Holiday Reading

My Goodness! I nearly forgot to give you some guidance for your Christmas reading list - sorry.

The reading list is really a work in progress as I'm hoping to get your feedback on what you like to put something more comprehensive together.

As you know, next term we'll be studying Macbeth and Frankenstein. Any reading you can do around this over the holiday will help greatly. It will be quite intensive once we get back and I advise that you do so. Use these links for Macbeth and Frankenstein for some study around the contexts and literary features. There are also some interesting things on YouTube. Both texts are much studied for GCSE so there are a multitude of resource online.

Any reading helps improve your writing as you learn vocabulary and about sentence structures and have good fun at the same time! Any reading is good; you could read magazines. I recommend about 30mins/day.

Books that I think you will enjoy are (new and old...):

• Lord of The Flies
• Vernon God Little
• The Curious Incident
• Black Rabbit Summer
• Catcher in The Rye
• Jane Eyre
• Waves
• Of Mice and Men
• Witch Child
• Soldier Boy

I've even put a link on each so that you can find out a little more about them (my Christmas present to you!). I've tried to meet the needs of all the class there. Please don't immediately rule out the older books; they become classics for a reason.

There are also reading list available online. This link gives suggestions and reviews of over 300 books for teenagers. Try this interactive book chooser and let me know how it works out.

Hope this keeps you going.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Ms Caldwell

If you missed the Controlled Assessment...

You will have to do it on Wednesday afternoon. The same rules will apply as did in the Citizenship mock.
Go to the gym after lunch on Wednesday. Be there on time.
Ms
P.S You should have finished in time to do your presentations P5!

Hitcher PEE+

This week we've looked at analysing layers of meaning. It's essential we can do this as it is what gets you higher grades and also helps you think critically, which will help you in a range of subjects and skills. Find a line in the poem and develop and extend your response. It may seem, at first glance, that you can't get much out of the line, but we can consider how it presents the speaker and the influence that it has on the reader. As we have found in class, you can extend and develop the smallest quote finding layers of meaning.

Structure is also important. You need to be able structure your paragraphs to show off your understanding. The PEE+ structure is an efficient way to keep writing on task and focused.

Here is the poem with questions and key terms. This is to enable you to extend your learning outside of the classroom. Here is the PowerPoint that we learnt from in class. A reminder then that it is your responsibility for you to keep up with work that you've missed; this blog is a resource to extend your learning as well as keep up with class learning.

Home work is to write a second PEE+ paragraph that incorporates the peer set targets. This is due Friday.

Ms Caldwell

Hello Y10

Hopefully, lots of you will be looking at this after being prompted to after Y10PCE. A reminder then of some of the links that are available to you on this blog. There's a link for: information on semi-colons; there is more semi-colon information here; the poetic devices sheet that you were given is here; if you would like to look at the analysis on YouTube of Island Man that we looked at in lesson click here and for further analysis and advice on a broad range of writing skills click here. (I highly recommend this last link as you can work on skills that are specific to your personalised targets.)

This is a great resource for you that will refine your skills for independent study; skills as an independent learner will serve you well throughout your education and for life!

If you still haven't finished your Controlled Assessment, you will do this in the hall on Wednesday 15th in the afternoon with the Y11 mocks. You will have had some experience of this at this point; you have your Citizenship mock this Wednesday. The same rules will apply.

See you next week,

Ms Caldwell

I forgot to say in the last post... If you missed time for your Controlled Assessment, you must come to Psychology II (the room through the doors to the Y10 office), P3 tomorrow, 30th November.

Hello Y10

Firstly, we did some team building where we appreciated the strengths of the members of the the class team! I think that this was a valuable exercise and I hope that it goes some way to making us work more collaboratively

Today we looked at the poetic devices song writers use in songs. We considered how the language and devices create layers of meaning. The purpose of the activity is to extend our analysis poems; we're not just commenting on the device we are commenting on the effect upon the reader and considering how this adds to the theme/tone/purpose of the poem.

We analysed the opening of Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise today. It's loaded with poetic devices that add to the layers of meaning conveyed to the audience. Next lesson, you'll choose songs as poetry and present these to other groups or the whole class.

As I've said, it's essential that you are confident in analysing poetry as you'll have an unseen poem in the exam (this means that you will not have seen it before). If you're not very confident in your poetry analysis now, you don't need to worry about it too much. This work is preparation for your exam in the Summer of 2012! We'll look at poetry at intervals over the course to build on and refine your skills.

Wrap up warm!

Ms

I'm still waiting for a special prize winner - the special word is weblog.

Hello Y10

Today we reflected on our skills as members of the class team. You've set yourself targets and you need to consider these next week; we need to work together more cohesively. We'll do a bit of team building next week, but, basically, we're going to work together for about another 19 months so we need to make it work.

We've been studying poetry this week. Today we looked at Isaland man. It's essential that you know and can use the devices confidently as you'll have an unseen piece of poetry in the exam. Poems are easier to discuss when we know the techniques poets use. If you would like to look at the poetic devices sheet it is here.

If you would like to look at the analysis of Island Man that we looked at in lesson click here.

