Friday, January 22, 2010

Thank you and good-bye

Thanks for the wonderful semester.  Keep up the hard work.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

Ender's Game Chapter 8 & 9

Chapter 8: Rat
1.   How is Rat Army different from Salamander?
They want Ender.  Barracks are very unorganized.
2.   What surprising information does Dink Meeker relay to Ender?
The buggers have already been wiped out.  IF is only in control because they have perpetuated the fear of the buggers
3.   Why are adults the real enemies?
The adults manipulate the kids making them crazy for power and turning them against one another.
4.   Why is Ender’s feet-first attack position so effective in battle?
It makes them a smaller target.  Usually the legs are frozen first giving them more opportunity to attack. 
5.   Describe Rat’s battle with Centipede.  How does Ender turn Rose’s foolish order to his advantage?
Ender is to jump through the battle gate first and immediately.  Rose wants Ender to die right away and bring down his standings.  Ender actually surprises them as they aren’t expecting him and he is able to attack many of the opponents.
6.   Summarize Dink’s discussion with Ender as they float in the battleroom’s anti-gravity.  What surprising opinion does he have about the Bugger Invasion?  Does Ender believe him?
He says the buggers aren’t coming back.  They would have done so already if they were going to.  IF just wants to say in power and is doing so by creating fear.
7.   Describe the other commanders’ attempts to stop Ender’s practices with the Launchies.
Intimidate the launchies so they are afraid to practice with him.  Ender is exhausted after his practices.  They sang taunts like nursery rhymes for mockery.
8.   Describe where Ender is in the computer game.  What does he see in the mirror after he defeats the snake?  How does he react?
Ender is at the end of the game:  Do you want to play again? 

Ender sees Peter’s bloody face. He yells and the others look at him.
7.   Describe the other commanders’ attempts to stop Ender’s practices with the Launchies.
Intimidate the launchies so they are afraid to practice with him.  Ender is exhausted after his practices.  They sang taunts like nursery rhymes for mockery.
8.   Describe where Ender is in the computer game.  What does he see in the mirror after he defeats the snake?  How does he react?
Ender is at the end of the game:  Do you want to play again? 

Ender sees Peter’s bloody face. He yells and the others look at him.

 
Chapter 9: Locke and Demosthenes
1.   Why did the Wiggin family move from the city to rural North Carolina?
They thought it would be good for Peter.  Living in nature might have a softening influence on their strange and frightening son.
2.   Explain how the following people perceive Peter: his parents...his teachers...Valentine.

Teachers – a model student - Parents - new PeterValentine – a fraud, smarter, evil, horrific, a monster.  He can find people’s fears and manipulate them.



 
3.   Valentine says “to keep herself safe, all she had to do was make sure it was more in Peter’s interest to keep her alive than to have her dead.”  How is she valuable to Peter?
She is going to help him.
4.   What is Peter’s plan to change the world?  How does he manipulate Valentine into helping him?  What is her role in his scheme?
He gets an internet connection and goes to political forums.  He is trying to become leader of the world. Valentine has to write his columns for him.
5.   What is Peter’s “greatest gift”?
He can manipulate people’s fear – He read people very well.
6.   What names do Peter and Valentine establish for themselves on the net?  Why do they need false identities?
Peter – Locke (moderate)
Valentine – Demosthenes (radical)
Peter wants to communicate his political ideas and in order to be taken seriously they must be seen as adults, not the children they are.
Locke is British Philosopher 1632-1704
Demosthenes 384 – 322 BC Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens
7.   Why is Valentine so upset that her father agrees with Demosthenes?
She thought only fools would follow him.

        8. How has Ender gained the respect of everyone at Battle School? What has he lost?

He is a toon leader in the Phoenix army at the age of 9. 
He has lost his childhood.  He doesn’t have any fun, all work.
9.   Describe THE END OF THE WORLD on Ender’s computer game.  What part of the game can he not defeat?
Peter in the mirror.
10.                 Why does Valentine think the I.F. is at her school?  What does Graff really want?
She thinks they have found out the true identity of Demosthenes.  But actually the IF wants her to help Ender.
11.                 Why, according to Valentine, does Ender see Peter in the mirror?
She sees Peter as Ender’s opposite.
12.                 How does Ender respond to the letter from Valentine?  Why?
He doesn’t think that it is truly from her.  The IF has made her write it so he deletes it.
13.                 How does Ender defeat the snake?  What does he see when he looks in the mirror afterwards?
He kisses it.  The snake turns into a dragon and a unicorn.
 

