English Language Arts A30
Module 1
Lesson 1
Literature is not only a mirror;
it is also a map, a geography
of the mind
Margaret Atwood
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Objectives
As a student of language arts and communication processes, in
Lesson One of the English Language Arts A30 course, you will
have the opportunity to:

reflect upon your own learning style.

practice the behaviours of effective, strategic readers.

read a variety of written materials.

recognize style and tone in writing.

use reference materials.

respond to prose and poetry.

record responses in a response journal.

use visual images to communicate thoughts and feelings.

determine purpose and audience when writing.

use a prewriting process.

build vocabulary.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Resources
Poetry
“ The Lonely Land” by A.J.M. Smith
http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/elaA30/module1/lesson2_p5.html
Essay
“Mouseland” by Tommy Douglas from Sundog Highway
Internet
Learning Styles Quiz
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Learning%20Styles%20Explained
Newspaper Article
Fed’s flip-flop scuttles my brilliant idea,” by Ron Petrie. From The Leader Post,
January 25, 2000.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=254933651&SrchMode=1&sid=1
&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=12356669
29&clientId=65247
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Lesson One: Canada: Diverse Landscapes and People
Introduction
Canada is a diverse country made up of multiple regions, cultures, histories, and
identities. In addition to its varied landscapes, Canada is a nation of many distinct
voices and perspectives. Literature gives voice to our country. Our writers help us
to understand the nature of the people who live here. In English Language Arts A30
you will read, listen to and view diverse Canadian voices and perspectives and
respond to these in a variety of ways. English Language Arts A30 consists of two
units:
“Canada: Diverse Landscapes and People" and “Canada: Diverse Voices.”
Check that you have access to all the necessary components to the course: the
anthology Sundog Highway, the DVD The Painted Door, the play Toronto at
Dreamer’s Rock and the English Language Arts Ready Reference. You may have
begun to think about the books you will choose to read for the course – one
nonfiction book and one novel.
You may have begun to think about the books you will choose to read for the
course – one nonfiction book and one novel. The nonfiction book will be studied in
Lesson 7. In Lesson 13 you will respond in various ways to the novel you choose to
read. One way to decide upon which book to read is to read a summary of each
book. This gives you some idea of the topic of the book, the characters, the setting,
and the author’s style. You will be given the opportunity to do some preliminary
reading of the nonfiction books in Lesson Two of this course.
Reading, one of the language skills so necessary in today’s world, is very important
when doing a distance education course. Before you begin your work in English
Language Arts A30, you may find it helpful to examine ‘Reading Strategies’ in the
“Communication Strategies” section of the English Language Arts Ready
Reference. In this section you will find strategies for reading fiction, nonfiction,
and poetry. This English Language Arts A30 course is an example of nonfiction
writing.
Practising effective communication strategies will help you to work
smarter, not harder.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Response Journals
All sorts of people – artists, scientists, dancers, politicians, writers, and students
keep journals. In most of these journals, people record the everyday events of their
lives and issues that concern them. These journals, typically written in notebook
form, are personal records, not intended for public display. Personal journals are
one example of writing that uses informal language. Other journals might be
termed “working journals” in which writers record observations and other
information that will be used for another purpose. For example, farmers might
record weather or crop data and gardeners the blooming cycle of their plants.
The journals of some well-known public figures have survived for hundreds of years
and provide a fascinating glimpse of the authors and of the times in which they
lived. The Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci recorded his daily activities,
dreams, and plans for his painting and engineering projects in more than forty
notebooks.
For the purposes of this course you will not be asked to keep a daily personal
journal; that is something you may wish to do for yourself. What you are asked to
keep is a type of “working journal,” a response journal.
What is a Response Journal?
A response journal is a notebook or folder in which students record, in
a variety of formats, their personal reactions to, questions about, and
reflections on:
 what they read, write, observe, listen to, discuss; and
 how they actually go about using their own processes of reading,
writing, observing, listening, and discussing.
At the end of each lesson there will be pages (you may add pages of your own if
you feel there is not enough space to record your responses) on which you write
your responses to: written selections, quotations, a video, selections on the audio
tape, and questions posed in the lessons. What you will be asked to respond to in
your response journal will vary throughout the course.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Journal writing is an important component of an English course. Why?




