P-Eng 9 Appl-K

Course Profile English, Grade 9 applied, Public

Unit 1

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment or technology reflect only the opinion of the writers of this sample course profile and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of the Education and Training or by the Partnership of the School Boards that supported the production of the document.

Acknowledgements

Lead Board Upper Grand District School Board

Director: Martha Rogers

Superintendent of Education: Dave Euale

Project Leader Linda May Bell

Course Profile Writing Team

Linda May Bell, Arthur DHS, Upper Grand DSB Joanne Bridgeman, Bradford DHS, Simcoe DSB

Laura Cannon-Sherlock, Grey Highlands SS, Bluewater DSB Patti Collins, College Heights SS, Upper Grand DSB

Karen Fraser, J. D. Hogarth PS, Upper Grand DSB Larry Hincks, Grey Highlands SS, Bluewater DSB

Phil Midgley, Pauline Johnson CVS, Grand Erie DSB Peggy Raeburn-Bell, Georgian Bay SS, Bluewater DSB

Wilf Smyth, Stratford Central SS, Avon Maitland DSB Judy Stormes, Norwell DSS, Upper Grand DSB

Ann Varty, Program Department, Trillium Lakelands DSB Ian Waldron North Toronto CI, Toronto DSB

Margaret Young, Westmount SS, Hamilton-Wentworth DSB

Feedback Team

Pamela Brown-Wass, J. F. Ross CVI, Upper Grand DSB Marilyn Crooks, J. D. Hogarth PS, Upper Grand DSB

Kate Dodsworth, Arthur DHS, Upper Grand DSB Catherine Eagles, Pauline Johnson CVS, Grand Erie DSB

Jane Enticknap, Pauline Johnson CVS, Grand Erie DSB Laura Espinoza, University of Waterloo, student

Dianne Fenner, Toronto DSB Janet Franklin, Pauline Johnson CVS, Grand Erie DSB

Nancy Fulton, Centre Wellington DHS, Upper Grand DSB Leslie Harrison, St. Mary’s DCVI, Avon Maitland DSB

Judith Hunter, Toronto DSB Clair Keodprom, Brantford CI&VS, Grand Erie DSB

Amanda Leathem, Elora PS, Upper Grand DSB Carol Leis, John F. Ross CVI, Upper Grand DSB

Gillda Leitenberg, Toronto DSB Robert Lyon, Canadian Forces

Troy Maracle, Moira SS, Hastings/Prince Edward DSB Mark McKechnie, Lasalle SS, Limestone DSB

Betty Mick, Centre Wellington DHS, Upper Grand DSB Scott Montgomery, Arthur PS, Upper Grand DSB

Lynda Noppe, Westside SS, Upper Grand DSB Beth Paterson, Arthur DHS, Upper Grand DSB

Paola Rowe, Silvercreek Education Centre, Upper Grand DSB Doreen Smith, Arthur, parent

Amanda St. Jean, J. F. Ross CVI, Upper Grand DSB Michael Stubitsch, Toronto DSB

Sherri Van Sickle, Pauline Johnson CVS, Grand Erie DSB Philip Vousden, Mitchell DHS, Avon Maitland DSB

Christine Walker-Bird, Centre Hastings SS, Hastings/PE DSB Jim Wibberley, Brantford CI&VS, Grand Erie DSB

Assistants

Geoff Burchill, Arthur Barbara Fatt-Merilees, Upper Grand DSB

Beth Smeltzer, Rockwood

Unit #1: Narrative Forms and Voices

Time: 25 hours

Unit Developers: Linda May Bell, Laura Cannon-Sherlock, Karen Fraser, Larry Hincks,

Peggy Raeburn-Bell, Wilf Smyth, Meg Young

Development Date: February-April 1999

Unit Description

The students will develop an understanding of the conventions of narrative literature and language. The

students will read and study a range of short narratives including: short stories, novellas, narrative

poetry, myths, legends, short animated films, and short feature films. The students will use their

knowledge of the elements of narrative, such as plot, character, setting, conflict, theme, and

atmosphere to understand and interpret narrative texts. The students will record their thoughts, ideas,

and feelings in a variety of personal and interactive responses, and will create and share their own

narratives. The students will write descriptive and expository paragraphs, thereby providing a

foundation for writing the five-paragraph essay. On-going personal reading and writing are essential for

students to develop mature communication.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations: LIV.02P, LIV.03B, WRV.03P, WRV.04B, WRV.05B, LGV.01P, LGV.02B, MDV.01P

Specific Expectations: LI1.02P, LI1.03B, LI1.07P, LI3.01P;
WR1.03P, WR2.01P, WR2.02P, WR2.03P, WR2.04P, WR3.03P, WR3.04P, WR4.02B, WR4.03P, WR4.04B, WR5.06P, WR5.07B, WR5.09B, WR5.10B, WR5.11B, WR5.14B, WR5.12B, WR5.15B, WR5.16B;
LG1.01B, LG1.02B, LG1.05P, LG1.06B, LG1.07B, LG2.01P, LG2.03P, LG2.04;
MD1.02P, MD2.01P.

Activity Titles

Activity 1	Introduction to Narrative Form	150 minutes
Activity 2	The Structure of Narrative Fiction	225 minutes
Activity 3	Setting and Atmosphere: “It was a dark and stormy night...”	150 minutes
Activity 4	Narrative Point of View	150 minutes
Activity 5	Characterization: A Blueprint for Character	225 minutes
Activity 6	Themes in Narrative Fiction	225 minutes
Activity 7	The Whole Picture	75 minutes
Activity 8	Create Your Own Narrative	300 minutes

Unit Planning Notes

• The teacher needs to develop a collection of short narratives (ballads, media works, music videos, and short films).

• The teacher-librarian will prove invaluable in co-planning this unit.

Prior Knowledge Required

• Students should be familiar with Response Journals and co-operative learning principles as outlined in the The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Language document.

• Students should have knowledge of print and electronic thesauri, and dictionaries.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Since students learn in a variety of ways, teachers must accommodate various learning styles in their teaching. For this applied course, approaches should be more concrete than abstract. The students must be given opportunities to work independently, with partners, in small groups, and with the whole class. There should be a range of activities to provide the students with optimal opportunities to develop their language skills. In addition to teacher lectures or instruction, the Socratic lesson and whole class discussion, students should be provided with opportunities for brainstorming, experimenting, discussing, debating, interviewing, researching, writing, role playing, dramatizing, designing, and constructing. In the English classroom, the use of personal and interactive Response Journals will help students to identify their ideas for writing and discussion and focus their awareness on their own learning.