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Blog Assignment # 6 Chapter 4 & 5

Answer one of the following questions in paragraph format and post to your blog for evaluation.

1.  The dubious character of Graff says to Ender, "Individual human beings are all tools, that the others use to help us all survive." (p.35)  Argue for or against Graff's statement.

2.  Do you view Ender as a strong or weak person?  Support your response with specific textual examples.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Blog Assignment #5

This is a repeat of blog assignment #4 only with another story from your duotang. Be sure to get this done before Dec. 22nd. 

We will begin Ender's Game in January.  I suggest reading the book on your own before you return to school on Jan.6th as we only have 10 days to go over the novel and will be doing it rather quickly.  There will be an essay on your final exam for this novel.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Blog Assignment #4

Using one of the stories from our Mystery and Suspense unit (duo-tang) - complete a journal entry.  Use the example given in your notes and answer the following questions.

Is it a mystery or suspense?
When is the suspense introduced?
How is it resolved?
Did the author include any red herrings?
Is the story an example of poetic justice?


Due Wednesday, December 16th.

Lamb To Slaughter by Roald Dahl- Vocabulary

administered - delivered; carried out
consoling - calming; comforting
exasperated - annoyed; irritated
exceptionally - very; extremely
extraordinary - amazing; incredible
hospitality - welcome; kind attention
instinct - impulse; urge
luxuriate - bask; wallow
placid - still; mild
tranquil - calm; mild
translucent - clear; transparent


Irony occurs when appearances are somehow at odds with reality.  Perhaps the most common type of irony is verbal irony, when someone says the opposite of what they really mean (e.g. saying "Warm enough for you?" on the coldest day of the year.)

In "Lamb to Slaughter", Roald Dahl uses two types of irony. 
Dramatic irony - the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not know.  Situational irony - events turn out the opposite of what's expected. 
Find examples of these in Roald Dahl's story.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Adding text from the poems to your essay

In the second stanza, Anne Sexton refers to war "if you faced the death of bombs and bullets" (line 14).
The text from the poem is enclosed with quotation marks.  After the quotation explain with line of the poem you are referring to in brackets.(line 23).


'you'll bargain with the calendar" (Sexton line 43).  In this case the poem is referenced with the line number.

Monday, November 30, 2009

No blog assignment

No you don't have to complete a blog assignment for this week.  We are working on our essays which are due Monday, December 7th. 

By the end of today you should have your draft completed.  We will be working on revising tomorrow. 

Use google docs to write your essay - set me up as a collaborator- I will be able to give you constructive comments as we go along.  - make sure you are on the right path.

Keep writing.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Article from Battleford's Daily News

Fiona Smith Bell will light Olympic cauldron in N.B.
Another torch runner, Courtney Crush, named
By Doug Collie, Editor

Former North Battleford resident and Olympic medalist Fiona Smith Bell has been chosen to light the cauldron in North Battleford Jan. 12, when the Olympic torch is carried through the Battlefords.

The name of another torch runner in the Battlefords was also revealed – Courtney Crush, daughter of city councillor Ron Crush.

The North Battleford Olympic Torch Relay Committee made that announcement Tuesday. Smith Bell will also speak on behalf of the nine cauldron lighters chosen in Saskatchewan during a luncheon today hosted by Premier Brad Wall.

Committee Chair Laura Allan says Smith Bell was the obvious choice to light the cauldron.

She said the committee believes Smith “exemplifies the values of the Olympic movement, having played in two world championships and winning two gold medals, winning a silver medal in the 1998 Winter Olympics and (serving as) a member of the Canadian National Women’s Team from 1994 to 2002.”

Allan notes Smith Bell has won a total of seven international gold medals.

Smith Bell says she is pleased to have been selected to light the cauldron.

“Absolutely,” she said during an interview with the Daily News. “Becoming an Olympian obviously was a life-altering experience for me, and having the opportunity to carry the (Olympic) flame in North Battleford, it’s just a tremendous honour.

“I look back now and you always dream, I think as a kid, of being in the Olympics and when that dream was realized, I don’t think I ever dreamt of being able to have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of carrying the flame,” she said.

“I want to thank North Battleford, and without the support of the great community, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity to carry the torch on January 12th so I’m ecstatic, I can’t wait for the day to come.”

