Independent Novels - Final Project

In order to report back on your reading answer the questions below, as indicated. Please ensure that all your answers have been carefully proofread by both yourself and a friend.

Copy and paste each question into your work. Use a different colour for the questions and your answers. You should write a minumum of a short paragraph for each question.


1. Give the author's name and a brief outline of his or her biography. Please use your own words in order to avoid plagiarism.
2. Name and describe the main character(s). Are they static or dynamic? What motivates them? (A static character does not change, a dynamic character changes as a result of his or her experiences)
3. What is the novel's setting? Why, in your opinion, did the author choose this setting for this novel?
4. Describe some of the main events. Where in your novel does the climax take place?

Choose one of the following questions to answer:

1. What are the scenes, incidents or moments which you remember most vividly?
2. Can you identify any important theme or idea with which the novel deals? Do the problems or issues get resolved or are they simply explored?
3. Did you learn anything from the story that you did not know before? Explain (this could be facts or simply seeing something from a different perspective?)
4. Does the novel interest you, irritate you or both? Explain
5. If you could be any character in the novel, who would you be? Why that character?
6. Would you like to read more books from the same author? Why?
7. Explain why the novel did or did not end the way you had hoped it would.
8. Can you imagine yourself reading the novel again in 10 years? Would you suggest it to a friend? Explain.

Each answer is worth a total of 4 marks. Your project will be marked out of /20 in total.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Next year will be here before you know it and it will be time to write the Grade 10 Literacy test. Read through the guide, prepared by the Ministry of Education, by clicking here.

Copy the following questions to your blog and answer them in full sentences:

1) In the tips for reading section (page 3), explain what three strategies you feel are your strongest.

2) What three reading strategies do you feel you should try to improve upon the most between now and the test?

3) Repeat instructions 1) and 2) for the writing tips on page 4.

4) Read page 5. What information do you find to be helpful or interesting?

5) Finally, what questions do you have about the literacy test (the OSSLT) that Mr. Pierce may be able to answer for you?

Sample Summary - The Third Man Theory

The Third Man

Many people, both religious and atheist, report being helped survive near death experiences by an unknown presence. Spiritual or religious people, no matter what their faith, say they were helped by a divine companion, while atheists see it as a brain function. Whether the Third Man is an angel or a survival mechanism is for people to decide.

Write Your Own News Report

Many of you asked yesterday if you could post your News Report on your blog... well, here's your chance.

For today, I would like you to create your own News Report. This is a new activity and you will be finding your own picture and making up your own headline. Just switch to google images and try googling something you would be interested in writing about to find a picture you can use. Save it to your M drive or the desktop so that you can upload it to your blog.

When you write your own News Report, be sure to follow the rules we have been learning:

You must:

-Plan your report by outlining the 5 w's + H.

-Make up a title

-Write a lead in which you fit all the 5 w's + H.

-Continue writing the rest of the story so that you have 100 to 200 words in total.

-Write in full sentences and paragraphs.

-Write in formal English

-Avoid using 'I' or 'we'.

(Be sure to reread your work carefully and spell check it before you hit 'PUBLISH')

Please work hard... I'll be looking to see who is able to complete their work and who is not when I return on Wdnesday.

Some Sample News Reports

News Report # 1

News Report # 2

News Report # 3

Now try your own News Report by accessing this link.

* Be sure to plan your answer by making an outline of the 5 W's +H.

We've finished Animal Farm...

Now that we've finished, I would like you to blog your opinion about the novel. Organise your response into one or more paragraphs. How much did you (or didn't you) enjoy reading about the novel? Why? What questions were you left with after reading?

Chapter 9

1. What was Boxer's one real ambition?

2. Why did Boxer sustain an injury?

3. What was Boxer's fate?

4. How did Squealor manage to make the animals feel better about Boxer's death?

5. What did the pigs purchase at the end of the chapter? Where do you think they got the money?

Chapter 6

For this chapter, I ask you to create 2 original questions and answer them.

I would like you to use 'how' or 'why' questions.

Your answers should be a minimum of three sentences.

Chapter 5

1. Who dissapeared? Where was she later seen?

2. Why did Snowball want to build a windmill?

3. What happened to Jessie and Bluebell's puppies?

4. What happened to Snowball?

5. Explain why you think that Napolean's announcement that Sunday meetings would come to an end is a bad idea.

6. What was set up on a stump at the foot of the flagstaff? Why?

Chapter 4

1. Who was sent out to tell the story of the rebellion?
2. What two farms were beside Animal Farm?
3. Why did humans return to Animal Farm?
4. Who was killed and who was wounded?
5. Why was Snowball awarded the honour of Animal Hero, first-class?

Chapter 3

1. What is the result of the harvest after the Rebellion and why?

2. What part do the pigs play in the harvest?

3. What is Boxer’s personal motto?

4. What is Benjamin’s attitude after the rebellion?

5. What is the maxim that Snowball teaches the sheep?

Chapter 2

1. How soon after his speech did Old Major die?
2. What two pigs were emerging as leaders? Describe each of them.
3. What name did they give to Old Major's teachings?
4. What mysterious place did Moses talk of?
5. What was the name of the farm?
6. List the 7 Commandments.

