Unit+2

**Activity 1: Sentence Variety**
Read the following paragraph: Amanda went to the store to buy milk. She tripped on the way. She got a bloody nose. She kept going to the store. The man at the store noticed her bleeding nose. He offered her a Kleenex. She took it. He asked her to pay for the Kleenex. She couldn’t believe it. He insisted. She gave back the bloody Kleenex. She left the store upset. Amanda soon tripped again. She decided she didn’t need milk that badly. Amanda went home. || The paragraph youve just read is a good example of some pretty boring writing. Think of a song that you know that is very repetitive. Chances are that if you like the song now, you won’t for long. Why? Because you’ll get bored with the repetition. Reading the paragraph explaining Amanda’s adventure is like watching paint dry - it’s boring! It isn’t that Amanda’s adventure isn’t interesting; there’s conflict and even blood, and it’s only a few lines long. It’s just the lack of variety that the writer chose to use in writing the sentences that makes it quite a boring paragraph. One way to make your writing interesting is through sentence variety. It’s also a way to make it shorter. Either way, your writing will have greater momentum and be more interesting to read. There are four main types of sentences. Knowing these types, and using them properly will improve your writing by making it clearer. When you are writing text for any audience, you are trying to communicate an idea. Communication is most effective when it is clear. Read through information on the four types of sentences below. Make sure you read closely and study the definitions and examples, as your assignment for this activity is a quiz on which you will be evaluated.
 * __**An adventure to the store**__

Simple Sentence
The simple sentence contains one independent clause (a phrase that contains a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a sentence). Example 2: She prepared for her job interview. ||
 * Example 1: The woman ordered Chinese food.

Compound Sentence
The compound sentence contains two independent clauses. The two independent clauses are usually joined by a comma or coordinating conjunction like and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. The independent clauses can also be joined by a semicolon, or a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless). Example 2: She prepared for her job interview; however, she still experienced nervousness when she was questioned. ||
 * Example 1: The woman ordered Chinese food, but the order did not arrive.

Complex Sentence
Complex sentences contain one independent clause and one dependent clause (a dependent clause has a subject and a verb, but cannot stand alone). Example 2: Though she prepared for her job interview, she was disappointed with how she performed. ||
 * Example 1: lf the woman had given the correct address, the food might have arrived.

Compound-Complex Sentence
Compound-complex sentences have at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Example 2: If the woman felt unsure about her performance, she should have written an explanatory letter and perhaps the interviewer might have given her a second chance. ||
 * Example 1: Though she ordered a beautiful meal, the food did not arrive because she provided the wrong address.

Activity 2: Short Story Vocabulary
__**Why do we study creative writing at all?**__ At some time you might have asked yourself or even your teacher what use is it to study any form of creative writing. How will it serve you in the future? The answer comes back to how we communicate and, more importantly, how well we can communicate.

__**Life with one word**__ Try this! Imagine that the English language was made up on only one word and that word was Bonk. Now imagine that you wish to communicate to you doctor that you are experiencing severe chest pains and believe you are having a heart attack. You: Bonk bonk bonk, bonk! Doctor: So your having trouble with your bonk? You: Bonk! Bonk! Bonk, bonk!! Doctor: Now calm down, its not your bonk, you’re hitting your chest because you have heartburn, no, no, you’re hungry?! You: BONK! BONK! BONK! (you fall on the ground, losing consciousness) Doctor: Nurse, could you get me psychiatric services on the phone, this guy thinks he’s a gorilla.

__**Life with many words**__ As much as we sometimes get frustrated with the many strange conventions of the English language, because we have so many words and techniques, we can communicate very specifically how we feel and what we want. We can also ask things of others to help us communicate better. We have so many words that we can actually communicate things in very different ways, in order to be even more precise. Learning more of these techniques of communication allows us to be more effective communicators. Some people like it if people are direct and think that creative language has little room in our world. Forrest Gump is a movie in which the lead character goes through life trying to win the love of a girl named Jenny. Is it better to read that last sentence or is it more enjoyable to watch the movie? There are so many ways to communicate meaning, and the more ways you can interpret and communicate meaning, the better you are at communicating, and no matter what you do, it helps you do it better.

Try this: [|Short Story Terms]. Make sure all of the terms are defined in your own words in the Glossary section of your blog.

