English Language Arts A30
Module 2
Lesson 7
Throughout its history, the Canadian West has
evoked strong images in the minds of those who
visited, settled in, or sometimes simply wrote about,
the region. These people saw in the West what they
wanted or were conditioned by their cultural milieu,
to see. At different times they perceived a West that
was a wasteland, a pristine wilderness, a source of
national greatness and imperial grandeur, a utopia, a
harsh and cruel land, or a mystical region shaped by
the attitudes and beliefs of its people. Each of these
images held sway for a period of time and then gave
way to a new image, resulting in changing images of
the Canadian West.
Daniel Francis
English Language Arts A30
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Lesson 7
English Language Arts A30
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Lesson 7
Objectives
As a student of language arts and communication processes, in
Lesson Seven of the English Language Arts A30 course, you will
have the opportunity to:
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read a variety of written materials.

record responses in a response journal.

view and respond to visual art.
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recognize and understand symbols in visual art and literature.
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recognize and understand literary characteristics of biographical
and autobiographical writing.
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recognize and understand organizational patterns in
nonfiction writing.

recognize and understand standard and journalistic writing styles.

understand and write a précis and a paraphrase.

write a character sketch.

present an oral book review.

build vocabulary.
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Lesson 7
Resources
Newspaper article
“Two Saskatchewan residents named to Order of Canada”
By Barb Pacholik, Leader-PostDecember 30, 2008
http://www.leaderpost.com/Entertainment/Saskatchewan+residents+named+Order
+Canada/1126735/story.html
Poems
“Louis Riel” by Steven Michael Berzensky, (Sundog Highway)
“Nohkom, Medicine Bear” by Louise Bernice Halfe (Sundog Highway)
Non-Fiction Books
(Choose one)
The Concubine’s Children
Deemed Unsuitable
Gully Farm
Halfbreed
The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson
English Language Arts A30
Denise Chong
R. Bruce Shepard
Mary Hiemstra
Maria Cambbell
Lois Simmie
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Lesson 7
Lesson Seven - Canada: Diverse Landscapes and People
Introduction
What is your image of Canada? What is your image of Western Canada? Do you
think Saskatchewan is the “Land of the Living Skies”? In past lessons we discussed
how writers help us form perspectives about Canada and its regions. Ideas,
emotions, attitudes, and perspectives about Canada and its regions can also be
expressed in a variety of ways through visual art. Visual art is a vehicle of
communication and learning. All people have a creative side – some people express
themselves through the language and tools of art while others enjoy examining the
work of visual artists. Painters, photographers, sculptors, architects, craftspeople
and many others are visual artists. In this lesson you will respond to visual art and
read about the experiences of a visual artist and learn a bit about the role of folk art
in Canadian culture. You will also respond to the nonfiction book you chose to read
in Lesson Two of this course and have the opportunity to review the book for your
listening audience.
Visual Art – Enrichment of a Culture
Visual art is a vital component of culture. The culture of Canada is enriched through
the participation of many diverse peoples. Culture is a term that is used to explain
the way of life of a group of people. Art provides a commentary about relationships
between people and their connection with their environment. Artists acquire ideas
and inspiration for art through their interaction with the land and with the people or
society.
Works of art use a visual language and our observation of them often results in
deeper awareness of the landscape, other people, and ourselves. The elements and
principles of design are used by the visual artist to convey personal messages. The
visual language of art can tell stories and convey experiences that are beyond
words, often creating pleasure.
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Lesson 7
Every year millions of Canadians participate in artistic activities. If we think of the
arts and culture as a single industry, it is the country’s fourth-largest employer.
Taken together, the visual and performing arts - publishing, broadcasting, motion
pictures, sound and video recording, and cultural institutions, like libraries - make up
an important part of our national economy. More significantly, the arts contribute to
our quality of life and further define cultural pluralism inherent in being a Canadian.
The arts connect us, and yet many Canadians face barriers to full participation in the
arts. Recent advances in telecommunications have brought Canadians – and all
peoples – closer together, yet Canada, in relative terms, is a huge and regionalized
country. Many artists in rural and small-town settings continue to have difficulty in
reaching audiences and in accessing art and cultural institutions.
Canada’s cultural and visible minority artists face even greater barriers to their
success. Or, from a different perspective, Canadian audiences face barriers to their
full appreciation of the contribution that cultural minorities have to offer.
Most fine art and cultural concepts in Canada today are founded on British and
European traditions. Partly as a result, it has been difficult for many Canadian
artists whose work is rooted in other cultural traditions to participate fully in the arts
in Canada.
There are new voices in the arts in Canada today, many voices that for too long
have remained unheard. These voices may change the way we make art. Canadian
art has grown from a tradition of artists who promote difference. For example, in
order to express a sensibility native to Canada, the Group of Seven had to reach
beyond the conventions of the European artistic establishment. J.E.H. MacDonald’s
The Tangled Garden, when exhibited in London in 1916, was dismissed by critics as
an “offensive, radical gesture” because it was not in harmony with the traditional
subjects and approaches of European art at the time.
Who is the Group of Seven? Have you heard of the Regina Five? In your response
journal list the members of either group and provide a short explanation of their
contribution to visual arts in Canada. You may have to do some research in order to
provide the list of names and the explanation. Canadian encyclopedias and the
Internet are two tools which can help you in your research.
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Lesson 7
Following is an article about art and how the artist has contributed to the culture of
Canada. As you read the article reflect on the following questions:

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What do you consider to be art?
Are there artists living in your community?
Do you know any Saskatchewan visual artists?
Can you name several well-known Saskatchewan artists?
Do the arts contribute to your life in any way?
Is it possible for one visual representation to capture all the diversity of
peoples in Canada?
The following article is on a well know Regina artist, David Thauberger, and is about
his being awarded the Order of Canada for his contribution to Canadian art. “
Read the article found at the following website.
http://www.leaderpost.com/Entertainment/Saskatchewan+residents+named+Order
+Canada/1126735/story.html
About the artist
Read more about David Thauberger at the following website.
http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/thauberger_david_1948-.html
For those of you interested in visiting a virtual museum, go to
www.virtualmuseum.ca.
For those of you who may wish to find out more about First Nations' art and artists
in Saskatchewan at http://www.sicc.sk.ca/native_arts/
You may also want to visit the sites listed below to view and to read about Canadian
art.
http://www.moosejawartmuseum.op.mu
http://www.civilization.ca/
http://www.national.gallery.ca/
http://www.mcmichael.com/
http://mendel.saskatoon.ca/
http://mackenzieartgallery.sk.ca/
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Lesson 7
http://lib74123.usask.ca/scaa/sain/gallery.html
http://cap.estevan.sk.ca/enec
http://www.sicc.sk.ca/
The web sites listed are but a few of the many that display the work of visual artists
and craftspeople in Canada.
In your response journal write your first reaction to the newspaper article on David
Thauberger being awarded the Order of Canada.. You may already know what you
want to say. If not, here are some possible ways to begin your first reaction.



I found this article to be interesting/uninteresting because….
The way I express myself is….
My community should/should not support the arts because….
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Lesson 7
Viewing
In your anthology Sundog Highway the are a number of visual images. View all of
them and then in your response journal complete the following steps.

Select the picture that has the most emotional impact on you.

State the title of the picture and the artist’s name.

Provide three reasons for your choice.
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Examine the artist’s style. In a few sentences tell why you think the artist chose
to present the images in a realistic manner (as they would appear in real life) or
symbolically (images intended to create psychological impact).

