Friday, December 3, 2010

Responding to "Gold Boy, Emerald Girl"

1. What does the work mean and why do you think that? Explain the writing's overall significance or message to its readers.

2. Tell about how you feel toward this writing or its author and why.

3. Does this work confront or confirm your personal beliefs? Explain.

Write about 150 to 200 words in one or several paragraphs. Refer directly to the story at least once in the form of a quotation.

Online copy of story (for easier copy and paste quoting)

*I've given you the wrong location for Yiyun Li's residence on our worksheet, sorry. She currently lives in Oakland (across the bay from San Francisco) and teaches at the University of California. She's 37 years old and has written fiction only in English and never in Chinese.

Also of great interest is the fact that Yiyun Li is a huge fan of William Trevor, the author of "The Woman of the House"! She, in fact, pays tribute to him in the story in its design. If that idea intrigues you, read this interview with her (the comment on Trevor is about half way down the page). Interview with Yiyun Li

Friday, November 26, 2010

Responding to "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction"

Write about any ideas or facts that surprised you, angered you, delighted you, or evoked any strong reaction as you were reading. Write about anything that stays on your mind after reading.

Refer directly to the text using quotation, but only quote about 10 to 15% of your total word count. Write a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 250. You may use multiple paragraphs if that suits your comments.

Bring your completed work, printed and double spaced, to class next Wednesday.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Appreciating a Line, an Idea, an Image

From today's notes, identify a line or an idea or an image that sticks with you. No need to refer to the poet by name, but please do say why (at least as much as you know) that it has reached you as a reader. Write about at least two (and as many as four).

Friday, November 19, 2010

List Poem: "A Note"

Beginning with "Life is the only way," write your own list poem using "A Note" as a model. Your poem must use the same number of words and structure as Szymborska's.

Try to find a rhythm to the words you choose (note the number of syllables as well as the number of words). Be careful to punctuate exactly the same way and be aware of how the poet has used punctuation to divide and compare ideas.

Post a copy of your poem to the blog before coming to Wednesday's class.

Be prepared to do a recital of your poem (please practice ahead of time!) and give some short remarks on the process you followed and any difficulties you experienced.

Friday, November 12, 2010

My Experience with Poetry

Write a 50-word paragraph that refers to your personal experiences with poetry. The experiences do not have to be at school, although they may be if you wish. Be specific please.

We will discuss your comments at the beginning of Wednesday's class.

Friday, November 5, 2010

"Ghost World": Recommend or Not?

The assignment is simple (150 to 200 words). Would you or would you not recommend the film, Ghost World, to a friend? Give your reasons clearly and please refer to the events and characters in the film in your comment.

Official Ghost World Web Site (Production notes; original trailer; videos of filming; cast and crew lists)

Remember to bring me a copy of your blog post, on paper, to hand in on Wednesday.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Looking Closely at Film: A Favourite Scene

Choose a favourite scene from a film. Mention two film elements used in the scene. Why are they used in your opinion? Write a short paragraph and post as a comment to “Favourite Scenes” at the blog. Bring a DVD copy of your film to class next Wednesday. If you have no copy, try to find the scene on YouTube so you can share it with us. Paste your URL (link) into your comment to this post.

See some examples from last year's class.

Film Analysis (Yale University): film vocabulary with short examples to view. *Note: Only use the left side menu and do not try to use the "go to" box (it won't allow you in!)

Friday, October 15, 2010

Responding to "Our Loss of Wisdom" by Barry Schwartz

Answer one of the following questions in paragraph form:

1. How do you feel towards the lecture and why do you feel this way?

2. Does the lecture confront or confirm your personal beliefs? Explain.

3. Write about something important you learned from the lecture.

4. What stayed in your mind after the lecture was over? Why do you think that happened?

5. What made the lecture effective (or ineffective) in your opinion?

Write between 100 and 150 words. Provide a word count, please.

If you would like to read some published narrative essays from last year's class, visit these links.