You
You
You
You
can
can
can
can
explore your thinking and clarify your ideas.
ask questions.
activate your prior knowledge.
develop your own interpretations.
Many of you will have kept response journals in earlier English Language Arts
classes or in other courses, so you will be quite familiar with the process of keeping
a journal. For some of you, this will be a new experience.
As mentioned earlier, the types of journal responses will vary throughout the
course. Some entries will be thoughts about and reactions to a piece of literature or
a quotation. Others might be your response to questions asked in a lesson. You
might be asked to make a list, such as ten things you think that could never
happen. At other times you will be asked to write down words or phrases that are
new or unfamiliar to you. Sometimes you will be asked to record a line of poetry or
a passage in a story that you find moving, beautiful or just plain dumb. Throughout
the course the icon to the left of this paragraph will signal you when to record a
journal entry.
Evaluation of Response Journal Entries
The writing in your response journals is to be informal, with content being more
important than mechanics (i.e. grammar, punctuation, and spelling). You will be
given specific instructions regarding the submission of response journal pages in
Assignments Four, Eight, Twelve and Fifteen. Twenty marks will be allotted
to the journal entries in Assignments Four, Eight, and Twelve. In Assignment
Fifteen these journal entries will be worth fifteen marks.
Marking Scale
No entries.
Inadequate entries. Ideas not clear.
Ideas are limited and over generalized
though some insight is apparent.
Teacher’s Comments
0
1–5
6 – 10
Ideas are straightforward and clear
yet commonplace and predictable.
11 – 15
Ideas are thoughtful, clear, insightful
and well considered.
16 – 20
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Getting Started
Create a homework corner
Students of any age benefit from good organization. Though it takes some skill,
concentrated work, study and planning yield rewards well worth the effort. Here are
some suggestions to help keep work/study time hassle free.
 Appoint a time – It may not be possible every day, but a basic schedule for
hitting the books creates a routine that will build good study habits and enable
you to send in your assignments on a regular basis and complete your course by
the assignment deadline date.
 Get it together – Pick a spot that works for you, whether it’s in the living room,
your bedroom, the family room, or a corner of the kitchen. For some of you it
may be the spot where the computer is located. At your homework corner keep
necessary supplies (tape, scissors, ruler, pens and pencils, stapler, paper, paper
clips, stamps. As an English Language Arts student you should also keep your
dictionary and a thesaurus, as well as the books you will be reading for this
course, in this location.
 Plan – Do your most taxing projects, such as your literary essay, during hours
when the house is quiet. Screen off your work area if necessary. One
Saskatchewan school division uses this motto on their high school handbooks: “If
I plan to learn, I must learn to plan.” Do some goal setting such as, “I plan to
finish this course in order to write my final examination in January.”
 Excellent Support – Choose your desk chair wisely. It should offer firm support.
Ideally it should swivel and the back should be adjustable. Do you have enough
space on your desk to work effectively? Do keep in mind your Technology
Supported Learning teacher is there to provide you with educational and moral
support.
 Find a good light – A good study light is a must. A shade open at the top can
minimize glare; adjustable lamps offer flexible lighting.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Learning Style
Another thing you might think about is your learning style. How might your learning
style affect the way you work through the lessons in English Language Arts A30?
One really great thing about doing a distance education course is that you, at least
many of you, can do your lessons and assignments at any time and in any place.
You may get to choose your own learning environment and to make your own
schedule.
Consider your own learning style. Research to find information about learning
styles. You may wish to use the library to find articles on learning styles or use an
Internet search engine. The following website provides information on learning
styles, multiple intelligences and it even has an interactive learning styles test that
you can take to determine your learning style.
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Learning%20Styles%20Explained
Today’s research offers fascinating insights into this matter – insights which may
provide the basis for the way we approach learning and teaching.
After researching the various learning styles, state in your response journal what
you believe to be your learning style. Give one reason with an example to support
your answer.
Remember to write your response on the journal pages found on the last page of
this lesson and before the assignment.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
What is an Essay?
Read the definitions given below.
An essay is a piece of prose writing in which ideas on a single topic are
presented, explained, argued, or described in an interesting way. An
essay is a piece of nonfiction writing that can be formal or informal.
Style – the style of an essay is a personal element based on the
vocabulary, phrasing, and personality of the author. Depending upon the
purpose, essays can be formal and objective in their approach to a topic
or informal, familiar, and subjective. The same topic dealt with in these
different styles results in radically different essays.
How might a writer’s purpose for writing affect his choice of language? How does a
writer determine the appropriate level of language?
Read ‘Levels of Language’ in the “Communication Strategies” section of your
English Language Arts Ready Reference. Use this information to answer the
following questions.
Comprehension Check
Circle the best answer.
1. The English language has (one variety/many varieties).
2. Written and spoken English are (exactly the same/not exactly the same).
3. The appropriate level of language (depends upon/does not depend upon)
your audience and your purpose.
4. Colloquial language is (acceptable/not acceptable) in formal essays.
5. Informal language is (less exact/more exact) than formal language.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
A Vast and Varied Land
The ties that bind any group of human beings to their homeland
are extremely powerful. The love of land transcends rational
thought and competes on the highest level of human emotions.
A people’s love of their homeland equals—and often
surpasses—the love of family and love of life itself.
Brian Maracle
Regina
Do you agree with Maracle? In a few sentences in your response journal say why
you agree or why you do not agree with his statement. Remember that your
response journal is found at the end of this lesson.
When you think of this land we call Canada, what do you think of: hot summers,
cold winters, mosquitoes, pow wows, the prairies, hockey, curling, many lakes and
rivers, mountains, Ottawa, many cultures, French and English, the Rocky Mountains?
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Canadian Geography Quiz
What do you know about the geography of Canada? Try the following quiz.
1.
What is the highest mountain peak in Canada?
2.
The country with the longest coastline in the world is Canada. True or False?
3.
What is the name of Canada’s highest waterfall? Niagara Falls)
4.
What is Saskatchewan’s most southern National park?
5.
From what province is it possible to travel to the US by going North, South,
East or West?
6.
What highway, opened in 1962, is the longest national highway in the world,
running from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Victoria, B.C.?
7.
Of the three Prairie Provinces, which is the most easterly?
8.
Which city is the largest in Canada by population?
9.
Which province or territory has the greatest population density?
10.
Which is the largest French-speaking city in Canada?
11.
How much of Canada lies in the permafrost region?
12.
Name the Strait in which the Gulf Islands are located.
13.
Which Canadian province has the largest potato crops?
14.
Where can you witness the world's highest tides?
15.
Name the Canada that is part of the province of Newfoundland.
16.
Which is Canada's largest province?
17.
How many of our provinces do not touch on salt water?
18.
On what island is Canada's most westerly capital?
19.
What city, founded in 1608 by Champlain, claims to be the oldest city in
North America?
20.
What city is located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers?
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
21.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta make up what percentage of Canada's
farmland?
22.
Where are the Parliament Buildings of Canada?
23.
Which animal has the honour of being Canada’s national animal?
24.
What is the name of a dry and warm southwest wind in Southern Alberta?
25.
Which is the largest of the Great Lakes?
Answers: 1. Mt. Logan 2. T 3. Niagara Falls 4. Grasslands 5. Ontario 6. Trans Canada 7.
Manitoba 8. Toronto 9. Ontario 10. Montreal 11. ½ 12. Georgia 13. PEI 14. Bay of Fundy
16. Quebec. 17. SK 7 Alberta 18. Vancouver Island 19. Quebec city 20. Winnipeg 21. 80%
22. Ottawa 23. beaver 24. Chinook 25. Lake Superior
Canada, like any nation, is ultimately held together by its territory, its land. This
land is varied, rich and magnificent. The poem “The Lonely Land” is about the
diverse landscapes of Canada.
http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/elaA30/module1/lesson2_p5.html
Consider the following questions as you read the poem, “The Lonely Land”