Name the section of the book where the picture has been placed. In a few
statements explain how effectively the picture supports the section. Provide
three reasons for your opinion.
Be sure to read the "Artist Biographies and Statements" which can be found in the
back pages of your anthology.
Symbols
A symbol is a specific thing that may stand for an idea, a value, a person,
or a way of life. For example, red sometimes means danger. The lion
often symbolizes monarchy. A symbol communicates an abstract idea in a
concrete way. Symbolism is used most often in the arts, especially in
literature and in the visual arts.
A country’s symbols reflect the values and aspirations that are shared by all its
citizens. What are the visual symbols of Canada?
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Lesson 7
One symbol of Canada is our coat of arms.
You can see the coat of arms at the following website
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Canada
The design of the coat of arms is historical. The shield displays the arms of England,
Scotland, Ireland, and France to symbolize the nation’s founding peoples.
Underneath the four quarters, on a white field, is a sprig of three maple leaves to
indicate the new nation of many peoples. These leaves were originally green. In
1957, however, the leaves officially became red, a common autumnal colour, and
thus were in accord with Canada’s national colours, red and white. The crest and
the shield’s supporters are strikingly similar to the royal arms of Great Britain. The
motto, “A Mari Usque Ad Mare” is in Latin. It means “From Sea to Sea.” This motto
is taken from the Bible, the King James version, Psalm 72:8, “He shall have
dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”
If you were asked to design a coat of arms for Canada today what would you
include? Would your design reflect the values and aspirations that are shared by all
its citizens? If so, how would you accomplish this?
Some families have their own coat of arms. What symbols would you include if you
were to design your own coat of arms?
If you were asked to design a coat of arms for Canada today what would you
include? Would your design reflect the values and aspirations that are shared by all
its citizens? If so, how would you accomplish this?
Some families have their own coat of arms. What symbols would you include if you
were to design your own coat of arms?
Name another symbol that represents Canada besides the coat of arms. In a
sentence or two state the meaning of the symbol. If you need help identifying a
national symbol and its meaning, a Canadian encyclopedia and the Internet are two
tools that can help you in your research.
For those of you with access to the Internet you may want to visit
http://www.pch.gc.ca to learn more about Canada’s symbols.
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Lesson 7
Symbols in Literature
The discussion, thus far, has been about visual symbols. Symbols are also used in
literature. In literature a symbol is given through a word or a phrase to signify an
object or event which, in turn, has a range of meanings beyond itself. Think about
a time when you threw a rock into a pool or a lake. A symbol is like a rock dropped
into a pool: it sends out ripples in all directions, and the ripples are in motion. Who
can say where the last ripple disappears?
Some symbols are conventional or public; thus, the cross, the eagle feather, and the
dove are terms that signify symbolic objects of which the further significance is
determined within a particular culture. In China, for example, the cross, the eagle
feather or the dove may have no significance for a reader. For a Canadian reader,
however, each one of these terms would have significance and the Canadian reader
would understand larger meanings of these terms.
What does the cross symbolize for you?
What does an eagle feather symbolize for you?
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Lesson 7
Writers, like all of us, use such conventional symbols. Many writers, however, also
use private or personal symbols. Often they do so by exploiting preexisting and
widely shared associations of certain concepts with an object, event or action. For
example, there is a general tendency for us in western culture to make the following
associations:
 a peacock with pride
 an eagle with a heroic endeavor
 an owl with wisdom
 the rising sun or the season of spring with birth
 the setting sun or the season of winter with death
 climbing with effort or progress
 descending with surrender or failure
Symbols allow writers to deepen and enlarge the meaning of their writing. Symbols
can add depth to a piece of writing by compressing ideas. By using a symbol a
writer can say a lot in a few words. A story about a young girl, for example, in
which she takes a bit from an apple, is symbolic of the Garden of Eden and Eve's
move into knowledge from innocence. Compressing ideas by using the symbol of
the apple-eating adds meaning to the story without requiring the writer to go into
detail about how the girl grows into knowledge from her former innocence.
In your response journal name a person from the nonfiction book you have read for
this lesson. Name a symbol that would represent this person.
Read the poem “Louis Riel” by Steven Michael Berzensky in your anthology, Sundog
Highway. As you read the poem, consider the following questions.


