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. 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

A popular childhood tradition in Canada is watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas!   I remember watching it almost every year - even as a teenager!  It is a classic written by the famous author Dr. Seuss,  and has been around since 1957. The Grinch has since become an icon of the winter holidays, despite the character's hatred of the season, and has appeared on various forms of memorabilia such as Christmas ornaments, stuffed animals, Halloween costumes, and various clothing items.


Listen to the song:  How many similes and metaphors can you pick out?  Can you find any examples of alliteration?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pQgSvN7hYo

After watching the movie, try this quiz.  Lots of questions!  Let me know how you do!

http://learningenglishwithmichelle.blogspot.ca/2012/12/learn-english-with-how-grinch-stole.html

Gift of the Magi

Today we read a very special Christmas story - The Gift of the Magi.

You can listen to the story by clicking on this link:

http://esl-bits.net/ESL.English.Listening.Short.Stories/Gift.of.the.Magi.Plus/Gift.of.The.Magi/default.html

Monday:  Period 2 and 3:  Illustrating Irony, Critical Thinking Questions

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwjl-Iu4gsPJAhXkpIMKHRYSAYcQFggiMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgphs.sharpschool.net%2Fcommon%2Fpages%2FDisplayFile.aspx%3FitemId%3D22642487&usg=AFQjCNGiIKWLbqjC_F6C7mBQJUEn8NcF8Q&sig2=i6iLa2LQkTHAMpo8PcBcYg&cad=rja

Period 4:  Critical Thinking Questions

Thanks Janine - for the incredible picture of my family.   This is so special - it has such meaning to me, and like the story, shows how the best gifts are more precious than any material item.

Incredible day at the Lone Star Ranch!

Today I had the pleasure of accompanying newcomer students to the leadership day at the LoneStar Ranch. Here are just a few of our awesome photos from a great day - lots of first, lots of laughs, lots of fun!

A few more pics from Michael:

Add a comment below to tell about your favourite part of the day!

Writing a news report!

 Check out these links that show us how to write a news article for the OSSLT

Preparing for the OSSLT - writing a news article

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

News article #1 is due on Monday! 

Investigating the parts of a news article!

Book Club #3 Consolidating our Thinking - examining Resiliency!

In the past couple of weeks we have looked at various stories/videos/articles dealing with RESILIENCY.    Now let's link this all together!   Here are some ideas to consider for this week's book club:

1. What is resilience?  Is there a character in your novel who displays resilience?  Give examples from the novel.
2. What is the theme in your novel?  Why did you pick this theme - support evidence from the novel. 
3. Text to text/Text to media:   What other books/movies have you seen or read where the main character displayed resilience?
4. What text to self connections can you make with your main character?  When have you displayed resilience?
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.

Discussing the Challenges of being an English Language Learner and a teenager!

Resiliency - not giving up when completing a challenging task

Resiliency - We can't take our heads out of our books!

Building Resiliency - Orientation/Leadership Day in the Fall

Reading Strategy:  Questioning!   We have been learning about the importance of questioning.  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 AND their 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?

Remembrance Day - Descriptive Writing

This week we are studying Veterans Week - November 5-11th.  It is 100 years since the famous poem - In Flanders Fields - was written by John McCrae.  We will be looking at the poem and doing some descriptive writing.     If anyone is interested in putting in an entry for the art/poetry and writing contest, put on by the Royal Canadian Legion - I have the registration forms due by Friday.    Many of you have already started brainstorming and coming up with amazing ideas.  I can't wait to see  your work!

This week we are studying descriptive writing.   Write a paragraph using imagery to describe a photo. Here are a couple of pictures you could use - or pick your own, or use your own artwork.   Remember that the theme is REMEMBRANCE.

Book Club Meeting #2

Excellent book club meeting yesterday!  I could tell who had worked hard on their discussion questions, and it was wonderful to hear the amazing conversations about your books.  You delved deeply into character, setting, making predictions and answering your critical thinking questions.  Keep up the amazing effort!  I am extremely proud of your hard work!

If you are looking for The Sound of Thunder link - scroll down to the Hallowe'en post - it is there!

Here are the questions for Meeting #2: Due next Friday!

Meeting #2:

1. What is most surprising in the novel so far? Why?
2. Words of the Wiser... When an older character shares his or her understanding, insight, or advice on an issue or topic, stop and think about it.  These insights/story or advice usually reveals something important about the theme.   Find an example of Words of the Wiser in your novel.    Ask yourself, "What's the life lesson, and how might it affect the character?"  The important lesson offered here is that....   Explain your answer. 
3. Choose a quote that stands out to you as important to the novel. Explain why you think it is important.
4. How does the author use language in the novel?  What is the overall effect?  How does the language shape the novel?  Come with specific examples from the novel.
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.

Happy Hallowe'en! Short Story Unit

We had a great Hallowe'en week, and continue reading spooky and exciting short stories, and examining elements of a story.  Look in your google drive ESL file for Literary Definitions - this will help you for the upcoming short story unit test.  

Great Costumes and display of Hallowe'en Spirit!    For many of you this was your first Hallowe'en in Canada and you certainly seemed to enjoy it!  

Here is the link for the short story The Sound of Thunder that we read in class today.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XFtrc-PgR8XPbKtU5j-HnzYNydHbub-Q9EEnomNO8CI/edit

Monday - October 26th!

Book club questions and meeting due on Friday.  Make sure you are ready in order to meet with your group.

Eric Walters webquest - due Wednesday.