Assessment/Evaluation

The teacher must develop and utilize a full repertoire of assessment and evaluation tools and strategies: check lists, rubrics and exemplars, criterion-referenced tests, examinations, performance-based tasks, and assignments to measure students’ achievement against the course expectations.

Both formative and summative evaluation must be used to enhance student learning and to ensure fair evaluation. All evaluation procedures must include opportunities for learning. Students must be given opportunities for peer-evaluation, self-evaluation, and involvement in the design of evaluation criteria.

Accommodations in assessment are necessary to ensure that the assessment accurately measures student learning. Such accommodations are appropriate for exceptional students and those for whom English is a Second Language. Assessment tools and strategies should reflect a sensitivity to the cultural diversity within the English classroom.

Resources

National Film Board of Canada, C.B.C., TVO web site, Clio Awards

Barry, J. (Ed.) Coast to Coast Stories, Poetry, Non-fiction and Drama. Toronto: Nelson

Canada, 1995. ISBN 0-17-604-704-2

Canadian Oxford Dictionary. Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 1999.

ISBN 0-19-541120-X

Geddes, G. (Ed.) Art of Short Fiction. Toronto: Addison Wesley Longman, 1993.

ISBN 0-00-647424-1

Moss, D. and T. Goldie. (Eds.) An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English.

Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Perreault, J. and S. Vance. (Eds.) Writing the Circle/Native Women of Western Canada.

Edmonton: Newest Publishers Ltd., 1993. ISBN 0-920897-882

Transparencies for Writing: Literature: The English Tradition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:

Prentice-Hall, 1991. ISBN 0-13-981929-0

Activity #1: Introduction to Narrative Form

Time: 150 minutes

Description

This introductory activity is a diagnostic tool to assess students’ prior knowledge of the narrative form. Information from this activity will enable teachers to determine the focus of activities in this unit and to prepare to meet the needs of students for remediation, consolidation, and for enrichment.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, and Language

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• LIV.03B - identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a variety of literary and informational texts.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI1.02P - select and read texts for a variety of purposes, with an emphasis on recognizing the elements of literary genres and the organization of informational materials, collecting and using information, extending personal knowledge, and responding imaginatively;

• LI2.02P - use knowledge of elements of the short story, such as plot, character, setting, conflict, theme, and atmosphere, to understand and interpret texts in the genre;

• WR5.07B - identify and correct sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and comma splices;

• LG2.01P - use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in group discussions. *

Planning Notes

• The teacher will determine parameters for classroom management and course expectations.

• The teacher will establish criteria for notebook assessment.

• The teacher will have selected a short story suitable for the level and the composition of the class.

• The teacher will generate a fill-in-the-columns organizer which reviews narrative elements:

Plot

Setting

Atmosphere

Point of View

Character

Theme

• The teacher will find a short narrative video which contains the six elements outlined above.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will have some knowledge of the narrative form.

• The students will have met expectations as outlined in The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Language document. The teacher may benefit from contacting feeder schools to establish the content of specific Grade 8 programs.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. At the outset of the unit, the teacher will clearly establish parameters regarding classroom management and course expectations (e.g., policy regarding late assignments, attendance procedures, resources or materials for class, course outline, assessment and evaluation practices, personal response journals, media logs, writing portfolio, notebooks, and other departmental policies).

2. To allow students to become acquainted with each other, the teacher will engage them in an introductory activity (e.g., Would you rather?). Students will circulate, ask questions of each other, and then explain why they made the choices they did.

3. The teacher will distribute questionnaires to students which serve a three-fold purpose: a diagnostic tool for writing complete sentences, information gathering about students, and self-esteem building for students. Alternatively, students could be asked to write a Letter of Intent to the teacher outlining their previous school history, their strengths and weaknesses, their needs, their skills to share, their intended final mark, what they are willing to do to achieve this mark, and what they need from their peers and teacher to be successful.

4. The teacher will review note-taking techniques and will provide evaluation criteria for notebooks.

5. The teacher will explain to students that Activity #1 is a diagnostic activity to help focus their unit of study on the narrative structure. The results can be used by the teacher for remediation, consolidation, and enrichment.

6. The teacher will share the following quotation: “We dream in narrative, daydream in narrative, remember, anticipate, hope, despair, believe, doubt, plan, revise, criticize, construct, gossip, learn, hate, love by narrative” (Barbara Hardy). Using this quotation, the teacher and the students will define what a narrative is.

7. The teacher will review the definitions of the narrative elements. The students will record definitions in a glossary in their notebooks. This glossary will be expanded regularly throughout the course. The first entry will be a definition of “narrative”.

8. All students will read a second short story silently, and the teacher will lead a discussion applying the elements of fiction to that story.

9. The students will view a narrative video, then each student will complete the organizer independently, identifying the narrative elements from the video.

10. Each student will write independently a four to five sentence plot summary of the video and submit for teacher evaluation.

11. Using information from the organizer, the teacher will modify the following activities to suit the students’ needs (i.e., remediation, consolidation, or enrichment).

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative: - teacher’s observation notes on participation (LG2.01P)

- letter of intent or questionnaire

- materials preparation

2. Diagnostic: - assessment of knowledge of narrative elements from organizer based on video

- assessment of writing skills based on paragraph summary and letter/questionnaire

Resources

Appleford, D. (Ed.) SF: Inventing the Future. Agincourt: Books Society of Canada, 1972.

ISBN 0-7725-5065-4

Barton, B. and D. Booth. Stories in the Classroom: Storytelling, Reading Aloud and Roleplaying with

Children. Markham: Pembroke Publishers, 1990. ISBN 0-435-08527-1

Bemister, M. Thirty Indian Legends of Canada. Vancouver: J.J. Douglas, 1973. ISBN 0-88894-025-4

Booth, D. and C. Thornley-Hall. (Eds.) Classroom Talk. Markham: Pembroke, 1991.