If you missed a lesson, it is essential that you study independently in order to ensure you are at the same point as the rest of the class. This is your responsibility and this resource is availiable to you. Use this blog. You've already started your GCSEs in English.

I'm looking forward to next week and a whole new team ethos!

Ms

Hello Y10

Today we looked at Poetry. We considered how the poet used language to convey meaning and ideas.

We looked at The Night of the Scorpion and did a piece of drama to go with it. The idea for this is that you understand how the poet conveys a sense of place and culture. For a special prize say 'weblog' to me at the beginning of the lesson!

You need to learn ten poetic devices for Thursday. The three you need to find out the meaning for yourself are Caesura, Sibilance and Synecdoche. You then need to know seven other (or more if you know the meaning of any of these three). Dictionary is here! It will help cement your understanding if you look for examples of the devices.

We also need to consider how we can work together as a team more effectively. How do you think you can impact upon this?

See you Thursday

Ms :)

Well done for getting the Controlled Assessment done Y10! We really have been working on our Competency of perseverance...

We will be moving on to poetry next; we'll have some fun with this and study a variety of different poems.

Happy Eid!

Ms

Hello Y10
It's the Controlled Assessment next week. You're well prepared for this and have all the help you need in your draft books. Look through your article, which should be fully drafted by now, and check it against the your success criteria, your targets and the Assessment Objectives.

Remember, you're marked for your communication (purpose, genre & rhetoric), organisation (discourse markers, paragraph links) and SENTENCE STRUCTURE. Ensure you have a range of sentences as your marks are weighted towards this.I recommend that you look at the games here, particularly the newspaper article. It's quite basic, but it's good cement understanding. It's not a children's game either.

Look at the first one (don't bother with the second) here for advice on semi-colons. There is more information here. There is even a semi-colon game for some light relief.

Everything you need is in your draft books; try to remember as much as you can!

Ms Caldwell

As promised, here is the article we looked at in the lesson. Look at the article and consider how language is used for impact. Look at how the sentences are crafted for effect.

It's also important, if you weren't there, that you know that some of the sentences are inaccurate! Towards the end of the article subordinate clauses are wirtten as whole sentences.

Malone uses devices to create whole text cohesion. She uses 'spectre', 'grusome peep show', 'hellish glimpse' and 'horror show' to create links though the text. There are also links between paragraphs. What can you find? How can you mirror this in your article?

Any comments, then let me know via this blog or the school email.

Ms :)

Hello Y10

Well done for the last two lessons. It's imperative that we understand the conventions and purpose of the writing.

Your homework, due Friday, is to write two of the most amazingly fantastic paragraphs you've ever written. You need to:
- Consider the genre, purpose (so use a range of rhetorical devices to persuade the reader).
- Use links between the paragraphs (and consider how you could make links to show whole text cohesion)
- Use discourse markers (click here for some examples)
- Use a range of sentence structures that are crafted for effect
Remember how Carole Malone crafted the sentences, using repetition and rule of three to add to the impact of her sentences? Use that!

If you missed the lesson we looked in detail at how Carole Malone uses language, particulary rhetoric, in an article about Jade Goody before she died. I've uploaded this article to my Google account, but I'm having trouble inserting it into this blog. (I know you're as excited about this new feature as I am!) If you did miss the lesson, check the blog again tomorrow and it will have th earticle for you to look at.
See you next week

Ms Caldwell

Speaking and Listening GCSE

Next lesson will beone of your Speaking and Listening GCSE assessments.

You need to ensure you are properly prepared for this. Look at the success criteria you have in your books. Ensure you know your speech very well; this will involve practise. It is useful to record yourself; you can do this with various apps on your phone or using a webcam. This will be a useful guide as you'll be able to hear where you need to pause, add emphasis etc. It will also help you to learn your speech.

I'm looking forward to it!
Ms Caldwell

This week, Y10, you will be delivering your presentations for your GCSE speaking and listening assessment.

To do this successfully you need to include a range of rhetorical devices and speak confidently; your draft books include all the information you need to do this well.

I'm looking forward to seeing them on Thursday.

Ms Caldwell

Hi Y10

Your homework has been to write two paragraphs about a thing that annoys you. You should use Learning Objectives and the success criteria glued in in lesson time to help you with this.

If in doubt, look at the Charlie Brooker article and see what you can mirror in your own writing.

Next lesson we'll look at persuasive devices and consider how to present our arguments for our Speaking and Listening presentations (these presentations will be done next week).

Any difficulties then let me know,

Ms Caldwell

PS This is annoying!

Well done Y10! You've now completed your first piece of GCSE coursework.

Enjoy your well-earned long weekend!

Ms :)

Well done for today Y10!

Only an hour left and you'll be finished.

You can look at other film reviews here and here to help with ideas. Otherwise, look through your books and consider your targets. What can you do to improve?

Let me know if you need any help. See you Thursday morning.

Ms Caldwell

Controlled Assesment

Just a reminder that it is the Controlled Assessment tomorrow P2 and Thursday P1.

You are well prepared or this; the work you have in your draft books and your contributions in lessons have been excellent.

