Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best for a wonderfully restful and rejuvenating Christmas break.  Hope you all have a safe, happy and healthy year ahead!

Enjoy reading the Chrysalids.  Reminder, when we return our focus will be on more essay writing and working on your Final Project - your own Passion Project.

Final Project January 2014

Your final Project details are under the course materials link in the right sidebar.

We are starting today to get your ideas flowing and to start the proposal process.  By the end of the first week, your proposals will need to be completed including your conferencing with the teacher.

December 2013 planning for the New Year!

Both Blocks:  Read up to and including Chapter 4

Select 3 passages that you will be able to make connections with (text to text, text to self, text to world).  These passages may be a particular sentence, paragraph or scene that grabs your attention and you need to be ready to describe the connection.  Remember that we are not looking for literal connections.
Come prepared with these passages already selected as we will be using them for a discussion activity.

Block 2:  Your task was to do some research on Genius Hour topic ideas and resources.  Post some ideas on this Google doc:  Genius Hour Resources and Ideas 

Block 2:  You were also supposed to look at some samples of writing to see the difference between Exceeds Expectations ("A" level) or Not yet Meeting Expectations ("I" level) for multi-paragraph compositions.

Here is the link for the Performance Standards and Examples in BC - you will need to scroll through them a few pages to find the samples.

For your reading enjoyment during the Holidays:  Finish reading The Chrysalids

In January, you will have some multi-paragraph compositions, related to the novel, to write on your group blogs. At that time you will also be learning to give critical feedback to your peers  in a constructive manner through comments on each other's compositions.

These comments will be done in the form of a "Constructive Sandwich"  - start and end with a positive comment and "sandwich" your constructive advice between them.  Remember good feedback comments will be specific, give examples, and done in a way that is respectful.

Review Austin's Butterfly if you need some reminders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqh1MRWZjms

Alternate version with Mr Berger explaining the process to an adult audience (school board)

Part I

Part II

 Then you will be working on your Final Project - this will be a Genius Hour Project.  Before you go on break, you will have decided what you are doing and we will be working through the proposal process in class on Thursday and Friday.  You will need to conference with me during the first week back in order to have your full proposal approved.

Introduction to the Chrysalids

Today we discussed characteristics and common themes of the science fiction genre as a prelude to reading The Chrysalids.

By tomorrow, please read only chapter 1. No more please.

Reminders for the last week before the new year!

Monday:  Block order switch - 3412

Last of your poetry handed in Monday.  Poetry review will be done Tuesday at flex - you must attend to re-do the Poetry quiz on Thursday in class.  If you cannot attend, please speak to me Monday.

Flex this week:  Tuesday, Wed 11:10 - 12:00, Thursday 11:30 (Save the Children club is at 11 am)
 (except for wrapping and law students on case studies Monday) 

Friday Schedule: A Firehawk Christmas Celebration!
Your teachers will serve you breakfast and entertain you too!

7:00 - 8:25 a.m. Pancake Breakfast - 

                       Bring a can of food for the food bank

                       You might even see Santa :)

8:30 - 9:25 a.m. Block “3” 

9:35 - 10:30 a.m. Block “4” 

10:40 - 11:35 a.m. Block “1” 

11:35 - 11:55 a.m. Nutrition Break 

12:00 - 12:55 p.m. Block “2” 

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Christmas Assembly 

Never "professional" but highly entertaining, lots of laughs and fun!  A great Firehawk tradition!

Your choice at this time - attend the Christmas Assembly for the whole time or you may enjoy early dismissal at 1:00pm, but you must exit the school.  

Have a wonderful week!

The Poet's Craft PAGES.

There are 18 pages for the poems, but I've added the sheet to the scans, just in case someone doesn't have them tonight.

Poetry Reminders

Poetry Quiz on literary terms Tuesday Dec 10.  The Power of Diction assignment is also due Tuesday.

Interims are coming

Thanks for your continued patience and understanding.  Ms Snodden will have your interims tomorrow.  The rest of your work will be coming soon.

PS William, I think you took your interim home without giving it back to me to fill out.  I don't have yours.

