Year 12 Homework 1

Read the following article (Article about A-Level English) and answer the questions below. You don't need to hand the answers in, so you can answer them in note format if you wish. Be ready to explain your answers in class, though.

1. What do you understand by the phrase 'modern cultural references'?
2. Give two reasons why people have criticised the A-level. Do you think these reasons are valid?
3. What is the 'crumbling castle' view of language?
4. What viewpoint does Laura Barton hold about this subject? Select two quotations where this viewpoint is evident.
* The version of this article that you have read was the online version. What genre features in this article would you not have found 25 years ago?

Year 8 Private Peaceful Homework Project - Summer term

Year 8 Independent Homework Project – War Literature

To be completed and ready for display by Tuesday 7^th July

Instructions: This task needs you to work on your organisational skills. You must be self-disciplined and not leave everything until the last minute. You have 5 whole weeks to complete this. I expect that you would spend at least 3-4 hours on this project over the 5 weeks. You should aim to collect between 5 and 10 stars (5 stars minimum) but it is up to you how much work you want to put in. Work will be assessed on effort, writing skills, and engagement with the novel.  You will be rewarded with positive credits, and those who have shown outstanding effort will receive a postcard home. If you have an idea for an activity that you would like to do that is not listed here, see me and I will tell you how many stars your idea is worth.

Tasks worth 5 stars

·         Read another Michael Morpurgo book on the subject of war (War Horse, Kensuke’s Kingdom) or a book by another author who has written about WW1. Write a review of one of the books. http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/jun/30/best-first-world-war-ww1-books-for-children-and-teens See example of book review mrsdesai.blogspot.co.uk

·         A review of PP said “… a deeply moving portrayal of camararderie and courage, innocence and brutality.” To what extent do you agree with this statement as a description of PP?

·         Do the activity on this webpage: http://www.filmeducation.org/privatepeaceful/authors-questions.html WARNING: this contains a spoiler about how the book ends. Do this once you have finished reading, or if you already know the ending.

·         Imagine you have been asked to compose a piece of music to play in the background of the film version of the novel. Choose one scene from the novel and compose a piece of music to go with the scene OR choose an existing song / piece of music and write why you think the music is appropriate for the scene you have chosen.

·         Do the activities and answer the questions on this website http://www.filmeducation.org/privatepeaceful/obeying-orders.html

·         Dramatise a scene from the novel and film it, either with your friends, or using animation… jelly babies / lego? Note: if this is done as a group task, you can all use it towards your credits.

 

Tasks worth 4 stars

·         Write your own poem about WW1 based on what you have learnt in this unit. Use some of the poetic techniques that you studied when you read the war poetry.

·         Create a photo album (with renal photos) showing Tommo’s life in Devon before the war. If he had a camera, what would he have chosen to photograph?

 

Tasks worth 3 stars

·         Design a board game based on the novel.

·         Create a Treasure box for one of the characters in the novel. What would have been precious to them? What would they have chosen to keep in their treasure boxes?

·         Make a model of a trench based on what you have read in the novel.

 

Tasks worth 2 stars

·         Write the page of a textbook for KS3 students explaining what life was like in the trenches for soldiers. Look at other textbooks for ideas about layout and language. You are writing to inform.

·         Imagine that Charlie has written a letter for his family that is to be read upon his death. Write the letter you think he would leave.

·         What would Tommo’s facebook page have looked like? Draw it.

·         Create a Private Peaceful ‘playlist’. Choose ten songs that match some of the themes we have discussed, or that would match some of the scenes in the book. Write a brief description of why each one has been chosen.

·         Create a quiz about WW1. You should know the answers!

·         You are the casting director for a new film version of Private Peaceful. Write a job advert describing the type of actor you need and a description of the character they will play. Choose Charlie, Tommo or Molly.

·         Draw a comic strip called ‘A day in the trenches’.

·         Research one area of life in the years 1914- 1918 and produce a poster showing what you have discovered. Choose from: education, employment, family life or childhood.

·         Produce a WW1 mini fact sheet aimed at year 6 pupils, explaining to them what WW1 was about. You should do some research first.

·         Imagine that the publishers wish to design a new book cover for Private Peaceful for 2016. Sketch some designs that you think represent the novel.

·         Create a collage which represents the themes of the novel, to be used for display in the classroom.

Tasks worth 1 star

·         Create a map of France / Devon? Label it with places of significance and, if possible, quotations – there is a copy of Private Peaceful in the library that you can use.

·         Create a character profile for one of the characters. Draw a picture of them as you imagine them to be, and label it with adjectives.

·         Imagine that Michael Morpurgo wishes to release a new illustrated version of his novel. Choose three important events and draw the illustrations you would include to show these three events.

·         Imagine that Twitter existed during WW1. Write a selection of tweets that Tommo or Charlie would have tweeted from the front line. 

