Enjoy your professional day!

 A couple of the A1 students asked me to post info on class after we had class today, so I will try to do that.  It is likely a good idea because then we can keep both halves of the class on track.   I will try to post an update daily for each class and then general notes for all of you as well.

For A1, today, we talked about having a grammar quiz on Tuesday, when we meet again.  (That would mean A2 would likely have the quiz on Wednesday.  I guess I will create two different quizzes!)

On Sept. 29, Esther, Travis, Angus and Jack will do their book reports.

Aya will ask the question of the day.  

We talked about the idea of the "bildungsroman" and I would like you to think of something that you could use as the seed of a story of your "coming of age".  The traditional bildungsroman takes this form -- it begins with an emotional loss; the goal is maturity; the protagonist faces difficulty; there is a conflict between the protagonist and society; in the end, the protagonist is accepted into society and they accept the society's values and are happy with their place in the world. 

I had thought to collect your reading logs yesterday and today but I forgot!  I will do it on Thursday and Friday of next week.

A2:  On September 28, Aden, Shelley and Cheryse will present their book reports.  We will show our photographs (those who haven't already) and talk about them.  

Tracy will ask the question of the day.

You will have a grammar quiz on September 30.

Since you have a long weekend ahead, I've asked all of you to read on to page 108, or to the end of Section 2, chapter 10.

Keep dry!

"Bildungsroman"!

 For your reading logs, write about the similarities between yourself and one of the characters.  If it is a non-fiction, self-help sort of book, write about the kind of person to whom the book is meant to appeal.

Grammar lesson:

When do you use "less" and when do you use "fewer"?  The grocery store signs are wrong!  Their signs should read "10 items or fewer", not "or less" because we use the word "fewer" when you can count the number and "less" when it refers to an amount that can't be counted.

Example:  You have fewer cards than I have.  

                    I take less sugar in my coffee than my dad does.

3 troublesome words!  there, their and they're

The battle was fought there.  (This word can have multiple functions.  In this case, it is an adverb modifying the word "fought".)

Their raincoats are all wet because they all walked to school. (possessive)

They're (contraction meaning "they are") walking through all the puddles and getting their (possessive) feet wet.

Remember, over the weekend to read to page 108 in The Wars.  A2 will start the book reports on Monday. Try to stay cozy!

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.

 English 12:

Remember you are to read the book you have chosen for twenty minutes per day and write about that book in your reading log.  Reading log topic for September 23 (A1) and 24 (A2):  Draw an illustration of a scene from your book.  Under your illustration, write a line that reflects what is going on.

We are reading The Wars as a class.  I will assign activities and reading for this class novel as homework, in addition to your reading and your reading logs.  You should read to page 44 today.  Some of the language and content might shock you -- think of why the author uses the language and includes the content.

I have given you two samples of writing about soldiers and war.  One is the great poem by Wilfred Owen called "Dulce et decorum est", written in World War I.  The other is a contemporary article about Donald Trump's comments about American soldiers.

Wilfred Owen was a British soldier in World War I.  He was wounded in battle and was sent home to England, but returned to battle in July of 1918 and was killed in action on November 4, 1918.

Donald Trump was 22 years old in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam War.  He received a deferment to the draft four times because he was at college and then, when he graduated and was able to serve, he received his fifth deferment for bone spurs (a build-up of calcium on his heel), which he said healed on its own over time.

Read both the poem and the article and answer the questions below.  (Warning:  some of the language in the article is very crude.)

VOCABULARY:  “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori”, performative, corrosive, cynicism, lambaste, pathological

In   1.  In one sentence, tell what each sample is about.

2.     2.   How does each example describe soldiers?

3.     3.  What is Wilfred Owen’s view of war?  What is Donald Trump’s view? Do you agree with either?  What does each person know about war?  In The Wars, Robert Ross “doubts the validity of all this martialing of men” at the beginning of the war --- with whom would he agree?  Explain.

4.     4.  Does either example shock or surprise you?  Explain.

5.     5.  What is “performative patriotism”?  How does this phrase fit either Donald Trump or Wilfred Owen?

6.     6.  As we approach Remembrance Day, what are your thoughts on the views expressed in these two samples?

7.  .  Can patriotism help people?  Can it be dangerous?

(I do not know why the font on the numbers became small and then large again!)  We will discuss your answer next day in class!

Remember to work on your book report.  A1 will start presenting the book reports tomorrow.  A2 will begin on Monday. 

Homework for the weekend 

The Wars:  Friday is a professional day so take the time to read to page 108!  As you read, remember to use the stickies to comment on your readings, to note interesting passages, to respond to surprising events, or to remind yourself of important elements of the story.  I expect at least 20 stickies in your book when you return it.

R

A picture is worth 1,000 words.

 English 12

Reading log for your day off?  What questions have you come up with as you've been reading? 

 Timothy Findley says "many men have died . . . obscured by violence" and then he names people, like Lawrence, Scott, Mallory and Euripedes.  Who are they?  Is it important to know who they are?

Do you have any photographs that are important to you?  Think about one and be able to talk about it in class.

Read to page 17 in The Wars.

Answer the questions about the two sample essays - hand it in next day.

Work on your oral book report. 

PHOTO DAY:  Those of you who are home this morning will have your photos taken this afternoon.  You will be called down by class.  Make sure you wear your mask and social distance until you get in front of the camera (then you can take your mask off and smile!)  We received this information late, so apologies for those of you who were wondering.  You have time to wash your hair and pick out a nice shirt before you have to come this afternoon.  The teachers were photographed from head to knee!  (I am not sure if that is the plan for students, but we didn't sit down, like we usually do, probably because of the COVID safety protocols.)

