Christmas Trivia Quiz

©Jane Logan, 2003 www.loganstrategy.ca

Music and entertainment

1. How many las in a line of “Deck the Halls”?
2. Who made “White Christmas” famous?
3. How many swans a’swimming? Seven
4. How many lords a leaping?
5. Who played Santa in The Santa Clause?

The Christmas story

6. In what town was Jesus born? Do you know a second name for it, after the king?
7. What gifts did the three kings offer to Jesus?
8. Bonus point: spell the gift that starts with “M”
9. Who appeared to the shepherds?

Christmas around the world

10. What are other names for Santa Claus?
11. What is the country of origin of the poinsettia?
12. How do you say “Merry Christmas” in Spanish?
a. Oye Como Va
b. Adeste Fideles
c. Feliz Navidad

True or false

13. In Holland people believe Santa Claus is accompanied by Black Peter, who punishes bad children.
14. Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria the first Christmas tree in England in 1841
15. Italians traditionally leave pizza, spaghetti and a bottle of chianti for Santa’s reindeer.
16. In Quebec, many French Canadians attend midnight mass and hold a “referendum” afterwards, during which they eat a meat pie known as tourtiere.
17. In Guatemala, a special feast is prepared for mice on Christmas Eve, since they are the humblest of God’s creatures. It features mozzarella.
18. Wassail is a medieval drink made of gin and tonic associated with Christmas caroling.
19. In Germany, many people hang a pickle in their Christmas tree. The first person to find it gets an extra gift.

The Grinch who Stole Christmas

20. Who is the author of this book?
21. Which actor plays the Grinch in the movie?
22. What town does it take place in?

A Christmas Carol

23. Who wrote this story?
24. What was Mr. Scrooge’s first name?
25. What expression regarding Christmas is Scrooge known for?
26. Name the Crachits Bob, Mrs., Peter and Tiny Tim, Martha
27. Who says “Give like Santa, save like Scrooge?”

The Night Before Christmas

28. What did the author and his wife wear on their heads?
29. What are the names of Santa’s reindeer?
30. What is the last line of this memorable poem?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

Done and can't wait to check your answers? Click here.

Essay Conclusion

1. Sum up your argument being made in the essay.  
2. Draw a thoughtful conclusion from the points made in the essay.  
3. Restate the thesis. This is usually done in the first or second sentence of the conclusion. Make sure it is reworded from the introduction of the essay.  
4. Make an amusing, light-hearted or insightful observation. 
5. Avoid making the conclusion too long. 
6. Do not begin with "In conclusion" or use the word "conclusion" in any form.

 

Thesis Statement Example

AGTT Example
In Yann Martel’s novel, “Life of Pi”, a young boy quickly learns what it takes to survive in an unforgiving world.

Your Turn...
In Roald Dahl’s short story, “Lamb to the Slaughter,” _______________________________.
OR
The short story, “Lamb to the Slaughter,” by Roald Dahl explores the idea that ________.

Lamb to the Slaughter Essay - Body Paragraph Outline

Body Paragraph 1: Describe the important event(s) in the text that show the presence of your chosen theme in the story. Describe how each one illustrates your theme.


Body Paragraph 2: Explain what the author is trying to teach you through this particular event. What is his message? What can ALL people learn from reading this story? HINT: theme.

Body Paragraph 3: Make a personal connection to the event from your text (describe a time when you, or someone you know, has experienced a similar struggle or triumph). Describe how this personal connection relates to the STORY AND TO THE AUTHOR’S MESSAGE (hint: relate to body paragraphs 1 and 2)

Lamb to the Slaughter - Theme Essay Introduction

Please carefully write your introduction paragraph for your essay based on the short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter" (Sightlines 9, page 10). Follow this format:

Intro Sentence 1: Thesis Statement (Author, Genre, Title, Theme)
In Roald Dahl’s short story, “Lamb to the Slaughter,” ___________________________.
OR
The short story, “Lamb to the Slaughter,” by Roald Dahl explores the idea that ________.


Intro Sentence 2: Mention one or more important events in the text that show a connection to your chosen theme

Intro Sentence 3: Explain what the author/artist is trying to teach you through this particular event (what is his/her message? HINT: theme).

Intro Sentence 4: Make a personal connection to the event from your text (mention a time when you, or someone you know, has experienced a similar struggle or triumph).

