(This is a quick post for now; I will edit with more detail later.)
Lesson:
We went over more detail about the structure and format for a standard five-paragraph essay. The students have several pages of notes for this.
Assignment:
Students are to write a five-paragraph expository essay. This can be an expansion of their earlier essays on friendship or on some other abstract concept. It can also be a more tangible topic of their choice. The format is the main thing in this lesson.
If this assignment is too great a stretch for some students, please contact me for an alternate assignment.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
7th - 8th Writing, April 24
(This is a quick post for now; I will edit with more detail later.)
Lesson:
This week, we covered how to prepare an outline for a research paper. I provided handouts with examples.
Assignment:
Students are to prepare an outline with thesis statement.
Lesson:
This week, we covered how to prepare an outline for a research paper. I provided handouts with examples.
Assignment:
Students are to prepare an outline with thesis statement.
9th-12th Writing, April 24
(This is a quick post for now; I will edit with more detail later.)
Lesson:
Class was small, with some students camping. In view of how few weeks were left, I went ahead with the lesson anyway. I have handouts available for those who missed.
I covered how to approach writing the rough draft, including how to cite sources within MLA format.
Assignment:
Students are to begin writing their rough drafts. We will have another week for this also.
Lesson:
Class was small, with some students camping. In view of how few weeks were left, I went ahead with the lesson anyway. I have handouts available for those who missed.
I covered how to approach writing the rough draft, including how to cite sources within MLA format.
Assignment:
Students are to begin writing their rough drafts. We will have another week for this also.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
4th - 6th Writing, April 17
Lesson:
This year seems to have gone quickly. I wish we had more time together, because I would like to teach so much more to this class. Still, these students have worked hard and progressed quite well. I am pleased with their overall development as writers so far.
In the first part of the class period, I took some time to address problems that many of the students have been having in several areas. We briefly reviewed sentence problems like comma splices, run-on sentences, and fragments. Then we discussed tricky pronoun issues like the need for pronouns to refer clearly to their preceding nouns and to agree in number and gender with their verbs.
The students had made what for most, if not all, was their first attempt at a compare/contrast essay. Reading aloud several students' papers, I was happy to see that they had understood and practiced the concept. We will return to this for another assignment after this.
Since the co-op year is almost over, I decided to introduce the five-paragraph essay for those students who are ready for it. Normally, I would save this only 000rfor fifth graders and up, but this class is strong and capable. With such a large range of age and experience in the class, I will not expect all of the younger students to grasp this type of essay. In fact, I do not expect any of the students to master it fully in the time we have left; however, I do want to lay this foundation for their future academic writing.
Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay
Just as a sentence is a group of words that go together to state a complete idea, and a paragraph is a group of sentences that go together to discuss one main topic, so an essay is a group of paragraphs that go together to discuss one subject.
I drew a flow chart on the board (which I do not know how to reproduce on here) and briefly described the format of a five-paragraph essay. It is actually a simple structure that only requires three main ideas. Essentially, a five-paragraph essay unpacks a topic in three points, one point per paragraph, with an introductory paragraph at the beginning for set-up and a concluding paragraph at the end for wrap-up.
The most important sentence in an essay like this is the thesis statement, which serves as the topic sentence of the entire essay. The thesis statement should be the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. It will consist of a statement with three points about the subject.
Examples of thesis statements for five-paragraph essays:
Three desirable aspects of a good friendship are compatibility, kindness, and loyalty.
Some parents choose homeschooling as a way to provide their children with close family relationships, solid academics, and strong moral values.
Football, basketball, and baseball are the most popular team sports in the United States.
Christians can grow in grace through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship.
Since the thesis statement provides the framework for the essay, many writers find it helpful to compose the thesis first.
The Introductory Paragraph:
The purpose of the introductory paragraph is to capture the reader's interest and to provide whatever background information is needed or helpful for the thesis. A good essay will open with a strong 'hook', then set the stage with perhaps a definition, a narrative, an example, a brief history, a quotation, etc. It is helpful to think of an introductory paragraph as a funnel which will begin with broad information, then gradually narrow down to focus on the thesis statement at the end.
Though it occurs first in the essay, the rest of the introductory paragraph (except for the thesis statement) is sometimes written last.
Three Body Paragraphs
Once the thesis with those three main points are set in order, they then provide the topics for the three main paragraphs that comprise the body of the essay. Each of the three stated points is discussed in detail in its own paragraph, in the same order as listed in the thesis statement.
