Fortunately Friday!

Well, this is it! The end of another semester. Thank you all for your energy, enthusiasm and willingness to work hard. You've made this a great semester for all of us.

English 12: Good luck on the Provincial on Monday. You've worked hard for this and deserve to do well. Review the yellow hand out and try to manage your time well.

English 11: You've been an absolute treat. Thank you for saying yes - to all of my crazy ideas. I'll never forget our first Poetry Slam Competition. It was a career highlight for sure.

English 8: I wish you all the best as you continue your grade 8 journey next semester. Make sure you keep up all the wonderful study skills we've learned together to use in your other classes.

If any of you find yourselves in the 500 wing - come on by to say hi!!!

Thoughts on Thursday:

Block A: There will be a little more time in class tomorrow to finish your Part D: Original Composition. We'll mark in class and look at some student examples.

Block B: Macbeth test tomorrow - make sure you are ready! I'll be collecting your copies of the play as well.

Block D: Poetry presentations start first thing - make sure you have your speaking parts and poster finished!

Walk Away Wednesday:

Block A: Practice Provincials continue! We've had our second attempt at synthesis essay writing in class today. We'll mark the multiple choice and the synthesis tomorrow.

Block B: This is it! Tomorrow is showtime!!! We'll start right away, so make sure you are ready to perform!!!

Block D: You are now in your groups for your poetry presentations. You have your individual role as well. Hopefully in class you decided on what homework each member needs to complete in order to be ready for class tomorrow. We present our poems on Friday.

Talking About Tuesday:

Block A: We'll mark the multiple-choice and the synthesis essay together in class tomorrow.

Block B: I'll be collecting the figurative language worksheet first thing tomorrow. You will have the full class to work on and rehearse your translated scene from Macbeth - looking forward to performances on Thursday!!!

Block D: For tomorrow you should have 3 poems and one song each written on their own piece of paper. On each poem and song you need to highlight and label the poetic and figurative language the author uses. In addition, you need to be able to talk about imagery, tone, and mood. I'll assign your groups tomorrow.

Mega-Monday!

Block A: Thanks for returning your copies of the play - the English 12 content stuff is all done now - it is just on to the Provincial Exam. Today we talked about the structure of the exam and all of the various skills that you will be assessed on. Remember this is a skills based exam. You have the skills - we've been practicing them all semester. The challenge is going to be time management, and handling what ever the texts and writing prompts are going to be. Remember the qualities of good literary analysis writing. You need to be clear, concise and intentional in your understanding. Come and talk to me if you want to review any part of the exam together.

Block B: We're done the play!!! For homework tonight, please complete the Act 5 review sheet, using quotes where necessary. I'll collect these tomorrow. Please be advised that the Finding Figurative language worksheet will be due on Wednesday.

Block D: Great work on the quiz today! Good copies of your current events poem are due tomorrow. Good copy is typed or in pen, with a rough draft and the green criteria attached at the back.

Fancy Friday!

Block A: Phew! The test is done. I'll collect your plays on Monday, when we will start exclusive prep for the Provincial Exam!!!

Block B: Today in class we read Act 4 of the play. Homework tonight is to finish the Act 4 worksheet - dealing with the apparitions that Macbeth saw during his visit to see the 3 witches.

Block D: Put your current events poem to the side for now - the good copy is not due until Tuesday. For the weekend, finish the study sheet of jumbled literary terms for Monday in preparation for the ELO 4 poetry terms quiz.

Thoughtfully Thursday:

Block A: Study for The Tempest test tomorrow! We've been working with play for awhile. I think you'll all be fine!

Block B: No homework tonight :)

Block D: Lots of hard work today on your current events poems - I'll give you time in class to continue working on the rough draft - no homework tonight :)

Wonderful Wednesday!

Block A: Translated Tempest performances are tomorrow!!! Sharpen those accents people!

Block B: We are so close to being finished Act 3 - just one more scene tomorrow. No homework tonight!

Block D: Homework tonight is to visit http://www.cbc.ca and choose a news article that interests you. Once you've chosen the article, print it off and bring it to class tomorrow. Make sure you check how many pages you are printing! Choose a printer friendly version if you can.

