Create an Advertisement

Today, I handed back the work you did with the magazines you analyzed last week.  These worksheets are to be filed in your work portfolio, under "Formative Assessment."

I then distributed an "Ad Planning Page," and gave each student a specific target audience.  Every student was then asked to create an advertisement to sell a WHITE TOWEL to the target audience he/she was given.  As you work through the planning page, consider which persuasive techniques would likely work best, given your target audience, and also which visuals/headline/concept will most appeal to your audience.

Plans were due today, and completed ads are due on Wednesday.

Catch up class!

Because more than half our class was away today on a field trip, we used today's class as an opportunity to catch up on all missed work.  Here is what you should have already submitted to me:

• Letter essay on your Literature Circle book
• Character web for a character from your L.C. book
• Poetry test
• "Dead Poets' Society" Questions
• "Little Mermaid" gender representation summary

If you have not submitted all of these, then you are currently in danger of not completing the course.  Please ensure that you have turned in all these assignments!

Gender Roles in "The Little Mermaid"

We finished watching "The Little Mermaid" today, continuing to analyze the gender roles as they are represented in this film.  Students were challenged to consider the appearance, behaviour, mannerisms, goals and dreams of the male and female characters, and to decide what one might learn about each gender, were this film used as evidence of how to be male/female.

After we concluded the film, students wrote a paragraph about each gender and how it was represented in the film.  If you were away and are able to finish the movie at home this weekend, you can access the paragraph form on the side, here.

Stereotypes in Movies and TV

We read two pieces of informational text today, one on the "other" in TV and movies, and one on the portrayal of Arabs in TV and movies.  What we discovered is that there is heavy reliance on stereotypes in TV and movies, particularly with ethnic minorities.  We talked about the number of action/suspense movies we've seen where the villian is an immigrant.  This perpetuates (continues) the notion that immigrants are bad people, or people to be feared.

I had students fill out a post-it note before leaving, either stating something they had learned this class, or posing a question that came out of today's lesson.  We will consider these questions next day.  Students were asked to pick a TV show that claims to represent real life, to study for homework.  Choose three or four of the main characters, and note appearances and behaviours.  We will talk next day about whether those characters fall into stereotypical categories.

We will also begin watching a Disney movie next class, to study the genders as they are represented in a film for children.

Introduction to Media Literacy

I handed back poetry quizzes to start today's class.  If you would like to take a re-test, you need to set up an appointment with me for a poetry tutorial.

Then, we began our media literacy unit.  I shared the "ABC's of Brands," an alphabet constructed out of logos from companies.  Students tried to figure out which letters belonged to which companies.  Most students were able to identify almost all of them!  We then discussed what it meant that so many of them were familiar with these brands.  If you were away, or you want to test your friends, you can access the ABCs of Brands sheet from the link at the side, here.

Then, we began learning some new language for speaking about media.  I shared some key terms and concepts, and we made it through the first five before the bell.  We will continue learning the language of media next class.

Dead Poets Society

We finished watching the movie, "Dead Poets' Society" today, and we spent a little bit of time debriefing once it was over.  We talked about the pressures Neil felt to do what his father wanted, and how realistic we found this scenario.  We also discussed the significance of the final scene, when all the students stand on their desks and say, "O Captain, My Captain" to Mr. Keating.  We thought it was their way of showing their respect and letting him know they were sorry for signing that letter.

Please complete the questions for Monday's class.  If you have lost them, you can access a copy at the side, here.

Poetry Quiz

Most of today's class was dedicated to the writing of our poetry quiz.  I will try to have these marked and back to you by next class.  I will return them on Monday at the latest.  If you missed class today, please see me to find out when you should write your quiz.

We then watched the next twenty minutes of "Dead Poets' Society."  We will finish the film next class.

Dead Poets' Society

We began watching the movie, "Dead Poets' Society" today, as a conclusion to our poetry unit.  I've asked students to keep track of important sections in the movie, in order to complete a summary assignment once the movie has been completed.

I also reminded students that your poetry summative assessment will take place in Tuesday's class.  Please be prepared to analyze a poem, identifying and explaining poetic devices, as well as commenting on the overall meaning of the poem.

Childhood Memory Poems

I returned character webs today, and marks were recorded in our work portfolios.  Then, I also returned the "Flannan Isle" assignments, and we went over the answers to the questions.  We have decided that we are feeling fairly confident as a class, with respect to our knowledge of poetic devices, but we'd like a little bit more practice before a summative assessment.  Next class will be devoted to poetic devices review.

