February 9

ELA 9 Comparing Presentation Samples: Good/Bad Characteristics

What does it take to develop a visual presentation that draws an audience in and engages them?

 

One of your Comprehend and Respond curriculum objectives is to recognize the Textual Features of different genres, including Presentations. Since you will soon be making your own Presentations, it’s helpful for you to compare project samples to identify what they’ve done well and what can be improved on.

The Curriculum Objectives you are practicing are:

  • CR 9.3b Use textual cues/conventions to construct meaning, monitor understanding, and confirm meaning.
    • Textual Cues:
      • recognize and explain how structures and text features can work to shape understanding including:
        • text features: headings, diagrams, columns or charts, sidebars, images, colours of background, colours and size of font, organization of text on the page, amount of information used per page, etc.
        • recognize organizational patterns within texts: chronological sequencing versus compare and contrast organization.

Look through these presentation examples. What qualities of them do you notice are positive and negative?

B7.4.1 Comparing Presentation Techniques

Developing your own Comparison Presentation satisfies these curriculum objectives:

  • Compose and Create 9.3b 
    • Use proper before, during, and after strategies for representing
    • Use Textual codes and conventions to create organization and sequencing of information in a presentation.
  • Compose and Create 9.5a
    • create and present a variety of visual and multimedia presentations to best represent message for an intended audience and purpose.
    • 9.5b analyze, organize, and convert information for different formats (charts, graphs, drawings, and organizers)
    • 9.5c communicate using resources as overhead projector, computers, recorders, and other presentation software.

What makes a good presentation? Read below for some basics.

9 Tips for an Effective Presentation #infographic

 

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February 7

ELA 9 Feb 7/17 Outline to Prepare for Comparison Presentation

You’ve watched two or three video representations of the play, Romeo and Juliet. You’re going to analyze the versions you’ve seen to identify similarities or preferences in how the different films constructed things like character dynamics through their choice in costume, casting certain actors etc.Image result for comparison

This outline is to be used as a guide to help you plan for your Comparison Presentation. There is also a ladder at the back of the handout to help you organize how many slides and in what order you’ll put together your presentation.

B7.4 Planning Comparison Presentation

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February 2

ELA 9 Feb 2-5/17 Comparison Viewing – Selecting a Second R&J Text

You’ve already watched and analyzed the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet, cast with Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes as the leads. Some of you could identify elements of that film interpretation that you liked, but for the most part many of you disliked that film version.

The next part of our R & J study is to select a second video text and complete the same analysis as your previous watching activity. You will eventually compare your notes from the two films you’ve watched and create a visual presentation of your findings/conclusions.

Options for Viewing # 2: There are lots!
We talked previously about the option of watching exact replicas of the Romeo and Juliet story or watching an adaptation of the original Shakespeare play. Whichever you prefer, it’s your choice.


Option A: Exact Replicas: formatted from movies and stage versions

 

 Television Version (Part 1 & 2)

 

Stage/Live Performance Version 1

 

Stage/Live Performance Version 2

 

Movie Version 2013

 

Adapted Versions: in movie format
You’ll need your Substitute Teacher to Log In to YouTube for you. 

 

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February 1

ELA 9 Feb 1/17 Three Topics to Debate

It’s important after reading this play and watching a first sample of the film that you consider some open-ended question that have no exact answer. Without a true answer, the conclusions we come to as a class must be hashed out and debated.

The three questions we’ll discuss and find a conclusion to are:

  1. Who is the most honourable person in this play? (They would be the person to display the best characteristics.)
  2. Which character makes the worst decision in the play? (They’d be the decision that leads to the worst outcome.)
  3. Who is ultimately responsible for the tragedy that ends the play? (A single person we can agree is the ultimate cause of it.)
  • To mull over these questions initially, you can work through your responses with a partner or small group.
  • We will regroup, talk through what our initial reactions are to these questions, narrow our list of characters down for each question and then establish groups/sides for our ultimate debate.
  • Those sides/groups will then have to prepare arguments FOR their side of the debate topic as well as plan Defence AGAINST the expected arguments of the other side.

 

Image result for critical thinking

 

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January 31

ELA 9 Jan 31/17 Romeo + Juliet Movie: Personal Responses

You’ve just finished watching this unique interpretation of the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet.

What did you think of it?