As with all paragraphs, each of these three body paragraphs will need a topic sentence, some detail sentences, and a concluding sentence. The detail sentences will inform, explain, give examples, etc., to develop the topic. The concluding sentences will often repeat or reflect the topic sentence in different words.
In addition, each body paragraph topic sentence will need a transition expression to keep the subject flowing smoothly from point to point. With the thesis statement written, it becomes fairly easy to write the topic sentences for the three body paragraphs.
Some examples of body paragraph topic sentences with transitions:
While kindness between friends is important, loyalty is the crucial ingredient that holds friends together through times good and bad.
Along with Bible study, Christians grow in their faith through prayer.
The Concluding Paragraph:
The thesis statement, which is placed last in the first (intro) paragraph, is flipped around, restated in different words, and placed first in the last (concluding) paragraph.
After the thesis statement recap, each body paragraph is recapped in turn in a sentence or two. Then the last paragraph wraps up gracefully with a general summary, overall statement, opinion, prediction, or quotation.
NOTE: I need to get this published as I head out the door to help with the third day of achievement testing. I will come back later to finish these posts.
This year seems to have gone quickly. I wish we had more time together, because I would like to teach so much more to this class. Still, these students have worked hard and progressed quite well. I am pleased with their overall development as writers so far.
In the first part of the class period, I took some time to address problems that many of the students have been having in several areas. We briefly reviewed sentence problems like comma splices, run-on sentences, and fragments. Then we discussed tricky pronoun issues like the need for pronouns to refer clearly to their preceding nouns and to agree in number and gender with their verbs.
The students had made what for most, if not all, was their first attempt at a compare/contrast essay. Reading aloud several students' papers, I was happy to see that they had understood and practiced the concept. We will return to this for another assignment after this.
Since the co-op year is almost over, I decided to introduce the five-paragraph essay for those students who are ready for it. Normally, I would save this only 000rfor fifth graders and up, but this class is strong and capable. With such a large range of age and experience in the class, I will not expect all of the younger students to grasp this type of essay. In fact, I do not expect any of the students to master it fully in the time we have left; however, I do want to lay this foundation for their future academic writing.
Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay
Just as a sentence is a group of words that go together to state a complete idea, and a paragraph is a group of sentences that go together to discuss one main topic, so an essay is a group of paragraphs that go together to discuss one subject.
I drew a flow chart on the board (which I do not know how to reproduce on here) and briefly described the format of a five-paragraph essay. It is actually a simple structure that only requires three main ideas. Essentially, a five-paragraph essay unpacks a topic in three points, one point per paragraph, with an introductory paragraph at the beginning for set-up and a concluding paragraph at the end for wrap-up.
The most important sentence in an essay like this is the thesis statement, which serves as the topic sentence of the entire essay. The thesis statement should be the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. It will consist of a statement with three points about the subject.
Examples of thesis statements for five-paragraph essays:
Three desirable aspects of a good friendship are compatibility, kindness, and loyalty.
Some parents choose homeschooling as a way to provide their children with close family relationships, solid academics, and strong moral values.
Football, basketball, and baseball are the most popular team sports in the United States.
Christians can grow in grace through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship.
Since the thesis statement provides the framework for the essay, many writers find it helpful to compose the thesis first.
The Introductory Paragraph:
The purpose of the introductory paragraph is to capture the reader's interest and to provide whatever background information is needed or helpful for the thesis. A good essay will open with a strong 'hook', then set the stage with perhaps a definition, a narrative, an example, a brief history, a quotation, etc. It is helpful to think of an introductory paragraph as a funnel which will begin with broad information, then gradually narrow down to focus on the thesis statement at the end.
Though it occurs first in the essay, the rest of the introductory paragraph (except for the thesis statement) is sometimes written last.
Three Body Paragraphs
Once the thesis with those three main points are set in order, they then provide the topics for the three main paragraphs that comprise the body of the essay. Each of the three stated points is discussed in detail in its own paragraph, in the same order as listed in the thesis statement.
As with all paragraphs, each of these three body paragraphs will need a topic sentence, some detail sentences, and a concluding sentence. The detail sentences will inform, explain, give examples, etc., to develop the topic. The concluding sentences will often repeat or reflect the topic sentence in different words.
In addition, each body paragraph topic sentence will need a transition expression to keep the subject flowing smoothly from point to point. With the thesis statement written, it becomes fairly easy to write the topic sentences for the three body paragraphs.
Some examples of body paragraph topic sentences with transitions:
While kindness between friends is important, loyalty is the crucial ingredient that holds friends together through times good and bad.
