Term 3 - Theme Challenges

Term 3 - Challenges

The idea of challenge is explored through a range of reading and writing activities. 

The study of a range of written (extended/nonfiction/poetic) texts to develop understanding of the theme and the implications of challenge for students such as independent living skills, and coping with everyday challenges, and accepting others etc.

Activities could include writing about self for CV or applications; filling in forms; cover letters; setting goals; pathways development

Aim: to offer students opportunities for confirming goals, building life skills and problem solving approaches to deal with student challenges

Possible texts:

Extended text:  self selection of text

Non-fiction and poetic text:

Special Olympics characters; people living on own; special needs

  

Assessment

AS1.4 / 1.5– possible written pieces for portfolio

AS1.3 – practice for close reading unfamiliar text – building skills

AS1.10 – produce work towards standard requirements – recording of texts/ responses

Literacy standards – work for portfolio in reading and writing – use templates provided by NZQA

Term 2 - Theme Survival

Theme - Survival

The idea of survival is explored through discussion, presenting oral/visual ideas and supported with written activities.  Also possible activities outside classroom to support activities around survival such a short tramp, building bivvy etc

(link to STAR around First Aid in bush?)

The study of a range of oral/visual texts to develop understanding of the theme and the implications of survival for individuals, including how that affects us. Link to London underground bombings; 9/11 stuff; Lockerbie – terrorist activity etc

Students will also explore how survival affect one’s life and influences the way we respond from that point on, and deal with life’s challenges. Work can be added to the student’s writing portfolio/ and for literacy standards.

After formative teaching and learning experiences, students are offered the summative assessments.

Aim: to explore the idea of survival through a range of oral/ written texts

Possible texts:

Oral/ visual text:

Reality TV such as Bear/Gryll stuff?

Life experiences – documentaries

U Tube clips

Short texts:

Extract from Mark Inglis story

Newspaper reports: impact on people

Nonfiction:

 SARs/ Civil Defence material

Use of pages from phone book

Earthquake material – newspaper/ web extracts

Assessment

AS1.4 – add to creative writing pieces for portfolio

AS1.3 – practice for close reading unfamiliar text – building skills

AS1.10 – produce work towards standard requirements – recording of texts/ responses

Summative assessment:

AS1.7 – Create a visual and verbal text: visual resource on survival

AS1.6 Construct and deliver an oral text

Literacy standards – work added to portfolio in oral/ reading strands – use templates provided by NZQA

 

Term 1 Level1 NCEA English - Theme = Conflict

Mal Thompson and I wrote this last term. I have not included the curriculum links on the blog but you can easily do this yourself. Theme = CONFLICT The idea of Conflict is explored through discussion and introductory writing activities.  Looking at conflict through global context – using range of texts such as newspaper reports, news footage etc The study of a range of written texts to develop understanding of the theme and the implications of conflict for individuals, including how that affects us. Students will also explore how adversity and personal struggles affect one’s identity and how this in turn determines how adversity is overcome. Understandings and insight reached will then be used to add to the student’s writing portfolio. Write an article on the  personal experiences of  conflict for each student – opinion-based also on an international conflict. On completion of the term’s work and when thorough understanding of the ideas has been shown formatively, students will attempt appropriate assessments. Aim: to explore the idea of conflict through a range of texts Possible texts: Short texts: The Fat Boy, Owen Marshall The Sniper,  Liam O’Flaherty On the sidewalk bleeding, Evan Hunter Newspaper/ Online resources around Afghanistan and conflict there Extended text: Fiction: Tomorrow when War Began, John Marsden Non-fiction text: Speeches: I have a Dream,  Martin Luther King Winston Churchill George W Bush – weapons of mass destruction sp. Visual Text: ....Mal to send title of DVD U Tube clips (Possible opportunities for SDL – students self-select their extended text). Assessment AS1.4 – possible creative writing pieces for portfolio AS1.5 – opinion writing piece could be put into portfolio AS1.3 – practice for close reading unfamiliar text – building skills AS1.10 – produce work towards standard requirements – recording of texts/ responses Literacy standards – work for portfolio in reading and writing – use templates provided by NZQA

Year 9 and 10 Plan

Hi Everyone,

The Year 9/ 10 program is all written and ready for whoever takes over my English next year. I really like this program especially where students have to decide what 2 characters would win in a fight or they would be friends with. I would like to pit Hermoine from Harry Potter and Bella from the Twilight series against each other!
Here is is:

Week	Term One:  31/1 – 15/04/11	Term Two: 2/5 – 15/07/11	Term Three: 1/8- 7/10 2011	Term Four: 25/10–13/12/2011
One	31/1-4/2 WHO AM I? WHO ARE YOU? asTTle testing; STAR tests; spelling etc. Goal setting:  what do I want for this year in English? Teacher analysis of data: informing programme to follow...	2/5-6/5 WHERE’S MY READING MAP? Revisiting my reading log – creating a response to text:  what do I need to do this?  How do I go about it? Task: produce a response	1/8-5/8 WHAT AM I SAYING? Focus on oral language- look at clips from Teen Choice Awards – acceptance speeches (check out UTube clips) Visual/oral approach.	25/10-28/10 SEEING THE BIG PICTURE... Using range of texts as starters, students could produce own clip for UTube etc. What is visual text?  What features do they have?
Two	7/2-11/2  WHO AM I? WHO ARE YOU? Bio poem; orientation to text (using text features) – use range of different text types e.g. poetry, short text, extended text, etc  Focus on oral language( e.g. presentation of bio poem) Map the learners	9/5-13/5 WHO WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH? WHO WOULD WIN IN A FIGHT? Focus on descriptive language – highlighting text from range of novels they are familiar with.	8/8-12/8 WHO IS SAYING WHAT? Use interesting speeches, e.g. Obama, Martin Luther King (I have a Dream); also TV programmes such as Lie to Me, etc.  Identify features of persuasive text – link to language of advertising.	31/10- 4/11 THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR.. What will I need for my clip?  Select story/poem; write a script; organize props and costume and sound; equipment etc.
Three	14/2-18/2 WHAT DO GOOD READERS DO? Reading to learn: What are they saying in text? (Purpose and audience)  Analysis of different text types: passages across curriculum – link to text features.	16-5-20/5 (AREA SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT)	15/8-19/8 HOW DO I SAY IT? HOW DO I WRITE IT? Could use Pingu the Penguin – create a script- link to body language and again visual/verbal features; sound effects; camera shots etc.	7/11- 11/11 DRESS REHEARSAL.. Pulling it together – practising the script.
Four	21/2-25/2 IN A FEW WORDS..... Using selection of short texts and use “What good readers do” checklist and reflect on individual reading behaviours.  Encourage personal reading choice(start Wide Reading log/blog)	23/5-27/5 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Extended text study:  features, character study, plot analysis – idea of theme important. Range of activities to building skills for novel study.	22/8-26/8 HOW DO I SAY IT? HOW DO I WRITE IT? Cont’d	14/11-18/11 AM I IN HOLLYWOOD? Recording – final editing; participating in the Academy Awards!
Five	28/2-4/3 IN MY OWN WORDS.. Introduction to writing process.... why write?  Examine reasons for writing – link to different text types.  Purpose of writing process. Create class poster for wall/ or individual one in books.	30/5-3/6 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Continued.........	29/8-2/9 MAKING IT FORMAL Link to wk 1 – body language and delivery.  Mini recordings – 2 min video on “How Not To”  - good and bad techniques.  Look at DVD exemplars. Task: plan in groups	21/11-25/11 AsTTle/STAR testing week
Six	7/3-11/3 PUTTING IT TOGETHER... Creative writing task – take it through writing process; comment on x number of peer writings.  How do we know what level we are writing at?  Link to exemplars and LLPs as well as student work.	6/6-10/6 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Continued.........	5/9-9/9 MAKING IT FORMAL Link to wk 1 – body language and delivery.  Mini recordings – 2 min video on “How Not To..”  - good and bad techniques.  Look at DVD exemplars. Task: Record own work	28/11-2/12 JUNIOR EXAMS Revision and exams
Seven	14/3-18/3 STILL WRITING....	13/6-17/6 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Continued.........	12/9-16/9 HOW GOOD WAS IT? HOW DO I KNOW? Reflection on task.  Group discussion. What have I learnt? What am I aiming for? How will I get there?	5/12-9/12 Range of activities happening
Eight	21/3-25/3  CHANGE IT UP.... Turn creative writing into a cartoon strip.  Need teaching on visual / verbal features – use examples from newspaper/ comic book, graphic novels...	20/6-24/6 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Continued.........	19/9-23/9 GOING ABOUT IT... Planning my speech:  researching; ensuring students know assessment schedule and linking planning to delivery.	12/12-13/12 End of school year
Nine	28/3-1/4  CHANGE IT UP – cont’d Practical work....	27/6-1/7 LOOKING BACK... Revision	26/9-30/9 GOING ABOUT IT... Adding in peer assessment with writing and delivery practice
Ten	4/4-8/4 PRESENTING.... ... explain creative writing and how it changed in the comic strip.	4/7-8/7 MID YEAR EXAM	3/10-7/10 GOING ABOUT IT... Presenting and assessing of speeches
Eleven	11/4-15/4 REVIEW....What have we learnt? Could time for ARBs passage? Or reflective time – setting goals round reading and writing and evaluation of goals from beg of term.	11/7-15/7 NOSEY PARKER STRIKES.... A research based assignment: finding out more about a character/ event/ idea.... How can I present my findings? (maybe a plan is all that is needed here)

Written by Tamara Yuill Proctor and Mal Thompson

Busy End of Year!

Well it is that time of year when everything seems to go crazy! I have my class blog ready and waiting for the students to write their film and book reviews. Then comment on each others work, hopefully without issue!

But first they have an E-Asttle reading test, STAR test and a Asttle writing test...must remember to bring in some lollies after all the assessments, congratulate them on working hard.

The scheme for next year is almost ready and I hope to have it posted soon. I think it is an interesting program for my NCEA students and wish I was teaching it...I am moving back to Christchurch so it may or may not be used.

