©Jane Logan, 2003 www.loganstrategy.ca
Music and entertainment
1. How many las in a line of “Deck the Halls”?
2. Who made “White Christmas” famous?
3. How many swans a’swimming? Seven
4. How many lords a leaping?
5. Who played Santa in The Santa Clause?
The Christmas story
6. In what town was Jesus born? Do you know a second name for it, after the king?
7. What gifts did the three kings offer to Jesus?
8. Bonus point: spell the gift that starts with “M”
9. Who appeared to the shepherds?
Christmas around the world
10. What are other names for Santa Claus?
11. What is the country of origin of the poinsettia?
12. How do you say “Merry Christmas” in Spanish?
a. Oye Como Va
b. Adeste Fideles
c. Feliz Navidad
True or false
13. In Holland people believe Santa Claus is accompanied by Black Peter, who punishes bad children.
14. Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria the first Christmas tree in England in 1841
15. Italians traditionally leave pizza, spaghetti and a bottle of chianti for Santa’s reindeer.
16. In Quebec, many French Canadians attend midnight mass and hold a “referendum” afterwards, during which they eat a meat pie known as tourtiere.
17. In Guatemala, a special feast is prepared for mice on Christmas Eve, since they
are the humblest of God’s creatures. It features mozzarella.
18. Wassail is a medieval drink made of gin and tonic associated with Christmas caroling.
19. In Germany, many people hang a pickle in their Christmas tree. The first person to find it gets an extra gift.
The Grinch who Stole Christmas
20. Who is the author of this book?
21. Which actor plays the Grinch in the movie?
22. What town does it take place in?
A Christmas Carol
23. Who wrote this story?
24. What was Mr. Scrooge’s first name?
25. What expression regarding Christmas is Scrooge known for?
26. Name the Crachits Bob, Mrs., Peter and Tiny Tim, Martha
27. Who says “Give like Santa, save like Scrooge?”
The Night Before Christmas
28. What did the author and his wife wear on their heads?
29. What are the names of Santa’s reindeer?
30. What is the last line of this memorable poem?
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
BELLS
Read "The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe, and answer the following questions for "The Bells":
"The Bells" Questions
- What is the TITLE of this poem?
- In each stanza (there are four stanzas in this poem), what type of bell is ringing?
- In each stanza, for what occasion does each bell ring?
- In each stanza, what emotion is caused by the ringing of the bells?
- In each stanza, what is the topic (consider your answer to questions 2 and 3)?
- In each stanza, what is the theme (consider your answer to questions 3, and 4)?
- Locate and identify as many types of RHYME in "The Bells" as you can.
Monday, December 14, 2009
IMPORTANT WORDS
“If a poet troubles to seek out the best words available, the least we can do is to find out what the words mean. The dictionary is a firm ally in reading poems; if the poems are more than a century old, it is indispensable. Meanings change. When the Elizabethan poet George Gascoigne wrote, “O Abraham’s brats, O brood of blessed seed,” the word brats implied neither irritation nor contempt,” (Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Kennedy &Gioia, 504).
The Execution
On the night of the execution
a man at the door
mistook me for the coroner.
“Press,” I said.
But he didn’t understand. He led me
into the wrong room
where the sheriff greeted me:
“You’re late, Padre.”
“You’re wrong,” I told him, “I’m Press.”
“Yes, of course, Reverend Press.”
We went down the stairway.
“Ah, Mr. Ellis,” said the Deputy.
“Press!” I shouted. But he shoved me
through a black curtain.
The lights were so bright
I couldn’t see the faces
of the men sitting
opposite. But, thank God, I thought
they can see me!
“Look!” I cried. “Look at my face!
Doesn’t anybody know me?”
Then a hood covered my head.
“Don’t make it harder for us,” the
hangman whispered.
Alden Nowlan
(1933-1983)
1. Look up the unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Write the words and definitions here:
2. Then circle the one important word or idea in each line. (Different readers will notice different things.)
3. Why has the poet chosen each of those words?
4. Find and underline any unusual words as well.
5. Why has the poet used that unusual word for this context?
Consider denotation and connotation:
A denotation is the meaning of the word you will find in the dictionary.
The connotation is the emotional response or suggestions that a word triggers within you.
