A TALE OF TWO CITIESIN-CLASS ANALYTICAL ESSAY

Self-Check Guidelines for Shaping Sheets

•I can select the best evidence to support my assertions and organize it effectively within my essay in order to provide my audience with a clear, logical progression of ideas. (TEKS 13B, 23A, 23B) •I can evaluate and revise my writing to improve style, word choice, figurative language, persuasive structure, and sentence variety and edit writing to correct errors in grammar, spelling, and mechanics. (TEKS 13C, 13D)

OBJECTIVES FOR TODAY

THESIS STATEMENT

CHECK YOUR THESIS! Does it establish both...

1. Dickens’s purpose for Book I, Chapter 5?2. How he achieves that purpose using

literary elements? Check for the following thesis errors.

1. Does it contain any “be” verbs? FIX THEM!2. Is it written in the active voice? If not,

change it!3. Does it make sense? Is it well-written?

Does it sound appropriately intelligent for an honors 9th grade English student?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Topic Sentence

CHECK YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE! Does it…

1. Establish what literary element you will analyze during that paragraph?

2. Explain how that literary element contributes to Dickens’s purpose?

Check for the following thesis errors.1. Does it contain any “be” verbs? FIX THEM!2. Is it written in the active voice? If not,

change it!3. Does it make sense? Is it well-written?

Does it sound appropriately intelligent for an honors 9th grade English student?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Concrete Detail #1

CHECK YOUR FIRST CONCRETE DETAIL! Is it an example of a literary element that you

are analyzing in your body paragraph? It SHOULD NOT be a plot point or something you are going to use for summary.

Have you ONLY used the necessary parts of the quote that reflect what you are going to analyze, or have you written an entire sentence or paragraph when you didn’t really need to?

Is it accompanied by appropriate internal documentation? (Dickens ___)

Do you know how you are going to blend it into a sentence, OR is it already blended into a sentence? Check the blending. Does it flow naturally as a

sentence should?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Commentary/Analysis for C.D. #1 ARE THERE AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES

OF SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY/ ANALYSIS? IF NOT, YOU JUST FAILED. FIX IT!!

Does your commentary/analysis explain the HOW and the WHY?1. HOW is this particular example an example

of the literary element that you say it is?2. HOW does this particular example work to

achieve Dickens’s purpose for Chapter 5? (In other words, WHY is it used?

Does your commentary/analysis give appropriate context to fully explain your concrete detail for your audience?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Concrete Detail #2

CHECK YOUR FIRST CONCRETE DETAIL! Is it an example of a literary element that you

are analyzing in your body paragraph? It SHOULD NOT be a plot point or something you are going to use for summary.

Have you ONLY used the necessary parts of the quote that reflect what you are going to analyze, or have you written an entire sentence or paragraph when you didn’t really need to?

Is it accompanied by appropriate internal documentation? (Dickens ___)

Do you know how you are going to blend it into a sentence, OR is it already blended into a sentence? Check the blending. Does it flow naturally as a

sentence should?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Commentary/Analysis for C.D. #2 ARE THERE AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES

OF SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY/ ANALYSIS? IF NOT, YOU JUST FAILED. FIX IT!!

Does your commentary/analysis explain the HOW and the WHY?1. HOW is this particular example an example

of the literary element that you say it is?2. HOW does this particular example work to

achieve Dickens’s purpose for Chapter 5? (In other words, WHY is it used?

Does your commentary/analysis give appropriate context to fully explain your concrete detail for your audience?

BODY PARAGRAPH #1: Concluding Sentence

THIS IS NOT ON YOUR SHAPING SHEET!

Ensure that your body paragraph includes an appropriate concluding sentence that ties your paragraph together and makes it into a neat package.

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Topic Sentence

CHECK YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE! Does it…

1. Establish what literary element you will analyze during that paragraph?

2. Explain how that literary element contributes to Dickens’s purpose?

Check for the following thesis errors.1. Does it contain any “be” verbs? FIX THEM!2. Is it written in the active voice? If not,

change it!3. Does it make sense? Is it well-written?

Does it sound appropriately intelligent for an honors 9th grade English student?

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Concrete Detail #1

CHECK YOUR FIRST CONCRETE DETAIL! Is it an example of a literary element that you

are analyzing in your body paragraph? It SHOULD NOT be a plot point or something you are going to use for summary.

Have you ONLY used the necessary parts of the quote that reflect what you are going to analyze, or have you written an entire sentence or paragraph when you didn’t really need to?

Is it accompanied by appropriate internal documentation? (Dickens ___)

Do you know how you are going to blend it into a sentence, OR is it already blended into a sentence? Check the blending. Does it flow naturally as a

sentence should?

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Commentary/Analysis for C.D. #1 ARE THERE AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES

OF SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY/ ANALYSIS? IF NOT, YOU JUST FAILED. FIX IT!!

Does your commentary/analysis explain the HOW and the WHY?1. HOW is this particular example an example

of the literary element that you say it is?2. HOW does this particular example work to

achieve Dickens’s purpose for Chapter 5? (In other words, WHY is it used?

Does your commentary/analysis give appropriate context to fully explain your concrete detail for your audience?

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Concrete Detail #2

CHECK YOUR FIRST CONCRETE DETAIL! Is it an example of a literary element that you

are analyzing in your body paragraph? It SHOULD NOT be a plot point or something you are going to use for summary.

Have you ONLY used the necessary parts of the quote that reflect what you are going to analyze, or have you written an entire sentence or paragraph when you didn’t really need to?

Is it accompanied by appropriate internal documentation? (Dickens ___)

Do you know how you are going to blend it into a sentence, OR is it already blended into a sentence? Check the blending. Does it flow naturally as a

sentence should?

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Commentary/Analysis for C.D. #2 ARE THERE AT LEAST TWO SENTENCES

OF SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY/ ANALYSIS? IF NOT, YOU JUST FAILED. FIX IT!!

Does your commentary/analysis explain the HOW and the WHY?1. HOW is this particular example an example

of the literary element that you say it is?2. HOW does this particular example work to

achieve Dickens’s purpose for Chapter 5? (In other words, WHY is it used?

Does your commentary/analysis give appropriate context to fully explain your concrete detail for your audience?

BODY PARAGRAPH #2: Concluding Sentence

THIS IS NOT ON YOUR SHAPING SHEET!

Ensure that your body paragraph includes an appropriate concluding sentence that ties your paragraph together and makes it into a neat package.

CONCLUDING SENTENCE FOR ESSAY

Ensure that your essay ends with a concluding sentence or two that reinforces that idea/argument set forth by your thesis and, like the concluding sentences in your body paragraphs, ties your essay together nicely into a neat package.

FINAL NOTES & REMINDERS

You will write the essay in class on BLOCK DAY, JANUARY 19 & 20.

You will have 45 MINUTES to write the entire essay – no more; no less!

There will be no re-write this time. What you write on the paper is what will be graded as your essay grade. What is on your shaping sheet will not be taken into account in grading the essay – ONLY what is written on the essay itself.

Be sure you come to class prepared with paper and a blue or black ink pen!