January
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To log in to myblueprint and do your resume, visit http://www.myBlueprint.ca/sd23 (if you don't add the sd23 on the end, it will ask for an activation code)
We finished out Poetry unit and have just started our Job Unit. In this unit, you will create a professional resume, consider hiring practices and create several cover letters. |
November
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We are finished our Persuasive Writing unit (marks coming soon) and have begun our Creative Writing Unit. This piece of writing will begin as an altruistic rant with a focus on duty, service and sacrifice. After several drafts, the rant will become a piece of poetry (written in iambic pentameter and a simple rhyme scheme). Find definitions and examples for poetic devices such as personification, metaphor, simile, alliteration, euphemism, and many more here.
Students will have the option to enter this contest if they choose (entries will need to focus on remembrance - the assignment itself allows a wider range of topics). Your Term 1 Persuasive Writing Exam will be on November 15th (Block 5 & 7) or November 16th (Block 3) |
October
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We are almost finished our first Persuasive Writing piece (loosely based on Identity). We will do one in Term 2 and 3 as well.
Our Creative Writing Unit began (on the days we don't have laptops) with journaling (you should write in your journal for five to ten minutes every day whether we have class or not). I will be assessing your progress once a month. We also created our Creative Writing Duotangs, which stay in the classroom, and have created one character so far. For reading, we do an occasional self-assessment of what you are reading, whether you enjoy it and whether or not you are reaching your goals in reading. |
September |
We will spend the first couple weeks of the year getting to know one another.
Then we will start the year off with an independent and persuasive piece of writing. Over several classes, you will work on revising what you've written. We will also be doing some work with reading. Be prepared to share details about a piece of fiction that you enjoyed (or, if you "hate reading," the novel that you've hated the least). |
Summer Homework! |
Don't forget to read some Historical Fiction (see SS8 tab) as this counts for both English and Social Studies.
Remember that you need to think about a game that you and your family enjoy playing (and be ready to share that with me and a partner). You also need to find a short but awesome YouTube video that you'd like to share (appropriate, of course). It might be amazing, funny or adorable. It's up to you! |
Summer |
Have a great summer!
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Storytelling
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Practice telling stories orally in small groups. Practice retelling in front of other groups.
Work on our own stories. Memorize. Tell to a partner, to a small group and then to the class (taping it is fine). |
Essay Contest
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Each student will write an essay on the theme of "Be a Gift to the World." These will be entered (with parent permission) in the Rotary Club of Kelowna's 8th Annual Essay Contest.
Some Rick Mercer Rants for Inspiration: Bullying - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Y7qpiu2RQ The Kids are Alright - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=navejFCDCSo Lest We Forget - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DsJ8IhWO7w No Charity in Prison - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axfbV7h-xVQ Vote! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=225Mx6ya7SQ |
Literature Circles
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Each student has chosen a novel to read and will be doing activities for that novel each day.
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Friday 15th & Mon 18th
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Form Reading Groups and read ONE booklet. Read the first story in your booklet and highlight facts, fiction and don't-knows. Fill out the Venn Diagram with facts, fiction and don't knows.
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Wed 13th & Thurs 14th
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Read Viking Raid and fill in a Venn Diagram (what was fact, what was fiction and what didn't you know).
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Mon 4th & Tues 5th
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Use the question sheets to add to your two characters. Write a one-page story on the following: your character is sitting on a bus when a guy with a gun gets on. How does your character deal with this both emotionally and physically? Today's work is an N (N = no hurry to catch up)
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Wed 16th
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Create a fictional character. Fill out details about your character on the character card. Make sure you answer at least five questions from the question sheet on your character card.
Check out this fun name generator.
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Tues 8th & Wed 9th
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Create a myBlueprint account.
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Tues 1st & Thurs 3rd
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Go through the PowerPoint to find out how to do the CRAAP test!
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Mon 31, Wed 2nd & Friday 4th
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Block 2: Put together images, artifacts and letters to send to a school in Toronto that sent us letters.
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Mon 23rd , Wed 25th & Thurs 26th
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Create a "how to" presentation of the essay process. Make it creative in some way.
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Tuesday 24th
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Work on TOC Day Duotangs (Assignment #2) with Mrs. Edgson.
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Thursday 19th & Friday 20th
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Work on Outsiders Essays
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Wednesday 18th
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Create TOC Day Duotangs (Writing Portfolios). Each duotang should have an instruction booklet, ten sheets of lined paper, ten sheets of white paper and several rubrics.
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Tuesday 17th
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Start your Outsiders essay. Open the Essay Instructions file. Copy the quotes that you need into your essay.
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Friday 13th and Monday 16th
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Go over example essay (Outsiders Smoking Essay file), using the essay checklist.
Start working on our own essays, using a thesis and the quotations (found in the quotation sort file). Your document should look like the example (essay step 1 file).
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Thursday 12th
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Essay sort. Go over outline and rubrics. Library day (researching skills).
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Wednesday 10th
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Flanders Fields poetry explication. Finish movie and movie worksheet. Choose a thesis and quotations. Begin writing essay.
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Tuesday 3rd - 9th
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Quotation sort and Gallery Walk. Watch movie and note any portions that were left out of the quotation collection that would be helpful. Block 2: Notate and explicate Flanders Fields.
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Monday 2nd
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Quiz. Silent Reading. Work on Social Studies stories. Do's and don'ts of book review hexagons.
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Friday 30th
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Short story activity (fun, collaborative & spooky)
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Thursday 29th
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Finish worksheet. Quiz next day.
Short story activity (fun, collaborative & spooky) |
Wednesday 28th
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Quiz. Hunt for quotations.
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Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th
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Finish quotation sheet.
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October 22nd
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Work on Writing Portfolios with Mr. Bueckert.
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October 21st |
Lesson on Quotations
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October 19th/20th
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Quotation lessons. There will be a quotation contest next day!
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October 13th/14th
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Socratic Circle
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October 4th-8th
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Work on your Outsiders booklet to prepare for the Socratic Circle
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September 29th/30th
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Watch the second half of the movie.
Block 7: we watched up until Block 2: we watched up until |
September 25th/28th
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Read the second half of the Outsiders.
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September 23rd/24th
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Outsiders Day 4
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September 21st/22nd
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Outsiders Day 3
Read (in groups) the first half of the novel (up until page 100)
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September 17th/18th
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Outsiders: Day 2
Block 2 & 7: Read pages 1-18 (take notes)
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September 15th/16th
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Outsiders Unit: Day 1
Block 2: Read pages 1-9 Block 7: Read pages 1-7
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September 11th/14th
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Library Genre Activity (Block 2) - you need to complete this in the library before Tuesday afternoon. You can print this one or pick one up from Mr. Cassidy in the library.
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September 9th/10th
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Take home To-Do Lists
Secret Code:
Set up journals
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September 8th
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Meet & Greet
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