Along with Bible study, Christians grow in their faith through prayer.
The Concluding Paragraph:
The thesis statement, which is placed last in the first (intro) paragraph, is flipped around, restated in different words, and placed first in the last (concluding) paragraph.
After the thesis statement recap, each body paragraph is recapped in turn in a sentence or two. Then the last paragraph wraps up gracefully with a general summary, overall statement, opinion, prediction, or quotation.
NOTE: I need to get this published as I head out the door to help with the third day of achievement testing. I will come back later to finish these posts.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
4th -6th Writing Class, April 3
Lesson:
We read some of the students' definition essays about friendship. The class seemed to have a grasp of the assignment, and most successfully incorporated the sentence variety we have been practicing.
We spent the remainder of the class period teaching the concept and format for a simple block-style compare/contrast paragraph. Later we will learn to expand these to a five-paragraph essay.
To compare is to find how things are alike.
To contrast is to find how things are different.
For a simple contrast paper, students are to choose two things which seem similar, then explore the features that distinguish them as different. Examples might include:
cats and dogs (both small mammals commonly kept as household pets)
McDonald's and Wendy's (both fast food burger joints)
Target and WalMart (both large discount chain stores)
football and soccer (both team sports moving a ball down field to score)
FDR and Churchill (both allied leaders during WWII)
Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia (both beloved classic fantasy with Christian underpinnings)
and many, many more.
Whenever the subjects being compared or contrasted are mentioned together, they must remain in their original order. So, if cats are mentioned before dogs in the beginning, cats will always be mentioned first in any sentence where dogs are also mentioned. Therefore, choose the starting order strategically.
Begin by providing background and acknowledging similarities in at least the topic sentence; continue in a few following sentences if that helps explain things or add interest.
For example, one might say "Cats and dogs are perennially the most common and popular household pets. Fully half of all American families own at least one of these pets; 31% of households have cats, 39% have dogs, and some have both. While cats and dogs have many similarities, they are different in some important ways."
The next sentence should delineate whatever categories of differences the author chooses to highlight. (In a longer essay, this sentence would be at the end if the first paragraph, and would become the thesis statement.) For example, one might write, "Among other features, cats and dogs differ in ease of training, usefulness, and sociability."
The next section, the main body of the paragraph, will then contrast cats and dogs on those three points in that order. In our example, that would be:
(1) ease of training
(2) usefulness
(3) sociability
Usually, it works best to place whatever one considers to be the strongest point at the end.
Writers employ two different patterns for writing compare/contrast essays. One pattern involves a point-by-point, line-by-line examination, while the other considers all the points about one subject before switching to discuss all the points of other subject.
The line-by-line approach can be clear and effective, but it can also read like a ping-pong match of back-and-forth statements, if not done well.
Line-by-line example:
(1) Cats do not generally exhibit cooperation or obedience, but dogs can be trained to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining, and even valuable tasks. (2) Although some cats might deign to catch mice from time to time, many dogs serve valuable, even life-saving functions, such as: guarding homes and businesses; herding animals on farms and ranches; serving as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals; aiding law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations; and more. (3) Looking at the wild cousins of cats and dogs, one sees the biggest difference of all: cats are territorial while dogs are pack animals. Generally, cats are often aloof and independent, while dogs want to belong to a group. Thus, cats are carry themselves as rulers of their domain, while dogs are known as man's best friend.
Block style is the other major way of writing compare/contrast papers, and the one we will use for this assignment. Though we will still consider the same points about the same subjects in the same order, block style 'batches' these together in a few sentences devoted to each, so it has less of the ping-pong effect.
Block-style example:
(1)Even among cat fanciers, these regal felines are notorious for their lack of cooperation and obedience. Though cats may be beautiful and graceful, they simply do not do what they are told when they are told. (2)Certainly, these lovely creatures may occasionally catch mice if and when it suits them, but they seldom take pains to serve or please their human housemates otherwise. (3) Considering the natural behavior of big cats in the wild, this makes sense. Cats are territorial and independent. Placed in a household with humans, they coexist peacefully, even pleasantly, without yielding their innate sovereignty. On the other hand, (1)dogs have been trained quite easily for centuries to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining and even valuable tasks. (2) Working only for the occasional treat or pat on the head, perhaps even just for the sheer joy of doing what they were bred to do, dogs serve important, even life-saving, functions every day. Eagerly, canine companions guard homes and businesses, herd animals on farms and ranches, aid law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations, serve as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals,and more. (3) Because they are pack animals, dogs want to belong, to please, to know their place. Under the right leadership, dogs can do amazing things and display undying devotion and loyalty. Dogs are man's best friend.