ISBN 0-435-09596-4

Ellsworth, B. and A. Keller. (Eds.) English Simplified Canadian. Toronto: Addison Wesley Longman,

1996. ISBN 0-673-99962-9

Fisher, D., and S. Jeroski. Voices 1: Contemporary Short Fiction. Toronto: Oxford University Press,

1993. ISBN 0-19-540887-X

Fisher, D., and S. Jeroski. Voices 2: Contemporary Short Fiction. Toronto: Oxford University Press,

1993. ISBN 0-19-540888-8

Gordon, J. Fiction: The Elements of the Short Story. Illinois: National Textbook Co., 1999.

ISBN 0-8442-5991-8

Hargreaves, H. North By Two Thousand: A Collection of Canadian Science Fiction. Toronto: Peter

Martin, 1975.

Hayakawa, S. Language In Thought and Action. 3^rd ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jobanovich Inc.,

1972. ISBN 0-15-550118-6

Hill, K. Glooscap and His Magic: Legends of the Wabanaki Indians. Toronto: McLelland and Stewart,

1973. ISBN 0-89845-479-4

Kooy, M. (Ed.) Reading Response Logs. Markham: Pembroke, 1996. ISBN 0-435-07208-0

Moss, S. (Ed.) The World’s Shortest Stories. Santa Barbara, CA: Fithian Press,1995.

ISBN 1-880284-11-1

Norton, S., and B. Green. The Bare Essentials, Form A Canada: Harcourt Brace and Co., 1996.

ISBN 0-7747-3361-6

Roman, T. (Ed.) Voices Under One Sky: Contemporary Native Literature: Reflections and

Fiction & Non-Fiction. Scarborough: International Thomson Publishing Nelson Canada, 1994.

ISBN 0-89594-720-X

School Achievement Indicators Program: Report on Reading and Writing Assessment 1998.

Toronto: Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, 1999. ISBN 0-88987-116-7

Tesenga, S. and M. Bell. Character, Plot, and Setting: Contemporary English Modules. Morriston, NJ:

Silver Burdett, General Learning Corp., 1975.

Accommodations

1. Peer mentors could assist with the reading and writing tasks (see diagnostic paragraph, questionnaire, and letter of intent).

2. In consultation with the teacher-librarian, Circular 14, and MET book selection procedures, consider a variety of stories that reflect various cultural backgrounds.

3. Talking books are available from the W. Ross McDonald School for the Blind and local public libraries for those who are sight impaired or language impaired.

4. Televisions equipped with closed-captioning should be available for students who are hearing impaired.

5. Complete a diagnostic check for knowledge and understanding of content for those students for whom English is a second language.

Activity #2: The Structure of Narrative Fiction

Time: 225 minutes

Description

In this activity, students will review the structure of a narrative plot graph and will know the following literary terms: introduction, inciting incident, crisis, conflict, climax, dénouement, resolution. The students will apply this structure to a variety of narrative texts. The students will recognize that plot structures vary. These variations represent the diversity of human experience and help to prompt enjoyment of life and reading by eliminating the predictability that accompanies sameness.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• LGV.01P – use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read clearly and correctly;

• LGV.02B – use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and more formal activities, such as storytelling, role playing, and reporting/presenting, for specific purposes and audiences.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI1.07P – identify how readers’ different backgrounds might influence the way they understand and interpret a text;

• LI2.02P – use knowledge of elements of the short story, such as plot, character, setting, conflict, theme, and atmosphere, to understand and interpret texts in the genre; *

• WR4.03P – make constructive suggestions to peers, using prompts, check lists, open-ended statements, and questions;

• WR4.04B – edit and proofread their own and others’ writing, identifying and correcting errors according to the requirements for grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation;

• WR5.15B – use punctuation correctly, including period, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon, quotation marks, parentheses and ellipses;

• LG1.06B – recognize, describe, and correct sentence errors in oral and written language;

• LG2.01P- use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in group discussions;

• MD1.02P – identify and describe the elements used to structure media works in a variety of forms.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will need a sample of a basic plot graph and a collection of short stories, narrative ballads, media works such as television commercials, short films, and/or music videos, that represent a variety of plot structures, including flashback, open-ended, multiple climaxes, and multiple endings.

• The teacher will prepare criteria and suggestions for oral presentations and co-operative learning.

• This activity may be enriched by making cross-curricular links with teachers from other subject areas.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will be familiar with the elements of the plot graph and writing Response Journals.

• The students will be familiar with co-operative learning principles and expectations from The Provincial Report Card 1-8, 1998 and The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 : Language 1997.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will review the expectations of co-operative learning and will explain the roles of group members: how to participate actively, how to express and listen to ideas within a group, how to deal with conflict within a group, and how to organize tasks and ideas (i.e., positive interdependence and individual accountability).

2. The teacher will present a short story, a short animated cartoon, or a television advertisement, that contains a simple plot to the class. Teachers must ensure that students understand the story (e.g., summarize, role play, response journal, explore unfamiliar terms utilizing a dictionary).

3. The class will graph the plot of the story to show how narrative events can be visually represented on a line. Then, using the plot graph, students will write definitions of elements in their glossaries.

4. The teacher will organize students into small groups, giving each group a visual stimulus (e.g., a photograph, a picture, an object) to provoke an idea for a storyline. Groups could be structured based on personal information gathered in questionnaires or Letters of Intent.

5. Each group will agree on a genre, such as myth, legend, fable, horror, action-adventure, science fiction, or mystery. Each group will brainstorm a series of plot events for a storyline in that genre and then plot these events on a line graph. Alternatively, the class could generate a story using a progressive story-writing technique (i.e., each student writes four lines based on the previous student’s four lines until contributions have been made by all students).

6. Groups will present their stories to the whole class by telling their stories and by displaying their line graphs (on chalkboard, overhead, or chart paper).

7. Students should be given an opportunity to comment on the stories they hear.

8. In a whole class discussion, students will be encouraged to describe stories, television episodes, and film treatments that represent a variety of plot structures. For example, Star Wars is open-ended because it leaves the door open for a sequel; ER depends on multi-climaxes to mirror the intensity of an emergency ward; flashbacks demonstrate how the decisions and actions of a character have repercussions on plot developments, as in many soap operas; or in Star Wars: Episode I; Choose Your Own Adventure series books demonstrate multiple endings; Titanic would not have been as popular if Jack had survived in the “they lived happily ever after” mode. A board/overhead chart will be developed and the teacher will consolidate the lesson by helping students to define the four alternative narrative structures: flashback, open-ended, multiple climaxes, and multiple endings. These structures, with definitions and an appropriate example, will be added to students’ glossaries.

