1) Storm Stories!


2) Review Quiz


3) Real life war story -http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/03/2012312123045592978.html


4) Reading and Discussion

5) Time to work - Q's and journals

What`s Hate Got to Do With It?

1) What did I miss? Catch me up.


2) I need your emails.

2) Who do you hate? Who hates you? What would they say about you? Are they right? A story about an environmentalist and a McMillan Bloedel bigwig.http://www.cbc.ca/dnto/news-promo/2012/02/16/what-happened-when-you-met-the-enemy/ Oh, and the story of the black guy who befriended KKK men, and became friends!

3) Read Friends and Enemies.

4) Time to work on journals. Who has not built a blog yet? 


Reading homework:

The Things They Carried Begins

First, you get drafted, then you look at photos...

1) We're going to start reading The Things They Carried on Wednesday, next week, so let's start thinking about where we are going...

2) Write a letter to your Mom or Dad or .... what would you leave behind for them to read after you've left to be "inducted into the armed forces"? 

3) Photo Analysis Assignment - the photos are here...

Read this book review: http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/09/20/specials/obrien-carried.html

Happy Valentine's Day Whatever!

1) My love is like a red, red rose... Blah! Sob, sob. Let's break up, instead.

 Are you up for The Break Up Tweet Challenge? Write a 126 character break up line. Let's write them all on the board. I'll submit the top ones. If you win, you can wrestle me for the ipod.

2) What thematic connections did you make across all four stories (and one poem)?

3) Our First Compare and Contrast Essay - 600 words

Compare and contrast a similar theme 

in two of the stories that we have read.

• Plan with an outline first.
• Develop a powerful thesis statement
• Find three or four quotes (minimum) to use as support.  

DUE MONDAY - then, we can start a novel study!

Here is a great link over-viewing what I will present to you in class: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina/eng256/support/litcompare.htm

Lit Terms Quiz and Last Story

1) Quiz


2) A short, short stream of conciousness story - "Girl," by Jamaica Kincaid (you can even listen to a recording of the story with this link... you can also find it in Discovering Literature

3) Pre-reading - What connotations does the word "Girl" have?
(Cluster on the board)


4) Read aloud or listen to online version.


5) Discussion Questions

• What does the syntax (sentence structure) help us understand?
• How does the balance of the mother's voice vs. the daughter's voice help us as readers?
• What does the wordle (below) of the story help us to see?
• What is the significance of the parallelism (repetition to make a point) of the slut comments?
• What kind of woman do you see this girl growing up to be?
• Once you understand that the story is set in Antigua which has a long history of slaves, and where, surprisingly, many slave families have clung to the old notions that they are meant to be slaves, how does your reading change?

6) Make notes/answers to these questions - you'll need them for Monday. I've moved our comparing and contrasting work to that day.

- You can also take time to work on your poem.

Have a happy weekend!

Thursday - Where are you from?

1) Question sets due for the last two stories - "Handsomest Drowned Man" and "The Chrysanthemums".

• Discuss and then submit.

2) Let's take a little step back today - we've been considering stories, and contexts of stories, and writing about stories... but we have not paid attention to the most relevant story of all - YOURS.

• Where do you come from - discussion.

3) Where do you Come From Poem.

• Handout

I come from the steps of Lakehead University, a child of children...

Assignment: Where are you from?                                                              12 marks

Write your own version of this poem.

·         Be detailed, descriptive and evocative.

·         Include a new title (it does not have to include your name).

·         Be descriptive.

·         Evoke the senses – make me see, taste, smell, feel, hear…

·         Images should be unique and meaningful, colourful and rich.

·         Tap into your story – everyone has one.


Tomorrow: Quiz on terms and Comparing and Contrasting.