• History 12
    • Class Charter and Rules Activity
    • Sept - Historiography, Review of WW1
    • Sept- Treaty of Versailles Simulation
    • Oct - Russian Revolution
    • Oct - Joseph Stalin
    • Nov - 1920s and 1930s USA
    • Apr - 1920s and 1930s - Germany and Italy
    • Nov - World War 2
    • Nov - Propaganda Mini-Unit
    • Dec-Jan - Cold War
    • Jan -China
    • Ongoing - Post-Colonialism, Arab-Israli, Islam, Cold War in Asia
    • FINAL PROJECT INSTEAD OF EXAM
    • Term Paper Info
    • Hitler Parody Videos From Class
    • History 12 - Class Videos / Memories
  • Law 12
    • Introduction to Law
    • Classifying the Law
    • Government and Statute Law
    • Charter of Rights/Freedoms
    • Comparative Prison Analysis
    • Crime Scenes and Forensics
    • Policing
    • Corruption
    • Body Cameras
    • Famous Criminals
    • Tort Law
    • Family Law
    • Making Murder
    • Homelessness and Addiction
    • Law in the News
    • Final Exam Alternative
    • Law Day at Courthouse
  • History Through Film
    • Blogs
    • Art of Discussion
    • 1900-1919 - WW1
    • 1920s / 1930s
    • Non-Violent Peace Movements
    • Rise of Dictators / Road to War
    • WW2
    • Post - War Era
  • English 11
    • Mini Unit on Morality and Ethics
    • Short Stories
    • Happiness
    • Intolerance and Poetry Thematic Unit
    • Lit Circles
    • Developing our Passions!
    • Instruction Writing + Non Fiction
    • Mini Creative Write
    • Photography / Storytelling Unit
    • Monsters
    • Final Exam Alternative
  • Socials 9
    • Geography Unit - Sept/Oct
    • American Revolution - Nov
    • English Civil War - November
    • French Revolution - Dec
    • Napoleon - Jan/Feb
    • Industrial Revolution Mar/Apr
    • First Contact/ Explorers - May/June
    • WW1 - New Curriculum
    • Linear Midterm
    • Final Exam
    • Socials 9 Class Videos
  • SOCIALS 11
    • Feb - Government Structure
    • Feb - Gov't Ideologies/Parties
    • Feb/Mar World War 1
    • Apr - 1920s - The Roaring 20s
    • Apr - The Dirty Thirties
    • Apr - WW2 - 3 options Below >
      • WW2 - Lecture/Notes/Vid Approach
      • WW 2 - Project Based Approach
      • WW 2 - Historica Minute Project
    • Apr - Cold War
    • May - French-English-Aboriginal Relations
    • May - June Geography
    • Provincial Exam Review
    • Socials 11 resources
    • SS 11 - Semestered Class Videos
    • SS11 - Linear Class Videos!
    • Current Events
    • Midterm exam - Linear SS11
  • Comm 11/12 - 2016-2017
    • Sept-Oct - Creative Writing
    • Oct - Short Stories
    • Oct- Nov - Mini Unit on Morality and Ethics
    • Photography / Storytelling Unit
    • Sept- Jan - Movie Studies
    • Nov - Research Project
    • Nov - Presentation Skills Mini-Unit
    • Dec- Mythology
    • Jan - Business Letter Mini-Unit
    • Jan - Poetry
    • Racism/Prejudice Thematic Unit
    • Stress Relief
    • Instruction Writing + Non Fiction
    • Sept - Feb - Comm 11/12 Class Videos
  • Social Studies 10
    • Metis Unit - Louis Riel "Freedom Fighter or Terrorist?"
    • Louis Riel Part 2: Return of the Jedi
    • Confederation
    • SS10 Final Exam Materials
  • ENGLISH 12
    • Sept - Creative Writing
    • Sept/Oct - Short Stories/Novel Study
    • Nov/Dec - Lit Circles/Poetry
    • Dec/Jan - Non-Ficton and Exam Review
    • English 12 Videos
  • English 9
    • Feb - Short Stories
    • Feb/March - Poetry/Lit Circles
    • April - Shakespeare
    • May - Lit Circles/ Non-Fiction
    • Ninja Day
    • June - Non-Fiction and Exam Review
    • English 9 Videos
  • COMM 11/12 - 2015/2016
    • Sept - Creative Writing
    • Sept/Oct Short Stories
    • Nov-Dec- Non-Ficton
    • Nov - Mythology
    • Dec - Media Studies
    • Jan - Poetry
    • Jan - Exam Review Materials
  • OK College - Fun English!
  • After School Pro-D
  • Critical Thinking Competency Lesson
  • Inquiry Meeting - Jan 2017
  • PM IB
  • Ms. Wilms Intro to Revolution
  • Racism/Prejudice Thematic Unit
  • Christmas Assembly
  • Fake News
Mr. Fitton's Website