Smith Bell lives in Regina. She says she hopes to bring her husband Rob and her two boys –Jaxon, 3; and Kian, 6 – with her for the torch run and cauldron-lighting ceremony. She’s looking forward to seeing her mom and her brother, Martin, at the ceremony as well.

Smith Bell hopes her experience, her lighting of the cauldron and the Olympics themselves will inspire youth in the Battlefords to become involved in sports.

“It’s so important to get youth involved,” she said. “Sport has changed my life dramatically, obviously, and I know that I wouldn’t have had this opportunity, had it not been for sport.

“I hope that children of all ages are able to watch this prestigious event and that they’ll talk about it in years to come and hopefully it’ll ignite a flame in them, I guess. I hope it inspires other kids to dream big, I guess, to get involved in sports and realize how many opportunities there are for you out there.”

Crush, an-18-year-old Engineering student at the U of S, will be running from 15th Ave. to Diefenbaker Drive in North Battleford. She says she found out for sure that she’d been accepted as a runner about a week ago. She’s sponsored by Coca Cola.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “It’s an honour.”

Crush says she’s always been very active, doing five or 10-kilometre runs; playing soccer; going on the site slogoactive.com to log in her activities; and participating in plymometrics, a high-energy workout.

Crush says she remains active in university.

“I go to the gym every now and then, but I like just running. I walk every day there and back to school which is about 40 minutes, and I like doing some rock climbing every now and then too.”

“It’s just awesome that the Olympics are in Canada and that the torch is going to be going through North Battleford, so I thought I’d take advantage of that opportunity,” Crush said.

Crush is a fan of the Olympics, especially the summer sports, like swimming.

But she likes the Winter Olympics – especially bobsledding – so she thought she’d apply to carry the torch.

Crush says she likes bobsledding so much she’d like to give it a try some day.

“It’s something I’d want to try in the future because it’s kind of cool,” she said. “I’d just like to try it out for the experience.”

She plans to be a civil engineer when she graduates from university.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Blog Assignment #3

Choose between the topics given (need only answer 1) and answer in a paragraph on your blog.  Feel free to copy and paste the question onto your blog post.

1.  Choose several lines from Anne Sexton's poem "Courage" explain them in detail.  Examine the lines for meaning, figurative language and appeal.

2.  We have been reading Anne Sexton's poem, "Courage" and Rudyard Kipling's poem "If".  Both poems deal with the theme of courage.  Which poem appeals most to you and explain why.  Consider what the poet says and how each poet expresses his/her viewpoint.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Blog Assignment #2

This week's writing assignment refer to the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling which we studied in class.

1. Do you agree with Kipling's message in this poem? Why or why not? Identify which of Kipling's statements is the most meaningful to you and explain why. Is Kipling's advice useful for people today? Why or why not?


2. Kipling uses the terms man and son at the end of the poem. Why did Kipling choose to use these words? Does the term "man" apply to all humans or is Kipling implying that courage and leadership are masculine traits? Were the terms used to make the message personal or should we consider that Kipling's message accurately defines the requirements of any courageous person or leader?

3. Identify and explain Kipling's use of the sound devices; rhythm, rhyme and repetition.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Blog Assignment #1

Blog Assignment #1

Answer one of the following questions in at least one paragraph. If you are having trouble writing one paragraph from one question, use more than one question.

1. How does being able to write change Christy’s life?

2. Who do you think is the main hero of this story?

3. What do people like Christy Brown, Helen Keller and Christopher Reeve teach us about heroism?

4. What kinds of obstacles do people with disabilities face?

5. What do Christy’s accomplishments indicate about human potential?

Evaluation

Friday, November 6, 2009

blog

Create a google account

-create a user name that is user friendly - remember I work with many people and I do not remember who skatergurl447 really is. Use your first name only. No last names please.  Be digitally responsible.

-use a password you are going to remember; it is a problem if you forget it


Create a blog account

-again use a recognizable user name but not your full name - we are on a first name basis here.

- use the same email as your gmail and the same password - don't try to make your life complicated

-send me an email with the address of your blog to bellgatzke@gmail.com

-you can personalize your blog in the setting.

Begin blogging
You are responsible to write on your blog at least once a week.  I will give you topics to write about each week. 

