Mon, Oct 4

 

DUE TODAY: Revised body paragraph from setting essay

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Last edits and revisions to the introduction of the setting essay

FOCUS TODAY: Reflection on writing

 

5 minute grammar/usage

 

Evaluate your learning and development as a writer. Using a separate sheet of paper, answer the following:

1. Make an outline of your essay overall, using full sentences to indicate thesis in the intro area and topic sentences for each body paragraph 
2. In one sentence, give me the main point of the body paragraph you decided to revise. Something that sounds like an argument such as “The dark imagery surrounding l’Abri reflects the brooding nature of its master Armand Aubigny.” 
3. Describe in sentences and with examples the problems with the first version of the body paragraph you chose to revise
4. Be specific about what you did to improve the body paragraph: explain your edits, with examples
5. Using full sentences, describe what you have learned about quality writing in the last week. Explain what you will do the next time you write to ensure you will have fewer revisions than this time 

 

Fri, Oct 1

 

DUE TODAY:

• Creative paragraph incorporating ten vocab words
• Revised introduction to the setting essay

HOMEWORK TONIGHT:

• One revised/improved body paragraph in the setting essay

TODAY'S FOCUS: Body paragraphs

 

Vocab and grammar/usage quiz

 

Review of body paragraph essentials. (If you haven't clicked the link yet, do it NOW, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!)

• Optional: Transition from the previous paragraph
• Topic sentence
• Evidence of some kind for support (aka Reasons/Details/Facts)
• Commentary/explanation/expansion/elaboration/interpretation/further examples (the "E's")
• Concluding comment/review 
• Optional: Transition from into the next paragraph 

 

Thu, Sept 30

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT:

• Study for vocab quiz 
• Write a creative paragraph that incorporates at least ten of the twenty vocab words. Start like this: "It was a dark and stormy night in Steilacoom, WA."
• Revise your "setting essay" introduction - DUE TOMORROW

TODAY'S FOCUS: Introduction continuity and organization

 

5 minute grammar/usaage

 

Introduction review:

Three essential elements

1. Lead-in (aka “hook)
2. Thesis
3. Overview of upcoming main arguments

 

Example 1: A typical introduction outline

1. General/universal statement
2. Kate Chopin uses setting in her short story “Desiree’s Baby” to emphasize the dark nature of the antagonist Armand
3. Two main arguments/paragraphs
1. The description of L’Abri parallels Armand
2. The bonfire relates to his hellish nature

Example 2: A typical introduction outline

1. Question related to a central topic
2. Hemingway’s use of setting in the story “Hills Like White Elephants” serves to reveal to the reader the two options available to a couple making a difficult decision. 
3. Three main arguments/paragraphs
1. The barren side relates to their life w/ a child
2. The verdant side relates to their life w/o a child
3. The ultimate decision is given away by the moving of the bags

 

Actual paragraph for example two:

                Have you ever noticed that when watching cartoons, characters who get an idea have a light bulb go on over their head, and characters who are angry or depressed may have a dark cloud raining on their head? These images are parallels to the characters’ experiences. The light bulb parallels or indicates the illumination of that character’s mind, and the dark cloud parallels or indicates the dark feelings of the other. Authors often use external elements, like the light bulb or the dark cloud, to parallel characters’ experiences or conditions. Such is the case with Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway’s use of setting in the story “Hills Like White Elephants” serves to reveal to the reader the two options available to a couple making a difficult decision. On one side of a train station at which the characters sit is a barren landscape that represents a future with a child added to their lives. On the other side is a verdant landscape that parallels what the characters’ lives could be like without a child added. Ultimately, the movement of one character within this scene reveals their final decision regarding whether or not to terminate a pregnancy.

 

Students again take the role of reviewer, providing feedback and suggestions on how to better develop the introductory paragraph in a peer's paper.

 

Today students receive essays, and a new introduction is due tomorrow. 