We spent the final part of class writing free-writes on a childhood memory.  We will use these pieces of writing on Wednesday, to develop poems about these memories.  Please make sure you have a piece of writing, or a mind-map, ready to use on Wednesday.

What Do I Remember of the Evacuation?

Students spent time reading an article on Japanese internment, during WWII, to start today's class, in order to provide some historical context for the poem they were about to read.  They participated in an activity called "Tea Party" in order to connect sentences from the article, as well as make predictions about the article, before reading it.

After reading the article, students were given the poem "What Do I Remember of the Evacuation?" and asked to read it, considering the tone of the poem.  How does the child's view of her experience contrast the reality of her situation?

We will follow up with the poem next class, and begin preparing for a summative assessment of what has been learned in the poetry unit.

Poetic Devices Review

We began class today with a game about homonyms.  Basically, I tricked you!  We played a game... but about WORDS!!

Then we reviewed ten poetic devices: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, oxymoron, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, rhyme and rhythm.  Students attempted to define these terms and provide an example for each.  We went over each one, once people had a chance to recall what they knew of each one.

The last fifteen minutes of class were spent finishing off rough drafts of our simile poems.  I have collected these and will provide feedback before returning them next week.

What does a cookie look/feel/smell/sound/taste like?

In an effort to have students think about using imagery in their simile poems, I brought cookies to class, and had students sensory details about them.  Students wrote about how they looked, smelled, felt, sounded (as we bit into them) and, finally, tasted.  We talked about how sensory details really enrich the thing we are describing.

Students then spent the remainder of the block working on putting together their simile poems.  We talked a bit about line lengths, and what makes line lengths effective, and then students went to work playing with the words and lines of their poems.  

Please submit completed simile poems to me on Friday.

Simile Poems

Today we read a sample of a "simile poem" called "Crowning Gory" and we discussed what made the poem so effective.  We noted that we got a really clear image of the person's hair in our minds, as the poet described it using a variety of similes, and used very descriptive language.  She also used sound devices like alliteration and onomatopoeia to achieve an effect.

We then began constructing simile poems of our own.  Students chose a subject or topic (your room, a face, your cat, a car...) and began thinking of similes which would help describe that thing.  Please bring your list of similes with you on Wednesday, to begin to make them into a poem.

Also, I collected "Flannan Isle" responses today.  Please get these to me as soon as possible, if you did not submit them today.

Flannan Isle

I collected letter essays at the start of class.  If you did not submit one today, please get it to me by Monday.

We then did a Sort and Predict, using words from the poem we were about to read.  Students paired up, categorized the words, and then formed predictions based on the categories they had formed.

We then read the poem together, and discussed problematic words.  We talked about what we understood of the story in the poem, and then I assigned some practice questions to be completed for Monday's class.  If you were away or you lost the questions, there is a copy here for you to download.

We also listened to a reading of poem in Swedish.  I mean... Anglo-Saxon English.

The Letter Essay

We did some speed dating to begin today.  Not real speed dating... but speed dating to discuss our Lit. Circle books.  Students met with three peers, to hear about their books and share some highlights (or lowlights) from their own book.  After meeting and chatting (so quickly!) students filled out a reflection form, indicating which books sounded interesting, and which ones... not so much.

We spent the remainder of class working on letter essays.  I reviewed the expectations, and then students either wrote or peer edited letter essays.

These are due on Thursday, at the beginning of class.

Writing about poetry

We spent the first part of class reviewing the questions I had posed on the poem "The Child Who Walks Backward."  Students seemed to have a very solid grasp on the main conflict present in the poem: a mother is abusing her child and lying about it.

After reviewing the answers to the questions, we generated a set of notes we would use to write a paragraph on the poem.  We talked about the importance of selecting phrases and lines that are rich with meaning.  After generating these notes, we wrote a paragraph as a class.  I reviewed how to integrate quotations, and I urge you to take a risk and try using quotations in your next piece, if you are feeling confident with it!

For the last ten minutes of class, students met with their Lit. Circle groups, to touch base and discuss the conclusion of the book.  We will spend Tuesday's class preparing our letter essays, which are due to be handed in on THURSDAY next week.

And we're back!

Hi there!  I hope you had a restful, satisfying Spring Break, and that you are energized for this last part of the school year.  I apologize for falling down on my responsibility to update this blog, and I assure you I will be updating it each day until the end of the school year!  I promise!

