English 12 Unit One Student Handouts February 2015

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Biographical Writing

You are about to write a biography, aka a bio, of someone in this class. Once you have decided who you will interview, you will need to craft 10 interview questions. Avoid questions that will solicit one word responses and or short phrases; your goal is to garner enough information to write an interesting and engaging depiction of your subject!

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2 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015

After penning your interview questions, spend some time with your person of choice from this class and interview them; gleaning as much information as possible. Record your responses below. You will use this information to write the biography.

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Type your biography and submit it for grading. Questions and responses are worth 30 marks (keep them in this package). The final written biography will be marked out of 40. The bio should be engaging and informative; think magazine

Descriptive Writing

Read the following story. Three Days to See - by Helen Keller All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to live. Sometimes it was as long as a year; sometimes as short as twenty-four hours. But always we were interested in discovering just how the doomed man chose to spend his last days or his last hours. I speak, of course, of free men who have a choice, not condemned criminals whose sphere of activities is strictly delimited. Such stories set us thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances. What events, what experiences, what associations, should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings? What happiness should we find in reviewing the past, what regrets? Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with gentleness, vigor, and a keenness of appreciation, which is often, lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the epicurean motto of 'Eat, drink, and be merry,' but most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending death. In stories, the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. He becomes more appreciative of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values. It has often been noted that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow sweetness to everything they do. Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life. The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our facilities and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill. I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound. Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what

4 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 she had observed. 'Nothing in particular,' she replied. I might have been incredulous had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little. How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter's sleep. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips. At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color and action which fills the world is taken for granted. It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that which have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of light the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life. If I were the president of a university I should establish a compulsory course in 'How to Use Your Eyes'. The professor would try to show his pupils how they could add joy to their lives by really seeing what passes unnoticed before them. He would try to awake their dormant and sluggish faculties. Perhaps I can best illustrate by imagining what I should most like to see if I was given the use of my eyes, say, for just three days. And while I am imagining, suppose you, too, set your mind to work on the problem of how to work on the problem of how you would use your own eyes if you had only three days to see. If with the oncoming darkness if the third night you knew that the sun would never rise for you again, how would you spend those three intervening days? What would you most want to let your gaze rest upon? I, naturally, should want most to see the things which have become dear to me through my years of darkness. You, too, would want to let your eyes rest long on the things that have become dear to you so that you could take the memory of them with you into the night that loomed before you. If, by some miracle, I were granted three seeing days, to be followed by a relapse into darkness, I should divide the period into three parts. On the first day, I should want to see the people whose kindness and gentleness and companionship have made my life worth living. First I should like to gaze long upon the face of my dear teacher, Mrs. Ann Sullivan Macy, who came to me when I was a child and opened the outer world to me. I should want not merely to see the outline of her face, so that I could cherish it in my memory, but to study that face and find in it the living evidence of the sympathetic tenderness and patience with which she accomplished the difficult task of my education. I should

5 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 like to see in her eyes that strength of character which has enabled her to stand firm in the face of difficulties, and that compassion for all humanity which she has revealed to me so often. I do not know what it is to see into the heart of a friend through that 'window of the soul,' the eye. I can only 'see' through my finger tips the outline of a face. I can detect laughter, sorrow, and many other obvious emotions. I know my friends from the feel of their faces. But I cannot really picture their personalities, of course, through the thoughts they express to me, through whatever of their actions are revealed to me. But I am denied that deeper understanding of them which I am sure would come through sight of them, through watching their reactions to various expressed and circumstances, through noting the immediate and fleeting reactions of their eyes and countenance. Friends who are near to me I know well, because through the months and years they reveal themselves to me in all their phases; but of casual friends I have only an incomplete impression, an impression gained from handclasp, from spoken words which I take from their lips with my finger tips, or which they tap into the palm of my hand. How much easier, how much more satisfying it is for you who can see to grasp quickly the essential qualities of another person by watching the subtleties of expression, the quiver of a muscle, the flutter of a hand. But does it ever occur to you to use your sight to see the inner nature of a friend or acquaintance? Do not most of you seeing people grasp casually the outward features of a face and let it go at that? For instance, can you describe accurately the faces of five good friends? Some of you can, but many cannot. As an experiment, I have questioned husbands of long standing about the color of their wives' eyes, and often they express embarrassed confusion and admit that they so not know. And, incidentally, it is a chronic complaint of wives that their husbands do not notice new dresses, new hats, and changes in household arrangements. The eyes of seeing persons soon become accustomed to the routine of their surroundings, and they actually see only the startling and spectacular. But even in viewing the most spectacular sights the eyes are lazy. Court records reveal every day how inaccurately 'eyewitnesses' see. A given event will be 'seen' in several different ways by as many witnesses. Some see more than others, but few see everything that is within the range of their vision. Oh, the things that I should see if I had the power of sight for just three days! The first day would be a busy one. I should call to me all my dear friends and look long into their faces, imprinting upon my mind the outward evidence of the beauty that is within them. I should let my eyes rest, too, on the face of a baby, so that I could catch a vision of the eager, innocent beauty which precedes the individuals consciousness of the conflicts which life develops. And I should like to look into the loyal, trusting eyes of my dogs - the grave, canny little Scottie, Darkie, and the stalwart, understanding Great Dane, Helga, whose warm, tender, and playful friendships are so comforting to me. On that busy first day I should also view the small simple things of my home. I want to see the warm colors in the rugs under my feet, the pictures on the walls, the intimate trifles that

