sky is smeared green with doom but afterwards the air is drenched with an amber glow lines 13–15
• “fields of maize” contrast with “bread lines in the city” lines 22 and 23
• “the war” contrasts with “the homecoming” and the new prosperity that comes with peace lines 25–28
• the deprivation of the Depression era contrasts with post-war prosperity lines 12–29 • “the homecoming” contrasts with the later solitude of old age and a vanishing neighbourhood lines 27–30
• contrast in the overall structure of the poem; the couple is alone together at the beginning and end, but in the middle stanza they are surrounded by the swirl of their memories various references
• contrast between the present as the older couple sits quietly alone together and their memories of past experiences various references

This list is not exhaustive.

Now, get out your rought draft and mark it with a partner.

Debate the multiple choice answers if need be or consult others in the room.

Mark one another's written responses. Remember the 6 point scale. Discuss what is working and what is not.

Give yourselves a mark for the whole pre-test and write these marks and your names on a piece of paper and hand them in.

3) Revisions in the library. Now that you have some feedback, you are to go to the library and re-write the paragraph response.

Make sure you have:
- A clear thesis statement that uses both the title and the author's name
- Transitional phrases
- No re-telling
- At least 8 sentences
- Sentence variety - try having some really short sentences and build one or two really looooooong sentences
- at least 6 short supporting quotations (even a word or two from the poem counts as support)
- a memorable last line/conclusion

4) Paragraph is due TODAY

Friday!!!

1) Silent Reading

2) Foundational Terms - Notes

3) Terrance! What! Huh!?

4) The Dumka - a pre test on poetry...

Monday, April 4th

Last call for Chapter Notes! (Need email addresses for sharing AND for upcoming sign-up for Online Novel Study)

1) Discuss Last Few Chapters. Read last few pages. How does the ending work?

2) Theme Brainstorm - what do we take away?

3) Review Notes - fill in the blank - small group and whole group work. STUDY THESE.

4) Movie??

TEST TOMORROW: 20 some MC, 15 marks for story sorting, 6 marks for example chart, 24 marks for written response.

Kite Runner work is due

Chapter Notes - overdue

Journal - Due Monday, April 4th

Test - Tuesday

Creative Project - Wednesday

Skateistan

A great video that gives you a sense of what life might be like for Afghani youth today.

SKATEISTAN: TO LIVE AND SKATE KABUL from Diesel New Voices on Vimeo.

The Taliban

Middle East Unrest - a larger context for the novel

Interactive BBC Map helps us to understand.

Welcome Back from Spring Break!

Spring is here. Hope you enjoyed the break!

We have lots to do to get us back up and running.

1) Marks Updated

2) Quiz on Reading Homework - and discussions...

3) Where are we at - see calendar below.

4) View and Discuss scene from 102 Minutes that Changed the World. How old were you? How does this all relate to The Kite Runner?

5) Read - Chapter 20, Ch. 21 for homework.

5) Time to work

Ch.7 - Ch. 8 Journal Topics

Chapter 7
- Why does the opening dream become so ironic?
- When Amir witnesses Hassan being attacked, he disassociates psychologically, shuts his eyes and recalls two memories and a dream. What is the theme of those mental pictures?
- "In the end, I ran." Could this moment have gone any differently? What else might have happened?

Chapter 8
- Why does Baba's approval and pride seem so empty to Amir now? How can Amir ever feel deserving again?
- There is a lot of Afghan food described in this book. Do some research and find out what you can about kofta, qura, etc...
- Explain the various symbols that come out of the birthday party.

Monday, March 14th

5 Days Until Spring Break!

I'm away doing teacher training stuff today. I know, I know... I owe you big time.

1) Silent Reading - your choice... (well, if you have read up to the end of Ch.10).

2) Out Loud Reading - student or teacher: pp. 132 - middle of page 138

3) Class Discussion - Why do we hate CHANGE so much? What makes someone good at adapting to change? Why is dealing with change an important life skill?

4) Ch. 10 Review Questions - Due tomorrow

5) Tomorrow: Time to work on Journals. Introduction of creative project choices.

Our Six Word Stories!

Hi Everyone... I'm away today because my back injury has taken a turn and I can't take the pain anymore. I'm off to Physio, etc.

Please take today's tasks seriously. We are all really enjoying this engrossing novel, so let's keep progressing. Here are your tasks for the day:

- Find the pile of tests from yesterday (on my desk, on the far right). Hand them out (not to their owners) to finish the marking process. The key is somewhere in the pile of tests with a yellow sticky on the top of it. Collect them all back at the end. If there are some questions that are contested just let me know and I will make adjustments.