Thursday, November 5, 2009

My Left Foot Adjectives

The following is from the list of adjectives to describe Mrs. Brown from the story "My Left Foot". Not all of these words describe Mrs. Brown. You are to decide which ones describe Christy's mom. Some of the definitions are not given but you can look them up yourself.

lackadaisical lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy

laconic (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words

lascivious (of a person, manner, or gesture) feeling or revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire : he gave her a lascivious wink.

languid displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed

lethargic

liberal open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values : they have more liberal views toward marriage and divorce than some people.
• favorable to or respectful of individual rights and freedoms

licentious promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters.

loving

loyal


maternal denoting feelings associated with or typical of a mother; motherly

mature

mercenary primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics

meticulous showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise :

modest unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements : he was a very modest man, refusing to take any credit for the enterprise.

myopic unadventurous, narrow-minded, small-minded, short-term, shortsighted

observant

optimistic hopeful and confident about the future

patient

precocious unusually advanced or mature in development, esp. mental development: a precocious child.

prejudiced

prudent acting with or showing care and thought for the future

protective

rational

reliable

reserved slow to reveal emotion or opinion

resilient able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions

resourceful

respectable

responsible

sensitive

steady

strong-willed

sympathetic

tactful having or showing tact (adroitness and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues)

tolerant showing willingness to allow the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with

trustworthy

unscrupulous having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair.

uncouth lacking good manners, refinement, or grace :

vacuous having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless

vain having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth

vengeful seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury

vicious deliberately cruel or violent

vigorous strong, healthy, and full of energy.
• characterized by or involving physical strength, effort, or energy :

vindictive having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge

virtuous having or showing high moral standards : she considered herself very virtuous because she neither drank nor smoke

wise

youthful

zealous having or showing zeal (great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective)

Adjectives from Wednesday

During class on Wednesday, we discussed the adjectives from letter a - k which suited Mrs. Brown. The following are the ones we chose that describe Christy Brown's mother.

• adventurous, altruistic, (unselfish concern for the welfare of others ) ambitious, assertive, assured,

• benevolent, biased,

• candid, cautious, cheerful, clever, compassionate, composed, confident, conservative, contented, courageous, curious

• daring, dedicated, defiant, dependable, determined, dignified, diligent, dutiful

• easy-going, efficient, empathetic, endearing, energetic, engaging

• forgiving, friendly,

• generous, genteel, gracious,

• hardy, headstrong, honest, honourable, humble,

• idealistic,

• keen, kind, kind-hearted,

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Assignment Update

We have been reading "The Letter A" - an excerpt of Christie Brown's memoir - My Left Foot We have been completing the pre-writing for our character analysis. Friday we started completing a character chart for Mrs. Brown. On Monday we will complete this assignment. Tuesday and Thursday are Reading Plus days. During class on Wednesday and Friday we will be working toward completing our character analysis.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Pop culture

The title of this blog post is the link you will need for this assignment. This assignment was created in google documents. Provide your answers to the questions by editing the google doc. We should all be editing this document together. There are no wrong answers - inappropriate answers, but no wrong answers. Just let your voice be heard. Be sure that I can share with your document.

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Scar by Tobi

“The Scar”

My weekly climb
up the mountain
to get the firewood.
It was such a long walk.

Once I was on the mountain
I saw a good tree.
The tree was very difficult
to climb.
Dad never let me climb
the trees.

My Auntie wasn’t watching me
So I started to climb the tree.
The tree was as prickly as a porcupine.
The wind was blowing….hoo hoo.

I’m so far up.
I grasped for the branch .
Oh no!! I’m falling.
Boom, bang, bonk.

Scratch, crash, thud. The smell of pine.
There I was, laying on the ground.
It pain was so intense.
The blood is black
And running down my body.
I’m screaming in pain .
Auntie is running over to me.
What’s wrong?
Take me home.
My own screams of terror ring in my ears.



I have to be quiet.
Auntie is yelling at me.
She says “shut up”
or they will take me away.


The long walk home
down the mountain.
A bamboo stick
to use as a cane.

More pain; I could barely take it.
I couldn’t bend.
The blood kept on coming.

When I was finally home
Auntie put some oozy stuff on my cuts.
It was such a strange weird feeling.
Then she wrapped me up to keep it clean.

I look down at my scar
and remember the smell of vegetables
the bees buzzing
And the sun shining.



My scar is a constant reminder of that day.