6 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 transform a house into a home. My eyes would rest respectfully on the books in raised type which I have read, but they would be more eagerly interested in the printed books which seeing people can read, for during the long night of my life the books I have read and those which have been read to me have built themselves into a great shining lighthouse, revealing to me the deepest channels of human life and the human spirit. In the afternoon of that first seeing day, I should take a long walk in the woods and intoxicate my eyes on the beauties of the world of Nature, trying desperately to absorb in a few hours the vast splendor which is constantly unfolding itself to those who can see. On the way home from my woodland jaunt my path would lie near a farm so that I might see the patient horses ploughing in the field (perhaps I should see only a tractor!) and the serene content of men living close to the soil. And I should pray for the glory of a colorful sunset. When dusk had fallen, I should experience the double delight of being able to see by artificial light, which the genius of man has created to extend the power of his sight when Nature decrees darkness. In the night of that first day of sight, I should not be able to sleep, so full would be my mind of the memories of the day. The next day - the second day of sight - I should arise with the dawn and see the thrilling miracle by which night is transformed into day. I should behold with awe the magnificent panorama of light with which the sun awakens the sleeping earth. This day I should devote to a hasty glimpse of the world, past and present. I should want to see the pageant of man's progress, the kaleidoscope of the ages. How can so much compressed into one day? Through the museums, of course. Often I have visited the New York Museum of Natural History to touch with my hands many of the objects there exhibited, but I have longed to see with my eyes the condensed history of the earth and its inhabitants displayed there - animals and the races of men pictured in their native environment; gigantic carcasses of dinosaurs and mastodons which roamed the earth long before man appeared, with his tiny stature and powerful brain, to conquer the animal kingdom; realistic presentations of the processes of evolution in animals, and in the implements which man has used to fashion for himself a secure home on this planet; and a thousand and one other aspects of natural history. I wonder how many readers of this article have viewed this panorama of the face of living things as pictured in that inspiring museum. Many, of course, have not had the opportunity, but, I am sure that many who have had the opportunity have not made use of it. There, indeed, is a place to use your eyes. You who can see can spend many fruitful days there, but I, with my imaginary three days of sight, could only take a hasty glimpse, and pass on. My next stop would be the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for just as the Museum of Natural History reveals the material aspects of the world, so does the Metropolitan show the myriad facets of the human spirit. Throughout the history of humanity the urge to artistic expression has been almost as powerful as the urge for food, shelter, and procreation. And here, in the vast chambers of the Metropolitan Museum, is unfolded before me the spirit of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as expressed in their art. I know well through my hands the sculptured gods and goddesses of the ancient Nile-land. I have a few copies of Parthenon friezes, and I have sensed

