Writing a News Article on the OSSLT!

After reading so many Newsela articles, you are all now very familiar with newspaper articles and their format.   For those writing the OSSLT, please watch these videos over the break AND MAKE NOTES TO SHOW ME.  The internet has been up and down at school, and these will really help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_NmVtnEEA8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANpGZtpyc7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNJCSnntvDE

Now try your own article with one of these photos!

Getting ready for our first Book Club meeting!

I am so impressed with your incredible reading!  You all seem very interested in your books.  We will set reading goals at our first meeting.  Here is how you can come prepared.

Prior to each meeting:

• Students are expected to prepare point form notes to answer the assigned questions based on their reading.  Use the bookmark provided by Mrs. B
• Each student is to create her own 2 questions for discussion, with his/her answers. (Share with me on Google Drive) 

•  Avoid literal/factual knowledge based questions that involve remembering without understanding, analysis, or evaluation.  (see the Q chart below)

Meeting #1 - ___:

1. What scene is the most impactful? Why?
2. Find a quote online (or from a text) that relates to the novel.   What connections can you make between the quote and the novel. (text to text, text to self, text to world, text to media)
3. Which character is the most interesting? Why?
4. Making predictions - what do you think will happen next?  Why?
5. Using the Q-Chart as your guide to higher level thinking questions, create 2 questions for your group. Prepare your answers, but share them only after each member has had a chance to answer the question.

Reading Strategy:  Questioning!   We have been learning about the importance ofquestioning.  Effective readers ask questions all the time when they are reading.  Asking questions helps you to understand what is happening in the text.
In class, we have been using a “Q Chart”.   This is a grid containing various question starters.   By using these question starters, we have identified which types of questions would be hand-type questions (a question that you can find the answer to right on a page in the text) or a higher level thinking question, or a brain-type of question.  These types of questions require a reader to use information that they find in the text ANDtheir own ideas to develop an effective answer.
Below is a copy of the Q chart.    When you are reading, what are some questions that you can develop about your book?

Socrative

Period 3 and 4 - Sorry for the internet issues today.  The Socrative quiz is now up and running - ESL210.   This goes with the Newsela article - Teens find support in dealing with anti-Muslim bullying.  Good Luck!
Watch this video:  Strategies for completing multiple choice questions on the OSSLT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSV5nKxZ01k

Period 2 - try a Newsela article and a quiz.  Pick any one that looks interesting! 

Global Oneness Project

In what ways do you celebrate diversity? 
What is diversity to you? Does diversity matter?
What happens when you have it? What happens when you don't?

With a partner, view the following photo essay.

https://www.globalonenessproject.org/library/photo-essays/belief

Questions for homework:

· Does diversity matter? What would happen without diversity? 

· What are some ways diversity can be respected? 

· If you were asked to rename this photo essay, what title would you give it? 

· If you were a judge for a photo contest that celebrates diversity, which of these images do you think would be the winning photograph? Why? 

Now pick two of your responses above and give a detailed answer using the  ROPES

strategy. (On a separate piece of paper)

Remember:  Students who were absent are responsible for work missed. 

February is Black History Month

Learn about the Underground Railway:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm

Begin the Journey and follow the route.  You can press Listen if you want to hear the information at each stop.

Read about the Underground Railway:
http://www.ducksters.com/history/civil_war/underground_railroad.php

Then take this quiz:
http://www.ducksters.com/history/civil_war/underground_railroad_questions.php

Learn more about Harriet Tubman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amGRYf2ComY

Watch this Heritage Minute about the Underground Railroad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RLEE0ENHoI

Learn more about William Hall:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44bDMiZiyTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaLgZV9VnKM


Learn more about Viola Desmond:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GZn1QdhafM

Learn about the origins of Black History Month in the United States:

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

Happy Valentine's Day! The History of Valentines. Video Listening Activity!

Sunday is Valentine's Day!   A day to tell the people close to us that we love them.

Listen to the History of Valentine's and try the quiz.  Let Mrs. B. know how you do!


http://www.eslvideo.com/esl_video_quiz_high_intermediate.php?id=10436


http://www.eslvideo.com/esl_video_quiz_high_intermediate.php?id=4114


http://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/valentinesday/listening/history-of-valentines-day.html

Brighten someone's day - send an animal ecard!  Or write a letter telling someone special how much you appreciate them.  That means a lot!

http://online.nwf.org/site/PageNavigator/ecards?id=52

Figurative Language:  We talked about Similes comparing love to an object at home.  Can't wait to see what you come up with!   Can you find a song that compares love to another object?