Image result for romeo and juliet baz luhrmann gif

Write out a personal response as a Comment below. Ensure your response is:

  1. Think before you write/comment. Before writing, consider what you want to comment on.
  2. Written out considering an audience in mind (no shorthand language like in texting)
  3. Be specific about your comments. If you liked something, explain what in particular of that characteristic you liked.
  4. Be constructive with your reflections/criticisms. Comments can be developed to relay a personal preference, but not be overly critical of the movie.

Include:

  1. Your personal reaction to the film.
  2. Something positive you liked about it.
  3. Something (or whatever else) you disliked about it.

 

 

Have a minute? Add a comment on some Gr 9 student blogs who were journaling about what’s Awesome to them.

 

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January 23

ELA 9 B7.2 Romeo and Juliet – Romeo Journaling

We’ve just finished reading part way into Act 3, which is the climax part of the play. We understand the for the climax that something happens that cannot be undone and everything unravels from there.

Here’s where we are:

  1. Romeo has just gotten married to Juliet – they’re so happy. He’s waiting until nightfall when he can join her in her bedroom and they can consummate their marriage, without her parents knowing.
  2. His friends are still unaware he’s fallen in love with someone other than Rosaline, let alone that it’s a Capulet and he’s married now.
  3. Romeo believes their marriage might be the bandaid to heal the friction between the Capulets and Montagues and vows to treat them all like his family.
  4. Except Tybalt, still angry that Romeo had the nerve to attend Capulet’s ball uninvited is still searching to have it out with Romeo – a duel to the death is what he’s looking for.
  5. Mercutio is a loud-mouth and doesn’t know Romeo would hope to avoid this fight, so instead he stirs the pot and adds tension to the conversation, causing Tybalt to turn on him. Romeo fights to keep them apart from each other in their duel, and by this action allows Tybalt to get a fatal hit upon Mercutio.
  6. Mercutio is dead. Romeo feels it’s his fault, for not continuing to fight off Tybalt. Whether now a Capulet in marriage or not, regardless of his love for Juliet, Romeo is angered by his friend’s death and wants revenge.
  7. If Tybalt had stayed away, Romeo might have calmed down, but Tybalt returns to finish the feud with Romeo. They fight and Rome0 slays Tybalt. Now a killer, he’ll either be put to death or banished from Verona; either way, by this single action, he’s lost the chance to be with Juliet.

And it all falls apart from there.

 

Your writing challenge – journal from Romeo’s perspective right now. In particular, be sure to include:

  • what he cherishes most and fears losing
  • what he was hoping for in his future with Juliet
  • how he feels about the events that have just unfolded – his part in the death of Mercutio and the murder of Tybalt
  • what he fears may be the resulting consequence, since he is yet unaware what punishment he may face.

Writing Length – aim for 500 – 750 words.

 

 

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January 10

ELA 9 Starting Shakespeare – day 2 Getting to Know R & J

Studying any Shakespeare text, especially your first experience of this author’s work, is a challenging task. The texts were written 400 years ago in a different time, different culture, with different gender roles and a different context. For us, it isn’t that we try and are able to read the original or modern translation of the text on a first try; for us, it’s more important that we understand the storyline and the different connections we can make between the play and our own world and lives.

For that reason, you’re going to “get to know” Shakespeare and the play of Romeo and Juliet before we read it. Understanding the basics of plot and expectations of Shakespeare plays in advance will make reading through the play go much easier and our conversations can be of a deeper topic, like motivations of characters, development of conflicts, and more.

With a partner or on you own, do some online research and learn about each of the following elements of the writing/author listed below. You’re expected to write out by hand what information you find and collect from online, since handwriting leads to longer-lasting memories and understanding.

  1. Shakespeare:
    1. Why is he still so popular in modern times and today? How is he represented by our mass media?
    2. Why is he still taught in schools, when there are so many other great authors and texts that have been developed in the last 400 years?
    3. Are William’s stories original or copies of other people’s existing stories?
    4. Most significant/unique features of his writing?
    5. What is the format of a Shakespeare drama – a five act play?
    6. Was Shakespeare a single person? What evidence is there that he was multiple people?
  2. The play Romeo and Juliet
    1. What interesting facts or trivia can you find of this play?
    2. What types of modern retellings of the play are there? For example, are there movies that are based on this plot/story but altered a bit? What are they? Ex: Gnomeo and Juliet
    3. This play is a classic Elizabethan Tragedy Play – what are the characteristics of this?
  3. Characters of the Play – (you can make a concept map or chart for these responses)
    1. What two Feuding Families are there in the play?
    2. What characters are neutral – loyal to both sides of the family feud?
    3. Who are the main characters? Secondary characters?
    4. Are there any archetype or stock characters in this film? Identify a few.
    5. What makes a tragic hero? Which of these, Romeo and/or Juliet, are tragic heros?
  4. What themes exist in the play?
  5. What is the plot of the play? How do things develop, become more complicated, and then are resolved?
  6. Develop five questions you are left with now that you hope to have answered by the time we’ve performed and read the play.
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January 6

