English – Ms Cox

What motivates you to watch a film? What keeps you in your seat?

We are starting a mini-film study. For the first lesson on Monday, May 27, please do the following:

• Use your English book to record ideas and responses to the questions at the start of this blog post.
• Read the Basic Film Techniques and Film Stills documents.
• Complete the Film Opening Analysis tasks document. Please use headphones to watch the opening of each film.

If you finish early, create your own table for a film opening of your choice. Be prepared to share this on Friday.

Lego Indiana Jones by Rob Young (flickr)

We have almost finished watching the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

What do you notice in your area of expertise?

Add notes to the part of your Film Expert group’s Google Doc table that has your name on it.

Here is a useful link for checking the names of characters (check full cast list): Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark – IMBD

6A: Due Friday, May 17   6B: Due Monday, May 20

Open Clip Art

Start drafting your movie or film shots blog post. Here are a few tips:

1. Explain to your reader that we have just started a film study unit in English.
2. Mention our discussion: What are the effects of different film shots?
3.Describe the rooftop filming task! Explain what you did and what you learned.

Remember to include 1-3 different types of shots, with captions or explanations.

Here is a thoughtful blog post from one of last year’s Grade 6 students, Alina.

6A and 6B – here are your responses to ‘What makes an effective comment?’

I can’t wait to see your comments on your Singapore American School blogging buddy’s posts

6A’s Ideas

6A’s Ideas

6B’s Ideas

6B’s Ideas

We finish your study of news reporting at the end of April. The Grade 6 English examination is a way of assessing your learning in a different way to other assessments you’ve had during this year. You can show your knowledge of what makes a “good” or balanced news report by writing your own! The English exam for all Grade 6 students is periods 1 & 2 Monday, April 29.

Please click here for revision guide.

Please click here for the practice exam.

YiS student presenting – image by Ms Cox

Friday, April 12:

Aims: 1. Creatively interpret Shakespeare’s images and imagery in Julius Caesar. 2. Develop and refine image search skills.

Task: Read Mark Antony’s speech from Act 3, scene 1 (lines 254-275) including the margin notes.

Highlight key images and imagery in the speech and make notes on your observations (you will need these later on).

Search for 3-5 images that interpret key images or imagery using Creative Commons Search.

Or you can take and use your own photographs.

Rule: you cannot use direct words from the speech in your search!

Tips: check out Alan Levine’s excellent wiki and advice on creative, effective image searching. I suggest you start with this  page – The Art of Searching

Bookmark each image for later reference and giving credit to the creator.

Insert each image into a Google Doc presentation.

Draft a blog post that explains the task, matches each image to the speech, and offers analysis and explanation. Here is an original response by Maria from last year. This may give you an idea for a possible approach to the blog post; however, please try to be creative and distinctively different in your own post. Finish for homework if you run out of time in class (due Monday, April 15).

Pair up and check your partner’s ‘See Think Wonder’ draft blog post. Give each other feedback, then switch back and make changes to your draft if needed.

What is a fact, and what is an opinion? Try to come up with your own definitions before checking a dictionary. Add the meanings to your copy of the unit cover document. If you have time later in the lesson, complete the rest of the vocabulary list.

Complete your Fact or Opinion? document.

If you finish early, add the main meaning of bias* to your copy of the unit cover document and complete the Biased or Balanced? task.

*Remember that you may have also explored this in Maths.

Use ‘See, Think, Wonder’ routine you used in class with a new image and create a headline for the image. Here is a slideshow reminder of the printed images that you looked at in the English lesson. Use this as a guide for your homework (full instructions on Veracross):

Congratulations to my Grade 11 Language and Literature class, who conducted a mature and well-researched debate in response to the key argument in George Orwell’s essay, “The Sporting Spirit”. This is The Great Debate on film – enjoy!

The Great Debate from YIS Academics on Vimeo.