Wednesday Sept 30th- Friday October 1st  - Intro to Short Stories

1. Short Stories -often forgotten, but powerful type of fiction
         
-Explain story behind “baby shoes"          
-bet with other writers at a restaurant in the 1930s that Hemingway could write a powerful story in 6 words.              
-They all bet him $10
-He scrawled it on a napkin and passed it around. They agreed he won.

Baby Shoes was the short story. Here it is:

For Sale: Baby Shoes, never worn. 

Think about the meaning of the short story. The sense of loss, the sense of wonder. What does it mean? What does it make you think of. 

2. The goal of the class was to know and explain the difference between Literal, Inferential and Critical reading:

Literal: Plot, exactly what happened in the story, on the line
Inferential: theme, what is the message of the story,  interpretation, between the lines (think of a Christmas present, what do you use to guess what it is? Shape, weight,  size, whom it is from and what they know about you, use the same strategies for a story!)
Critical: Symbolism, how does the story relate to me? Society? History? Beyond the lines

3. Students watched “For the Birds” and picked out and discussed the three levels above. Here is a link to the video which has a deep message. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOiyD26cJ2A

Please pick out the Literal, Inferential and Critical meanings of the story. Try this at home with your favourite commercials. Usually deodorant adds have multiple layers. Think of "Axe" commercials. What are they literally about? What are they saying about people that wear their deodorant?

Monday, Oct 5th - back to Short Stories

1. Today, we started by looking at why we love short stories. We have millennia of storytelling hard-wired into our brains; from earliest man, to today, we yearn for a good story. 
-Mr. Fitton showed a mini-documentary on storytelling and then showed a commercial which tells a story. He then told a story following the short story format (simple plot, few characters, short, a moral at the end, starts in the middle of the action).
2. Then we read another chapter of "A Child Called It." We did a prediction exercise on what students thought that the next chapter would be about.

3. Then we took Short Story terms learned from grade 8-12 and transcribed them onto a sheet. The two documents are below. Please transcribe the "Short Story Terms" onto the "Shawshank Redemption" sheet.  (Climax, rising action, static character, etc.). On that sheet was a section for examples as well - as we interact with the "text" of Shawshank Redemption, we will fill in examples on the sheet. 

Mr. Fitton printed out the terms necessary and students placed them around the room and we took notes on our sheet (attached to a clipboard) while walking and listening to music, instead of simply sitting at our desks, facing forward.  We put them into our "Shawshank Redemption" sheet, and with that, we were ready to view the film and pick out short story terms. What a cool "Application of Knowledge" activity!
short_story_terms_communications.doc
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4. Finally, we began working with "Shawshank Redemption" in order to pick out the Terms and provide examples.  (See below)
-These terms are all part of the government exam and necessary to know in order to do well. 
short_story_terms_communications_put_around_room.doc
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the_shawshank_redemption.docx
File Size: 55 kb
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Tuesday, October 6th - Friday, October 9th -  2015

The class continued to read "A Child Called It" and engage in a class discussion throughout the reading of the novel.

We then watched a film (Shawshank Redemption) while picking out examples of the short stories terms in the handout (see files above). We stopped periodically to discuss the film and to respond to the answers on the handout. Students should have multiple examples to go with their short stories terms at this point in time. 

Tuesday, October 12th - 2015

Today we read a chapter of "A Child Called It," Finished our Film, Had a discussion on "Lockdowns" and why they are important, and worked on Short Story terms. These terms are examinable; if you have not completed them, please copy from a friend. 

Wednesday, October 13th - Monday, Oct 19th,  2015

Today's lesson is all about reading strategies.  We will compile a list throughout the term on how to understand words we don't know. 

1. Try to read the Goldilocks story.  (See Attached).  The key is at the end.  

2. What did you do to try to figure it out? Create a list of reading strategies. (What do you think?)
tri_berrese_goldilocks_thing.pdf
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​3. I distributed some articles on tying knots. Try the knots, after a while; hand out the pictures to help students. 