Intro Sentence 5: Transition into Body Paragraph #1 (Hint: remind your reader of your thesis statement)

Top 10 Things to Do on a Snow Day

Is today a snow day? Are you home sick, or simply missed the bus? Here is a list of things you should be sure to do while at home:

1. Make a steaming mug of cocoa or coffee; be ready to refill as necessary throughout the day.
2. Remind yourself of overdue and upcoming assignments. Tuck them out of the way first to hand in when you return to school.
3. Crank up the music and dance in your pajamas.
4. Learn one new grammar or punctuation trick at Grammar Girl (trust me, this will impress a friend in need of proof reading; plus 1 popularity point).
5. Learn how to make those origami cranes from Heroes (season 1), or maybe a jumping frog if that's too complicated for a first try.
6. Proofread the assignment you thought was finished and ready to hand in. Chances are, you made at least one "stupid" mistake that is easily fixed. Use this checklist if you need some guidance.
7. Quote every line possible while watching your childhood favorite Disney cartoon. Mute the TV and see if you can still say all the lines.
8. Read a book on the Canada Reads List. Many of these great reads can be found online at Google Books.
9. Try on and photograph every possible outfit from your clothes closet; figure out what new combinations actually would work for school. Save yourself the stress of trying to figure this out in the morning by making a photo album of possibilities to pick from on short notice.
10. Do a touch typing speed test. Try to increase your speed and accuracy.

Book Sharing Tips (from Miss Brown)

1. Be enthusiastic and have fun- if you aren’t excited about your book- why will your partner be?
2. Encourage discussion about the book using open questions. Instead of asking “did you like the book?” try asking “What did you like about the book?” or “How did make you feel?”
3. Book Sharing Basics:
a. Hold the book so your partner can see it- obvious, but you would be surprised….
b. Involve your partner in the reading- point to the pictures and ask questions, if there is an opportunity for your partner to “join” in the reading (repetition, etc.) encourage him/her to do so
c. Is there a big or rare word in your text? Discuss what the word means, encourage your partner to look for “clues” in the text)
d. Know your book! If you know the text, you have the opportunity to use lots of expression

Sample of Grade 4 Reading Level

CLICK HERE to see a sample of Grade 4 Reading Material, and scroll down to PAGE 19, "OUR WORLD OF ART".

"Challenge" Children's Book

Follow this link to map your story. Be sure to complete all four maps BEFORE PRINTING.
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/storymap/index.html

• Character Map
• Conflict Map
• Resolution Map
• Setting Map

THEN:

Visit this link to order your events and build a plot diagram. Be sure to show evidence of careful planning and attention to detail.
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/plot-diagram/

Carefully read and consider the following helpers:

Children's Book Review Guide

Plot Pitch Template

Brainstorming the Confict

Tips for Wrting a Children's Picture Storybook

Publishing Tips

Grading Rubric

Assignment constructed largely from: http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1022

TRICKS Poetry Analysis

Please choose one of the following three poems for your TRICKS analysis assignment. Each can be viewed online by clicking the appropriate link below.

The Last Saskatchewan Pirate
Shooting of Dan McGrew
The Highwayman

Computer Lab, October 8, 2009

Please type and submit the following assignments in your Completed Works Writing Portfolio:

1. Personal Response #1, 2, 3 (based on your literature circle novel)
2. Newspaper Assignment (see assignment outline for details)
3. Collage and T-Chart

Please use correct formatting!!! See "Assignment Submission Template"

When finished, please finish reading "The Trouble with Tribbles" on page 299 in Sightlines 9.

Newspaper Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to develop an understanding of the plot of the novel, while recognizing important details to present in a newspaper article.

As a novel group, you are to produce a newspaper chronicling important events as they occurred in your novel.

Collaborate as a group to ensure that you are each reporting on a different event. Some stories may overlap due to shared characters or “through-line events” (events that impact many parts of the same story).