- Group Work: ask students to organize into groups or pairs and quickly discuss/review what happened in Ch. 8.

- Whole Class Discussion:

• Hassan has endured a horrible trauma. We never get to know what it is that he is thinking/feeling because of the first person point of view. What do you imagine is going through Hassan mind through the course of chapter 8?
  
• AND How are you as readers feeling about Amir right now? Should we pardon him because he has been an emotionally neglected child?

- Reading: Please read chapter 9 - teacher or student read (this can go on for 20 minutes)

- Maybe assign some silent reading too... or see if the library or netbooks are available to use so that they can have time to work on their journal entries.

Journal Topics - Ch. 4-6

Ch. 4
- How did Ali come to be taken in to Baba's family? Why is this important?

- Respond to one of the following quotes:
"Never mind any of those things. Because history isn't easy to overcome. Either is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara."

- "Amir and Hassan: the Sultans of Kabul. These words made it formal, the world was ours."

- How do you think the divergent reactions of Rahim and Hassan to Amir's story affect Amir? What do their reactions reveal about them all?

- Amir's story is dark. This novel is dark. Why is so much literature about the unhappy parts of life?

Ch. 5
- What is it that Hassan sees for the first time on his father's face? Why is this significant? What might it mean to Amir?

- Amir tells us that Assef is a sociopath. Modern psychology tells us that as many as 5 in 100 human beings are to some degree sociopathic. Without using names, have you ever met someone who cared not at all for how other people feel? How did you react to that person?

- Hassan is remarkably brave in this chapter. Describe the scene and imagine how Amir must feel by comparison. Afterall, he just wanted his dad to show up and save the day. Is Hassan a role model for us all or a fool?

Ch. 6
- Respond to any of the following quotes:

"If I was going to toy with him and challenge his loyalty, then he'd toy with me, and challenge my integrity." p58

"That was the thing with Hassan he was always so goddam pure, you always felt like a phony around him." (this is an allusion to a classic bildungsroman, Catcher in the Rye)

Chapter 7 - discussion

1) Silent Reading (for those of you who for got to read up to Ch.7)

2) Groups - discuss Chapter 7 - what happened? How did you feel as a reader? Collect two quotes to share and discuss with the whole class.

3) Whole class discussion

4) Out Loud Reading

5) More Journal Questions - time to work on... Use this time wisely!!

Journal Questions - Ch.1-3

Remember that for the KR journal you have to produce 20 paragraph responses. It does not matter what the 20 topics are, these are just suggestions. Feel free to come up with your own topics/ideas.

Ch.1
- Can you bury the past? Amir begins the novel by suggesting that "the past always claws its way out." Why do you think he feels this way? Do you agree?
- Rahim suggests to Amir that "there is a way to be good again." Is redemption really possible? Can someone come back from "evil" behaviour?

Ch.2
- Three father/son relationships are portrayed in this chapter: Amir/Baba, Hassan/Ali and Amire/Rahim. What characterizes each relationship? You could answer these questions in the form of a diagram or labeled drawing.
- The Hazaras are described in many different ways - describe these and then speculate on the why's and the reasons for this discrimination.

Ch.3
- Describe Baba. Why does Amir sometimes hate him?
- Describe Amir. Why does Baba sometimes hate him?
- How do the traditional expectations for the roles of men play into the ideas of the novel so far?
- "Children aren't colouring books. You don't get to colour them in with your favourite colours." Respond/react to this thought.

Thursday - To Do...

1) Return some work - feedback and examples

2) Discuss Chapter 4

3) Teacher Read Aloud - Chapter 5...

4) Silent Reading

5) Discuss Map of Middle East

6) Chapter Notes Rubric and sample online

7) Journal Rubric

8) Time to work on journal...

Kite Runner Notes

Here is the example set that I made: Chapter One.

The Chapter Notes Rubric will be handed out in class.
Twenty entries are required... start now!

Afghan History Nutshell

The novel takes place from 1970's - 2002. But the novel refers back to history from the early 20th century...