7 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 the rhythmic beauty of charging Athenian warriors. Apollos and Venuses and the winged victory of Samothrace are friends of my finger tips. The gnarled, bearded features of Homer are dear to me, for he, too, knew blindness. My hands have lingered upon the living marvel of Roman sculpture as well as that of later generations. I have passed my hands over a plaster cast of Michelangelo's inspiring and heroic Moses; I have sensed the power of Rodin; I have been awed by the devoted spirit of Gothic wood carving. These arts which can be touched have meaning for me, but even they were meant to be seen rather than felt, and I can only guess at the beauty which remains hidden from me. I can admire the simple lines of a Greek vase, but its figured decorations are lost to me. So on this, my second day of sight, I should try to probe into the soul of man through his art. The things I knew through touch I should now see. More splendid still, the whole magnificent world of painting would be opened to me, from the Italian Primitives, with their serene religious devotion, to the Moderns, with their feverish visions. I should look deep into the canvases of Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Titian, Rembrandt. I should want to feast my eyes upon the warm colors of Veronese, study the mysteries of El Greco, catch a new vision of Nature from Corot. Oh, there is so much rich meaning and beauty in the art of the ages for you who have eyes to see! Upon my short visit to this temple of art I should not be able to review a fraction of that great world of art which is open to you. I should be able to get only a superficial impression. Artists tell me that for a deep and true appreciation of art one must educate the eye. One must learn from experience to weigh the merits of line, of composition, of form and color. If I had eyes, how happily would I embark upon so fascinating a study! Yet I am told that, to many of you who have eyes to see, the world of art is a dark night, unexplored and unilluminated. It would be with extreme reluctance that I should leave the Metropolitan Museum, which contains the key to beauty - a beauty so neglected. Seeing persons, however, do not need a Metropolitan to find this key to beauty. The same key lies waiting in smaller museums, and in books on the shelves of even small libraries. But naturally, in my limited time of imaginary sight, I should choose the place where the key unlocks the greatest treasures in the shortest time. The evening of my second day of sight I should spend at a theatre or at the movies. Even now I often attend theatrical performances of all sorts, but the action of the play must be spelled into my hand by a companion. But how I should like to see with my own eyes the fascinating figure of Hamlet, or the gusty Falstaff amid colorful Elizabethan trappings! How I should like to follow each movement of the graceful Hamlet, each strut of the hearty Falstaff! And since I could see only one play, I should be confronted by a many-horned dilemma, for there are scores of plays I should want to see. You who have eyes can see any you like. How many of you, I wonder, when you gaze at a play, a movie, or any spectacle, realize and give thanks for the miracle of sight which enables you to enjoy its color, grace, and movement? I cannot enjoy the beauty rhythmic movement except in a sphere restricted to the touch of my hands. I can vision only dimly the grace of a Pavlowa, although I know something of the delight of rhythm, for often I can sense the beat of music as it vibrates through the floor. I can well imagine that cadenced motion must be one of the most pleasing sights in the world. I have been able to gather something of this by tracing with my fingers the lines in sculptured marble; if this static grace can be so lovely, how much more acute must be the thrill of seeing grace in motion.

One of my dearest memories is of the time when Joseph Jefferson allowed me to touch his face and hands as he went through some of the gestures and speeches of his beloved Rip Van Winkle. I was able to catch thus a meager glimpse of the world of drama, and I shall never forget the delight of that moment. But, oh, how much I must miss, and how much pleasure you seeing ones can derive from watching and hearing the interplay of speech and movement in the unfolding of a dramatic performance! If I could see only one play, I should know how to picture in my mind the action of a hundred plays which I have read or had transferred to me through the medium of manual alphabet. So, through the evening of my second imaginary day of sight, the great figures of dramatic literature would crowd sleep from my eyes. The following morning, I should again greet the dawn, anxious to discover new delights, for I am sure that, for those who have eyes which really see, the dawn of each day must be a perpetually new revelation of beauty. This, according to the terms of my imagined miracle, is to be my third and last day of sight. I shall have no time to waste in regrets or longings; there is too much to see. The first day I devoted to my friends, animate and inanimate. The second revealed to me the history of man and Nature. To-day I shall spend in the workday world of the present, amid the haunts of men going about the business of life. And where one can find so many activities and conditions of men as in New York? So the city becomes my destination. I start from my home in the quiet little suburb of Forest Hills, Long Island. Here, surrounded by green lawns, trees, and flowers, are neat little houses, happy with the voices and movements of wives and children, havens of peaceful rest for men who toil in the city. I drive across the lacy structure of steel which spans the East River, and I get a new and startling vision of the power and ingenuity of the mind of man. Busy boats chug and scurry about the river - racy speed, boats, and stolid, snorting tugs. If I had long days of sight ahead, I should spend many of them watching the delightful activity upon the river. I look ahead, and before me rise the fantastic towers of New York, a city that seems to have stepped from the pages of a fairy story. What an awe-inspiring sight, these glittering spires, these vast banks of stone and steel - sculptures such as the gods might build for themselves! This animated picture is a part of the lives of millions of people every day. How many, I wonder, give it so much as a second glance? Very few, I fear. Their eyes are blind to this magnificent sight because it is so familiar to them. I hurry to the top of one of those gigantic structures, the Empire State Building, for there, a short time ago, I 'saw' the city below through the eyes of my secretary. I am anxious to compare my fancy with reality. I am sure I should not be disappointed in the panorama spread out before me, for to me it would be a vision of another world. Now I begin my rounds of the city. First, I stand at a busy corner, merely looking at people, trying by sight of them to understand something of their lives. I see smiles, and I am happy. I see serious determination, and I am proud. I see suffering, and I am compassionate. I stroll down Fifth Avenue. I throw my eyes out of focus, so that I see no particular object but a seething kaleidoscope of color. I am certain that the colors of women's dresses moving in a throng must be a gorgeous spectacle of which I should never tire. But perhaps if I had sight I