Note that we use a clear transition expression (e.g., On the other hand,) to indicate when we switch from the first subject to the second.
Finally, we will wrap up the paragraph gracefully with at least a final concluding sentence, or clincher, that reflects the topic sentence in slightly different words, while bringing everything together again.
For example, if remaining impartial, we might say, "Cats and dogs are both popular pets whose differences make them beloved by different people."
If expressing a preference, we might rework the 'dog' block to end with "Though cats and dogs are both popular pets, only dogs are man's best friend."
So, putting it all together:
Cats and dogs are perennially the most common and popular household pets. Fully half of all American families own at least one of these pets; 31% of households have cats, 39% have dogs, and some have both. While cats and dogs have many similarities, they are different in some important ways. Even among cat fanciers, these regal felines are notorious for their lack of cooperation and obedience. Though cats may be beautiful and graceful, they simply do not do what they are told when they are told. Certainly, these lovely creatures may occasionally catch mice if and when it suits them, but they seldom take pains to serve or please their human housemates otherwise. Considering the natural behavior of big cats in the wild, this makes sense. Cats are territorial and independent. Placed in a household with humans, they coexist peacefully, even pleasantly, without yielding their innate sovereignty. On the other hand, dogs have been trained quite easily for centuries to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining and even valuable tasks. Working only for the occasional treat or pat on the head, perhaps even just for the sheer joy of doing what they were bred to do, dogs serve important, even life-saving, functions every day. Eagerly, canine companions guard homes and businesses, herd animals on farms and ranches, aid law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations, serve as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals,and more. Because they are pack animals, dogs want to belong, to please, to know their place. Under the right leadership, dogs can do amazing things and display undying devotion and loyalty. Though cats and dogs are both popular pets, only dogs are man's best friend.
Assignments:
Each student will write a block-style contrast paragraph on any suitable subjects of choice. Students may choose cats and dogs, as long as the thoughts and words are their own.
Students may treat the subjects in an impartial way, or may clearly state a preference.
Everything else we have learned applies. Besides vivid word choice and strong active verbs, this means students will need to work in ALL of the sentence variety we have been practicing.
This assignment is due April 17. Class will NOT meet this week, April 10.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
We read some of the students' definition essays about friendship. The class seemed to have a grasp of the assignment, and most successfully incorporated the sentence variety we have been practicing.
We spent the remainder of the class period teaching the concept and format for a simple block-style compare/contrast paragraph. Later we will learn to expand these to a five-paragraph essay.
To compare is to find how things are alike.
To contrast is to find how things are different.
For a simple contrast paper, students are to choose two things which seem similar, then explore the features that distinguish them as different. Examples might include:
cats and dogs (both small mammals commonly kept as household pets)
McDonald's and Wendy's (both fast food burger joints)
Target and WalMart (both large discount chain stores)
football and soccer (both team sports moving a ball down field to score)
FDR and Churchill (both allied leaders during WWII)
Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia (both beloved classic fantasy with Christian underpinnings)
and many, many more.
Whenever the subjects being compared or contrasted are mentioned together, they must remain in their original order. So, if cats are mentioned before dogs in the beginning, cats will always be mentioned first in any sentence where dogs are also mentioned. Therefore, choose the starting order strategically.
Begin by providing background and acknowledging similarities in at least the topic sentence; continue in a few following sentences if that helps explain things or add interest.
For example, one might say "Cats and dogs are perennially the most common and popular household pets. Fully half of all American families own at least one of these pets; 31% of households have cats, 39% have dogs, and some have both. While cats and dogs have many similarities, they are different in some important ways."
The next sentence should delineate whatever categories of differences the author chooses to highlight. (In a longer essay, this sentence would be at the end if the first paragraph, and would become the thesis statement.) For example, one might write, "Among other features, cats and dogs differ in ease of training, usefulness, and sociability."
The next section, the main body of the paragraph, will then contrast cats and dogs on those three points in that order. In our example, that would be:
(1) ease of training
(2) usefulness
(3) sociability
Usually, it works best to place whatever one considers to be the strongest point at the end.
Writers employ two different patterns for writing compare/contrast essays. One pattern involves a point-by-point, line-by-line examination, while the other considers all the points about one subject before switching to discuss all the points of other subject.
The line-by-line approach can be clear and effective, but it can also read like a ping-pong match of back-and-forth statements, if not done well.
