Grandpa with a big fish.

I’ll bet you’ll never guess who this man is. Seriously. No one could guess. This man is Michael Sokolsi, the inventor of Scantron. He just died on June 13. He was 85 years old and he invented Scantron in 1972. I hope he enjoyed his retirement and got to catch lots of big fish. He made teachers’ lives immeasurably better with his invention. Next year, on June 13, I will hand out gummy bears in his honour.

Exam Over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It looked exactly like the picture, didn’t it? So you finished the exam and I haven’t looked at it or asked anyone if it was hard or easy. I don’t want to know yet. It makes me too nervous for you. Here’s a picture of all the things you can do this summer. Some of them are kind of funny. Playing with water balloons would be good. Canning fruit … maybe not so much. I am thinking “staying up late” might be on everyone’s agenda.

I’m doing the “write a book” one. Those of you who analyzed “Pied Beauty” will appreciate my main character. His name is Gerard Manley Hipkins — a typographically incorrect poet.

HAVE A GOOD SUMMER. It was a delight teaching you. Seriously. You are probably the loveliest students I’ve taught in my whole career.

Friday 8:45 New Gym/Small Gym

I don’t think it’s possible, but if you have forgotten there’s a Provincial Exam in English 10, here’s a reminder: THERE’S A PROVINCIAL EXAM IN ENGLISH 10. Be there early. There are two locations: the Small Gym and the New Gym. Because I’m so completely unaware of things outside a radius of three feet of my actual workspace, I have no idea if those are the same places or not. But you know. So go there!!

And if you’re reading this, also go to the Provincial Exam site on the internet. I’ve given the address below. Look under the flamenco dancers.

Flamenco Bank Protesters

This is just plain interesting. In Spain there is a group called Flo6X8 that does Flashmob Flamenco dancing as a form of protest in banks. Here are two videos. The first one is particularly interesting because ordinary people in the bank started dancing, too! The second video has a Flamenco dancing cow. Aren’t Spanish people creative? We just walk around with signs. No cows. No dancers. Just signs.

Nanny McTopicSentence

Here’s where you look at past Provincial Exams: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/search/

Here are more topics from past exams:

• People learn from a variety of sources.
• The lessons we learn affect our future.
• Satisfaction comes from helping others.
• Our toughest struggles in life come from ourselves.
• Culture is often expressed through the arts.
• People’s lives are enriched by connections with past generations.
• Self-awareness leads to meaningful change.
• Role models influence our lives.
• Certain events change our impressions of life.
• Experiences shape relationships.
• Our views of the past change as we mature.
• The best gifts are the simplest ones.
• Memories influence our lives.
• We learn the most from people closest to us.
• Our journey into the future begins in the past.
• Certain experiences can mark the beginnings of maturity.
• Challenging circumstances lead to positive actions.
• Forming meaningful connections may enrich lives.
• People can be influenced by their environment.
• Sometimes people are unable to control the directions their lives take.
• People can create their own reality.
• Taking advantage of opportunities can be beneficial.
• Each stage of life brings new choices.
• A good life does not have to be complex.
• It is important to have a realistic view of life.
• Surprises can make life interesting.
• Adapting to new situations in life is essential.
• Being sincere is important.
• Taking charge of your own life is worthwhile.
• The pursuit of freedom involves change.
• Keeping an open mind allows for growth.
• The important things in life endure over time.

Here are some sample topic sentences. Keep practicing!

Ya.

Hoo. I get to do that thing called sleep and you get to know your mark and then I get to do this all over again next Monday night and NOW do you know what a run on sentence is?

Here’s a metaphor for you.

Almost finished your Poetry assignments. Some of you were amazing … but you know, I think I have pretty much had it with these poems for a while:

• Bored
• Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night
• Mushrooms
• Mirror
• Waterfall

More.

Tens: Yes, someone does get paid to come up with these topics. I don’t know who they are, but I am assuming if I said “Hello” they’d say, “Oh, I guess so,” in a really passive voice. You had yet another vague wishy-washy topic that could go almost anywhere: “Satisfaction comes from helping others.” Yes, it does, but how you’re supposed to make that interesting is beyond me. Hopefully, it’s not beyond you.

