Lesson 78

 

 Students spent today's block drafting, and will spend the next block doing the same. 

Anyone looking for extra assistance is welcome in the writing lab at lunch, and all are always welcome to tutorial for extra time or assistance. Please note: The writing lab is not a space for those who simply need extra time to write.

 

 

NOTE: In case it has been unclear to anyone, phones should all be in backpacks. We are not using phones during class for any reason, unless specific individual permission is granted. If you  have your phone out during class, including on your lap, in a book, or under you on your seat, you will be picking it up at the office at the end of the day.

Lesson 76

 

Students handed in their theme webs - those who put some effort into them will certainly find them beneficial in the writing to come. 

We discussed issues with AI use in trusted publications, and society writ large, via this article about the Chicago Tribune.

We used the notion of buying food locally to talk about  how to go about organizing either the points in a paragraph, or the body paragraphs in an essay.

Students who did not receive proficient on their previous formal paragraph will be writing another formal paragraph for The Marrow Thieves. 

Those who received proficient or extending are welcome to write a paragraph, or to stretch and write a 4-5 paragraph essay. 

Reasons to write an essay:

• You feel you have mastered the paragraph, and would like to stretch further.
• You already felt confined by the paragraph form, and need more space to fully express your ideas.

Reasons to write a paragraph:

• You still need to work on mastering the form.
• You suspect you will not have the time you need to write a full essay, due to outside commitments. 
• ***You sometimes struggle to ensure clear, linear thought on the page and/or your ideas are good, but your expression still needs refinement/clarity.

Students have basic outlines to take home over the weekend - while there should not be entire paragraphs/essays written on these in tiny font, they should come back with arguments and evidence ready to go next class.

Those planning on writing a theme-based essay should pop in for tutorial to run ideas/theses past me as needed. Monday is also fine for that!

Lesson 75

 

 We opened today's class talking about the hope that is present in this novel, despite it being dystopian fiction. We talked about the hope for future generations etc.

We looked at:

• This story of forced sterilization
• The shocking death of Joyce Echaquan, mother of seven
• And we finished with this Reel of a baby in a Jolly Jumper (invented by Olivia Poole) at a Powow. 

Students then had a great deal of time to work on creating a theme web/mindmap of the novel. Everyone should have at least 4-5 themes on their webs, and ensure that the themes are connected with quotations, characters and/or key events in the text.

These webs will be used as students begin their writing - while they do not need to be over-the-top, effort connecting at least 4-5 quotes to 4-5 key themes will be beneficial. They will be collected at the beginning of our next block. 

Lessons 72/73

This block was tasked with doing some reading on their own - fewer than 20 pages - and was abundantly clear that many did not do so. They should absolutely do so prior to our next block.

We reviewed the chapter "Word Arrives in Black" and discussed the various things that can make us lash out at those we love. 

We began to review the chapter "Lost and Found and Lost," but a few students were forced to carry conversation for those who had not done the work. Instead of carrying on, we listened to the remainder of the text -Notes were handed in at the door. 

 

Lesson 71

 We had a pretty low-key class (especially as I had a headache, and couldn't read etc.)

We reviewed the previous chapters, listened to "Loss" and "The Circle," after which students had time to take notes.

All students received a package of the next two chapters: "Word Arrives in Black," and "Lost and Found and Lost." Students are expected to read the two chapters for homework and complete notes on them before next class.

 

Lesson 70

Students had a few minutes at the beginning of the block to catch up on notes from last class (any still needing catch up should come to tutorial).

We read the chapter titled "Found" and students took notes.

We talked about the images of the resistance members emerging from the forest, and briefly touched upon the Oka Crisis. Students are encouraged to learn more about it through the following:

• Timeline of the Oka Crisis
• CBC archived coverage, including videos, on the crisis
  

We then read "The Miracle of Minerva," and talked about ways in which this story is firmly grounded the past and current realities of Canada. We also discussed the connection between this chapter and St. Anne's Residential School and the ways in which it could be and offering -  a way for surviors/relatives of survivors to burn down the worst of that history - to cleanse (see final line of chapter, as well as Cormac McCarthy quote from the opening of the text).

We also looked at the image of the gates of Auschwitz. We talked about the power of the image, and the parallel, yet quite different, image of the gates at the end of "The Miracle of Minerva."

Lesson 69

Today's class began in a bit of a jumble, due to being displaced for an AP exam. While we didn't have books, we ultimately managed to work our way through quite a lot. 

We talked about his niece's journey to bring her uncle Percy Onabigon home, and about the idea of granting rights to bodies of water, as in this article (contrasted with corporate law, granting rights to corporations in the US and other jurisdictions).

We read, then discussed, "Rougarou Comes Hunting."  

We then read and discussed "On the Road."

No homework - but students are reminded about the writing lab, and anyone who missed today should ensure they are caught up on the reading before Tuesday's class. 

Lesson 68

 

We looked at several articles today:

• We talked about the importance of having one's vote count, and then looked at this CBC article on folks who were unable to vote in the North.

• Indigenous MP's
• APTN article on lawsuit - CBC article on housing lawsuit
• The implementation of a pre-colonial justice practice to protect the Haida community

 

We finished reading "The Long Stumble," and students took notes.

We discussed important aspects of the chapter (core character and thematic moments. 

Anyone who missed today's reading should ensure they have caught up prior to Friday's block.

FRIDAY'S BLOCK WILL BE HELD IN ROOM 2004, as our classroom is being used for exams. 

Students are encouraged to attend the Handsworth Writing Lab - to find out what it's all about, and to get help working on any of the issues that may have come up in their previous writing. They can take their lunch - stay for all, or part of the hour - and are welcome to take a friend. 

Lesson 67

We opened today's class  by looking at the Squamish Nation film on Senakw

We finished reading "The Other Indians," and students took notes - we then reviewed the previous chapter.

We ended the block by listening to the audio book chapter for "The Way It All Changed," after which students had some time to take notes.

 

NOTE: All students are invited to take their summaries to the writing lab to receive extra feedback/assistance in preparation for our final writing piece - credit will be given for their work there on the final report.