Ms Lees

Interim update

Dear students and parents / guardians,

I apologize that I will not be able to get the interim reports out to you Friday October 11 as originally planned.  I will make sure that they are at school for you on Tuesday.  My initial recovery this week has been slower than I expected.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Parents - Ms Snodden will be running the parent -teacher conferences this week and I know she would love to meet you to discuss your child's progress this semester.

Students - spoke to Ms. Snodden today and she says you are all doing great!  Keep up the good work!  We both appreciate it!

Ms Lees

Rhetoric

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rhetoric

Rhetoric

http://rhetoric.byu.edu/encompassing%20terms/rhetoric.htm

Innovation Week Proposal Due Friday

Please remember that your innovation week proposal needs to be handed in to your homeroom teacher no later than this Friday (Oct. 11).  Those of you who do not have a junior (Gr. 8-10) homeroom teacher can hand their proposal in to me.  If you plan on using the Foods room you need to hand your proposal in to Mr. Tong rather than your homeroom teacher.  Let's get creative!!!

Short Story Terms Test & Rhetoric Reminder

This is just a reminder that tomorrow is your short story terms test.  Be sure to study!  Also, please remember to post a link or video to your group blog that will help the class understand what rhetoric is.

Sue vanHoornbeek, What is Rhetoric?

Shakespeare Introduction

Please find attached the video we watched today in class.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Block order switch

Tomorrow it will be 3412

Thanks Ben for the update on Caine's Arcade... Makes me wonder if anyone will try to make their own  cardboard arcade or something else for Innovation Week :)

I found this while browsing Reddit. Thought you would be interested.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1now4h/im_a_filmmaker_who_made_caines_arcade_2_yrs_ago/


This is an "AMA" (Ask me anything). Posted by the filmmaker who made Caines arcade.

Usually responses on this type of thing may typically take 1 day, to 1 week, but you never know, you may get lucky! Also, the Cardboard Challenge is hosted this Saturday! Unfortunately there is nothing being hosted in our area to the most of my knowledge. Although if you read this, why not try it out? There is always a chance you might have fun and find a new hobby!

Short Story Paragraph Questions - Due Tuesday Oct 1

Topics for your literary paragraphs

• Choose topics from 2 different stories. 
• You are only writing drafts so they may be in pencil and should be double spaced.
• To find the video mentioned  - go to ChronicFrostiesPHD blog and open the link Ben posted on Thursday.

Drafts will be due on Tuesday Oct 1 - we will be working on them in class so you must have print copies.

Have a good weekend - stay healthy and if you are sick, stay home please :)

Quiz Tuesday:  Short Story terminology

This is a test....

Let's see who is checking in with the blog?

Your task for tonight (Thursday Sept 26) is to comment on 2 peers blog posts within your group and 1 post from another group.

Don't forget tomorrow is Fan Friday - wear your fan clothing!

Good work today everyone!

Catch - up Weekend

Help needed

I can't find my copy of Inside Stories, and I need it for the quote analysis. WAT DO?

Catch - Up Weekend

You have this long weekend to catch up (Monday is a professional day).  Here are reminders of everything you should have done. Tuesday will be flex so if these are not completed by everyone, you will be staying in until you are finished (plan to bring a lunch)

*if you need help, email me and stay in at flex on Tuesday*
Blogs:

1. Accepted Ms Lees invitation to the class blog www.leesen10.blogspot.com

How?  by going to the email you gave me in class and accept (single click only or you will receive an error and need to email me to re-send you an invitation)

     2.  Group Blogs: 

• Everyone should have accepted the invitation from the administrator.  If you haven't, then you need to contact your administrator to re-send the invite.
• Ensure that your blogger profile (display name) is first name and last initial only
• Everyone should have done their first post on the group blogs
• something your group would find useful to help with literary terms (e.g. video, cartoon, dictionary, ppt presentation)  Remember to write a couple sentences explaining how your selection is useful.  If you have already posted - you can to your dashboard to edit your posts.  You may want some of the links to be located under your link list to find easily - tell your administrator and they can do this for you.
• Admin. - make sure you sent Ms Lees an invitation to your blog.  How can you check?   If your group blog is not linked to the class blog, then you did not send her an invitation.
• Admin:  please make sure to have the following on your group blogs:
• follow me button
• counter
• archive
• search bar
• contributors list 
• link list - even if there are no links yet

Tip for blog posts - good clear titles help you find the posts again when you need to.