Line-by-line example:
(1) Cats do not generally exhibit cooperation or obedience, but dogs can be trained to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining, and even valuable tasks. (2) Although some cats might deign to catch mice from time to time, many dogs serve valuable, even life-saving functions, such as: guarding homes and businesses; herding animals on farms and ranches; serving as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals; aiding law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations; and more. (3) Looking at the wild cousins of cats and dogs, one sees the biggest difference of all: cats are territorial while dogs are pack animals. Generally, cats are often aloof and independent, while dogs want to belong to a group. Thus, cats are carry themselves as rulers of their domain, while dogs are known as man's best friend.
Block style is the other major way of writing compare/contrast papers, and the one we will use for this assignment. Though we will still consider the same points about the same subjects in the same order, block style 'batches' these together in a few sentences devoted to each, so it has less of the ping-pong effect.
Block-style example:
(1)Even among cat fanciers, these regal felines are notorious for their lack of cooperation and obedience. Though cats may be beautiful and graceful, they simply do not do what they are told when they are told. (2)Certainly, these lovely creatures may occasionally catch mice if and when it suits them, but they seldom take pains to serve or please their human housemates otherwise. (3) Considering the natural behavior of big cats in the wild, this makes sense. Cats are territorial and independent. Placed in a household with humans, they coexist peacefully, even pleasantly, without yielding their innate sovereignty. On the other hand, (1)dogs have been trained quite easily for centuries to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining and even valuable tasks. (2) Working only for the occasional treat or pat on the head, perhaps even just for the sheer joy of doing what they were bred to do, dogs serve important, even life-saving, functions every day. Eagerly, canine companions guard homes and businesses, herd animals on farms and ranches, aid law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations, serve as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals,and more. (3) Because they are pack animals, dogs want to belong, to please, to know their place. Under the right leadership, dogs can do amazing things and display undying devotion and loyalty. Dogs are man's best friend.
Note that we use a clear transition expression (e.g., On the other hand,) to indicate when we switch from the first subject to the second.
Finally, we will wrap up the paragraph gracefully with at least a final concluding sentence, or clincher, that reflects the topic sentence in slightly different words, while bringing everything together again.
For example, if remaining impartial, we might say, "Cats and dogs are both popular pets whose differences make them beloved by different people."
If expressing a preference, we might rework the 'dog' block to end with "Though cats and dogs are both popular pets, only dogs are man's best friend."
So, putting it all together:
Cats and dogs are perennially the most common and popular household pets. Fully half of all American families own at least one of these pets; 31% of households have cats, 39% have dogs, and some have both. While cats and dogs have many similarities, they are different in some important ways. Even among cat fanciers, these regal felines are notorious for their lack of cooperation and obedience. Though cats may be beautiful and graceful, they simply do not do what they are told when they are told. Certainly, these lovely creatures may occasionally catch mice if and when it suits them, but they seldom take pains to serve or please their human housemates otherwise. Considering the natural behavior of big cats in the wild, this makes sense. Cats are territorial and independent. Placed in a household with humans, they coexist peacefully, even pleasantly, without yielding their innate sovereignty. On the other hand, dogs have been trained quite easily for centuries to perform any number of elaborate, entertaining and even valuable tasks. Working only for the occasional treat or pat on the head, perhaps even just for the sheer joy of doing what they were bred to do, dogs serve important, even life-saving, functions every day. Eagerly, canine companions guard homes and businesses, herd animals on farms and ranches, aid law enforcement with search-and-rescue operations, serve as eyes, ears, and able bodies for physically-challenged individuals,and more. Because they are pack animals, dogs want to belong, to please, to know their place. Under the right leadership, dogs can do amazing things and display undying devotion and loyalty. Though cats and dogs are both popular pets, only dogs are man's best friend.
Assignments:
Each student will write a block-style contrast paragraph on any suitable subjects of choice. Students may choose cats and dogs, as long as the thoughts and words are their own.
Students may treat the subjects in an impartial way, or may clearly state a preference.
Everything else we have learned applies. Besides vivid word choice and strong active verbs, this means students will need to work in ALL of the sentence variety we have been practicing.
This assignment is due April 17. Class will NOT meet this week, April 10.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
7th - 8th Writing, April 3
We spent most of the class period discussing the poems the students had been assigned. We looked at the meaning of each poem, as well as some background information on the poets themselves, and then the various poetic devices employed.
Assignment:
Student are to write a poetry explication of any of the poems distributed so far. Explication means explanation; poetry explication is essentially literary analysis for poetry.
We will learn two formats for poetry explication. Both are correct, so choose whichever format better suits your chosen poem.
