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Gone A Few Days

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A | Grade 6 Language B | Grade 7 Language A on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at 1:48 pm - (0 Comments)

Hello everyone,

I will be in Japan participating in a conference about education and technology called Beyond Laptops until Monday. You are all well on your way toward completing on your poetry assessments. Below you will find specific expectations for each grade level, about what to complete while I am gone.

Grade 6:

1. Write all four of your Haiku based on your Google Presentation slides. Now that you have listed your words, try your hand at writing your Haiku. Remember the structure:

Line 1= Describe the object or setting in your picture (Adjective+ noun from your list) 5 syllables
Line 2= Describe an action (Verb from your list) 7 syllables
Line 3= What is the lesson? 5 syllables

Example:

Morning spring flowers
growing happy in the light
like newborn babies

2. When you’re done writing your poems, please create a Keynote slide with your picture and the Haiku on it.  Design your slide so the image, the words, the colors and the font all match to create a feeling and mood.

Not like this:

3. Finally, take a screen shot of your Keynote slide and paste in a new slide under your previous Word List Slide in Google Presentation. If you have any questions email me.

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Poetry Anthology

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 7 Language A on Monday, April 16th, 2012 at 1:50 pm - (1 Comments)

This post is for the grade sevens. Below you will find specifications for your Poetry Anthology. You can take a look at the unit overview here.

Click Poetry Checklist Printable for a hard copy of the checklist.

Out Again Grade 7 &10

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A | Grade 7 Language A on Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 at 2:34 pm - (0 Comments)

Hey everyone,

Sorry to be out again, but something came up.

I have noticed for both Grade 7 and 10 that your post unit reflections are not all done. Please make sure that you have done the following

1. Make sure your post-unit reflections and overview is posted on your blog. Don’t forget to include your Director’s Cut video, your final video,  plus your favorite Daily Shoots!. Use the Post Assessment Reflection to guide your writing.

Grade 7- If you finish please write a blog post about your thoughts on Being Elmo.

Grade 10- You also need to finish up the text for the Director’s Cut of your video. Remember your script, should read and be organized like an essay. Meaning that it should not just be a loose script, but a well organized text. I have decided that you no longer need to record this. A  written text analyzing the choices you made for your film will be enough. Please create a separate post which includes your final video with this text beneath it.

 

Grade 10 Wrapping Up

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A on Monday, March 19th, 2012 at 6:56 am - (0 Comments)

Hi Grade 10.

Sorry, but I have to stay home with my daughter today as we are both a bit under the weather. I know you are all swamped with Personal Project, but we still have a few things to finish up in class for English.

1. Make sure your post-unit reflections and overview is posted on your blog. Don’t forget to include your Director’s Cut video, plus your final video,  and your Post Assessment Reflection text.

2. Finish up the text for the Director’s Cut of your video. Remember your script, should read and be organized like an essay. Meaning that it should not just be a loose script, bu a well organized text. When you are done, you need to record the audio like you did before. Do this individually, not as a group.

 

Faced with problems as opportunities, students can make amazing things!

Posted by Jabiz in English | Film on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 at 8:03 pm - (4 Comments)

Saw this video from a blog I love to read by my friend Zac Chase. Here is the story in context:.

The story via NPR:

Unhappy with portrayals of Native Americans in mainstream media, a group of students from South Dakota’s Rosebud Sioux Reservation created a video to show that their community is about more than alcoholism, broken homes and crime.

The students are visiting Washington, D.C., on Monday to lobby Congress for increased funding for schools on reservations.

Filmed in black and white, the student-produced video More Than That takes viewers through the hallways, classrooms and gymnasium of the Rosebud Sioux Reservation’s county high school.

Using their bodies as signposts, the students explain that they’re more than stock images of poverty, alcoholism and violence. With words drawn on their hands, arms and faces, they share the traits that describe who they really are: humor, intelligence, creativity — and the list goes on.

The point the students are trying to make, says English teacher Heather Hanson, is that they’re not victims.

The nonprofit National Association of Federally Impacted Schools invited the Lakota students to attend its winter conference Monday in Washington, D.C. While in town, the students will also lobby South Dakota’s congressional representatives.

What did you think? Pretty amazing to see the power of simple film to make people think and change their views. You have the power too. You have the tools and the platform to change the world. What will you do with it.

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Snap Shot to Great Shot and the Dailyshoot!

Posted by Jabiz in Dailyshoot | Film | Grade 10 Language A | Grade 6 Language B | Grade 7 Language A | Photography on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 12:58 pm - (4 Comments)

Today in class we spoke about how film making starts with a good photographer’s eye. We need to be able to really “see” the world and explore a frame. I mentioned some of the key factors that make a great photograph. There are obviously more, but as beginners it is important to start with a list of things we can learn and do. There are probably hundreds of websites to help guide you on your photographic journey, but I wanted to create a short and simple resource connected with what we are doing in class in terms of photography and film.

