UK 2020...

 BBC...Burnley..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-55133081

Channel Four news..

https://www.channel4.com/news/are-politicians-doing-enough-for-britains-poorest-people-its-not-ok-to-leave-that-to-charity

THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE UK in 2020.....

EXEMPLAR COURSEWORK...

Here are some previous examples of LIT Coursework. This resource should allow students to comprehend how we present ideas using the content from the Anthology. When we discussed COURSEWORK last week in our tutorials the most common question was linked to how a coursework response should be structured so the resources below should offer some guidance.

I stated that the DEADLINE for the FIRST DRAFT is Tuesday the 24th November but I do not have a problem with Friday 27th. We will begin conventional 'teaching' lessons on Friday 27th. Students need to keep asking me questions and showing me work in progress. DO NOT LEAVE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS TO THE LAST MINUTE AS I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU. Students will only comprehend the areas that will need discusion by attempting to construct the essay and discovering for themselves the areas of their work that require clarity. I will be available in T1 throughout the construction of the draft. The first draft needs to be detailed and should be a substantial essay. Remember, the word limit is 1500 words. Be succinct and precise. REMEMBER...THIS IS INDEPENDENT STUDY. I WILL OFFER GUIDANCE BUT MY INPUT SHOULD BE MINIMAL. 

I WOULD LIKE COURSEWORK TO BE COMPLETE BEFORE THE BREAK FOR THE WINTER FESTIVAL. SO YOU NEED TO GET CRACKING!

Here is a link to the coursework exemplar I posted at the end of Year 12..

http://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2020/06/y12-courseworkexamples-of-previous-cwork.html

The resources below should help students comprehend how we structure a coursework response.

This first example is B/C quality:

Here is a section from an A/B response:

Here is another A/B response. Again, note the structure of the argument.

This is a grade A  Shelley response....

ALLEZ...

NEVER WONDER....

Tainted Love..

 https://vimeo.com/user1970479

Adelphi...15 minutes..

https://vimeo.com/user1970479

Mr Benn...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3XVJ17uysM

The Clangers..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok6CoIwcJ-E

Y13 RESOURCES FOR STUDY OF TONY HARRISON. September 22nd 2020.

 

 

Below is an old BE CURIOUS blog entry from last September that is stuffed full of resources that will introduce you to the work of TONY HARRISON. There is a lot of material here so perhaps just watch the Channel 4 film of V and listen to my podcast. On Friday we will be looking at Harrison's THEM and [UZ] and the infamous work of art that is the epic V. We will also be discussing The Kite Runner. KEEP READING FOLKS.

https://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2019/09/tony-harrison-resources.html

 In our last session I shared some PROTEST music from my childhood. Below is the X-Ray Spex video created to promote their tune 'Identity.' I really was massively influenced by the great Polly Styrene [Marianne Elliott-Said]. Link to video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYoiCStDTQg

They also had a song called 'Germ Free Adolescents' which I still consider a classic tune. This is from Top Of The Pops in 1978..a mainstream BBC music show. Listen to Polly's lyrics. Amazing. Imagine being 13 and hearing this!! RIP Polly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctGzLjUfpag&t=128s

I also played you TYPICAL GIRLS by THE SLITS. Listen to the lyrics. About as far away from The Spice Girls and Little Mix as your mind can travel. Mediocrity is not an option. The Slits played their own instruments and created their own songs. They refused to be objectified and trivialised. This is one of the great 'PUNK' tunes from the late 1970s. Still sounds ace to me.

..' who invented the typical girl..here's another marketing ploy..the typical girl gets the typical boy..'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCk8tEOcwqU  

I also mentioned WOODY GUTHRIE who was the original American protest singer in the 1930s. He is the inspiration for musicians as diverse as Bob Dylan and The Clash. His acoustic guitar famously displayed the message..'THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS.' The tune below is considered to be one of the great American Protest songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s 

And while I'm here...here is Radio 6 voice Tom Robinson with POWER IN THE DARKNESS. This was released in 1978. Check the lyrics. Unfortunately..still a very relevant protest song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auN0ZLcuvXI

And what about this beast from THE GOATS..'I'm Not Your Typical American'...nailed on hip-hop  social protest classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_F2FDpU1mM

Billy Holiday [1939]..STRANGE FRUIT..A protest song about the horrific lynchings of black Americans..The strange fruit hanging in the trees are the corpses of lynched humans..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Web007rzSOI 

