Lockdown Literature 7.2

Hi folks,

Not too much to do today. My advice is to do the quiz today while 54 is fresh in your memory, then give yourself a week off, and then do the reading on the Monday after half-term. Of course, it’s up to you! 

Please make sure you completed the work from last time before you move on.

Here’s today’s work (to be completed by Tuesday 2^nd June):

1) Do this quick quiz on Chapter 54.

2) Read and annotate Chapters 55 & 56. Chapter 55 is a short chapter of Wemmick family sweetness. Chapter 56 is even shorter, but quite significant. I’ll get you to do an extract task on it after half-term.

I’ll send my notes along via email at some point today. I’m also going to put all of my notes in a folder in a cloud and give you access to it.

If you find yourself looking for something to do over half-term, you can always:

• do some revision on Quizlet
• check out my ‘Binge-Watch Literature’ post
• check out my new favourite podcast: Frank Skinner’s Poetry Podcast

That’s it. Feel free to email me any time if you need anything. Otherwise, you’ll hear from me again on June 2^nd.

Have a great half-term.

Mr M

Lockdown Literature 7.1

Hi folks,

We’ve nearly made it to half-term and we’ve nearly made it to the end of Great Expectations. Just six more chapters to go! Well done! 

My only moan is that I have a few gaps in my markbook as a handful of you haven’t done the last two quizzes (on Chapters 48 & 49 and Chapters 50, 51 and 52). Please check if that’s you. If it is, get please do it now so I don’t have to chase you up.

Here’s today’s work (due in on Friday):

1) Do this quiz on Chapter 53.

2) Read and annotate Chapter 54. (My notes are here)  

It is an eventful one. Make a page of Cornell notes on the events of this chapter as you go, under the title: Chapter 54: On the Thames. Alternatively, summarise the chapter by building sentences around these fragments:

• as pip, herbert and startop row out to meet magwitch
• at mill pond bank
• magwitch seems
• the mood darkens as
• a filthy inn by the river
• the 'jack', a grizzled odd-job man
• at night, pip sees
• the next morning
• the german steamer that will take them to hamburg
• another rowboat
• recognises compeyson and
• only magwitch emerges
• at the end of the chapter

That’s it! On Friday, I’ll just set a little bit of reading which can either be done that day or on the Monday after half-term, giving you a full week of peace. Nearly there!

Thanks for your continued hard work.

Mr M

P.S. If you missed the recent YouTube screening of Macbeth at the Globe, you can still watch it here. Apparently it’s a very student-friendly production. Little half-term treat?

Lockdown Literature 6.2

Hi all,

Thanks as always for your excellent effort so far this week. Before you go any further, just double-check that you got Tuesday’s quiz done – I have a few gaps. 

You are now one year away from your first English exam! Don’t worry though: even though we’re losing lesson time, we’re still on schedule to get everything done. More importantly, it’s just over a week until half term. We won’t quite get to the end of the book by then, but we’re nearly there!

Here’s your work for today (due in on Tuesday):

1) Do this quiz on Chapters 50-52.

2) Have a read of my answers to the questions you did in the quiz on 49.  
If you are viewing on an Apple device and can’t see the download/full-screen buttons, download here.

3) Read Chapter 53 of Great Expectations. It’s dramatic! You can use my notes to help you annotate.

4) Make some chapter notes by either:

a) doing a page of Cornell notes under the title: Chapter 53 – The Sluice-House

OR

b) building sentences around the following fragments (in this order):

• uses pathetic fallacy
• when he gets to the sluice-house
• accuses him of
• plans to put his body
• pip has visions of
• the sudden arrival of
• one of his saviours
• by the end of the chapter

Remember, it’s either a or b for the last task – take your pick. You can use the same title for either task.

That’s it for this week. I hope you enjoy Chapter 53!

Take care,

Mr M

Lockdown Literature 6.1

Hi folks,

I hope you had a good bank holiday weekend. Before you get started on today’s work, please make sure that you completed all the work from last Tuesday, especially the quiz.

Here’s your next set of work (for Friday):

1) Do this quiz on Chapters 48 & 49.

There are a few sentence/paragraph responses to write which I’ll have to mark. You’ll get your final mark emailed to you.

2) Do the following ‘because, but, so’ sentences (make sure you write out three sentences in full, with perfect punctuation):

• The fire in Chapter 49 could be a key turning point in Pip’s story because

• The fire in Chapter 49 could be a key turning point in Pip’s story, but

• The fire in Chapter 49 could be a key turning point in Pip’s story, so

(You can write these in an email, or write them in your book and take a picture.)

3) Finally, read Chapters 50-52 of Great Expectations.                    

(Although this is another three-chapter burst, it’s only the same amount of reading as last time. Chapters 50 and 52 are just a few pages long.) I’ll send my notes along via email shortly.

That’s all for now. Thanks for continuing to be absolute distance-learning legends!

Mr M