Good luck!

Just to say good luck to all of those sitting Higher English tomorrow!

Revision mind-maps on narration etc HIGHER

To find the essay revision mind-maps, please either scroll down and click older pages or go to archive on the right hand side and click December 2016.

All of the essay questions since 2002 and more DOAS powerpoint notes can be found here:
https://msbellamyenglish.wordpress.com/

GOOD LUCK!!

Goodbye and good luck to Higher class 2017

It was an emotional last day (and I do look like a gremlin in the photographs- just as I said I would...)!
Good luck to you all. I am very proud of how far you have come this year and I am sure, with continued revision and determination, that your exam results will reflect this progress. I will miss you, but I also await your success with anticipation!

HIGHER Sentence structure notes

•Please remember that lists show either multitude (that there are lots of things) or variation (that there is a wide variety).
•Lists can be polysyndetic- elements joined by conjunctions: ‘a pen, and a pencil, and a ruler with a…’ usually showing excitement or fear and/or drawing attention to each separate item.

•Or they can be asyndetic- no conjunctions.

•Lists can be climatic- leading up to a climax (ending with the most powerful) to emphasise progress or the last element

•Lists can be anti-climatic (seem to be leading to a climax but then do not)- can show disappointment, exhaustion, dismission.



Sentence structure questions usually come in three forms:


•Identify two aspects of sentence structure and explain…….

•Comment on effectiveness of the writer’s sentence structure in promoting his argument about…………

•Explain how the sentence structure is used to……


Formula:

•Identify/highlight an important aspect of sentence structure

•Quote to show the element

•Explain how it works/comment on the effect it has

S3 LOTF Essay for over holidays

Essay Question: How does characterisation of Ralph help us to explore the main theme: the cruelty of mankind?

Points from class discussion:

Para 1- 'At the beginning of the novel, Ralph seems to be driven towards retaining civilisation and helping the boys to be rescued although there are hints that he is not completely good.'

Linking sentence for second quote of PCQECQEL structure- 'Despite this, there are signs of cruelty within him- as he makes fun of Piggy- although we do see him regret this.'

Para 2: 'The cruelty of mankind is shown when Ralph succumbs to the temptation of hunting. He throws a spear to hit a pig and is excited by the prospect of hurting it/killing it.'

Para 3: 'The cruelty of mankind or the darkness that can exist in everyone is perhaps most clearly shown by all of the boys’ involvement in the death of Simon.'

Para 4: 'In the final chapters, we see that the extremes of situation have caused Ralph to become more violent and savage. He is described in animalistic terminology which reveals the darkness that exists in everyone.'

2V1 Personal reflective personality task

 Change the information in your table into descriptive paragraphs.

Success Criteria: 

• use first person throughout;
•  lots of thoughts and feelings; 
• try to use ambitious vocabulary; 
• give clear examples of your personality traits; 
• try to explain why you are like this; 
• try to show your personality in your writing.
  

Pupil example

'I’m often told that I have poor posture but I have never done anything to improve this. That’s an issue of mine- not doing things to improve. I know I am lazy but my laziness stops me from improving even this. My teachers are always shouting at me, and they are almost as bad as my parents, who seem to be constantly bemoaning my existence. I guess I should try a little harder to be more ‘pro-active’ about things, but I often find it difficult to get excited or motivated about day-to-day things! I mean- who really gets excited about doing the dishes? Where’s the motivation, apart from to not get shouted at? Saying that, at school I am trying a little harder. I’ve realised that if I am nicer to other people, then generally they are nicer to me back- and that life is much easier when people are nice to you! I guess I’m also realising that some things do matter- and I want a good future for myself and my family so there is motivation to work harder and get good grades. I find I can be quite determined I have a goal to work towards and I can feel myself progressing at something. Perhaps that is why I have been lazy in the past- because I haven’t really been able to see the end goal- or the point of the task- which brings me back to the dishes- why can’t we just get a dishwasher? Surely, there are better things to do with your time than scrub plates?

I guess talking about the future and goals, brings me to another personality trait of mine- not noticing things until it is too late. My mum often says I am a bit of a dreamer, and I have noticed that I am not the most observant. Sometimes it takes me a while to notice things- like people being upset with me, or the fact that there is someone knocking on the door. Maybe I pay a little too much play-station and that distracts me too much. I often find myself planning my next game-move when I should be thinking (or doing) something else! Especially in Maths. I want to join the army and I do realise that numeracy is important. It’s just that sometimes ‘Call of Duty’ seems a lot more relevant to my future than fractions do!'

S3 Nat 5 'Lord of the Flies' Chapter 5 'Turning point' tasks

'The Assembly at Night' is a key scene because it signals the change in power on the island between Ralph and Jack.

When we analyse or write about a turning point, we must include:

•What happens before

•What happens during the turning point

•What the result of the turning point is


So what happens before?
  Jack and Ralph have very different priorities on the island; Jack wants to hunt and kill, while Ralph wants to build shelters, maintain a fire and keep order. This clash in outlook leads to conflict when Jack ignores the most responsible duty he has – the maintenance of the fire. A ship passes and there is no smoke – battle lines between Jack and Ralph are drawn.
  Ralph fails to humble Jack who has produced meat for the camp. By appealing to the boys’ immediate needs Jack wins favour from the majority of the boys who quickly forget the disappointment of the passing vessel.
   Ralph, frustrated and worried, decides to call an immediate assembly. However, it is late at night and Ralph’s decision backfires. He plays directly into Jack’s hands.

What happens during the turning point?

To fully analyse this we must take notes on:

1.Ralph’s motivation for calling the assembly

2.Ralph’s performance at the start of the assembly

3.Ralph’s inability to control the meeting

4.Jack’s contribution to the assembly

5.The concerns and contributions of the other boys

What the result of the turning point is

6. the effect the assembly has on Ralph’s leadership and how we can now see Jack’s emerging dominance

Match the quotes given to each above section. You may want to create a table or use headings to do this. Make sure everyone in your group has the same notes for this part. Then, allocate an equal amount of quotes per person.

For each quote:
•Find the context
•Fully analyse the quote to reveal what it shows about the characters and the changes occurring

Discuss and share your answers to create a table each-like the one you used for your essay!

Context
At the beginning of the assembly Ralph is onfused by his emotions. He is jealous of Jack’s free spirit and the others’ enjoyment of the hunt and the meat. Quote ““Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in.” Ralph watched them, envious and resentful. Not till they flagged and the chant died away, did he speak. “I’m calling an assembly.”” P94 Explanation/Analysis The fact that Ralph is simply watching them, along with word-choice of ‘envious’ and ‘resentful’, shows us that Ralph does not seem completely aware of the descent into savagery and is even jealous of the boys’ embracing of the hunt and the celebration of the kill. The singing and the chanting are symbolic of the new unity and togetherness that the boys feel. Perhaps, Ralph is “envious” because he would like to be a part of the unity of purpose or because he would like to be able to inspire such unity himself. Inversion of the sentence ‘Not until… did he speak’ creates tension and highlights the words to follow, but also explains his inability to speak until the boys were tired and weak- showing his lack of power at this time. Personal Evaluation Give your personal response to the analysis of character and scene you have just completed. In your response, answer/include: •In what ways does Chapter 5 represent a pivotal moment in the narrative? •Sum up your feelings about what Golding is trying to say about Ralph and Jack’s characters,(write a few statements about what each character is like and how you know this- do they show good leadership skills?). •Finally, state what their opposition to one another suggests about the nature of man