Today, we read a poem called "The Child Who Walks Backwards," by Lorna Crozier.  I asked students to answer some pre-reading questions before we read the poem, to get them thinking about the subject matter of the poem: child abuse.  We had an extremely thoughtful class discussion about the different forms of abuse, and about the fine line that exists between abuse and discipline.  Thanks for all your ideas and opinions!

I then read the poem aloud, and students drew the images for each stanza that were most powerful for them.  Students then worked through the poem, noting the central conflict, devices used, and the effect these devices have on their understanding of the poem.  If you were away, or if you lost your worksheet, a copy may be accessed at the side, here.

Please have these answers ready to discuss on Wednesday.  You will also be discussing your Lit. Circle novel on Wednesday, so make sure you come ready for that!

Responding to Quotations

We spent today's class talking about how to respond to rich quotations in our books.  We began with a Tea Party activity, where students received a famous quotation to think and write about, then met with other students who had the same quotation to share ideas.

We then talked about some of the aspects that would make a quotation worth discussing.  Quotations would be worth talking about if they...

• were funny, sad, weird, shocking
• confused us
• said something profound/had a "double meaning"
• revealed a plot twist or surprise
• showed something about a character
• created an image in our head
• were something we could relate to, personally

We also talked about the different ways one could respond to a quotation.  A reader could...

• ask a question
• draw a picture
• think about the quotation from a new perspective
• pull it apart and analyze its parts
• look up words in it that are new, or confusing

Students then met in their Lit. Circles to discuss the most recent chunk of reading.  After discussions, students gave me some feedback about the progress of circle discussions, with a "What's Working/What's Not?" feedback form.  

Finally, students chose a new chunk to read and will prepare a Page of Thoughts (POT) to share next week on Thursday.

Literature Circles Begin!

Students were placed with their Lit. Circle books today.  If you were away from class, please see me to pick up your book.  Groups met to decide how much of the book to read for Wednesday's class.  I also distributed a "First Impressions" page to be filled out as you read the first section.  If you lost your sheet, you can print one from the link at the side.

We also spent some time reviewing some poetic devices which were learned last year.  In small groups, students worked to identify sets of similes, metaphors, personifcation, hyperbole and oxymoron examples.  We will continue our work with these devices next day.

Biopoems

Today, students were asked to select their top three choices for Literature Circles.  I shared seven different options with the class, and students listed their favourites.  I will let you know which book you have been paired with on Friday.

Then, students spent the remainder of class creating biopoems.  Many students are using words and letters cut from magazines to make their poem.  Here is the framework, if you need a reminder....

First name
Three words to describe you
Relative of ...
Lover of (3 things)
Who needs (3 things)
Who feels (3 things)
Who fears (3 things)
Resident of (place)
Age
Last Name

I would like to collect these and put them up in the classroom.  If you could complete it by Wednesday next week, that would be ideal.

Is George a courageous hero? You decide....

Students were asked to make a judgment about the protagonist in "Act of a Hero", and then to support the judgment with sound, logical reasoning.  These assignments should be submitted on Monday, if they were not already handed in to me.  We are moving on to a new unit on Monday!

Goodbye block 6!  You have been wonderful to work with!

Writing a Persuasive Paragraph

Today, we concluded our discussion of the story, "Riding with Rosa."  We then pondered the following question: Does the narrator make a smart decision when he sits next to Stephen on the bus?  Students collected evidence to support both sides of this question, and we decided to write our model paragraph answering yes, that it was a smart idea.

We worked through a model persuasive paragraph as a class, copying the sample off the overhead, and labeling the parts.  As it turns out, writing a persuasive paragraph is very much like writing an expository paragraph: same structure, organization and use of transitions!  Students are reminded that a powerful topic sentence will contain a clear argument - don't be wishy-washy!

Happy New Year!

Today, we worked to make a judgment about Al's decision to not take the job at the hardware store, and to defend our judgment with sound reasoning.  Students filled in one side of a chart, depending on whether they thought Al was a fool for turning down the job or not.

Students are reminded that your QUEST (this is neither a test, nor a quiz... but a little of both) on the elements of fiction is tomorrow, or Wednesday, depending on your block.

Tuesday January 15th - block 6
Wednesday January 16th - block 7

If you are away for the quest, please see me as soon as you return so we can schedule a time to make it up.