9 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 should be like most other women - too interested in styles and the cut of individual dresses to give much attention to the splendor of color in the mass. And I am convinced, too, that I should become an inveterate window shopper, for it must be a delight to the eye to view the myriad articles of beauty on display. From Fifth Avenue I make a tour of the city - to Park Avenue, to the slums, to factories, to parks where children play. I take a stay-at-home trip abroad by visiting the foreign quarters. Always my eyes are open wide to all the sights of both happiness and misery so that I may probe deep and add to my understanding of how people work and live. My heart is full of the images of people and things. My eye passes lightly over no single trifle; it strives to touch and hold closely each thing its gaze rests upon. Some sights are pleasant, filling the heart with happiness; but some are miserably pathetic. To these latter I do not shut my eyes, for they, too are part of life. To close the eye on them is to close the heart and mind. My third day of sight is drawing to an end. Perhaps there are many serious pursuits to which I should devote the few remaining hours, but I am afraid that on the evening of that last day I should run away to the theatre, to a hilariously funny play, so that I might appreciate the overtones of comedy in the human spirit. At midnight my temporary respite from blindness would cease, and permanent night would close in on me again. Naturally in those three short days I should not have seen all I wanted to see. Only when darkness had again descended upon me should I realize how much I had left unseen. But my mind would be so overcrowded with glorious memories that I should have little time for regrets. Thereafter the touch of every object would bring a glowing memory of how that object looked. Perhaps this short outline of how I should spend three days of sight does not agree with the programme you would set for yourself if you knew that you were about to be stricken blind. I am, however, sure that if you actually faced that fate your eyes would open to things you had never seen before, storing up memories for the long night ahead. You would use your eyes as never before. Everything you saw would become dear to you. Your eyes would touch and embrace every object that came within your range of vision. Then, at last, you would really see, and a new world of beauty would open itself before you. I who am blind can give one hint to those who see - one admonition to those who would make full use of the gift of sight: Use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind. And the same method can be applied to other senses. Hear the music of voices, the song of a bird, the mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf to-morrow. Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. Make the most of every sense; glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty which the world reveals to you through the several means of contact which Nature provides. But of all the senses, I am sure that sight must be the most delightful. Published in the Atlantic Monthly, January 1933.

Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deaf/blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The story of

10 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 how Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language, allowing the girl to blossom as she learned to communicate, has become known worldwide through the dramatic depictions of the play and film The Miracle Worker. A prolific author, Keller was well traveled, and was outspoken in her opposition to war. She campaigned for women's suffrage, workers' rights, and socialism, as well as many other leftist causes.

Helen Keller leaves us with a lot to think about when it comes to the things that we take for granted. In the space provided, write a response to Keller’s essay, sharing what you would do if you were told that you only had three days to see. Do not concern yourself with format and or mechanics, just write your thoughts. Where would you go? What would you do? Who would you want to spend your time with? What would you want to see?

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Your completed Three Days To See Response is worth 10 marks. Be honest, creative, and engaging. Emulate Keller’s style; first person POV.

Persuasive Writing

In groups of four, take a blank piece of paper. Draw an X through the entire sheet from corner to corner and add a straight line across the top. On the line write the name of what you think is the greatest invention of all time. Circulate the papers in the group taking five minutes to write your opinion on each suggested topic. Repeat the same process on the backside of the paper using a more controversial topic.

After you have penned your opinion, take some time to discuss the various viewpoints shared in your group. How would you persuade someone else of your opinion? Not argue, persuade.

Submit your completed group sheets. You will be marked on how you responded to each of the suggested topics. Make sure that your name is on your paper, and that all of the papers that you wrote on are stapled together for submission. In a group of four you should write a total of 6 opinions on other peoples’ papers, plus 2 of your own. Write your opinions of your own subjects last, after the others have written theirs. Worth a grand total of 32 marks!

Composition Fridays

What is a composition? Good question. A composition is a multi-paragraphed piece of writing that is often a combination of descriptive, persuasive, and narrative elements. The following characteristics make a very good composition; story-like, emotional, engaging, interesting, meaningful, creative, imaginative, complete with dialogue, and yes you can use I!!! ( 350-500 words) We will use the first few compositions to guide our writing development. Expect lots of descriptive feedback. Every Friday of the semester is designated for in class, dead silent, Composition Writing. Our goal is to improve our writing and our speed. The topics listed below have appeared on provincial exams over the years. Please select one topic per Friday. All compositions must be submitted at the end of class on Friday. Make sure that you put your name and your topic of choice on the top of your paper. 24 marks per composition. As the term progresses low marks will be dropped not averaged!!!