Standard five-paragraph essay format
Intro paragraph, ending in thesis statement (Intro is a good place to discuss form of poem, number of stanzas, narrative elements, poet info, etc.)
1st body paragraph: Sound Devices (meter, rhyme scheme, assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia, etc.)
2nd body paragraph: Figures of Speech (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, etc.)
3rd body paragraph: Imagery/Themes (tone, mood, meaning, etc.)
Concluding paragraph: (Restate thesis, summarize points, opinion/comment on poem)
Stanza-by-stanza, line-by-line poetry explication
Intro paragraph, ending in thesis statement (as above, plus include meter and rhyme scheme. This format does not require standard thesis of statement plus three-part comment; a statement alone is sufficient.)
1st body paragraph: 1st stanza, explained line by line
2nd body paragraph: 2nd stanza, explained line by line
3rd body paragraph: 3rd stanza, explained line by line
and so on, as many body paragraphs as stanzas
Concluding paragraph: as above
Stanzas in poetry are similar to paragraphs in prose. In many poems, stanza breaks are easy to see by the way the poems are laid out visually. In other poems, stanzas may be identified by ideas or rhyme scheme. Stanzas are named by how many lines they contain:
2 lines: couplet
3 lines: tercet
4 lines: quatrain
6 lines: sestet
8 lines: octave
Shakespearean (or English) sonnets, which always have four stanzas of three quatrains and a couplet, work well with the second type. In that case, the explication will have four body paragraphs plus an intro and conclusion.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
Assignment:
Student are to write a poetry explication of any of the poems distributed so far. Explication means explanation; poetry explication is essentially literary analysis for poetry.
We will learn two formats for poetry explication. Both are correct, so choose whichever format better suits your chosen poem.
Standard five-paragraph essay format
Intro paragraph, ending in thesis statement (Intro is a good place to discuss form of poem, number of stanzas, narrative elements, poet info, etc.)
1st body paragraph: Sound Devices (meter, rhyme scheme, assonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia, etc.)
2nd body paragraph: Figures of Speech (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, etc.)
3rd body paragraph: Imagery/Themes (tone, mood, meaning, etc.)
Concluding paragraph: (Restate thesis, summarize points, opinion/comment on poem)
Stanza-by-stanza, line-by-line poetry explication
Intro paragraph, ending in thesis statement (as above, plus include meter and rhyme scheme. This format does not require standard thesis of statement plus three-part comment; a statement alone is sufficient.)
1st body paragraph: 1st stanza, explained line by line
2nd body paragraph: 2nd stanza, explained line by line
3rd body paragraph: 3rd stanza, explained line by line
and so on, as many body paragraphs as stanzas
Concluding paragraph: as above
Stanzas in poetry are similar to paragraphs in prose. In many poems, stanza breaks are easy to see by the way the poems are laid out visually. In other poems, stanzas may be identified by ideas or rhyme scheme. Stanzas are named by how many lines they contain:
2 lines: couplet
3 lines: tercet
4 lines: quatrain
6 lines: sestet
8 lines: octave
Shakespearean (or English) sonnets, which always have four stanzas of three quatrains and a couplet, work well with the second type. In that case, the explication will have four body paragraphs plus an intro and conclusion.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
9th - 12th Writing, April 3
Lesson:
We are embarking on our final MLA research project for the year. This paper serves as the final exam for this course.
I distributed the first batch of handouts for the project, and we discussed the overall style of the paper (which is to contain an "argumentative edge"), the scoring system, and the week-by-week deadlines.
This class will need to write papers of at least 5-7 pages (not counting the title page, outline, and works cited page) though 8 - 11 pages would be preferred. We will be following the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. All rough drafts, note cards, and source cards must be turned in with the final report.
First, we spoke about the nature of research and its role in higher education, particularly in obtaining advanced degrees and furthering the accepted body of knowledge in the world. We discussed the difference between primary (first-hand accounts written at the time or shortly after an event) and secondary sources (second-hand, after the fact), and how to select appropriate and credible sources.
We discussed how to choose a suitable topic of sufficient interest with enough material available and not too broad in scope to be treated within this length. Examples of topic categories include:
- an author, artist, musician, or filmmaker and his or her impact
- a historical figure or event and his/her/its significance
- a scientific discovery/invention and its importance
- a controversial topic about which the student has not yet written
Most of the students had a rough idea for their topic before class ended.
