Course Profile   English for School and Work, Level 3, Open, Public

 

Unit 1:  Hopes and Dreams

Time:  25 hours

 

Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4

Unit Description

As an introduction to the theme of dreams and goals, students write a poem that expresses who they are, how the world sees them, and how they see themselves. Through a study of poetry, articles, and biographies of famous Canadians, students discover that dreams are an integral part of life. Students consider their own short and long term dreams and interview Canadian peers to discover their dreams. The language and grammatical foci of this unit are note-taking, compound and complex sentence structure, the present conditional, the comparative, and the recognition of the passive voice in writing. Students begin an autobiographical portfolio, which will be on-going throughout the course. In this first unit students write a poem and linked paragraphs for their autobiographical portfolio.

Unit Synopsis Chart

Activity

Expectations

Assessment

Focus/Tasks

1. How I See Myself and How Others See Me

 

 

4 hours

CORV.01, COR1.04, CREV.03, CWRV.02, CWR1.02, CWR2.01, CWR2.03, CWR2.04, CWR2.05, CWR3.02, CWR3.07, CWR3.08, CSCV.02, CSC2.01, CSC2.02

Summative: activity assessed:

- student written poem (T/I, C)

Focus: Poetry, Autobiographical Portfolio

Tasks

·         poetry reading

·         First portfolio entry - poetry writing

·         using the writing process

2. Dreamers and Their Dreams

 

 

12 hours

CORV.01, COR2.02, CREV.01, CREV.03, CRE1.O1, CRE2.01, CRE2.02, CRE3.02, CRE3.03, CRE4.03, CWRV.01, CWRV.03, CWR1.01, CSCV.02

Diagnostic: paragraph writing and speaking based on biographies
(T/I, C, K/U)

Formative: activities assessed

- note-taking (K/U, T/I)

- comprehension
(K/U, C)

- vocabulary (K/U, C)

Summative: activities assessed

- note-taking (K/U, T/I, A)

Focus: Study biographies of Canadians and non-fiction articles

Tasks

·         biographies

·         reading comprehension

·         vocabulary building

·         note taking

·         comprehension of the passive voice

·         oral presentation of material in
Appendix D

3. Our Hopes and Dreams

 

 

3 hours

CORV.02, CORV.03, COR1.02, COR1.03, COR2.01, COR3.01, COR3.02, CWR3.02, CSC1.04, CSC2.05

Formative: activities assessed

- self assessment of ability to interview and converse with peers in mainstream classes (T/I, C)

Focus: Interviews of Canadian Peers

Tasks

·         question formation

·         interview

4. Comparing and Reflecting on Dreams

 

 

6 hours

CWRV.02, CWRV.03, CWRV.04, CWR1.03, CWR2.01, CWR2.02, CWR2.04, CWR2.05, CWR3.01, CWR3.02, CWR3.03

Summative: activities assessed

- linked paragraphs
(K/U, T/I, C, A)

Focus: Linked paragraphs for Autobiographical Portfolio

Task

·         complex sentences

·         present factual conditional

·         linked paragraphs

K/U = Knowledge/Understanding           C = Communication

T/I = Thinking/Inquiry                            A = Application

 

Activity 1:  How I See Myself and How Others See Me

Time:  240 minutes

Description

Students participate in ice-breaker activities and then read and discuss a poem. Using the structure modeled in the poem, students write a verse about themselves. The Autobiographical Portfolio, which will be an on-going component of this course is introduced. With the assistance of peers, students edit their poems and produce final, word-processed copies as the first inclusion in their Portfolios.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s):  Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Oral and Visual

CORV.01 - initiate and take part in conversations, participate in classroom discussions, and make short oral presentations, with teacher guidance, using a variety of subject- specific words and expressions;

COR1.04 - participate in group work, cooperative games and team work.

Reading

CREV.03 - read for specific purposes with teacher guidance.

Writing

CWRV.02 - use the writing process, with teacher guidance, with an emphasis on peer and independent review on content and organization;

CWR1.02 - compose stories, poems and dialogues;

CWR2.01 - revise first drafts to clarify ideas and organization;

CWR2.03 - edit their own writing, with attention to specific language features identified by the teacher (e.g., tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, use of articles);

CWR2.04 - use word-processing software to compose and edit their writing;

CWR2.05 - use graphic software to format and embellish their writing;

CWR3.02 - use appropriately, and with some accuracy, common tenses and verb phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions of direction and time, and interrogative and negative construction;

CWR3.07 - use learner dictionaries, thesauri and spell checkers to develop vocabulary and check the accuracy of spelling;

CWR3.08 - use some visual features of text for emphasis (e.g., italics, bold face and underlining).

