Mystery & Suspense Unit

We are finishing the unit before Christmas break so all stories are due on Friday. We will have our vocabulary test on Thursday. Be sure to have your teacher conferences before you hand in your assignments for each story.

December vocabulary

Omission (n) someone or something that has been left out or excluded : there are glaring omissions in the report; the action of excluding or leaving out someone or something : the omission of recent publications from his bibliography.

Cunning (adj.) having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion : a cunning look came into his eyes.

Infinite (adj.) limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate : the infinite mercy of God | the infinite number of stars in the universe; very great in amount or degree : he bathed the wound with infinite care.

Confound (v) cause surprise or confusion in (someone), esp. by acting against their expectations : the inflation figure confounded economic analysts.

Diminutive (adj.) extremely or unusually small

Perusal (n) the action of reading or examining something

Vacuously (adj.) having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless

Provocation (n) action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, esp. deliberately : you should remain calm and not respond to provocation | he burst into tears at the slightest provocation.

Compulsive (adj.) resulting from or relating to an irresistible urge, esp. one that is against one's conscious wishes : compulsive eating; (of a person) acting as a result of such an urge : a compulsive liar.

Morsel (n) a small piece or amount of food; a mouthful : Julie pushed a last morsel of toast into her mouth | figurative real estate agents think the mansion will be a very tasty morsel for an international company; a small piece or amount : reporters do their best to ferret out every morsel of information.

Mandatory (adj.) required by law or rules; compulsory : wearing helmets was made mandatory for cyclists; of or conveying a command : he did not want the guidelines to be mandatory.

Convoluted (adj.) (esp. of an argument, story, or sentence) extremely complex and difficult to follow : its convoluted narrative encompasses all manner of digressions.

Rigours (n) the quality of being extremely thorough, exhaustive, or accurate : his analysis is lacking in rigor; severity or strictness : the full rigor of the law; ( rigors) demanding, difficult, or extreme conditions : the rigors of a harsh winter.

Flank (n) the side of a person's or animal's body between the ribs and the hip : leaning against his horse's flanks; the side of something

Assignments- December 4th

We are working on our Mystery and Suspense unit. Students have been given a handout of notes for this section which is to be used for each of the stories for this section. Since class discussions have not been going well, we have changed the format of the unit. Students will read each story on their own and complete a point form plot outline and pre-write for their reader response. Students are to have a conference with me about this information and then write a reader response which is handed in for marks.

We are still going over vocabulary each day and will have our next quiz on December 18th.

New Unit

The comparative essay for the two poems, If and Courage is the last assignment for the unit. We are starting our new unit on Mystery and Suspense.

This unit is we examine the elements of fiction through several short stories. During the first three, we will complete the plot line together as a class. For the remainder two stories, you will be required to state the elements on your own.

Assignment update

Book reviews are due today, unless you have made other arrangements with me.

Next week
Monday & Tuesday - no school
Wednesday - comparative essay begin draft
Thursday - comparative essay revision
Friday - vocabulary test & comparative essay due

Book Review

Students have been given 10 minutes per class to read a novel relating to our theme (Courage and Challenges). Students are to write a book review due Nov. 7th.

We will be studying the poem "Courage" by Ann Sexton this week. You will be assigned a comparative essay this week as well.

Word of the Day - November

This is the list of definitions for the month. Our next quiz will be Friday, November 14th.

Pique (v) stimulate (interest or curiosity) : you have piqued my curiosity about the man.

Dread (v) anticipate with great apprehension or fear : Jane was dreading the party | [with infinitive ] I dread to think what Russell will say.

Obligingly (adj.) willing to do a service or kindness; helpful.

Heed (v) pay attention to; take notice of : he should have heeded the warnings.

Aversion (n) a strong dislike or disinclination : he had a deep-seated aversion to most forms of exercise.



Looted (v) steal goods from (a place), typically during a war or riot : police confronted the rioters who were looting shops.
• steal (goods) in such circumstances : tons of food aid awaiting distribution had been looted.