Should Kids Play Football?

We have watched Superbowl commercials and discussed which were the most effective.

Period 2:  Action Magazine:  http://action.scholastic.com/issues/09_07_15/book#/22

Read page 23.  Do you think Kids should play football?

Period 3 and 4:  Read this article about Students playing football.  Then complete the quiz and pros and cons chart.



https://drive.google.com/a/ocsb.ca/file/d/0B6uajOWP-Qm9bGNZRHNDbVRPUGM/view?usp=sharing

Superbowl Commercials! Some of the best ever!

In class today we talked a little bit about football.  For many of you, your sport of "football" is kicking the soccer ball.  Here in North America, football is used with this kind of ball:

This weekend is the Superbowl - a huge football game in the United States,  which millions of people watch.   It is also the biggest day of the year for advertising!  The Superbowl is famous for the incredible commercials!   Whether you watch the football or not, take a look at some of these very famous ads. (They are the part that I like!)   They are great for ESL.  Some use very little language, but still get across a very effective message.   We will talk about them on Monday.  Who is the intended audience?  What advertising techniques are used to sell the product?  Which one do you like best?  Why?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPKgC8KPBMg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRpPAibi_ck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xffOCZYX6F8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8ZnwjTxLnw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDb-7DY3CjU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_Ep0O5fWN4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxzDwjsj-A

Read, Write, Rock!

http://www.readwriterock.com/main.html

Check out this website - try the reading activities.  This is a fun way to prepare for the Literacy Test!  Something to do on those nights you don't have homework!  

Off to a great start!

Have course outline signed.   Start fresh with a binder with paper, dividers labelled, pens and pencils in a pencil case.  Thanks!  

End of semester slide show!

Thanks for a great semester!   

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e444d334e5455344f44413d0d0a&blogview=true


Thanks to Donia and Souf for taking some of these great photos!   Here are just a few of the many photos I collected!  Enjoy!  Click on the link!

Congratulations to our Remembrance Day Winners!

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Royal Canadian Legion's Art and Literary Contest Ceremony.  I was so proud of you all!  Mother Teresa had 14 winners - of those - 7 are ESL students.   They received over 300 entries - many from my classes.  You all produced such amazing work!  It was so difficult for them to choose.  Congratulations to the winners from our group:  Adriana, James, Shiyi, Vienna, Maro, Leonardo and Angelica.  

Studying for exams?  Please go over the vocabulary words, literary elements definitions and essay outline, given to you in class.  That will help you considerably!   Good luck!

PSAs! Here are a few examples!

Hi Everybody - I know we have had extreme internet issues lately.  Here are some of the Public Service Announcements I had wanted to show you today.  If you have time in the next couple of days, please take some time and watch these.  Look at what the producers do to grab your attention, and relay their message.  Let me know which ones you like best!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch…

https://www.youtube.com/watch…

https://www.youtube.com/watch…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7dLU6fk9QY
love this one! of course!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8aSCWbQ5wc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPwlWDA6Brs&list=LLF6Gh82OEHiwkcLlpPO8qQg&index=10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh0dJ2qpT-8&index=2&list=LLF6Gh82OEHiwkcLlpPO8qQg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWt30jBJfU8&list=LLF6Gh82OEHiwkcLlpPO8qQg&index=4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnDgZuGIhHs&list=LLF6Gh82OEHiwkcLlpPO8qQg&index=7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rClJW9gnchc&index=9&list=LLF6Gh82OEHiwkcLlpPO8qQg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiouJsnYytI

one of my favourites!

Now your job - try to find some radio PSAs.  Good luck!  I am SO impressed with all the hard work you have done!  You have all come such a long way!! 

Discovering Theme!

We are getting ready to start our RST about our novels.  Watch this video which describes how to identify the theme in your novel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4qME64SkxM

We will work together in our group to consolidate our thinking about theme.   This will be useful in the next few weeks.

For those travelling and not in class this week - here is a powerpoint presentation which is also very beneficial when studying theme.

http://www.slideshare.net/thalialongoria/finding-themes-in-literature-ppt

2016 in 16 words!

Writing a sentence (or two) that is exactly 16 words can take a few tries.
The added challenge of it being a statement about 2016 makes it a challenge! 
What would you write about this year?  You can offer predictions, poetry,  jokes or something profound!
Submit yours by tweeting to @mthsesl with the hashtag #2016in16words. or posting on our Facebook site.  You can include a picture or image.