Social and Cultural Competence

CSCV.02 - respond appropriately in most teaching and learning situations;

CSC2.01 - use English or shared first language to explain school rules, school and classroom routines and expectations, and emergency procedures to new students, and to introduce them to key locations and personnel in the school);

CSC2.02 - describe and compare different approaches to teaching and learning in different cultures (e.g., the role of teachers in Canada and in their country of origin).

Prior Knowledge & Skills

·         Some knowledge of the Canadian school system and norms

·         Ability to work independently and in groups

·         Basic knowledge of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentence structure

·         Ability to express ideas in English

Planning Notes

·         Review how to play the Name Game which is an excellent way to get to know class members’ names. When playing this game, work as a class to assist students who find it difficult to remember classmates’ names. In the second round, students may also need assistance coming up with positive adjectives that describe themselves and also begin with the first letter of their first name. As a class, brainstorm a list of positive adjectives. The aim of this activity is to make all students feel comfortable and create classroom bonds.

·         Prepare a class set of school and class rules. In some schools this is available in student agenda books.

·         Prepare a class set of Appendices A and B.

·         When assigning the poem, be sensitive to the fact that not all students may have family members. Therefore, before students write their own poem, brainstorm a list of people whom they might use, e.g., teachers, neighbours, friends, classmates, etc.

·         Book the computer lab (where available) for students to create final copies of their poems. Alternatively have students rewrite the poems by hand and embellish them.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1.   Play the Name Game: Have the first student say his/her name. The following students say their own name as well as the names of the students who have preceded them. Continue until the whole class has said their names. The teacher should be the last participant, repeating the names of all class members.

2.   Briefly review the definitions of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Provide examples for each. Repeat the Name Game, having students add an adjective that describes a positive attribute of themselves to their name. The adjective should begin with the same letter as their name, for example, Joyful Joyce.

3.   Distribute copies of school and classroom rules and procedures. As a class, students discuss the reasons for some of these rules. Have students compare the rules of the school and class to rules and expectations of other schools they attended and discuss the different approaches to teaching and learning in different cultures. Students write a journal reflecting on different approaches to teaching and learning.

4.   Introduce and explain the ongoing Autobiographical Portfolio. Distribute pocket folders, and Appendix A. Use pictures, photos, drawings, magazine pictures to decorate portfolio.

5.   Distribute a poem such as, “How I See Myself and How Others See Me” (Appendix B) and read the poem together. Discuss the poem and introduce the term simile. A simile is a comparison that uses “like” or “as,” e.g., “My dad sees me as a helpful notebook”. Have students underline the similes in the poem. In pairs, identify the comparison and discuss the meaning of each underlined simile. As a class, confirm understanding of the similes.

6.   Divide the class into groups of four. Identify how different people see them and create similes like those presented in the poem. Ask each group to present some ideas to the class. As a class, read the other poems from Appendix B and identify similes.

7.   Instruct the class to follow the pattern modeled in the poem to create a poem about themselves.

8.   Students exchange poems with a classmate to edit for inclusion and clarity of similes.

9.   Students rewrite their poems using graphics software, if available, to format and embellish their work. Students put poems into their portfolios and submit for assessment.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

·         Assess poem for ability to follow the pattern and use similes. CWR1.02 (T/I, C)

·         Assess poem for evidence of editing with attention to spelling, verb tenses. CWR2.01, CWR2.03, CWR3.02, CWR3.07 (K/U, A)

·         Assess poem for use of graphic software. CWR2.04, CWR2.05 (K/U)

Accommodations

·         Students write a personal response comparing school and classroom rules.

·         Students write an additional poem about Canada.

·         Use all four examples provided in Appendix A.

·         Write sentences instead of a poem or write a shorter poem.

·         Provide students with sentence stems or the poem in a cloze format.

Resources

Urban Voices. Toronto District School Board, 2000.

 

Activity 2:  Dreamers and Their Dreams

Time:  720 minutes

Description

Students read biographies of famous Canadians who dared to make their dreams become realities. Students complete comprehension and vocabulary activities and take notes based on their reading. Using material from the readings, students learn to distinguish between active and passive sentences. Finally, students complete a graphic organizer about themselves and famous Canadians and write a paragraph comparing themselves to these Canadians.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Oral and Visual Communication

CORV.01 - initiate and take part in conversations, participate in classroom discussions, and make short oral presentations, with teacher guidance, using a variety of subject-specific words and expressions;

COR2.02 - use some transition words and phrases to link ideas (e.g., to show sequence, to compare and contrast).