Dispel (v)make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear : the brightness of the day did nothing to dispel Elaine's dejection.
• drive (something) away; scatter : sprinkle catnip tea to dispel beetles from garden plants.




Bland (adj.)lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting : rebelling against the bland uniformity.
• (of food or drink) mild or insipid : bland and unadventurous vegetarian dish | bland beers of mediocre quality.
• (of a person or behavior) showing no strong emotion; dull and unremarkable : offering bland reassurance | his expression was bland and unreadable.

Foible (n) a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character : they have to tolerate each other's little foibles.

Doted (v) ( dote on/upon) be extremely and uncritically fond of : she doted on her two young children | [as adj. ] ( doting) she was spoiled outrageously by her doting father.

Inflict (v) cause (something unpleasant or painful) to be suffered by someone or something : they inflicted serious injuries on three other men.
• ( inflict something on) impose something unwelcome on : she is wrong to inflict her beliefs on everyone else.

Concede (v) surrender or yield (something that one possesses) : to concede all the territory he'd won.
• grant (a right, privilege, or demand) : their rights to redress of grievances were conceded once more.
• (in sports) fail to prevent the scoring of (a goal or point) by an opponent : the coach conceded three safeties rather than kick into the wind.
• allow (a lead or advantage) to slip : he took an early lead that he never conceded.

Succulent (adj.) (of food) tender, juicy, and tasty.
• Botany (of a plant, esp. a xerophyte) having thick fleshy leaves or stems adapted to storing water.

Diversion (n) an instance of turning something aside from its course : a diversion of resources from defense to civil research.

Acquisition (n) an asset or object bought or obtained, typically by a library or museum.
• buying or obtaining an asset or object : Western culture places a high value on material acquisition.

Serene (adj) calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil : her eyes were closed and she looked very serene | serene certainty. See note at calm .

Imposition (n) the action or process of imposing something or of being imposed : the imposition of martial law.

Assignment update

Fastbreak - poem questions were due on Monday. We are now working on the descriptive paragraphs for Mrs. Brown from the excerpt from My Left Foot. These paragraphs are due on Friday. Be sure to hand in your prewriting and drafts with your final copy.

Our next vocabulary test is Friday, October 31st.

Assignments

There have been a few assignments which need to be handed in. Check your binders. Make sure your assignments are up to date.

In the Face of the Fuhrer
The Teacher Who Changed My Life
and the poem we discussed on Tuesday, Those Winter Sundays
All of these assignments are in the Heroes Anthology.

Our next word of the day quiz will be on the 15th of October. Be sure to study words from September as well as those we have taken this month.

Word of the Day for October

These are the words for the entire month. We will examine on each class. The quizes will be on the 15th and 31st of the month. The quizes will include words from last month as well.

Inevitable (adj.)certain to happen; unavoidable : war was inevitable.
• informal so frequently experienced or seen that it is completely predictable : the inevitable letter from the bank.

Contention (n) heated disagreement : the captured territory was one of the main areas of contention between the two countries.

Convulsed (v) (of an emotion, laughter, or physical stimulus) cause (someone) to make sudden, violent, uncontrollable movements : Carlos was convulsed by a second bout of sneezing

Dismal (adj.) depressing; dreary : the dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening.

Hoisted (v.) [ trans. ] raise or haul up : she hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder.

Recuperate (v)[ intrans. ] recover from illness or exertion : she has been recuperating from a shoulder wound | Christmas is a time to recuperate.

Imposter (n) a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, esp. for fraudulent gain.

Virtue (n.) a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person : patience is a virtue.

Foe (n) an enemy or opponent : join forces against the common foe.

Wallow (v) ( wallow in) (of a person) indulge in an unrestrained way in (something that creates a pleasurable sensation) : I was wallowing in the luxury of the hotel | he had been wallowing in self-pity.

Endure (v.)[ trans. ] suffer (something painful or difficult) patiently : it seemed impossible that anyone could endure such pain.

