Poetry

We have started our poetry unit!

1.  Our introduction to poetry included the poem Introduction to Poetry  by Billy Collins.  We talked about enjoying poetry and not taking it all too seriously.  Some of us love poetry, and some of us just need to work through the process of reading and writing poetry.  Both are okay, just like some people love non fiction texts, and others do not.

2.  Diamante Poems - this is a flash website, so many not work with Apple products.

3.  Acrostic Poems - we have upped the content by creating a list of 15 nouns and 15 verbs to make acrostic poems with rich, detailed sentences that match the topic.  Gone are the days of just adjective based acrostic poems.  Students know that we need more meaningful sentences.

Novel Study Returned

Being a fly on the wall during your novel study discussions was a treat.  You all have such amazing insights into your stories and many of you are making rich, deep connections, and you all continue to learn from each other about characters, setting and structure.  I am happy to return your check list from this unit. 

I also have all the bonus marks complete.  Students that chose to take part in the bonus continue to blow me away with their insights and creativity. 

Thanks again everyone for a great unit!

Returning Letters/Journal Class

Your letters are done,  your letters are done,  your letters are done!!!

I am always amazed by the quality and passion students at John McCrae display.  Social justice is happening right here.  I encourage all of you to formally edit your letters and send them on to your respective audidence.  I would be happy to help with this.

Your letters will be returned to you this week during your journal class.  This class, the 50 mins is yours to complete your journal (Question 4 of the Novel Study unit).  If you have finished your journal, you are free to use this time for your bonus or if you're choosing not to complete the bonus, then it is an open work period (any class work).

Also during this period you will be completing your listening/speaking comments for the Novel Study unit.  Reminder, this is a reflection:  What do you do well as a speaker/listener and what do you need to work on. 

Bonus for the Novel Study

The bonus part of the novel study assignment will be presented in class.  The reason being that there is not enough out of class time for me to view all the presentations in a small audience.

Reminder that your bonus needs to include media and writing.  You will not be formally assessed on your oral presentation skills. Here is the check list for the bonus.

You will need to sign up for your presentations no later than one week before.  This will let me know how many people are presenting, so I can set a time limit on the presentations accordingly. If you are using technology, set up time will be included in your presentation time limit. 

Again, with the craziness of the end of the year, I had to go ahead and set the due date for the presentations. 

8A - Wednesday, June 12
8B - Wednesday, June 12
8C - Monday, June 10
8D - Wednesday, June 12
8E - Thursday, June 6

7C - Wednesday, June 12
7D - Monday, June 10
7E - Wednesday, June 12

Journals

Very soon, or your class may have had the lesson already, you will be learning about the amazing free style of journal writing.

Here is the link to the lesson.  It includes more description of what I am looking for in your free write, as well as an example from my personal experience with the novel, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. 

As discussed in class, it is a free write.  You do not have to go through the writing process.  The only people who need to read your journal is you and myself.  500 words maximum please. (My example is approx. 400 words).  With the average font, that works outs to be about a page typed, or front and back of hand writing. 

You will be given one full class to work on it, and it will be due at the end of class.  It is your exit ticket out of class that day. You are welcome to work on it at home as well.

With the craziness of the end of the year, I had to go ahead and set due date for the assignment. 

8A - Tuesday, June 4  (***** change due to special activity on June 5 ******)
8B - Wednesday, June 5
8C - Monday, June 3
8D - Thursday, June 6
8E - Thursday, June 6

7C - Wendnesday, June 5
7D - Monday, June 10
7E - Tuesday, June4

Characters and Setting Anchor Charts

Here are the anchor charts for this weeks discussions, as well as last weeks for setting.  For your review!

Setting Anchor Chart

What is setting

• time and location of a story
• Sights, sounds, colours, and textures are all vividly painted in words as an artist paints images on canvas.
• Setting can add an important dimension of meaning, reflecting character and embodying theme.
• The prevailing atmosphere or mood of the novel
• Internal and external conflictsPotential contrasts between characters or ideas
  
  • The physical details of the setting are linked with the values, ideals, and attitudes of a place in different times.
  
  
  • what the narrator tells the reader 
  • what we can infer from the author's writing
  
  

Character Anchor Chart

What can we learn about the character?

• personality traits
• background
• relationships
• flaws
• actions
• change and growth over time
• physical description
• behaviour
• insight into the character's thought processes

We know this because?

• what the character does
• what the character says
• what others say about a character

Returning Your Letters

Thank you everyone for your care and concern during my extended absence last week.  Everything is back on track, and I am very happy to be back at school!  I can't believe how much I missed my students!

While I was away, I did not get the level of marking done I had hoped if I had been at school.  Please be patient while I work through your letters, and I will return them as quickly as possible.  I will be marking them in the order they were handed in by class.  8E, 8A, 8B, 8D, 7C, 7D, 7E, and 8C.