Nina Simone [1967]..I WISH I KNEW HOW IT FEELS TO BE FREE...A song adopted by the American Civil Rights Movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDqmJEWOJRI 

..And of course..Sam Cooke..' A Change Is Gonna Come..' Another song adopted by the Civil Rights Movement. ABSOLUTE EPIC CLASSIC...makes me weep. A song of suffering, anger, and hope. BEAUTIFUL...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPr3yvkHYsE

Stevie Wonder...'You haven't done nothin..'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SEGHvLElxc 

Elvis Costello..'Tramp The Dirt Down..'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t4-zDem1Sk

And finally...Grandad Punk Rock's trip down Protest Music Memory Lane concludes with THE CLASH playing WHITE RIOT at the ROCK AGAINST RACISM event in Victoria Park in 1978. My Mother would not let me travel to this gig. Probably a good job. This was a moment when contemporary British music attempted to highlight serious social issues that were evident in our culture. PROPER PROTEST MUSIC. Look at that crowd!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqtEl5_JwNU  

Modern Protest songs???? What say you???

Bonsoir.

 

 

NOTES FOR YEAR 12. SEPTEMBER 21st 2020. POETRY OF SHELLEY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When next we meet folks, we will be considering the essay title:

'THE POETRY OF PERCY SHELLEY IS FULL OF ANGER AND HOPE.' To what extent do you agree with this view?

Our class discussion on Thursday will begin with a consideration of the possible content appropriate for this essay. This essay will be your first LITERATURE essay at BGS. I expect to receive this essay on or before Friday 2nd October.

Remember...the Shelley poems that will form the focus of our discussion will be..

THE MASK OF ANARCHY/ ENGLAND IN 1819/ LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY/ OZYMANDIAS. 

Article from The Guardian linked to the content of THE MASK OF ANARCHY:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/jul/08/anarchy-in-peterloo-shelleys-poem-unmasked

In our double trouble sessions on Thursday I also expect to begin the analysis of the first of our exam texts which will be HARD TIMES by CHARLES DICKENS. All students need to have a copy of the text with them on Thursday. If we have time, we will be discussing the significance of the opening chapter.

Some resources you may wish to digest before the lesson...

Below are a couple of brief resources that link to the work of Dickens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9dB9BZWDBU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5czA_L_eOp4 

In the last lesson I offered the belief that ART CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. I referred to John Heartfield, the films of Ken Loach, and Hitler's Degenerate Art exhibition. Below are a couple of old BE CURIOUS blog entries that illustrates this idea that Art can empower.

https://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2019/01/can-art-change-world.html

https://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2016/11/year-13-monday-28th-november-2016.html 

Hope you are are all safe and well. See you Thursday.

MLR

 

REMAINS...GCSE POETRY

 REMAINS resource...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DHWqppktFo

VICKY FOSTER..Great Hull Poet...

Here Vicky talks about how she became a poet. Vicky Foster is a poet worth considering for coursework:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=176&v=RoYdTGK4mro&feature=emb_logo

Y12 COURSEWORK..EXAMPLES of previous CWork..

Here you go folks. Here are some coursework essays. NOTE how the essays from the Critical Anthology are weaved into the essays.

I created this student resource for last year's LIT coursework. It contains key quotes and ideas from the Critical Anthology and a potential structure for a Shelley coursework essay:

EXEMPLAR ESSAYS...

This essay was awarded an A*.....

This Shelley essay was A/B quality.

This is another A/B standard coursework response....

NOTE how students have considered the content of the essays published in the Critical Anthology related to VALUE and created coursework that clearly considers these ideas of literary value. Students must illustrate their understanding of their chosen poet's work through the filter of literary value and the notion of the canon.

KITE RUNNER: LINKS FOR THE FIRST PODCAST...

This is an example of the work created by the great JOHN HEARTFIELD....Hitler despised his work...I wonder why?????










