Seating Plan

When everyone's working and getting good results, Mrs. Martin and I are happy. Unfortunately, not everyone is consistent in this respect.

So.... starting today we will have a new seating plan in place. It is very important that you sit in your assigned seat and return there each day. Mrs. Martin or I may juggle you around a bit as necessary. We may even allow you to sit near a friend once we are confident that you can do so without limiting your productivity.

CLICK HERE to see the new seating plan.

Character Counts

For today's activity you will need to do a little research and find out about Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette. Use google and read one or two newspaper sources to find out her story.

1. Who is Joannie Rochette?

2. Why are the media giving her so much attention this week?

3. How successful are you at putting your personal life on hold before coming to class or starting a shift at work? Use details.

4. What do you think of Joannie Rochette's story? How extraordinary do you think she is?

5. Explain whether hearing about how she managed to give her best effort so soon after her personal tragedy inspires you. Why or why not?

Writing Conventions

The point of today's activity is quite straight forward. Copy and paste the following list of sentences into a new blog post called "Writing Conventions" and fix each one.

You must include both the original and the fixed version of the sentence.

Fix these sentences:

1. she claims she was playing Frisbee with her Friends at the park when the flying dog of doom assaulted her out of no were the police and paramedics believe the dog was attracted to the blue of her jacket and was enraged by it.

2. Today i finished my News Report , that i did on Thursday ; but now im workin on this .

3. It didnt change my mind but i think of high school better.

4. I did not watch the hole movie.

5. i do not like to writ books or paragraph.

6. actually i found the movie very entertaining cause i understanded all of it.

7. I think theyre targeting people who would thing what it is like to be hang over and people who loves comedy.

8. pilot ejected him from a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank, California, saying he didn't fit properly in a single seat.

9. I write good enough that you can read it with perfectly grammer.

10. I dont write that much but im prety confident about my ability.

11. The reason why I think Mrs. Martin and Mr. Pierce chose this film because it show us that anyone can write.

12. Yes because its show that anyone can do what they want if they try and different ethnic groups can be friends with each other

13. I did start it Thursday afternoon , but then i ran outta time , so just a few minutes ago i just finished it.

14. I hope i have a better english experience using the computers.

15. The movie i enjoy most is The Hang Over it was histarical.

Write a News Report

Now that you are getting used news reports, it`s time to start writing some of your own.

1) Call today`s activity: My First News Report

2) Search the web to find an interesting picture and upload it to your blog post. (Use the add image button)

3) Invent the facts of the story: who, what, where, when, why and how.

4) Write your own news report to accompany the photograph. (Be sure to include all the 5 w`s +H in your lead--the first sentence or two. Continue to add more facts and details until you have reached a news report that is a minimum of 10 to 15 sentences in length)

5) Publish your work when finished.

Daily Log

You should be posting to your blog each and every day that you are on the computers. This is in addition to whatever other activity may be scheduled. Take about the last 10 minutes of class to answer the following questions. As always, you may cut and paste them into your blog.

Daily Log

1) What activity did you work on today?

2) How much of the activity were you able to complete?

3) What was the most challenging part of today's activity?

4) How many minutes (out of a possible 75) did you spend working on school work? How was the rest of the time spent?

5) What question(s) would you like answered about today's activity?

Feel free to include any other comments you would like to make.

The News Report

Thanks again for your best effort yesterday. The information we got will really help us.

One of the issues that became obvious while you were writing was that times are changing. Once upon a time most households got a newspaper delivered every day. Without computers, even young people would pick up a paper in order to read some of the top stories in the front page. It is much easier to write a good news report when you have read a bunch.

Guess what we are going to focus on for the next little while?

A few things about news reports:

-key information comes at the beginning

-the most important information comes in the first sentence or two (the lead)

-the information is presented most to least relevant

-the reporter is not part of the story (the reporter writes using 'he,' 'she' or 'they' NOT 'I' or 'me').

-the reporter gives as many facts and details as possible.

-reporters try to include either direct or indirect quotations

Today's Activity:

Start a new blog post for today called "Introduction to News Reports"

Pick a News Report that interests you.

Create a hyperlink to it for your blog reader

Cut and paste the details of news reports from above (in red) into your blog post.

Cut and paste examples from your news story into your blog post in order to demonstrate each of the details.

** BONUS ** Create a new post and just write about whatever is on your mind.

Diagnostic Exercise

Wednesday and Thursday you will be completing a diagnostic activity. The purpose of this activity will be for Mrs. Martin and Mr. Pierce to figure out which specific reading and writing skills we will help you with before the test.

We will mark the tests and count them toward your final grade so it is important to give us your best effort.

In order to be ready for tomorrow and Thursday, have a look at the Getting Ready Guide.


Respond on your Blog to the following questions. Call your post "The Diagnostic Exercise"

Answer all questions in full sentences.