 

Wed, Sept 29

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Nothing in writing

•  

TODAY'S FOCUS: Introductions

 

5 minute grammar/usage

 

Our class session included the items below this bullet list. However, for more information on introductions visit these other pages:

• Introduction writing (general comments and examples)
• Review of introduction writing (MSWord doc with samples from "Ripe Figs" and "Of Mice and Men") 

 

INTRODUCTIONS in the high school expository essay generally include three elements:

1. A opening or "hook"
2. A thesis statement
3. A "road map" or outline of the upcoming main arguments

Optional: Transition into the first body paragraph 

 

Opening strategies (the opening “hook”):

• Ask a question that gets the person thinking about a concept in the paper
• Have you ever seen a film where the weather on screen seems to match the emotions of a main character?
• Thesis statement or main claim (only advised for the opening when writing under a time constraint or short paper length requirement)
• Chopin’s use of setting in her short piece “Desiree’s Baby” enhances the dark, evil side of the antagonist Armand.
• Begin with a quote from a well-known person that relates to a concept in the paper
• The well-respected English professor Russell Rice once stated, “Setting is never time and place for the sake of time and place. The setting is deliberate, like a barista making a double-tall macchiato with soy and no foam.”
• Interesting statistic or fact dealing with a concept in the paper
• It is a little-known fact that more children die each year in backyard swimming pools than from gunshot wounds.
• Tell a short story or anecdote that introduces concepts in the paper
• Imagine for a moment the image of a depressed cartoon character, and you might bring to mind a dark cloud hovering over that character’s head, pouring down streaks of rain.
• General/universal statement of truth that loosely relates to central concept in the paper
• It is likely that at least once in life we have heard a happy person described as “sunny.”
• Include a definition of a key term related to the paper. Caution: There is a “don’t”:
• Do NOT: “Webster’s defines ‘setting’ as…” or “When we look in the dictionary …”
• Typically, heroes in literature are strong, and if they are men, they are “manly.” However, the hero of “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka is quite “un-manly.”

 

Students continue peer review today, focusing on the introductory paragraph. Each reviewer prepares a separate sheet on which to write notes to the author of the paper.

1. Thesis comments: Review of the thesis statement, ensuring that the student author claims setting does something valid within the story. Any suggestions/comments go on the feedback paper.
2. Overview of standard openers/hooks: Evaluation of the student author's hook, if any. Reviewers write a possible opener/hook for the student author if needed based on notes.
3. "Road map"/overview: Students determine the number of main topics discussed in the paper, and the order in which they are presented in the paper. The reviewer then suggests sentence(s) to insert into the introductory paragraph 

 

Tue, Sept 28 

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Nothing in writing

TODAY'S FOCUS: Vocab, quality thesis statements

 

5 minute grammar/usage

 

Thesis Statements in the Expository Essay  – The Basics

 

Just like a topic sentence, thesis statements set a focus and direction for your writing.

In a literary paper, like the one we wrote on setting, your thesis will:

• Appear in the first paragraph
• Include the following elements:
• Author name – Kate Chopin
• Text title – “Desiree’s Baby”
• Topic – the function of setting
• Position on the topic – setting helps emphasize Mrs. Mallard’s new freedom  



SAMPLE: In Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” the setting functions to help emphasize Mrs. Mallard’s new freedom.

 

Thesis statements have certain characteristics:

• They take a position that requires evidence and support. (Without an arguable thesis, there’s no point writing an essay that demonstrates you can assemble and discuss evidence.)
• They are specific. Good thesis stmts provide a narrow enough focus to be handled within the assigned length of the paper. Many students create a great thesis … for a book. 
• Ex: Kate Chopin does a great job using setting to help readers understand her characters better
• Comments: The author would have to define what is meant by “a great job” (not easy) so he/she could prove Chopin actually does “a great job.” In addition, there is no specific text mentioned, so it is assumed the author will use multiple texts and multiple characters to make his/her point. This paper would be for semester final.

