Vocabulary Quiz #4 Wednesday, May 1st (Block B) Thursday, May 2nd (Block D) The quiz will assess the vocabulary terms from Lesson #4 (omen - niche). It will also include some words from lessons 1, 2 and 3. The complete set of vocab has been uploaded on to the English 9 - Vocabulary page. If you are away on the day of the quiz, it is your responsibility to check in with Ms. Wolbers and set a date and time to make up the quiz. Otherwise a mark of zero will be assigned.
In-Class Paragraph Response on "Identities" In Class Writing - Friday, April 19th Proofreading, Edits & Final Revisions - Monday, April 22nd
For those absent, see the overview below:
April 15th - April 19th:
Vocabulary Lesson #4(omen - niche) For those absent on Tuesday (April 15th) this week, the class notes have are now posted on the English 9 Vocab page. Next Vocabulary Quiz #4: Wednesday, May 1st (Block B) or Thursday, May 2nd (Block D).
Paragraph Response In response to "Identities" by W.D. Valgardson, you will write your final short story paragraph. Choose one of the prompts provided below:
Who is truly responsible for the story’s final outcome? Why? The protagonist dies at the end of the story. Is this his own fault? The fault of the inexperienced police officer? OR does the fault belong to both men?
The author relies heavily on contrasting imagery in the setting. Why does the author use this contrast? Consider the language and word choice that is used to describe the protagonist’s current neighbourhood and his childhood neighbourhood. Contrast this against the language and word choice used to describe the neighbourhood he wanders into in the story itself
What do the gates and fences represent throughout the short story? How does the symbolism help us understand the story's larger theme? Different types of gates and fences show up throughout both neighbourhoods in the story. There are grey stone gates that separate the protagonist’s home/neighbourhood from the rest of the city. There are various locked gates and fences in the neighbourhood he wanders into. Consider what they have in common; what is the purpose of fences/ gates?
In “Identities” the author relies on ideas of stereotypes and personal biases. What does the short story “Identities” teach the reader about stereotypes (biases, assumptions or prejudice)? How do the stereotypes affect each characters’ fate? Consider what types of stereotypes and beliefs exist for the protagonist. What type of stereotypes exist in the police officer’s mind?
On the outline sheet, brainstorm your topic sentence and supporting details. For each overarching supporting detail, you will need to choose a quote from the story to support your point of view.
You will have time in class on Tuesday, April 16th and Wednesday April 17th to work on your outline, and receive feedback on your ideas as you plan.
You will begin writing your paragraphs in class on Friday, April 19th.
April 8th - April 12th:
Paragraph Response (Peer Editing & Revising) On Monday, April 8th, you will have class time to proofread, edit, and revise your paragraph responses on "The Sea Devil." The final draft of the paragraph with your revisions will be submitted by the end of class on Monday, April 8th.
Vocabulary Quiz #3. (mortified - lucrative) Tuesday, April 9th
Grammar: Modifier Errors We will review the purpose of modifiers, and the errors that result when they are integrated into a sentence incorrectly. We will also review how to identify misplaced and dangling modifiers, and methods of correction. For those absent on Tuesday (April 9th) this week, the class notes have are now posted on the English 9 - Grammar page.
Short Stories This week we are going to read "Identities" by W.D. Valgardson together in class. As we did with the other texts, we will start by annotating the story. If you are away on Wednesday or Thursday this week, please see the annotated copy of the text posted on MS Teams. On Friday, we will be discussing the story, mapping out the plot structure, and identifying the story's use of symbolism & foreshadowing.
April 2nd - April 5th:
Grammar: Sentence Fragments We will review the different types of sentence fragments, another of the common errors in student writing. We will also review how to identify fragments and methods of correction. For those absent on Tuesday (April 2nd) this week, the class notes have are now posted on the English 9 - Grammar page.
Paragraph Response Before the break, we read "The Sea Devil" by Arthur Gordon, annotated & analyzed the story as a class, and then you were asked to complete an outline that presented your thoughts on one of the following prompts:
Do you think the protagonist (the unnamed man) has learned his lesson by the end of the story? Why or why not?