4. Add to the list of reading strategies - what did the knot examples teach us? As a class, we made a list of reading strategies and put them on the board: some included:
*Sound it out          *Think of the Root Word          *Skip it          *Look at the compound word          *Context Clues

Then we moved onto a lesson in slang. 

1. What is slang? What is formal language? Give definitions for both.
Slang: Informal words restricted to a particular group of people or time
Formal Language: Standard form of written communication, no slang

2. Show clips on Bay area slang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq0ZDnshYkU (the Grinch Song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixgWMrfBjg&feature=related (Bay Area Slang)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjvN6FTtB60 (Slang Lesson)

3. Read article on Slang. Mr. Fitton will attach once he has scanned it. 

Field Trip to the Jail. - Thursday....

Tuesday Oct 20th - Monday, Oct 26th, 2015

1. On both days we started by reading part of the class novel "A Child Called It". 
2. Then we departed to computer labs/Lac/random locations to work on our visual design gang poster project. 
-Student had to research a gang of their choice and then represent the information on a poster in the same format as required by the government exam. 
-A lesson on Monday will go over how to organize your information for the government exam when you get a visual design topic.

Please see documents below for examples of a Ministry of Education Government Exam visual design question and some student examples. 
gang_poster_project.docx
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visual_design_analysis.pdf
File Size: 60 kb
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visual_design_exemplars_ministry.pdf
File Size: 295 kb
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4. Play the slang game and come up with a list of strategies to figure out a word you don’t know
Think about the slang words your parents use? What are some examples? We are going to play a game to see how much language has changed over the last one hundred years. 

5. How did you figure out what the word meant, write on board and get them to copy down

Context: look at the rest of the sentence, what does it probably mean.
Look at the word itself, prefixes, suffixes, roots
Guess
Look it up
Ignore it if it doesn’t get in the way of understanding the passage
Ask a friend or a teacher


6. Give students the story “The Wars” Read it to them, stop and they draw at five different points what is going on and come up with a message that they think the story is trying to get across.  (5 boxes of drawing, 1 box of theme).  Story given out by Mr. Fitton. No electronic version. 

7. Discuss what they think the story is about. Why is it called the wars? Why do you think gangs are so popular? 

8. 3 days of work on the Gang poster project below. 

Tuesday, October 27th - Thursday, October 28th -  2015

​1. Free-write: Describe a time when someone needed your help, but you didn’t give it (because of peer pressure, inconvenience etc.). Share their answers. (Tell Starbucks Racism Story)

2. Begin reading “The Bloodsuckers”.  Give them one sticky note and ask them to record a“What’s important and why” (pick a line, image, symbol, etc.) attach it to free-write and hand in. Use the post it notes to discuss the story.

3. Discuss the story using their post it notes.

4. Discuss the Bystander effect and relate to “Bloodsuckers”
  -Social psychological phenomenon in which individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency situation where other people are present.
- Inverse relationship, more people present, less likely they will help.
-Why? Bystanders monitor reactions to see if help is necessary, since everyone else is doing the same thing (nothing) nothing needs to be done.
-all assume someone else will deal with it.
-may assume others more qualified will help, may fear losing face in front of others, offering unwanted help, legal consequences.
-can be countered by victim giving specific instructions (you in red shirt call 911)
-Good Samaritan laws help
-“No one raindrop thinks it caused the flood” (ie. Someone else has surely called 911 when they see a car accident
-SEP “Someone Else’s Problem” Selfish gene causes us to primarily be concerned with self, can be overridden when there is a threat to the group.
-Fire squad rule:  Randomly assign some a weapon with blank Cartridges to shooters . This allows each to believe they didn’t fire the fatal shot, same with electric chair and lethal injection.
-when being attacked, yell fire, more people want to watch that than to come to an assault.
-Nazis tried unsuccessfully to use Bystander effect as defense in Nuremberg Trials.

5. Show youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIvGIwLcIuw (staged kidnapping, how many people will help? Search Bystander Effect People watch Girl Be Abducted)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSsPfbup0ac&feature=related (Drunk looking man ignored)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srAR5LaDDj4&feature=related What would you do? Gay Bullying
​OR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDanZpek5iM -  Racial Shopping
OR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zikzc9sx4fE - Muslim Treated Poorly
6. Class Discussion: Thoughts on the video and on the bystander effect.