Animal Farm - Chapter 1 Questions

1. What is the setting for the story?

2. What four characteristics are noted about Boxer the horse?

3. What comment does Benjamin the donkey make that shows his cynicism and bad temper?

4. How does Clover help the other animals at the meeting?

5. What does Old Major say is the reason the animals have such miserable lives?

6. What is Major’s prediction about Boxer.

7. What decision is made concerning the status of wild creatures such as rats and rabbits?

8. What is the name of the song Old Major teaches the other animals?

An Opinion Piece, Your Choice of Topic

Most of you seem to have made good progress with our first opinion piece. Now that you have learned the structure, I'd like you to try writing another opinion piece on a topic that interests you.

For today, write a four paragraph opinion essay in which you address one of the topics listed below. Be sure to post both your outline and carefully proofread opinion piece.

Reminder

Outlines can be done in about 5 minutes. All you need to list is:

T: (The thesis statement you plan to use)

1- one supporting point for your thesis

2- a second supporting point for your thesis

3- a third supporting point for your thesis

-be sure to keep your supporting points general and different from one another

Then, write your best opinion essay. The better it is, the greater chance there is that we will move on to a different activity next week. If you are still unsure what I am looking for in terms of structure, don't hesitate to ask your classmates. Some of them are demonstrating that they know exactly what I am looking for.

Possible Topics to Write on:

(Choose 1 ONLY)

Q: Is Justin Beiber a good role model for children and young teens?

Q: Would boys and girls learn better if they attended separate schools?

Q: Should Physical Education be mandatory every year of high school?

Q: Are part time jobs a good or bad idea for high school students?

Q: Do dress codes make high schools better places?

**You can also make up a question of your own but be careful to ensure that:

1) The question is written in a way that requires a yes or no answer.

2) You are able to create a clear thesis statement to answer the question.

3) You are able to think of at least 3 main points to support your thesis.

If you are at all unsure, you should just try the questions above.

Opinion Essay - Sample

Q : Are blogs helpful in English class ? (This will be provided for you on exam or literacy test)

OUTLINE

T : Blogs are helpful in English class.

1. Blogs are helpful because you don't have to write by hand . (convenience)
2. Blogs are helpful because they spell check , date and put your work in order . (editing and organising functions)
3. Blogs are helpful because they save trees. (environment)

* * *

SAMPLE 4 Paragraph Opinion Essay

In my opinion, blogs are very helpful in English class. Compared to the old way of doing school work, blogs are much more convenient. They have many handy editing and organising functions. Finally, if all students used blogs the environment would be much better off. These are all reasons why I feel blogs are great in English class.

Blogs are helpful because you don't have to write by hand. Often after taking notes all day, my hand would get sore. Typing is much easier to do and I find I can get more work done. Another reason that blogs are convenient is that you don't need to carry books with you from class to class. Just log in to a computer and your blog is waiting for you.

Blogs come with tools to help you check your work. If students made mistakes in the old days, they had to start over from the beginning. With blogs, however, students can make changes without having to begin again. Probably the most important feature of blogs though is that students can spell check their work before they hand it in, which is much harder with regular pen and paper.

The final reason I think blogs are a better way to learn has to do with the environment. Students used to go through lots and lots of paper which means that lots of trees needed to be cut down. Now students can write their own work and get information from teachers without having to harm a single tree.

Finding Forrester

Everyone:

Prior to watching this video, you were challenged to think about different ways the characters showed courage. On your own blogs, please list three different examples from the film in which one or more characters showed courage. Be sure to explain why it is that you feel the examples you pick show courage.

Bonus:

Explain one or more tips you learned about writing from this video.

Finally,

If time permits, click on the following link in order to practise some of those tricky homonyms, like they're, their and there. Grammar Bytes-Menu -Click "Word Choice"

Figure out which homonyms are your challenge words. Read the handouts and try the exercises.

Good Luck!

Character Traits

Write a short story that demonstrates a positive character trait and a negative character trait in action. Your story should be about 500 words in total. Once you have finished your story, invite a friend to read it. Your friend should be able to guess which traits your story demonstrates. Some of the best stories may be posted on the class blog!

You may choose traits from the following lists:

Positive Character Traits

fun honest faithful knowledgeable loyal caring senstive humorous faithful dependable trustworthy helpful intelligent understanding sympathetic empathetic

Negative Character Traits

wasteful destructive dishonest cruel uncaring irritable apathetic manipulative beligerant sneaky self-centered dishonest

My Experience

This assignment should be written clearly and use standard language conventions, grammar and paragraphs. The style of this essay is personal, you may use an informal, conversational style and your essay will be directed to your teacher. Be as specific as possible, coherent and use examples to tell about your experience with English:

Paragraph #1

What has your experience been like in taking English? Do you enjoy the subject? Which subjects do you most enjoy in school? Which subjects are your least favorite or do you struggle with in terms of achievement? Do you believe English is the “same” as other subjects in the way you are marked? Explain your answer using specific experiences from your life.

