1. Several students were missing today because of track. The ones who were here were given their instructions at the beginning of class and worked on the assignment for the duration of the class.
2. Yesterday, they were given a handout that had a story in it titled “The Inheritor” that takes place in Australia.  (Read the story here…)  Attached behind it was a chart where they were to fill in the necessary parts of the narrative – characters, setting, main parts of the plot, theme, and resolution. They were asked to complete this chart AS they read, as well as make notes in the margins of their story about whether events in the story were the result of human instinct (animal instinct) or reasoning (rational thinking).
3. Once they were finished reading, there was a separate handout given with questions for them to consider and respond to. This work was to be done entirely independently so they can get more used to relying on themselves for their interpretations of stories and finding the answers in the reading. With the final exam coming, I’ll put more responsibility on them, instead of reading things aloud with the class. No one will read to you or talk through the answers for you on your test, so let’s get used to that way of working now!

1. This grade 9 / 1o class is one athletic bunch!! There were only five students here as a result of today’s track meet. The few who were here got a head-start on the poetry assignment the rest will have to begin when they return to class tomorrow. Students have to either find a poem that fits this unit or write one themselves. For those brave writers, their poem has to be 15 lines long, memorized, and include at least four “types” of figurative language, not just four examples of the same kind. For those interest in other poetry, they have to find one that is at least 20 lines long, fits the unit and also has four “types” of figurative language. These poems will be dramatically presented / narrated by the students with the inclusion of any types of props, sound effects, etc they think are fitting that will enhance the mood. They’ll have tomorrow to work on this, but the biggest part of this project will be practicing their oral presentation skills at home. Practice, practice, practice – just like track! 
2. Later, in the Gr 9 art class, because of so few students and their eager plees, we watched a movie that fits into our unit of things unexplained. (It’s a good thing I have several!) We began watching a movie that, right from the beginning, makes it clear all is not as it seems and there is something irrational and unexplainable going on here. Check out the trailer below.

1. Students were given back their poetry analysis completed independently on Thursday. I looked them over to gauge how each person had done on their own, whether less complete with more thorough responses or less thorough but more answers finished. Some struggle with poetry and analyzing it so I am hoping to see improvement from some.
2. Students were also given back their Of Mice and Men literary essays. I explained that they will be getting Mini reports soon to see what their mark is currently. There will also be a list of missing assignments posted along with their new replacement assignments. (They have been continually reminded that if I have already corrected and returned a certain assignment, I will no longer accept the late assignment, but will instead give them a new assignment (similar assignment / new topic) for them to restart. This way, the students who have completed the work on time are rewarded with knowing others aren’t given extra time to do the same work and, hopefully, everyone is motivated to complete their work on time, rather than have to redo it!
3. We re-read the two poems they analyzed independently on Thursday and discussed the questions. The class (a good majority of them) were quite unsettled today, which was frustrating. I’m sure they’ll be back on track and more focused tomorrow.

1. Students were given back their essays they just handed in Thursday before the break. (Something that doesn’t happen that often all the time!) Those Hamlet essays still not in will be accepted for two days (due Thursday at the end of the day, as I will be away on Friday and can’t accept it then). Anyone who hasn’t completed or handed it in by Friday will then be given a new essay topic, same requirements and length of time to work on it, but starting over.As mentioned, the intention here is to encourage people to finish their first assignment on time. After a duration of time, though, it is no longer fair to let you hand things in when you have had longer to work on it than others. Thus, the new assignments.
2. I’ll be giving out Mini reports very soon (tomorrow hopefully) for students to see where their mark is currently. This will include the Blog mark that was 10% of their overall mark, not 10% of assignment marks etc. This will greatly affect some people’s marks, while others will simply maintain a mark they’ve already been working to keep high.
3. We finished watching the video of Hamlet. I think most of the class (I won’t venture so far as to say “all”) enjoyed this play and our consideration of it. I am glad that they are so enthusiastic when talking about it or answering the “nagging questions” that came up in our discussions. I’ve heard several people say they hated Shakespeare but only because their teacher didn’t care for it or taught it poorly. I enjoy this play a lot and like to have fun with it, so I hope everyone here can have a long-lasting fond taste of Shakespeare now as a result.
4. Once we finished the movie, we reviewed the Human Qualities that were focused on from the play, Doubt and Fear. I reviewed the other units from our first unit, influences to personal identity, where those influences come from and how they shape us, the relationships we form with others and the types of human qualities we are all born with. These things are all within the person, the individual. I drew a poor stick figure on the board to visually accentuate this concept, that the first unit was about the person. Then I drew the world to the side, society, and said we’re going to look outside the individual now (outside our selves) and evaluate what that individual we’ve gotten to know is responsible for when it comes to the world it exists within. This is the basis for the next unit we will have until their final in June. 
5. Students were given a handout with several guiding questions that all focus around the concept of society and responsibilites of people. They were asked to consider them, answer at least four of them before the bell, and then were allowed to go. We’ll discuss them and move on to read a story called “The Inheritor” in tomorrow’s class.