Reading

CREV.01 - choose and read books at the appropriate level for a variety of purposes;

CREV.03 - read for specific purposes with teacher guidance;

CRE1.01 - read and respond to a variety of fiction and non-fiction materials selected for study and pleasure (e.g., participate in a literature study group; give short book talks; write book reports);

CRE2.01 - demonstrate knowledge of some key specialized terms in different subject areas (e.g., photosynthesis, osmosis, membrane in biology);

CRE2.02 - use dictionaries and a thesaurus to build vocabulary;

CRE3.02 - recognize patterns of word structure and derivation and use them to determine meaning (e.g., origin/original/originate);

CRE3.03 - demonstrate comprehension of passages containing complex verb forms, with teacher guidance (e.g., selections of grade level texts containing the past perfect tense, passive verbs or conditional structures);

CRE4.03 - take notes from a variety of sources, using graphic organizers such as charts and tables as a guide.

Writing

CWRV.01 - write in a variety of forms for various purposes and audiences;

CWRV.03 - arrange ideas in logical order and present them in linked sentences and simple paragraphs;

CWR1.01 - make notes in some detail as preparation for writing on familiar topics.

Social and Cultural Competence

CSCV.02 - respond appropriately in most teaching and learning situations.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

·         Familiarity with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs and ability to create word families

·         Familiarity with paragraph structure

·         Knowledge of the comparative

·         Some familiarity with note taking

Planning Notes

·         Collect a variety of biographies of famous Canadians in fields such as science, space travel, the arts, politics, sports, etc. Develop questions that assist students in understanding the biographies and encourage their critical thinking skills.

·         Review vocabulary in a chosen article about a Canadian astronaut and decide which words to include in the vocabulary. A sample vocabulary chart is provided in Appendix C.

·         Prepare a vocabulary chart similar to Appendix C for an article on a famous Canadian scientist.

·         Provide information on the passive voice. For extra practice on the passive voice select exercises from various grammar texts.

·         Prepare two overheads to introduce the passive voice. On the first, copy excerpts of active sentences from the article on a Canadian scientist, on the second copy excerpts of passive sentences from the same article.

·         Focus students on positive aspects of success by having them complete Appendix D and then present the section on themselves to the class. Use this presentation as a diagnostic assessment of the students’ oral skills.

·         Use the paragraph in Teaching/Learning Strategy 10 to diagnose students’ ability to write paragraphs. Assess for topic sentence, supporting ideas, use of transition words, and concluding sentence. Additional instruction and practice can be done in Activity 4.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1.   Brainstorm the names of well known and respected individuals from Canada and other countries and what they are famous for. Hypothesize what qualities, motivation, and dreams these people share. Encourage the students to include the names of famous Canadians.

2.   Have students read a biography of a famous Canadian astronaut. Distribute the vocabulary chart (Appendix C) and have the students complete it. Individually, students respond to content questions about the article that check understanding and develop critical thinking skills. Formatively assess students’ understanding of the article through class discussion of questions.

3.   Brainstorm possible note-taking headings with the class. Possible headings for note-taking might be: Personal Life, Education, Achievements/Accomplishments, Activities and Tasks, Qualifications, Mentors, Incentives/Motivation, Difficulties/Stumbling Blocks, Honours, Personal Qualities, Quotes, Dreams.

4.   To model note taking skills make notes on an article about a famous Canadian astronaut under one of your note taking headings.

5.   Pair students to make notes under a minimum of four different headings. Each student should have a copy of these notes. As a class, develop a model set of notes.

6.   Continue working in pairs to read an autobiography of a famous Canadian scientist. Complete the comprehension activities about the article as well as another vocabulary chart. Collect both answers to questions and vocabulary chart and assess formatively for understanding, depth of thinking, and ability to use new vocabulary correctly in a sentence. Students make notes using headings similar to those used for the first article. Collect students notes on the second article and formatively assess for ability to rewrite in their own words, and correctly categorize information.

7.   To introduce passive voice, use an overhead with excerpts of sentences in active voice from the one of the biographies. Ask students to identify the “doer of the action” and the “receiver of the action”. Teach the terms subject and object, and active voice. Using a second overhead with excerpts from one of the biographies of sentences in passive voice, ask students to identify the subjects and objects of the action. Teach the term passive voice.

8.   Have students read an article on a famous Canadian musician or artist, and compile notes. Collect and summatively assess for ability to rewrite in their own words, and to correctly categorize information.

9.   Students individually complete Appendix D – Characteristics of Famous Canadians. As a class discuss the sections on dreams, motivators, and qualities for the three famous Canadians studied. Review/ teach the comparative. Have students present the section on themselves to the class. In this presentation, students compare themselves to one of the Canadians that they have read about.

