Short Story Contest Alert!

Enter the Alice Munro Festival Short Story contest with your original submission by August 1, 2012. First prize for teens is $300! The theme is Renewal and entries must not exceed 5000 words. See http://alicemunrofestival.ca/ for an entry form and more details.

Essay Contest: $500 prize

Topic: “Are the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer?”


http://www.fraserinstitute.org/education-programs/students/essay-contest.aspx for more information


With the occupy protests dominating the headlines in 2011, attention focused on economic inequality and the redistribution of income. Is government intervention necessary to improve people’s lot in life or, through hard work and determination, can individuals move up the income ladder on the basis of their own efforts? Is there a permanent divide between income groups – that is, are people born into certain income groups in which they live their entire lives? What’s more important, equality of opportunity or equality of outcome? What’s a fair distribution of income? Can government enforced redistribution schemes impact people’s incentive to improve their economic position independently?

Your essay should use historical perspective, empirical evidence, and economic analysis to examine these or other questions regarding economic inequality.”

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 30, 2012

Writing Contest Alert!

Write Across Ontario Writing Contest for High School Students: 4 $500 prizes available and publication in Open Book Magazine

• Choose a story-starter and finish the story in 500 words or less (including the story-starter)
• All submissions should be emailed to writeacrossontario@harbourfrontcentre.com
• See the website for specifics on how to enter. http://www.litontour.com/write-across-ontario

Poetry Test - November 23

POETRY ANALYSIS TEST GUIDELINES

Structure: The questions for each section are guidelines only. The nature of the poem and your interpretation will drive exactly what you will write about.  If it makes more sense to structure your essay differently from this outline, feel free to do so, but do plan to write at least three paragraphs rich in detail. It is inconceivable that you should answer each question that follows in this short essay format. These are guidelines only.


Each paragraph should be structured using the "TIQA" format:
Topic Sentence-Where is this paragraph going?
Introduce quotation or example-
Quotation or example-
Analyse the quotation or example-

You can normally repeat TIQA twice per paragraph, as long as you use a transition between the two.
Or
Point, Proof, Comment if that makes more sense to you.


Paragraph 1: Form

• How is the poem put together? Is it a specific type of poem (ballad, free verse, or sonnet)? 
• What do you notice about rhythm ("Charge of the Light Brigade")? Is there a regular metrical pattern (metre)?  Is rhyme important?
• Does the structure of the poem create meaning? Are line lengths used for effect ("Sarajevo Bear")? 
• Does point-of-view create an intimacy and empathy for the speaker's feelings ("The Jeannie C.")?

Paragraph 2: Theme

• What is the message of the poem? Can you infer this from the speaker's tone, from the meaning of the poem, from emphasis on certain images or from repetition of ideas? Support your answer with proof.

Paragraph 3: Relate Form and Content 

• Is there a break or change in the speaker's tone that conveys a change in attitude ("Sonnet 29")? 
• How does figurative language create or relate to meaning (like death imagery in "La Belle Dame Sans Merci", or alliteration in "Dulce et Decorum Est" )? 
• Is repetition used for a certain effect (suspense and the narrator's descent into madness in "The Raven")?
• Does the rhythm create meaning and a change in the atmosphere of the poem ("The Charge of the Light Brigade")? 
• What role does diction play (archaic language and Medieval settings in "La Belle Dame...", "Lochinvar", "Love Me, Love My Dog")? What expectations does this create for the reader?
• Are haunting images used to create setting and mood and allude to the speaker's tone ("Dulce et Decorum Est" or "La Belle Dame Sans Merci")? 

Paragraph 4: Make Connections

• Outline your personal reactions to the poem, and make connections with your experiences, other texts, or the world. How does the poem effect you? Sum up your ideas.

Writing Contest

Theme: The right to speak, the responsibility to listen

Several $1000 prizes available!

See http://www.osstf.on.ca/studentachievementawards

Poetry/Prose Category
1000 words or less: comply with the rules attached in the link above

Submissions due MONDAY, Nov. 21 to me.

Upcoming Blogs and Due Dates

I have been impressed with the effort put forth to date in many of your blogs! Your connections and critiques of poetry have helped me see your voice emerge in your writing.

For clarity, here are upcoming topics that should be addressed by next week:
Blog Posts due Tuesday, Nov. 15

• Post 3 Imagery Response from "Charge of the Light Brigade" or "La Belle Dame Sans Merci"; you may choose one of the ballads we studied today from Language and Writing if you would rather.
• Post 4 "Where I'm From" original poem from a model.  See advice from the poet and a couple of visual examples here.  
• Post 5 Media Portrayal of Soldiers and the Nature of War Response:  Consider familiar media portrayals of soldiers and the nature of war. Write a response detailing how the topic is treated in either The Charge of the Light Brigade" or "Dulce et Decorum Est".

For those of you that have fallen behind, you are missing out on descriptive feedback that can help you improve  your writing! Everything must be caught up by Tuesday; email me at haydengdci@gmail.com when your blog is up to date to ensure I can give you some suggestions before the final assessment for this unit.

Here's a student-created video inspired by "Where I'm From":

Blog Post 3: Imagery Inspired By...

Narrative Reponse:

Choose one image from the two poems studied. Create Entry 3: Imagery Inspired by "La Belle Dame sans Merci" or Imagery Inspired by "The Charge of the Light Brigade". Generate your own art that shows a connection to the image you have chosen. You may choose to use the image to inspire your own poem, a video (iMovie), a slideshow/collage (Keynote), visual art (Sketchpad), a music score or soundscape (Garage Band), or something so fantastic I cannot even imagine it!  Due next week once I get the Apps running properly!