Some of the Ideas and Concepts We Will Explore Are

ELA 20

Ms. MacDonald

Welcome to English 20! During the course of this school year you will have the chance to explore English through reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing and representing. You are going to be highly successful this year at English because you will stay organized, you will complete homework assignments and you will put your heart and soul into your products. By the end of the year you will have practiced the behaviour of effective speakers, listeners, readers, and writers. You will come to recognize how important these skills are in your everyday life as students and as citizens. Don’t forget to ask questions and try your best.

Some of the ideas and concepts we will explore are:

Starting Out – Beginning and Becoming (The Past and the Present; Triumphs and Trials; Discovery and Disillusionment; Relationships with Family and Others; Celebrations and Rites of Passage)

As we journey on the road of life, we learn about ourselves, others, and the natural and constructed worlds. Childhood and youth lay the foundation for life, for learning and experiencing, for developing personal volition, for shaping identity and sense of self, and for health and well-being. The paths of childhood and youth are not the same for all, however. For some children and youth, it is a time of wonder, imagination, inquiry, discovery, play, experimentation, and innocence; for others, it is a time of neglect, abandonment, abuse, disillusionment, pain, exploitation, and innocence destroyed. Through relationships with the social, natural, and spiritual worlds, children and youth establish their identities among family members, caregivers, friends, peers, and others. Every culture celebrates or recognizes significant developments or rites of passage in children and adolescents; these milestones may be acknowledged formally or informally. Although the roles of, and attitudes about, children and youth have developed over time and varied across cultures, by examining the complex nature of childhood and youth, we have the opportunity to understand how childhood and youth contribute to who we are and who we would like to be.

Moving Forward – Establishing and Realizing (Turning Points and Transitions; Evolving Roles and Responsibilities; Opportunities and Obstacles; Risks and Rewards; Beliefs and Goals)

As the journey of life unfolds, young adults consider the many paths that they might forge and explore. Along the path are turning points and transitions that result in growth and transformation, new and altered roles, and different responsibilities (personal, family, academic, career, social). Adults, as they mature and age, confront the complexities of changing identities and expectations. The opportunities and obstacles encountered shape the realization of the present and the achievements of the future with dreams fulfilled, dreams deferred, and dreams denied. Defining fulfillment and wholeness and searching for them determine the risks that adults take for the rewards they seek and the gifts they receive; but every risk presents the possibility of either achievement or failure. Adulthood is not a destination; it is a dynamic reality that compels individuals to re-evaluate their beliefs, goals, and dreams on the road to self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-determination. As they journey and reconsider their values and aspirations, adults may veer from the path that they initially chose. In exploring a variety of texts, students are presented with opportunities to investigate the complexities and dynamics of adult experiences through fictional characters and historical and contemporary individuals. Examining these experiences allows us to identify and consider our dreams and goals, and to chart the course to reach our destinations.

Within these themes we will use different types of literature such as novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and non-fiction to understand each topic.

MATERIALS

a)  Binder for handouts and assignments

b)  Writing utensils – pencils, pens, paper, dividers, etc.

c)  Duotang with paper for readers workshop and reader responses

d)  Personal novel for 15 minutes of reading at the beginning of every class

EVALUATION

Compose and Create (writing, representing)

/ 40%

Comprehend and Respond (reading comprehension, listening, speaking, viewing)

/ 40%

Examples of Possible Products: personal essay, literary essay, tone analysis within poetry, inquiry project and presentation

Culminating Final

/ 20%

EXPECTATIONS

1.  When you receive an assignment due date, write it in your day planner. Refer to your planner often and stay organized. Check the homework calendar often.

2.  Assignments are evaluated on content, presentation, effort, and critical thinking.

3.  Assignments should be typed before being handed in and proofread by an adult.

4.  Use your class time wisely and you will have success with homework and with major assignments.

5.  If for some reason you are absent from a class, you are responsible to see me BEFORE the next class for missed notes and assignments, or you may ask a peer for these things. Asking in class what we covered when you were away is not good timing; ask questions at an appropriate time and stay organized. Please check my website for links to files as well.

6.  If you do not understand a concept from class or an assignment, please come and see me before school, at noon, after school. It is wise and responsible to ask for help if you need it.

7.  Being late for class is not acceptable; it disrupts teaching and learning and you lose valuable instructions usually given at the beginning of class. Please be on time and prepared for class. If you are continually late, parents will be informed and a meeting will be called. Plan ahead and stay organized.

8.  Learning to respect deadlines and be responsible for completing work on time is an essential life skill. Due dates for assignments will be clearly posted in the classroom. You are expected to write assignment due dates in some kind of calendar, day planner or agenda. When assignments are incomplete or late, plans to complete assignments will be discussed between teacher (s) and students and parents will be notified. Students will be referred to the homework room. Check Power School OFTEN and stay on top of your learning. Be responsible for your own learning and don’t leave it to your teacher to nag you.

9.  Please take your job at school seriously; be curious, ask questions, try hard, learn from each other, take risks and accept each others’ opinions. Then you will have a successful and rewarding semester in English class.

The motto in my class is:

- RESPECT – RESPONSIBILITY – REASONABLENESS –

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English Language Arts 20 Goals and Outcomes Overview

STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

Comprehend and Respond:

CR 20.1 View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety of grade-appropriate First Nations, Métis, Saskatchewan, Canadian, and international texts that address:

• identity (e.g., Relationships with Family and Others);

• social responsibility (e.g., Evolving Roles and Responsibilities); and

• social action (agency) (e.g., The Past and the Present).

CR 20.2 View, comprehend, and develop coherent and plausible interpretations of informational and literary First Nations, Métis, Saskatchewan, Canadian, and international texts (including multimedia advertising) that use specialized visual features including illustrations, photographs, art works, maps, charts, graphs.

CR 20.3 Listen to, comprehend, and develop coherent and plausible interpretations of grade-appropriate informational and literary First Nations, Métis, Saskatchewan, Canadian, and international texts, including spoken instructions, and argumentative and persuasive speeches.

CR 20.4 Read and demonstrate comprehension and appreciation of grade-appropriate informational (including instructions and procedural texts) and literary (including fiction, nonfiction, script, poetry, and essays) First Nations, Métis, Saskatchewan, Canadian, and international texts.

Compose and Create:

CC 20.1 Create a range of visual, multimedia, oral, and written texts to explore:

• identity (e.g., Relationships with Family and Others);

• social responsibility (e.g., Evolving Roles and Responsibilities); and

• social action (agency) (e.g., The Past and the Present).

CC 20.2 Create visual or multimedia presentations using dramatization or role play, including a presentation of an interview of a literary character (or author or historical or contemporary person) from a First Nations, Métis, Saskatchewan, Canadian, or international text.

CC 20.3 Speak to present ideas and information appropriately in informal (including discussions and collaborative work) and formal (including an interview, a dramatic reading, and introducing and thanking a speaker) situations.

CC 20.4 Create a variety of written informational (including an essay of explanation of a process, an application letter and résumé, and an argumentative or persuasive essay) and literary (including a reflective or personal essay and an analysis of a literary text) communications.

Assess and Reflect:

AR 20.1 Assess own ability to view, listen, read, speak, write, and use other forms of representing effectively.

AR 20.2 Establish goals and plans for personal language learning based on self-assessment of achievements, needs, and interests.

Updated August 2013