Favourite

What has been your favourite book this semester?

Why? (try to be as specific as possible)

Most at Home

Imagine that you have just been contacted by Oprah in order to do an interview about what an amazing person you are. Oprah has left the location of the interview up to you, but did provide the following guidelines for picking the location:

1. It must be a place in which you have strong memories or is related to strong memories.

2. It must be a place that you feel reflects who you are as a person. 

Answer the following questions as a blog entitled "Where I can be me."

1. Where is the location that you have chosen?

2. What are the two strongest memories you have of this place?

3. How does this space reflect your personality.

4. What kind of texts are in this location? These could be anything including posters, book titles, newspapers, video game titles, advertisements etc.

Short Fiction Reflection

As we finish our short fiction unit, lets take a minute and reflect on our personal connections with the reading. Answer the following questions in a blog post.

1. Do you enjoy reading short fiction like the short stories studied in class? 
2. Were there some stories that you liked and others that you did not? 
3. What did the stories you like have in common? 
4. What did the stories you disliked have in common?

Socratic Circles

Now that the socratic circles are finished, lets reflect on what you did and saw.

1. Overall, how would you describe your group's performance?
2. What would you say were your own strengths and weaknesses within your group discussion?
3. Did you feel prepared? What did you do, or should have done, in order to be prepared?

4. What were some examples of good work that you saw in other groups?
5. What were some issues that you saw with other groups? Avoid using names where possible.

6. What one question would you have liked to add to the group discussions that you watched? Provide one question for each group.
7. Do you think completing Socratic circles is a valuable learning tool? Why or why not?

Socratic Circle Question

For your blog post today you need to write the integrate question that you have decide to use during your socratic circle next week.

Then, you need to answer it with support from the story.

Remember, during the socratic circle it is not your job to answer your own question, but if your group is having trouble, it is your job to lead them in the right direction.

The Golden Mean- "Walk Well" and "1,2,3"

Choose the following writing task according to which story you were assigned to read.

1, 2, 3 Little Indians

1. Using the "Golden Mean" chart from class, define the golden mean for responsibility.

2. Add descriptive words to both the Excess and Deficiency of responsibility.

3. Which category do you think the following character best fit? Use details from the story to support your answer.

a. Big Tom
b. Mary
c. Mr. Cooper
d. The Driver

Walk Well, My Brother

1. Using the "Golden Mean" chart from class, define the golden mean for respect.

2. Add descriptive words to both the Excess and Deficiency of respect.

3. Which category do you think the following character best fit? Use details from the story to support your answer.

a. Charlie
b. Konala
c. Konala's Husband

Integrity

Using "Just Lather, That's All" as your starting point, how did you define the Golden Mean of Integrity? What words did you use to explain an excess or deficiency of Integrity?

Where do you think the Barber fits in your Integrity definition (golden mean, excess, deficiency)? Provide at least two direct quotations to support your answer.

Where do you think Captain Torres fits in your Integrity definition (golden mean, excess, deficiency)? Provide at least one direct quotation to support your answer.

Follow the MLA format for using quotations when answering.

Include an image that supports your thinking.

The Golden Mean

Using the discussion from class, the handout you received, and your understanding as shown through "Appointment with Love," define The Golden Mean as it pertains to character virtue.

Once you have a clear definition (in your own words) provide three examples of characters from any media source (eg. book, movie, tv show, video game, celebrity etc.) that presents a deficiency in loyalty, an excess of loyalty, and the golden mean of loyalty. Use the media tools (pictures, video etc) to support your examples.

Identify and Sort

First, make sure you are done your first post. If you are not - go back to the instructions and finish it. These can be found in the blog archive.

This week, begin your post by identifying the book or books you would like to address for today's post. Use the MLA format to create a properly formatted MLA citation. You may also choose to include an image of the book cover to add further visual interest to your blog (use the 'add image' icon found on the tool bar at the top of your 'new post' page).

Today you will be identifying and sorting.

1. First, identify five main elements of your novel. Use your note "Elements of the Short Story" as a reference. (NOTE: Because this hand out is talking about good fiction - we can transfer our understanding from short fiction to longer pieces.)

2. Then, sort these elements according to importance for your engagement in your reading. Put the most important element to you at the beginning of your sorting list.

3. Once you have identified the most important element for your enjoyment,describe how this element has been used (or is lacking) in your novel. 

4. Use a direct quotation from a section of your book as evidence. Be sure to include a properly formatted MLA style citation following your direct quotation. Do not leave the quotation standing on its own - make sure that you explain its significance to the element you have selected as your top engagement feature.

MLA STYLE CITATION: (Author page)

a sample student entry of the third and fourth activity for this week is below:

Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2011. Print. 

Imagery

This element is used quite often in my book. In my previous post, I had a quote where I think Imagery was used best to describe a hollow which is a flesh-eating soulless creature. I think Imagery is the most important because it projects an vivid impression of what is being described. It helps the reader to really imagine themselves in the scene with the characters.

"A vast, lunar bog stretched away into the mist from either side of the path, just brown grass and tea-colored water as fat as I could see, featureless but for the occasional mount of piled-up stones. It ended abruptly at a forest of skeletal trees, branches spindling up like the tips of wet paintbrushes, and for a while the path became so lost beneath fallen trunks and carpets of ivy that navigating it was a matter of faith." (Riggs  78)

Even if I didn't want to imagine this bog, I couldn't help it after reading this excerpt. This is one of the less gag-inducing parts that I could have chosen. But it's true, sometimes you are happy to imagine a place of beauty and peace. But you might be forced to imagine a dreary bog, or a spine tingling creature. That's the best part about imagery, it's like real life because you can't choose what you want to see or however long that image lasts in your mind.

First Post!

The purpose of your first blog post is to introduce yourself to your readers, mainly your teacher and your classmates. As this is a literary blog, introducing yourself as a reader would be most appropriate. Your first blog post should include the following items;

1. What kind of literature do you prefer to read? This could include specific authors, genres, fiction, non-fiction or even what websites you read.

2. What are the last two books that you have read? Provide a brief (2-3 sentences) description of the books and whether you enjoyed them or not. Explain your opinion of the books.

3. To date, what has been your favourite book you have ever read? Why?

Once you have finished your post, email Mr. Connolly your blog address at philconn@fc.amdsb.ca. Be sure to include your name in the email.

With whatever time is remaining, begin customizing the look of your blog. Don't forget, this is a literary blog, so make appropriate choices.

Welcome

Welcome to your ENG 2D independent reading blog!!

Similar to last year in ENG 1D, it is from this class blog that you will receive your instructions for your grade 10 independent reading blog.

Each week this class blog will be updated with specific instructions for you to complete a post on your own blog. You will be given 35 minutes a week on computer to complete the writing necessary for your independent reading (Blog Fridays).

Starting next week, you will be given instructions as to how to begin your Independent Study Project. You will then be given 35 minutes a week to complete exercises that will prepare you to be successful with your Culminating Essay.

Enjoy your reading . . .

Go to the toolbar above and

open the page entitled BLOGGING TIPS.