Assess students’ presentation for audibility, clarity of speech, organization of ideas, and correct use of comparative.

10.  Using the information in Appendix D and the comparative, students write a paragraph that describes the similarities and/or differences between any two of the people studied.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

·         Formative assessment of vocabulary skills from first two articles
CRE2.01, CRE2.02, CRE3.02 (K/U, C)

·         Formative assessment of reading comprehension from Bondar and Suzuki articles
CRE1.01, CRE3.03 (K/U, C)

·         Formative assessment of notes on second article CRE4.03 (K/U, T/I)

·         Summative assessment of note-taking skills on third article CRE4.03, CWR1.01 (K/U, T/I)

·         Diagnostic assessment of oral presentation of Appendix D – Characteristics of a Famous Canadian for audibility, clarity of speech, organization of ideas and correct use of comparative
CORV.01 (T/I, C, K/U)

·         Diagnostic assessment of paragraph writing in which students compare themselves to one of the Canadians they have read about. Assess for topic sentence, supporting ideas, use of transition words, and concluding sentence CWRV.03 and CWR1.03 (T/I, C, K/U)

Accommodations

·         For students who have not had experience giving oral presentations, review presentation skills.

·         For students who have difficulty reading the biographies suggested, provide less difficult biographies.

·         Students with strong reading skills may wish to read about other famous Canadians.

Resources

Archer, L., C. Costello, and D. Harvey. Reading and Writing for Success. Toronto: Harcourt Canada, 2000. ISBN 0-7747-0197-8 Contains a section on note-taking skills

Azar, B. Fundamentals of English Grammar. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, 1992.
ISBN 0-13-338278-8

Barry, J., C. McClymont, and G. Huser. Larger than Life. Scarborough: Nelson Canada, 1994.
ISBN 0-17-603954-6     Contains a variety of biographies of Canadians

Blanchard, K. and C. Root. Ready to Write. Toronto: Addison Wesley, 1994. ISBN 0-201-85999-8

Porter, J. Voices Past and Present. Toronto: Wall and Emerson Inc., 2000. ISBN 1-895131-19-7
This anthology contains articles about many famous Canadians, such as Roberta Bondar, David Suzuki, and Oscar Peterson.

Zuern, G. Ontario Reader 1998, 1999, 2001. Toronto: Newcomer Communications
A source of articles about famous Canadians

 

Activity 3:  Our Hopes and Dreams

Time:  180 minutes

Description

Students review and practise the interrogative in order to develop a set of questions about dreams and aspirations that they would like to ask their Canadian peers. After reviewing, editing, and rehearsing their questions, students interview students whose first language is English and then, as a class share the responses to their questions.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Strand(s):  Oral and Visual Communication

Oral and Visual Communication

CORV.02 - communicate orally, using a variety of the conventions of English grammar with some accuracy;

CORV.03 - use appropriately a variety of features of formal and informal communication in English;

COR1.02 - use tone of voice and gestures to clarify meaning in conversations (e.g., stress key content words to specify meanings);

COR1.03 - initiate and participate in informal conversations with English speaking peers;

COR2.01 - use common grammatical patterns with some accuracy (e.g., make subject and verb agree; make verb tenses consistent; make possessive pronouns agree with antecedents);

COR3.01 - determine appropriate language use in a variety of social contexts (e.g., at a school assembly, on the sports field, in a movie theatre);

COR3.02 - rehearse language in a variety of social contexts (e.g., role play different styles of greetings and apologies to peers or teachers; role play a telephone conversation making an appointment with a friend, a school counsellor and a perspective employer).

Writing

CWR3.02 - use appropriately, and with some accuracy, common tenses and verb phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions of direction and time, and interrogative and negative constructions.

Social and Cultural Competence

CSC1.04 - initiate and participate in conversations about current events and issues;

CSC2.05 - identify and describe appropriate strategies for specific tasks (e.g., brainstorming to generate ideas; categorizing to manage information).

Prior Knowledge & Skills

·         Ability to formulate “wh” questions

·         Ability to use English phrases to ask for clarification

·         Ability to maintain face to face conversations

·         Knowledge of conversational gambits for introductions, conclusions, clarification, and thank-yous

Planning Notes

·         Make arrangements for students to interview students in a mainstream class.

·         With your class develop a checklist to be completed as a self-assessment at the conclusion of the interview. Some possible questions for the checklist are:

·         Did my interviewee understand me?

·         Did the interviewee ask for clarification of my ideas? Could I explain my ideas?

·         Did I take notes?

·         Did I make eye contact?

·         Did I comment on my interviewee’s answers and ask additional questions?

·         Did I introduce myself?

