Category: Eng 9 (3) Daily Updates

On Feb 23 we will start working on the next steps for the expository essay.

Download the Work Packet for the Wondering + Preparing + Planning Stages of the Essay

We will work on the above packet in class on Feb 23. This will include time for individual help and for conferences to help students work through the packet as they start on the expository essay.

We prepared for this work on Feb 20/22 and Feb 21 (and during most classes since the start of the semester, as all readings and films covered so far are tied to the expository essay assignment). If you were absent, look at the white board photos or meet with Mr. Kertes either on a work day (in-class) or after school on most Mondays (until 5:00 most Mondays). Be sure to schedule an appointment if you plan to stay after school so that Mr. Kertes can confirm that he will be there on a particular day.

The expository essay is due Mar 4. If it is not at least partially completed, your grade will be IE (insufficient evidence) until you have at least partially completed the essay. An informal progress report will be provided on Mar 4. It will be emailed home if your grade is IE.

There are two Catch Up Afternoons. These are on the early release days from 12:30-3:00 on Mar 5 and Mar 7. Students who have not yet at least partially completed the expository essay are expected to catch up on the essay on the early release days.

The Mid Term Exams are Mar 11-15. The expository essay must be at least partially completed for you to start the Mid Term Exam. You must also view the three films. Be sure to attend a make up session if you missed one or more of the films. There will also be a Make Up Day provided on Apr 22.

Here are some of the readings for the expository essay:

• The Promise (Van Camp) PDF – password protected
• Haida Gwaii (King) PDF – password protected
• Doesn’t Every Poet Write about Unrequited Love (Oliver) PDF – password protected
• One Good Man (Alexie) PDF – password protected
• Funeral Blues (or Stop all the clocks) (Auden) PDF – password protected
• My Conversations with Canadians (Maracle) PDF – password protected
• The Laundry Basket (Maracle) PDF – password protected
• Poetry Packet 1 and 2 (Maracle and Angelou) PDF – password protected 
• A Million Porcupines in the Dark (King) PDF – password protected
• Narrative Construction of Reality (Bruner) PDF – password protected

Emerging

You are demonstrating an initial level understanding of the competencies and skills for the course. Your strengths include _______. To improve, ______. You have at least attempted all of the homework, speed writes, quizzes, and assignments. Your expository essay was at the ___ level of quality. Your Mid Term Exam demonstrated a ___ level of understanding. In your self-assessment you wrote that _____.

Developing

You are demonstrating a partial level understanding of the competencies and skills for the course. Your strengths include _______. To improve, ______. You have at least approximated all of the homework, speed writes, quizzes, and assignments. Your expository essay was at the ___ level of quality. Your Mid Term Exam demonstrated a ___ level of understanding. In your self-assessment you wrote that _____.

Proficient

You are demonstrating a complete level understanding of the competencies and skills for the course. You apply the skills and concepts independently. Your strengths include _______. To improve, ______. You have completed or mastered all of the homework, speed writes, quizzes, and assignments. This demonstrates proficiency and reflects ____ quality work. Your expository essay was at the ___ level of quality. Your Mid Term Exam demonstrated a ___ level of understanding. In your self-assessment you wrote that _____.

Extending

You are demonstrating a sophisicated level understanding of the competencies and skills for the course. You apply the skills and concepts with mastery (across contexts) and can teach them to others. Your strengths include _______. To improve, ______. You have mastered all of the homework, speed writes, quizzes, and assignments. This demonstrates sophisticated proficiency and reflects outstanding quality work. Your expository essay was at the outstanding level of quality. Your Mid Term Exam demonstrated an outstanding level of understanding. In your self-assessment you wrote that _____.