·         Write a diary entry imaging you are Tommo right after the accident in the forest with his father. Describe his thoughts and feelings.

Character Description homework

Homework – Creative Writing

20 – 30 minutes

 

 

“Then I see Mr Munnings standing on the school steps cracking his knuckles in the suddenly silent school yard. He has tufty cheeks and a big belly under his waistcoat. He has a gold watch open in his hand. It’s his eyes that are frightening and I know they are searching me out.”

 

 

 

 

Michael Morpurgo uses specific adjectives and verbs to describe Mr Munnings. He also ‘shows’ us that he is a frightening character, by giving clues, rather than just telling the reader that he is frightening.

 

Your task: write an excellent descriptive paragraph about a character that you could use in a story. (Just like the one above) You can use the ideas below, or choose one of your own.

1.      A person that you love

2.      A lost young child

3.      A person that you think is funny

4.      A person you know that is very strict

5.      A person that feels very angry about something

6.      This picture:

 

   You will be assessed on:

 

¨  Using lively and interesting vocabulary (you may use a thesaurus)

¨  Accurate spelling

¨  Accurate punctuation

¨  Varied sentence structure

 

I expect you to check all of these things before you hand in your homework. You may wish to re-draft your work to make it as good as it can possibly be. If so, hand in both versions so I can see what improvements you have made.

War Poetry homework

For those who prefer drawing: Draw one of the key images that stands out for you from each of the poems we have looked at. Include a quotation from the poem somewhere on / within the picture. So, one image and quotation from Pope’s poem and one from Owen’s poem.

OR

For those who prefer words: Write a paragraph about each of the two poems. Choose one image that stands out for you and write a detailed paragraph about why you think the lines are important to your understanding of the poem.

 

*Extension (optional) Find a copy of Rupert Brooke’s poem ‘The Solider’ (There are plenty online). Read it and decide whether you think it is a pro-war or an anti-war poem. Does it have more similarities with ‘Who’s for the Game?’ or ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’?

 

Due: Tuesday 28th April

Quotations Homework

Due Friday 13th March

For each of the quotations given below, underline the words that are ‘working the hardest’ to help create an image of the stranger or the Pied Piper. It may be a quotation that describes what he looks like, or it may tell the reader something about his personality, character or actions.

Label the words you have chosen with your interpretation of what the words mean. Think deeply about why the writer selected that particular word – what may they have been suggesting? You may be able to label the types of words chosen, or the technique that the writer has used.

Do this in your books, so that you have room to write the quotation in the centre of your page. An example has been done for you. 

TIP: It can be helpful to use a dictionary or thesaurus to look up the words you underline. Even if you know what they mean, it can give you alternative  words to use in your analysis, or make you think about the effect the writer wanted to create

1.    STRANGER: And everyone has so much to say, so much that they care about. But I wonder… who cares about Becky… and who cares about Jan?

2.    “And I chiefly use my charm

On creatures that do people harm”

3.    “And he himself was tall and thin,

With sharp, blue eyes, each like a pin.”

4.    STRANGER: But don’t worry, I know what it’s like. I was always the one who didn’t fit in. But it didn’t bother me – don’t let it bother you. You don’t need the likes of them. You’ve got more to offer than them. 

8YNE Semi-Colon homework sheet 2

Using Semi-Colons and Colons Sheet 2

 

How did you get on with the questions for your homework? How is your understanding of these punctuation marks now? This homework requires you to mark your own work, consolidate (strengthen) your understanding and assess how much more work you need to do in this area.   

 

Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places and, when Harry told them what was under Quirrell’s turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

 

Q: This is a good example of where a semi-colon has replaced a connective. What connective words or phrases could you have used instead?

 

A: The semi-colon in the sentence above could be replaced by ‘because’ or ‘as’. The fact that they ‘gasped in all the right places’ shows that they were a good audience.

 

Ron and Hermione were a very good audience because / as they gasped in all the right places and, when Harry told them what was under Quirrell’s turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

 

Although using a connective still makes sense here, you can see that the original sentence is stronger. The pause caused by the semi-colon slows the sentence down and allows us to take on board the full meaning.

 

A little extra: Notice that commas are used to add an optional phrase in this sentence: if you take out what’s inside the commas, it still make sense.

 

Ron and Hermione were a very good audience because they gasped in all the right places and Hermione screamed out loud.

 TASK ANSWERS:

 

1.    Answer the following questions in your exercise books, using full sentences for your answers.

a.    Instead of a semi-colon, you can use either a full-stop or a connective.

b.    There must be a main clause either side of the semi-colon.

c.    Semi-colons are never necessary. You can choose to use them, or you can choose to stick with a full-stop or a connective.

d.    A colon is a signal that you are going to introduce something.

e.    Here are 4 things that a colon can introduce: an example, a list, a quotation and an explanation.

