Mon. Jan. 23, 2017

Today, you needed to submit your cheat sheet and dictionaries/thesaurus if you wanted to use your own .
I also had you complete you final class assessment. If you were not here, you will need to do this ASAP (it does impact your mark).
You exam is tomorrow morning.
Be here by 8:45 and expect to write until 12 pm.

Wed., Thurs. & Fri. Jan. 18 to 20, 2017: Test Prep.

Today, students were given time to work on their essay ONLY cheat sheet (see yesterday and Friday's blog for more information on the exam).
They were also encouraged to study the following:

MOSES sheet (figurative devices)
"15 Common Errors" booklet
"How to write a Personal Response Paragraph"
"How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay Introduction in Seven Sentences"
Personal notes on how to write an essay

Keep in mind that your cheat sheets can only be checked and returned up until Monday. If they come in Monday and are problematic, you will not get those for the exam on Tuesday.

Tues. Jan. 17, 2017: Test Prep. Part F

Today, we went over Part F. of your exam. Be sure to read and study all of this material (as well as the material from last Friday) in order to be prepared.

Part F: Critical Analytical Essay

You can create a one page point form cheat sheet which must be submitted to me the day before the test on Monday, January 23. If it is not in point form or contains information that will help you with other parts of the test, you will not get it on the day of the test. This is why it is important to do this earlier! It can only be 50 words

This cheat sheet is only to help you with this five paragraph essay. If there is anything else on it, you won’t get it.

·         If it is not in point form, you will not get it.

·         If it has things on it like MOSES terms or grammar terms or definitions, you will not get it.

·         If it is not written by hand, you will not get it.

In many of the texts we read this year, inequalities are present. How has inequality shaped the world of a character or characters in Of Mice and Men?

You can only refer to ONE text for your evidence (and no personal examples). You MUST have an opinion. “It has shaped the world.” is not an opinion. What about it? “It has shaped the world in a positive way,” IS an opinion!!!

1.      SO WHAT???? What are you supposed to learn from all this research into inequality and reading? We all KNOW it is bad to treat someone as unequal, yet we do it… This is not the only example out there. SO WHAT?

2.      A thesis is an opinion that is arguable. Often, it is a SO WHAT. Why is the author stressing this? What are we to learn? What am I supposed to “get” from this reading as it ties to the topic?

3.      You need to think beyond just listing and arrive at the author’s purpose. (don’t just give a plot summary)

On the cheat sheet you may put the following:

·         The question (though I will have it in the test)

·         The author’s name and title of the text

·         Page references IF you are using direct quotes (you don’t have to… you can paraphrase. That is what you would do if you weren’t given the question in advance!) Quotes can go on the page

·         Point form (outline/ evidence)

·         Symbols if you don’t like point form

·         One side of an 8.5 x 11 sheet only

·         Must be created by hand (not computer generated)

·         No complete sentences (that’s what point form means)

·         Your name, date, class!!!!!! (Does not count as part of your 50 words!)

·         If I don’t get the cheat sheet in advance and approve it, you will NOT get it as part of your test package on the day of the exam

·         Any questions? Now is the time, guys.

Do not be freaked out.

Yes, tests suck, but you have been here this semester, have engaged in the reading, have the question in advance and have days to get a cheat sheet put together and to study.

Terms You Need to Understand and be able to Use (Yellow is from the "15 Common Errors" booklet and blue is from the MOSES sheet)

Capitalization Verb tenses Commonly misused/spelled words  (except, accept, principle, principal, to, too, their, they’re, there) Commas Parallel structure* Subject-verb agreement Run ons Transitions Redundancy (repetition) Pronouns Sentence fragments Apostrophe possessives Euphemism synecdoche rhetorical question oxymoron imagery

hyperbole metaphor simile juxtaposition alliteration assonance repetition irony personification allusion onomatopoeia apathetic empathetic pathetic fallacy foreshadowing literal/figurative language

Mon. Jan. 16, 2017: Test Prep.: Draft

Today, you will be given three "Draft" readings (very similar to part C of your final: See Friday's Blog for more details if you were absent). You are to read and answer the questions using your "15 Common Errors" Booklet. The goal here is to memorize the rules of punctuation and grammar. These answers are to be handed in by the end of class.
Tomorrow, I will give you ONE of the writing questions that will be on the test. I will not post it on Blog. Be here to get it.