Powerful Blood Ties Rosemary recounts the tale of her brother's death on Christmas eve.

Home, Sweet Home Rita's terrifying experience of the Kobe earthquake in 1995 leads her to a new appreciation of home.

Remembering the Folly Maryann remembers a fateful meeting with a good friend and regrets her actions that day.

The Railroad Man: A New Journey Marc writes of the death of the "backbone of his life," his father.

Disguised Donors In the aftermath of monsoon floods, Jatinder discovers that not all is what it seems on first glance.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Responding to "The Woman of the House"

Choose one of the following questions and answer in a 150 to 200 word paragraph.

1. Explore a social or ethical issue raised in the writing. Judge the behaviour of the characters or the views of the author. Are they right or wrong in your opinion?

2. Tell about how you feel toward this writing or its author and why.

3. Write about something that surprised you, angered you, delighted you, or evoked any strong reaction as you were reading. Write about anything that stays on your mind after reading

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Responding to "How to Write with Style"

Write a short, 100-word, paragraph response to one of Kurt Vonnegut's suggestions about style. Following the procedures found in your "Academic Writing: A Guide," include at least one short quote from Vonnegut (not one of his rules; choose from one of the sentences instead) and be sure to incorporate it into your own sentence. Respond to what he says either positively or negatively and explain why you think that.


Due before class begins Wednesday, September 29.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Here I Am

Write your version of "Here I Am" here as a comment to this post. Remember to follow the format of my examples exactly (use the same punctuation and word forms etc.).

I will provide a third example here as well.

If you have come to my class before, please include your old version along with a new one (in other words, you will post two rather than one "Here I Am.") See you next Wednesday.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Link for Friday, September 17 Homework

Something New; Something Interesting; Something Puzzling (Read each student's response and then choose three different students. For each of the three, choose a single sentence that interested you in some way. Write your response as a paragraph with three examples. Write about 150 words or so and be sure to explain why you found the sentence interesting. Bring your paragraph to class, word processed, on Friday. You'll need it to participate in that day's group work)


Welcome everyone! I look forward to helping you achieve the highest possible score in English 12 and, more importantly, to making you all better writers, readers and thinkers. It was great to meet you all today.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Saying Goodbye at the Blog

Please wish us a fond farewell. I will do so in the next day or so. This is not a required activity but it is your final chance to "speak" to your classmates and teacher.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Provincial Exam Information

Exam Schedule (PDF File) for All Examinations

English 12 is at 9:00 a.m. on June 22 (Tuesday) in the Pearson Gym (just down the hall from the office). Go to our Community Education office (30 minutes early) to check in with the secretaries. If you are more than 30 minutes late, you will not be admitted to the test.

Be sure to bring along your PEN ID number (see a teacher if you do not know it) and photo id to the test session.

2008/9 Exam

Key for Exam


Example Student Answers (Scale 1-6; very interesting viewing!)

Friday, May 14, 2010

List Poem

Put your list poem here as a comment before Wednesday's class. Remember to prepare brief remarks on how you wrote the poem.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

My Experience with Poetry

Write a 50-word paragraph that refers to your personal experiences with poetry. The experiences do not have to be at school, although they may be if you wish. Be specific please.

We will discuss your comments at the beginning of Friday's class.

Friday, April 30, 2010

First Reaction for the Story, "A Man Like Him"

Choose one of the topics below and write a response in paragraphs (not an essay). Write a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 200 words. Include at least one direct reference to the story through the use of a short quotation but do not quote more than 20 words total in your answer. Link to "A Man Like Him" full text at NewYorker.com

1.Write about something that surprised you, angered you, delighted you, or evoked any strong reaction as you were reading. Write about anything that stays on your mind after reading.

2. Explore a social or ethical issue raised in the writing. Judge the behaviour of the characters or the views of the author. Are they right or wrong in your opinion?