9. Each student will be given a card identifying one of these structures. Each student will write an adapted version of his/her original small group plot line using this structure.

10. Group members will edit and proofread their own and others’ adapted versions of the story. One might have Peer Editors at the Script Meeting with specific assignments such as Grammar Checker, Spell Checker, Punctuation Proofer, and Content Analyst. The teacher will have instructed students to keep comments positive and constructive and to ask thoughtful questions of the writer to help him/her improve the final product prior to conferencing with and submission to the Production Assistant (teacher) for final evaluation.

11. In their Response Journals, students will: a) assess the merits of the plot structure they were assigned and suggest for which medium it would be most appropriate (e.g., an advertisement, a music video, a cartoon, a video game, film); b) reflect upon the diverse narrative structures and relate them to their own lives; and c) consider which storyline, television show, or movie their life stories resembles most.

12. Extension: After considering their own lives in Strategy #11 above, students will play the board game “Life” or one created by students and/or the teacher. Students move forward or backward on a board on a trip through life (or adolescence) depending on a series of instructions on game cards. For example, “You get a pimple on the day of the big DATE. Return to the drug store for Oxy-5.” or “Your parents give you extra allowance to go to the movies. Advance to the theatre: 3 spaces.” The students and the teacher will create the format, the rules of the game, and the board (on a computer if possible). They will observe problems and reflect at the end of the game on how they dealt with those “life issues.”

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques

1. Formative: - informal teacher observation of group dynamics

- peer evaluation of group participation

- tracking sheet for class participation

- Response Journal evaluation (LI2.02P)

2. Summative: - each group’s storyline

- students’ stories

3. Diagnostic: - oral presentation skills

Resources

National Film Board of Canada catalogue for short feature films.

CBC web site, TVO web site, Clio Awards for international commercials.

Hays, M., P. Joong and J. Shallhorn. Grass Roots II. Toronto: OSSTF, 1993.

Moses, D., & Goldie, T. (Ed.) An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English. Toronto:

Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-541282-6

Midwood, D. K. O’Connor and M. Simpson. Assess for Success. Toronto: OSSTF, 1993.

Videos: Clue (multiple endings).

Accommodations

1. The teacher could allow students to record their stories on tape.

2. A storyboard or cartoons would assist students for whom English is a second language.

Activity #3: Setting and Atmosphere: “It was a dark and stormy night...”

Time: 150 minutes

Description

This activity will review the literary terms setting, atmosphere, and foreshadowing. It will teach vocabulary to help students identify and describe atmosphere. It will review the steps of the writing process and paragraph structure. In the course of writing a descriptive paragraph, the teacher will review the following parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• WRV.03P – use a variety of forms of writing to express themselves, clarify their ideas, and engage the audience’s attention, imagination, and interest;

• WRV.04B – revise their written work, independently and collaboratively, with a focus on support for ideas, accuracy, clarity, and unity;

• WRV.05B – edit and proofread to produce final drafts, correctly using the grammar, spelling, and punctuation conventions of standard Canadian English with the support of print and electronic resources when appropriate.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI3.01P – explain how authors use stylistic devices, such as simile, metaphor, personification, imagery, and foreshadowing, to achieve intended effects;

• WR3.03P – use a unifying image, emotion, or sensation to structure descriptive paragraphs or poems;

• WR5.06P – construct complete and correct compound and complex sentences, using the following sentences components: subject, predicate, object, subject complement; main and subordinate clauses; prepositional phrases;

• WR5.14B – use a variety of resources to correct errors in spelling;

• LG1.01B – describe strategies used to expand vocabulary;

• MD1.02P – identify and describe the elements used to structure media works in a variety of forms.*

Planning Notes

• The teacher, possibly with student assistance, will locate two short video clips with contrasting settings (e.g., dark, stormy night vs. serene, sunny day) and generate a vocabulary list of words to describe atmosphere.

• The teacher will be familiar with the writing process and paragraph structure (i.e., the hamburger model). As preparation for the writing of the descriptive paragraph, the teacher will organize a work sheet on nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, several models of descriptive paragraphs, and pictures/video clips/music to stimulate creative ideas.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will require a basic knowledge of setting, atmosphere, and foreshadowing; nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs; the writing process and structure of the paragraph.

• The students will know how to use dictionaries and thesauri, in both print and electronic formats.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will introduce the literary terms “setting”, “atmosphere”, and “foreshadowing” through short contrasting video clips. The class will include these terms in their personal glossaries. The teacher may wish to have the students predict what they think will happen next in the video based on what they have gleaned from the setting and atmosphere.

2. The teacher will provide a key “atmosphere” word list (calming, soothing, tranquil; grim, ominous, foreboding), and the students will use dictionaries and thesauri, electronic where possible, to generate additional words.

3. The teacher will divide the class into groups, review the roles of group participants and remind them of the group process. Each group will be given a visual stimulus (e.g., photos, slides, collages, magazines) and will brainstorm a list of words that could describe the setting and atmosphere. The group will describe its visual image to the class using the word list and explain how the medium helped create this image.

4. The teacher will distribute models of paragraphs describing setting, and the class will explore the methods writers have used to evoke atmosphere, particularly through the use of evocative nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The teacher will also review the requisite steps of the writing process: plan, draft, revise and edit, and publish.

5. A prepared worksheet on nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs will be completed to ensure that students can discern these four parts of speech. The teacher should select, for instance, an entertaining or interesting paragraph (e.g., a review of a popular movie, a humourous descriptive paragraph) in which students identify a certain number of the four parts of speech.

6. After examining model paragraphs and reviewing paragraph structure, students will be given a variety of visual stimuli (pictures, objects, slides) to write their own descriptive paragraphs. They will use the steps of the writing process to write the paragraph.