So once the testing is done there is nothing left but to mark and get on with reports...

Ed Talks

Recently at the Ulearn Conference I was lucky enough to give an EdTalk on the subject of  Twitter - Here it is: Twitter at School

EdTalks is a great website that has an aweful lot of great videos relating to education. Click on the links and take a look.

Grammar made fun!

This is a site I found on the Ning network: http://www.grammarmancomic.com/comicsgman.html Grammarman is a comic book hero. The comic strips can either be printed off or you can watch and listen to them as a class. Brilliant.
There is also a heap of other things if you go to the main page: http://www.grammarmancomic.com/index.html.

Check it out

Holes by L Sachar

My Year 9-10 combined class are reading Holes at the moment and are loving it. Even my very low ability students are engaged and eager to read. The short manageable chapters helps their confidence. I have found some good sites that I would like to share:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading39/holes.htm This site is brilliant for online or printable questions. I have organised teams in the class and they compete to answer the questions using the interactive whiteboard.
Today they made paper chain men, wrote the characters name at the top of each boy and then filled the body with references about the character.
We have a post it question notice board. When they have a question they put it on a post it note stick it on the whiteboard and I staple them onto the poster. They can see how their questions have developed over the weeks - They answer the questions or pick one to research and share it with the class.

2011 Year 11 Plan

2011

Almost finished with planning for L1 English next year for the new teacher to take over. I will post the plan next week and share it with English Online forum. I have to say a big thanks to Mal who is the literacy advisor down here in Southland. Her help and guidence has been amazing and we are lucky enough to have had workshops and one on one PD on the new curriculum and realignment of the standards.
Anyhow stay tuned it will appear next week.

Essay Structure for NCEA

I was lucky enough to learn a great acronym for students to use when doing revision for essays. I have turned this into a Prezi  - Essay Structure. Take a look let me know what you think.

Finally excitement from students about homework

Finally my students are excited about their homework. The idea of making a youtube movie really appealed. Here it is:

Task

You are to create an informative presentation on Illiteracy and why it is important to be literate.

You will need to be able:

• To define what illiteracy and literacy are
• Where globally people are literate and illiterate
• The reasons for this
• Why it is important to be literate
• What can be done to help solve the problem of illiteracy
• Identify up to 3 ways you could help solve this problem

Presentation

Be original – you could make a ‘you tube’ video, website, wall-chart, comic book, presentation using prezi.com, power-point, play, newspaper article, an information sheet for the school newsletter.

First Day Term 4

Went to school with a new bounce in my step and full of inspiration and motivation. My Year 12/13 class were awesome and really loved the post-it notes they did. Now all up on the wall looking neat and tidy and a reminder of their NCEA goals.
Year 9/10 little harder to please but enjoyed the prezi I posted. They liked the mix of video, quotes and discussion. They also did post-it notes about 'why we read?' and what 'they want to know'. These walls will be visited several times over the next term.
So all in a brilliant start to the term.

Prezi for reading

Here is the link to my Prezi on reading - each heading relates to a discussion point
http://prezi.com/6uolray8poz9/why-read/

Tools that are cool!

Wordle is a brilliant tool - I got students to write a bio poem then cut and paste it into Wordle, great success.

Twitter - use it to collaborate, investigate, a source of information. Get students to make observations and use Twitter as the tool. Keep classes updated with a twitter feed on your class page.

Google Docs - brilliant for collaboration on assignments, sharing documents, analysing exemplars the list goes on...

Storyonline - this is a brilliant primary/intermediate resource. Famous people from the Actors Guild reading their favourite story book - lesson plans included. Also great for all students to hear how to read a story.

Inspiration

After 3 days at Ulearn10 I am feeling inspired by all I have learnt. Today I am putting together a Prezi for my Year 9/10 students (13/14year olds). It is titled 'Why Read' and I am currently finding information that will appeal to the students. When completed I will post a link.

I will also be creating a new class twitter link to sync with their blogs, that was I twitter can tell me when they have made an entry rather than hunting through them all.

Habits of Mind

I really enjoyed the breakout on 'Habits of Mind' that Karen Boyes gave today. It really is something I want to start using with my students, practical skills for the real world.
Here is a link to the website: http://www.instituteforhabitsofmind.com/

Quote

'Teaching makes all other professions possible' - A great quote from Karen Boyes at the Ulearn10 conference.

Twitter

Some ways to use Twitter:

• Collaboration  - within the classroom, across schools, cities and countries. Collaboration can be between the students, student and teacher or teacher and teacher. A tweet can go out asking for resources, opinions, and ideas.
• Class Page - Giving updates on what is happening, what to remember and other useful information. This can be embedded in the school website. These updates could include reminders on what gear to bring, reminder of parent evening and for such events as school closure.
• Gathering Information - It is a very fast way to gather information. I put out a tweet for how people use Twitter in education and OLC and received ideas back  within seconds.
• Reader Response - Students can use Twitter in the classroom to ask questions or to make comments on observations whilst engaged in the classroom activities (Grosseck & Holotescu, 2008).
• Sync with a Blog - Twitter can be used to let viewers know there is a new blog entry instead of scrolling through the blog.