·         Did I thank my interviewee at the conclusion of the interview?

·         Did I initiate the interview with small talk?

·         Did I use an appropriate tone of voice?

·         If I were to do this again, how could I improve?

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1.   Inform students that they will be interviewing peers from a mainstream class to discover their hopes, dreams, qualities, motivators, and incentives and that they will be completing a self-assessment at the end of the interview. Provide them with a checklist.

2.   Review/teach “wh” question format. Review conversational gambits for making small talk, making introductions, thanking, and asking for clarification.

3.   In groups, students make up a list of questions that they could ask and share these with the class, e.g., What is your favourite subject? What are your strengths? What do you want to be doing ten years from now? What is something you enjoy doing? How will you achieve your goal or dream? Record these questions on the board. Make grammatical corrections as needed. Students select a minimum of 10 (maximum of 15) questions that they would like to ask and develop a questionnaire from these.

4.   Students write their own responses to the questionnaire they have prepared and file their answers for use in the next activity.

5.   Students practise their interview with classmates and then interview peers. Students record the responses.

6.   As a class debrief the interview experience. Talk about their feelings, fears, realizations, what was easy and what was difficult. Students complete the self-evaluation. Collect and assess for completion and future planning.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

·         Self evaluation of interview with peer. Assess their own ability to: clarify information, initiate and develop comments and questions on peers’ answers, participate in informal conversation, use appropriate language and register, discuss personal goals and dreams CORV.03, COR1.02, COR1.03, COR3.01, CSC1.04 (T/I, C)

Accommodations

·         Students may conduct interviews in pairs.

·         Students may interview more than one other student.

·         Students may interview a teacher.

·         Refer to grammar texts if students need extra help with “wh” questions.

 

Activity 4:  Comparing and Reflecting on Dreams

Time:  360 Minutes

Description

Using their own responses from Activity 3, students use a graphic organizer to compare their responses to those of a Canadian peer. Students learn to formulate and use complex sentences to present factual conditional tense. Students write linked paragraphs in which they compare and contrast themselves to the person they interviewed and discuss how they will achieve their goals for the future. These paragraphs are submitted as the second entry of their Autobiographical Portfolio.

Strand(s) & Learning Expectations

Writing

CWRV.02 - use the writing process, with teacher guidance, with an emphasis on peer and independent review on content and organization;

CWRV.03 - arrange ideas in logical order and present them in linked sentences and paragraphs;

CWRV.04 - use a variety of sentence patterns and conventions of standard Canadian English with some accuracy in written work;

CWR1.03 - write expository paragraphs related to classroom assignments or on topics of personal interest;

CWR2.01 - revise first drafts to clarify ideas and organization;

CWR2.02 - link paragraphs about a central idea, using common transition words (e.g., first, next, then, both) to indicate relationships such as sequence of events or points of comparison;

CWR2.03 - edit their own writing with attention to specific language features identified by the teacher (e.g., tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, use of articles);

CWR2.04 - use word-processing software to compose and edit their writing;

CWR2.05 - use graphic software to format and embellish their writing;

CWR3.01 - use a variety of simple, compound, and complex sentences in their writing;

CWR3.02 - use appropriately, and with some accuracy, common tenses and verb phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions of direction and time, and interrogative and negative construction;

CWR3.03 - use passive voice, conditionals, and adverb and adjective phrases in some written work.

Prior Knowledge & Skills

·         Familiarity with graphic organizers

·         Ability to write simple and compound sentences

·         Ability to use the comparative

·         Knowledge of basic paragraph structure

Planning Notes

·         In this activity students will be writing three paragraphs.

Paragraph 1

Hopes and Dreams

Simple compound and complex sentences

Paragraph 2

My Partner and I

Comparative

Paragraph 3

Meeting My Goals

Present Factual Conditional

·         Make class sets of Appendix E, Appendix F, Appendix G.

·         Book the computer lab (where available) for students to word process their paragraphs. If computers are not available, have students rewrite their paragraphs by hand and embellish them.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1.   Students use their own responses from Activity 3 and the responses of students they interviewed to complete a chart similar to the following:

 

Question

My Response

Interviewee’s Response

1.   What is your favourite subject?

ESL

English

 

2.   To introduce the formation of complex sentences review simple sentence structure through examples. Next show how a simple sentence becomes a dependent clause when a subordinate conjunction is added, e.g., I wear glasses. Although I wear glasses… See Appendix E for more examples of subordinate conjunctions. Students complete the first exercise on Appendix E and check for accuracy.

3.   Study the examples on Appendix E – Complex Sentences and have students complete the second exercise. Remind students to be careful of their choice of tenses in each clause when they are joining independent and dependent clauses. They must consider the relationship of the action and the meaning they wish to convey. You may want to give students additional practise.