Consider the symbolism of the sea devil. What does the sea devil represent, and how does it impact the characters' decisions and actions?
Consider the role of foreshadowing in "The Sea Devil." How does the author use subtle hints to build tension and anticipation throughout the story, and how does this add to the theme?
How does the story depict the power struggle between humans and the natural world, and what does this conflict suggest about humanity's relationship with nature in the real world? (In other words, how does the message of the story relate to how we treat nature in our own lives in the world today.)?
During class on Wednesday, April 3rd, we will review an example of a strong piece of writing (a proficient/extending according to the categories on your rubric). You will then have time to get feedback and revise your paragraph outline.
Your will write your paragraphs in class on Friday, April 5th.
On Monday, April 8th, you will have class time to proofread, edit, and revise. The final draft of the paragraph with your revisions will be submitted by the end of class on Monday, April 8th.
March 11th - March 14th:
Vocabulary Lesson #3 (mortified - lucrative) For those who were away on Tuesday, March 12th, the notes are now posted on the English 9 - Vocab page. Next Vocab Quiz: Monday, April 8th
Paragraph Response In response to "The Sea Devil" by Arthur Gordon, you will write a paragraph. Choose one of the prompts provided below:
Do you think the protagonist (the unnamed man) has learned his lesson by the end of the story? Why or why not?
Consider the symbolism of the sea devil. What does the sea devil represent, and how does it impact the characters' decisions and actions?
Consider the role of foreshadowing in "The Sea Devil." How does the author use subtle hints to build tension and anticipation throughout the story, and how does this add to the theme?
How does the story depict the power struggle between humans and the natural world, and what does this conflict suggest about humanity's relationship with nature in the real world? (In other words, how does the message of the story relate to how we treat nature in our own lives in the world today.)?
On the outline sheet, brainstorm your topic sentence and supporting details. For each overarching supporting detail, you will need to choose a quote from the story to support your point of view.
You will have time in class on Monday, March 11th & Tuesday, March 12th to work on your outline, and hand this in before Spring Break to receive feedback on your ideas.
You will write your paragraphs in class on either Wednesday, April 3rd (Block B) or Thursday, April 4th (Block D) after we return from Spring Break.
March 4th - March 8th:
Grammar: Run On Sentences We will review the different types of run-on sentences: one of the most common errors in student writing. We will also review how to identify run-on sentences, and methods of correction. For those absent on Monday (March 4th) this week, the class notes have are now posted on the English 9 - Grammar page.
Short Stories This week we are going to read "The Sea Devil" by Arthur Gordon together in class. As we did with "The Veldt" we will be mapping out the plot structure, identifying the story's use of symbolism & foreshadowing, and preparing to write a response on the short story next week. If you were away on Tuesday-Thursday this week, please see the annotated copy of the text (from Tuesday) and the class-generated story map (from Thursday) posted on the English 9 - Short Stories page.
Vocabulary Quiz #2 (feasible - intercede) Friday, March 8th The quiz will assess the vocabulary terms from Lesson #2. If you are away on the day of the quiz, it is your responsibility to check in with Ms. Wolbers and set a date and time to make up the quiz. Otherwise a mark of zero will be assigned.
Quote Integration During Friday's class—we will review the basics of quote integration/introduction, and you will have opportunity to put this into practice in-class. You will also be required to use quotes in your next paragraph assignment on "The Sea Devil" next week.
February 26th - March 1st:
Paragraph Structure Review On Monday, we will review parts of a paragraph and look at a sample. If you were away, please see the handouts below.
Transitions On Tuesday, in preparation to write your paragraph, we will review the purpose and types of transitions. If you were away on Tuesday, see the notes and practice sheet (answer key) attached below.
Paragraph Response In response to "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury, you will write a paragraph. Choose one of the prompts provided below:
Is the Happy-Life Home beneficial/healthy for the Hadley family? Why or why not?
Who is truly responsible for the story’s final outcome? Why?
