All the Best in 2014!

“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, 
Whispering 'it will be happier'... "
Alfred Tennyson

Celebrating New Years Eve in Rio de Janeiro!  

Heading into the Holidays...and Preparing for the Provincial Exam!

Grade 12s...

Although the Winter Break is going to be just that...a break, I hope you will continue to think about and prepare for the Grade 12 ELA Provincial Exam...which begins, Tuesday, January 7th at 8:30 a.m. in Room 208.  Arrive early...with a rested and clear mind, a couple of pens, pencils, maybe even a highlighter and a dictionary in hand.  You will have the opportunity to write for 3.5 hours that first day and then 60 minutes each subsequent day (Jan. 8, 9, and 10th).

Consider the following...

• the PEACE format (make your Point, Explain with Examples, Analyze/discuss how your examples support your Point, Connect to yourself, or someone or something else that you've read, seen, etc. and then END your response with a summarizing sentence.
• read the question...and  make sure that you are answering the question asked vs. just giving your opinion or writing about your thinking on the topic.  You may be asked to Discuss, Explain, Analyze, and will always be asked to include references to the text read!
• reflecting type questions...Explain your thinking using specific examples that provide support.
• Writing Variables and how they Connect - Central Idea, Audience, Form, Purpose, Context. As a writer you are making choices about what Form you choose to use (essay, article, memoir, etc.) that will allow you to clearly discuss your Central Idea (your topic and clear explanation) with a specific Audience (the language and level of discussion you use will be related to your audience's age, understanding of the topic, etc.). You will want to consider your Purpose, as you choose to share information, educate, inform or entertain your audience. The Context is the space and place you would find your writing if it were to be published or presented (a newspaper, a specific type of magazine, a collection of writings, etc.).  

First days of reading?

Please send me a quck note and let me know what you're reading, and your first thoughts?

Graduating Class of 2014 and those of you in the years to follow...keep these thoughts in mind and things to try!

http://blog.ted.com/2013/11/13/what-id-tell-my-teenage-self-life-and-career-advice-from-the-ted-staff/

Choose one of these pieces of advice and send the author a note back - questioning and/or commenting on their thinking.  You can use this blog to share your thoughts or handwrite it (in blue or black pen of course) and hand it in to me by ?



Just Do IT!

Image is Powerful! Image is Superficial!

View this video and take some time to respond to some of the ideas that Cameron Russell has presented. What did you agree with?  What did you disagree with? What did you find interesting?

Take the time to check your work for spelling, grammar, etc. Remember you are posting live! 

Why are some people so MEAN? We really don't need to be...it's a choice!

As we start our unit on Narrative Forms and read a couple of texts about "mean" people - keep this video in mind. 

Human Rights

 

Our Grade 12 English class is beginning a unit on the study of Diversity and Human Rights. 

 

Some videos to get us thinking and talking...responding is just around the corner...