7. Class will read one of three articles from Mr. Fitton about Kitty Genovese Murder and the Bystander effect.
Mini Assignment:
-In Groups of 4, read one of the three articles.
-Write down five main summary points on the mini-whiteboards, the title of the article and a picture.
-We will present to the class in our groups. 

8. Mr. Fitton will draw the "bell curve of humanity" as mentioned by Dr. Philip Zimbardo. And explain the concept of making reluctant heroes. We will create a list of ways we could intervene when we see something unsettling. How would we react to WWYD scenarios?

9. As a class, we will discuss if we would like to create our own video-taped "WWYD" scenario in the school. Possibilities include, a student dropping their pencil in a crowded hallway and we see how students would react. 

Friday, October 30th - Wednesday, Nov 4th -  Introduction to Apartheid, Power of One, Paragraph Writing! 

1. We took notes on "Apartheid" as a class. This will provide us with background information for our study of the film "The Power of One."
apartheid_notes_and_key.doc
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2. We reviewed the "Child Called it and Power of One" paragraph comparison chart. To be filled out as a class for A Child Called It and while we watch the film for Power of One. 

The paragraph topic is: 

Both PK and David have very difficult childhoods; however, both characters are ultimately able to put their pasts behind them to become very successful adults. What traits do both PK and David possess which allow them to overcome adversity? Explain your answer with specific examples from BOTH The Power of One and A Child Called It
child_called_it_power_of_one_paragraph.docx
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3. We watched a film called "The Power of One." While watching, students had to fill out a chart that will help them write a paragraph.

4. We then did a mini-lesson on Topic Sentences and Paragraph Writing Prior to writing our paragraph comparing the two works. 
topic_sentence_and_conclusion_notes.doc
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Wednesday, Nov 3rd - Thursday, Nov 5th - Paragraph Game and Writing! 

1. Today as a class, we read interviews and epilogue's from "A Child Called It."
2. We played a game where we learned the parts of the paragraph (Hook, Thesis, Blueprint, Transition Words, Body Paragraphs, Topic sentences, conclusion). Then on the wall, Mr. Fitton put up a paragraph and students had to circle/underline parts of the paragraph as Mr. Fitton shouted them out. (Ie: I would yell "thesis" and students in their groups would have to run up and underline the part of the paragraph that was the thesis.)
handwashing_paragraph-1_-_for_paragraph_game.rtf
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​3. As a class, we wrote two separate introductions for the Paragraph. Students were then allowed to copy them or write their own. They remained on the board for students to use if they were having trouble brainstorming an introduction

4. We wrote our paragraph! 

Friday,  November 6th - Short Story Review Terms and Writing

1. Today, students watched a part of "Modern Family" to review paragraph structure as well as short story terms.  Students had to complete ten of the terms from the document below of short story terms in order to leave class. This will help for an upcoming Short Story Terms quiz. 

Below is also a document that is meant to review Paragraph Structure for students writing their paragraphs. (Hamburger model)
elements_of_the_short_story_comm.doc
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hamburger_model_-_example_for_how_to_teach_the_essay_to_put_up_on_wall.doc
File Size: 43 kb
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2. Students completed their paragraphs. They submitted them.

​3. We watched an interview with "David Pelzer" on Larry King.  See the video below. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnSntzvGteI 

Monday, November 9th

1. We reviewed the bystander effects.
2. Students read an article on the Kitty Genovese Murder.
3. Students had a class discussion on what the author of "Bloodsuckers" would give as advice to the bystander's in the Kitty Genovese murder. Students had a variety of good responses.
4. Students reviewed with Mr. Fitton what they knew about theme.
5. Students practiced "Theme Statements" ie: The theme of "A Child Called It" by David Pelzer is that (students learned to add the title of the work and the name of the author to make a complete theme statement.)
6. On the back of the handout on theme (see below) students had to practice making theme statements. 
7. The class watched "A Small Talent for War" - a short from "The Twilight Zone" and had to practice theme statements after viewing it.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ9Ar_B_jy8
8. Next day, students will bring songs etc and we will have to determine the theme. 
songs_for_theme.docx
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calvin_and_hobbes_theme_comics.docx
File Size: 418 kb
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theme_statements.docx
File Size: 162 kb
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Tuesday, November 10th 

