Creative Presentations on Monday Dec 14th.

On Monday December 14th we will be starting the Creative Novel Presentations.

You need to bring:
1) Your novel
2) Your creative object (sculpture, comic book, mobile, diarama, book jacket etc.)
3) Your page of writing if needed. (For example, if you are doing puppets you will need to bring me a good copy of your script. On the other hand, if your creative object is a comic book, mobile or book jacket the writing is already on the item).

Novel #2 Options and revised due dates

English Novel Presentation #2
Your second novel will be evaluated in 3 ways:
1) Initial Write-up – Due Monday Nov 30th
2) Writing for Presentation – Due Mon Dec 7th
3) Creative Presentation – Due Thurs Dec 14th

Initial Write-up –
In paragraph form respond to the following questions: What made you chose the book you have chosen? (be specific) Are you enjoying the book? (Why?) To whom would you recommend the book? What creative presentation are you planning to do? Give a quick description of how you will produce your creation. Submit as a good copy (~5 paragraphs / 1 page).

Writing for Presentation (rough draft)
Each creative presentation involves doing some writing (a monologue, scene description etc.). This rough draft will be returned to you. The good copy is due the day of your presentation. (1 - 2 pages)

Creative Presentation
Your creation will be presented to the class. You will be evaluated by me, and by your peers.


OPTIONS FOR CREATIVE PRESENTATIONS
PUPPETS: Choose an important scene in your novel. Write a 2-3 minute dialogue between the characters. Make puppets to represent the characters involved. Act out the scene using the puppets.

DIORAMA: Write a description of a key scene in the novel. Create a diorama to represent the scene and describe it to the class.

DRESS UP: Write a monologue from the point of view of one of the characters. Perform the monologue dressed as the character.

MOBILE: Create a mobile to illustrate the setting, plot, themes and characters of your book. Illustrate the characters on one side, with a brief description on the other side.

COMIC BOOK: Create a comic book based on your novel. You can draw it by hand or by computer. Your Comic Book should include some narration as well as dialog.

BOOK JACKET: Write a biography of the author of your book as well as a new summary for the back cover. Create a completely new book jacket for your book (with a front, back cover and inside cover).

MOVIE – BOOK COMPARISON: Read a book that has been made into a movie (It must have been a book first). Watch the movie and write a comparison of the book and the movie. Be sure to include what changes were made to the characters, and plot. Present this comparison to the class.

SCULPTURE: Write a full description of the main character. Use quotes from the book to illustrate the about the main character’s personality and appearance. (include at least 5 quotes). Create a sculpture of the character.

SKETCHES: Write a description of two key scenes in the book. Create 2 quality sketches, paintings or other Visual Art pieces to represent each scene.

PLAN A PARTY: Create an invitation from one of the characters in your book to a party (i.e. a person in your book is hosting the party). Come up with a way to host this party with the class. (Talk to Ms. Gesner about this one)

LIFE-SIZE MODEL: Write a monologue from the point of view of one of the characters. Perform the monologue from behind a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the character.

MOVIE PITCH: Write a letter to an imaginary movie producer outlining why your book should be made into a movie. Pretend the class is a group of film producers. Create a Powerpoint presentation to present your pitch to the class (Outline the movie, possible starts, target audience etc.)

BBM Nielsen Canada

In the past week we've been discussing Ms. Gesner's experience carrying a media-monitoring device for BBM Nielsen Canada.

Some students were asking how to join the panel. Check out

http://www.bbm.ca/en/ratings/bbmratings.html

then talk to your family.

NOTE: MS GESNER in no way ENDORSES BBM Nielsen... She just thinks it's an interesting way to get students talking about Media.

For tomorrow (Thursday Nov 19th)

Be sure to bring:
1) Novel #2 (The novel you will use for your second Novel Presentation)
2) 2 Pieces of Published Writing (Overdue)

If you missed the TERM 1 Spelling and Vocabulary test you will write it TOMORROW in class.

Vocab and Spelling postponed to Monday; Two edited pieces of Writing due at the end of Today's Class

Ms. Gesner is off to see plasticized human bodies at the Science Centre. You will have today's period to finish the editing you started on Tuesday.