Accuracy Matters: A Simple Checklist
http://www.newscollege.ca/p12.htm
• Develop a habit to use your senses. Note what you see, hear, touch, smell, taste. Remember, quotes aren’t the only pieces of information that need to be collected in your notepad. It’s easy to forget to use our senses.
• Are your notes accurate? (Or are they messy and hard to read when you return to the office?)
• Have you properly attributed information?
• Are the five Ws covered in your story?
• Have you double checked facts? (This includes any numbers, math)
• Have you double checked spelling of names?
• Have you done a second read-thru to self-edit?
• Have you made a printout of your work and put yourself in the position of being a reader?
• Have you spellchecked your copy?
You will need to employ proper journalistic techniques for your own article, being sure to include:
• column format
• have an appropriate headline
• a purposeful angle
• an appropriate tone
• opening paragraph which will incorporate
o lede (lead)
o 5W1H
o optimal sentence length
o inverted pyramid structure
• Further information will be provided in supporting paragraphs, including
o quotes from characters (or paraphrases of thoughts of characters) as though interviewed by you.
o multiple sources (several character’s perspectives on the same event)
o optimal sentence length
o strong evidence of fact checking
o inverted pyramid structure
• one visual image which you feel would best represent the key elements of the plot.

Original URL: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/journalism/resource/6042.html
Basic Journalism
Think of journalistic writing as an inverted pyramid. The top contains only one or two sentences with the most important information first; this is called the lead (pronounced leed and sometimes spelled "lede"). Next, a little more information is given about the story, and so on, until all of the information has been given.

"An example of a regular pyramid story might be an old-fashioned mystery where the reader is introduced to more and more important clues as he or she reads on," says Rich Cameron, the chair of the journalism department at Cerritos College in California. "It is only after collecting all of those clues that the reader can finally begin to solve the mystery."

"With an inverted pyramid story we give away the solution (or in our case a summary) at the very beginning. The rest of the story contains less and less important information until we just stop," says Cameron.
Tone: Your job as a reporter is to report facts and the opinions of others and to leave your own opinions out of the story. The term for introducing your own opinion into a story is called editorializing – try not to do this!

Multiple Sources: The more people you talk to, the better the article. You can use direct quotes or paraphrase what someone says, but always remember to identify who says what.

Sentence Length: Sentences should have an average of 20-28 words. This is an average, so you don’t need to spend time counting; just be aware that sentences and paragraphs are much shorter than what you’ve been taught with composition.
Terms to Know:
5W1H: Always answer the who, what, why, where, when, and how of the news article.

Lead: The opening of a story, usually a summary of the most important information.

Headline: A title or attention grabber above the body of an article. The author of the story usually does not write the headline.

Angle: A particular point of view or way of looking at a subject.

Fact-checking: Checking that your facts are correct. Amy, Aymee, and Amie are all pronounced the same way and can be easily misspelled. Look up the names of specific people and places and anything else you are presenting as fact to be sure you are stating the truth.

© 2000-2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Collage and T-Chart Assignment

This assignment is designed to develop a deeper understanding of a major character from your novel. You are expected to create a collage of images that represent the inner characteristics of your chosen character. Mount the images you choose to represent your character on single a sheet of 8.5x11” paper. The images you select may be obtained from magazines, the internet, or may be self-created. The expectation is that the entire page will be covered by the images. All images must be classroom appropriate material. On the back of the page, or on an attached piece of paper, you must include a “T-Chart”, containing 6 specific characteristics of your chosen character (each being represented in one or more of the pictures on the front), and accompany each characteristic with TWO quotes supporting each assumption.

Assignment Submission Template

Unless alternate arrangements are made with the teacher regarding an individual assignment, all non-negotiable assignments must be typed for submission, following the specific guidelines outlined below:

TEXT BODY:
Times New Roman
12 point font, regular (no bold or italics)
Double Spaced (highlight text, Format, Paragraph, Double Space [drop down menu])
Body of text must be Left Justified

HEADER (top of document):
Times New Roman
12 point font, regular (no bold or italics)
Single Spaced (highlight text, Format, Paragraph, SingleSpace [drop down menu])
Header must be Centered
Header must contain the following information:
Title (underlined)
Name (First, Last)
Course Section (ELA 9-04)
Due Date: ____________

"The Brute" Monologue Assignment

Choose a character from Anton Chekhov’s play, “The Brute”, and write a 1-2 minute internal monologue for that character. An internal monologue is one that reveals something of the character’s internal thoughts. Your character’s monologue should show his/her attitude toward another character, or events he/she finds him/herself in. Be convincing!

- Introduce the character through his/her view of him/herself.
- Explain the situation from his/her perspective in great detail (from HIS/HER eyes, NOT necessarily the way the author wrote about it).
- Describe his/her thoughts about the situation.
- Finish with a “clincher” that shows his/her true attitude toward the situation.