Who is Louis Riel?
What does the rainbow signify?
Read the poem “Nohkom, Medicine Bear” by Louise Bernice Halfe in your anthology
Sundog Highway. As you read the poem, consider the following questions.


What is the symbol in this poem?
What things are associated with this symbol?
Read the biographical entries and statements of both poets in your anthology.
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Lesson 7
Biography and Autobiography
Biographies and autobiographies tell stories of people’s lives. They may be brief
accounts of a particular period of time or they may be booklength accounts of entire
lives. You have read one nonfiction book from a list of five for this lesson.
All five books are either biographical or autobiographical.
The titles of the five books are:
The Concubine’s Children
Deemed Unsuitable
Gully Farm
Halfbreed
The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson
A biography tells the true story of someone’s life. The subject of the
biography does not write it. For example, a story of Pierre Elliot
Trudeau, as told by someone else, would be a biography because Trudeau
did not write the story. A biography uses third person
point of view.
In an autobiography, the writer tells the true story of his or her own
life. For example, the story of Karen Kain’s life, if written by Karen Kain,
is an autobiography. An autobiography uses first person point of view.
Is the book you chose to read in Lesson Two a biography or an autobiography?
Biographers and autobiographers are obliged to present factual information because
they attempt to portray the true story of someone’s life.
Biographers must piece together the facts of someone’s life, often after that person
has passed away. As a result, they use a variety of sources of information to obtain
as complete a picture of their subject’s life as possible.
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Lesson 7
Though some biographical information can be obtained in libraries, the subject of
the biography or his surviving family members often allow access to private sources
of information. Testimonial information from people who knew the subject or their
personal records may also provide valuable insight into the character of the subject.
Some possible sources of information are listed below.
Public Information
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newspapers
magazines
public records
videotaped newscasts
audiotaped radiocasts
encyclopedias
historical documents
church records
court transcripts
other biographies
printed work created by the subject
Private Information
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personal journals
bank records
receipts
letters
legal records
home audio or video tape
emigration documents
oral history
interviews with the subject of the
biography
interviews with people who knew the
subject
In Lesson Four you began to work as a biographer as you began the process of
writing a story about a person you consider to be a hero. What is the source of
your information?
One of the most reliable and personal sources of information for a biography or
autobiography is the subject’s personal journal, created over a period of time and
perhaps spanning the subject’s entire life.
A journal is a private place in which a person writes informally and
freely. A journal is more than simply a diary where people record factual
information about daily activities. Journal entries are most often
commentaries on activities, experiences, and events. Journals are also
places where thoughts can be recorded. A journal may take several
forms such as a hand-bound book, an old note pad, or a computer file.
Journal entries are usually dated.
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Lesson 7
The wealth of information that personal journals can provide for biographers
includes the following:
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details or impressions of daily events
plans or wishes for the future
imaginative ideas (e.g. stories or inventions)
reactions to local, national, and international news
memories or reflections about past events
thoughts about friends, family, or the state of the world
memorabilia (e.g. magazine or newspaper clippings, ticket stubs, photographs)
Journals often provide private and personal details of a person’s life.
Writers of autobiographies use many of the same resources as biographers plus
their memories which may or may not have been written in a journal.
The purpose an autobiographer or a biographer has for writing will flavour the
finished product in many ways. The writer may choose to focus on a particular time
period or aspect of the subject’s life. The writer may choose to omit some details
that do not contribute to the overall effect desired. For example, Mary Hiemstra, in
Gully Farm, writes only about her family’s reasons for leaving their home in Britain,
their voyage by sea and land to a new home, and the daily struggle to survive the
loneliness and physical hardships of the family’s first year on the farm. Lois
Simmie’s biography, The Secret Lives of Sgt. John Wilson: A True Story of Love &
Murder, recounts the events leading up to and following a gruesome murder.