Fri. Jan. 13, 2017: Test Prep

Today, I began prepping students for the final. Here are the notes. On Monday, I will provide you with the question for your major essay. Be sure you read these notes, study the "15 Common Errors" and "MOSES" sheet, and study your sheet on how to write a stand-alone paragraph: then be here on Monday. I will not be posting the major essay question on the blog.

ELA B10: Test Prep: January, 2017

Your exam will be on Tuesday, January 24, at 9 a.m. It is worth 30 percent of your mark.

You will NOT be able to leave for the first hour.

You will get three hours to write it (it is created to be done in 2.5 hours, but use the extra time!!!!!!)

You will get to use a dictionary/thesaurus. If you want to bring in your own, that is fine, but I must get it (with your name on it –post it note- by then end of the day on Monday, January 23).

Bring in pens (dark blue/black ink for the essay), pencils (for the Multiple choice), erasers, white-out (though I wouldn’t use it – crossing out is good enough!), and highlighters.

Part A: Personal Response Assignment

Answer one of the following questions as you would in a journal reflection activity. This means that you will write one, well-formed paragraph (introduction to topic, thesis, evidence (examples), explanations showing how evidence supports thesis). This is an opinion piece. I will use it to see if you can back up an opinion with evidence/examples (you can use “I” and personal examples if you want. You can also use observations from what you have seen.

A stand alone opinion paragraph is usually 12 sentences. It usually has three pieces of evidence (of support of an opinion) and then explains how the evidence proves your main assertion (thesis).

YOU WILL NOT USE ANY WRITING FROM CLASS TO DO THIS (should take no more than 20 minutes)

Part B: Archaic Language Reading (7multiple choice questions)

Archaic means old… this means… SHAKESPEARE or an excerpt from his era. You have your list of terms, were here for the readings, and learned how to read it. Read as actively as time allows (remember: you get three hours. Your paragraph should take about 20 minutes). You probably won’t paraphrase every section or do a summary at the bottom of the page as this is a test and time is restricted. I will not mark you on active reading.

Part C: Language Concepts (12 multiple choice questions)

You will be given a draft writing. In it there will be a number of errors and changes. You will be asked questions about how to fix problems. To do well on this, you need to KNOW your grammar/mechanics (the “15 Common Errors” booklet). This does not change, guys. You get tested on the same things in grade 12!!!

You need to master these in order to get good marks as far as writing is concerned (essays/responses)

Part D: Poetry Analysis (14 questions)

You have worked on poetry and have learned how to read it. Again, you can only read as actively as time allows (I won’t mark you on it). Guys, active reading is a skill that you need to practice and develop: like using a spoon to get soup to your mouth. The more you practice, the easier it gets. At some point, you don’t need a parent to applaud you for leaving the table with a clean shirt (okay… maybe some of you do). Read as actively as time permits; trust that you will have to read the poem three times (even if not actively) and settle in. You know how! This is where you need to know your MOSES stuff (figurative language)

Part E: Literary Analysis (14 questions)

You will read an excerpt from a novel or a short story and demonstrate comprehension of the work. Everything from language, context cues, MOSES terms may appear here. The focus is reading and comprehending. Again, assume that you can’t read it as actively as you do in class. However, trust that you will benefit from AT LEAST using your highlighter to maintain focus (I always do this)

Thurs. Jan. 12, 2017: Of Mice and Men Film Completion

Today, we finished watching the feature film Of Mice and Men. If you are not here (the weather kept people away), you CAN watch this online. just copy and paste the following site and line it up to where you last saw the film. If you can't load it this way, do a google search on the movie. I found it on YouTube. Tomorrow, we will start prepping for the final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNW1B3BRZnM

Wed. Jan. 11, 2017: Of Mice and Men

We are still viewing the feature film Of Mice and Men. We will finish tomorrow and immediately start test prep., so be here.