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.

Check In for Novel Study

You should be half way through your novel study reading by May 20.

We have worked in class this week about setting.  If you missed your class this week, because of a trip, assemblies, etc., we have moved on.  You are still encouraged to review the setting questions to ensure understanding of your novel.

Next week, you should be prepared to talk about characters.  The questions, as outlined in our novel study unit are

• Who is the main character?  Why is this character important to the story?
• Are there words a character spoke and/or actions a character took that helped you learn what kind of person he or she was?  Find and discuss two important sections.
• Did any of the characters change?  Pick one and discuss how an event, person, and decision change that character.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Finding the Genre of Your Novel

You will need to know the genre of your book after you pick it.

Here are two websites that might help you find your book's genre quickly.  All else fails, just google it :)

Book Wizard - Type in the title of the book.  A list of books should come up.  Click on your book, and record the genre description.

Book Browse - In the upper left hand corner, type in the title of your book.  Click on your book.  After this, click on the publication info, the genre is in this list.