1. Yesterday, we analyzed two poems together as a class. Today, students were asked to follow the same steps on their own and analyze another two poems from the handout. They were to write their paraphrasing and figurative language examples on the poem itself and go through the question sheet for each.
   Some were able to do more today than others. Everyone handed their sheets in at the end of class and will be evaluated by their ability to accurately respond to the questions and work through the poems.
2. They were also told that they will have a figurative language quiz next week.
3. They’ll also have a poetry assignment coming up. They’ll either have to write a poem or find one that suits the scary / mysterious genre we are studying. They’ll be given the assignment requirements next week.

1. All but a handful of students handed in their Hamlet essays. Their teacher was so pleased with their diligence in meeting that deadline! Late essays may be handed in until I correct these and hand them back. If that is the case, you’ll have to choose another of the 35 essay questions and… St.. St.. Start Overrrrr…. Try to avoid this and hand your essay in on Tuesday!!
2. We continued watching the movie today. The room was much more quiet today and all eyes stayed on the movie. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was able to show the movie on the screen on the wall instead of the T.V. There’s just a bit left to watch… Act V to be exact. The good stuff!!

1. Students were finally able to start watching the movie for the play of Hamlet. This is the same movie version the “Unknown student” used to create the separate acts in his own condensed version of the play. It was nice to see and hear from them that they were remembering parts of the play they’d forgotten had happened, or recognizing things as it was played out. It’s a very good movie. We’ll continue it tomorrow during our class.
2. A reminder, as well, that the Hamlet essays are due tomorrow. A few people have asked for extensions because they have course deadlines in their Calculus by correspondence and such. All other essays, though, are expected to be in tomorrow or you’ll possibly have to start over again if I mark the rest and return them before you hand your own in. (Them’s the rules, right?!)

1. We started with the poems from the handout given the other day. We read through the one titled “Frankenstein” all the way through once, then looked for unfamiliar words or references we were not sure of. We read through the poem, stanza by stanza, with a different student paraphrasing for us the meaning of each in one sentence. Next we looked for the various figurative language examples found in it. Some are swift and finding these while others are not as familiar. There was a question sheet attached with poetry questions. We discussed these as a class and students recorded their own response.
2. Next we did all of the same again with another poem titled “Silver”. We got all the way through and the bell interupted us as they were filling in their own answers for the questions. We’ll continue and get some more poetry covered tomorrow before the four-day long break.

1. Out of a class of 29 students or so, there were about six people here for today’s class. Ouch! (The rest were either competing in the track and field meet or else decided to use their day for other things since teachers can hardly move forward in their classes with less than a third of the class present!
2. Instead of poetry, the ones who were here for class were given the treat of watching a video that deals with the same question we’ve been discussing – how do you explain things that seem unrealistic or outside the realm of what we consider possible yet still exist. There is some strange phenomena with the Number 23. The Jim Carrey movie focuses on that. (I edited portions for our minors here. lol) Another point that was brought up that has been repeated in class – people will find what they’re looking for, sometimes. If they want to believe in something like a mysterious power then they will. What do you think??

Here is a video Jim Carey made of just a few world events that have links to the number 23.


This links, also, to a video of Jim talking about what drew him to the film. His production company was titled Pitbull Productions and in the first scene of the movie he would play a dog catcher trying to catch a pitbull. He has become so intruiged by the connection of numbers that he has changed the name of his production company to JC 23.

1. Because of track and field in Watrous, many of the students were away. With the ten or so who were here, they were given an extra class to work on their essay due on Thursday. It was maybe helpful for some who got a little more personal attention and help. I hope you used it well!
2. We’ll be watching the video Wednesday and Thursday this week. There’s no school on Friday, remember.