EN100. Themes in Films Exercise

The Matrix

Pick three movies that contain a key idea or theme. Name the movie and write a short paragraph explaining the key idea. Remember that you do not have to recount the plot of theme.

Example: The Matrix. A key idea in The Matrix is that technology may one day control us. We might become servants for the machines. We see this when Neo discovers that computers are running everything in his world.

Due: Thursday 28 February.

Please don't use The Matrix for one of your films!

ES300. Language Features Exercise

Read carefully the first and last two paragraphs of Pana's Choice. Identify any language features (metaphor, simile, alliteration, etc) that you find.

Present your findings in this way:

Name of language feature. Specific quotation containing the language feature. Effect.
(Read the pages on language features in the class workbook for a specific example of how to present your work.)

ES300: When the Goblins came to Whitianga

Talofa Lava/Kia ora tatou/G'day everybody.

Please read 'When the goblins came to Whitianga' for tomorrow's class.

We'll have a general discussion on 'close reading' and putting prose 'under the microscope.' We'll touch base on spotting language features and their effects.

Tomorrow you'll work in groups and note one or two features of the piece that you find interesting. Then we'll take it from there...

But there's two discussion questions I'd like you to consider:

1. Who are the goblins?
2. Why do you think the writer/speaker calls them 'goblins'? (Note how I put the word in single quotes to show that it's the writer's word).

See you tomorrow!

HM

Reading Logs: ES 100

Talofa Lava/G'day everyone

Your homework for this week is to complete a reading log entry for the poem 'A Pakeha Friend tells a racist Joke' by Hone Tuwhare. Make sure that you write complete answers and say what parts of the poem had an effect on you. Don't just write one or two sentences! Think about how the poem makes you feel.

Remember that you can't use this for your final reading log assessmenet as we've discussed the poem in class. This is just important practice for your reading log.

And I'm interested to know what you think of the poem.

HM

Paul Nations Testing

Hi everyone/Talofa lava

On Monday 18th Feb we'll be having a Paul Nations test during period 1 and period 2. The good news is that you don't have to prepare for these classes!

EN100: guys, please keep up your reading this week.
ES300: Please read the short piece by Joe Bennett "In the name of the people" for Tuesday's class (Period 3) as well as the pages on 'Language Features' in the unit booklet on 'Self and Others in Aotearoa.'

And don't forget to send me an email if you haven't done so yet so I can create class email lists.

Cheers
HM

Reading Log work/ Personal writing (Yr 10).

Kia ora tatou/Hi everyone.

Please remember that your reading log sheet entry on a poem is due on Friday. (Well done to those of you who have handed in the work early).

In our next class we'll discuss what makes a piece of personal writing interesting. I want you you to think about a time when you have strange, different, alien and out of place. When have you ever felt like a freak? (I have so many times!) But let's not go there . . .

I want you to write a mammoth four or five paragraphs on this event in your life. Write down what happened and what it felt like. (No, you will not be asked to do an embarrassing presentation: it's for my eyes only.)

Bribe: if you all make a good effort writing then (groan!) I'll force you to watch a film ...

(BTW: "Bribe" is an example of irony).

The go-between. Review by Caren Wilson.

An online copy of Caren Wilson's article is available at The Listener site here. Read through the article and think about the following questions:

1. Why is the author Paul Diamond mentioned and quoted so often in the article?
2. What's the significance of Makereti's many names?
3. What is the significance of the article's title 'The go-between'?
4. What is significant about Makereti's life for Diamond?
5. Why is the phrase "hot lakes" placed in quotation marks?
6. Wilton ends the article with a long quote by Diamond. What is the main point made in this final paragraph?
7. Why do you think Wilton decides to end her article with this quote?

(Feel free to write your answers as a comment to the post).

Interested in Makereti? There's more information at Monumental Stories and at the National Library.

NZ Poetry Competition

Are you interested in creative writing? Do you feel that you're a budding poet? Why not have a go at the competition below. You can get competition entry forms from me or from the NZ Poetry Society website. We'll look at a few poems in class to get you started. Go on, have a go. . .

NZ Poetry Society 2008 International Poetry Competition

The New Zealand Poetry Society’s annual International Poetry Competition, Verse and Haiku, is now under way, with Open and Junior Sections. The Junior Open and Junior Haiku sections are open to students who are 17 years of age or younger on 30th May 2008. Please visit our website at www.poetrysociety.org.nz for full competition details and to download the entry forms. Last year’s results, including winning poems, and judges’ reports are also on the website.

There are cash prizes in every section, and the winning poems and other selected entries will appear in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s annual anthology in November 2008.

This year’s judges are:

Tony Beyer (New Plymouth) – Open Verse

Sandra Simpson (Tauranga) – Open Haiku

Helen Rickerby (Wellington) – Junior Verse

Nola Borrell (Lower Hutt) – Junior Haiku

Further enquiries can be directed to: The Competition Secretary, PO Box 5283, Wellington 6145 – or by email to competition@poetrysociety.org.nz

Competition closes 30th May 2008.

Pana's Choice. Discussion questions

Pana Hema-Taylor

After you've read the article 'Pana's Choice' by Mike Smith, work with a friend to answer the following questions:

1. Identify a main idea or theme in the article. What is a key idea explored by Smith? Identify a key passage in the article that states this idea.
2. What is the social significance of the idea for New Zealand? (Why is Pana's story important? What does the story say about New Zealand society?)
3. Identify five examples of language features in the article. These features could include figures of speech, sound devices, unusual vocabulary or jargon, slang, irony, symbolism, grammar and punctuation.
4. How does Mike Smith begin and end his article? Describe who he 'sets the scene' for Pana's story and how he ends his article.

Write your answers and hand them in or email them to me by Friday 15th February. You may work in groups but must each submit individual answers by Friday. Go for it!

Image: TVNZ

Seven questions

Kia ora tatou

We'll begin the year by asking ourselves 'What is literacy'? and 'Why is it important'? These questions have nothing really to do with what year you are at in school--in fact, English teachers and university professors also frequently ask these questions!

In groups, we'll discuss the following questions:

1. What is literacy? (What do we need to learn at school?)

2. Why do we study English at school?

3. What do we want to learn in English?

4. What do we like to read?

5. What do we like to watch?

6. What kind of writing skills do we want to learn? (Why do we need them?)

7. What kinds of books, poems, stories, articles, films do we want to work with?

Welcome

Kia ora tatou

Welcome to 'The Wonder Hub', a blog for Harvey Molloy's students.