Here is the text of the outline handed out in class.

Editing your Writing
(assignment for Computer Period and Day 4, Period 1)

From your composition notebook you will asked to choose TWO pieces of writing to edit. This is not just typing it up – It means ADDING ideas, REORGANIZING your text, , IMPROVING your word choice, and correcting CONVENTIONS (spelling, punctuation, paragraphs etc.).

This is meant to be “Published Writing”
Choose one of 1,2, or 3 and either 4 or 5. Substitutions may be made if you talked to me after class.


Either
1) My Name – A short, relatively informal piece of writing to inform your reader about your name
(What is your name? Does it have any particular meaning? Who named you? Do you like your name? Do you have nicknames? etc.) 75-200 words

Or
2) If I Were A…. Expand to create a playful poem including at least 6 descriptive If I were’s) 75-200 words

Or
3) Rememberance Day…. A creative reaction in any form linked to the writing you did after the Assembly 75-200 words


AND either


4) Multiple Intelligences – A reaction to the article and class discussion
(What do you think of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences?, What do you think are your best-developed Intelligences? Your least-developed GIVE PROOF/ EXAMPLES) approximately 150-250 words

Or
5) Book Talk Written – An overview of the novel you read
(Include in any order: Introduction, Summary of the book, Themes, Why I liked it, Reading Level – Use paragraphs to make it a cohesive piece of writing) approximately 180-250 words

I will paying attention to:

** Content – Have you included enough information? Are you ideas original?

** Organization – Have you organized your ideas? Does you text have a beginning, middle and an end? Have you used paragraphs to group information?

** Word Choice – Have you avoided over-using words like good, nice, and cool? Have you used interesting and creative word choices?

** Mechanics – Have you followed conventions regarding Capitalization?
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/capital.asp
Have you followed conventions regarding Punctuation?
Have you checked your Spelling? (watch for homophones!)

HOW TO HAND THIS IN:
To Ms. Gesner in class ASAP

If sick by email to Ms. Gesner's TEL account: emily.gesner@tel.tdsb.on.ca

... in response to those who can't find things on this blog here are the List 1-6 words.

absence, majority, unfortunate, session, discussion, experience, proceed, practical, preliminary, receipt, possess, restaurant, parallel, physician, kerosene, pneumonia

ingenious, jaded, manipulate, pensive, practically, reiterate, renowned, tyrannize, vapid, venerate

yield, conceive, obviously, noticeable, glimpse, evident, deceive, perceive, cursory, obscure, existence, judgment, substantial, enable, relieve, impede, thwart, inaugurate, authenticate, quandary

tyrant, venerable, emphasize, neutral, gorgeous, beverage, forfeit, bolster, morbid, denizen, metaphor, simile, literal, figurative, specimen, cylinder, mystify, typify, orderly, onomatopoeia

banshee, monstrous, mysterious, shadowy, bizarre, crypt, phantom, cemetery, superstition

List 6 - Do definitions and sentences for these 10 words if you want to score above 90%. If you are struggling with Lists 1-5, you may be better off to ignore List 6 and study 1-5 very carefully. It's your choice.
coalesce, fission, altruistic, pedantic, corpulent, lax, immaculate, abhor, hackneyed, placate

Review & Challenge Test - Thurs Nov 12th - Day 4, Period 1

Next Day 3 is Remembrance Day Wednesday November 11th, therefore there will be no test that day. Instead, Thursday November 12th you will have your TERM 1 REVIEW & CHALLENGE TEST.

90% of the test will consist of List 1 – List 5 spelling and definitions (Review).
10% of the test will consist of challenge words. This part is optional, but necessary if you wish to score over 90% (Challenge)

This test will be worth twice the value of a weekly test.

To prepare for this test:

1) Make sure you have all of Lists 1-5 words and their definitions in your Spelling and Vocab notebook. All lists can be found in the blog

2) By Friday (November 6th, 2009) get a parent, guardian, older sibling or friend to test you on the spelling of the five lists (see over).

3) Correct spelling.