"I sank into the grave". Spoon River Anthology

 Drama Club:

As I said, if you are interested in performing in the SLSS Drama Club's fall performance, you can audition on October 1 and 2.  

INSTRUCTIONS:  If you have never auditioned for a play before, here are the instructions:  you should memorize one of the following monologues and when you say it, you should speak loudly and clearly and use lots of expression.  Try to think about what the character is saying, how they feel and how the audience should feel when they hear the monologue.  If you are interested in performing, I will make sure you get a part, but it might not be the biggest part.  Remember, there is no such thing as a small part, just small actors!

Usually we hold auditions in the theatre over the course of several days, but of course, this year, we have to do things differently.  You may come to the theatre at lunch or after school on October 1 or 2, or you can send me a video of your monologue to my email. 

Alumni:  Once we've cast the students, I will send you an email with your character and speech.

Monologues:

OLLIE McGEE

Have you seen walking through the village

A man with downcast eyes and haggard face?

That is my husband who, by secret cruelty

Never to be told, robbed me of my youth and my beauty;

Till at last, wrinkled and with yellow teeth,

And with broken pride and shameful humility,

I sank into the grave.

But what think you gnaws at my husband's heart?

The face of what I was, the face of what he made me!

These are driving him to the place where I lie.

In death, therefore, I am avenged.

FLETCHER McGEE

She took my strength by minutes,

She took my life by hours,

She drained me like a fevered moon

That saps the spinning world.

The days went by like shadows,

The minutes wheeled like stars.

She took the pity from my heart,

And made it into smiles.  . . .

I beat the windows, shook the bolts.

I hid me in a corner--

And then she died and haunted me,

And hunted me for life.

 

"Then we shall all go together." (Timothy Findley, The Wars)

 English 12:

A2 -- I didn't realize that Friday is a professional day, so we will have to wait for the book reports till Monday, Sept. 28!  You should be reading twenty minutes (at least) every day and writing in your reading log.

From reading your work, here are a couple of grammar tips!

1.  Observe the rules.  You aren't sending me a text, so you need to capitalize the beginning of sentences, proper names, and the word "I"!

2.  "It's" is a contraction meaning "it is"; "its" is the possessive form of "it" (for example, "the horse threw off its saddle").

3.  What is a comma splice?  It is when you join two independent clauses (like sentences) with a comma.  How do you fix a comma splice?  You can use a period or a semi-colon (if the two independent clauses are closely related), or a conjunction (like "and") or you can make one of the clauses a subordinate clause by using a subordinating conjunction.

Here is an example of a comma splice:

My favourite food is ice cream, it is so delicious.

Fixing it:

(using a period) My favourite food is ice cream.  It is so delicious.

(semi-colon) My favourite food is ice cream; it is so delicious.

(conjunction) My favourite food is ice cream and it is so delicious.

(subordinating conjunction)  My favourite food is ice cream because it is so delicious.

If you don't understand, let me know.

This week:

We are starting to read the great Canadian novel, The Wars by Timothy Findley.  We will also take a look at some great war poetry.

Aden will ask the question of the day tomorrow with A2 and Angus will ask the question in A1.

Drama 8:

Remember!  Your journals are due tomorrow.

Lakshya will lead the class at the beginning, asking the question of the day and presenting a warm-up activity.  We will go clockwise around the circle with each of you leading the class.  

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!  Thank goodness, the smoke seems to have been washed away.

Drama Club updates!

 Hi everybody,

I just wanted to post an update on the fall production of "Spoon River Anthology".  I  would like to have a Zoom meeting on Thursday, September 24 at 6 p.m. (for about 30 minutes), with people who are interested in working "backstage".  There are a number of things to do, even though we won't need lighting and sound people or the normal things, like painting, etc.  We will need someone to do some research on period costumes, someone to film monologues and edit them together, someone to find and create a soundtrack, stage managers to organize meetings and contact people, and all sorts of other things that will come up as we go along.  If you would like to attend the meeting, let me know and I'll send you the link.

If you are interested in performing and are a student at SLSS now, I will post a short audition piece here on Monday and we will hold live or filmed auditions on October 1st and 2nd.  You can come to the theatre at lunch or after school and audition or you could send me a film of you doing the assigned monologue.  I would like a couple of the people who said they would help backstage to watch the auditions with me to help me with casting.

If you are an alumni and have said you are willing to perform, I will contact you with your role.  If you are familiar with the story, you can let me know if there is a particular character you are interested in playing.  There are 212 characters, so there are lots to choose from!  I really appreciate those of you who have said you will take this on.  I know you are all really busy with school and work and life, but it is great to hear from you and know that you want to help us out in these difficult times. 

My vision is kind of like this.  The "audience" will find itself at the gates of the cemetery.

The gate will open and the "audience" will walk into the cemetery, while the opening poem is being said (by all of you!)  The "audience" will look around at all the graves. 

I am hoping that your various videos can somehow waft up from the headstones as the stories unfold.  (Film experts?  Is that possible?)

I would like to have the sense of exploring the cemetery while the speeches are presented.

Some peaceful sounding music to accompany the walk would be lovely.  I know some of you write music.  Do you have anything you think might be appropriate?

That's all for now.  I am looking forward to learning a lot of new things through this project and also at the prospect of continuing the storied career of the SLSS Drama Club.  All the world's a stage!