The main features we are focusing on for both photography and film are:

  • Light
  • Frame
  • Composition
  • Color/ Texture

Take a look at this video and meet me back at the other end for a wrap-up.

If you have any questions or further advice, please leave them in the comments below.

Now that we have a basic idea of how to take a decent photograph, let’s move on to The Daily Shoot! I explained in class why we are doing this, but let me give you another quick run down.

  • What is it: You will take a photo a day, based on the prompts I will share with you.
  • Where: You will post your daily photo on the proper Daily Shoot Posterous site- Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 10

Follow these exact directions:

  1. Email your photo to the correct email address for your site: dailyshoot6@posterous.com, dailyshoot7@posterous.com, or dailyshoot10@posterous.com
  2. The subject line of your email should look like this: Yourname 1/30 Title ((tag: yourname trees, red, color, sun, #/30)) Example: Jabiz 1/30 Storm ((Tag: Jabiz, clouds, thunder, storm, 1/30))

We will discuss the photos in class, but feel free to leave comments on shots you like and/or give feedback. You will find the Dailyshoot prompts on this blog under the category Dailyshoot, along with a complete list in the top header.

The first prompt is: Take a photograph of something red.

 

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The Wall- Grade 10: Summative Assessment Task

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 11:29 am - (0 Comments)

Unit Question:  In what ways does society and our life experiences shape who we become?
AOI: Community and Service:

You will be reviewing you ideas of what makes a society. You will explore the different roles and functions of individuals and groups within society and how those roles, functions and groups can affect who we are and in turn the types of societies we create.

After listening to the music, discussing key terms, and viewing the film The Wall by Pink Floyd. You should have a good understanding of the themes, symbolism and techniques used by Alan Parker to create the film as a vehicle for the protagonists to express his view of himself and his relationship with society.

In response to the film you will be responsible for three different assessments:

TASK 1 – Group Work (Oral)

Analysis of a song/scene:  You will choose a group based on interest in a song from the film. You will analyze the themes within the song/scene, discuss and analyze the symbolism used in the original clip, as well as the angles and camera movements used to create the scene.  This analysis will be done as a voice over on top of the original clip.  You will be assessed on Criterion A: with a focus on understanding of the director’s choices.

TASK 2 – Individual Work (Oral)

You will create a new version of the scene for a song of your choice. I would love for you to cover the song yourself,  but you can also use the recorded song if you don’t want to sing.  You will direct and stage a unique video clip and create a director’s cut explaining your choices in film techniques to show your understanding of the themes and symbolism discussed. This will be an analysis of your version of the video.  Your speech will focus on symbolism, angles, shot types and camera movements.  Please write and keep a written script of your voice over as well. You will be assessed on Criterion A: with a focus on understanding of the director’s choices and Criterion C: Appropriate vocabulary use and grammatical accuracy.

TASK 3 – Individual Work (Writing)

You will answer the following question with reference to the film.  Choose a theme from the film and explain “In what ways has Alan Parker conveyed (insert Theme) in the film through the use of camera angles, types of shots, camera movement and symbolism.  This essay will be between 600 – 800 words in length.  You will have a week of class time in which to plan and write it. You will be assessed on Criterion A: with a focus on understanding of the director’s choices and applying Language A terminology in context. Criterion B: with a focus on organizing ideas and arguments in a sustained, coherent and logical manner. Criterion C: Appropriate vocabulary use and grammatical accuracy.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and remember, “YOU can’t have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat. How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?”

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Action!

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A | Grade 6 Language B | Grade 7 Language A on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 11:03 am - (4 Comments)

As we start creating scenes in all three English classes, I thought I would share some resources with you all. I suppose I could have found one template and forced you to use it, but honestly as I was looking, I couldn’t find one that I loved. I searched for film storyboard templates and found nearly fifty options. I have added some good ones below and you can drag them from this blog and print them for your use.

 


Or you can google your own. The important thing is that you have a shot-by-shot story board of your scene that must include:

  1. Type of shot
  2. Source of Light
  3. Music
  4. Description of the setting
  5. Length of shot

More details coming soon…

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Sorting Through The Wall

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 8:37 am - (0 Comments)

I know there is a lot going on this film and album, so let’s start sorting through it:

  • Write about the Theme, Scene or Song you understand the best.
  • Write about the Theme, Scene or Song that confuses you the most? What questions do you have?
  • Write about the Theme, Scene or Song you are thinking of exploring for your video?
  • Is there a place where you see an intersection of a Theme, Scene or Song?

Or maybe think along these lines:

  • A scene from The Wall that confirmed your ideas about what film and a song could be…
  • A scene from The Wall that challenged your ideas about what film and a song could be
  • A scene from The Wall that inspired you to want to create a new scene or song…

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Freedom?

Posted by Jabiz in Grade 10 Language A on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 8:39 am - (26 Comments)

What stops you from doing whatever you want?

Please answer this question as a comment on this post.

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