4) Read through the list again. Mark words with an asterisk (*) if you don’t remember the definition. Cue cards can be a great way to study vocabulary. Write the word on one side, and the definition and sentence on the other.

5) Decide whether you will focus your energy on working on Lists 1-5, and whether you wish to add List 6 (the Challenge words).


List 6 (do word type, definitions and sentences – worth 10% of test)
• Coalesce
• Fission
• Altruistic
• Pedantic
• Corpulent
• Lax
• Immaculate
• To Abhor
• Hackneyed
• To Placate

List 5 Words

Vocabulary / Spelling List #5
(Definitions due Day 2 – Friday Oct 30th, Quiz Day 3 - Mon Nov 2nd)

For each word list provide
a) the part of speech (ex. noun, verb)
b) a definition that you understand
c) a sentence


1. grieve – (verb) - to feel grief or great sorrow, often after a death
Even after four weeks Caleb was still grieving the end of his relationship with Michelle.

2. banshee
3. monstrous
4. mysterious
5. shadowy
6. bizarre
7. crypt
8. phantom
9. cemetery (plural is cemeteries)
10. superstition
Need a challenge?? – Provide the Word Origin – Use more than one word in a sentence.

Day 4 - Quiz followed by Book Talk Prep in the Computer Lab

8-7 BOOK TALK – FINAL NOTES

Remember, the point of the Book Talk is:
1. to encourage other people to read the book you chose.
2. give you a chance to do an enthusiastic, dynamic, creative, interesting, well-organized oral presentation


The Book Talk needs to include:

1) an intriguing, relevant, paragraph to read to the class

2) an explanation of why you loved the book

3) a comment on the reading level (easy or hard), give evidence (examples)

4) a summary (that doesn’t give away the ending) – This is not a retelling of all the action in order – It is an overview of the main features of the book (setting, characters, main action)

5) The Title, Author and Genre of the book

NOTE: THAT THESE CAN BE IN ANY ORDER THAT MAKES SENSE!! (you can start with the paragraph, end with the paragraph, tell why you loved it first or last… just make sure that your presentation is not confusing and that the class can understand your explanations)


Be sure to:
1) Read my comments. I have suggested whether it needs to be shorter or longer, and any problems in your written text. Please ask if you don’t understand a comment.
Note: I have not marked your writing for mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization, use of paragraphs etc.)

2) Think about how you will start your presentation (Will you start with a question? Start with your paragraph? Start with your opinion of the book?)

3) Decide whether you will try to MEMORIZE it, or simply write the main points and TALK TO THE CLASS.

4) Use cue cards (a maximum of 5). Do not put all of your text on your cue cards. They are meant as reminders of the main points you want to talk about.

5) Practice, practice, practice. Be sure to also practice reading your paragraph so that you read it SLOWLY and CLEARLY.

SCHEDULE-
Monday (Day 5)
Guinea pigs – First four presentations. We’ll briefly discuss what we liked about these presentations and a few more hints.
Also List 5 Spelling Pretest words handed out, time to start sentences & Definitions

Tuesday (Day 6)
Feedback Day Bring your revised presentation and your cue cards for a chance to practice your presentation with a small audience. Students who can’t work independently and maturely will do Reading Comprehension worksheets.

Thursday (Day 1)
Presentations in class
Presentations at lunch (Bring your lunch if you want to present then)

Friday (Day 2)
Presentations in class finish (Hopefully!)

Looking for Bonus Marks in Writing? - See new post below (scroll down)

Book Talk Written Overview due tomorrow!

Wednesday Oct 14th - to the library we go!

Today students need to:
1) Complete CASI assessment

2) Complete Multiple Intelligences Reflection if incomplete (What do you think of Howard Gardner's Model of Intelligence? What Intelligences are your best developed? Your least? Provide examples/proof) Lenght 1 page handwritten or 150-200 words.