How appropriate is the poet’s description of the land ?

What words would best describe how the poet feels in relation to the
landscape?

What aspects of nature are emphasized?
As you read the poem, consider that the poet describes a landscape of both beauty
and conflict.
In the assignment following this lesson, you will be asked to construct a collage of
visual images that show what Canada means to you. Start looking for and collecting
visual images of Canada from magazines and newspapers. Pick images of Canada
that are the most meaningful to you. For example, if you do not like hockey, then
it’s probably not meaningful for you, so you may choose not to include images of
hockey in your collage.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
What is an Allegory?
An allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions
in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself.
The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and
characters are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy.
Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic
meaning.
Read the political allegory “Mouseland” by former Saskatchewan Premier and
Canadian New Democratic Party founder Tommy Douglas calling for the mice of the
world to unite and throw the cats out of power. “Mouseland can be found in the
anthology Sundog Highway.
Finding Your Place
Place names are significant reflections of a nation’s culture and
linguistic heritage. They are ever present on road signs and
maps, in correspondence, magazines, and newspapers, and in
all kinds of official and unofficial records and documents.
Alan Rayburn
Following is a piece of writing about place names. Ron Petrie, a columnist for The
Leader Post takes a satirical jab at the federal government. At the time of the
writing the federal government had proposed giving monetary aid to the National
Hockey League. Because of a massive hue and cry across the country opposing the
idea, it died very quickly. Petrie used this ill-proposed scheme as a springboard for
his column. He also has a great deal of fun with Saskatchewan place names. As
you read the column, think of how many place names you recognize.
Now read Ron Petrie’s article which can be found at the URL below.
Fed’s flip-flop scuttles my brilliant idea,” by Ron Petrie. From The Leader Post,
January 25, 2000.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=254933651&SrchMode=1&sid=1
&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=12356669
29&clientId=65247
You might want to check out:

http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/sask/sknames.html
(This site has interesting information about place names in
Saskatchewan.)
Other interesting sites are:
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1

http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/info/info106_e.html

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index.html
(This site features Aboriginal place names.)
Writers love words. They are the most important tool with which a writer has to
work. Writers have “pet” words, favorite and worst words, as well as words imbued
with associations and personal meanings. Associations and personal meanings
attached to words are called connotations.
Look up the definitions of connotation and denotation in the “Glossary” section
your English Language Arts Ready Reference.
Do you have any “pet” words?
List your ten favourite words and, at least, one connotation for each word in your
response journal.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1
Response Journal
My learning style is
because
I agree/disagree with Brian Maracle’s statement because
Ten favourite words
Connotations
1. __________________________
____________________________
2. __________________________
____________________________
3. __________________________
____________________________
4. __________________________
____________________________
5. __________________________
____________________________
6. __________________________
____________________________
7. __________________________
____________________________
8. __________________________
____________________________
9. __________________________
____________________________
10. __________________________
____________________________
Note: You will be asked to submit this page with Assignment Four.
English Language Arts A30
Lesson 1