1) Read over the tips for reading. What is one tip that you already use well?

2) Read over the tips for reading. What is one tip that would help you to read more carefully?

3) Read over the tips for writing. What is one tip that you already use well?

4) Read over the tips for writing. What is one tip that would help you to write more effectively?

5) Look at the strategies for writing a news report and the strategies for writing a "series of paragraphs expressing an opinion." How are they different? (hint: think purpose)

6) What are some things that are allowed on the "series of paragraphs expressing an opinion" but not on the news report?

7) What question(s) would you like answered before you complete the diagnostic exercise?

* Be sure to check your work (looking for proper capitalization and punctuation). Use the spell check feature before you publish.

Freedom Writers

1. Why do you think Mrs. Martin and Mr. Pierce chose this film for this class?

2. Did watching this film change the way you think about high school or teachers or education?Explain.

3. Was any part of the movie confusing? If so, what question(s) about the movie would you like answered?

4. At what point did the students start learning from their teacher? What changed?

5. Does seeing this film make you feel any differently about your own opportunities in high school or this class.

6. Is Freedom Writers a good movie? What did (or didn't) you like about it?

A Look at the Literacy Test

A previous version of the literacy test is available for study. Over the next few weeks, we will be trying each part of the test and learning skills to help you make your best showing.

On the actual test day you will be asked to write one booklet, given a 15 minute break and then asked to write the other booklet. Of course, the test you write in April will have different reading selections and questions, but the types of reading and writing tasks you are asked to do will be the same.

Sample Test Booklet One

Sample Test Booklet Two

Cut and Paste the following questions into a new blog post for today called "A Look at the Literacy Test." Open both booklets in separate tabs and take some time to go through them in enough detail to be able to answer the questions. Refer back to them as necessary.

As always, answer each question using full sentences. Use the spellcheck button and reread your work before you publish.

a) List the different types of reading selections included in the two booklets.

b) List the different types of writing tasks included in the two booklets.

c) What are some of the different types of questions included in the two booklets?

d) Which activities do you think you would be best at? (Explain why too)

e) Which activities do you think would be the most difficult for you? (Explain why too)

f) After reviewing the booklets, do you have any questions that you would like answered? If so, ask them here.

The OSSLT and Reading

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test requires students to read a variety of texts. In order to perform well, it is important to be able to recognise different types of texts and know how to approach them. Over the next few weeks, you will be finding and reporting back on a variety of different types of reading.

In order to do this, you need to know how to make a hyperlink.

Today's focus is informational texts. Open two tabs like you did yesterday. In one tab start a new blog post. In your other tab, find a piece of writing that contains factual information. The piece should take you about 10 minutes to read. Read it carefully.

You might find something worth reading at:

The Toronto Star Sports

St. Catharines Standard: Life

Discovery News

1. Call today's post "Reading an Informational Text."

2. Find a piece of writing that contains factual information. The piece should take you about 10 minutes to read. Read it carefully.

3. Begin your post by making a hyperlink to your article. e.g. My Article

4. Cut and paste the following questions into your blog. Answer them carefully, using full sentences and appropriate capitalization and punctuation.

a) In 2-3 sentences, explain the main idea of the article. Try not to be too specific or too general.

b) What did you learn from this article?

c) How trustworthy do you feel the source of the information is?

d) Explain how the way the information is presented makes you more or less likely to trust it.

e) Would you be interested in reading more or less information on this topic? Why or why not?

First Blog Activity

This first activity will guide you through the steps of creating your own blog just for this class. It will also help me to get to know you as a writer. It will also be a way for you to compare your growth as a writer later in the course.

Step One: Go to Blogger.com and create an account if you don't already have one.
Step Two: Select "Create a Blog." Even if you already have one, start a new one for this class.
Step Three: Use your first and last name as the title of the blog (This way I can keep track of which blog belongs to whom).
Step Four: Fill in whatever you like for the address (Blogger will suggest one if you have trouble).
Step Five: Click on "Start Blogging."
Step Six: Click on the Settings Tab and then Permissions. Invite ewcwriter@live.ca to be an author. Now I'll be able to post and add comments, as well as see when you update your blog.
Step Seven: Click "New Post" and enter "Me As A Writer" as your title.
Step Eight: Cut and Paste the questions below into your post
Step nine: Answer all questions as carefully as you can, using full sentences and proper punctuation.

Questions:

1. Describe yourself as a writer. How confident are you about your ability?
2. What is your favorite type of writing to do? (e.g. stories, song lyrics, poems or emails) What is it that you like about that type of writing?
3. What is your least favourite type of writing to do? What is it that bothers you most about that type of writing?
4. Tell about a piece of writing that you have really enjoyed. This could be a story read to you by a teacher or a movie you think is really funny (remember, a good movie comes from a good screenplay--which is writing).
5. Give your thoughts and opinions about the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. What do you know about it? What would you like to know about it?