Boorish (n) a rude, unmannerly person : at last the big obnoxious boor had been dealt a stunning blow for his uncouth and belligerent manner.

Inquisitive (adj.) curious or inquiring : he was very chatty and inquisitive about everything.

Amiable (adj.) having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner : an amiable, unassuming fellow.

Austere (adj.) severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance
• (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic : conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere.

Chronic (adj.) of an illness) persisting for a long time or constantly recurring

Indifferent (adj.) having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned : they all seemed indifferent rather than angry

Callous (adj.) Unfeeling or insensitive

Assignments

"Flying in the Face of the Furer" is due today, Tuesday September 30.
"The Teacher Who Changed My Life" is due Wed. Oct. 1.

Be sure to get all assignments in. Late assignments are accepted, but marks will be deducted.

Final words for September

Ambitious (adj.) having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed : his mother was hard-working and ambitious for her four children.
• (of a plan or piece of work) intended to satisfy high aspirations and therefore difficult to achieve : the scope of the book is very ambitious | an ambitious enterprise.

Pelted verb [ trans. ] attack (someone) by repeatedly hurling things at them : two little boys pelted him with rotten apples.
• hurl (something) at someone or something in this way : he spotted four boys aged about ten pelting stones at ducks.
• [ intrans. ] ( pelt down) (of rain, hail, or snow) fall quickly and very heavily

Volition (n.) the faculty or power of using one's will : without conscious volition she backed into her office.

Assignments

1/4 term marks are due Wednesday, Oct. 1 so be sure that all of your assignments have been handed in.

Assignments thus far:
Courage - free verse poem
Superman paragraph
Word of the day quiz

word of the day update

Mangled (v.) [ trans. ] severely mutilate, disfigure, or damage by cutting, tearing, or crushing : the car was mangled almost beyond recognition | figurative he was mangling Bach on the piano.

Mortified (v.)( -fies, -fied) [ trans. ] 1 (often be mortified) cause (someone) to feel embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated : [ trans. ] she was mortified to see her wrinkles in the mirror | [as adj. ] ( mortifying) she refused to accept this mortifying disgrace.

Murky (adj.) ( murkier , murkiest ) dark and gloomy, esp. due to thick mist : the sky was murky and a thin drizzle was falling.
• (of liquid) dark and dirty; not clear : the murky silt of a muddy pond.
• not fully explained or understood, esp. with concealed dishonesty or immorality : the murky world of espionage.

Spectacle (n) a visually striking performance or display : the acrobatic feats make a good spectacle | the show is pure spectacle.
• an event or scene regarded in terms of its visual impact : the spectacle of a city's mass grief.

Vile (adj.) extremely unpleasant : he has a vile temper | vile smells.



Our next word of the day quiz is Tuesday, September 30th.

Word of the Day - Quiz

Your quiz will be on Thursday. I am not here so it will give you and the sub something meaningful to do.

Your words for this week are:

Muse (v) [ intrans. ]be absorbed in thought : he was musing on the problems he faced.
• [with direct speech ] say to oneself in a thoughtful manner : “I think I've seen him somewhere before,” mused Rachel.• ( muse on) gaze thoughtfully at.

Perspective (n) a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view: most guidebook history is written from the editor's perspective.


Tact (n) a keen sense of the right or fitting thing to say or due so as to avoid hurting someone’s feelings; sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues : the inspector broke the news to me with tact and consideration.

Allegiances (n) loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause : those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic | a complex pattern of cross-party allegiances.

Diminish (v) make or become less • [ trans. ] make (someone or something) seem less impressive or valuable : the trial has aged and diminished him.

Actually, muse and perspective were from last week, but I hadn't posted them on this blog yet.

Assignments

We are now working on the creation of a free verse poem on the topic of courage. Poems are due Friday. Our word of the day quizes will be on the 15th and 30th of each month.