3) Work on Book Talk or List 4 Vocabulary and Spelling

List 4

Vocabulary / Spelling List #4.
(Definitions & Sentences due Day 2 – Wed Oct 21st, Quiz Day 3 - Thurs Oct 22nd)

1. Correct any errors to your pretest. Write the word shape and spell the word with the incorrect part exaggerated.

2. For each word list provide
a) the part of speech (ex. noun, verb)
b) a definition that you understand
c) a sentence
(the first three are completed for you)

1. tyrant – (noun) Defn - a person who exercises power in a cruel way
The tyrant ruled the country with an iron fist.
2. venerable – (adjective) – Defn worthy of profound respect, often because of age or wisdom
People came from far and wide to hear the venerable woman speak.
3. emphasize – (verb) - to stress, single out as important
Ms. Gesner wanted to emphasize how to complete the vocabulary homework properly.


4.neutral 5. gorgeous 6. beverage 7. forfeit 8. bolster 9. morbid 10. denizen, 11. metaphor,
12. simile 13. literal 14. figurative 15. specimen 16. cylinder 17. mystify 18. typify
19. orderly 20.onomatopoeia

Need a challenge?? – Provide the Word Origin – Use more than one word in a sentence

Oct 5th - 9th. The week that wasn't.

No posts this week as three of periods were used for the CASI Reading Assessment, and the fourth for a Guidance presentation.

In response to a student question, I still have no idea what CASI stands for. My online search yielded the following list – the last being my favourite.

Center for Aerospace Information
Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq (UK)
Council on Accreditation and School Improvement
Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute
Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors
Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument
Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc.

BONUS ASSIGNMENT - Enter an essay writing competition to earn up to 3% bonus for your Term 1 Writing Mark

Interested in people who make a difference?
Love to write?
Need bonus points in Writing?
Want to win one of 2 $3000 cash prizes?
- Enter A&E's "Lives that Make a Difference" Essay Writing Competition

To enter the contest, you need to research the person you think made the greatest impact on Canadian society in 2009. After researching you need to compose an original essay in 300 words or less.

The contest deadline is December 15, 2009; but you need to finish the essay by Nov 15th to allow time for editing and submission.

For complete A&E Essay Contest details and official contest rules,
click here:
http://www.biography.com/classroom/pdf/08-1681_IdeaBook_Can-rules.pdf
http://www.biography.com/

Here's a Scan of the Book Talk Overview

Your WRITTEN work is due Oct 9th (for 2% bonus), or Oct 16th.

The written part should be in paragraph form. My suggestion:
Paragraph #1 - Introduce the TITLE, AUTHOR, GENRE of the book enthusiastically
Paragraph #2 & 3 - Provide a SUMMARY of the book. Be sure to include information about the setting (Time & Place), Main Characters, Plot (Action). You can describe how it ends (but *do not* say how it ends when you present to the class).
Paragraph #4 (Optional, but recommended) Describe themes explored in the book.
Paragraph #5 Why did you like the book? Briefly describe the paragraph will you be sharing with the class. (The paragraph I will be sharing is from the beginning of the book when the main character Lauren finally arrives on Planet Wizona. I've chosen this paragraph to share because...)

Hint: Try including a few quotes from your book in your paragraphs. Remember to use quotation marks and put the page number in brackets at the end of the sentence.

Day 3 - List 3 of vocabulary/spelling

List three is half as long as list #2 (my Thanksgiving present to you). Unfortunately the quiz will be the day after Thanksgiving... but you have two weekends before then.

ingenious, jaded, manipulate, pensive, practically, reiterate, renowned, tyrannize, vapid, venerate

HOMEWORK:
1. Highlight any errors you made in the pretest. Write the word correctly. Write its word shape. Write it with the difficult part exaggerated.

2. Using a dictionary, or an online dictionary - Write a definition AND a sentence for EVERY word.

Need a challenge?? – Instead of writing a definition, write the word origin (Ex.: Instead of using one word per sentence use several words in a sentence or paragraph.

Too much time checking incomplete homework

For today, students were supposed to have completed their definitions and sentences (because it's DAY 2) and a reflection about the article about Multiple Intelligences. There were too many incompletes for my liking. As a class we discussed whether giving several days to get homework done is making it harder for people to remember to finish things. The general consensus was that I (Ms. Gesner a.k.a. Emily) need to review due dates at the end of every class. I'll try to do that, provided that you (students) actually follow them.