Activity 3: Reading a Short Story
Have you ever read something and after reading a page or so, you forgot what you had just read? Frustrating, isn’t it? Probably the main reason that this happens is that you are approaching the text as a passive reader. Now remember a time that you read something, even something short, that got you thinking, or angry, or even made you laugh out loud. The topic might have been interesting or at least relevant. Chances are that you were an active reader that time. That’s more enjoyable reading, isn’t it?

One of the main assumptions is that whether a story is interesting or not is purely the responsibility of the author and much less to do with the reader. Recognize that in an English class, a teacher’s choice of a story to read should not involve a random coin toss. The teacher will usually choose a story that can spark interesting results in a class. Part of that decision involves some active reading on behalf of the students to generate that spark. Using pre, during, and after reading strategies will help you to understand and appreciate your reading more.

__Pre Reading__
Before you even read something, be sure you know the **PURPOSE FOR READING** it. If you are reading a chapter of a science textbook, you probably are not doing it because you want to find out what happens to the amoeba at the end. You are probably going to have some questions to answer. This will be the case in your assignment.

Another pre-reading strategy that your teacher might use is **POSING QUESTIONS** before you read the story. This will get you thinking before you have even read, and if the questions are effective, they will give you something to consider while you read. You might even change your answers to the questions as you read the story. You now have an added purpose for reading.

__During Reading__
During reading strategies centre on giving you a better understanding of content by **MAKING A WORD WALL** (defining words you do not understand), **IDENTIFYING CONVENTIONS** (in this case, identifying the parts of a short story), **MAKING PREDICTIONS**, extending your thinking on some aspect of the story with **STOP**, **THINK**, **AND WRITE** or **THINK ALOUDS**. Many of the questions are ones that you ask yourself as you read.

__After Reading__
Have you ever gone to see a movie that one of your friends loved, but you hated it so much that you could not wait to get out of the theatre? Why is that? One of the best After Reading Strategies comes in the form of a **DISCUSSION**. This type of sharing helps extend your understanding of a story and the issues raised in the story. Maybe if your friend could talk to you about the film afterwards, you might see why he/she liked it. You may still not appreciate the film, but at least you will understand their point of view.

Assignment 1: The Sniper
__**Pre Reading**__ For this activity, you are going to read a short story titled "The Sniper.” Remember that in the previous activity you reviewed the parts of a short story. One of your purposes here is to apply that learning and try to identify these parts in an actual story. Do you think you are ready to do that? If not, review the previous activity so that you are familiar with the parts of a short story. Before you read "The Sniper,” answer the following questions in your blog:
 * 1) Is it ever acceptable to murder another person? When? Why? Why not?
 * 2) Is there ever cause enough to wage war on another country? Explain.

[|The Sniper]

__**After Reading**__ Answer the following questions in the portfolio section of your blog:

1. What sort of man was the sniper at the start of the story? Reread the paragraphs down to, "Then he thought of a plan." What do these things reveal bout his character: a) The look in his eyes. b) Killing an old woman in cold blood. c) The dressing of his wounded arm. 2. the Sniper did not give a second thought to the old woman, or the man in the car whom he had killed. Why do you think he was so curious about the other sniper he had killed? 3. What did you think of the ending? 4. Describe, in as much detail as you can, the setting of this story. Is the setting important to the events that occur in this story? Explain your answer. 5. What point of view does the author use to tell this story? How do you know? 6. Identify and describe one example from the story for each of the following //kinds// of conflict : a) man vs. man b) Man vs. himself c) man vs. circumstance

Assignment 2: On the Bridge
Read or listen to [|ON THE BRIDGE]

Complete the following quiz: [|On The Bridge Quiz]. Post your answers to the portfolio section of your blog.

Activity 4: Positive and Negative Body Language
In the job market, it isn’t always true that the best person for the job actually gets the job. You may be the best person for a job, but might not know that the job is available. If you do, there may be an issue with your resume. If you get an interview, you might get nervous and perform poorly in the interview. Unfortunately for both you and the potential employer, often times this is the process by which they hire people. It is important, therefore, to make sure that you eliminate reasons for you not to get the job you want. During a job interview, your body language can say even more than your words. Many interviewers can read the subtleties of body language, and even those who can't will experience subconscious reactions to the clues you communicate with your gestures and facial expressions. Let's follow two job seekers through their interviews to see the difference body language can make.