Here you go folks..these are links that relate to the first KITE RUNNER PODCAST:
https://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/kite-runnerpodcast-one 

CAN ART CHANGE THE WORLD??? OF COURSE IT CAN!!
Here are some old BE CURIOUS links....
https://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2019/01/can-art-change-world.html 
https://becuriouslit.blogspot.com/2016/11/year-13-monday-28th-november-2016.html

Baroness Warsi:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/27/sayeeda-warsi-tory-islamophobia-muslim-prejudice-investigation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50834287
Channel Four News...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dApfqN73VA
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson...reaction after his 'letter box' comment..
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45083275
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/02/boris-johnsons-burqa-comments-led-to-surge-in-anti-muslim-attacks
Hate crimes against Muslims in UK:
https://www.dailysabah.com/europe/2020/01/02/anti-muslim-slogans-painted-near-mosque-in-london 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/22/anti-muslim-hate-crimes-soar-in-uk-after-christchurch-shootings
Donald Trump..Islam hates us...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-Zj0tfZY6o
FOX NEWS....Sharia Law in UK....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am2XFnENUFk
Muslim Council of Britain:
https://mcb.org.uk/ 
Nazir Afzal
https://www.nazirafzal.co.uk/
The campaign for London Mayor involved accusations of Islamophobia..nasty business..
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/19/tory-london-mayor-candidate-condemns-zac-goldsmiths-2016-campaign
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/zac-goldsmith-campaign-london-mayor-view-from-inside-a7022006.html
www.itv.com/news/london/2016-05-08/conservatives-ran-campaign-straight-out-of-donald-trump-playbook-says-new-mayor-sadiq-khan/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXlq_zPZPqU



Taxi To The Dark Side Trailer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5j3Ry8qXOI
The Big Sick Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z_o-8pkiVo

KHALED HOSSEINI...KITE RUNNER RESOURCES..

Hosseini tells his refugee story...here he urges refugees to share their stories...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XJj1DSgwBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQcNeLBobzc&t=57s
Hosseini interview on Seth Myers..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL6okJjXlOw 
Hosseini Lecture linked to The Kite Runner..he shares his story of the book's publication...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Wz33eaTl4 
Interview..part one..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvg9jsMrfso 
He discusses the aims of his foundation...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJiIw7NxSaU 
Here is the link to his website:
https://khaledhosseini.com/

THE KITE RUNNER AND EXAM 'SECTION C' QUESTIONS..

I will be expecting you lot to produce some essays in response to THE KITE RUNNER in the very near future. I am currently creating THREE PODCASTS linked to Khaled Hosseini's wonderful novel. I will post all three podcasts HERE at some point in the next week. I will be giving you a lot of guidance but we need to produce some essays in response to Hosseini's novel. I will also expect you to consider the Section C responses and consider how you would answer these questions when considering content linked to Hard Times/The Kite Runner.

HOWEVER...THIS ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE. IF YOU CAN ATTEMPT SOME WORK...DO IT! IF YOU ARE BUSY DEALING WITH MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES...SUCH AS HOW TO STAY SANE AND CARE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE WHEN EXPERIENCING LOCKDOWN AND SOCIAL-DISTANCING IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC....then please do not attempt this work. THIS WORK IS NOT COMPULSORY. It depends on your personal circumstance and only YOU have that knowledge. OBVIOUSLY...I hope you are all safe and healthy.

Here are the past AQA KITE RUNNER exam questions:

Here are some questions that demand a ONE PARAGRAPH RESPONSE. Just before the school was closed I had identified a few students who were having some issues with 'CLARITY and DETAIL' and my plan was to provide these students with questions that would encourage a one paragraph response. The aim was for students to follow the paragraph structure...

• STRONG PERSONAL OPINION THAT CONFRONTS THE FOCUS OF THE QUESTION
• TEXTUAL REFERENCE
• EXPLAIN SIGNIFICANCE OF TEXTUAL REFERENCE
• FURTHERMORE....leading to more specific textual reference
• Explain significance of textual reference
• CONCLUDE PARAGRAPH WITH A MIXTURE OF QUESTION FOCUS and AUTHOR'S AIM...This final movement of the structure may only be one sentence but it is important. Poor question focus is always being referenced by the exam board as a weakness with some students.

Here are the questions:
Why is Chapter 7 so significant?
How does Hosseini represent the relationship between Amir and Baba in Chapter Three?
How does Hosseini use the Pomegranate Tree to shape meaning?
You could contrast reference to the PT in ch4/ ch8/ with ch 21 when Amir visits the tree before his mission to liberate Sohrab. Research synbolic significance of this tree in different cultures but research its significance within Islamic culture. It is loaded with meaning!
How does Hosseini create a sense of dramatic expectation or dramatic tension in the opening chapter of the novel?

Elements of Social and Political Protest writing..Past Section C Exam Questions. We will be attempting some of these questions in the next three/four weeks.

YEAR 12...POETRY COURSEWORK..The Critical Anthology..