What is the author's purpose for writing the nonfiction book you have read for this
lesson?
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Lesson 7
Standard and Journalistic Writing Styles
You may remember that in Lesson One style was defined as how writers or speakers
say whatever it is they have to say. Style refers to how a writer or speaker uses
word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, literary devices, and other
features such as paragraph structure.
A story told in standard style is described as fictional prose writing. Prose writing
is writing that occurs in sentences and paragraphs as opposed to poetry, which
occurs in stanzas.
The purpose of standard novelistic style is to entertain the reader through a story
that contains a suspenseful plot and/or an interesting development of character.
The action in a novel builds to a climax, or highest point of action. Sentences in a
novel emphasize the meaning of the story, and so, may be short to indicate exciting
events, or long to indicate complex reflection. Novels are usually organized by order
of time, though they may include other organizational methods if some description
or explanation is required. Standard narrative writing includes realistic details and,
often, dialogue.
A story told in journalistic style is nonfiction prose writing. News stories in
journals or newspapers are factual, nonfiction writing written to inform a particular
audience. A news story is a factual, objective, and often brief report on a recent
event or an interesting issue.
A news story has an attention-getting headline that states the main idea of the
story. The opening paragraph or lead contains the story’s main or most important
idea. The rest of the news story deals with lesser information. Even sentences
within a news story tend to place the most important element before secondary
information. Sentences and paragraphs are most often quite short and many direct
quotations are used.
The body of the news story answers who, what, when, where, why, and how
accurately. News stories are most often organized by time order, descending order
of importance, or by main idea and details.
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Lesson 7
Terms such as literary nonfiction, creative nonfiction, and new journalism have
been used to describe a type of nonfiction writing that uses the same suspense,
richness of expression, and ingenuity of style as traditional fiction writing. A
dramatization of the facts of an eighty-year-old murder case is an example of
literary or creative nonfiction.
The book you read for Lesson Seven is an example of literary nonfiction because it is
based on the true story of a real person. Each book in the list from which you have
selected a title to read for this lesson presents biographical or autobiographical
information about a person or persons in an interesting narrative form. The
purpose of each book is to be both informative and pleasurable to read.
Many newspapers and magazines carry biographies and obituaries of well-known
people.
An obituary is a published notice of death. It often mentions members
of the deceased’s family and the time and date of funeral services.
Often it pays tribute to a person’s life and his or her contributions to
community.
Would an obituary of a well-known person, which appeared in a reputable
newspaper or magazine be fiction, nonfiction, or literary nonfiction?
Reading Nonfiction
Modern nonfiction writing often employs many elements of fiction writing. In fact,
much contemporary nonfiction uses traditional elements of fiction writing such as
plot and suspense. However, most contemporary nonfiction uses typical
organizational methods, methods such as you use in your own nonfiction writing.
Which pattern or method of organization is chosen depends upon purpose and
audience. Recognizing patterns or methods of organization will help you to become
actively involved with the material you read in order to understand and remember it
more easily. By recognizing patterns in writing, you can find models for your own
writing.
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Lesson 7
Methods of Organizing Nonfiction Prose
Three methods of organizing nonfiction prose are chronological, spatial, and logical.
Chronological
This method or pattern starts with the earliest events or steps and proceeds to the
most recent. If the book you read for this lesson has a chronological pattern, you
could use one of the following graphic organizers to map the events in the book.
Spatial
This method or pattern starts with the nearest and goes to the farthest, moves from
top to bottom, or from left to right. It is unlikely that the book you read would have
this as its predominant method of organization. This pattern is usually found in
description and in exposition, such as directions and explanations. The author of
the book you read may have used spatial patterns in certain parts of his or her book
when describing a person or a place. You could use one of the graphic organizers
below to map these sections of the book.
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Lesson 7
Logical