7. Extension: Students will view a scene from a silent film or a video with the sound turned off. They will write a script appropriate for this scene, using dialogue and description to create atmosphere and indicate what sound effects would be used.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative: - vocabulary lists/comparisons

- group evaluation rubric (MD1.02P)

- teacher observation tracking sheet

2. Summative: - quiz on use of parts of speech (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

- rubric for writing (writing process included in rubric)

- completed vocabulary list

Resources

Chapman, M. (Ed.) Windows and Mirrors: Short Stories. Scarborough, Prentice-Hall, 1987.

ISBN 0-13-960444-8

Pratt, L. Grammar: Step-By-Step. Illinois: National Textbook Co., 1985. ISBN 0-8442-5490-8

Sebranek, P. Writers Inc. Wisconsin: Write Source, 1992. ISBN 0-939045-78-8

National Film Board of Canada catalogue

dictionaries and thesauri, both electronic and in print

teacher-created word lists

picture folios

computer lab

Accommodations

1. Visually impaired students might benefit from the visual stimuli being translated for them by a peer so that they can “see” or they might be provided with mood music as a stimulus.

2. Augmentative communication may be provided for those who cannot write.

3. For students who have difficulty organizing information need structure, templates, sample paragraphs, words lists or a peer scribes might be useful.

Activity #4: Narrative Point of View

Time: 150 minutes

Description

In this activity, the students will review pronouns, and the correct use of pronouns in order to prepare for the study of narrative point of view. The teacher will introduce the literary terms related to point of view, first-person and third-person, in preparation for an analysis of narrative point of view and students’ application of the narrative point of view to their own writing and reading.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• WRV.03P – use a variety of forms of writing to express themselves, clarify their ideas, and engage the audience’s attention, imagination, and interest;

• LGV.01P – use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read clearly and correctly;

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI1.O2P – select and read texts for a variety of purposes, with an emphasis on recognizing the elements of literary genres and the organization of informational materials, collecting and using information, extending personal knowledge, and responding imaginatively;

• LI1.O3B – describe a variety of reading strategies and select and use them effectively before, during, and after reading to understand texts;

• LI1.07P – identify how readers’ different backgrounds might influence the way they understand and interpret a text;

• WR3.04P – use changes in time, place, or speaker to structure narrative paragraphs;

• WR5.O9B – make pronouns agree with their antecedents in number and gender;

• WR5.10B – use consistent and appropriate verb tense and voice (i.e., active and passive) for clarity in narrative and expository writing;

• LG1.05P – recognize, describe, and use correctly, in oral and written language, the language structures of standard Canadian English and its conventions of grammar and usage, including:

– parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections;

– simple, compound, and complex sentences;

– components of sentences: subject, predicate, object, subject complement, prepositional phrases, main and subordinate clauses;

– agreement between subject and verb, and between pronoun and antecedent;

– consistency of verb tense and voice; *

• LG2.03P – work with a partner to plan and make oral presentations to a small group, selecting and using vocabulary and methods of delivery to suit audience and purpose.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will collect short narrative works (e.g., brief short stories, fairy tales, myths, narrative ballads) that illustrate the two narrative points of view. Students could be involved in providing examples.

• The teacher will prepare worksheets on the correct use of pronouns and pronoun agreement.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will recognize pronouns and will know the function of pronouns and will be familiar with the terms first- and third-person.

• The students will know the expectations for co-operative learning.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will review the correct use of pronouns focusing on person and case in order to clarify Strategy #2 (below). The worksheet could be in the form of a re-written, error-riddled narrative text that students will enjoy reading.

2. The teacher will introduce short narrative texts written from different points of view, including multiculturally diverse perspectives. The students will contrast the points of view (e.g., third-person point of view in the traditional version of “The Three Little Pigs” to the first-person point of view “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs”).

3. The teacher will lead a discussion on differences between the stories, specifically, narrative points of view. The class will construct Venn diagrams or comparison organizers to explore these differences: Who is telling each story? What discrepancies exist or what new information is provided? Does the narrator have any obvious bias? Is this bias positive or negative? In a discussion of bias, the teacher will explore other types of bias, including racial, cultural, and gender-related bias.

4. The class will brainstorm a brief scenario (e.g., a rewritten segment of a fairy tale, a fight, a current news event). The teacher will list the events so that students have a scene on overhead or chalkboard as an organizer for writing. Students will work in pairs: one person will write a description of the event from the first-person point of view, and the other will write a description from the third-person point of view.

5. After students have shared their descriptions, the class will examine the differences between the effects of first- and third-person narration (e.g., first-person is more immediate, experiential, and subjective; third-person is more distanced, observational, and objective).

6. The students will examine some practical examples of how a shift from first to third person point of view can alter one’s perceptions of an issue, an event, or a narrative text. For instance, using a news reporter’s version of an event and then examining an eye-witness’s account of the same story may reveal obvious differences.

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques

1. Formative: - teacher observation tracking list

- teacher observation of co-operative learning

2. Summative: - quiz on correct use of pronouns (LG1.05P)

- a rubric, written on a written or oral point-of-view paragraph

Resources

Building English Skills: Orange Level. Evanston, IL. Houghton-Mifflin, 1981.

ISBN 0-88343-874-7

Chapman, M. (Ed.) The Reader Writes the Story. Toronto: Prentice-Hall, 1991.

ISBN 0-13-763509-5

Gill, S. and I. Sullivan. Native American Myths. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1994.

ISBN 0-19-508602-3

Kalman, J., F. Ahenakew and G. Leitenberg. (Eds.) Voices of the First Nations. Toronto: McGraw-

Hill Ryerson, 1995. ISBN 0-07-551691-8

Robinson, S.D. Glide Path Destinations. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1991.

ISBN 0-13-356247-6

Robinson, S.D. Overdrive Destinations. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1991.

ISBN 0-13-647546-9

Simmons, J. S. The Short Story and You. Illinois: National Textbook Co., 1996.

ISBN 0-8442-5545-9

Accommodations

1. Teachers should be careful when pairing students who have difficulty in peer relationships.

2. Students who have difficulties with task completion or visualizing the entire assignment work more confidently from models of completed assignments.