 

Mon, Sept 27

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Nothing in writing

TODAY'S FOCUS: Vocab, trends in student writing

 

5 minute grammar/usage

 

First 20 vocab words: ameliorate, conserve, detriment, exotic, folly, formerly, harmony, ignore, impediment, indolent, intact, invalid, parsimonious, noncarcinogenic, raze, reticent, retire, retort, subvert, tractable

 

Students write the word, synonyms, and sample sentences from the vocab text

REAL purposes for vocab:

• Increase scores on college prep exams (SAT, ACT, etc.)
• Increase rate and understanding when reading texts
• Increase variety of options available when searching for words on papers/essays
• Increase the maturity level in the "voice" on papers/essays

 

Students look at student "Setting" essays, reading teacher comments and looking for trends in the writing.

TODAY'S DISCOVERIES:

• Inconsistent verb tense
• Lots of "fluff" that wasn't necessary
• Lots of "trying to sound good" at the expense of clarity
• Topics raised but never discussed
• Arguments and conclusions given without adequate explanation
• Use of first person "I" "me" "my" 

 

 

Fri, Sept 24

 

DUE TODAY: Setting essay

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Nothing in writing

TODAY'S FOCUS: grammar/usage, reading the grade book

 

Grammar/usage QUIZ

 

Setting essay collected

 

Grades displayed; students compare contents of folder w/ grade book for accuracy 

 

Thu, Sept 23

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT:

• Study for the grammar/usage rules quiz
• Finishing touches on your setting essay

TODAY'S FOCUS: Drafting (selecting good evidence, building believable commentary)

 

5-minute warmup

 

Work day on the setting essay w/ mini-conferences w/ the teacher 

 

Wed, Sept 22

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing in writing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT:

• Pre-writing and drafting on setting essay (previous lesson)

TODAY'S FOCUS: evidence vs. commentary, words to introduce commentary

 

5 minute warmup

 

A paragraph will be displayed and a discussion will be had about where the author of the paragraph used evidence to support their argument vs. commentary.

 

EVIDENCE = summary, paraphrase, direct quote = unarguable, objectively observable facts (RDF)

COMMENTARY = explanation, elaboration, elucidation, interpretation, extension (the E's)

 

WORDS THAT INTRODUCE COMMENTARY:

suggests  illustrates  represents  shows  illuminates  reveals  emphasizes  appears  highlights   seems  symbolizes

 

EXAMPLES:

• "The narrator of Ripe Figs tells us that Babette "danced" out to the fig trees every day." = EVIDENCE because it's simply what happens in the story - it's a fact.
• "Babette's daily actions show us that she is an impatient girl without the patience of a more mature young lady." = COMMENTARY because the student now begins to interpret for the reader how we should see Babette as a result of her dancing out to the trees.
• "We would expect a more mature young girl to calmly walk out to the trees as opposed to dash out; it is as if Babette feels if she goes slowly out to the trees she the ripe figs will pass her by." = COMMENTARY because the student author builds on their interpretation that B is immature at that point in the story. Here, the student author tries to prove the point by comparing B's action to that of a more mature person.

 

Tue, Sept 21

 

HOMEWORK:

• Continue planning and pre-writing for the new essay assignment (detailed in this lesson)

 

They may have noticed that the SETTING of the stories they have read is key to the overall meaning of the story itself. Case in point is the Hemingway they've just been discussing. To conclude their brief first unit, they will write a response to this prompt:

SELECT A STORY WE HAVE READ, AND IN NO MORE THAN THREE TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED PAGES, EXPLAIN HOW THE AUTHOR'S CHOICES IN SETTING SERVE TO HELP THE READER UNLOCK MEANING BEHIND CHARACTERS AND THEME.

Today and tomorrow = developing this essay. Today = pre-writing and making choices. First draft due date for thesis and body paragraphs = Friday

Please tell students I will be curious to see an outline or "plan" for the essay they will write so as to show they carefully constructed an organized response with appropriate backing evidence.