HOMEWORK for TOMORROW (Thursday, DAY 3): Spelling and Vocabulary Quiz of List #2 words (*and* finish anything overdue)

Silent Reading - We're almost there.

Today's class was a silent reading period. We're almost at the point where *everyone* is reading, the whole time. Remember, if you're not enjoying reading something, read something else. But read, read, read. And no, I'm not going to be less strict about this in the future.

8-7 Discusses Multiple Intelligences

I arrived in class today with a recent online article about Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It turns out that 8-7 already had some strong opinions on the topic.

So we began our first formal discussion - Does the theory hold water?

Apparently a project involving making a box had left a negative flavour in some students' mouthes. Once those feeling had been vented we started discussing the theory itself.
- Can a person evaluate his/her own intelligence?
- Are the categories used by Gardner too narrow? Too broad?
- Is this a useful tool to "Know Thyself"? (more of this below)
- Increase or decrease self-esteem?

Students have been asked to write a personal response to the article. Due next Day 2 (in the Composition notebook, please & thank you).

... "Know Thyself" goes back to Ancient Greece (γνῶθι σεαυτόν) and is said to have been inscribed above the Temple of Delphi (where Ancient Greeks went to hear prophesies (predictions about the future) uttered by the Oracle (a priestess) - The quote makes an appearance in The Matrix in a Latin translation temet nosce .

Sept 22 - To the Computer Lab we go

Today we visited the computer lab. Students should have:
1) Visited the 1420-PickUp folder to find today's assigned work
2) Created an "English" folder in their H: drive
3) Tidied up their H: drive (made a Grade 7 folder)
4) Used AskOxford.com search function to begin definitions for this week's Spelling/Vocab

... Ms Gesner sadly mourns the fact that dictionary.com has decided to clutter their site with advertising. www.wordreference.com has an interesting format for its English dictionary. Check it out and see what you prefer.

HOMEWORK for TODAY - I've returned your spelling & vocabulary assessments and Quiz 1 - Get them signed for tomorrow and you'll feel like a Smartie

8-7 Burns Brighter than Kerosene & Homework for Sept 21st

BLOG BOO BOO - I just noticed that I forget to correct one of my errors in the sample photo above. First person to tell me they found the error (and what the error is) will get a sweet treat!

Ms. Gesner has corrected the year's first spelling test. On the whole they were very well done! The four absent students will need to make arrangements to write it next Day 1 at 11:51am.

After the quiz we did Spelling/Vocab Pretest #2. The words are: yield, conceive, obviously, noticeable, glimpse, evident, deceive, perceive, cursory, obscure, existence, judgment, substantial, enable, relieveADVANCED: impede, thwart, inaugurate, authenticate, quandary

Homework for Tuesday Sept 22 - Highlight all of the words you spelled incorrectly. Write the each word correctly. Write the word shape (see handout). Write the word with incorrect letters exaggerated.
N.B., (nota bene - latin for 'note well' or 'pay attention to this') YOU NEED TO DO THE FOUR STEPS ABOVE FOR THE WORDS YOU SPELLED INCORRECTLY ONLY. If you've spelled it correctly, there's no need to worry too much about them (unless you think it was a lucky guess... If so I suggest doing the word shape and exaggerated spelling as above).

Spelling and Vocab homework

Monday Sept 21st we will have our first Spelling/Vocabulary Quiz.

8-7 Students - Make sure you've written a sentence or definition for the following words in your Spelling/Vocab notebook (This is Homework!)
absence, majority, unfortunate, session, discussion, experience, proceed, practical, preliminary, receipt, possess, restaurant, parallel, physician, kerosene, pneumonia

The quiz will involve a dictation of all of these words, followed by four short vocabulary questions where a) you will be given a definition and asked to find the word from the list b) write a sentence with two words.

BLOG HINT: The words you will have to write sentences with on Spelling Quiz #1 will both start with the letter P.

Curriculum Night Handout

... want to know what was handed out last night at Curriclum Night?? Here is the text of 8-7 English's ouline.