__Interview One: Allyson__

 * Allyson enters the interview room and the interviewer offers her his hand. Allyson limply accepts the handshake, causing him to think she lacks confidence. She sits down before he does - which he finds rude - and crosses her arms, suggesting that she's defensive and closed off.

She's heard that it's good to make eye contact with an interviewer, so she constantly looks at him - stares him down - which only makes him feel threatened. Sometimes she looks down, not making eye contact at all, which makes him think she lacks confidence or is being deceitful.

While she talks, Allyson twists a ring around on her finger, a nervous gesture. She also taps her feet and runs her tongue along her teeth. Listening to her, the interviewer begins to lean back in his chair. Allyson doesn't realize that this signifies that he's uncomfortable with the situation. She slouches in her chair, demonstrating a lack of self-assurance and interest in the job. At the end of the interview, Allyson slinks out of the room with her shoulders slumped. The interviewer notices. He sighs, sits down, puts Allyson's resume in the "no" pile, and calls in his next candidate. ||

__Interview Two: Michelle__

 * Michelle comes in and greets the interviewer with a warm smile and an extended hand. He immediately sees that she's confident, friendly, and enthusiastic. Her handshake is firm, without being bone-crushing, another gesture that impresses the recruiter. He offers her a seat, and she sits down.

While they talk, Michelle sits up straight, leaning forward slightly. Her good posture shows that she's alert and leaning forward demonstrates her interest in the conversation. When she's not gesturing with her hands (exhibiting that she's genuinely involved in the interview), her hands rest on her lap, palms open, which lends her an air of approachability.

Michelle makes eye contact with the interviewer, but she breaks her gaze occasionally, because she knows that many people naturally look away when they're talking.

When the interviewer talks, Michelle nods attentively. He smiles at her and tells a few jokes. Michelle knows enough about body language to realize that this means he's friendly and comfortable with the situation. When appropriate, she subtly tries to mirror her interviewer's gestures - smiling and leaning back when he does. This allows him to feel a subconscious sense of bonding with her.

At the end of the interview, the interviewer again shakes Michelle's hand, and they smile at each other. She walks away confidently - head up, shoulders squared - and he happily puts her resume in the "definitely" pile. ||

__Body Language Glossary__
Here are some examples of body language cues and their possible interpretations:

Positive
Smiling or attempting to be humorous - friendly Eye contact with occasional, natural breaks in the stare - focused and curious Nodding while listening - attentive and alert Open palms - approachable and trusting Gesturing with hands while talking - genuinely involved in the conversation ||
 * Leaning forward - interested in the conversation

Negative
Fidgeting, running tongue along teeth, playing with hair or jewelry, or tapping feet - nervous or bored Lack of eye contact or, conversely, staring too intently without breaking a gaze - untrustworthy Leaning back - uncomfortable Clasping hands behind the head while leaning back - looking to gain power ||
 * Crossed arms - closed off or defensive

Assignment 3: Interviewing
Your objective in this assignment is to test how body language influences people in an interview situation. You must find two different people (they can be friends or family members) to interview you. You will use positive body language in your first interview, and negative body language in your second interview. You want an honest reaction to your body language; so do not tell the interviewer that you are testing their reactions to your body language. Print out two copies of the Interview Questions and the Interview Wrap Up that follow.

Printable copies of the [|INTERVIEW QUESTIONS] and the [|INTERVIEW WRAP UP] are available in rtf format. Give the interviewer the question sheet first. They will ask you the questions on the sheet and pay attention to your responses. After the interview, have them complete the wrap-up questions thereby recording their feelings in how you performed in the interview. Again, ask them to be brutally honest. Record your findings after each interview, including one comment for each point on the Wrap Up questions that followed each interview. Then write a 3-paragraph response to the experiment. Your first paragraph should focus on your findings from the first interview, and your second paragraph should discuss the results from your second interview. Your third paragraph should compare the two interviews, and provide your thoughts and observations about the impact of body language in your experiment.