What does “The Veldt” teach the reader about technology’s influence on individuals?
On the outline sheet, brainstorm your topic sentence and supporting details. We will continue working on the outline in class on Tuesday, February 27th.
Your will write your paragraphs in class on Thursday, February 29th and Friday, March 1st.
The final paragraph will be submitted by the end of class on Friday, March 1st.
February 20th - 23rd:
Grammar: Subject Verb Agreement We will review the oft-forgotten (and at times very confusing) rules surrounding subject verb agreement and the key words and phrases that create exceptions to these rules. We will also review what common errors students make when constructing sentences, and why these occur. See notes on English 9 - Grammar page.
Short Stories After starting the story last Friday, we are going to finish reading through and annotating the short story, "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury together in class. Throughout the rest of the week, we will be mapping out the plot structure and preparing to write a response on the short story. If you were away on Tuesday or Wednesday this week, please see the annotated copy of the text (from Tuesday) and a blank copy of the story/plot structure map has also been posted below.
Paper Bag Speech Presentations Monday, February 12th & Tuesday, February 13th When you come to class, you should have a printed copy of your speech or cue cards, your paper bag, and your three symbolic objects. After you present, you will need to staple a copy of your speech to the assignment rubric and hand this in to Ms. Wolbers. Otherwise, while your classmates are presenting, you should be giving your classmates your full attention.
Vocabulary Quiz #1 Wednesday, February 14th (Block B) Thursday, February 15th (Block D) The quiz will assess the vocabulary terms from Lesson #1. If you are away on the day of the quiz, it is your responsibility to check in with Ms. Wolbers and set a date and time to make up the quiz. Otherwise a mark of zero will be assigned.
Short Stories To begin our unit on short stories, we are going to dive into our first short story: "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. During class on Wednesday (Block B)/Thursday (Block D), we are going to begin reading through the text together in class. We will discuss & analyze the story in more depth in-class together next week. If you were away on Wednesday (February 14th) or Thursday (February 15th) this week, please read through the story posted here.
February 5th - 9th:
Symbolism & Personal Values Building our review of symbolism, and how symbolism helps us understand or better visualize complex concepts or ideas, we are also going to discuss the idea of “personal values.” More specifically, how symbols can be used to represent/explain these values to others.
From a list of personal values, you will need to select the three values that are most important to you, and reflect on why these are important to you and how they show up in your life. Then, on your criteria and brainstorming handout (that you were given in Monday's class), you will need to brainstorm & write down:
why you chose each of your three values
a personal object that could be used to represent each value
a personal story/explanation for how the object represents that value/how the value appears in their life.
The brainstorming sheet should be complete for class on Tuesday, February 6th.
Paper Bag Speech For this assignment, you will present to the class your three core values and use personal objects/items that can fit inside a paper bag to help the class visualize how these values relate to your life.
On Monday's class, we will review the structure of the speech and you will have time to brainstorm. We will then look at an example (see handouts on the Paper Bag Speech page). From there, you will have time to begin using your brainstorming to draft out your speech. You will have time on Tuesday & Wednesday to draft out your speech.
On Friday, we will review presentation tips & techniques, and you will have time to receive feedback on your speech.
Vocabulary Lesson #1 (aspire - exacerbate) We will review the definition and usage of each word in the set, as well as discuss any unique/specific points of grammar that dictate how the word should be integrated into your speech and writing. The complete set of notes has been posted on the English 9 - Vocabulary page, linked here. Vocab Quiz #1: Wednesday, February 14th (Block B) Thursday, February 15th (Block D)
Short Story & Literary Device Review Looking back to what you learned in English 8, we will review short story elements and literary devices, and examine which will be of central focus for literary analysis in English 9. If you were away on Wednesday, the complete notes are posted on the English 9 - short stories page.
Symbolism One of the main concepts of focus in English 9 is symbolism. Symbolism helps us understand or better visualize complex concepts or ideas, such as world issues or personal values. We will review what a symbol is, how it differs from a metaphor, and generate some examples together. If you were away on Friday, you can find the handout and the notes on here.