November 2004 January 2002 Self-awareness leads to meaningful change. People can create their own reality. August 2004 November 2001 Role models influence our lives. Taking advantage of opportunities can be June 2004 beneficial. Certain events change our impressions of life August 2001 April 2004 Each stage of life brings new choices. Experiences shape relationships June 2001 Jan 2004 A good life does not have to be complex. Our views of the past change as we mature. April 2001 November 2003 It is important to have a realistic view of life. The best gifts are the simplest ones. January 2001 August 2003 Surprises can make life interesting. Memories influence our lives. November 2000 June 2003 Adapting to new situations in life is essential. We learn the most from people closest to us. June 2000 April 2003 Being sincere is important. Our journey into the future begins in the past. August 2000 January 2003 Taking charge of your own life is worthwhile. Certain experiences can mark the beginnings of April 2000 maturity. The pursuit of freedom involves change. November 2002 January 2000 Challenging circumstances lead to positive actions. Keeping an open mind allows for growth. August 2002 November 1999 Forming meaningful connections may enrich lives. The important things in life endure over time. June 2002 August 1999 People can be influenced by their environment. Determination April 2002 June 1999 Sometimes people are unable to control the Being Unique directions their lives take. January 1999 Making commitments

This is a sample composition written in this classroom a few years back. Drifting was written in response to the prompt, We learn from our mistakes.

SAMPLE ONE: It was a rainy day in Langley, British Columbia. The new asphalt in front of Jeff’s house was as slick as an ice rink. Jeff was a street car racer and he loved cars, especially racing them. "Ahh" Jeff exclaimed, "Perfect weather for drifting".

At around noon Jeff was sitting in his gaming chair tactically outsmarting virtual gamers, when his mother walked into his room. She looked at the screen, then back at Jeff who hadn’t even glanced towards her. "I saw the new dent in your car Jeff. I’m not impressed".

Not taking his eyes off the screen Jeff smiled and retorted, "that dents been there for awhile mom I have no idea what you’re talking about".

Jeff’s moms face went stern and red. She snapped, "You know damn well what I’m talking about Jeffery Schneider! Why do you put yourself in so much danger! Think about your brother do you want to go to jail?”

Jeff’s temper was rising, so he threw the Xbox controller at the wall, walked past his mother and yelled, "I’m going for a drive" and he slammed the door as he left the house. Jeff knew his mother was right. He shouldn’t race, but it was just so exhilarating. Jeff learnt drifting from his older brother who was his upmost idle. He loved his older brother but, his older brother was in prison for 15 counts of reckless driving and excessive speed.

Jeff hopped into his Skyline GTR. It was a bright yellow with black 17" low profile racing performance tires, a twin turbo v6 with a vtec engine, the capability to go from 0-100 in 4.2 seconds. As he turned the ignition, all his gauges lit up; resembling a spaceship on wheels. Turning his IPod full blast Jeff set off down 208th and the Langley Bypass. It was raining and the ground was slick.

Jeff approached a stop light at the corner of a 7 11 where a Supra pulled up beside him. In his peripheral, he noticed the driver rolling down his window. He then looked Jeff in the eyes and flashed him a wad of cash; his pink slip. Jeff’s eyes were focused, with an impressive stare, as his revving engine accepted the race.

Jeff turned the music louder and stared as the light on his left went from green, to yellow, to red. Facing forward Jeff pushed the gas to the floor gaining traction. The two cars were side by side. Jeff felt confidence; he would win. Hearing a voice in his head saying, “you shouldn’t race Jeff you’re going to end up like your brother". At that moment the Toyota lost control and slid sideways on the two lane road. Jeff reached for the E-brake and pulled with all his might. The car slid into oncoming traffic and hit a pole as the back end swung in a 180 degree narrowly missing the unsuspecting Ford Focus.

Later, Jeff emerged from a deep, dark sleep into a bright emergency room. Confused, he stared at the ceiling as he tuned in to the surrounding conversations. There was a woman, a man, and a younger stern sounding male.

The older male sounded relieved as he explained," we did all we could ... the kid’s lucky he’s still alive".

The woman then spoke in a familiar voice, " oh dear Lord, thank you so much doctor".

Then a warm hand touched his shoulder which was sore to move. He listened as a voice wept, "I should have never let him ride with me! It’s all my fault! My little brother was raised by an immature loser with a fast car!" Jeff’s eyes swelled up as a tear dropped from his cheek, it was his older brother. Jeff vowed to never race again.

SAMPLE TWO: Certain Events Mark Maturity “Caring - about people, about things, about life - is an act of maturity” Tracy McMillan

Winter had come early this year. The crisp air was barely breathable and snow fell in a steady torrent blanketing everything in its thick embrace. Trees that otherwise would have been barren, were dressed in a fine glaze of ice and snow, which seemed with even the slightest whisper would tumble in a cascading rush to the ground below. Not a soul could be seen, everyone with sense had long ago taken refuge in whatever warm place they called home. Sitting next to their roaring hearth that snapped and crackled and warmed to the very core. Alas, even the children who were flooded with euphoria when the snow began to fall, had all but given into their parents whims and abandoned their construction of half-finished snowmen that now festooned the front yards of most dwellings. As luck would have it some are not so fortunate as to have a place to shelter.