8-7 English Language Arts
(a.k.a. Core English)
2009-2010

Teacher: Ms. Emily Gesner

Overview: Students in the Extended French Programme receive six periods of English Language Arts per seven day cycle. As in previous grades, the English Curriculum is divided into four strands which are reported separately on the report card.

The four stands are:

Oral Communication, Reading, Writing & Media Literacy

In keeping with current research, as well as my personal philosophy of teaching, these four components are interwoven on a daily basis. Students will be encouraged to think critically about what they see, hear and experience and to develop the ability to express themselves clearly both orally and in writing. English classes this year will also provide opportunities for students to express themselves creatively in various media.


Classroom Routines and Expectations:

· All students are expected to arrive on time for class with all needed materials.
Students should have:

- 2 notebooks (Composition & Spelling/Vocab/Grammar) housed in a binder section labeled ‘English’
- loose-leaf paper
- pencils & pens
- a glue stick & scissors
- coloured pencils

· During class students are expected to work effectively both independently and in groups. Students are expected to do their best on all assignments and are responsible for listening carefully to all instructions and directions.
· Students are expected to follow the School Code of Conduct and TDSB Code of Online Conduct.
· Students are expected to take responsibility to get work in advance when they know they will be absent. After an unexpected absence students are expected to check the class blog, phone a friend and/or visit me to obtain (and complete!!) all missed work.

Homework: Homework will consist of class work, assignments, reviewing material for quizzes/tests and completing larger projects. Students are often given more than one night to complete homework – I hope this practice will greatly reduce incomplete homework due to extra-curricular commitments and conflicts with other subject areas.

Reading: Parents/guardians are also urged to encourage their child to read nightly. Parents can support their child in making sure that students have a variety of interesting and challenging reading materials. Discuss reading with your child, including what they read online, in magazines etc.

Editing support: When possible parents/guardians are encouraged to help their child revise their writing for grammar, spelling and organization (within reasonable limits). Completion of in-class writing will be used for a balanced assessment of students’ writing ability.

Spelling and vocabulary: For the first term (and perhaps beyond), students will have weekly word lists for spelling and vocabulary. More challenging words will be included for those students with superior skills. These lists will be assigned DAY 3, with a quiz the following DAY 3. If your student struggles with spelling I encourage parents and students to work on these words throughout the week.

Curriculum: The Ministry of Education expectations for Grade 8 English are attached on the following page and give a general idea of the emphasis of the Grade 8 programme. These expectations are outlined in greater detail on the Ministry of Education website (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/).

In practice, curriculum will be planned thematically. Our first theme, which I dub “Me in Box” involves the students getting to know each other through narrative writing and the preparation of a time capsule or “Me in a Box” (tentatively due October 19th) . Students will be expected to read two novels of their choosing (with written component tentatively due Friday Oct 9th and Friday Nov 9th; with “creative portions” to be presented shortly after the written components).

Future themes will be chosen based on student academic needs and interest. Potential themes include

“Fear” (a popular unit exploring fear in literature, and in the psyche)
“Equity and Social Justice” (an exploration of issues of power and privilege)
“The Bard – Lite” (an introduction to Shakespeare)
“Sci-Fi & Fantasy” (futuristic literature)
“Comparing Media” (a unit comparing traditional & “new” media)
“Graphic Novels, Manga and More” (an idea I’m working on…)
Students & Parents - Do you have other ideas? Let me know.

Website/blog: http://winonamsgesner.blogspot.com/
This blog is a recent effort. It will feature a brief summary of what has been covered each day, due dates for up-coming homework, assignments and projects. Students and parents are encouraged to check the blog for work missed due to absences, as well as back-up copies of handouts, spelling & vocabulary words etc.

Contact Information:

e-mail: emily.gesner@tel.tdsb.on.ca

phone: (416) 393-1680


Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns as they arise.Also, if you have any talents in language arts, media or the creative arts I’m always keen for added expertise and enthusiasm.

Under Construction

Hello students and parents,
This site is the future home of Ms. Gesner's ENGLISH 8-7; and GRADE 7 COMPUTER STUDIES. I'm back at Winona after a year of travel and MEd studies - This blog is a work in progress