I also went around staring at your topic sentences again, pronouncing them boring or interesting. Remember my tips: pull in your reader; remember your reader isn’t 15 so connect with them, not someone who is 15; if you can’t come up with a topic sentence that doesn’t just restate the question, then ask a question or use a metaphor. Above all, BE INTERESTING.

Always write the full four or five paragraphs. Always answer the question; don’t go off on a giant tangent. Be interesting and entertaining!

More Tests

9’s: Writing Component:

11’s: Poetry Component and Scantron Test for Fiction and Non-Fiction.

(I don’t know who this kid is, either. His face showed up when I typed in “tired of exams.”

I think he speaks for us all.)

Not now works for me. Later would be good.

Remember “It is dangerous to read newspapers”?

Look what can happen.

Be careful.

This was in today’s newspaper.

Mr. Rogers Sings to You

More Mock Provincials

Two blocks — 1-1 and 1-3 — wrote yet another Writing Component, this time on the exciting topic “The Lessons We Learn Affect Our Futures.” You also learn how rude it can sound when someone walks around the room judging your topic sentences. Remember the rule: Give them what they want. You have an audience. All of the teachers who mark your Provincial mark fast and they scan fast. They are looking for the following:

• a clever, inventive, interesting topic sentence
• clear, separate, obvious paragraphs
• capital letters; complete sentences; sentences that have variety
• clarity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Block 1-4 wrote the Mock Provincial.

9/11’s

9’s: You wrote the Poetry part of your Final Exam. I did another quick poll at the end, asking if it was Easy, Just Right, or Hard. Most of you thought it was Just Right, with a few thinking it was Easy. So I think you went away with less of a headache than when you wrote the last test.

11’s: You wrote yet another Writing Component, this time referencing The Lord of the Flies, Macbeth, and 9/11. The question was “Is evil always intentional, or can it be benign?” You were to refer to two of the above and give examples from them.

Mock Provincials

Tens: All this week and into next, you will be writing the Multiple Choice Mock Provincials as well as three Writing Components.

As of today, all three classes will have finished the first Writing topic: “Sometimes our greatest struggles are with ourselves.”

9/11’s

11’s: The author should be no surprise. It’s the end of the year and you haven’t had your full quota of Atwood … so your in-class writing assignment is a piece she wrote in 1982 on Canadian culture. You are to read it and then write a response, referencing the comments I made in the instructions. This will take the full period.

You will be doing three of these in-class pieces and I will mark the best of the three. That will be the Writing Component for your Final Mark. Dan thinks it’s a good idea and I agree. In fact, you all looked pretty happy with the idea. You haven’t figured out my ulterior motive yet but that’s okay. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.

9’s: You, too, have a story to read and a response to give. This is part of your final mark, as well. The story focusses on what constitutes civilization. You will write on what you consider civilization to be. There’s obviously more to it than that, but I’m saving it as a surprise. You will need both periods to do this. Luckily, you have both periods today — and conveniently bunched together! Aren’t we nice to you? (That was a rhetorical question. Don’t answer. Or better yet, go on the internet and read about schools in 1853. Then you’ll know we’re nice to you.)

Update: It is now 3:10 and I’ve gone through your comments about the test. I asked you if it was easy, hard, or just right. You were evenly split in your opinions: half said it was hard and half said it was just right. One person said “I think this test was just right, but maybe a little bit harder than that because it really made you think.” I was happy to read that because that is exactly what I wanted the test to do. I think your marks will reflect your critical thinking skills. Every single person I asked understood what the story was about so that is a plus.

The next part of your Exam will be on Thursday. That’s the Poetry component. I’m sure the poetic devices are still actively swimming around in your head after the big Poetry Assignment, but go over the handout, anyway.

Done.

So this was my message for Monday June 4: Now. Now. It has to be now. I think you got it. You all found your way to my room and I acted like a Federal Express employee, waiting for you to sign that you gave me your assignment. You may or may not have understood why you were doing that.

• a) It proves who gave me the assignment.
• b) It proves who didn’t give me the assignment.

Also, yesterday:

1-3: You did the Mock Provincial for English 10

1-1 and 1-4: You did the first of two in-class writing assignments. You will be doing a total of three (including the one on the Mock Provincial.) We will individually consult on which one I will mark. Your best writing assignment will be the one I will mark for your report card.

Three more weeks before your Provincial Exam and then you are officially FREE.