Remember: engaging writing, sentence variety and paragraphs! If in doubt, look through your book at the work done in lessons and the targets you have been given.

If you have any concerns, please post a comment or email me via the school email (lcaldwell).

I also need to stress that you need not worry about this; you are well prepared!

See you tomorrow
Ms :)

Hi Y10

Well done for your work today. Those of you that have been focused will be rewarded in the Controlled Assessment next week!

This week we looked at collecting information about the director, Paul Greengrass, other films about 9/11 and some other reviews. You should all have created your own success criteria for review writing.

For your homework, ready for Friday, you need to ensure that you have finished this note-taking and have created a success criteria. This is essentially what YOU think makes good review writing.You also need to create a word bank of useful words that you could take in as notes. Remember, using very or really needs to be better; you're aiming for unusual/dramatic verbs and adjectives. Finally, you need to take a few notes on paragraph topics. What information might you include in your paragraphs? What do other review writers do to organise their paragraphs?

That might seem like a lot, but really it's just revision of what we've been doing since the beginning of the school year. You have produced some amazing work in your draft books.Look at the links in the last post if you feel that you need some help with vocabulary or semi-colons.

Any queries, leave a comment.





Ms Caldwell :)

Hello Y10



This week we have looked at sentence construction and variety. It is essential to consider this as we move towards our controlled assessment in the first week of October; you are marked on your ability to use a range of sentences to control the pace and flow of your writing, organise the text and be interesting/engaging.


We looked particularly at semi-colons, colons, parenthesis and the subordinate clause. We saw how layering clauses was good for adding extra information to show understanding. We also looked at how this made writing interesting and engaging as it made particular aspects of the writing stand out.


I have also found a semi-colon game that you can play online. I know, it's very exciting! Click here to have a quick play; it will help increase your confidence with this very special piece if punctuation.


Your homework is to re-write your paragraph reviewing United 93. This is due on Monday. Ensure that you look at the little success criteria cards to guide your writing; it is also imperative that you look at the target I have given you and your peer set target. Remember that your writing should be engaging and you need to think about vocabulary choices (click me!). If in doubt, look at the reviews you have stuck in your books. Your paragraphs should contain a similar amount of information and range of sentences. It should be the most amazing paragraph you've ever written! Practicing writing in this way will help you in the controlled assessment.


Finally, it's very important that you keep your book tidy and organised; please stick in any loose sheets.


Well done for the hard work you've put in this week; you've worked very well indeed.


See you next week,
Ms Caldwell
P.S. Remember, some people think that colons don't matter: colons matter.

Hello Y10

Last week we looked at how reviews are organised, their content and sentence variation. This will continue to be our focus this week as we move towards controlled assessement next week.

With Mrs Dolan on Friday you looked at sentence variety, specifically complex sentences and their effects. Your homework was to write at least one paragraph, taking into account your targets from peer assessment, about United 93. You will need these paragraphs for our next lesson.

I hope you've had a lovely weekend,
Ms Caldwe

Hello Y10

Here's your homework for next lesson (it's an easy one!):

TOP LIGHT: light that comes directly form above. This casts strong shadows, but this can be used in interesting ways, for instance, the dappled light through a tree's branches on a face.

HARD LIGHT: Light form the sun, or from a small source. This creates hard shadows and can bring out details, such as wrinkles.

SOFT LIGHT: Light from a large angle, or large source relative to thte subject. This can be bounced off other objects, such as a light from a wall.

DIEGETIC SOUND: Sound that is in the world of the film. Dialogue, background noise etc are diegetic.

NON-DIEGETIC SOUND: Sound outside the world of the film.

DUTCH ANGLE: Camera angle in which the camera is tipped sideways so that the world of the film seems to have been tipped over.

These are self-explanatory, but consider the affect...

CLOSE-UP
REACTION SHOT
POINT-OF-VIEW SHOT
OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT
TRACKING SHOT.

You need to know these for next lesson as we'll be doing an activity based around them.

Any problems, leave a comment.

Ms Caldwell

Hello Y10,

We've had an excellent start to Y10 and your GCSE English course. Well done.

Last week we looked at Simon Armitage's poem Out of the Blue, read by Rufus Sewell. This is a very moving reading and production of the poem; you discussed the performance and issues well in your groups.

This week, we'll look at media techniques and terminology. You've already started to look at film reviews and we'll aim to start to consider the features of good review writing. This will lead us to write our own reviews later this term.

In addition, you may be interested in this link to Channel 4's recent programme 102 Minutes that Changed America, click here to view.

Hope you've had a good weekend.

Ms Caldwell

P.S. I'm having a few problems with the formatting of this post; I apologise for its distinct lack of perfection!

Welcome to your Y10 Blog!

Hello Y10/Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the blog for 10RS English. This website is a place where we can post information about how the class is getting on, what we are learning and what work needs to be completed at home. It will be helpful for all of us and will make sure we are all clear about the learning that's going on in Y10. Y10 is a busy year!

We are launching straight into your GCSE coursework. This year, coursework is done in class as controlled assessments; your self-management skills will need to be spot on so this blog will be an accessible tool for your independant learning.

We look forward to working with you,
Ms Caldwell and Mrs Dolan