English 10 (block C)
Today we talked a bit more about satire, and took a look at a sample paragraph of satire in The Simpsons. Using your handout with the 4 elements of satire, you wrote on satire in Animal Farm.

Tomorrow, we'll have a very short quiz on chapter 7 and 8. DEJ will be due on Wednesday (*edit* this deadline has been amended. If you completed this assignment, it can be submitted as part of the complete AF DEJ).

For those of you who forgot to finish your poster or paragraph that comes with the poster, please bring it in by Tuesday.

English 12 AP
Today, we edited each other's creative writing. The creative writing coming up in this class is fantastic.

Homework
Finish the final copy of your short story by Thursday. I need to see good use of figurative language and manipulation of the poetic or short story elements we have discussed in class.

Complete about 200 words by Wednesday on yourself in the third person. This is an introduction for your section of the book. Include a lovely picture of yourself. Send it to Meghan.
Email: apbooksubmission@gmail.com

A technical issue didn't update EN12AP class work or SPECTRUM 9 items. It has been fixed.

English 10 (Block A)
Today we took a close look at irony and satire. We viewed an episode of The Simpsons and came to understand that satire can speak to multiple elements in a single work. For example, in The Simpsons, satire can speak to politics, gullibility, and 'The American Dream' all at once.

Homework
Finish your propaganda poster. Colour it in! Also read chapter 7 and 8 so we can discuss it on Monday.

English 12AP


Homework
Complete the short story or poem you began writing based on "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas".

English 9 SPECTRUM
Today we finished Romeo and Juliet! We selected our scenes from the play and began planning our filming of the scenes. You will get a more detailed outline for this assignment on Tuesday now that we have discussed the elements you feel should be a part of this assignment.

Homework
Start your scene!

English 10 (A Block)
Today we went over our short narratives and shared them with our tables. We then began our first propaganda poster to be handed in for Monday.

Homework
Complete your propaganda poster for Monday.

English 12AP
Today we blasted through several elements of fiction, and took a look at some of the big questions we should ask when we take a look at literature. Hold on to the literary samples we examined today, as these would serve as a basis for the elements.

English 10 (A block)
Today we completed a quiz for chapter 5 and 6. We took a close look at the seven commandments, and made a few of our own! Based on these commandments, we did some creative writing - a day in the life at SLSS with some new commandments.

Our Commandments - keep in mind, these are not the rules of our classroom, only fictional rules for our activity:

1. Students can come to school whenever.
2. No students shall do drugs.
3. All students can eat in class.
4. No students shall do homework.
5. All students shall sleep in class.
6. All students shall have care and respect.
7. No students shall cheat on tests or exams.

Homework
Complete your narrative if you haven't completed it yet. We'll be using these during tomorrow's class.

English 12AP
Today we read the La Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". This will help to launch us into some creative writing. After reading and discussing the short story, we used it as a prompt for a creative writing piece. This may be in the form of a poem or a short story. Due Monday.

LINK: The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

Homework
Work on your creative response to "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas"

English 9 SPECTRUM
We read up to Act V scene ii of Romeo & Juliet. We also formed our groups for our scenes to film. You'll have two weekends for this - and we should be able to start your videos on March 7.

Homework
At this point, you should be able to work with your group to get started on your short film!

English 12AP
Today we took a look at synthesis writing in poetry. The key here is to use the poems to "inform" or "read" the the other. We were about to start sharing some thesis statements, then the bell rang! We'll return to these thesis statements tomorrow, and take one final look at Gatsby before moving on to short stories.

We will be writing a synthesis essay early next week.

English 10 (Block A)
Today we finished discussing the Stanford Prison Experiment, and moved on to several components that make up Russian Communism.

Homework
Prepare for the quiz tomorrow on chapter 5 and 6.

English 10 (Block A)
Today we learned about the Russian Revolution and started viewing the Stanford Prison Experiment. We are approaching some of the big (and uncomfortable) questions about the effects of power. Remember, the prison guards were protesting the very things they did only weeks before!

Homework
Read chapter 5 and 6. Complete a double entry journal. Due on Tuesday.

English 12AP
An early update for tomorrow's discussion. Here is a link to some sample essays for the topic you responded to on Friday. There are marker comments on the last page including the grade that each essay received. You will be getting a hard copy of the 6 essay (that's the 2nd one in the package). Many of you so far have scored in this range. (+/- 2).

The Black Walnut Tree (QUESTION 1)

Essays not are all marked yet. Work in progress!

English 12AP
Information for exam registration is just coming down the line. Though the exam isn't until early May, registration and fees are due soon. Here are the key points:

1. $126 (CDN) registration fee. I had stated earlier that it was $92. As it turns out this is the fee in the USDT. I suppose that's the currency franca in the world of AP.
2. The cheques should be made out to Steveston-London Secondary. 
3. In the memo/note section of the cheque, indicate the student number, name, and write "AP English Literature and Composition". This way the school can keep track of which exams you have paid for.
4. Pay prior to March 4. 