ELA 9, 2017 B7 Starting Shakespeare (day 1)

We’ll have a fun, engaged, #activelearning class in this activity in #ELA9! We’re starting #Shakespeare and will dig around online with the topic of #languagedevelopment – since the text of any of #TheBard plays is brim-full of new language. We’ll explore online on a topic and go wherever the searches take us. We’re fortunate to have 1:1 #edtech #byod so each student is able to direct their own online discovery of this topic or go at their own pace.Will Ferrell Swagger by zachattacker | Will ferrell, Funny people, Make me laugh

Starting with:

      1. Word of the Year: Several different dictionary companies/sites have identified a single word to represent that year
        Word of the Year 2014 – culture (culture shock, culture of fear
        Word of the Year 2015 – not actually a word but an emoji, for the first time
        The Word of the Year for 2016 from the different Dictionary sites are: Brexit, Surreal, and Post-Truth.
        Discuss:
        a) what is a Word of the Year (in general) and
        b) why is there such a thing?
        c) What is 2020’s Word of the Year and what about that year is the reason for this choice?
      2. Top 10 Words of the Year Lists: Several dictionaries also have narrowed down the top 10 important words of a year. Not all words are new, but possibly used in a new context or more often searched in that year as a response to an event of that year. What words stand out in a Top 10 List from 2020’s year?
      3. Newly-Added/Suggested Words to Dictionary Sites: Next, look at the words these dictionary companies have recently accepted as new suggested words to be added to their published dictionary, book copies or online sites. This is where we’ll have a lot of fun – there are a lot of mash-ups, or new word combinations to make a single word. One student asked once “How lazy are people?”, but it may be just the opposite of lazy, since it takes a bit more effort to create something new as opposed to using what exists.
        * January 2021 New Words Added to the Dictionary
        * April 2020 New Words Added to the DictionaryFor yourself, collect a list of your Top 20 new words that you like. Some of our favourites have been:

        1. Double double – Canadian slang for “two cream-two sugars”
        2. Autocowrong – when autocorrect changes a word to the wrong word
        3. Noice – extremely good, very nice
        4. Confrustion – frustrating confusion
        5. Bromaid – a male bridesmaid
        6. Bulletize – to format a summary of text into bullet points
        7. Craydar – ability to be aware of crazy people in the vicinity
        8. Siq – cool way to spell “sick”
        9. Trumpatized – traumatized by the idea of Trump as President
        10. Bae- before anyone else
        11. #PMHT – pardon my hashtag
        12. Architectophile – a person with a strong interest in architecture
        13. Edventure – an educational adventure
        14. Squirkle – a square with rounded edges
        15. Legitly – in a legitimate manner
      4. Slang – shorthand language. Skim through this slideshow of viral slang for 2016. These words are different as they may not be recognized formally by a dictionary, but are still popular enough or used enough to have a recognizable meaning.
        One example surprised us: FB/LB which people will often post on Instagram. It means “follow back/like back”.
      5. Next Comes: Famous Movie Quotes Translated to Text Language
        This is an example of how culture and era of time impact language. Can you make your own famous movie quotes altered to use today’s common text abbreviations? 
      6. You Won’t Understand it all:
      7. How relevant is Shakespeare today?
        Watch this video to understand how much Shakepeare stories are still referenced in today’s culture.
      8. Who was he? His background
      9. Translating to Shakespeare: common rules in translation
        1. talk like Shakespeare
        2. Shakespeare Translator
      10. The Father of Phrases: phrases he invented or new words
        1. See what phrases you recognize
      11. Talented Insulter: insulting each other

This will be a lively, engaged and concept-attainment sort of class! Have fun with it!

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November 21

ELA 9 Listening Activity: “Words on a Page” audio (31 mins)

We study texts in many forms; this one will be in audio format. We will listen to it together as a group with pair roles during the listening, but this link is also provided for those who missed class or will need to re-listen to parts of it to work on the future project coming.

“Words on a Page” teleplay audio (31 mins)

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