Franks boot’s made barely a sound as he made his way down Main Street. God all mighty he hated the snow that fell unrelenting on his head and shoulders. A good many hours before, he was simply cold, now he was freezing. His tattered pee coat was soaked through and the various sweaters and shirts that ranged from ragged to slightly used, couldn’t keep out the biting chill that now attacked every inch of him relentlessly. Franks face was troubled, dark bags hung under his twinkling eyes and his wrinkled forehead held untold stories of his grief stricken past. His shaggy orange beard had long ago frozen, and like tiny Christmas ornaments the icicles clung. A hand knitted toque perched neatly on the crest of his head and a writhing mass of long unkempt knots fell boisterously past his shoulders. Frank mumbled curses to himself as he walked, head down, hands shoved deep within his pant pockets. His teeth chattering he muttered “What-t-t a cold-d cruel world.” His exclamation fell on the death like quiet of the vacant street, the words lost in the billowing snow.

Noah’s eyes shone with sheer delight as he dashed like a hurdler through the deepening snow yelling and giggling as he made his merry way down Main Street. His round cheeks were as red as his jacket when he finally slowed to a more leisurely pace. Noah by all accounts was a rebellious child. Tired of listening to his mother say things like “Clean up your room” or “Do this and do that” he had made a heroic dash for the front door in an effort to escape from her dictatorial clutches. Fortune favours the bold and alas he was soon making his jolly way to Ralphs Coffee Shop. He could already taste the sweet and creamy chocolate blend in which he was soon to indulge. He turned left down a side street that was slick with ice evading the patches with the elegance of a deer. Ahead light could be seen streaming forth from Ralphs, a refuge in the ever falling snow.

Noah triumphantly flung the tall glass door to the shop open, a bell tinkled as he did so, announcing his presence and breaking the eerie silence that had befallen the shop. The store was all but empty, leather bound chairs sat vacant and the tables that dotted the place were forlorn. Stained hard wood floors graced the ground adding to the already dignified interior. The scent of freshly ground dark roast coffee hung heavily in the air, assaulting the nose as well as the mouth. Noah advanced into the depths of the shop realizing he was not alone. A gruff man with an orange beard and a hand knit toque stood at the cash register easily dwarfing the clerk who seemed to shrink behind his counter under the tall gentleman’s scrutiny. “I’m sorry sir, we don’t give handouts” the clerk was saying “No money, no service”. This clearly was not what the tall fellow wanted as an answer “Its twenty five below, you don’t have customers, you have coffee brewed and you refuse to give me a cup!?” he growled. Noah without hesitation quickly ran up to the man, and nervously extended out a trembling hand “Here.” Depositing his vast sum of money into the fellow’s gargantuan hand. Three dollars and seventy five cents in total, just enough to buy a hot chocolate or a large coffee. The man stared down at his open hand, shocked at what had just transpired. Smiling through his thick beard, eyes twinkling like the evening stars Frank squatted down to Noah’s level and replied “With young people like you, maybe this cruel world has hope yet.”

This is the six point scale used to grade compositions. Please read it over and over and be familiar with the expectations at each level. Based on the description for each number what would you give the previous composition? And why?

6The six paper is superior and may draw upon any number of factors, such as maturity of style, depth of discussion, effectiveness of argument, use of literary and/or rhetorical devices, sophistication of wit, or quality of imagination. This composition exhibits an effective writing style and a sophisticated use of language. Despite its clarity and precision, this paper need not be error-free.

5The five paper is proficient. The composition displays some manipulation of language to achieve a desired effect and exhibits a clear sense of voice and of audience. Content is thoughtful and interesting. Vocabulary and sentence structure are varied and serve the writer’s purpose successfully. Errors may be present, but are not distracting.

4The four paper is competent. The composition conveys the writer’s ideas, but without flair or strong control. Diction and syntax are usually appropriate, but lack variety. Structure, regardless of type, is predictable and relatively mechanical. The paper shows a clear sense of the writer’s purpose, but is not engaging. Conventions of language are usually followed, but some errors are evident.

3The three paper is barely adequate. The paper may feature underdeveloped or simplistic ideas. Transition[s] may be weak or absent. Support is frequently in the form of listed details. Little variety in diction and sentence structure is discernible. The composition may reflect some sense of purpose, but errors may be distracting.

2The two paper is inadequate. The ideas are underdeveloped and simply or awkwardly expressed. The composition may be excessively colloquial or reflect inadequate knowledge of the conventions of language. While meaning is apparent, errors are frequent and rudimentary.

1The one paper is unacceptable and may be compromised by its deficiency of composition, content, diction, syntax, structure, voice, or conventions of language.

0The zero paper manifests an achievement less than outlined in a scale-point one, is written in verse, is off topic, or is a restatement of the topic.

*Any zero paper must be cleared by the section leader.

NR A blank paper with no response given.

