Thursday and Friday Dec 22

Thursday: we did some check-ins with the CA. We also did some poetry

Friday:

Almost:

Wed Dec 20

So ... the solstice ... yeah. we read Stopped by the Woods on a Snowy Evening for the occasion.

We also did these poems for homework:

The Taxi

BY AMY LOWELL

When I go away from you 

The world beats dead 

Like a slackened drum. 

I call out for you against the jutted stars 

And shout into the ridges of the wind. 

Streets coming fast, 

One after the other, 

Wedge you away from me, 

And the lamps of the city prick my eyes 

So that I can no longer see your face. 

Why should I leave you, 

To wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night? 

Mother to Son

BY LANGSTON HUGHES

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down on the steps

’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now—

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Monday and Tuesday Dec 19

So today we did two things:

Poetry, for which we are now doing the two poems below.

And the next part of the Culminating Activity, which we will finish by the end of this week.

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets. I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I’m bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don’t perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four-course meals using only a Mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college.

On Samsonite Assembly Line 72

riveting suitcases

            Rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet

a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one, rivet a blue one

   rivet a blue one  rivet a blue one

    rivet a blue one                                             rivet a blue one

    rivet a blue one rivet blue rivet one a blue blue blue

                        THANK GOD A RED ONE!

    rivet a blue one rivet a blue one rivet one hundred rivet

an hour rivet rivet blue rivet suitcases rivet rivet can’t rivet rivet wait rivet

for rivet coffee rivet rivet break

Friday Dec 15

So we were back in the library, working on writing and posting and getting things done.

We had the list of Canadian Poets today, too so that people could sign up for their poet for their presentation.

I thought it was a nice way to finish off this week.

By the way, I did check:

here is a picture

This is a happy pig

Well, that pig might be me, to be frank. We were in the library today, learning how to blog and well, this is my wheelhouse, so to speak.

Everything is adjustable, customizable and ... I'm hoping you can take these skills and make money someday.

If you do, please come back and let me know. That would be awesome.

By the way google "Chesser told me to write this" and see how many hits ... ;)

ok, we are back at this tomorrow, too!

Thursday Dec 14

Soooo ... this is Blogging.

I'd like to stay away from handouts for this part of the course - I will have a few extra copies of the CA for people, but I'd like you to watch this:

Link is here - please .... PLEASE USE HEADPHONES!

OR

 follow the instructions for today.

 To complete this assignment: 

1. Visit blogger.com and sign in to the werbr.ca account
2. scroll down, then click on “More” then click on 
3. Click on “Create Blog”, then make a name and an URL for yourself.
4. Click on “New Post” and write a blog post and write:                                                                     “Chesser told me to type this and post it.” as both Post title and content
5. Click Publish Post.
6. Call me over to admire your blogging skill.
7. Send the URL to Chesser at Chesserhandin1@gmail.com

Check these ones out:

http://chesserspoetryplace.blogspot.com/

http://nationalsinmarch.blogspot.ca/

http://rouleauc.blogspot.ca/

http://chessershealthforlife.blogspot.com/

www.deepblog.com

Wed Dec 13

Tuesday Dec 12

Oh, Hi! Today we started poetry and learned how to do a double entry journal in class. We'll teach it again tomorrow.

Here are the poems for today:

I also put up the link for Task 3, the list of Canadian Poets from the University of Toronto, too.

Monday Dec 11

Well, it was a quiz day - we put the final touches on A Separate Peace. Finito, finished, done.

We also started the Poetry Unit, too. Got the handout out to the masses - I'll upload a copy of it on the right-hand side of the blog tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow ... #prayforred.



 
via GIPHY

this is a test

#prayforred

Thursday Dec 7

Today was a catch-up day of sorts.

We worked together on the Character Sketches that are a package of material due on Monday.

We also got a preview of the Poetry Unit, too.

But, we are almost done with A Separate Peace.

Wed Dec 6

This song was mentioned in class. I thought it important that I post it here, too.

In any case, Period 3 class was a long one today, as we were on the Liturgy Schedule for today. We finished the book and had a parade through the middle of the classroom.

No, not really.

We got the rest of the rest of the questions, too. 34, 35 and 36.