Word of the Day (so far)

Authoritarian (adj.) favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority, esp. that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom : the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic regime.
• showing a lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others; domineering; dictatorial : he had an authoritarian and at times belligerent manner.

Ecstatic (adj.)1 feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement : ecstatic fans filled the stadium.
2 involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence : an ecstatic vision of God.

Formidable (adj.) inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable : a formidable opponent

Guerrillas (n) a member of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces : this small town fell to the guerrillas | [as adj. ] guerrilla warfare.

Honed verb [ trans. ] (usu. be honed) make sharper or more focused or efficient : their appetites were honed by fresh air and exercise.

Course Outline

English 10 A
Semester Overview and Evaluation

Unit 1 Challenges
Quests and Adventures Courage and Leadership
Struggle and Achievement Conflict and Search for Peace
Independent Novel

Unit 2 The Unknown
Mystery and Suspense The Unexplained
Fantasy Science Fiction
Novel Ender’s Game

Writing
Poetry Analysis Newspaper Article
Essay Compare and Contrast
Response entries Sentence fragments
Comma splice Paraphrase
Character Analysis

Literary Terms
You will be given a list of literary terms which we will refer to throughout the semester. Study them often.

Oral Presentations
A portion of the evaluation will be your involvement in the class. You will need to participate in class discussions as well as make some oral presentations. These will include group activities, interviews and role play and an oral presentation on the novel you choose to read for this class.

Vocabulary
There will be vocabulary given with our reading assignments as well as daily in class vocabulary. Use these words often so they become yours.

Evaluation
Assignments 60% Novel Study 15%
Homework Completion 5% Final Exam 15%
Participation 5%

Assignments will include journal entries, group projects, essays, computer assignments, charts, tests, vocabulary, and oral presentations.
Guidelines for written assignments

Submit your work on 8 1/2 x 11 loose leaf or white sheet. I appreciate typewritten assignments but they are not necessary. Do not tear your assignments from your book. The work should look neat and polished. Be sure to check your work for errors in spelling and punctuation. There will be marks deducted for SPG (spelling, punctuation and grammar). Write your complete name on the top right corner of the first page. Place your completed assignments in the hand in binder on the side book shelf.

Communication
You are responsible for missed assignments and class work. This means that you will need to contact me as soon as you can to get an update on material you missed. If you have concerns or special needs that I should be aware of please inform me as soon as possible. If you want considerations (late assignments, etc.) let me know. When you are absent from class for a couple of days speak to me by phone or email.

Be accountable and responsible.


Mrs. Bell-Gatzke lindy.bellgatzke@lskysd.ca

Vocabulary last week of school

Megalomania (n.) 145.....a mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur, wealth, power, superiority

insubordination (n) 106.....disobedience; not submitting to authority

vestigial (adj.) forming a very small remnant of something that was once much larger or more noticeable : he felt a vestigial flicker of anger from last night.
• Biology (of an organ or part of the body) degenerate, rudimentary, or atrophied, having become functionless in the course of evolution : the vestigial wings of kiwis are entirely hidden.

Atrophied v ( -phies, -phied) [ intrans. ] (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution : without exercise, the muscles will atrophy | [as adj. ] ( atrophied) in some beetles, the hind wings are atrophied.
• figurative gradually decline in effectiveness or vigor due to underuse or neglect : her artistic skills atrophied from lack of use.


xenophobia (n) intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries : racism and xenophobia are steadily growing in Europe.

Genocide (n) the deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

This week in vocabulary June 2- 6th

commissary (n) 96.....the store in a(n army) camp where supplies can be
obtained; a restaurant in a movie studio, military base, prison, or other institution • a store that sells food and drink to members of an organization, esp. a large grocery store on a military base.

divisive adj. creating disunity or dissension. It wasn’t to unify the group—in fact, it was divisive (119).

nuance n. a subtle distinction or variation. Ender and Alai were discussing the nuances of open-space maneuvers . . . (99).

hegemony (n) leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group over others : Germany was united under Prussian hegemony after 1871.

entrench(ed) (v) to surround or fortify (with a trench); to establish securely

Vocabulary last week of May

Our next vocabulary test is Friday. Be sure to look over words from the last month as there will be extra words included.