Short Story Elements evident in The Boat by Alistair MacLeod

Characters Setting Devices

Obligation Sacrifice e m i T

e m e h T

Point of View Minor and Major

t c i l f n o C

Symbolism Books The Boat The Chain Bracelet Pictures Singing The Sea, the harbour clothing

Tides Tiller House

Character Analysis: The Father, The Mother, or the Narrator (the Son) Complete a Descriptor Chart for each of the main characters.

Descriptor/Word Quote (s) from the story used to justify my word choice r e h t a F

r e t c a r a h C

Descriptor/Word Quote (s) from the story used to justify my word choice r e h t o M

r e t c a r a h C

Descriptor/Word Quote (s) from the story used to justify my word choice ) n o S

e h t (

r o t a r r a N

r e t c a r a h C

From the descriptors listed on the previous pages, decide which character you will analyze and complete the graphic organizer below for the character of your choice. Use a thesaurus to add synonyms for each character trait. You will use these words in your character paper to avoid repetition.

Character’s name:

Character Trait______

Character Trait:______

Synonyms Introductory Paragraph complete with a Thesis Synonyms Statement draft...

______Character ______Trait:______Synonyms ______21 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen ______Unit One Name:______2015

Sample Character Analysis Introductory Paragraphs

Sample One

In the invigorating short story ‘A little cloud’ James Joyce tells the story of two old friends who, after many years apart, finally meet to trade stories. One of the characters, Chandler, expresses himself as a melancholy man of routine, contrasted by his friend Gallaher’s rowdy, thrill seeking life in the press. Chandler’s introverted composition and methodical execution of everyday life reveals his inner self- suppressing pessimism.

Sample Two

In James Joyce’s evocative yet peculiar short story, “ A Little Cloud”, one of the main characters is named Chandler. He decides to meet up with an old friend for drinks. They began to discuss their achievements and dreams, slowly discovering how much they have grown apart. While they talk about life, it becomes quite obvious that Chandler’s meticulous appearance is undermined by his insecure thoughts and obsession with regret.

Your introductory paragraph must include:

 The title

 The author

 An adjective for the short story

 A general description of the plot

 Three character traits that you will present in detail in the three body paragraphs

Look at the two samples above and label each of the requirements. Use the essay planner to do just that; plan.

Your final draft must be typed (800-1000 words). It should include an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each of the three body paragraphs must include two short quotations that justify your traits. Any paper with a score less than 75% will be returned with suggestions for improvement. This is a teaching assignments and I will use it to show you how to write a character analysis. (samples will be shared in class)

Character Analysis Planner

Essay Planner/Outline/ Mrs. TC’s Suggested format

Topic: With reference to The Boat, by Alistair MacLeod

Intro -the title, the author, a summary of the plot -an introduction to your selected character -your thesis; basically what you are going to talk about in the next three paragraphs -what you are going to tell me

Paragraph -a topic sentence One -at least three short quotes to prove what you are saying -a discussion of each quote -Synonyms that you would use to avoid being repetitive -a transition to the next point you are going to make

Paragraph -a topic sentence Two -at least three short quotes to prove what you are saying -a discussion of each quote -Synonyms that you would use to avoid being repetitive -a transition to the next point you are going to make

Paragraph -a topic sentence Three -at least three short quotes to prove what you are saying -a discussion of each quote -Synonyms that you would use to avoid being repetitive

Conclusion -generally a repeat of the introductory paragraph. -what you told me

Helpful hints Assigned on

______ Point form  Solid thesis Due on  Good topic sentences  Variety of words that you can use in an actual essay ______ Points organized according to your introduction  One typed/completed page outlining the topic

n  Title o i t

c  Author u d

o  Adjective r t n I  General description of the plot

 Three character traits that you will analyze in detail

Topic Sentence Evidence Discussion Synonyms e n O

h p a r g a r a P o w T

h p a r g a r a P

24 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen Unit One Name:______2015 e e r h T

h p a r g a r a P

n o i s u l c n o C

Integrating Quotations

These rules oversimplify the use of punctuation with quotations, but applying just these few rules should help you use the correct punctuation about 90 percent of time.

1. Introduce the quotation with a complete sentence and a colon.

Example: In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau states directly his purpose for going into the woods: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Example: Thoreau's philosophy might be summed up best by his repeated request for people to ignore the insignificant details of life: "Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!"

Example: Thoreau ends his essay with a metaphor: "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in."

This is an easy rule to remember: if you use a complete sentence to introduce a quotation, you need a colon after the sentence. Be careful not to confuse a colon (:) with a semicolon (;). Using a comma in this situation will most likely create a comma splice, one of the serious sentence-boundary errors.

2. Use an introductory or explanatory phrase, but not a complete sentence, separated from the quotation with a comma.

Example: In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau states directly his purpose for going into the woods when he says, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Example: Thoreau suggests the consequences of making ourselves slaves to progress when he says, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us."

Example: Thoreau asks, "Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life?"

Example: According to Thoreau, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us."