4.   Using ideas from Appendix D – Characteristics of Famous Canadians and simple, compound and complex sentences, students write Paragraph 1 about their hopes, dreams, qualities, motivators, and incentives. A possible topic sentence could be, “Since moving to Canada, my hopes, dreams and motivations have changed.” A possible concluding sentence might be “I am looking forward to my future in Canada.

5.   Using the chart completed in Learning Strategy 1 and the comparative, students write Paragraph 2 in which they compare themselves to the person that they interviewed.

6.   Use Appendix F to teach the present factual conditional tense.

7.   Students write Paragraph 3 about themselves, using the present factual conditional to express what they could do in order to achieve their goals. A possible topic sentence might be. The things that I do in the present will help pave the road to my future. If I…

8.   Model for students methods of linking paragraphs through transition words, ideas or sentences. For example, to link Paragraphs 1 and 2, students could use the following for the topic sentence for the second paragraph, “Jennifer, the person I interviewed is also excited about finishing high school.”

9.   Individually students link Paragraphs 1 and 2 and Paragraphs 2 and 3.

10.  Students edit their two sets of linked paragraphs. Edit Paragraph 1 for sentence variety and sentence structure. Edit Paragraph 2 for correct use of the comparison and contrast. Edit Paragraph 3 for correct use of the present factual conditional. Students check for evidence of links between paragraphs.

11.  Students use computer software to rewrite and embellish both pairs of linked paragraphs and submit rough and final drafts as the second entry in the Autobiographical Portfolio.

12.  Use the assessment tool in Appendix G to assess their paragraphs.

Assessment & Evaluation of Student Achievement

·         Summative assessment of paragraph writing. Assess the paragraph using the rubric provided in Appendix G. (K/U, T/I, C, A)

Accommodations

·         Provide additional exercises for grammar reinforcement.

·         Students relate information about themselves and peers to information they read about famous Canadians.

Resources

Fuchs, M. and M. Bonner. Focus on Grammar – High Intermediate. Toronto: Addison-Wesley, 1995.
ISBN 0-201-65689-2

Oshima, A. and A. Hogue. Introduction to Academic Writing. Toronto: Addison-Wesley
ISBN 0-201-69509-X

Pollock, C.W. Communicate What You Mean. Toronto: Prentice Hall Regents, 1982.
ISBN 0-13-153486-6


Unit 1 – Appendix A

Autobiographical Portfolio Assignment

Information For Students

Throughout this course you will be completing a variety of assignments about yourself. These assignments will form the basis of an autobiography.

·         Decorate the cover of your portfolio with pictures or photos of yourself, your family, your friends, your interests and hobbies, your dreams for the future, and symbols of how you see yourself and others see you.

·         Attach this sheet onto your portfolio. It is the Table of Contents for your autobiography. It outlines the different entries in your autobiography

·         Use the writing process for each entry and submit both the rough and final drafts of your work.

·         Word process the final entries and embellish with graphic software or drawings.

Your portfolio will include the following five entries:

1st Entry - Unit 1

Poem

How I See Myself and How Others See Me

2nd Entry - Unit 1

Linked paragraphs

Comparing and Reflecting on Dreams

3rd Entry - Unit 2

Letter to a friend

Thoughts and Advice

4th Entry - Unit 3

Personal Reflection

“I like you; I like you not”

5th Entry - Unit 4

Expository paragraphs

Memories, Influences and Mentors

Information For Teachers

The Autobiographical Portfolio is an ongoing activity. It is comprised of the following five entries:

Unit 1 - 1st Entry

Poem

How I See Myself and How Others See Me

Unit 1 - 2nd Entry

Linked paragraphs

Comparing and Reflecting on Dreams

Unit 2 - 3rd Entry

Letter to a friend

Thoughts and Advice

Unit 3 - 4th Entry

Personal Reflection

“I like you; I like you not”

Unit 4 - 5th Entry

Expository paragraphs

Memories, Influences and Mentors

 

For each entry students should use the writing process. Students should submit their rough work with indication of editing and their final copies should be word processed and embellished with graphic software, if possible. This work will be kept in a two-pocket folder with the rough work stored in the left pocket and the polished copies kept in the right pocket. As the work is marked, the rough work could be filed in student binders.

 

Mark each entry as it is completed using the guidelines given throughout the units.