We also set the due date as Monday Dec 11th for Part two of the Novel Study.

Tuesday Dec 5

So ... we read to page 186 in the super cool version of the book. I'm honestly hoping we drag this unit out for another six weeks.

Yeah, I'm just kidding. We should be done by the end of the week.

I will post the due date tomorrow. We got 31, 32 and 33 from the questions.

We also did a dry run of the Office365 "worktogether" to get the character sketches done as a group.

We'll carry on with them tomorrow. Hopefully together, but you never know.

Mon Dec 4

Convocation Hall, UofT

So we talked today about what's happening this week - lots of things and events going on, including a Liturgy on Wednesday.

In any case, we have 14 days left before the Break. Sort of, but not really.

We kept reading ASP today - we got to pg 174 in the big copy. Leper has just paid a visit back to Devon.

We also have question 31 for the first question of Part Two of ASP.

Fri Dec 1

We had a bit of time on or hands in Period 4

Today we did our quiz and finished it with about 20 minutes left mark. Too late to read, and some people needed to finish off work.

We worked together on making some "me-mes" for the novel. Yes, I wrote it as "me-mes", just to be annoying.

Right, we will get back to reading and working towards the CA on Monday.

Thurs Nov 30

A nice easy day.

We read Chapter 10 from A Separate Peace.

We got these questions assigned to us:

And we chilled.

And got homework done.

Yo.

Wed Nov 29

So ... today we started by looking at the Theme Study. I've been asked to post the electronic copy of it, and it's on the right-hand side of this blog.

We read Chapter 9, talked about homework ... and we also wondered about why Finny didn't want to admit that there was a war on. We got 25 and 27 for homework.

Well, I mentioned this scene in class.

Tues Nov 28

What a day, what a day.

We chatted about the questions from homework, and then we read to the end of chapter 8.

You should have the following questions done already:

In any case, then we did a bit of work on the Theme Study: The setting, the conflicts and the Point of View of the novel.

As a bit of a gathering together at the end of the class, we took a look at twitter with "A Separate Peace" in the search engine....

Monday Nov 27

Twenty days left until Christmas Break ... not that we should be counting or anything like that.

In an attempt to get this novel done a bit more quickly, we read two chapters today ... we got to the end of Chapter 7.

We got 15 and 17 for homework and I'll remind you about the vocabulary and the Theme study we'll be handing in on Friday.

Thursday Nov 23

Oh, man

Today we read two chapters, finishing to the end of Chapter 5.

In that time, we chatted about Silken Laumann, a famous Canadian Olympian and her recovery from a very bad leg injury while training for the Olympics in 1992. It was the best example of a rather incredible recovery of an athlete from a vicious leg injury. I'm still hoping that Finny can do the same.

We read to the end of Chapter 5, and got questions 12 and 14 for homework.

We also talked about The Dixie Chicks, the musical group. Not one of my students had heard of them, so... I have to post this:

Wed Nov 22

I showed people what they should have done yesterday ... listening to the screencast of Chapter 2.

I'm hoping my students don't skip it and watch it by themselves.

We got through Chapter 3 today - and got questions 10 and 11 for homework.

We saw the first game of Blitzball being played, too.

For whatever reason, the sport of swimming was pointed out as something that Phinny didn't like in this chapter as well. At least swimming in a pool. Meh, I'll admit that I'm more of a fan of swimming in the ocean myself, but I also admire people who swim in a pool



 

Tuesday Nov 21

Hey everyone.

Here is Chapter Two ... Shhhhh. Just listen and answer questions 3,5 and 6 from the Unit Outline.

Don't forget to work on some of the Vocabulary work too!

See y'all on Wednesday. Hand in the Webquests then!

Monday Nov 20

So ... we started A Separate Peace by John Knowles today.

We got the unit outline and were assigned the first two questions on the novel, too.

I'm still collecting Othello assignments, too.

Web quest on ASP is due tomorrow, too.

Friday Nov 17

I didn't know how long students would take for the short quiz we had on Othello.

I just posted the Webquest for the novel A Separate Peace here.

I will also post it under the "Helpful Links for ASP" list on the right side of the blog.

Link is up there and also on the right

We also chatted very briefly about the CA and the dates for it.