ENGLISH: Theories of Relativity Day 1

Seating plan change.  We'll get into groups when we need to (I promise it will be often enough) and work independently when we need to, just like businesses operate.

Speaking of businesses?  Has anyone heard of Google's 80/20 rule?  I'd like our class will take this on, too.  Let's discuss this as a class.

Students receive their copy of Theories of Relativity, and, before reading, free-write on one or more of the following questions:

• What are the causes of homelessness?  
• Do you think that you could ever find yourself homeless?  Why or why not?  
• What would it feel like to be homeless?
• What are the differences between yourself and a homeless person?  How are you similar?

Our unit will very closely mirror the one developed by Tracy Larson (follow the link and don't be discouraged because it was created for grade 10s - I'll adapt as needed + this is a smart class).

Assignment 1.1 begin.  Criteria (Part A and B are each /10).  Due?  Class negotiates.

Reminder: short story due on Thursday.

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 6/Work Period

• Last class to work on your short story.  
• Review the golden booklet "Writing a Short Story" and use the rubrics/questionnaire/lessons as a guide in addition to what else we've talked in class.
• Ask me if you need to use a computer and I'll do my best find one for you. 

Reminder: Short Story (good copy) due: February 2nd.

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 5

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Short Story Writing

• Students use the Short Story Questionnaire found in their "Short Story Writing" package to review and reflect on their own story.  What changes do you need to make?  Take a minute and look at the BC Performance Standards Rubric again (also in the package).  Have a classmate read your story and answer the same questions.  Consider having them "assess" your work using the BC Performance Standards in your booklet.
• Students use the rest of the class time to finish writing their stories.
• Short Story due February 2nd.  Be sure to include: 1.) Published copy with self-assessment, 2.) Revision and 3.) Draft.

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 4

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Short Story Writing

Introduction:

• Watch these short films by Pixar as inspiration to writing your short stories.  How do they grab your attention right from the start?  What elements make them effective?  How is the plot developed?  What is the conflict?   

"Geri's Game" 

"Pigeon: Impossible"

Activities:

• As a class, look at the "Writing a Short Story" package, focussing on "Ping Pong Dialogue vs. Descriptive Dialogue" and on "You Talkin' to Me? What are the Rules for Quotation Marks?"
• Students continue writing their short story.  By the end of today, you should have a revision pretty much completed.  

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 3

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Short Story Writing

Introduction:

• Watch these short films by Pixar as inspiration to writing your short stories.  How do they grab your attention right from the start?  What elements make them effective?  How is the plot developed?  What is the conflict?   

"Exploding Baby" 

"Lifted"

Activities:

• As a class, look at the "Writing a Short Story" package and focus on "The Snapshort: SHOWING Pictures in Your Writing" and "Thoughtshots: A Peek Into a Character's Mind."
• Students continue writing their short story.  
• By this point, students should be nearing a finished draft - have a classmate peer-assess your work using the Short Story Conference Form (in the "Writing a Short Story" Package).

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 2

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Short Story Writing

Introduction:

• Watch these short films by Pixar as inspiration to writing your short stories.  How do they grab your attention right from the start?  What elements make them effective?  How is the plot developed?  What is the conflict?   

"For the Birds" 

"One Man Band"

Activities:

• As a class, look at the "Writing a Short Story" package and focus on "The Climactic Moment" and "Short Story Leads."
• Students continue writing their short story.  

ENGLISH 9: Short Story Writing Part 1

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Short Story Writing

Introduction

• Over the next five classes, you will be asked to create an original, "published" quality short story.  
• You will first write a first draft and then have a classmate peer-assess your work using the Short Story Conference Form.  
• Next, you will create a revision (typed) that will include major changes (example: moving whole paragraphs, alterations to plot, character, setting, etc.).  
• From your revision, you will edit further until your story is considered "published" quality. 
• Your short story must include a main character whose conflict is dealing with having made a decision(s) that affected him/herself and someone else. 
• The short story will be due January 27th.  

Brainstorm on the board: what makes a good short story?  Students copy the class response into notes.

There aren't a lot of rules that I'll use when marking the story, other than to see if you are meeting the criteria set out in the BC Performance Standards - Writing (see p. 394 for a rubric on quality writing at the grade 9 level).

Activities

• As a class, review the "Writing a Short Story" package (includes lessons, BC Performance Standards - Writing rubric, and Short Story graphic organizers), focussing mainly on "Eight Ways to Reveal Character" and "Story Hill."
• Students begin writing their short story.    

ENGLISH 9: Poetry Part 4

3 x poem drafts due today.  Hold on to these and hand them in with your published state poem (due January 17th).  Please also illustrate your poem.

Today's class:

1. Pick ONE of those poems to take to a published state. 
2. Self-assess your work for this one poem (purple sheet) and then have a peer assess as well (can use the same purple sheet, different colour pen - be sure to note who looked at what poem).
3. Type up a revision of your poem.  
4. Look specifically at your word choice, as well as spelling and grammar, then make editing adjustments to create a published copy of your poem.
5. Self assess this published poem and hand in (see below).

Due January 17th (stapled in this order):

• published poem (3.0) with assessment sheet
• revised poem (2.0)
• draft poems x3 (1.0) 

ENGLISH 9: Poetry Part 3

Due today: Published Personal Response.

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Poetry

Reminder:

Due January 12th (next class):

• 3 x poem DRAFTS (note the change from 5) (no assessments needed at this point).
• today is the last day we'll be working on the drafts of our poems.

Due January 17th (stapled in this order):

• published poem (3.0) (with self assessment)
• revised poem (2.0)
• draft poem (1.0) 

Today's focus: Portrait Poem #6, 7 and 8.

Inspiration:


"We can say this" poetry book - passed around the class.

Peace Train by Yosuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

Intant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon

Imagine by John Lennon and various artists

Time to work on your poems.

ENGLISH 9

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Poetry

Welcome new students to our class.  Everyone: "What are 4-5 values that our class thinks are important?"

Today and Tuesday we will be working on our Portrait Poems.

A note about the "published" quality personal response due on Tuesday (reminder): I'm only looking for (stapled, in this order):

1. Published work (typed): version 3.0 with self-assessment of published work (purple sheet) 
2. Revision copy of your work (typed): version 2.0 
3. draft poems x 3: version 1.0

Due January 12th:

• 3 x poem DRAFTS (note the change from 5) (no assessments needed at this point).
• I'm dropping the "representation" assignment that we were going to do after we published a poem. More of this type of thing as the year unfolds.

Today's focus: Portrait Poem #3, 4 and 5 (read and review the blue booklet).

Inspiration:

"Young Forever" by Jay-Z.

"On the Brightside" by Never Shout Never

Themes?  Topics?  Inspirational lines?  How are these songs similar?    


Time to work on your poems.

ENGLISH 9

Unit: Creative Writing ("How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?") - Poetry

Over the next three classes, students will be presented with eight types of portrait poems and be asked to write drafts for three of their choice,* eventually taking one through completion to a published state.  These poems should touch or reflect upon the focus question of the unit, which is "How do our decisions affect ourselves and others?"  So far, we've focussed on topics such as stereotyping, hope, bullying, gossip and slander (facebook), "good" vs. "bad," fear, and having a voice.

Suggestion in writing your poems: think of the material that we read and view in class and look for inspiration in particularly powerful or emotionally stirring images or scenes.


See BC Performance Standards for Writing p. 395 for a rubric we will use for assessment.

*source: http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/portrait.html




Today's focus: Portrait Poem #1 and #2.


Inspiration: 

"Lose Yourself" by Eminem.

Themes?  Topics?  Inspirational lines?