Impetus (n) the force with which a body moves against resistance

drivel (n) saliva flowing from one's mouth; silly, stupid talk

elucidate (v) to make clear; to explain; (to bring light to )

transcend (v) to exceed; to go beyond the limits of

This week in vocabulary..

ostentatiously (adv.) in an excessively showy manner

rescind vt. 1) to take away, remove, take back, cancel; to make void, repeal. . . . They would like to rescind the waivers

commiserate (v) to feel or express sympathy; to feel or express sorrow or compassion for. Mother came home and commiserated with Ender about the monitor (11).

facade (n) 1) the front of a building or any face of a building given special architectural treatment. 2) a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect. The façade of peace and cooperation . . . (90).

acquiescence (n) the act of accepting, complying, or submitting tacitly or passively. His acquiescence calmed her (105).

These words are from the novel Enders Game. We started reading the novel this week. Discussion questions for chapter 1-3 are due Tuesday.

No class Monday due to early dismissal. Morning classes will run periods 4, 5 &6. Does this mean am is pm?

This week in vocabulary..

curmudgeon a rude, ill-tempered person

Proffered – (v) hold out (something) to someone for acceptance; offer : he proffered his resignation.

Diversion an activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime : our chief diversion was reading.
• something intended to distract someone's attention from something more important : a subsidiary raid was carried out on the airfield to create a diversion.

convoluted- (adj.) complicated or intricate; especially unnecessarily so. The paragraph is so convoluted; can't you simplify it?

Remember test Friday. Be able to use the words in a sentence to show the meaning of the vocabulary word.

Assignment update

We are finishing our Mystery and Suspense unit shortly. We have finished with "The Premediated Death of Sam Glover". The plot outline and journal entry are due on Friday, May 9th.

“Little Paradise” is the last story of this section. We will read it on Thursday and the assignment will be due on Monday, May 12th.

Word of the Day - week of May 6th

Perusal (v) the action of reading or examining something

Provocation - action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, esp. deliberately

Scrutinized - examine or inspect something closely and thoroughly

Probing - an investigation

Word of the Day -March

Idiom – an expression, phrase or group of words whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words. She is a loose cannon.

Volition will or desire

Hoisted lifted; raised

Inevitable – unavoidable; automatically

Callous – (adj.) unfeeling or insensitive

Knave – dishonest or tricky person

Imposter – a person who pretends to be someone else to deceive people for his or her own advantage

Adversary – rival, enemy or foe

Virtue – behaviour showing high moral standards

Endure - continue through time

Kinsman - a male relative

Inference - the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true.

Permeate - to pass into or through every part of

Assignments

Here is a list of the assignments that have been done thus far:

Hero's Return
Superman or Villain - paragraph
Fuher - worksheet
John Goddard - worksheet
Fast Break

Vocabulary quiz
Mrs. Brown character sketch
"If" paraphrase of poem
Comparative Essay - for the two poems: "If" and "Courage"

Character Sketch from the story "The Man Who Had No Eyes"

Word of the Day - 1st Week of March

We have begun word of the day. We will have a quiz on these words every two weeks and there will be a section worth 10% on your final exam devoted to vocabulary. Use these words often each day and they will become yours.

This week in English 10 A

Allusions and adjectives worksheets - hand them in.

"Heros' Return" - have story read and we will complete questions and discussion on Wednesday.

"Flying in the Face of Fuher" Thursday - poetry on Friday.

Song lyrics

Song lyrics should be chosen and printed out. Wednesday's class will be spent working in groups on the presentation of the lyrics.

Novels

We will begin our silent reading tomorrow. Be sure to have a novel to read for the first 15 minutes of class each day. Your novel should have something to do with our first topic - challenges and heroes.

Welcome

Use this site often.