Happy Holidays!

This week, we finished off our compare/contrast paragraphs, and students submitted these to me for feedback.  I will read them over the break and return them in January.  We will refine our compare/contrast paragraph writing skills in the new year, and then students will write paragraphs that I will mark.

Over the break, you can maintain your English language skills by reading for 20 minutes a day - newspapers, magazines, books, anything!  Also, try to get together with some friends and practice your conversations in English.

I hope you all have a safe and restful break.  I look forward to working with you again in 2013!

CHSS vs. my old school

We created a chart of information, comparing our experiences at Cariboo Hill, to our experiences at a school we'd previously attended.  We talked about how we would consider different features, or attributes, of the two schools.  Things like teachers, classes offered, cafeteria food, technology available could be considered.

Then, we created a compare/contrast paragraph outline, using either block style or point-by-point style.  We reviewed different transition words/phrases that could be used to link ideas.

Finally, we began writing a practice compare/contrast paragraph, comparing CHSS to our old school.  These paragraphs will be submitted next class and Ms. Barsky will provide feedback on them.

Compare/contrast writing

We began class by sharing our charts from last day, discussing our ideas related to the poem, "You Have Two Voices".  Students shared what they thought the speaker's experiences were like when she speaks her first language, compared to when she speaks English.  We discussed the importance of supporting your ideas with evidence from the poem.  We constructed charts that contained our own ideas, plus phrases from the poem as support.

Then, I shared a model compare/contrast paragraph - "Computer vs. Typewriter."  I asked students to read the paragraph and note the two subjects being compared, whether the paragraph focused on differences or similarities, and the ideas presented by the author about each.  Students handed in their charts at the end of class.

Elements of Fiction

We began today's class by meeting in our book circles.  Each group read a next chunk and continued to ask questions, make connections and speak generally about what they thought was going on.  I was SO impressed with the focus and conversation in these circles!  We will continue reading the books next day.

Then, we began to look at some of the elements of fiction: in particular, we discussed protagonist, antagonist, internal conflict and external conflict.  I shared definitions for these elements of fiction and then we worked to come up with examples of each of these from popular stories we have read or watched.  We discussed how Harry Potter is the protagonist in the Harry Potter books, and Voldemort is an example of an antagonist.  When Voldemort and Harry fight, that is an external conflict, and when Harry had to struggle with the death of one of his friends, that is an internal conflict.

We are going to watch an episode of The Simpson's next class, and discuss how these elements apply in that episode.

Conflict Dialogues Performed!

We began our class today with our performances of the conflict dialogues.  Each group performed and the audience was asked to determine the external and internal conflict present in each scenario.  Impressive acting by all of you!

We then discussed the differences between speaking your first language and speaking English.  This information will serve as a pre-reading piece next class.

"Two Kinds" Dialogue

We finished the story, "Two Kinds" today, and we continued to discuss examples of antagonist, as well as examples of conflicts.

Students wrote a reflection at the end of the story, commenting on whom they believe is most at fault for the state of the relationship: the mother or the daughter.  These reflections were submitted to me.

Then, students were paired up and asked to create a dialogue that represents an example of internal conflict and an example of external conflict.  These will be performed for the class on Wednesday.

"Two Kinds"

We began our short fiction/poetry unit today, with a story called "Two Kinds".

Students were partnered up and asked to participate in a "Sort and Predict" activity, using words from the story.  After the words had been sorted into categories, students made predictions about what they thought the story would be about.

Then, we discussed the definitions of two elements of fiction: protagonist and antagonist.  We began the story with a focus on determining who the protagonist is, and who/what the antagonists are.  We will continue with this story next class.

Should the Driving Age be Raised?

Last class we went through a number of activities.  First off, the class decided on 3 different items that they would bring to a desert island if they were stranded.

After this, the class arranged a number of strips together in order to predict what order they should go in.  When this was compled, students read the article in the textbook found between page 542 and 549.  We then filled out a Gossip table with the supporting points that were given to raise the driving age.  After sharing the students' top 3 points, students then filled out a 'Seeing both Sides" worksheet which compares the pros and cons of raising the driving age.