Paragraph #2

What did you achieve in the previous grade before entering this course? Were you satisfied with this performance? Explain why you believe you achieved this standing? What were some of the things that you did that had this affect on your grade/final outcome? Try as much to use examples of what you did to perform, and if your instructor was a factor, explain what that person did in influencing your performance. What parts of the previous course did you find enjoyable? Which parts were not enjoyable to you? Explain why you felt/think that way.

Paragraph #3

What are your intentions for your performance in this course? What kinds of things do you believe you will need to do to achieve this goal? What are some factors that may contribute to your performance, or outside commitments that may be an issue for you? What kinds of things would you like to see from your instructor to help you achieve this standing ? What kinds of things would you like the instructor to avoid with you ? Be specific. What are your not “too distant” plans for the future after completing the course? (college, work, university or something else?)

Paragraph #4
What are some interesting things about you ? Do you have any animals, hobbies, or favorite things you like to do? Who are some of your friends? What makes them people that you like to be with? What kinds of activities do you and your friends like to do? How much do your friends influence your performance in school.. positively or negatively from your point of view? Explain your answer.

Paragraph #5
Try to describe your personality. Use examples about how your personality changes in different circumstances. Examples might include whether you are very active, physical, shy, nervous, outgoing… and perhaps when you are best able to demonstrate those personality traits—with my family, friends, in school, or other environment. Is there anything else you can think of that an instructor should know about you?


This writing assignment should be considered as a very good opportunity for you to share your goals with the instructor for this course. Your writing will be assessed for clarity, coherence, specific detail and reflection.

The writing will be “Leveled” to give you an idea of areas where you will want to focus your attention in the course.

"Small Inspiration"

Just as I did when I read "Learning to Skate... Again," describe 4 visualizations you make when you read "Small Inspiration."

I suggest you pause at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4's of the way through the essay. What picture is in your head or what connection can you make at each of these points?

Remember, the unit we are studying is called "It takes Courage." Why is this reading selection there?

"Not Ever Again" Vocabulary

Tousled


Mallard


Gingerly


Frolicking

Blog About Courage

On your blogs, write about courage. This could be based on your personal experience or you could make up a story about courage.

Be sure to check your work over and to use the spellcheck feature. Your entry should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs.

Sentence Combining

Connecting Words:

and but or if......then where when +ing

as also who that which

Sample:

Substitute Teacher

The students enjoyed Mrs. Fletcher, the substitute teacher from England. Her teaching involved language games and writing contests. The room was filled with the laughter of students who were competing for prizes. Mrs. Fletcher also enjoyed the students, wanting to return to teach them again.

Graphic Novels

Please respond to the following 2 questions on your blog. Answer as fully and with as much detail as possible.

1) What is your opinion of The Twilight Zone? Explain why this either would or would not be a good graphic novel to use for other grade nine classes.

2) How is reading a graphic novel different than reading a short story? What strategies do you have to use as a reader in order to understand it fully? (Make a list)

"Save the Moon for Kerdy Dickus"

pov - point of view -the perspective from which a story is told

first person point of view -a story in which the narrator relates events using 'I'

third person point of view -a story in which the narrator relates events using 'he/she/it/they'

Terms:

omniscient -all knowing

limited narration - story telling in which the narrator has incomplete or faulty knowledge. A narrator may be limited by age, experience or development.

present progressive narration - story telling using present verb tense (go, see, do)

retrospective narration - narration that "looks back," i.e., uses past verb tense (went, saw, did)

unreliable narration - story telling in which is innaccurate or misleading. This can be deliberate or accidental on the part of the narrator.

reflector character - a character whose consciousness the narrator "dips into"

(Answer all questions in full sentences, using proper punctuation and capital letters where appropriate)

Questions:

1) Describe the narration in "Save the Moon for Kerdy Dickus." Is it first person or third person? Is it retrospective or present progressive? Is the narrator limited or omniscient?

2) What different elements in the story would lead the Stranger to believe he had been abducted by aliens?

3) Why do you think the story was told from Ky's friend's perspective? Why might the author choose not to have Ky tell the story?

*Go to your Settings-->Permissions tab and Add ewcwriter@live.ca as an author

*email ewcwriter@live.ca and ask to be added to the class blog.

Please work on your "my experience" essay when finished!

Welcome

This space will be primarily devoted to supporting the ongoing discussions we will be having about the course literature, themes, assignments and anything else. By all means, ask questions and score oral participation marks by exercising your voice here.

In order to be able to post comments, simply email ewcwriter@live.ca and ask to be added to the Period 2 English blog. Be sure to include your full name in the email, if it's not apparent in your email address. I will also need to know you need to be added to the Per. 2 blog so I don't add you to the Per. 1 or Per. 3 blog by mistake.

I look forward to working with you all.

CP