Cone Gatherers Posters

Here are the Cone Gatherers posters we made in class. Click on the image for full size versions of these.

Higher 10 Mark Question

Textual analysis 10 mark question from missfyvie

The Cone Gatherers

Link to Cone Gatherers Powerpoint

http://missfyvie.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/higher-cone-gatherers-chapters-1-and-2.html

http://missfyvie.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-cone-gatherers-full-powerpoint.html

Reflective Writing examples

The Higher class have recently been looking at some examples of reflective writing to analyse the techniques that go into them and to spark ideas for their own work. The Guardian is producing a series of articles on the theme of "A Moment That Changed Me", which is worth a look.

You can find the articles here. New ones seem to go up every Friday.

Hotel Room 12th Floor

Questions on 'Bitcherel' by Eleanor Brown

Questions on Bitcherel 1) What is the play on words of the title? 2) What is the general tone of the poem? 3) Comment on the poet’s use of the word ‘acquisition’ in stanza one. 4) Why is ‘friends’ in stanza one inside quotation marks? 5) What kind of insults does the poet express towards her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend throughout the course of the poem? 6) Comment on the image of the new girlfriend as ‘chilli con carne without any chilli’. 7) What is your opinion of the speaker of the poem? 8) Do you think the boyfriend has made a good or a bad choice in exchanging the old girlfriend for the new? Explain why.

Close Reading Strategies

This is the powerpoint we have been using in class detailing strategies for answering different question types in Higher Close Reading.


You should revise the Analysis section of this powerpoint and do practice questions from past papers in preparation for your NAB on the 9/10/14.

For the Highers

Here's a link to the article I was discussing about Luis Suarez.

Portrait of a Serial Winner.

Not only is it an interesting article, it is high quality journalism that can only be beneficial for your vocabulary.

All My Sons - Extended Response

An extended response is not an essay, but it does require you to use quotes and write about the text in some depth.

Today, you are doing an extended response on Joe and Chris in the context of the idea of a tragic hero. What are the flaws of each character? What is the misfortune that befalls them? For whom do we feel the most pity/sympathy? Why?

To what extent are these characters tragic in the classical sense?
To what extent are they realistic?

You should use quotes to back up your points and write in depth about each character (1-2 pages of A4.)

Tragedy (when the feeling's gone and you can't go on...)

Here are the slides for today's lesson on the connections between All My Sons and classical Greek tragedy.

Tragedy from missfyvie

All My Sons Introduction

Here are the slides used in the introductory lesson for All My Sons:

All my sons Introduction from missfyvie

Higher essay plan

This is the plan we put together today.

Task: Choose a poem which depicts a particular stage of life, such as childhood, adolescence, middle age, old age.

Discuss how effectively the poet evokes the essence of this stage of life.

Techniques: Answers to questions on poetry should address relevantly the central concern(s)/theme(s) of the text(s) and be supported by reference to appropriate poetic techniques such as: imagery, verse form, structure, mood, tone, sound, rhythm, rhyme, characterisation, contrast, setting, symbolism, word choice . . .

Plan:

Introduction

Discuss how you are drawn in to the atmosphere and setting of the poem in stanza one and two - finish with a link to the question at the end of each paragraph (2 paragraphs)

Discuss how the change in the mood of the poem is introduced - perhaps Brady and Hindley first, then moving on to the changes of stanza 3. Link back to the question at the end.

Discuss the fulfillment of these changes and the poet's view of growing up that is expressed in the 4th stanza.

Conclusion

Higher resources

Study resources for Higher can be found in my Google drive Higher folder at http://www.tinyurl.com/missfyvie5

The Cone Gatherers Full Powerpoint Presentation

Here is the entire Powerpoint Presentation on The Cone Gatherers by Robin Jenkins.

Higher Critical Essay Homework

To be handed in 18/11/13 and returned to you no later than 29/11/13.

Choose a play in which the relationship between a male and a female character changes significantly.
Show how the relationship between the two characters changes and discuss to what extent this illuminates a central idea of the play. - 2007 Higher paper.

You should treat both halves of the question equally, i.e. demonstrate the change in the relationship between Macbeth and his wife AND devote an equal amount of time to showing how this illuminates a central theme.

You will find a lot of references to the relationship in Act 1 Scene 5, Act 1 Scene 7, Act 2 Scene 2, Act 2 Scene 3, Act 3 Scene 1, Act 3 Scene 2, Act 3 Scene 4, Act 5 Scene 1 and Act 5 Scene 5.

You should first of all decide which theme you think the breakdown of this relationship illuminates. For example, you might decide to argue that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's relationship mirrors Macbeth's downfall in the play.

You might like to listen to the Lady Macbeth podcast and the podcast on Macbeth's tragic end.

As a general rule, your essays should be roughly two sides of A4 long if typed at font size 12, and approximately 3 or 4 sides long if hand-written (depending on the size of your writing.)

It is important that your essay is completed by the deadline, as we will be conducting self/peer assessments on the essays and you will not get the benefit of this if they are late.

I will hold a drop-in on Thursday (14/11/13) lunchtime for anyone having problems planning/writing this.

Higher - The Cone Gatherers: Chapters 1 and 2

Higher: Macbeth Revision Powerpoint

Holiday Homework Round-Up

All classes from third year up have homework over the summer holidays. Don't forget! Everything is due on the first day back in August: 

20/8/13

Third Year

Your homework is to complete your perfect murder story. Remember the structure (a couple of posts down) and also remember the length - no less than three jotter pages and no more than four. You can type the story instead if you like; in that case aim for 600-800 words.

Fourth Year

Your main focus should be on completing your Added Value Unit. You will by now have read your books, or will be well into them at the least. For August, you need to complete the yellow booklet and hand that in with your 700-800 word essay on your two books.

Higher

You guys have a lot to do over the summer, so don't leave it all to the last minute!

1) Complete your planning sheet and first draft of your short story for your folio. Word limits are 650 words minimum, 1300 words maximum.

2) Read Macbeth. Didn't get a copy? Look at the Higher tab above for a link to the edition I recommend. If you're really stuck though, read it online.

3) Complete the non-fiction reading record booklet. You need to show me that you have read one newspaper article per weekday during the holidays, so that's a minimum of 35 pages of the booklet completed. There are extra sheets in the booklet. Lost your booklet? No problem! Download another copy here.

Intermediate 2

You need to complete the first draft of your reflective essay for your folio. Word limits are 500 words minimum and 1000 words maximum. See a couple of posts down for the planning sheet, which you should hand in with the essay in August.

Need help?

I will be unavailable for the first three weeks of the school holidays, but will be replying to emails from Monday July 22nd onward. You can reach me at missfyvie@live.co.uk

Have a great holiday everyone, and come back in August ready to work hard! :-)

Short Story Structure

Over the last few days, the S3s and the Higher class have been looking at short story structure. Writing a short story is like climbing a mountain: you start at the bottom by introducing the characters, then climb through the complications of the story to the climax. Then you resolve the loose ends on the way back down, ready for the twist ending.

Here is an example structure of a murder story called Ice.