Activity #5: Characterization: A Blueprint for Character

Time: 225 minutes

Description

In this activity, the students will learn how a writer reveals and develops a character in a narrative work. They will also learn the conventions of writing dialogue as they explore how characters reveal themselves. As they write dialogue, students will consider the different levels of language, including the use of slang, jargon, dialect, colloquialism, and standard Canadian English.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, Language

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• LGV.01P – use knowledge of vocabulary and language conventions to speak, write, and read clearly and correctly;

• LIV.03B – identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a variety of literary and informational texts.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI2.01P – use knowledge of elements of drama, such as plot and subplot, character development and revelation, conflict, dialogue, and stage directions, to understand and interpret texts in the genre;

• WR2.02P – identify the specific audience for each piece of writing;

• WR5.16B – adapt punctuation and capitalization for the special requirements of direct quotations, scripts, dialogue, and poetry;

• LG1.01B – describe strategies used to expand vocabulary;

• LG1.02B – identify and explain examples of slang, jargon, dialect, and colloquialism as well as of standard Canadian English, in literary texts and their own oral and written work; *

• LG1.07B – recognize, describe, and use correctly, in oral and written language, the conventions of standard Canadian English for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, including:

– spelling: homophones and possessive pronouns and adjectives;

– capitalization of proper nouns and in direct quotations, scripts, dialogue, and poetry;

– punctuation: period, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon, quotation marks, parentheses, ellipses;

• MD2.01P – adapt a work of literature for presentation in another media form.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will select short stories that provide examples of flat and round characters and that illustrate the methods of developing character (e.g., “showing” through a character’s words, actions, and thoughts; “telling” through other characters’ statements and through the author’s/narrator’s statements about a character).

• The teacher will prepare a worksheet on the use of punctuation in narrative dialogue, a list of adjectives and adverbs to describe character, and examples to illustrate the appropriate use of informal versus formal language (e.g., slang, jargon, dialect, colloquialism, and standard Canadian English).

• The teacher will book the cross-curricular computer lab and co-plan with the teacher-librarian or computer liaison.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will have some knowledge of how an author reveals character.

• The students will recognize types of conflict and the terms protagonist and antagonist.

• The students will be familiar with adjectives and adverbs, the use of quotation marks, and levels of language (i.e., formal and informal).

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Volunteers in the class will be given a card that describes a character (e.g., street person, member of a school clique, fairy tale character, entertainer). Each volunteer will improvise the character and the rest of the class must identify the type of character and character traits (and the character if it is a well-known figure). Alternatively, volunteers from the community (e.g., drama class students, actors) could be invited to portray various characters to achieve the same effect.

2. The teacher will debrief students, posing the following questions: How did the actors reveal character? Did they use words? body language? actions? all of the above? What levels of language were used to depict the character? What stereotypes were apparent? Who can identify the intended audience based on the language the actor(s) used?

3. The teacher will lead a discussion of the different levels of language the actors used in the above strategy. The teacher will define the terms slang, jargon, dialect, colloquialism, and students will brainstorm examples. The class will discuss different levels of English and when they can be used appropriately.

4. The teacher will introduce a generic list of vocabulary words that describe character and teach the methods writers use to delineate character such as “showing and telling” (see Planning Notes). A distinction will be made between author and narrator, protagonist and antagonist.

5. Students will read a story with clearly developed characters. They will then create and complete an organizer on the computer, using the sample below. The teacher-librarian may assist the class with this process. Computer lab orientation and/or a review of protocol may be necessary.

Character’s Name

Character Traits

Technique(s) Used to Reveal Character

Textual Evidence

Little Red Riding Hood

generous

LRRH’s actions

LRRH travels to her ill grandmother’s house to deliver treats

6. The teacher will conduct a lesson on the conventions of narrative dialogue, focusing on the use of quotation marks, the placement of punctuation (e.g., commas, exclamation marks, question marks), and the use of new paragraphs for each new character’s speech. The teacher will use examples from texts or worksheets to illustrate these conventions. Instruction on the conventions of script writing will be necessary, depending on the type of text being studied in class.

7. The students will select a character who is not physically present in a narrative work, but is either alluded to or could be included. The students will re-write a specific section of the story, delineating the new character using at least two of the techniques studied throughout this activity. Alternatively, the students, in pairs, will choose two characters from different texts and have them meet and clash in a struggle. Using a narrative text (script, dialogue, letters), the students will resolve the characters’ conflict logically and effectively. The students might also assume the persona of a famous individual (e.g., entertainer, world leader, historical figure) and recall an incident that was a catalyst to the person’s rise to fame. This latter strategy could involve library and Internet research, as well as cross-curricular learning.

8. Extension: The students will write and/or present their work in a choice of formats (e.g., audio or video recording of their script, dramatic reading, etc.).

9. Extension: The students may create a character profile of themselves that could be used as a measurement of their employability skills.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative: - participation rubric

2. Summative: - character organizer will be evaluated on the bases of completion, accuracy,

depth and maturity of responses

- quiz on dialogue and punctuation

- rubric for writing assignment (e.g., character delineation) (LG1.02B)

Resources

Booth, D. The Writing Program 9. Toronto: Globe/Modern Curriculum Press, 1987.

ISBN 0-88996-124-7

Boswell, W., B. Lamont and J. Martyn. The Writer’s Voice 1. Agincourt: Methuen Publications,

1984. ISBN 0-458-98450-7

Hertsberg, J. Myths and Their Meaning. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1984.

ISBN 0-205-08001-4

Rosenberg, D. and S. Baker. (Eds.) Mythology and You: Classical Mythology and Its Relevance To

Today’s World. Chicago: National Textbook Co., 1992. ISBN 0-8442-5561-0

Struthers, J.R. The Possibilities of Story. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1992.

ISBN 0-07-551198-3

Struthers, J.R. The Possibilities of Story: Volume 2. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1992.

ISBN 0-07-551200-9

Accommodations

1. Talking books may be borrowed from the Ross W. McDonald School for the Blind or the local public library. Some famous stories have already been brailled for the blind.

2. A partner who offered in the Letter of Intent or questionnaire to provide oral reading skills could read the story aloud.