1. The class reviewed the Bystander Effect.
2. We watched "Three Foot Tall" by classified and picked out the theme and as a class we all stated what we thought the theme was, using a theme statement. (see below)
3. Students all picked their own song and had to come up with the theme and some lyrics to back it up. 
4. Students wrote their answers on posters and presented to the class.
5. We began a lesson on inferencing. Students had to solve a puzzle and discuss what it had to do with inference.
6. We watched a Pixar video called Octopadi and had to infer the meaning, setting, theme, relationships etc. Students were able to infer a great deal.(See below)

Thursday, November 12 - Monday, November 16th

1. We reviewed "Inference": Show the Twilight Zone Clip: Children’s Zoo, what can you infer about the ending?

2. Discuss direct vs. indirect characterization

3. Show Most interesting man commercial for direct:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7YeElr1yw

4. Discuss indirect. Can the class give examples? 
​
5. Is war ever justified? Get them to write it free-write style on a piece of paper. 

6. Show them the clips from Saving Private Ryan (Beginning Scene) and A Few Good Men (Jack Nicholson, you can’t handle the Truth scene).
Jack Nicholson:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hGvQtumNAY
Saving Private Ryan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHvqS2kk1rs 

What are the two different perspectives of war being presented? Discuss as a class. 
7. Explained the history of Ireland: Give Background information on the conflict in Ireland to the class. 

8. Distribute handout on quotes/images in Sniper and other videos (see handout below). 
chart_for_the_sniper.docx
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9. Youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YydkFGQh-k&feature=related (Belfast Riots)

10. Documentary "Toughest Towns" Belfast Paramilitary squads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OSht-1d2no  
11. Read The Sniper. Get students to make predictions with pictures before hand. As they are reading, stop several times and have them draw and image, write down why it is important and them capture the important in one word. Brainstorm themes of the story as a class at the end.
the_sniper_short_story_and_activities_success_criteria_rubr.pdf
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brief_history_of_ireland.doc
File Size: 44 kb
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the__sniper.doc
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Tuesday, November 17th 

​1. Recap themes from “The Sniper,” as a class. I will write some on the board as well. Discuss the themes. From the themes discussed, ask student to come up with two examples from the story that prove that that is the theme.

2. Share a few from class.

3. Class discussion: What is the author’s (of the story) position on war vs. The Sniper’s (the character in the story)? Ask them if they think the Snipers attitude changed as a result of the ending of the story where he finds out that the other sniper was his brother and that he killed his own family member.
4. Tell students to take out their handouts which you gave back at the start of class.

5. Watch Toyland once for plot. Then watch a second time and stop for key images (I would stop a couple of times for images that strike you). Students need to write down three images and explain why they are important. Then three quotes that are important.  How does Toyland relate to the themes of the Sniper? Get them to discuss as  class/work with partners to help them get it done.

Youtube link for Toyland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0tBSx98knE 
(you will need to turn on closed captioning at the bottom of the youtube channel and select “English” otherwise the film is in German.)

6. Watch The Little Terrorist. How does The Terrorist relate to the themes of the Sniper?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Crv8FGRU6g​   This is a trailer - Mr. Fitton has a copy of the film to show. 

On the rear of their handout, they need to write down three quotes or images (or a combination of quotes and images) and write why they are important. Tell them to keep in mind that their responses should not be overly simplistic – they have to start thinking about writing for the government exam. I might stop part way through and ask some kids to share and tell others that they can steal some of the other student’s work.

Wednesday Nov 18th - Thursday, Nov 19th. 

1. Students took notes on how to write a business letter.
business_letter_notes.doc
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2. Students received example business letters as templates. One was annotated. We viewed and discussed as a class. 
business_letter_example_annotated.doc
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3. Students received the assignment. We will write a letter to David Pelzer. 
letter_to_pelzer.docx
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4. We examined some Ministry of Education Exemplars as well as the Marking Rubric. 
business_letter_exemplars_-_ministry_-_read_number_2_and_number_12_and_see_difference.pdf
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5. Students wrote their own business letter and submitted it. 
rubric_for_the_business_letter.png
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Friday, Nov 20th 

1. Students worked on their 5-in-1 assignment.  They could choose any short film, film or short story we studied during the unit. See assignment below. 
final_lesson_with_5_in_1.docx
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Unit Test

1. Unit Test Review: Watch "Children's Zoo" from the Twilight Zone  and fill out review sheet.  Quiz will be the vocab terms. Plus a short story and some multiple choice questions. 
short_story_review.docx
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