Journal Task Idea

Here is a task you can complete as part of your exam revision –

Make a Venn Diagram comparing two texts you have studied.  For example you could use Billy Elliott and At Seventeen and compare them.  Then you could look at First Dance and Anna’s Story.  You could try At Seventeen and The Shell.  You could also do this with media articles such as those I have asked you to research or other programs/reports that remind you of something in a text.  This is a good way of picking up similarities and differences.   I am not sure how you would do a Venn Diagram on the blog but you could do it on paper if that didn’t work.

This does not have to be handed in, it is an idea that I think would help you study. It would be a strategy you could take straight into your planning during your exam, drawing a quick Venn Diagram.  If you have done some before, the information would come quicker and clearer to you when under pressure.

Term 3 Journal Tasks

Welcome back to your last full term of school!!! Yay!!!!  A term that will see us all working very hard to prepare you for your exams.

Here are a couple of tasks I would like you to do in the first couple of weeks of this term.

1. Malala Yousufzai has been in the news again recently.  I would like you to research her.  In your research listen to or read her recent speech to the United Nations and the letter she received after it.  But first go back and find out about her before she was shot.

Put down your findings in your journal in whatever way you wish – paragraphs, dot points etc.

We will look again at the short story The Pencil and draw comparisons.

2. George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin have also been in the news lately.  Find out who they are and journal about them and what happened.  At the end of your research, listen to what Barack Obama had to say about how he and Martin were similar.

3. Journal your comparisons of the Zimmerman/Martin case with the film To Kill a Mocking Bird.   (Although set in Australia, you may be able to compare it with Jasper Jones. Often exam questions will say “at least one text you have studied”).

Note:

I have downloaded both To Kill a Mockingbird and The Kite Runner onto TV4Education so that you can watch them again at school if you want.  You have the username and password to get into it but if you have lost it, come and get it from me.  You are also welcome to borrow The Kite Runner dvd from me and the TKAMB video from the library.  Remember – although we didn’t study these films in any depth, you can still use them as viewing texts.

I highly recommend you re-read the novel The Kite Runner without having to go through comprehension questions.  I think you would enjoy it and get a lot more out of it a second time.

Tips for writing a review

Here are a few tips to help you write a book or film review.

1. Include the name of the book or film in the first paragraph and include the author/director and, in the case of films, the actors involved.
2. What genre does it belong to? Horror? Western? Romance? Mystery?
3. Summarise the plot. What happened in the book/film? Give a brief outline of the plot that will help other students work out if it is something they would enjoy. DO NOT give away too much information especially the ending or any surprises or twists the film or novel might have. This will just spoil it for everybody.
4. Find out if the author/director has written/made any other books/films that you or someone else in class might enjoy.
5. Why do you think this is a good novel/film for your age group? Is it more aimed at a male or female audience? Or both?
6. For a novel you may be able to discuss some of the language the author has used – can you see any figurative language in there? Any symbols perhaps? For a film you might want to mention some good camera work or colour or action shots, sound effects etc.
7. What time is the novel or film set in – the future? The past? The present? Where is it set? On Mars? In a small country town? In Australia?
8. Film reviewers may wish to mention costumes especially if it is a sci-fi or a period drama like “Pride and Prejudice”.
9. Talk about the characters? Were they believable? Could you relate to any of them? In the case of film, did the actors do a good job?
10. Finally give a rating out of *****

JASPER JONES ESSAY – SOME TIPS!

KISS!!!!!!

Keep It Simple Student!

1. Do not try to impress. Just write your essay in plain, simple English and make your points as clearly as you can.
2. Explore your notes and put in as much information as you can – but keep returning to the question and make sure you are answering it.  Don’t waffle.
3. Take a new paragraph for each point you are making.
4. DO NOT give your opinion!
5. Keep adjectives to a minimum.
6. DO NOT HAND IN UNEDITED WORK!  At Stage 3 level you should be handing in error-free work.  Edit and edit again.  Use a dictionary and check your spelling.  Ensure your spelling, punctuation and grammar is correct.  If you are unsure – check!

I have just come from an English Teachers’ Conference where we were told that for Stage 3, we must only accept work handed in by due date and we cannot give you any second chances.  What you hand in is what is marked and nothing can be changed.  Please keep this in mind.

As you know, all work done in class goes towards your final mark.  Please do the very best work you can.

If necessary, take an extra few days to hand in your best work.

HOMEWORK TASK – TERM 2, WEEK 2

In all of our English work, we like to consider Values, Attitudes and Beliefs.  I would like you to log on and watch the following link.  It is a speech made by Michelle Obama.  To put her speech into context it is important that you know that her audience was female students at a London girls’ language school.

When you have watched it, I would like you to write a response as a comment below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F73O3_im0Wo

HOMEWORK TASK – WEEK 12, TERM 1

As you may have seen on the news recently, ex-British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher died.  Her funeral is this Wednesday, 17 April.  There is as lot of controversy over her death.  Half of the UK are pleased she has passed away; the other half are mourning.  I would like you to watch news (particularly ABC) and current affairs program (such as 7.30) that discuss the situation.  This will help set the context for the movie “Billy Elliott”.

BOOK REVIEWS

A year 9 student suggested we put up some book reviews to help other students find new titles and authors they might like.  I think it is a great idea.  So feel free to pop up some reviews  – film reviews are also welcome!

Also – feel free to look at other class blogs.

I will start the ball rolling…

ORAL PRESENTATION ON IDENTITY

You will present your talk on the identity of your Jasper Jones’ character on Wednesday, 3 April.  You should come prepared with notes or palm cards (please do not write it out and read from it).

The following are some tips on what to talk about  –

• How does your character compare to you?
• How are you positioned by the author to view your character?
• How does point of view affect your reading of your character?
• How would the character be viewed if written from a different point of view ie first person or third person?  Give an example of a scene from the book.
• Try this: take a paragraph or two from the novel and re-write it from a different point of view.
• How does the author construct your character?
• How does setting – time and place – affect your character?
• How does the language the author uses affect the identity of the character? For example Charlie and Jeffrey’s conversations.
• How do the ideas in this story relate to your own?  We touched on the idea that most of us wouldn’t get involved but just think about that a bit more…if it involved your friends.
• What language does Silvey use to position you in your reading of the characters and also the situation.
• How does Silvey use different language in the text to show different social groups – for example the task you did on making Jasper’s speech more formal.
• Consider context!

You should really build on each question (and your own) to offer a substantial presentation on your character.  From this you should be able to write a 2-3 page essay.

Good luck!

TASK 2

This morning Pope Francis I was elected the new Pope.  Find out what you can about him and write about his Attitudes, Values and Beliefs.  Then think about and note down which beliefs align with your own and which ones do not and why.

Minimum: 2 paragraphs

Due: End of Week 7

TASK – JASPER JONES

Craig Silvey with one version of the front cover of his novel

SEMESTER ONE is all about LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY.  With each text we study, we will look at how identity is constructed by the author.  As well as classwork, take into account the work you are doing on identity for homework.

You have either finished, or just about finished, the novel JASPER JONES and are working through your comprehension questions.  Soon you will be asked to present a talk on the identity of one of the characters in the story.  To help you, we will post some ideas on this blog.

Task: I would like each of you to post at least two paragraphs on the character of Charlie.  What kind of person is he?  (You may want to refer to the characteristics sheet I gave you last year).  How do you know this?  Give at least one example from the text on each point.  How is he affected by his environment?  His family? His friends? Jasper? The era?  The setting?  and so on.   Do not worry too much about the way you write your posts – the main purpose of this task is to exchange ideas and open up some class discussion.

Due: end of week 5