Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Lesson 7

 

 Students wrote a quiz! If you missed it, please see me in tutorial at 8:30 tomorrow morning. 

Students read their novels, before we jumped into a discussion of the different kinds of irony.

In groups, students applied their understandings of irony to finding examples in the last two pieces we worked with.

If you already have a novel for class, and your homework came back without errors, you have no new homework!

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Lesson 6

 Students read their personal novels.

Some have still not handed in their edited, or late work - this should happen during tomorrow's tutorial. 

We did a quick review of capitalisation, and students will have a quiz next class. 

Students received a handout on story terms.  

We then watched "For the Birds" - students  filled in the Exposition, Inciting Incident, Rising Action(s), Climax, and Denouement sections of a sheet for the short - If you were not in class today, you can watch the film and chart it on the flip side of your personal Cougar/Cub plot diagram.

NO HOMEWORK other than ensuring you have finished filling in the above, studying for your quiz, and bringing your novel to your next class.

 

Monday, September 21, 2026

Lesson 5

 Students handed in their homework, before starting in on their silent reading.

Students completed the second of 3 capitalisation sheets - they need to ensure they know what's what, because a quiz will follow in the next couple of weeks. 

Students looked over the plot diagrams from other groups - most were essentially on track, though some missed key elements, or included too much in some sections of the diagram (I will review these and re-mark).

Of the homework handed in at the start of class (many did not complete it) much was done badly. Students who did not hand in the work at all should be handing it in during tomorrow's tutorial, and those who made errors should be adjusting the work to re-submit it on Wednesday.


 

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Lesson 4

Students read their personal novels while I checked their homework (a few were missing detail, and some were missing the homework altogether). 

Students did their first capitalization worksheet

In groups, students plotted out the video we watched last class, while reviewing the story terms associated with a standard plot diagram.

HMWRK:  

  • Students received a list of vocabulary terms - ON A SEPARATE SHEET students should write the word, write a definition of the word, and then write a sentence IN THEIR OWN WORDS which shows their understanding of the word. If someone were learning English, this sentence should make the meaning of the word abundantly clear to them. 
  • Find a novel for class, if you haven't already

 

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Lesson 3

 

Students began class by listening to "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, and thinking a bout the lyrics - A number of students forgot to bring a novel today, and those students had a bit of extra time to think...

We did our best to put faces to names - we'll keep working on it!

Students began a review of a standard plot diagram, and used this Cougar Cub Video to plot it out (please watch it at home if you missed today)

HOMEWORK: Have a plan for recording homework (other than your phone) make sure your plot diagram for Cougar/Cub is complete, and bring a novel to next class. 

Friday, September 11, 2026

Lesson 2

 

Students started the block with a quick check in - they told us how they are feeling, and something good about the week. 

We talked about the things students want to learn in the course, and the fact that many of those are best supported by reading, writing, and talking together.

In groups, students listened to two brief stories - they focused on details to solve mysteries and avoid red herrings. 

HMWRK: Bring a novel to next class!

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Lesson 1

 

 Welcome!

Students found their seats, asked all the questions, looked over a course outline,  answered some get-to-know-you questions, and played a name scavenger hunt to get to know their classmates. 

Next class, we will do some more icebreaker work, and then get down to work :) 

Lesson 14

 Students started the block by reading their personal novels - those who take 10-15 minutes just to begin reading, or cannot do so without c...