English 10

Today we did a short quiz on chapter 3 and 4, and we also began work on propaganda techniques. No homework this weekend!

English 10 (A)
Today we crated a list of characteristics of ranking animals. In the coming chapters, we will ask the question, "How are the animals measured for their value?" This is all in the context of "animalism" in Animal Farm.

The criteria we came up with as a class was: intelligence, teachable, and utility.

Students in Ms. Lee's block C English 10 class, please use the following blog for homework and updates: CLICK THIS LINK.

Homework
Read chapter 3 and 4 for homework. There will be a quiz (for real) tomorrow.

English 12 AP
Today we read our initial response pieces to "Snow". There are some very skilled writers in our class! After that, we began discussing The Great Gatsby. Tomorrow we'll be breaking from this and will do some essay writing.

English 9 SPECTRUM
After one or two more classes, we'll be at the end of our reading of Romeo and Juliet. Soon we'll be beginning our big projects!

Homework
Finish your last letter. You are Tybalt, either writing a furious letter to Romeo over Montague conflict, or to Juliet.

Ok, here's a late update!

English 10 (A)
Today we did a little review for chapter 1 and 2, disguised as a quiz. Hurray! We also made book covers that should reveal a scene from chapter 1 or 2 of Animal Farm.

Homework
Complete your double entry journal for Chapter 1 and 2. Use quotes from each chapter. If you didn't have time in class to complete your book cover, complete that also for homework.

English 12AP
We are beginning to ease into our short story unit. There are more poems coming. Today we read "Snow" and began our initial response to it. This could be in the form of a creative writing piece, or a more persuasive or analytical piece. The whole point is to form an initial impression. There's no need to type it.

Another note - we have the go ahead to use the old Barron's books as much as we like. They are yours to use as you see fit. For those of you who want a newer edition, or a different study guide entirely, I can order them for you if you bring in the cash (tax included) for the book.

These are the three most popular AP Literature Study Guides:

Barron's AP English Literature and Composition 6th edition.

Cracking the AP English Literature & Composition Exam, 2016 Edition

5 Steps to a 5 AP English Literature 2016

I would highly recommend beginning some extra test preparation at this point. Sit down with some friends and hammer out a practice test in the Barron's book.

Homework
Finish your initial response. No need for editing or spell-check.
FINISH THE GREAT GATSBY

English 10
Today we completed our paragraphs for the short story unit, and began Animal Farm.

Homework
Read up to the end of chapter 2. Double entry journals for chapter 1 and 2 will be due on Wednesday (not tomorrow!)

English 12AP
Today, we handed in our double-entry journals for the first part of The Great Gatsby. We also read "Delight in Disorder"!

Homework
Complete your notes on "My Father's Song". Be sure you answer the topic!

English 9 SPECTRUM
We read up to Act 2 scene 5 for Romeo and Juliet today. New seating plan is incoming!

Homework
Finish your 3rd letter. You are the Nurse, and you are writing a letter to Juliet, giving her a last piece of advice as she departs to get married. What will you write?

A quick update for English 12AP students: Barron's AP English Literature and Composition, 6th Edition exam prep guide is now in print. I have one on order if you want to see it before you buy it.

English 10
Today we took a look at the plot profile, also known as Freytag's Pyramid. Some of you have seen this before - we use it to map out the plot of the texts we read. After, we completed our first in-class writing assignment.

Don't worry - this is only the beginning of compare and contrast writing!

For those of you worried about the time allotted in class to complete the paragraph, you will have time on Monday to finish and edit it before I mark it.

Homework
ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND.

English 12AP
Today we did a portion of the multiple choice for English 12 AP. We also decided as a class to take on a major project - a book. That is, an anthology of works from our class. This will be a major undertaking, but there is clearly some eagerness among students to publish their work.

Homework
Complete a double entry journal for The Great Gatsby. This would be a passage that you select which should have enough literary merit to analyze.

English 9 SPECTRUM
Today we finished  Act II, scene iii. On Monday we will be finishing Act II and begin working on one of our assignments for Romeo and Juliet. Please bring both letters you have written to this point.

English 10
Today we went over the main ideas that show similarities and differences between "The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell-Tale Heart". After, we took a look at a synthesis paragraph that we will be using for your first in-class writing sample on Friday.

Several of you were away today for the field trip. Check below for the paragraph that we used as a sample:

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What effect does the unreliable narrator have on the mood?

        The unreliable narrator is a first person’s point of view that acts to create confusion or blur the lines between what is fantasy and reality within the context of a story. This form of diversion can be noted in both of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado,” as both works are told through the narration of an unreliable narrator. Poe uses this to his advantage in order to heighten the mood surrounding the two stories, both of which mainly focuses on suspense and horror; for instance, the narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” almost outwardly reveals that he is an unreliable narrator when he implies that he has been accused of being a mad man by others in society. Because the reader cannot distinguish whether or not the narrator is telling the truth or plainly speaking from a lunatic’s perspective, the reader is left to wonder which part of his narration can be considered true and which cannot. Likewise, in “The Cask of Amontillado,” Poe utilizes the unreliable narrator in order to increase the tension of the suspense involved in the story; Montresor is seemingly a genuine, affable character on the surface, yet deep down below, he is filled with dense darkness and most likely some form of insanity, as he walls up an individual who is still alive and takes pleasure in this feat. However, despite the unreliable narrators’ insanity in both stories and the initial unreliability of their nature, the absolute consistency and persuasive voice have quite a powerful influence on the reader, thus creating that obscurity between what is real and what is not, which in turn works to intensify tension in the stories for the reader.