IE – Insufficient Evidence

You have not yet demonstrated at least an initial level of understanding of the competencies and skills for the course – due to insufficient evidence of learning. Your strengths include _______. To improve, at least attempt the following assignments and assessments: _____. You must also at least partially complete the expository essay assignment at the minimally acceptable or higher level of quality and at least demonstrate an initial level of understanding by at least attempting the following tests and/or exams: _____. Once you have at least attempted these assignments and/or assessments at the minimally acceptable level of quality, your grade may be revised to a higher grade. You have until June 24 to do this. A notice of IE was emailed to your parent or guardian on ____, which included information about missing work, a timeline for completion of missing work, a plan for action, and an opportunity for consultation.

ROUTINES

1. Format matters from now on. If work is not formatted correctly, you will be asked to redo it. Be sure to double space and leave the margins empty. Also be sure to include your name, class, and date. Everything must be stamped. Most work is done in class, but if you work at home have it stamped each day as you work through the process.
2. Daily work and routine continues. There is almost always a speed write, reading of “The Outsiders”, and reading of your YA novel. This work is required daily work. It must be formatted correctly.
3. Homework continues. Homework is usually due every Friday.
4. Quizzes continue. There is usually a quiz every Monday. We go over the quiz material on the Friday before almost every week.
5. Films are required. If you are absent on a film day, you must watch the film during Mr. Kertes’s Homework Help, on a Catch-Up Afternoon (SPT Interview Early Release Days), or Make Up Day.
6. Make ups are almost every Monday – from 3:15-5:15 PM in room 308 (Mr. Kertes’s Homework Help). (Please schedule with Mr. Kertes if you plan to attend.)

ASSIGNMENTS

Expository Essay Details

1. Product
   • 3 section paper (8-11 paragraphs) (there is a shorter option)
   • The essay must explain an idea (about love, any kind of love) with a neutral presentation of supporting ideas and evidence
   • Use all Levels of Analysis, apply systems-thinking, use all Five Fs, and work through the Six Stages process (see below for more on the process)
   • One thesis (relates to the topic of love)
   • Theme must connect to the course texts
   • Must use theory to explain how or why using rigorous and systematic thinking
   • Must use some of the sources (generally you will use 3-5 sources)
2. Sources (generally you will use 3-5 of these sources)
   • The Promise (Van Camp) PDF – password protected
   • Haida Gwaii (King) PDF – password protected
   • Doesn’t Every Poet Write about Unrequited Love (Oliver) PDF – password protected
   • One Good Man (Alexie) PDF – password protected
   • Funeral Blues (or Stop all the clocks) (Auden) PDF – password protected
   • My Conversations with Canadians (Maracle) PDF – password protected
   • The Laundry Basket (Maracle) PDF – password protected
   • Poetry Packet 1 and 2 (Maracle and Angelou) PDF – password protected 
   • A Million Porcupines in the Dark (King) PDF – password protected
   • Narrative Construction of Reality (Bruner) PDF – password protected
   • Thinking about Thinking and Theory (Robinson)
   • For Chief Gidansda (Kertes)
   • Different for Boys (Bendix)
   • Four Weddings and a Funeral
   • Sonnet 29 (Shakespeare)
   • All Is True (Branagh)
   • The Outsiders (Hinton)
   • Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare)
   • He Likes to Dance (Mercredi)
   • Like a Prayer (Madonna)
   • The Stone Reader Modern Philosophy (Catapano and Critchley)
   • Human Dignity (Kateb)
   • On Human Nature (Wilson)
   • The Origins of Totalitarianism (Arendt)
   • Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Jacobs)
   • Strength to Love (King)
   • A Gift of Love (King)
   • That Which Makes Us Haida
3. Process
   • Work through and document (take notes, write drafts, write learning stories, provide proof of each step) the Six Stages of Writing:
     • Wondering
       • Read: The Promise, Haida Gwaii, Unrequited Love, One Good Man, Funeral Blues, The Laundry Basket
       • View: Romeo and Juliet, All Is True, Shakespeare in Love
       • Take rough notes of all the above texts (readings, films, etc.)
       • Take rough notes of other texts (your choice, from the list above)
     • Preparing
       • Make a Focus Funnel
       • Choose your theme, topic, subtopic, focusing question, thesis, key ideas, and title
       • Choose a several key texts and take detailed notes (or connection/reflection/description summaries)
     • Planning
       • Write an outline
     • Drafting
       • Write a rough draft
     • Revising
       • Revise the rough draft with 2-3 more drafts (re-write the entire paper 2-3 more times)
       • The final draft will be in pen and will be correctly formatted
     • Publishing (not required)

