Hallowe'en is coming!

Spirit Week this week - check the atrium for what to wear!  Titan Wear, Athletes, Bad Fashions, Grade colours!   Get your costumes ready for Monday the 31st.

We will be beginning our short story unit, and reading some spooky stories for Hallowe'en.

IXL - our trail may have run out... but see if you can do the following exercises:

Period 2:  Keep reading RAZ on your ipad.  Great efforts!
ESL AO-  1- P.1, P.2, P.3, P.4, P.5
ESL BO-2 - T.1, T.2, T.3, T.4,   3 - T.1, T.2, T.3

Period 3 and 4:  Due this Friday - your news report about McFarlane
Check out this video that tell us how to write a news report:

Writing a News Report! 

Use the graphic organizer provided to help you plan your report.  Be creative!   


Reading a News Report!
Go to Newsela.com
Period 3 - enter this code:  8R57UR

Period 4 - enter this code:QXMGHX

Read the article assigned and try the quiz.   While reading the article, look for quotes and where the 5Ws and the H are located.  

OSSLT PREP!

Period 3 and 4:  Everyone has been working so hard to prepare for the Literacy test this week.   Your Opinion Essay is due on Wednesday.   

Wednesday night - you could watch these little videos to have some tips fresh in your head!  Also, get a good nights sleep and have a good breakfast on Thursday morning.

Writing a News Article

Writing a News Report!

Look at some of these samples:
Sample news reports

Now Try it- Question 19 - Session 1
Writing a News Article - Question 19 on the On-line practice!

Plan:
1. Read the headline and picture and decide on an event. Ask: “What happened?”
2. Jot down answers to the questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
3. List the names of the participants.

Write:
1. Write the first paragraph using the answers to your 5Ws.
2. Write the body: Explain using details what happened, using quotations from participants to support the facts in your news story. (Make them up. They do not have to be accurate!)
3. Quotations are important in the newspaper article.   Include a couple of quotations - from eye witnesses, participants, observers, experts - make them up! 
4. Write in the third person (he, she it, they) Avoid using the first person. (I)
5. Write in the past tense. (Last Monday, Bridget H. came fourth in the slalom race at OFSSA.)
6. Write a conclusion or ending to your news story.

Practice the on-line test!
Take some time to practice writing your answers on the on-line test. 

Preparing for the On-Line Literacy Test!

This is a busy week.  We are preparing for the on-line Literacy test.  This is a short week and time is flying! 

If you are in ESL CO/DO/EO, in grade 10, 11 or 12, please download the EQAO Online app from the App Store.    We will be using this during the week to practice.

Go to this site for another on-line practice test that does not require a code:
Online EQAO practice test

Period 2:  We are still learning about Nouns, and working on a Vision Board.  

IXL - 1- E.1, E.2, E.3, E.4, F.1, X.1, Y.s
2- E.1, E.2, E.3, F.1, F.2, II.1

Period 3 and 4:  Working on our Opinion Essay.  Keep working on your IXL and reading your independent novel.

Today we are working on writing a good hook.  We will also be learning about using Transition Words.  Follow the organizer given to you.  I am looking forward to hearing about your favourite holidays and traditions!  

IXL- 7- F.1, E.1, D.1, G.1, J.1
8- A.1, A.2, C.1, C.2, J.1

I realize this is a lot - do what you can!   You may see questions with these skills on the literacy test!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is coming up!   What are you thankful for?

Learn more about Pumpkin Pie and Thanksgiving traditions:

Pumpkin Pie!
Try the quiz and let me know how you did.
Here's a little video about the origin of American Thanksgiving:
The origins of Thanksgiving!

IXL:  
Period 2:  This week we are practicing NOUNS - 1 - D.1, D.2, D.3, D.4, D.5, D.6, E.1, E.2, E.3, E.4

Harder questions:  2 - F.1, F.2,      3- D.1, D.2, D.3, D.4, E.1, E.2, F.1, F.2

We are also finishing up our unit on Terry Fox.  What is your dream?  We will be talking about our dreams for the future and completing mini-presentations. 

Period 3 and 4:  This week we are practicing using context clues in a reading passage to help with understanding, as well as learning about different types of sentences, 
Try:   Synonyms:  7- II.1, II.2,  L.1, 0.1, O.2, O.3
                              8 - GG.1
                              9 - Want a challenge?  W.1, W.2, W.3

We will finish our summary and try another one on our own.  

Your opinion DOES matter!  We will also be talking about our favourite holiday and writing an opinion piece about it.

Practice writing your opinion:  Are professional athletes positive role models?

This short video summarizes and provides tips about how to write an opinion piece.

These slides give us further information about writing a series of paragraphs.
Opinion Writing - samples from the literacy test

Here are questions that have appeared in previous tests.  These are questions that are relevant to teenagers.  You might have a strong opinion about some of them...  So, what do you think?

• Should zoos exist?
• Are today’s famous people good role models for young people?
• Is it a good idea for high school students to have a part-time job?
• Are cellphones necessary in teenagers’ lives?
• Is participation in extracurricular activities an important part of secondary school life?
• Do teenagers place too much importance on what they wear?
• Should every student be required to take a Physical Education class every year of high school?
• Should Ontario high schools allow students to eat junk food and sell junk food in their cafeterias?
• Should the sale of junk foods be banned from Ontario secondary schools?
• Should Canada join the United States?
• Is it important for teenagers to pay attention to world news?