Next class we will meet with completed sheets in order to work on the next part of the activity.

Writing Advice

This past class we worked on finding as many 4-letter sentences in a triangle as we could to start off the morning.  Afterwards, we went through another advice column in order to see what sort of elements exist.  After reviewing the various elements, we responded to one other person's question.

Please bring your advice column to next class in order to hand it in!

Advice Columns Galore

For this lesson, students were eased back into giving advice with a couple of fun clips from Youtube.  After getting all sorts of relationship advice, and suggesting what they desire in a boyfriend/girlfriend, students went back to "Breaking the Ice", and answered questions provided on the worksheet.

As a class, we went over the criteria that the students had decided upon for giving advice.  After finalizing our criteria, we looked at some samples of advice columns.  Students were asked to read the questions (in partners) and predict what sort of advice would be given.  They then flipped the questions over to see if they had given the same advice.

Before leaving for the fire drill, everyone filled out a question on an index card.  These questions will be used next class as writing prompts for giving our own advice.

Ms. van D and Giving Advice

Ms. van D will be taking over the class for the next couple of months (until the middle of November).  She told the class today that they will be working towards writing a newspaper, with all of its different elements.

To start, the class will be working on an advice column.  But before they get into writing the advice column, students were asked to ask each other for some advice based off of different question strips that were given.

After becoming more comfortable with asking questions, we read through "Breaking the Ice" together.  We made sure that the content of the story was understood by all of students.

Riding the Tiger Role Play

Today, students worked through an activity that required them to think like Danny and the tiger, the central characters in Riding the Tiger. 

To begin, we drafted questions we would ask Danny and the tiger, as well as comments we would make to them, given the chance to sit down an interview them.  Then, students chose a character to "be" and responded to the comments/questions, in role.  After students had a chance to think about how the character would act and respond to the questions, they role played with a partner, pretending to answer the questions as the character of their choice. 

Over the past two classes, students were given many opportunities to practice their oral language skills!

Riding the Tiger

Today, we worked on developing our oral language skills, through the exploration of a children's book called Riding the Tiger.

Students were asked to share a time when they felt pressured to do or say something, and discuss how it felt to be pressured.  We made a list of some of the feelings students had experienced and noted that there were both positive and negative emotions represented on the list.

Then, we began the story, and students were asked to keep track of the things Danny seemed to like about the tiger, as well as the things Danny didn't really like about the tiger.  We discussed that the tiger had many appealing traits, but also some troubling ones.

Finally, students were asked to explore the many emotions Danny experiences at the conclusion of the story. We will work more with this story on Wednesday.

Reading Assessment Time!

After collecting a writing sample from everyone on Tuesday, it was time to check what students were able to do when reading for information.  So, in Thursday's class, students were asked to read a news article and then to demonstrate how well they were able to summarize main ideas, make inferences, and figure out unknown words.

I will be using the information from these reading assessments to guide me in future lessons.  No mark will be attached to the assessment. 

Don't forget that Monday is a Day One!   Also, don't forget to bring me your "All About Me" assignment!

Show me your story!

Today, students completed a narrative writing sample, so that I can see what you already know and are able to do with narrative writing.  Your piece will serve as a formative assessment tool for me, in that it will show me where your strengths are and which areas need more improvement.  Your writing sample will not be marked; however, I will provide you with some descriptive feedback, so that you know what you should continue doing and what you should consider changing/adding for next time.

Please remember to finish up and bring your "All About Me" assignments!

Welcome Back!

On Friday, we spent the beginning of class reviewing what we believed was important regarding course and classroom expectations.  We used a "placemat" activity to create collaborative criteria, then discussed these ideas as a class. 

Then, I distributed the course outline, and went over it so that students know what to expect this year.

Finally, students were given time to work on their "All About Me" assignments, which I would like to collect on either Tuesday or Thursday next week.  Remember that my goal with this assignment is to learn more about your hobbies, interests, family, etc.