When we attempt our POETRY COURSEWORK in Y13, students will be expected to consider the work of their chosen poet through the filter of  'Literary Value and the Canon.' Students will receive an Anthology of essays that explore different aspects of literary theory. Our area of study will begin with Literary Value. Students will be expected to consider the 'VALUE' of their chosen poetic texts through the context of value expressed within these essays. Students will also be expected to consider their own measures of literary value. Students will be expected to understand the notion of the 'Canon of English Literature' and be able to discuss the concept of the canon when considering the content of your selected texts.

Students should consider the following questions:
CAN YOUR POET BE CONSIDERED TO BE OF CANONICAL VALUE? IS THE CANON AN IRRELEVANT GAUGE OF QUALITY? IS THE NOTION OF THE CANON AN ANACHRONISTIC CONCEPT? IS THE ONLY NOTION OF VALUE THAT IS RELEVANT, THE VIEW OF THE READER? WHY DO YOU VALUE THE WORK OF YOUR CHOSEN POET? WHY SHOULD THE WORK OF YOUR CHOSEN AUTHOR BE CONSIDERED CREATIVE, ORIGINAL, AND RELEVANT?

Below are the three essays that we will need to read and consider before we begin to construct the poetry coursework.

Students need to consider the value of the poetry created by their selected poet through the ideas of VALUE presented within these essays. YOUR JOB is to read these essays and try and understand the notions of value being explored through these texts and, obviously, choose a poet to be the focus of your analysis. Students need to consider the content of three poems and consider the VALUE of this poetry.
YOU MUST CHOOSE YOUR POET!! I WILL NOT BE SELECTING A POET FOR YOU TO STUDY. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE ABOUT THE LITERATURE THAT YOU LOVE!!

This is a link to the WHOLE of the Critical Anthology. Our focus is 'Literary Value and the Canon.'
https://moodle.suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk/pluginfile.php/5798/mod_resource/content/1/A-level%20English%20Literature%20B%20%287717%29%20-%20Critical%20Anthology%20%281%29.pdf

YEAR 10..ENGLISH LANGUAGE TASKS...IN TIME OF CORONA..

These tasks link to my most recent podcast. Link to podcast below:
https://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/year-10-podcast-lockdown-big-frowna-corona-moment

English Language Paper One. 
SECTION B..... past exam questions:

 



















Here are some exemplar from recent Y11 responses. Note the quality of the conscious crafting. This is a response to the first paper posted at the top of the blog with the child holding the snow globe. Note the control of language, the accuracy of the punctuation, the clarity of the ideas, the engaging and creative nature of both narratives, THE CONSCIOUS CRAFTING, and the appropriate use of paragraphs. Both are excellent responses.

Here is a response to the following task..
Produce a story inspired by the picture or create a story with the title 'THE LIGHTHOUSE.'

 












This was a student's 30 minute written response. This is Level 6/7 quality.

Some more tasks for Paper One Section B

Write a story that begins with the line 'This was the day that changed everything..' 
Write a story with the title 'THE PERFECT MOMENT.'
Describe an occasion when you experienced a sense of JOY.
Descriube a moment when you experienced a sense of FEAR. 

***Before beginning this  task, always make sure you select the appropriate narrative voice, for example first or third person narrative, and remain in the same 'tense' throughout the response. You may find that a first-person narrative written using the past tense is easy to manage. 
For example..' I walked through the town and the yellow light bounced from the buildings. Beverley was bathed in a golden filter. I knew this was going to be a valuable day.'
This is a first-person narrative written using the past tense. Write as if this event is a memory and you are recalling a moment from the past...this is the 'past tense'. Some students have issues maintaining this tense but you must maintain this tense style throughout your response.



ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER TWO. 
SECTION B...... PAST QUESTIONS:

HERE ARE SOME MORE SECTION B TASKS CREATED BY YOUR WONDERFUL ENGLISH TEACHER....

'Teenagers today are lazy and lack any sense of compassion or community.' Your local newspaper has printed a controversial article that is very critical of Beverley's teenagers. Write a letter to the newspaper in which you argue your point of view in response to the article.

The Local Education Authority has removed Animal Farm from the school curriculum as they believe the book is unsuitable for teenagers. Write a letter to the LEA within which you explain your response to this decision.

The Headteacher of a school has claimed that 'The study of Literature is pointless and should be replaced by more useful lessons such as Maths.' Write an article for a national education magazine, a magazine aimed at teachers, within which you present your point of view in response to the Headteacher's comment.

Good luck chaps. Stay Safe.