6. Copy and fill in the chart below using words from the poem:
.......WORD ............. DENOTATION ................... CONNOTATION.....
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Execution
On the night of the execution
a man at the door
mistook me for the coroner.
“Press,” I said.
But he didn’t understand. He led me
into the wrong room
where the sheriff greeted me:
“You’re late, Padre.”
“You’re wrong,” I told him, “I’m Press.”
“Yes, of course, Reverend Press.”
We went down the stairway.
“Ah, Mr. Ellis,” said the Deputy.
“Press!” I shouted. But he shoved me
through a black curtain.
The lights were so bright
I couldn’t see the faces
of the men sitting
opposite. But, thank God, I thought
they can see me!
“Look!” I cried. “Look at my face!
Doesn’t anybody know me?”
Then a hood covered my head.
“Don’t make it harder for us,” the
hangman whispered.
Alden Nowlan
(1933-1983)
1. Look up the unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Write the words and definitions here:
2. Then circle the one important word or idea in each line. (Different readers will notice different things.)
3. Why has the poet chosen each of those words?
4. Find and underline any unusual words as well.
5. Why has the poet used that unusual word for this context?
Consider denotation and connotation:
A denotation is the meaning of the word you will find in the dictionary.
The connotation is the emotional response or suggestions that a word triggers within you.
6. Copy and fill in the chart below using words from the poem:
.......WORD ............. DENOTATION ................... CONNOTATION.....
1.
2.
3.
4.
IMAGERY
“Although a poem may contain images and ideas, it is made up of words. Language is the medium of poetry, and the exact wording of a successful poem is the chief source of its power. Writers labor mightily to shape each word and phrase to create particular expressive effects. Changing a single word sometimes ruins a poem’s effect, just as changing one number in a combination lock’s sequence makes all the other numbers useless” (Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Kennedy &Gioia, 521).
Read the following poem and answer the questions below:
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
William Wordsworth
(1770-1850)
1. What things are described that draw on your five senses (this is called imagery)?
2. How are these images described?
3. What purpose does the poet have in describing these images?
4. Some of these images represent something “larger” than themselves, and are symbolic. What are they, and what do they represent?
Read the following poem and answer the questions below:
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
William Wordsworth
(1770-1850)
1. What things are described that draw on your five senses (this is called imagery)?
2. How are these images described?
3. What purpose does the poet have in describing these images?
4. Some of these images represent something “larger” than themselves, and are symbolic. What are they, and what do they represent?
Monday, December 7, 2009
Top 10 Things to Do on a Snow Day
Is today a snow day? Are you home sick, or simply missed the bus? Here is a list of things you should be sure to do while at home:1. Make a steaming mug of cocoa or coffee; be ready to refill as necessary throughout the day.
2. Remind yourself of overdue and upcoming assignments. Tuck them out of the way first to hand in when you return to school.
3. Crank up the music and dance in your pajamas.
4. Learn one new grammar or punctuation trick at Grammar Girl (trust me, this will impress a friend in need of proof reading; plus 1 popularity point).
5. Learn how to make those origami cranes from Heroes (season 1), or maybe a jumping frog if that's too complicated for a first try.
6. Proofread the assignment you thought was finished and ready to hand in. Chances are, you made at least one "stupid" mistake that is easily fixed. Use this checklist if you need some guidance.
7. Quote every line possible while watching your childhood favorite Disney cartoon. Mute the TV and see if you can still say all the lines.
8. Read a book on the Canada Reads List. Many of these great reads can be found online at Google Books.
9. Try on and photograph every possible outfit from your clothes closet; figure out what new combinations actually would work for school. Save yourself the stress of trying to figure this out in the morning by making a photo album of possibilities to pick from on short notice.
10. Do a touch typing speed test. Try to increase your speed and accuracy.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
TITLE, TOPIC & THEME
“In reading a poem, some people assume that its words can be skipped over rapidly, and they try to leap at once to the poem’s general theme. It is as if they fear being thought clods unless they can find huge ideas in the poem (whether or not there are any). Such readers often ignore the literal meanings of words: the ordinary, matter-of-fact sense to be found in a dictionary… Consider the following and see what you make of it,” (Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Kennedy &Gioia, 499-500).