__Interview Questions__

 * # What is your favorite hobby? Why do you like this hobby?
 * 1) What is your best subject in school? Why?
 * 2) What is your dream job? Why?
 * 3) What is your best characteristic? Explain.
 * 4) If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? Explain.
 * 5) Where to you see yourself in 10 years?
 * 6) If you could be any animal, which would you be? Why?
 * 7) Who are you the closest to in your family? Explain.
 * 8) If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why?
 * 9) Describe your idea of a perfect day. ||

**Interview Wrap Up**
Be sure to conduct two interviews and write a follow up Journal Response in your Learning Blog based on your interviews.
 * # What was the first thing you noticed about the interview?
 * 1) In your opinion, was this a positive or a negative interview? Explain.
 * 2) How did he/she make you feel when you were asking the questions?
 * 3) How did he/she react to your questions physically during the interview? What affect did this have?
 * 4) Would you hire him/her for a job, based on this interview alone? Why, why not? ||

Activity 5: Global Communication - Culminating Activity
Canadians generally take a lot of pride in their country. Many people the world over perceive it to be a country of opportunity, caring, and hope. They also see it as a desirable place to live. As incredible a country as Canada is, it is not without its issues. All you need to do is turn to any of the daily newspapers, news networks, or Internet pages to see that we are impacted by several global issues. Ignoring those issues means that they will likely become worse, and at some point they will get out of control. Remember that you need to be an active reader of this article, and should therefore use some of the strategies used earlier in the unit. As you read the article, think about other issues that you think are important in our world. Do you find this writer's article informative and persuasive? How would you respond to this writer? After you read the article and think about these questions, there is a two-part assignment for you to do.
 * Find a newspaper article (online preferably) that focuses on child poverty in Canada.** Poverty is a global issue, meaning it is a problem that is happening in different parts of the world.

Assignment 4: Culminating Activity
In this Culminating Assignment you will be using the writing skills you have learned and the ideas about relationships that this unit has presented. You should also remember that you are communicating in an online environment where your ideas need a little added expression because you have no body language communication to support those ideas.

Relationships begin within our families and develop first with our friends, but we are also part of a larger family, which includes our community and our world. A famous Canadian, Marshall McLuhan, has said that we live in a "global village" and that is a really powerful idea. He meant that our modern world communicates so quickly and effectively that events and situations all over the world can affect us. You can see this whenever you turn on your television or surf the net.

You have just read a newspaper article about child poverty in Canada. This is an example of an issue that exists in many communities around the world and that we can be more aware of because of modern communication.

There are thousands of global issues facing the world today. Just as we can learn of these issues because of modern communication, we can also discuss them through modern communication. The Internet has become a gathering place for people from every nation to discuss the various problems they are facing. People reach out to one another in articles posted on the Internet, spreading their ideas, and asking for a reaction from others. Some of these discussion sites have been started by young people reaching out to other young people.

**Your Task**
Now it's your turn. Think about an issue that you think is most important. Go online and find a suitable article about that issue. A good place to find such articles is the Youth World Link which was started by young people who wanted to exchange ideas around the world.

You may use another site, but check back with your teacher to be sure the site you have chosen is acceptable. You should also remember your work on refining search terms, using search engines, and internet validity when deciding on an article for this activity.

Here are a few examples of issuse that our world is currently struggling with: You can pick one of these topics or choose one of your own (**with my approval only**!), but remember that the topic should be an issue of social relevance and global impact. The article should also be legitimate and the topic should be suitable for a school setting.
 * **Racism**
 * Global Warming**
 * Violence**
 * Human Rights Violations**
 * Substance/Alcohol Abuse**
 * Environmental Depletion** ||


 * 1) Write a response to the article you choose, expressing your ideas on that issue, and share your response with a classmate. You must include the site address of your article in your response so your classmate can see the article you have found.
 * 2) Read the article and your classmates’s response. Respond to what your classmate has written, but you must also read the article he/she choose.. In your response consider both the article and what your classmate has written about that article.


 * When writing both of these responses, consider the following questions:**
 * # What global issue is the article discussing? Is it a relevant topic? Why or why not?
 * 1) Why is this issue a problem in our world today?
 * 2) What can you do as an individual to help fix this problem?
 * 3) What can you do so future generations will not have to face this issue
 * 4) In your opinion, what are the chances that this issue will be dealt with in a meaningful way?How? By whom?
 * 5) Can you detect a bias in the article? If so, what clues are there of this bias? ||

Also remember that your responses will be read by your teacher and other classmates so you may need to add enough detail that others will know how you are feeling about your topic. **When you are finished post both your responses to the Portfolio section of your blog.**