Activity #6: Themes in Narrative Fiction

Time: 225 minutes

Description

In this activity, students will learn to do the following: distinguish between plot and theme; distinguish between topic statement and theme; identify theme in a work of narrative fiction; and analyze the writer’s purpose for exploring a particular theme.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• LIV.03B – identify and explain the effect of specific elements of style in a variety of literary and informational texts;

• WRV.03P – use a variety of forms of writing to express themselves, clarify their ideas, and engage the audience’s attention, imagination, and interest.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI1.03B – describe a variety of reading strategies and select and use them effectively before, during, and after reading to understand texts; *

• WR2.01P – identify the purpose for each piece of writing;

• WR2.02P – identify the specific audience for each piece of writing;

• WR2.04P – use the third-person singular and an appropriate level of language in expository forms requiring objectivity;

• MD2.01P – adapt a work of literature for presentation in another media form.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will carefully compile a selection of appropriate short narrative texts, either in print or on video, focusing on a central character’s development.

• The teacher will require resources to teach the terms subject and predicate.

• The teacher will prepare a sample reader response to use as a model.

• The teacher will have prepared models of expository writing.

• The teacher will be familiar with de Bono’s theories of critical thinking.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will know the definition of plot and the methods of characterization.

• The students will be able to identify and apply the terms subject and predicate.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will conduct a mini-lesson on the use of subject and predicate to enable students to make complete thematic statements later in this activity.

2. The students will read or view a narrative text. The students will observe the main character’s development in the story as a method of understanding the story’s theme(s).

3. The teacher will review the definition of plot and distinguish it from the definition of theme. This definition will be added to the students’ glossaries of literary terms. The students will write a response to the text, on computer if possible, describing the character’s personality at the beginning and at the conclusion of the story. What conflicts has the character experienced? What has the character learned from these conflicts? How has the character changed as a result of his/her experiences? What are the students’ personal reactions to the character and the character’s experiences?

4. The class will discuss what the character has learned and/or how the character has changed, and then will list these changes using single words or phrases. From this list, the teacher will help the students identify the story’s major topics or issues (e.g., love, regret, prejudice, power).

5. The teacher will demonstrate how to take the story’s topic (i.e., the subject of the sentence) and develop it to become a complete thematic statement by adding the predicate. For example, a topic is “power”, but a theme is “Power corrupts those who abuse it.” By changing the predicate, one can change the theme completely: “Power ennobles when used wisely.”

6. The students will, as a class, propose a thematic statement for the narrative they have just studied. They will continue writing about this theme, following their response in #3 above, to discover why the writer created this text. Do the students agree or disagree with the theme? Explain. Can they think of evidence to support their theories about that theme?

7. Once the students have completed their informal responses to character and to theme, they will have some of the ideas necessary to write an expository paragraph on how a writer develops theme in a literary text. The teacher will provide the format and models of expository writing, explaining that it will be formal as opposed to students’ Response Journals, which are informal.

8. Extension: In pairs, the students will create a thematic statement and, in point form, create a short plot that illustrates that statement.

9. Extension: The students will choose a thematic statement and, using magazine photographs, newspapers, and pictures, create a collage that will illustrate that theme.

10. Extension: The students will select a theme or themes from a narrative text and will produce a soundtrack which would reflect the theme(s). They will identify the songs and the artists chosen, present the lyrics of the songs, and explain why they have chosen particular songs for that soundtrack.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative: - assessment of Reader Response(s) (LI1.03B)

2. Summative: - quiz on the use of subject and predicate

- expository paragraph rubric

- creative project rubric

- completion mark for glossary and notebook

Resources

Banel, et al. More Strawberries: Reflections in Fiction. Scarborough: Nelson Canada, 1990.

ISBN 0-17603044

Barry, J. (Ed.) Coast to Coast: Canadian Stories, Poetry, Non-Fiction and Drama. Toronto:

Nelson Canada, 1994. ISBN 0-17-604704-2

de Bono, E. Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step. New York: Harper and Rowe Publishers,

1973. ISBN 0-06-090325-2

de Bono, E. de Bono’s Thinking Course. London: British Broadcasting Corp., 1982.

ISBN 0-56316500-6

George, J. (Ed.) On Common Ground (3). Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1994.

ISBN 0-19-541020-3

Haberman, A. On the Edge: Literature and Imagination. Don Mills: Oxford University Press,

1993.

Hilker, D. Transitions. Canada: Harcourt Brace & Co. Canada Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-7747-0151

Accommodations

1. Volunteers, community or student, can audiotape several short stories for the use of students with visual impairments or attention deficits.

2. Students who have difficulties expressing ideas in written form could tape their personal Response Journals, or have a volunteer transcribe them, or work from templates, outlines, or structured notes when writing the formal expository paragraph.

Activity #7: The Whole Picture

Time: 75 minutes

Description

This activity will help the teacher and the students to assess the students’ overall knowledge of the elements of the narrative text. The students will understand that the form of a work should suit its purpose and its audience. It will prepare students for the task of completing the culminating activity.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language

Overall Expectations:

At the end of Grade 9, students will

• LIV.02P – demonstrate an understanding the elements of a variety of literary and informational forms, with a focus on plays, short stories, and newspaper and magazine articles;

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LI1.03B – describe a variety of reading strategies and select and use them effectively before, during, and after reading to understand texts;

• WR1.03P – sort and group information and ideas, assess their relevance and accuracy, and discard irrelevant material;

• WR2.03P – demonstrate an understanding of literary and informational forms of writing, such as letters, personal narratives, short stories, answers to homework questions, summaries, and reports on research topics, by selecting a form appropriate to the specific purpose and audience for each piece of writing; *

• WR4.02B – revise drafts to ensure consistency in use of first- or third-person and use of an appropriate level of language;

• LG1.07B – recognize, describe, and use correctly, in oral and written language, the conventions of standard Canadian English for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, including:

– spelling: homophones and possessive pronouns and adjectives;

– capitalization of proper nouns and in direct quotations, scripts, dialogue, and poetry;

– punctuation: period, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, dash, apostrophe, colon, quotation marks, parentheses, ellipses.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will select a challenging narrative sight passage.

• The teacher will replicate the organizer on the elements of narrative used in Activity #1.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will know the concepts taught throughout Activities #1-6.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teachers will distribute a challenging sight passage and an organizer which outlines the elements of the short story.

2. The students will read the passage independently and complete the organizer in point form. The organizer should be completed in more detail than the one completed in Activity #1. The students will submit their organizers at the end of the class for teacher evaluation.

3. At the beginning of the following class, the students will be given approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete an entry in their learning logs in order to evaluate their own learning progress. They will consider: what they did, what they learned about the narrative form, what questions they still have, what skills they have developed, what skills they still need to develop, and what goals they will set regarding how to improve their learning and thinking skills.