Here is a nutshell overview:
- Prior to 1919 owned by England (a colony)
- 1919 King declared independance
- USSR was the first country to accept the new country
- 1920's various regimes, turmoil
- 1933 - 1973 Monarchy ruled by King Zahir Shah
- 1973 Coup. Prince Dahoud seizes power, Republic with "elected" president (the prince). Lots of corruption. Russians upset because they has been able to use the King as their puppet. The newly declared President was less willing to listen to them. A tense time.
- 1978 Violent overthrow. Prince/president Dahoud and his entire family murdered by Russions. PDPA (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan) declared (but run by Russions and corrupt Afghanis) Marxist.
- conservative social and political changes begin to occur... infighting... more turmoil
- 1989 Russians withdraw (post-cold-war Berlin wall falls)
- PDPA remains in power
- 1992 converts to Islamic state
- Violent in-fighting... culture, architecture, economy all begin to crumble...
- After Sept. 11, 2001 - US, CAN, BRITs invade...

Afghan History and Chapter 3

1) Announcements - still have to do a story test... Thursday...

Yesterday - Do you have the unit overview?

2) History Notes - Afghanistan in a nutshell

3) Teacher Reading - Chapter 3

4) Silent Reading - I will assign pages...

5) Journal/Work Time

Kite Runner Begins...

A Block
1) Silent Reading

2) Hedonism vs. Altruism... a slippery spectrum...

3) Afghanistan - What do you already know?

4) Library - take out The Kite Runner

5) Read first chapters - out loud - discuss

6) Unit Overview - handout and discuss

Tomorrow: Afghan History and next chapters...

Sample Short Story Analysis

Read it and/or print it out from here.

Independent Short Story Project

This project will prepare you for the short story test on Monday, Feb. 28th and give you a chance to make sure you know how to use the foundational literary terms of English 12.

Step One – Select a story that is longer than 7 pages long – the librarian will have a selection of books out for you to choose from.

Step Two – Photocopy the story.

Step Three – Read the story with a pen or pencil in your hand. Practise your annotation skills. Cover the story in marks as you read. (4 marks for annotation)

Step Four – Find someone else who has read the same story as you and discuss the plot, characters, conflict, setting, point of view and theme. If you must, work by yourself, making sure before you proceed to the next step, that you have figured out these basic elements of the short story. Use the attached graphic organizers to take further notes (10 marks for worksheets).

Step Five - Come up with a question/topic – related to one of the main elements of fiction. For example: How does the setting of the story, “The Liar” alter our understanding of the protagonist’s motivation? Write a 2 or 3 paragraph response to that question. Use supporting quotations. (12 marks) See the sample response at: http://eolit.hrw.com/hlla/writersmodel/index2.jsp?id=1050&WebLogicSession=Qhzx0UpELNmxostoouz8PtunTC7282b88xxi4HL8wyc3K7pzFgng19056100342224463/167838195/6/6000/6000/7002/7002/6000/-1

Step Six – Create a visual representation of the theme of your story. Create an online or pen and paper creation/collage. Online you can try a Glogster poster, a Prezi presentation using related video links and text, or an Animoto slide show of images and text. Don’t know what these are? Google them! (12 marks)

All these pieces are due THURSDAY, Feb 24th.

Responding to Lazy Whiners Handout

here

Shifting Education Paradigms

Lazy Whiners? Responding to Non-Fiction...

1) Silent Reading

2) Mark "Hills Like White Elephants" Questions.

3) Read/View "Lazy Whiners" news story.

4) Whole Class Discussion - agree or disagree with her perspective. What are the two sides of the story?

5) In pairs or solo generate a list of things to say in response - think critically!

6) Whole class -write her a letter... as in exercise in logic and persuasive writing. We can do one as a group together first.

Hemingway and the Objective POV

1) Silent Reading

2) "Performance" of Hills Like White Elephants.

3) Detective/Discussion Groups - What is the conversation about? Use all your points of entry/ elements of fiction to figure out what is going on.

4) In-Depth Thinking - see questions below.






Questions for "Hills Like White Elephants" 10 marks - tomorrow

1. What is the effect of the objective point of view?

2. Why are the speakers only identified as "a man" and "girl"? How do these designations affect your reading of the story? What nickname does the man use for the girl?

3. How do the descriptions of the landscape relate to the conversation between the two travelers? What about the discussion of drink orders?

4. Note each sentence or paragraph that is not enclosed in quotation marks, and explain how each brief commentary affects your understanding of the characters and the lives they lead.

5. Why does the girl repeat the word "please" seven times? Anger? Hysteria? Fear? Frustration? Why does the man leave her at the table?

6. The railroad station setting is important to the progress--the plot--of the story. How does this physical setting parallel the thematic concerns of the story as well?

7. How does the title relate to the story? What is the symbolism of a white elephant?

8. Is the girl really "fine" at the end of the story? How do you think she is feeling?

9. How is this story ironic? 2 marks

Bad Behaviour!