3. Does this work confront or confirm your personal beliefs? Explain.

NOTE: Please finish all work before your class on Wednesday, May 5.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Four Punctuation Demonstration Sentences

Choose four different sentences from your persuasive essay or travel article and revise them to include the following: a dash used to introduce; dashes used to enclose; parenthesis to enclose; semicolon to combine. Post your sentences at the blog before class.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Something New; Something Interesting; Something Puzzling

Share with us your thoughts on new, interesting and puzzling things you've encountered since we began our study in February. Write no more than 200 words in a single or multiple paragraphs. Due before class on Wednesday, April 21.

Friday, April 9, 2010

A Funny Thing Happened: Travel Anecdote

Travel often leads us into funny or humorous situations. Write about a time something funny happened to you while travelling. Keep it very short (no more than 200 words) and use story telling style: have people talking in dialogue, for example. Brad intends to offer a fresh anecdote from his computer in Europe. Make sure your anecdote is submitted before class on Wednesday, April 14.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Something "Socially Unacceptable": Your Wishes


Write about something that you wish would become “socially unacceptable” for people in society in a short paragraph of about 125 to 150 words. Describe the behaviour you dislike and explain why you would like it to stop.

Here are some sample topics:

cosmetic surgery; overusing limited resources; shopping for "recreation"; use of cell phones in public; paying too much attention to celebrities; loud Ipods on SkyTrain etc.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Online Resource on Quotations at University of Toronto

Courtesy of Linda: See if it becomes clearer reading this resource.

Using Quotations

Friday, March 19, 2010

Working with Quotations

Base your examples on works studied this term. Remember that you may quote words from Temple Grandin's speech at Ted.com, for example. Try using the interactive transcript at the right of the video window. I will post samples this weekend. In the meantime, try writing a few examples of your own for practice.

Write three examples as follows:

One sentence that introduces a quote, uses a comma to separate the quote and has the quote end the sentence.

One sentence that introduces a quote with a colon.

One sentence with the quoted words in the middle of a sentence.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Understanding Composition

Here's a slide show on taking better (and more influential) photos to communicate your ideas.



Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Responding to Temple Grandin

What was, for you, the most powerful image you saw in the film, Temple Grandin? Why did you find it powerful? Answer in a short paragraph of about 100 to 125 words.


For "Temple Grandin: The Non-Whisperer" answer the following:


Write about anything that stays on your mind after reading. Quote John Allemang once in your answer. Write about 100 to 125 words.

Friday, February 19, 2010

First Reaction for the Story, "Ghosts"

Choose one of the topics below and write a response in paragraphs (not an essay). Write a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 200 words. Include at least one direct reference to the story through the use of a short quotation but do not quote more than 20 words total in your answer. Link to "Ghosts" full text at NewYorker.com

1.Write about something that surprised you, angered you, delighted you, or evoked any strong reaction as you were reading. Write about anything that stays on your mind after reading.

2. Explore a social or ethical issue raised in the writing. Judge the behaviour of the characters or the views of the author. Are they right or wrong in your opinion?

3. Does this work confront or confirm your personal beliefs? Explain.


NOTE: Please finish all work before your class on Wednesday, February 24.

Friday, February 12, 2010

The Effect of Culture (100-Word Paragraph)

In what way has culture had an effect on you? Choose one good example and write a paragraph of about 100 words that follows the structure of a body paragraph (as in “A Unique Culture”).

Note that "culture" means the often unwritten rules we follow. For example, how long, in your culture, should a goodbye after a party take? In some cultures, goodbye may take an hour or more. In others, we say goodbye more quickly.


Corrections File (using track changes)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

"Writing Good English": A Reaction

What is your personal reaction to what you learned about writing from your peers and from Willam Zinsser? Did anything surprise or puzzle you? Do you strongly agree or disagree with any suggestion? Explain why. Answer in paragraphs (but not an essay). Write no fewer than 100 words and no more than 200. Due in time for Friday's class.

Friday, February 5, 2010

A Class Introduction

Put your "Here I Am" introduction here before next Wednesday's class. I will provide you with my second sample as the first comment.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010