ASSESSMENTS

1. We continued to work in-class for the period.
2. The handouts are posted in the updates below (earlier posts).
3. If you did not complete Quiz 2 today, be sure to finish it on Feb 14.
4. After Feb 14, you will need to complete any missing work either at home (some assignments and assessments must be done at school) or during Mr. Kertes’s Homework Help (most Mondays from 3:15-5:15 in room 308 – be sure to schedule this if you plan to attend). Later, you may complete missing work on a Make Up Day or Catch Up Afternoon.
5. See the format template for a sample of the format for all work.

The following work is due as of Feb 14:

• Speed Write #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9 (see prompts below)
• Homework #1, #2, #3 (see details below)
• Quiz #1, #2 (see details below)
• Mid-Term Prep #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #11, #12
• View “Romeo and Juliet” film and view “All Is True” film
• Read to page 18 of “The Outsiders” novel
• Read poetry packet 1 and 2

Speed Write Prompts

1. True love is real and wonderful because (or it’s fake and stupid because)…
2. Which is more important? Character, intelligence, happiness, or strength? Why?
3. What’s a common theme (big idea) that connects “Romeo and Juliet” with “The Outsiders”?
4. Why did Mr. Kertes write the essay in Grade 8? How did it transform him?
5. Why did William Shakespeare write plays? Are these good reasons in your view? Why?
6. Describe the professor in “One Good Man”… what did you think of him? Why?
   • One Good Man (Alexie) PDF – password protected
7. Discuss the rights of women in the time of Shakespeare. Connect. Reflect.
8. What is the best story: “The Laundry Basket”, “Haida Gwaii”, or “The Promise”? Why?
   • The Promise (Van Camp) PDF – password protected
   • Haida Gwaii (King) PDF – password protected
   • The Laundry Basket (Maracle) PDF – password protected
9. Tell me your thoughts on the poem “Stop all the clocks”… (view the poem – PDF password protected)

Homework Assignments

1. Homework #1
2. Homework #2
   • Doesn’t Every Poet Write about Unrequited Love (Oliver) PDF – password protected
3. Homework #3
   • Funeral Blues (or Stop all the clocks) (Auden) PDF – password protected

Quiz Study Guides

1. Quiz #1
2. Quiz #2

Mid-Term Prep Packet Prompts

• #2 – Romeo and Juliet Notes (sample)
• #3 – All Is True Preview (sample)
• #4 – Learning story – how and why did you learn the point of this class? (sample)
• #5 – Lesson Notes – writing as a process (sample)
• #6 – Rough Notes – “The Laundry Basket” (Maracle) (sample of rough notes 6, 7 & 8)
  • The Laundry Basket (Maracle) PDF – password protected
• #7 – Rough Notes – “Haida Gwaii” (King) (sample of rough notes 6, 7 & 8)
  • Haida Gwaii (King) PDF – password protected
• #8 – Rough Notes – “The Promise” (Van Camp) (sample of rough notes 6, 7 & 8)
  • The Promise (Van Camp) PDF – password protected
• #9 – Short story report description and criteria (notes)
• #11 – Learning Story – How does the point of this class matter to you?
• #12 – Wondering Stage Notes (rough notes to show that you wondered) (sample)

Poetry Packet 1 and 2 (at this point, you just have to read the poems)

• Poetry Packet 1 and 2 PDF – Password Protected