There are a few logical patterns or methods of organization that a writer may use to
present his material.
Specific details such as facts, statistics, examples, quotations, and so on are often
used in persuasion and argument to support a general idea or assertion. These
details are usually presented directly in a deductive manner. Occasionally they are
presented more indirectly using an inductive approach.
 In a direct (deductive) approach, a writer makes an assertion or a general
statement and follows it by giving supporting evidence and finally a logical
conclusion.
 In an indirect (inductive) approach, a list of supporting details or evidence is
used as preparation for a general statement.
If the book you read for Lesson Seven has a direct (deductive) or an indirect
(inductive) pattern, you could use one of the following graphics to map the
argument that the author has presented.
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Lesson 7
The logical pattern emphasizes how ideas relate to each other and offers the writer
a variety of ways to organize ideas. When writers want readers to see the
relationship between two ideas or assertions, they might want to use one of the
following methods of organization.
In a Problem-and-Solution pattern, a problem is stated, solutions are proposed
and the end result(s) are stated. Did the book you read have this type of pattern in
it? If so, you could use one of the following graphics to map this pattern.
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Lesson 7
In a Cause and Effect pattern, an event or issue is stated and then the writer
presents the causes. Cause and effect is important in fiction writing. In short
stories and novels one event causes another; this is essential in a plot. As
mentioned earlier, modern nonfiction writing employs many elements of fiction
writing. If the book you read for this lesson has a cause and effect pattern you
could use one the following graphics to map that method of organization.
In a Comparison and Contrast method of organization, two ideas, items,
characters, or events are being compared and contrasted. As with the spatial
pattern, comparison and contrast is unlikely to have been the predominant pattern
of the book you read for this lesson but some parts of the book could have been
organized using this method. A couple of ways to map this organization is to use
one of the graphic organizers below.
Idea 1
_________________
similarities
=
=
=
differences
Attributes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Item 1
Item 2
Idea 2
____________________
 _______________  _______________
 _______________  _______________
 _______________  _______________
A long piece of nonfiction writing, such as a biography or autobiography, may have
all of these patterns of organization. One of these patterns, however, is usually
dominant. Which pattern is dominant in the book you read?
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Lesson 7
Reading to Infer Tone
Another way to become actively involved in your reading is to recognize the author’s
tone. Every writer has some sort of emotional involvement with the subject he is
writing about. The author’s feelings about a topic and his audience will determine
what kinds of words he will choose to describe a subject and the way the material is
presented. If a writer were giving directions on the assembly of a video game
system, he would use a matter-of-fact tone. If he were writing a persuasive essay
on the effects of pollution on wildlife, he would use an authoritative tone. An
author's tone can be sympathetic, serious, amused, worried, angry, or sarcastic, to
name only a few.
What tone would you use if you were to write an autobiographical essay about your
childhood?
Tone in literature refers to the writer’s attitude toward the subject.
It is easy to understand tone if one compares tone in writing to tone of voice. How
would the speaker’s tone of voice change in each of the following illustrations of the
same statement?
“That’s a great idea!”
(sincere, complimentary tone)
“That’s a great idea!”
(confused, uninterested tone)
“That’s a great idea!”
(angry, sarcastic tone)
“That’s a great idea!”
(obsequious, fawning tone)
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Lesson 7
Perhaps the tone of voice used conveys information about the speaker’s feelings
toward the subject without directly stating it. What are the author’s feelings toward
his or her subject in the book that you read for this lesson?
Tone in writing also conveys information about the author’s feelings toward the
subject without making direct statements.
Summarize Main and Supporting Ideas
A third method of becoming actively involved in your reading is to summarize the
main and supporting ideas in a piece of literature. You can capture the essence of a
paragraph, or a chapter in a book in a paraphrase or a précis.
Paraphrasing and précis-writing are also valuable tools when researching to write an
essay or studying for an examination.
Paraphrase
Restating the sense of a passage to mould it for our own verbal and intellectual
comfort is called paraphrasing.
Guidelines to follow when writing a paraphrase.
1. Read and reread the original carefully to get its full meaning. Understand both