Read the following poem, then answer the questions below:
This Is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
William Carlos Williams
(1883-1963)
1. What is the topic of the poem (what is the poem about)?
2. Consider the meaning of the title. Why has the author chosen this title? How does the title connect with the theme?
3. What is the theme of the poem? What is the poet teaching us about the topic? (Theme = “big idea,” “life lesson,” “poet’s message”)
Read the following poem, then answer the questions below:
This Is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
William Carlos Williams
(1883-1963)
1. What is the topic of the poem (what is the poem about)?
2. Consider the meaning of the title. Why has the author chosen this title? How does the title connect with the theme?
3. What is the theme of the poem? What is the poet teaching us about the topic? (Theme = “big idea,” “life lesson,” “poet’s message”)
RHYME
“Excellent rhymes surprise. It is all very well that a reader may anticipate which vowel-sound is coming next, for patterns of rhyme give pleasure by satisfying expectations; but rhyming becomes dull clunking if, at the end of each line, the reader can predict the word that will end the next.
“Where’er you find “the cooling western breeze,”
In the next line it “whispers through the trees”;
If crystal streams “with pleasing murmurs creep,”
The reader’s threatened (not in vain) with “sleep”… - Alexander Pope
“But who – given the opening line of this comic poem – could predict the lines that follow?” (Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Kennedy & Gioia, 600-601).
Read the following poem, then answer the qeustions below:
On My Boat on Lake Cayuga
On my boat on Lake Cayuga
I have a horn that goes “Ay-oogah!”
I’m not the modern kind of creep
Who has a horn that goes “beep beep.”
William Cole
(1919-2000)
Define the following types of rhyme, then try to write your own rhyme using each type:
http://people.usd.edu/~mrogge/RDTN/210poetryterms.html
EXACT RHYME
CONSONANCE
END RHYME
MASCULINE RHYME
FEMININE RHYME
What type of rhyme does Cole’s poem have?
What is the RHYME SCHEME in Cole’s poem?
“Where’er you find “the cooling western breeze,”
In the next line it “whispers through the trees”;
If crystal streams “with pleasing murmurs creep,”
The reader’s threatened (not in vain) with “sleep”… - Alexander Pope
“But who – given the opening line of this comic poem – could predict the lines that follow?” (Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Kennedy & Gioia, 600-601).
Read the following poem, then answer the qeustions below:
On My Boat on Lake Cayuga
On my boat on Lake Cayuga
I have a horn that goes “Ay-oogah!”
I’m not the modern kind of creep
Who has a horn that goes “beep beep.”
William Cole
(1919-2000)
Define the following types of rhyme, then try to write your own rhyme using each type:
http://people.usd.edu/~mrogge/RDTN/210poetryterms.html
EXACT RHYME
CONSONANCE
END RHYME
MASCULINE RHYME
FEMININE RHYME
What type of rhyme does Cole’s poem have?
What is the RHYME SCHEME in Cole’s poem?
REPETITION
Poets repeat sounds and words for effect.
• Repetition helps add a sense of rhythm in a poem.
• Repetition emphasizes important ideas and meanings.
• Repetition sets a mood.
• Repetition holds a poem together with a pattern readers come to expect.
• Repetition creates suspense or adds humor or music.
Read the following poem, then answer the questions below:
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost
(1874-1963)
1. LOOK FOR repeated words – List words or phrases that are repeated. Why has the poet repeated each word or phrase?
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginnings of several words of a line of poetry or a sentence. You might find repeated sounds in the middle of words (read, cheap) or at the ends of words, too (mad, read).
2. LOOK FOR repeated letters - Why has the poet used alliteration?
• Repetition helps add a sense of rhythm in a poem.
• Repetition emphasizes important ideas and meanings.
• Repetition sets a mood.
• Repetition holds a poem together with a pattern readers come to expect.
• Repetition creates suspense or adds humor or music.
Read the following poem, then answer the questions below:
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost
(1874-1963)
1. LOOK FOR repeated words – List words or phrases that are repeated. Why has the poet repeated each word or phrase?
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginnings of several words of a line of poetry or a sentence. You might find repeated sounds in the middle of words (read, cheap) or at the ends of words, too (mad, read).
2. LOOK FOR repeated letters - Why has the poet used alliteration?
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