4. This will also be an opportunity for students to start writing an assessment of the Narrative Forms and Voices Unit in their Response Journals.

5. Extension: The teacher will prepare a formal unit test to assess students’ knowledge of narrative elements.

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques

1. Formative: - self-evaluation using learning log (WR2.03P)

2. Summative: - teacher evaluation of organizer

- unit test (optional)

Resources

Aker, D. Hitting the Mark. Markham: Pembroke Publishers Ltd., 1995. ISBN 1-55138-062-5

Considine, D. and G. Haley. Visual Messages: Integrating Imagery Into Instruction. Toronto:

Prentice-Hall Inc., 1992. ISBN 0-87287-912-7

Graham, N. Marking Success: A Guide to Evaluation for Teachers of English. Markham:

Pembroke, 1992. ISBN 0-921217-85-4

Iveson, M., and S. Robinson. What’s Fair? Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1993.

ISBN 0-13-020256-8

MacNeill, J. A. Three Way Mirror. Scarborough: Nelson Canada, 1989. ISBN 0-17-603093-X

Web Sites

http://www.schoolnet.ca/

http://www.wier.yorku.ca/~wier/cdnauthor.html

http://www.cyberscol.qc.ca/

http://humanitas.ucsb.edu/users/hwang/English30/index.html

http://www.osee.org (free CD Rom of “Towards Ecozoic Curriculum”)

http://eden.scbe.on.ca

Accommodations

1. For students who have visual impairments, attention deficit disorder, or learning disabilities, the stories could be presented orally or on audio tape.

2. To reinforce basic concepts, a slow learner or a student for whom English is a second language could view a video version of the narrative.

Activity #8: Create Your Own Narrative

Time: 300 minutes

Description

Using information from the activities in this unit, the students will create and share their own narratives in the form of a short story, narrative ballad, myth, legend, fairy tale, radio, or television drama.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Literature Studies and Reading, Writing, Language, and Media Studies

Overall Expectations

At the end of Grade 9, students will:

• WRV.04B – revise their written work, collaboratively and independently, with a focus on support for ideas, accuracy, clarity, and unity;

• WRV.05B – edit and proofread to produce final drafts, using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, according to the conventions of standard Canadian English, with the support of print and electronic resources when appropriate;

• LGV.02B – use listening techniques and oral communication skills to participate in classroom discussions and in more formal activities, such as storytelling, role playing, and reporting/presenting, for specific purposes and audiences.

Specific Expectations:

Students will

• LG1.05P – recognize, describe, and use correctly, in oral and written language, the language structures of standard Canadian English and its conventions of grammar and usage, including:

– parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections;

– simple, compound, and complex sentences;

– components of sentences: subject, predicate, object, subject complement, prepositional phrases, main and subordinate clauses;

– agreement between subject and verb, and between pronoun and antecedent;

– consistency of verb tense and voice;

• LG2.03P – work with a partner to plan and make oral presentations to a small group or the class, selecting and using vocabulary and methods of delivery to suit audience and purpose; *

• LG2.04P – use eye contact, specific examples, humour, and visual aids and technology, as appropriate, to engage the audience’s interest during oral presentations.

Planning Notes

• The teacher will have prepared a writer’s checklist to help students organize their tasks and manage their time effectively.

• A detailed outline to plan and write a narrative will be available to students.

• Students will be given the assessment scheme before they begin the assignment.

• The teacher may arrange for a storyteller to visit the class.

• The teacher must know how to create certificates on the computer for the Writers Festival.

• The teacher will establish a date for the Writers Festival.

• Teachers may contact community groups such as: literary guilds, public libraries, historical societies, art galleries, and newspapers to help make practical links between this activity and the local community.

Prior Knowledge Required

• The students will know the major concepts related to narrative structure: plot, setting, atmosphere, point of view, characterization, and theme.

• The students will be familiar with the writing process.

• They will know the conventions of paragraphing and punctuation, particularly with regard to writing dialogue.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. The teacher will preface this activity with an inspirational quotation, such as the following one by science fiction author Ray Bradbury: “Writing lets the world burn through you” or “In the tale, in the telling, we are all one blood. Take the tale in your teeth, then bite til the blood runs, hoping it’s not poison; and we will all come to the end together, and even to the beginning: living as we do, in the middle” (Ursula K. Le Guin). The teacher will review the assignment with students and outline the writing choices available.

2. The teacher will review the writing process, explaining that methods will vary. The teacher will describe several approaches to story writing: for instance, a highly structured approach for those students who need support and guidance (e.g., a story planner), or brainstorm/thought-web approach for those who are confident writers.

3. The teacher will distribute the assessment scheme and explain the criteria for evaluation.

4. The teacher will schedule time for conferencing, peer evaluation for each student, and computer use. (The teacher must be sensitive to the fact that not all students will have equal access to computers).

5. The students working on the same type of project (e.g., narrative ballad or radio drama) will create their own peer-evaluation criteria for oral presentations with guidance from the teacher.

6. The students working on the same type of projects will serve as peer editors to prepare the presentations for the Writers Festival and the final draft to be submitted to the teacher for evaluation.

7. The students will present their narratives to the whole class using a variety of forms such as reading, acting, audio or video recording. This presentation will constitute the “Writers Festival.” A local storyteller could be asked to participate in this event.

8. The students will be given an opportunity to continue their reflections on and assessment of the Narrative Unit in their Response Journals.

9. Extension: The students will present their stories at a library, a bookshop, an elementary school, a coffee house, a senior citizens’ home.

10. Extension: The students will create their own certificates of achievement on the computer. The class will vote for which one they like best for presentation at the awards ceremony.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative: - assessment of effort during creation of the product and participation in the

Writers Festival

- group co-operation for peer-editing

2. Summative: - oral presentation based on student-generated assessment criteria (LG2.03P)

- rubric for narrative writing

- student assessment of Narrative Unit

Resources

Web Sites

http://www.cyberscol.qc.ca/

http://www.imt.net/~gedison/bookbind.html

http://www.wier.yorku.ca/~wier/cdnauthor.html

Accommodations

1. Augmentative communication devices may be needed for those with severe communication disabilities so that all writers can participate and reach their audience.

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