literal and implied meanings. Isolate subordinate ideas and determine how they
are related to the central idea.
2. If archaic words, obscure allusions, geographical references, and other words
and phrases present difficulties, consult a dictionary or other reference for
meanings.
3. Use your own words to express the sense of the passage. Reshape phrases and
ideas which are unfamiliar to make their meaning clear to you.
4. Be objective and include all of the author’s ideas no matter how much you may
disagree with him.
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Lesson 7
The following example provides you with a model for writing a paraphrase.
Original:
Shakespeare’s reversal of black and white as symbols of good and evil are at the
centre of the play. The hero Othello is black and has a white soul, whereas the
villain Iago is white, but has a black character. This contrast works so well
dramatically because the original meanings and symbolism of the colours were
etched in the audience’s minds. The impact of Shakespeare’s images upon his
audiences, and his skillful weaving of highly emotional themes into the play,
indicate their importance in the society for which he was writing.
- excerpt from Deemed Unsuitable
Paraphrase: In Shakespeare’s time and place white meant good while black meant
evil. In his play, Shakespeare turned these two symbolic colours
around. These two colours became the focus of the drama. The hero
of the play was black outside and white inside while the villain was
white outside and black inside. This worked well in the drama because
it was exactly the opposite of what Shakespeare's audiences firmly
believed. The shock of the audiences and the emotional themes of the
play reveal the importance of the black and white symbolism in the
culture in which Shakespeare lived.
Précis
A précis is a reduced version of an original composition. In a précis the basic
thoughts of the original are retained in miniature along with the tone. The original
author’s exact meaning is scaled down, but no important details are omitted. No
interpretation or alteration should be interjected by the précis writer.
Guidelines to follow when writing a précis.
1. Read the original carefully. Determine its key ideas. You may wish to underline
or highlight them.
2. Reread carefully. Note how the author has organized his material.
3. Look up in a dictionary any words that are not perfectly clear to you.
4. Decide what can be eliminated in the original.
5. Using as many of your own words as possible, write a rough draft linking these
main ideas and eliminating unimportant details.
6. Omit figures of speech, repetition, examples, interjections or words inserted for
emphasis.
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7. Change direct speech (that which is in quotation marks) into indirect speech.
8. Keep the general tone of the original.
9. Rewrite the rough draft of the précis.
A précis is usually about one-fourth to one-third the length of the original.
The following example provides you with a model for writing a précis.
Original:
One inescapable influence on all people in Canada is climate. The
relentless discipline of winter fashions a strong character. The rhythm
of changing seasons, nowhere so clearly accentuated, encourages a
fresh intelligence and an abundant energy.
Précis:
Climatic changes have a positive influence on the intellectual and
physical well-being of Canadians.
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Lesson 7
Response Journal
Choose the Group of Seven or The Regina Five
List members.
Group's contribution to the visual arts in Canada
Newspaper Article
First reaction to article on David Thauberger being named a member of the Order of
Canada : You may already know what you want to say. If not, here are some
possible ways to begin your first reaction.
I found this article to be interesting/uninteresting because . . .
The way I express myself is . . .
My community should/should not support the arts because . . .
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Lesson 7
Viewing Visual Art
Title of picture which had the most emotional effect on you.
__________________________________________________
Three reasons for your choice.
1.
2.
3.
Tell why the artist might have chosen to present the images in a realistic or symbolic
manner.
Name the section of the book where the picture has been placed.
_____________________________________________________
The picture supports this section because __________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Three reasons for your opinion.
1.
2.
3.
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Symbols
One symbol of Canada other than the coat of arms is ________________________.
This symbol stands for _________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Nonfiction Book
Name of one person in the nonfiction book you have chosen for this lesson.
__________________________________________
Symbol that would represent this person.
__________________________________________
Note: These response journal pages will be submitted with Assignment
Eight.
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