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.

Novel Study

We finally pick up our novel study, and I think it will be an amazing way to bring our time together to an end (our final days together we will focus on poetry!)

Selection dates for your novel are on the class calendar.  Please have your novel selected and your plan to have it read by June 2 ready by your classes date.

Reminder, you will need six weeks access to this book.  Mme. McEwen is aware of our novel study, and we will be allowed an extension for the books for this project only.  Mme. McEwen is well aware of our novel study, so please check in with her for novel ideas that would be suit your interests as a reader. 

Please see the link for the unit outline

Goals for our unit:

Reading

• demonstrate understanding of your novel
• provide information about your novel (setting, characters, structure, connections)
• discover similarities and differences between novels in your group

 

Writing

• create a journal response
• successfully document group discussions

 

Oral

• reflect on and identify your strengths as listeners and speakers
• participate actively in group discussion

Our discussion roles note

Handing in Your Letter

All of the Grade 7 and 8 classes are in different stages of their letter writing.  Please check the English calendar and the tracking binder person from your class to find out your due date.  

When it is your turn to hand in your finished letter, reminder that you need to hand in the following things in order, 1 on top:

1. Rubric with your name, grade and number (the photocopier has cut it off on this copy).

In pencil (or in a coloured pen that is not blue/black), complete the rubric and self assess your final piece of work.  Please be mindful that Mrs. Barbier will be commenting on the same piece of paper.

2.  Plan/Graphic Organizer

3.  Rough Copy

4.  Peer Edited or Computer Edited Copy

5. Final Copy.

Format of your letter

The format of your letter influences your reader's reaction to it.  Neat and organized, your reader is more likely to pay attention.  All over the place, your reader is more likely to dismiss your claims.

Format for your letter.  Please review this file as discussed in class how to format your letter.

Not sure the proper way to address a letter in Canada (the rules have changed, city, province short form and postal code are now on the same line).  Please review this link from Canada Post about addressing a letter. 

Finding the proper address -  you will need to ensure you have the correct mailing address for your letter.  I have provided you with some information here to help you navigate to the provincial and federal governments' websites.

Provincial
Contact information - I have found this link works well.  There is a list of ministries, click on the ministry that you are looking for to find the mailing address.  You will still need to research the name of the current minister for your ministry.  Government of Ontario website is www.ontario.ca

The Honourable First and Last Name, M.P.P.

Minister of _________

Ministry of _________

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

Dear Mr./Ms Last Name,
Federal
This link will give you a list of all the ministries in the federal government.  After selecting your minister, click on the department website link, which will take you to the ministry's website.  On the ministry's website, select the "contact us" page.  Scroll through this page to find the mailing address.  Government of Canada website is www.canada.gc.ca

The Honourable First and Last Name, M.P.

Minister of _________

Ministry of _________

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

Dear Mr./Ms Last Name,