Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Today,you wrote your in-class essay for the novel unit. Tomorrow, you will write your unit exam on novels (comprehension: M.C.).

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Today, we reviewed essay writing. I have pasted the notes below:

·         Essay questions consist of topic words (like “adversity”, or “hardship”) which you must address in the paper

·         You are also expected to tell us the author’s opinion about the topic – NOT yours

·         The first step is to identify the key words

·         The 2^nd step is to chart the story in relation to the topics given

·         3^rd step is to look at the question again and see if it is answerable (answer it writing a thesis statement: Start with “sometimes” but then cross it out).

·         Using the chart, plan out the order of your body paragraphs (label them) keeping in mind that you can move them later to be sequential

·         For your title, use the key words in the essay question

·         Make sure your title is bolded and centred with all words over three letters capitalized (as well as the first word)

·        

·         If typing, italicize major works (novels, textbooks, movies, plays, Shakespeare)

·         If writing by hand, underline major works

·         Make sure your title is in the same font as your paper (12 point, Times New Roman)

·         Don’t underline ANYTHING ON YOUR PAPER IF YOU ARE TYPING!!!!!

·         Double space your whole essay with no extra padding around paragraphs or titles

·         Indent new paragraphs

Introductory Paragraph

Sentence One: Attention getter about TOPIC. (anecdote, quote explained, opinion you plan to challenge, little known striking fact, general statement about human nature, definition)

Sentence Two: Attention getter continued (explain connection to topic)

Everyone in this world has connected with others at one point or another. Obviously, the fact that we are here means we were connected to another through the ambilical cord.

Sentence Three: Introduce the text (genre, author, title, overview of the work as a whole).

In the allegorical novel, Animal Farm, by George Orwell, we are introduced to animals attempting to successfully run a farm without human involvement.

Sentence four, five and six: Summary of the text as it will relate to supporting your thesis.

Sentence four: Two boys attempt to take on the leadership role but the one who does has the majority of support.

Sentence five: The boys on the island all long for safety and security due to their young ages and inability to lead themselves.

Sentence six: One boy in particular has the knowledge to help the others, but isn’t always respected for this due to his disabilities; in the end, this leads to a catastrophic outcome.

Sentence seven: Thesis (an arguable opinion about the topic). You could also include the main points here if you want.

Through the boys’ experiences, we can ascertain that personal connections are very important.

Everyone in this world has connected with others at one point or another. Obviously, the fact that we are here means we were connected to another through the umbilical cord. In the allegorical novel, Lord of the Flies, by George Orwell, we are introduced to a group of boys attempting to successfully survive without adults on an isolated island. Two boys attempt to take on the leadership role but the one who does has the majority of support. The boys on the island all long for safety and security due to their young ages and inability to lead themselves without adults to ensure the rules are being followed. One boy in particular has the knowledge to help the others, but isn’t always respected for this due to his disabilities; in the end, this leads to a catastrophic outcome. Through the boys’ experiences, we can ascertain that personal connections are very important to our survival.

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Monday, April 23, 2012

Today, you worked on your major assignments.

Monday, April 16 to Friday, April 20, 2012

I am away this week. You will be working on your major assignment. For details on expectations and dates, see the blogger from Friday, April 13.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Today, we finished watching To Kill a Mockingbird. You then worked on your major assignments. I have decided to cut your major assignment in the following ways:
Layered activities C: It was 60 points. I am shortening it to 30 points.
Layered activities B: It was 20 points. I am shortening it to 10 points.
This should take a bit of the load off.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Today, you were given your major unit assignment which has a number of steps to it.
If you were not here, this is in your portfolio.
The due dates for the various assignments are Monday, April 23, for any assigment which must be presented, and Wednesday, April 25 for those assignments which are written.
We then began watching the film To Kill a Mockingbird.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Today, you were assigned the questions and readings for over the holidays. You are to read the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and answer questions up to and including chapter 14 (you can answer them all if you choose, but these will be the ones we will discuss the day we get back. The rest will be completed over the course of the unit).

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Today, you were to work on questions for the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (as many of you haven't finished up to chapter 14). If you were finished with these questions, you were to move on to the rest of the questions.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Today, you were to discuss the answers you had for questions for chapters 1 to 14 of To Kill a Mockingbird (which you were to have read over the holidays).