Thank You Most Important Twenty Years... test prep GR8

Here you go... a little video I made to share with you what to focus on with the upcoming test on "Thank You Ma'm", "A Most Important Person", and "After Twenty Years".....

Grade 7 has their own QUIZLET section... YAY!!!!

Here you go... the link below takes you to the  two sets in your Quizlet site... just for grade 7 English....

Way to go everyone... you are becoming great collaborative learners!


http://quizlet.com/class/373745/

The untold story.... Plot diagram explained.... English

I am trying out yet another IPad app.... here is a video I made using "ShowMe"... by the time I find and figure out how to use the hundreds of tech-helps out there you will have a VERY thorough knowledge of the elements of the short story.... hmm....I see a potential story conflict within the information I just wrote  - can you guess what it is?

MIDDLE EARTH GUIDEBOOK - Grade 9 English

I know you are all working to help the rest of the population survive, should they find themselves suddenly in the middle of Middle Earth... your information about the characters they encounter could mean the difference between life and... finding themselves tangled in a spider's web while hanging upside down in a tree... 

You will present all of the background information on each type of character either by creating a paper book or through a powerpoint presentation. Remember to include specific examples as you explain the many elements of each character.... knowing the specifics about Gollum's environment would be most helpful, especially should one be inclined to go splunking... providing a quote showing that Gollum lives deep within a complex cave system reminds the splunker to bring their invisibility shield along with their night-vision goggles....

The information you create and present could serve to be of great help to many who navigate the world of Tolkien...

Paper books will be passed in to Mrs. Palmer, while powerpoint presentations will be emailed to my school's email address...  if possible, it is wise to save your presentation in a 1997-2003 compatible format rather than 2010 although I think I can open all formats.

 Keep on the trek...do not stop at Rivendell...keeping moving forward.... it is due Wednesday, November 21st... no extensions will be given...

Plot Diagram GRADE 8 English

We are a story...

Each day, wherever we go we meet people and as we go through our day we do things which are on and at with until suddenly, something new or different happens, the problem gets fixed and everyone moves on to the next day.

If we  placed each item on the plot map/diagram, we would have the basic outline for a short story! 

Plot

ASSIGNMENT: Take these elements and find a way to place them on the plot diagram. You aren't writing a story but you will need to take the elements and expand upon them in order to get them on the diagram...

FAMILY   VACATION    RESORT     MONEY

Example:

Resort could be part of setting and/or part of the conflict...

Money could be part of the conflict, the inciting moment or the rising action...

You get to decide...  

"The Friend Inside" Getting Ready for a Quiz

Monday, October 15th, you will write a quiz which will be based on "The Friend Inside".

So....how do you prepare? Here are a few suggestions as well as some things to think about.

1. Re-read the story.2. Note who the main characters are and their main characteristics (Jim and President Lincoln are the most important characters in the story)3. Look at your storyboard to see if you have summarized the story in six drawings. NOTE: drawing is another way our brain can remember and understand information.

Here is my storyboard. I drew it in pencil so it may be a bit difficult to see everything clearly but it will help you to see if your storyboard covers the main ideas within the story.

Things to think about:  

• What does it mean to keep "the friend inside"? 
• Is it hard for us to do that? Why or why not...
• Why was Jim was being tested? Think about the characteristics Lincoln was looking for.
• Abraham Lincoln is known for being honest. Was Lincoln being dishonest when Jim was being tested? 
• Our unit deals with the theme of COURAGE. Was Jim courageous? Why or why not?

I will see you on Monday!!!

What is your favourite book...

I was the kind of child who always had my nose in a book. If I finished a book and had nothing else to read I would just go back to the first page and read it again. I travelled to different countries, got to be different people, solved important mysteries and even managed to go back in time - all through reading books. It is difficult to pick a "favourite" book, but if pressed, I would have to say that Anne of Green Gables, is the one I remember the best.

I first read it at around 10 years of age and re-read it every five years or so. Each time I get something new and different out of it. I could relate more to Anne's best friend, Diana because of my personality and need to do the right thing, but secretly wished I could be as spunky as Anne. We do however, both share a love of books and how one could get easily lost within its pages. How beautiful  it must have been to have cherry trees blossoming outside of your window and I could understand why Anne would have such a difficult time with the Pye sisters - Josie could be quite snobby at times.

To have been able to wear the big satin ribbons in my hair (as Diana of course because as Anne I would have been stuck with horrible straight hair stuck in braids that would allow rotten boys like Gilbert yank on) and pretty dresses with calico prints seems so girly and sweet. Even though Anne had many of the same issues as we do today, Green Gables and Avonlea was set in a simpler time when one could explore the forest and have picnics in a meadow. Unlike Anne's first teacher, Mr. Philips, who refused to spell her name with an "e" at the end, I always thought that Miss Stacey would have been my favourite teacher - she was exceptionally encouraging while still requiring all of her students to work to the best of their potential.

As an adult I have many books that I have enjoyed and authors that I am drawn to but I think it is Anne that I will always turn to when I need a break from the craziness of technology and our busy society.

And so what is your favourite book? Students in our school have been asked this question and to respond in an essay of approx 250 words (no more). In addition to getting some great ideas for books to recommend for book reports, their essays will be submitted to a contest that the Chronicle Herald is running. They could win a book and a family set of tickets to a Moosehead game. I can't wait to see how they describe and explain why they like the books they do. And what about you? Make sure to share your favourite book with your child - maybe they will pick it up and like it as much as you do!