To complete this project, there is an oral presentation in Unit 4 of one selection from the portfolio. For the oral presentations students should reflect on their portfolio in general and then focus on a particular selection. The following points may help the students to develop their presentation:

1.   Explain/read/describe the selection you chose to present. Create a visual illustrating your selection.

2.   Why did you choose this entry?

3.   What did you learn about yourself by doing this portfolio assignment in general and, and what did you learn about yourself from the specific entry you chose?

4.   What are your future goals and action plans? Relate these to what you learned about yourself by doing this portfolio.


Unit 1 – Appendix B

How I See Myself And How Others See Me

 

By H.K.

(from Urban Voices)

 

My mom sees me as

A fly waiting to be swatted

And as a painting that

Needs to be finished.

 

My Dad sees me as

A piece of writing

That he needs to edit,

And as a project

That needs to be

Marked.

 

My sister sees me as

A model that

Everyone wants to be,

Especially her.

 

My Grandma sees me

As an ingrown toenail,

A nuisance that is hard

To fix.

 

I see myself as

An opportunity that

No one else had had.

And as a wild

Horse that looks

Peaceful but can

Buck real hard.

Permission given by author to include in ESL CO Profile.


Unit 1 – Appendix B  (Continued)

How I See Myself And How Others See Me

 

By L.Z.

ESL CO student A.Y. Jackson Secondary School

09/2000

 

My mom sees me as

A fast clock that works in the morning.

She wants to slow me down

And even close me.

 

My dad sees me as

A helpful notebook,

Where he’d rather leave memories than

Keep them.

 

My friends see me as

A young baby,

A person who always makes their necks ache,

And a person who always makes them laugh.

 

My diary sees me as

A big mouth.

Something that can’t stop blowing up

Personal secrets.

 

I see myself as

A super laugh machine,

That no one else can replace.

And as a turtle

Who feels comfortable, safe and peaceful in its own shell.

Permission given by author to include in ESL CO Profile.


Unit 1 – Appendix B  (Continued)

How I See Myself And How Others See Me

 

By K.X.

ESL CO student, A.Y. Jackson Secondary School

09/2000

 

My parents see me as a drum set.

I use my two hands to do so

Many things for them.

Sometimes, I can’t play

Fast enough.

 

My friends see me as a good singer.

I can share my best,

My music with them

Even though my voice

Is not perfect.

 

Strangers see me as a

Bass guitar.

I am so reserved and shy.

Sometimes I can’t even

Talk to strangers.

 

I see myself as an electric guitar.

I have as many feelings as its tone and colour.

When I am happy, I will be happier than everyone.

If I am sad, I will be the saddest person in the world.

Every true feeling comes together.

That is the true me.

Permission given by author to include in ESL CO Profile.

 


Unit 1 – Appendix C

Vocabulary Building

1.   Place the words from the vocabulary list into the correct column(s) in the chart below based on their usage in the passage you have read.

2.   Use your dictionary to find at least one other form of each word. Write this form into the correct column(s) on the chart.

3.   Find 5 additional words in the article that are new to you. Put them into the correct place in the chart and find at least one other form of each word. Add this other form of the word to the chart.

4.   Choose any five words from the chart and make a sentence for each. Your sentences should show the meanings of the words.

5.   Not every space in each row can be filled.

(Words in italics are examples of how to complete the chart)

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Specialized Terms

Idioms

astronaut

 

 

 

Astronaut

 

 

 

capable

capably

 

 

encounter

encounter

 

 

 

 

fire

fire

 

 

 

to fire an employee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer Sheet

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Specialized Terms

Idioms

astronaut

 

 

 

astronaut

 

 

 

capable

capably

 

 

encounter

encounter

 

 

 

 

fire

fire

 

 

 

to fire an employee

honour

honour

honourable

honourably

 

 

key

 

 

 

 

to key into; be keyed up

nausea

 

nauseous

 

 

 

patriot

 

patriotic

patriotically

 

 

physician

 

 

 

physician

 

physiology

 

physiological

physiologically

physiology

 

qualification

qualify

qualified

 

 

 

rapture

 

rapturous

rapturously

 

 

research

research

 

 

 

 

 

sever

severed

 

 

 

sexism

 

sexist

 

 

 

shuttle

shuttle

 

 

shuttle

 

 

slight

 

 

 

 

 

 

unabashed

unabashedly

 

 


Unit 1 – Appendix D

Characteristics of Famous Canadians

 

 


Unit 1 – Appendix E

Complex Sentences

An independent clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.

e.g., Jessica loves mathematics.

A dependent clause is a clause (a group of words with a subject and a verb) that does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone.

e.g., When I have finished reading the book

Write independent or dependent in front of each of the following clauses. Put a period after each independent clause.