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Tomorrow you will be getting a similar topic. The goal here is to begin synthesizing ideas and connections between texts. Some of you have done text to text, text to self, or text to world connections. This is the next step, where we draw conclusions about a literary element - in the case of this example, mood.

Homework

Read the short story on page 29, "The Red-Headed League" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a lengthy story, but please have it read before tomorrow, as we'll begin discussing plot.

English 12AP

Today we went over "To an Athlete Dying Young" by Housman.

We discussed the purpose of a bell curve and how it is implemented on the AP exam. Here's a great site to help you calculate a passing mark for University credit: APPASS.COM

Tomorrow is Friday, which means there's a very good chance we'll be doing some writing.

Homework
Finish your analysis of the poem, "Bright Star, would I were steadfast as thou art-" and be ready to discuss it tomorrow!

English 12AP
Today we did some close reading of poetry and began The Great Gatsby.

This is the link for your list of POETIC DEVICES.

Homework
Read The Great Gatsby by Wednesday next week.

English 10
Today we viewed the two short stories, "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado." We then designed Venn Diagrams for the two stories.

English 9 SPECTRUM
Today, we finished up Romeo and Juliet Act 1. We started our second letter.

Homework 
Finish your letter!
Topic: As Benvolio (Montague) or Mercutio (neutral, but friend of Romeo), write a letter commenting on his behavior during Act 1 scene 5. Did he make the right decision to follow his heart? Should he have spoken to Rosalind?

English 10
Today, we read The Tell-Tale Heart, and discussed some of the similar motifs and themes across texts.

Click here for the short story.

Homework
Do number 1 and 4 for homework.

1. Why does the narrator lead the policeman to the old man's room? Why does he say the police "knew" that the body was hidden there? Do you agree with his perception? Comment.

4. What are some of the conflicts in the story? What effect does telling the story from the narrator's point of view have on the development of conflict?

English 12AP
We reviewed our essays from Friday and got two scores for our work. This is only the first essay this semester. It's not for marks. Paragraphs will be returned tomorrow. We'll be starting some novels later this week, and will begin diving into more independent work. Be sure to have your double entry journal guide with you for each class.

English 10
Today we read "The Cask of Amontillado"!

Homework
Create a Double Entry Journal for "The Cask of Amontillado"

English 12AP
Here's the last literary terms list you will ever need.

THE GREATEST LIST OF LITERARY TERMS EVER TO EXIST ON THE PLANET UNDER THE SUN.

English 10
Today we finished up our characterization piece on "The Heyday of the Blood". We discovered the distinction between indirect and direct characterization. Many of you brought some excellent ideas to the table. Nicely done!

We're taking a look at theme. This is a big message that the story conveys. We'll explore more on determining theme tomorrow.

Homework
Read "A Visit to Grandmother". Do #2 in the book. There are some bullets under #2 which will help guide you towards a complete answer.

English 12AP
We collaborated and organized our notes so that we can write a lovely paragraph that takes a position based on the above question (see February 3). We read more poems in class, namely, "Introduction to Poetry" and "Shawl". We drew connections between these poems and the role of the audience/reader.

Homework
Type your response. Take a position and argue it.

Get to the thesis statement in the first sentence or two, and jump right to proving it. 500 words max.

English 9 SPECTRUM
Today we got our essays back. Remember: this is only the first major assignment under the "in-class writing" category. More will come, and there will be plenty of opportunities to develop your writing.

We also began Romeo and Juliet!

English 10
Today we did an icebreaker activity and went over the DEJ expectations. Also, we handed out our short story books and began our first short story!

Homework
Complete your first DEJ (follow the handout). Focus on gathering quotes that reveal characterization in the short story, "Heyday of the Blood" (p. 62).

English 12AP
Today we did the icebreaker activity and explored our first poetic analysis.

Homework
Complete the notes on your response to the poems. Here is an image of the slide with the assignment:

Monday February 1, 2016

Welcome to semester 2!

English 10
Today started our mandala passports. Each circle of the mandala is numbered. Follow these guidelines:

1. Name
2. What you've always wanted (2 - 4 things)
3. What you'd never want (4 - 6 things)
4. What defines you (top) and what defies you (bottom). (4 - 6 things)

See you all tomorrow!

English 12AP
Today, we greeted each other and created our mandalas for classroom citizenship. We read the poem, "My Papa's Waltz," and will be moving on to a close reading sample tomorrow.