You should use a comma to separate your own words from the quotation when your introductory or explanatory phrase ends with a verb such as "says," "said," "thinks," "believes," "pondered," "recalls," "questions," and "asks" (and many more). You should also use a comma when you introduce a quotation with a phrase such as "According to Thoreau."

3. Make the quotation a part of your own sentence without any punctuation between your own words and the words you are quoting.

Example: In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau states directly his purpose for going into the woods when he says that "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Example: Thoreau suggests the consequences of making ourselves slaves to progress when he says that "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us."

Example: Thoreau argues that "shams and delusions are esteemed for soundest truths, while reality is fabulous."

Example: According to Thoreau, people are too often "thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito's wing that falls on the rails."

Notice that the word "that" is used in three of the examples above, and when it is used as it is in the examples, "that" replaces the comma which would be necessary without "that" in the sentence. You usually have a choice, then, when you begin a sentence with a phrase such as "Thoreau says." You either can add a comma after "says" (Thoreau says, "quotation") or you can add the word "that" with no comma (Thoreau says that "quotation.")

4. Use short quotations--only a few words--as part of your own sentence.

Example: In "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," Thoreau states that his retreat to the woods around Walden Pond was motivated by his desire "to live deliberately" and to face only "the essential facts of life."

Example: Thoreau argues that people blindly accept "shams and delusions" as the "soundest truths," while regarding reality as "fabulous."

Example: Although Thoreau "drink[s] at" the stream of Time, he can "detect how shallow it is."

When you integrate quotations in this way, you do not use any special punctuation. Instead, you should punctuate the sentence just as you would if all of the words were your own. No punctuation is needed in the sentences above in part because the sentences do not follow the pattern explained under number 1 and 2 above: there is not a complete sentence in front of the quotations, and a word such as "says," "said," or "asks" does not appear directly in front of the quoted words.

All of the methods above for integrating quotations are correct, but you should avoid relying too much on just one method. You should instead use a variety of methods.

Notice the Punctuation!

Notice that there are only two punctuation marks that are used to introduce quotations: the comma and the colon (:). Note that a semicolon (;) is not used to introduce quotations.

Notice as well the punctuation of the sentences above in relation to the quotations. If there are no parenthetical citations in the sentences (no author's name and page number in parentheses), the commas and periods go inside the final quotation mark ("like this."). For whatever reason, this is the way we do it in America. In England, though, the commas and periods go outside of the final punctuation mark.

Semicolons and colons go outside of the final quotation mark ("like this";).

Question marks and exclamation points go outside of the final quotation mark if the punctuation mark is part of your sentence--your question or your exclamation ("like this"?). Those marks go inside of the final quotation mark if they are a part of the original--the writer's question or exclamation ("like this!").

The Proper Punctuation: Keeping in Simple

Remembering just a few simple rules can help you use the correct punctuation as you introduce quotations. There are some exceptions to the rules below, but they should help you use the correct punctuation with quotations most of the time.

 Rule 1: Complete sentence: "quotation." (If you use a complete sentence to introduce a quotation, use a colon (:) just before the quotation.)

 Rule 2: Someone says, "quotation." (If the word just before the quotation is a verb indicating someone uttering the quoted words, use a comma. Examples include the words "says," "said," "states," "asks," and "yells." But remember that there is no punctuation if the word "that" comes just before the quotation, as in "the narrator says that.")

 Rule 3: If Rules 1 and 2 do not apply, do not use any punctuation between your words and the quoted words.

And remember that a semicolon (;) is never used to introduce quotations.

Weak: Little Chandler was shy. “But shyness had always held him back; and so the books had remained on their shelves.”

Much better: Although Little Chandler had hordes of books at home he never shared one with his wife, because, “shyness had always held him back.”

Assessment Grid for Unit one

Biographical Writing Questions 10 responses 20 Finalized Biography 40

Descriptive Writing Three Days to See Response 10

Persuasive Writing Greatest Invention 16 Controversial Issue 16

Composition Friday To be completed every Friday; 24 marks for each Formative for entry. Lower marks will be replaced, not averaged. unit one

Short Story Elements To be completed after we have read The Boat by 40 Alistair MacLeod (separate handout)

Character Analysis Character Charts for the Father 20 Character Chart for the Mother 20 Character Chart for the Son (Narrator) 20 Graphic Organizer 40 Use of essay planner/outline 28 Final Character Analysis 100

Grand Total 380

Grades will be emailed to you as they are entered. Please cross check emailed grades with those written on your papers to ensure accuracy.

EMAILED WORK

[email protected] And OR [email protected]

 SUBJECT LINE MUST INCLUDE YOUR NAME

 THE DATE AND THE ASSIGNMENT TITLE

 AND THE BLOCK

Jane Dunphy February 3 2015 Three Day Response BLOCK C

29 St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary School English 12 Semester 2 2015 Mrs. Tobin Careen