_______________ 1. Because I love mathematics

_______________ 2. I love solving computer problems

_______________ 3. Before I go to university

_______________ 4. After I have married the woman/man of my dreams

_______________ 5. My friend wants two children

_______________ 6. My father speaks four languages

_______________ 7. Although I am graduating next year

_______________ 8. Playing professional basketball is my dream

_______________ 9. While I’m at university

_______________ 10. When I have the money

One type of dependent clause is an adverb clause. An adverb clause gives more information about the main clause. It tells why, when, where or it introduces an opposite idea.

Adverb clauses may be placed in front of the independent clause or after the independent clause.
Note: There is a comma after the dependent clause if it comes at the beginning of a sentence.

 e.g., When I was a child, I loved geography.

 e.g., I loved geography when I was a child.

Adverb clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions (transitional words)

To tell why: because, since

Because I love computer games

Since I love computer games

To tell when: when, whenever, before, since, while, after

When they were at the basketball game

Whenever they went to a basketball game

Before they went to a basketball game

Since they went to a basketball game

While they were at the basketball game

After the basketball game started

To tell where: where, wherever

Wherever the basketball finals are held

Where the basketball game is held

To introduce an opposite idea: although, though, even though

Although I have an average of 88%

Though I have an average of 88%

Even though I have an average of 88%


Unit 1 – Appendix E  (Continued)

Complex Sentences

 

Correctly complete each of the following sentences using your imagination and a subordinating conjunction (transition word) from the list above.

 

For example:

Math has been my favourite subject since I was in Grade two.

(when)

 

1. I have always found it easy to learn a language ________________________

(opposite)

 

2. I don’t want to go away to university _________________________________

(why)

 

3. I wanted to study medicine ________________________________________

(when)

 

4. I will study math and physics ______________________________________

(where)

 

5. ______________________________, my brother is much better.

(opposite)

 

6. ________________________________, he will probably be a mathematician.

(when)

 

7. I hope to have two children ________________________________________

(when)

 

8. Ten years from now I hope to be an Engineer ________________________

(why)

 

9. I will not become a teacher ______________________________

(opposite)

 

10. _____________________________, I feel exhilarated.

(when)


Unit 1 – Appendix F

The Present Factual Conditional

A complex sentence in which the subordinating conjunction is if, is called a conditional sentence.

The subordinating conjunction, if may appear at the beginning of a sentence or between the clauses. When the if clause comes first, put a comma between the two clauses.

 

If I learn French, I will be trilingual.

I will be trilingual if I learn French.

 

In a present factual conditional sentence use the present tense for the verb in the dependent clause and use the future tense for the verb in the independent clause.

 

If it snows, we will go skiing.

We will go skiing if it snows.

 

Present factual conditional sentences are used to express general truths and scientific facts.

If the temperature drops below zero, water will freeze.

Water will freeze if the temperature drops below zero.

If the temperature drops below zero, it will be difficult to drive on the icy roads.

It will be difficult to drive on the icy roads if the temperature drops below zero.

 

Present factual conditional sentences can also be used to express how present day actions will impact the future.

 

If I win the lottery, I will donate money to charity.

*******************************************************

Below are two lists of situations. Use these to make sentences in the present factual conditional. For each sentence you make, choose the situation for one clause from column A and the situation for the other clause from Column B. Make sure the punctuation and verb tenses in your sentences are correct.

 

Column A

Column B

understand the lesson

take a long time to get home

shut off alarm

make extra money

take driver’s education

earn a scholarship

buy a CD

do homework

get excellent marks

be late for school

read the newspaper

learn ten new words a day

improve my vocabulary

get my license

snows very heavily today

improve my English skill

get a part time job

not have money for lunch

 


Unit 1 – Appendix G

Tool For Assessing Linked Paragraphs

 

Criteria

Level 1
(50-59%)

Level 2
(60-69%)

Level 3
(70-79%)

Level 4
(80-100%)

Demonstrates knowledge of paragraph structure

·         topic sentence

·         supporting ideas

·         concluding sentence
CWR1.03

limited

some

considerable

thorough

Is able to link two paragraphs CWR2.02

limited

some

considerable

thorough

Chooses appropriate information
CWR1.03

limited

some

considerable

high degree

Demonstrates clarity and coherence
CWRV.03

limited

some

considerable

high degree

Uses complex sentences with adverb clauses correctly
CWR3.01

limited

some

considerable

to a high degree

Uses the present factual conditional correctly
CWR3.03

limited

some

considerable

to a high degree

Uses the comparative correctly
CWR3.01

limited

some

considerable

to a high degree

Uses word processing and graphic software competently
CWR2.04, CWR2.05

limited

some

considerable

to a high degree

Note: A student whose achievement is below level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity.

 

 

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