Lesson 79

 Second day of drafting - peer edit on Tuesday!

Lesson 78

 Students spent today's block drafting, and will spend the next block doing the same. 

Anyone looking for extra assistance is welcome in the writing lab at lunch, and all are always welcome to tutorial for extra time or assistance. Please note: The writing lab is not a space for those who simply need extra time to write.

 

 

NOTE: In case it has been unclear to anyone, phones should all be in backpacks. We are not using phones during class for any reason, unless specific individual permission is granted. If you  have your phone out during class, including on your lap, in a book, or under you on your seat, you will be picking it up at the office at the end of the day.

 

Lesson 77

 Few were ready to write today - OUTLINES MUST BE READY NEXT FOR NEXT CLASS

 

Lesson 76

Students handed in their theme webs - those who put some effort into them will certainly find them beneficial in the writing to come. 

We discussed issues with AI use in trusted publications, and society writ large, via this article about the Chicago Tribune.

We used the notion of buying food locally to talk about  how to go about organizing either the points in a paragraph, or the body paragraphs in an essay.

Students who did not receive proficient on their previous formal paragraph will be writing another formal paragraph for The Marrow Thieves. 

Those who received proficient or extending are welcome to write a paragraph, or to stretch and write a 4-5 paragraph essay. 

Reasons to write an essay:

• You feel you have mastered the paragraph, and would like to stretch further.
• You already felt confined by the paragraph form, and need more space to fully express your ideas.

Reasons to write a paragraph:

• You still need to work on mastering the form.
• You suspect you will not have the time you need to write a full essay, due to outside commitments. 
• ***You sometimes struggle to ensure clear, linear thought on the page and/or your ideas are good, but your expression still needs refinement/clarity.

Students have basic outlines to take home over the weekend - while there should not be entire paragraphs/essays written on these in tiny font, they should come back with arguments and evidence ready to go next class.

Those planning on writing a theme-based essay should pop in for tutorial to run ideas/theses past me as needed. Monday is also fine for that!

 

 

Lesson 75

 We opened today's class talking about the hope that is present in this novel, despite it being dystopian fiction. We talked about the hope for future generations etc.

These webs will be used as students begin their writing - while they do not need to be over-the-top, effort connecting at least 4-5 quotes to 4-5 key themes will be beneficial. They will be collected at the beginning of our next block.

We looked at:

• This story of forced sterilization
• The shocking death of Joyce Echaquan, mother of seven
• And we finished with this Reel of a baby in a Jolly Jumper (invented by Olivia Poole) at a Powow. 

Students then had a great deal of time to work on creating a theme web/mindmap of the novel. Everyone should have at least 4-5 themes on their webs, and ensure that the themes are connected with quotations, characters and/or key events in the text.

 

Lesson 74

 Students received their notes for the second time - many did a wonderful job, others should be attending tutorial to add to the work and fix errors. 

We discussed the last chapter we read, then finished reading the novel :)

Next week, we will begin the formal writing process to wrap the unit. Folks should come ready to work!

Best wishes for a fabulous long weekend!

Lesson 73

 We started today's lesson by talking about a tiktok on Rougarou - and how difficult it can be to explain cultural understandings/knowledge to outsiders (linked to whether or not the "Miracle of Minerva" is as sci-fi as a non-Indigenous audience might think).

We reviewed the chapter "Word Arrives in Black" and discussed the various things that can make us lash out at those we love. 

We read the chapter "Lost and Found and Lost," before students had the last 20 minutes of class to round out notes - These notes were handed in at the door. 

 

Lesson 72

 Today's classes were out of sync to start (after last week's evacuations) but are now nearly on track.

We discussed the Moosehide Campaign - and what the role of men might be, in ending violence towards women/girls

Block 1 is on page 200 (just at the top where the message arrives) and Block 2 has finished "Word Arrives in Black."

No homework - notes are always good!

Students are reminded that the writing lab is there for them - sheets await!

Lesson 71

We opened the block with a review of the previous chapter - we talked through a number of questions, and looked at the image of the gates of Auschwitz. We talked about the power of the image, and the parallel, yet quite different, image of the gates at the end of "The Miracle of Minerva." We also discussed the significance of the possible allusion in the name Minerva.

We read "Loss," and "The Circle." - (BLOCK 1 had repeated fire alarms, and did no reading)

Anyone who has missed classes is responsible for catching up on materials. There are a few students who seem to be prioritizing work for other classes - these folks will find the approaching final writing much more challenging than they would have if they'd been on top of reading/notes. 

Wishing everyone a healthy, restful weekend!

Lesson 70

 We talked about his niece's journey to bring her uncle Percy Onabigon home, and about the idea of granting rights to bodies of water, as in this article (contrasted with corporate law, granting rights to corporations in the US and other jurisdictions).

We read the chapter titled "Found" and students took notes.

We talked about the images of the resistance members emerging from the forest, and briefly touched upon the Oka Crisis. Students are encouraged to learn more about it through the following:

• Timeline of the Oka Crisis
• CBC archived coverage, including videos, on the crisis
  

We then read "The Miracle of Minerva," and talked about ways in which this story is firmly grounded the past and current realities of Canada. We also discussed the connection between this chapter and St. Anne's Residential School and the ways in which it could be and offering -  a way for surviors/relatives of survivors to burn down the worst of that history - to cleanse (see final line of chapter, as well as Cormac McCarthy quote from the opening of the text).

Lesson 69

We opened the block with a discussion of several articles:

• Indigenous MP's
• APTN article on lawsuit - CBC article on housing lawsuit
• The implementation of a pre-colonial justice practice to protect the Haida community

We then read and discussed "On the Road."