3.  Reviewed the course outline with your parents and filled out the survey.

Stories:

"Choices"

• foreshadowing list of reasons for the car accident
• debate on the causes
• paragraph response - Is Ken obligated to stay with Penny?

"God is Not a Fish Inspector"

• Think Aloud/Reader Response Log - with notes from our in-class review
• Questions 1-4

"North End Faust"

• Think Aloud - should be improved from your first one

"Harrison Bergeron"

• Think Aloud - again should be much improved from your first 2
• if done well, these will be the last ones

Other:  videos - watch and start thinking about your Innovation Week Project

Last chance for course outline review

The following people have not reviewed the course outline with their parents:

• Sophie
• Phillip
• Justin
• Tom
• Jack
• Colton
• Michelle
• Nathan
• Luke
• Jaeden
• Christian
• Megan
• Benjamin
• Jiwan
• William
• Angela 
• Marissa
• Giovanni
• Preet
• Amie
• Keenan

Please do so tonight or I will send one home with you tomorrow.

Today in En 10

Hope you all had a good time at the Playland field trip today.  I don't usually make a habit of posting homework, but here it is for today.

Welcome - Christian to our class

We talked a little about our upcoming Innovation Week.  It is very similar to what I call Genius Hour and below are some links to the background behind Genius Hour aka passion projects aka 20% time in education.

Can you apply Google's 20% Time to Education?

21st Century Skill

We also watched a couple of videos to help inspire our ideas and open minds to possibilities:

"Obvious to You, Amazing to Others" was the video shown at the grade assemblies last week to help get ideas flowing.

Today we watched 2 videos:  Caine's Arcade (Parts I and II)

Part II:

We discussed which skills he demonstrated and how did following his passion help him beyond the arcade (e.g.. school, life).

Next we did some brainstorming of ideas in small groups and shared amongst the class.  Innovation week will be your opportunity to develop a skill you have always wanted the time to explore or research something you have always wondered about.  There will be an application approval process but we want to encourage you to dream big.... move beyond your comfort zone, or Cardboard box as Caine might say.  We will be doing more of this as we get closer to Innovation week.

Short Stories:  with half the class missing - discussion of "God is Not a Fish Inspector" will occur Friday.

Instead:  today I assigned the reading of "North End Faust"  along with a Think Aloud chart aka reader response log.

I was going to assign questions, but instead I will keep them for further discussion in class.  You may wish to think about #1,2,5, and 6.

See you Friday - Have a great day!

blogs

Please check to see if your blog is listed in the group blog list.  If it is not there, then you have not sent me an invitation to your blog yet.  Without that invitation, I will not be able to see your brilliant work!

Literary Vocabulary

Here is an example of an embedded video

Literary Devices in pop culture

Course Outline

Please read the course outline linked to the right side bar. Then complete the following form by Sept 20, 2013.

Sorry....

lol School computer and google docs keeps freezing on me so I will do my best to share the notes from today when I get home. (see - not really funny:)

Texting is killing our language...or is it?

Ponder...reflect...

*no post required but some food for "thunking" in our "LEARNacy" environment as Tony Gurr might say.

Introduction to Julius Caesar

In anticipation of reading Act I of Julius Caesar:   Multi-Paragraph composition - think essay (see the guidelines if you need to review).  Complete an outline first - you will be asked for it Friday.

Topics:  Julius Caesar Act I - Choose 1 topic.  due Friday April 12 by class time

1.  It is sometimes necessary to do things you know are wrong in order to achieve an important goal.
2.  Strange events in the natural world can be signs of things to come in our lives.
3.  You can't have power without making dangerous enemies.
4.  Positive change can be brought about through violence.
5.  There are positive and negative consequences for being too loyal.

If you would like to get ahead on Topics for Act II:  Multi-paragraph again, choose 1 again.

1. Power always corrupts the one who holds it.
2. It is sometimes necessary to take decisive, preemptive action against someone because of what you fear he or she might do later.