1) Silent Reading

2) Discussion: What are the elements of a terrific short story??? Think - Group - Share on board

3) Terms: Genre, Memoir, Hyperbole, Understatement

4) Stranger than Fiction - postcard fiction contest... you are all going to create and submit a 250 word story. My sample story...

5) Library - to work on it... you must also hand it in to me by Tuesday, next week.

Check out Kurt Vonnegut's advice:

Inquiry Question

Using the literary terminology we have discussed about the elements of fiction, select one of the videos viewed in class today and use references to that video to explain your answer to this question.

Answers must come in the form of a well-developed paragraph. 12 marks

You must include at least five of the following terms in your response:
Plot – initial incident, climax, etc... (these terms are great for “This Too Shall Pass”)
Setting
Tone (think about "The Suburbs")
Theme
Character
Conflict ("The Suburbs")
Symbols (this is a good one for “Power”)
Imagery
Irony

How is a music video like a short story?

Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs"

Kanye West's "Power"

OK Go's "This Too Shall Pass"


Inquiry Question: How is a music video like a short story?

This and that day...

1) Silent Reading

2) Thanks for paragraphs on Friday

3) New Terms - Symbol, Metaphor and Motif

4) Discuss Elements of "Boys and Girls" Board Work

5) Characterization Chart and Craft

<--- Check out this Wordle of the text of the story.

We'll try a Wordle some time soon...

Boys and Girls

1) Silent Reading - finish reading the story, if need be.

2) Discussion - What do you think of the epiphany in this story? The story was written in the 60's and set even earlier than that; do you think that the world of boys and girls has changed much?

3) Library Work - I did not get the Literary Paragraphs all marked so your next Lit response gets to wait for awhile... I know, I know, you are crushed.

Instead, you have two jobs today:

Characterization Chart - select two characters in "Boys and Girls" and find quotes to support your undestanding of the indirectly and directly presented character traits. Due Monday.

Opinion Paragraph - write an 8-12 sentence paragraph response to ONE of the following topics. Your focus as a writer is to aim for sentence variety.

Have the roles and expectations for girls changed much in the last 50 years?

Have the roles and expectations for boys changed much in the last 50 years?

The media tends to portray men as fools, dummies, coach potatoes, vidoe-game addicts, goofballs, jerks, bad dads, etc… What are young men really like today?

The media inundates us with images of scantily clad women who rise to the top and have power and money and success. How can a young woman have power and self respect today?

Where are the real role models for boys/men?

Where are the real role models for girls/women?

Due Today

Characterization

1) Hand in Literary Paragraph
2) Silent Reading
3) Textbook Sign Out - library.
4) Read "Boys and Girls" Pre-reading - connotation/denotation
5) Characterization notes - Elements of short story notes
6) Characterization chart

Tomorrow: Lit paragraph back and in library to write a second one. (Then we'll ease up for awhile... )

The Literary Paragraph

1) 6 Word Stories - overdue

2) Silent Reading

2) A&P Group Presentations

3) What the heck is a Thesis Statement?

4) Your first writing assignment - select ONE of the following elements of fiction topics and write a paragraph about A&P.

• Given the time, place and social context of the setting of A&P how is it that our understanding of Sammy's motivations and decisions changes?
  


• With the first person point of view, we learn about all of Sammy's observations. How would you describe the protagonist? What sort of character is he?
  


• In A&P, the peak of the plot comes when Sammy shouts out, "I Quit!" How does the falling action and resolution wrap up the story? (Or, is the ending good?)
  


• What is the central theme of A&P? How do you know?

The Literary Paragraph
8 - 12 sentences
At least three short supporting quotes

Remember: Sentence Variety, Transition Words, Best Vocabulary

And don't forget to use PEE!

Introduction/Thesis Statement
Point 1
Quote 1 (Evidence)
Evaluation

Point 2
Quote 2 (Evidence)
Evaluation

etc...
Concluding sentence

6 point scale - out of 12.

A & P and the Elements of Fiction

1) Silent Reading

2) Finish Reading A & P

3) Elements of Fiction - notes... yes, notes! You need a pen/pencil and paper.

4) Group Work - Element of fiction presentation

Welcome to English 11 - A Day without Desks!

1) Welcome! Pick three words.

2) Meet the Creature - Tara Colborne and why she hates desks

3) You and Your Words

4) The Outline - it's epic!
And some tough questions around the circle...

5) Six Word Stories - possible homework.

If you ever lose your outline and really, really need to see it again you can view and print it here.