Having chosen a general topic, students will need to make sure they have focused in on a narrow enough slice of that topic. Then, they will need to develop a hypothesis, which is a rough draft of the thesis they expect their research will support. It may be something quite simple, such as "Emily Dickinson is an innovative and brilliant American poet" or "Emily Dickinson is an emotionally imbalanced and overrated American poet." The hypothesis is to be written on its own 3 x 5 card, and will guide the students in choosing reference materials, and help to keep them on track while taking notes. Students may change their hypotheses if subsequent research leads them to changes their minds. Eventually, their hypothesis, revised or not, will become the thesis of their final paper.
Next, I explained how students are to go about their research, beginning with a survey of any materials at hand, but certainly including several hours at the library SOON. The best advice I can give in that regard is to gather few friends, a pile of index cards, a few pens, and a fat pocketful of change for the library copy machine; get thee to the library as soon as possible; and ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP! Those good people have training and degrees in how to find just what students need, so take advantage of that. (Give them a break --- go at off hours, be clear and patient, and say please and thank you.)
Finally, we discussed how to gather and format source cards and note cards. Cards are to be written on 3 x 5 index cards for ease of use, and written in pen so that they are still legible after weeks of shuffling and handling.
Sources: Students need to gather information from at least 5 good sources (though a few more wouldn't hurt).
Sources may be books, magazines, no more than one encyclopedia, no more than one textbook, and reliable internet sites, though not all sources may be online.
Each source is to be recorded on its own source card according to the examples given in class handouts. For internet sites where students may be uncertain which example to follow, bookmark those into a common heading for this project for now, and we will look at those more closely. (TIP: email those site links to yourself if you are on a library computer.)
Notes: Each single bit of information that a student might use must be written on its own note card and properly cited. Each idea or statement gets its own card.
When taking notes, students should write the author and page number of the source on the top right corner of each note card, while they have that information in front of them. That will make it simple to incorporate and cite their sources into the body of their paper as per the MLA format, as well as to prepare their Works Cited page. (See the examples on the class handouts.)
Another helpful tactic will be to write the specific sub-topic on the top left corner of each note card, as illustrated in the class handouts. This will be valuable when sorting and arranging notes for the outlining and actual composition of the paper. For example, if writing about a person, possible sub-topics might include childhood, education and training, marriage and family, etc.
Students will write three different types of note cards: quote, summary, and paraphrase. Students should label each note card accordingly (as a quote, summary, or paraphrase) at the center of the bottom line.
Quote cards: Quotes must be copied EXACTLY, with identical wording, spelling, and punctuation.
Quote when:
~ a particular phrase or sentence is so emotionally powerful or well-worded that you cannot improve upon it, or
~ the statement comes from a famous person whose name adds the weight of authority to your work.
No more than 1/4 to 1/3 of your note cards should be quotes.
Summary cards: A summary is simply the main idea of a statement put into your own words and your own sentence structure. Summaries are shorter than the originals, which is much of the point of summarizing. Often, a paragraph or several paragraphs can be condensed into a few sentences or less.
Summarize when:
~ you need to cite the basic information without all the detail included in a source
~ the original is not especially well-worded
Probably 1/2 of your note cards will be summary cards.
Paraphrase cards: To paraphrase is to rewrite the original statement completely, phrase by phrase, into your own words and structure. A paraphrase is not substantially shorter than the original.
Paraphrase when:
~ you want to cite all the information, including the specific detail, included in the original, yet
~ the words and style are not skillful, memorable, or emotionally powerful
Probably at most 1/4 of your note cards will be paraphrase cards.
Assignment:
By the next class on April 17, students are to have done their research and taken their notes. They are to bring to class on note cards, properly completed:
~ a hypothesis
~ at least 5 good source cards
~ at least 20 note cards, though double or triple that would not be at all too many
It is possible that the next step, writing an outline, might reveal gaps that would require more research, but let's try to avoid that by making the most of this extra week before our next class.
I am available for an extra research session next week at the Frisco library if that would be helpful, though I hope no one waits that long to start.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
We are embarking on our final MLA research project for the year. This paper serves as the final exam for this course.
I distributed the first batch of handouts for the project, and we discussed the overall style of the paper (which is to contain an "argumentative edge"), the scoring system, and the week-by-week deadlines.
This class will need to write papers of at least 5-7 pages (not counting the title page, outline, and works cited page) though 8 - 11 pages would be preferred. We will be following the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. All rough drafts, note cards, and source cards must be turned in with the final report.
First, we spoke about the nature of research and its role in higher education, particularly in obtaining advanced degrees and furthering the accepted body of knowledge in the world. We discussed the difference between primary (first-hand accounts written at the time or shortly after an event) and secondary sources (second-hand, after the fact), and how to select appropriate and credible sources.