Tell me about Tuesday:

Block A: Just a reminder that your poems for The Tempest are due tomorrow. Make sure you have a good copy (labeled with devices) a rough draft and your pink criteria sheet. You will have a work block tomorrow to write and rehearse your translated lines as well. We perform on Thursday!

Block B: If you didn't hand in your headlines from Act 2 - please do so tomorrow - other than that - no homework tonight!

Block D: Hope you had a great time during Social Responsibility Day today - see you all tomorrow!

Monday Musings:

Block A: The Tempest poem assignment is due on Wednesday. Make sure your good copy is clearly labeled with the 5 poetic devices you used.

Block B: If you do not have at least 3 quotes with explanation on each side of the To Kill A King T-chart that is your only homework tonight!

Block D: We'll continue poetry on Wednesday - learn lots at social responsibility today tomorrow!

Thoughtfully Thursday:

Block A: If you did not finish your figurative language handout - please do so for tomorrow. In class today, we read to the end of Act 4. According to Prospero, all will be resolved soon as his enemies are right where he wants them. Here are the discussion questions for Act 4, please hand them in tomorrow.

1. Based on Act 4, scene 1, how old would you guess Ferdinand to be? We know that Miranda is 15 years old. Based on this, do you think Prospero is acting justly when he lectures them on chastity?

2. With a partner, discuss and write your response. "We are such stuff / As dreams are made on," says Prospero in Act 4 scene1. What does he mean? What is he referring to? Is this soliloquy consistent with Prospero's character thus far?

3. Do you think that Prospero will take revenge on the men who wronged him? Why or why not?

4. What does Caliban begin to realize about Stephano at the end of Act 4? What did Caliban think of Stephano earlier in the play?

5. The beginning of this act, along with parts of the masque, concerns two of the plays key themes: the importance of self-control and the conflict between reason and passion. In what ways has Prospero himself not always shown the complete self-control her praises? How might one achieve a balance between self-control and passion?

Block B: Hopefully you are all looking forward to getting started with our play tomorrow! Tonight, for homework, make sure you have the definitions completed for the dramatic terminology on the bottom of the pink handout. There will be a homework check on these tomorrow.

Block D: You guys were AMAZING today!!! I know you were feeling nervous about this in-class writing assignment. But from what I saw on your outlines - you've got this!!! There is NO homework tonight as this is an in-class writing assignment. However, by the end of the block tomorrow, you will have completed and handed in:
1. A double-spaced good copy (in pen)
2. A blue self-reflection
3. A double-spaced rough draft
4. Your point form outline/graphic organizer
5. Green criteria sheet.

Take Away Tuesday!

Block A: The Unraveling a Quote assignment is due tomorrow - make sure it is typed or in pen please!

Block B: Your last day of essay writing is tomorrow! You may have extra time at lunch if you need it.

Block D: We'll continue watching the movie tomorrow - no homework tonight :)

Make it your Monday!

Block A: Thank you so much for handing in your novel studies! In class today, we read Act 3 - and are no closer to solving any of the convoluted plots taking place in this play! I then assigned the Unravelling a Quote assignment. You chose your quote and started working on the annotation or unravelling of the quote. All of your judgements and investigations will lead to a 250-300 word conclusion about the significance and overall meaning of the quote. This is due on Wednesday - don't forget a creative title!

Block B: We started planning our novel study literary analysis essays in class today. Hopefully you had enough time to get a general plan together for your essay, if not you have two full classes and lunch time on Wednesday to write - so if you need to sketch out a rough outline at the beginning of class tomorrow you may want to do that.

Block D: Well, we're all finished the novel! I hope you enjoyed the reading of it! Due tomorrow:
1. All of your text-codes from chapters 1-12
2. Character wanted posters - filled with quotes and examples of the personalities of all characters
3. Conflicts and characterization chart. Be creative with your types of conflict. Think about technology as in man-mad (cars etc). For the chart on the back - it is best if you fill out the whole thing, but if you need to leave 1 square blank per line I'll still accept it!