Monday, January 30 - Thursday, February 3

Thursday

1. Complete the parallelism practice and hand it in. 

2. Go to https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/search/ Complete the handout on the Composition section of the exam by looking at 4 of the 5 exams that are online. Fill-in the blanks and write down the writing prompts from any 4 of the exams.

3. Complete reading Dumb Kids' Class - annotate your copy as you read, highlight word choices that enhance the memoir - adjectives, adverbs (-ly words), vivid verbs, unusual word choices, -ed describing words, comparisons such as metaphors/similes/personification. After reading - memoir chart. 

4. Go to the web site: http://tetw.org/Memoir and read at least one memoir. In the section called Growing up read "A Racoon of My Own" and fill-in your memoir chart. In the section Life, read Scars and fill-in your memoir chart. 

5. Research a novel to read for your term read. It should be a novel that has been turned into a film. It must not be a novel that is commonly read in a lower grade; for example, To Kill a Mockingbird [grade 10], Lord of the Flies [grade 11], of Mice and Men [grade 11]. Make sure at least one other person in the class is also reading the same book as you. There are no group projects, this is simply to facilitate conversation about the book.

Wednesday

1. Keep your copies of "A Hanging" and "It's So Quiet" in your folder. A collection of your daily work will be handed-in at the end of the memoir unit and evaluated for a grade. Continue to fill-in the chart you got yesterday - the sections for "A Hanging" and "It's So Quiet."

2. Parallelism: what is it and why you should care. In pairs, write a sentence about "A Hanging." Begin your sentence with: George Orwell expresses his outrage through... In your sentence, include at least 3 phrases to describe things that Orwell does. For example, you might say "uses powerful imagery." Share sentences.

3. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/623/01/ - examples of faulty parallelism - fp

4. Parallelism practice.

5. Take a brief look at the composition section of the exam. Remember, this is your "show piece" on the exam. Aim to entertain as opposed to trying to impress. 

6. Before reading: What might be the benefits of being underestimated? Come up with an example of a time and place when someone might prefer to be underestimated. Next, come up with one advantage and one disadvantage to being underestimated. "Small fires" discussion group.  During reading "Dumb Kids' Class - as you read, highlight word choices that enhance the memoir - adjectives, adverbs (-ly words), vivid verbs, unusual word choices, -ed describing words, comparisons such as metaphors/similes/personification. After reading - memoir chart. 

Tuesday

1. Course outline. 

2. Complete the annotation of "A Hanging." Text annotation - during reading of the memoir, identify the following: LEVEL 1 - what is the text about? LEVEL 2 - How does the author say what he says: pathetic fallacy, atmosphere, figurative language, symbolism  LEVEL 3 - theme (message about life, society, human behaviour) - give one get one - add a symbol, something not in the text. 

3. After reading: on yesterday's recipe card, write a theme statement for "A Hanging." Accompany your theme statement with a drawing of something that symbolizes the theme - it cannot, however, be something that is in the story such as a noose. 

4. What are the characteristics of a memoir or a Personal Narrative Essay? Chart.

Three levels of writing...include them in your memoir/ PNE (Personal Narrative Essay).

4. Parallelism. What is it? Why should you care: In pairs, write a sentence about "A Hanging." Begin your sentence with : George Orwell expresses his outrage through... In your  1 sentence, include at least 3 phrases to describe things that Orwell does, for example "uses powerful imagery" Share.

5. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/623/01/  Parallelism info + practice.

6. Take a quick look at the composition section of the exam. Remember this is your showpiece.

7. Turn and talk - what is a memory you have from your childhood - an important moment - a brief snippet of time - a drive, a walk, a look.

8. It is so quiet - annotate.

Monday

Welcome to English 12!

war is peace 

freedom is slavery 

ignorance is strength 

1. Course outline and class blog.

2. Term novel assignment: choose a novel that has been adapted for the screen. "Read" both. More information on the bi-monthly assignments and the term assignment will be posted on the blog soon.

3. Our first adventure in English 12: writing and reading memoirs. Why?

4. George Orwell has been in the news (well, he's dead, but one of his most famous books has been in the news recently). Why? http://www.newsday.com/long-island/sales-of-george-orwell-s-1984-up-since-trump-inauguration-1.13014308

5. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/1984/quotes.html

6. Give one, get one: what are your views on capital punishment? 

Warning! the text we are going to read today is about a difficult subject. I have provided the class with shortened version that leaves out the most disturbing part. If you feel that you would prefer a different memoir, please speak to me privately.

7. Three levels of reading explained.

8. Text annotation - during reading of the memoir, identify the following: LEVEL 1 - what is the text about? LEVEL 2 - How does the author say what he says: pathetic fallacy, atmosphere, figurative language, symbolism  LEVEL 3 - theme (message about life, society, human behaviour) - give one get one - add a symbol, something not in the text. 

9. Parallelism. What is it? Why should you care?