Mr Gray's Blog

GCSE Literature - Lord of the Flies: Star Quotations

We are learning to select and evaluate quotations so that we can analyse suggested ideas, meanings and deeper themes.

 

 

GCSE Lit: Thinking Squares for Lord of the Flies

GCSE - LOTF Mock - Developing our analysis

Last Lesson of the Term

We are learning to:

Develop our planning, organisation and analysis by writing an essay in 45 min.

Homework - Make sure that you have read the whole of LOTF before next term.

 

Aspects of Narrative: Explaining Voice in The Road

Hello -

We are learning to:

1) Develop speculation questions increasingly focused on aspects of narrative (voice).

2) Annotate with increasing levels of precision, ambition and detail.

Challenge - Check out this Prezi and find the passage in the text (it is in the first half).

Knowledge - Ask knowledge questions of the passage (lets get fast at this).

In groups - Ask Comprehension and Speculation questions of the text.

Annotate the use of narrative voice in the text using increasingly precise annotations - obviously in full sentences.

The Road - Some aspects of style on Prezi

GCSE Lit - Sample Answers

Dear all

As requested, some sample responses to compare to your own writing.  The grades are only approximate - but they are a *fairly* fair guess.

Example of a C grade (approx) response to LOTF and OMAM

Example of a B:C response to LOTF and OMAM

Example of Full Marks Section B Of Mice and Men

There is no example of a Full Marks LOTF response - but it may be useful to read the example anyway (even though the answer deals with another text, An Inspector Calls)

Example of a Full Marks Modern Texts response

Best of luck

MG

GCSE Poetry: Revision Help

Dear all -

In order to excel in the exam, you need to:

• Talk with sophistication about the poetry from 'Conflict'.
• Use poetic terminology in your responses.

Dr McCarthy's amazing blog will help you to do this - check it out here:

Dr McCarthy to the Rescue!

How to get the best from this:

1) Print out Dr M's notes on every poem - a new page per poem would be best. Clip into folder. Cover one a day - add four highlights of the most important analysis.

If you start TODAY - you will cover every poem by the end of April (with three weeks to go before the exam).

2) Try to include two points from Dr M in each poetry essay that you write from now on.

Excelisior

MG

 

GCSE English Literature - Conflict Poetry for AQA - YouTube

GCSE English Literature - Conflict Poetry for AQA - YouTube

GCSE Revision Session Follow Up

Make your paragraph from the revision session better than mine?

Download Mice and Men Revision

And post as a comment!

 

 

GCSE Year 11 - MG's Revision Videos on Conflict Poems

Dear All -

Check it - a playlist of study videos on the Conflict Poems.

More poems will be added - so check back...

Each poem has two videos:

• Part One: What is the poem about?
• Part Two: How does the poet use language, stucture and form?

 

How to use ...

1) As an in depth study tool to feel confident about each poem.

2) To help with poetry essays.

3) As a refresher before the exams - a bitesize poem every day.

4) To help make connections between poems - jump from video to video noting down common themes and techniques.

Making Successful Notes

You will want to make notes as you watch - so don't forget to PAUSE the videos.

Some tips:

Either:

1. Have a copy of the poems in front of you and annotate them clearly.
2. Have a coloured A5 card for each poem and organise the information clearly (best for revision).
3. Use the grids (click here) to take short notes and list techniques (best for comparison).

 

Other tips:

1. Start a Youtube account and link my playlist to your page (or subscribe).
2. Download the audio using Keepvid.
3. Make two playlists - one of the poems you need to study and one for the ones you feel confident about.  When you study the poem, transfer the video to the other playlist and feel good about yourself.

Year 11 Easter Revision

Over Easter you must:

Complete at least one Literature Paper: Lord of the Flies (45 min)

Complete at least one Poetry - Conflict question (45 min)

 

Complete the following English Language Paper (2 hours 15 min) Yikes!

GCSE English Language Question Paper Jan12

GCSE English Language Sources Jan12

 

To all amazing Year 11s - You are not alone.

Allow me to help you revise the Poetry for GCSE English Lit.

Click on the Poetry Page (link on the right) and enjoy ...

Year 11 - Experience of Conflict 'Charge of the Light Brigade and Belfast Confetti'

Dear all

The focus here is:

• AO1  Clearly describe the conflict in the poems.
• AO2 Clearly explain the effects of structure and form.

These are what we're interested this time - so concentrate on them.

Task: 'Compare how the experience of conflict is explored in Charge of the Light Brigade and one other poem in the cluster' (I recommend 'Belfast Confetti')

Due:

• 11LM = Monday 12th
• 11RS = Thursday 15th

Details:

Two paragraphs on Belfast Confetti and Charge of the Light Brigade please!

• AO1  Clearly describe the conflict in the poems.
• AO2 Clearly explain the effects of structure and form.

The 'deets' are right here in these powerpoints-

Download Belfast Confetti

Download Light Brigade

The poems are here -

Download The Charge of the Light Brigade

Download Belfast Confetti

And here is a model of how to answer ...

Download Poetry Modelling