We discussed how to choose a suitable topic of sufficient interest with enough material available and not too broad in scope to be treated within this length. Examples of topic categories include:
- an author, artist, musician, or filmmaker and his or her impact
- a historical figure or event and his/her/its significance
- a scientific discovery/invention and its importance
- a controversial topic about which the student has not yet written
Most of the students had a rough idea for their topic before class ended.
Having chosen a general topic, students will need to make sure they have focused in on a narrow enough slice of that topic. Then, they will need to develop a hypothesis, which is a rough draft of the thesis they expect their research will support. It may be something quite simple, such as "Emily Dickinson is an innovative and brilliant American poet" or "Emily Dickinson is an emotionally imbalanced and overrated American poet." The hypothesis is to be written on its own 3 x 5 card, and will guide the students in choosing reference materials, and help to keep them on track while taking notes. Students may change their hypotheses if subsequent research leads them to changes their minds. Eventually, their hypothesis, revised or not, will become the thesis of their final paper.
Next, I explained how students are to go about their research, beginning with a survey of any materials at hand, but certainly including several hours at the library SOON. The best advice I can give in that regard is to gather few friends, a pile of index cards, a few pens, and a fat pocketful of change for the library copy machine; get thee to the library as soon as possible; and ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP! Those good people have training and degrees in how to find just what students need, so take advantage of that. (Give them a break --- go at off hours, be clear and patient, and say please and thank you.)
Finally, we discussed how to gather and format source cards and note cards. Cards are to be written on 3 x 5 index cards for ease of use, and written in pen so that they are still legible after weeks of shuffling and handling.
Sources: Students need to gather information from at least 5 good sources (though a few more wouldn't hurt).
Sources may be books, magazines, no more than one encyclopedia, no more than one textbook, and reliable internet sites, though not all sources may be online.
Each source is to be recorded on its own source card according to the examples given in class handouts. For internet sites where students may be uncertain which example to follow, bookmark those into a common heading for this project for now, and we will look at those more closely. (TIP: email those site links to yourself if you are on a library computer.)
Notes: Each single bit of information that a student might use must be written on its own note card and properly cited. Each idea or statement gets its own card.
When taking notes, students should write the author and page number of the source on the top right corner of each note card, while they have that information in front of them. That will make it simple to incorporate and cite their sources into the body of their paper as per the MLA format, as well as to prepare their Works Cited page. (See the examples on the class handouts.)
Another helpful tactic will be to write the specific sub-topic on the top left corner of each note card, as illustrated in the class handouts. This will be valuable when sorting and arranging notes for the outlining and actual composition of the paper. For example, if writing about a person, possible sub-topics might include childhood, education and training, marriage and family, etc.
Students will write three different types of note cards: quote, summary, and paraphrase. Students should label each note card accordingly (as a quote, summary, or paraphrase) at the center of the bottom line.
Quote cards: Quotes must be copied EXACTLY, with identical wording, spelling, and punctuation.
Quote when:
~ a particular phrase or sentence is so emotionally powerful or well-worded that you cannot improve upon it, or
~ the statement comes from a famous person whose name adds the weight of authority to your work.
No more than 1/4 to 1/3 of your note cards should be quotes.
Summary cards: A summary is simply the main idea of a statement put into your own words and your own sentence structure. Summaries are shorter than the originals, which is much of the point of summarizing. Often, a paragraph or several paragraphs can be condensed into a few sentences or less.
Summarize when:
~ you need to cite the basic information without all the detail included in a source
~ the original is not especially well-worded
Probably 1/2 of your note cards will be summary cards.
Paraphrase cards: To paraphrase is to rewrite the original statement completely, phrase by phrase, into your own words and structure. A paraphrase is not substantially shorter than the original.
Paraphrase when:
~ you want to cite all the information, including the specific detail, included in the original, yet
~ the words and style are not skillful, memorable, or emotionally powerful
Probably at most 1/4 of your note cards will be paraphrase cards.
Assignment:
By the next class on April 17, students are to have done their research and taken their notes. They are to bring to class on note cards, properly completed:
~ a hypothesis
~ at least 5 good source cards
~ at least 20 note cards, though double or triple that would not be at all too many
It is possible that the next step, writing an outline, might reveal gaps that would require more research, but let's try to avoid that by making the most of this extra week before our next class.
I am available for an extra research session next week at the Frisco library if that would be helpful, though I hope no one waits that long to start.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
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