 

2.    For each of the sentences below, decide whether the gap needs filling with a comma, full-stop, semi-colon or colon.

a.    Clare is a lovely girl: gentle and kind.

b.    Clare is a lovely girl, a smashing cook and a thoughtful parent.

c.    Clare is a lovely girl; she knows just what to say in a crisis.

d.    Clare is a lovely girl. I think I will have to marry her. OR Clare is a lovely girl; I think I will have to marry her.

Here are some possible answers to the next questions. The ones with an asterisk (*) are ones you may not have thought of, but I have included them here to show you how much you can play around with sentences.

 

a)     The girl was obsessed with television there was no wonder her parents were worried.

The girl was obsessed with television. There was no wonder her parents were worried.

The girl was obsessed with television so there was no wonder her parents were worried.

* There was no wonder her parents were worried: the girl was obsessed with television.

 

b)   As I turned round, I heard a loud thump the cat had upset the goldfish bowl.

As I turned around, I heard a loud thump. The cat had upset the goldfish bowl.

As I turned around, I heard a loud thump because the cat had upset the goldfish bowl.

*I heard a loud thump. As I turned around I saw that the cat had upset the goldfish bowl.

 

c)    The hill was covered in wild flowers it was a beautiful sight.

The hill was covered in wild flowers; it was a beautiful sight.

The hill was covered in wild flowers. It was a beautiful sight.

The hill was covered in wild flowers so it was a beautiful sight.

*It was a beautiful sight: the hill was covered in wild flowers.   

 

d)   The dog snarling and growling snapped at me.

The dog, snarling and growling, snapped at me.

*Snarling and growling, the dog snapped at me.

 

3.    * Optional task. If you attempted this task, go back to it now and proof-read it carefully. Read it out loud, paying attention to every single punctuation mark. Put a tick above the ones you are certain are correct. Correct any that you know you have got wrong, and put a question mark above those you are unsure of.

How did you do? Tick one of the following boxes so I can measure how much work we need to do on this:

 

¨ I am a punctuation wizard. There is nothing I don’t know.

¨ I am fairly confident that I can amaze Mrs Desai with my punctuation power.

¨ I understand more than I did before but my punctuation powers need a bit more work.

¨ I am confused.com. Please save me from punctuation panic.

8YNE Commas homework sheet 2

Don’t Splice me!

Comma homework answer sheet

How did you get on with the questions for your homework? How is your understanding of the comma now? This homework requires you to mark your own work, consolidate (strengthen) your understanding and assess how much more work you need to do in this area.  

Here are some suggested answers to the questions on last week’s homework. Each of the suggestions below is correct (there is more than one way to write a sentence!) You don’t have to have written all of the ones that I have, but the ones you have written need to be correct. Mark your work and pay attention to the ones you get wrong. If you don’t get any wrong, well done!

 

1.      I went to the market to buy some wool, it was really busy.

a.      I went to the market to buy some wool but it was really busy.

b.      I went to the market to buy some wool. It was really busy.

 

2.      Commas were a real problem, they kept getting them wrong.

a.      Commas were a real problem because they kept getting them wrong.

b.      Commas were a real problem as they kept getting them wrong.

c.       Commas were a real problem. They kept getting them wrong.

d.      Commas were a real problem: they kept getting them wrong.

 

3.      He crept up the stairs slowly, he could hear the wind howling outside.

a.      He crept up the stairs slowly. He could hear the wind howling outside.

b.      He crept up the stairs slowly with the wind howling outside.

c.       He crept up the stairs slowly as the wind howled outside.

 

4.      Slowly, she entered the room, everyone was waiting for her.

a.      Slowly, she entered the room. Everyone was waiting for her.  (Note – the first comma is correct as it is a fronted adverbial)

b.      Slowly, she entered the room whilst everyone was waiting for her.

c.       Slowly, she entered the room because everyone was waiting for her.

5.      I went to the medical room, I had hurt my shoulder during Rugby.

a.      I went to the medical room because I had hurt my shoulder during Rugby.

b.      I went to the medical room. I had hurt my shoulder during Rugby.

c.       I went to the medical room as I had hurt my shoulder during Rugby.

d.      I went to the medical room after I had hurt my should during Rugby.

 

2.  Here is the paragraph, with the correct punctuation. Mark your own version and see if you got it right.  

They walked up to the ancient ruin. It was twilight and the shadows were gathering fast.  It was very difficult to make out the footpath that led up to the grand portcullis of the castle.  The rickety drawbridge groaned in the evening wind and swung eerily over the empty moat. It was tempting to just turn and go home. They did not want to go there but they had no choice. In the castle their host was awaiting them.

 

How did you do? Tick one of the following boxes so I can measure how much work we need to do on this:

 

¨ I am a punctuation wizard. There is nothing I don’t know.

¨ I am fairly confident that I can amaze Mrs Desai with my punctuation power.

¨ I understand more than I did before but my punctuation powers need a bit more work.

¨ I am confused.com. Please save me from punctuation panic.