jane schaffer writing program writing an effective response to literature essay

Jane Schaffer Writing Program

Writing an Effective Response to

Literature Essay

Writing Process Steps

1. Pre-Writing

2. Shaping the EssayA. Intro paragraphs

B. Body paragraphs

C. Conclusion paragraphs

3. First Draft

4. Peer Response

5. Revision

6. Final Draft

Writing Process Steps

1. Pre-Write

Pre-writing – the process of getting Concrete Details (facts)on paper

before organizing paragraphs.

Brainstorming: Listing, Graphic Organizers, Etc.

Outlining: Creating ORDER; Organizing logically…

Brainstorm ExampleShould kids be

allowed to leave campus

for lunch?

Yes-freedom

-responsibility-privilege

-stimulate local economy

No-not enough time

-unnecessary-not everyone has

cars-dangerous

The Jane Schaffer Way…

Shaping Your Essay in color…

Get Ready to Color Your World!

• Materials: When we write, we will use blue, red, and green pens.

–GREEN is for Commentary Sentences (CM).

–RED is for Concrete Details (CD).

–BLUE is for Topic Sentences (TS) and Concluding Sentences (CS).

Shaping the Essay- terms to know

One-Chunk Body Paragraph• Sent. #1 -Topic Sentence – TS• Sent. #2 – CD –starts with “For example”• Sent. #3 – CM - (This shows that…)• Sent. #4 – CM – (It also indicates…; This is

because…; This is important because…)• Sent, #5 – Concluding Sentence – CS – Sums it

up and ties back to the thesis (As a result,…)

Shaping the Essay- Paragraph

A Topic Sentence• TS = first sentence of the paragraph.• It shows the main idea.•Usually a mildly controversial statement.• something that you have to prove. •Also called an assertion•It can be as brief as 3 words!

TS Example

In the fairy tale “Cinderella,” the main character feels mistreated.


• Concrete Detail (CD) – This is the evidence from the literature – The WHAT for your commentary!– Plot References• facts, examples from story (what happened), support

– Include citations (with page numbers)

CDs can’t be argued with—a CD is evidence that supports your point!

CD Example

• For example, Cinderella must do all of the cooking and cleaning for her family.


• Commentary – (CM) – This is the stuff from inside your head!– This is the answer to “so what?”– Your words and explanations.– May be referred to as:

analysis; interpreting; inference; insight; reasons; commentary, elaboration

Example Commentary Sentences (2 CMs)

• These chores keep her isolated and friendless. The stepmother is thus able to give Cinderella even more work, which prevents her from going to the ball.


CONCLUDING SENTENCEA CS wraps up the paragraph. It rephrases the main idea.

Example Concluding Sentence (CS)

Therefore, Cinderella feels abused by the very people who are supposed to love her.

TS, CD, CM, CS—Now What?

• CHUNKING

• In English, we will mostly use a combination (or “ratio”) of 1:2. • That is, for every 1 CD, you will have 2 CMs.

• A combination of CDs and CMs is called a “chunk.”

One Chunk: 1 CD + 2 CMFor example, Cinderella must do all of the cooking and cleaning for her family (CD). These chores keep her isolated and friendless(CM). The stepmother is thus able to give Cinderella even more work, which prevents her from going to the ball(CM). Ratio = 1:2

Let’s Review…

One-Chunk Body Paragraph• Sent. #1 -Topic Sentence – TS• Sent. #2 – CD –starts with “For example”• Sent. #3 – CM - (This shows that…)• Sent. #4 – CM – (It also indicates…OR …This is

because…OR… This is important because…)• Sent. #5 – Concluding Sentence – CS – Sums it

up and ties back to the thesis (As a result,…)

Your Turn…

• Turn your paper over• Underline each sentence in

Example #1 with it’s corresponding color…

A Whole Paragraph

In the fairy tale “Cinderella,” the main character feels mistreated. For example, Cinderella must do all of the cooking and cleaning for her family. These chores keep her isolated and friendless. The stepmother is thus able to give Cinderella even more work, which prevents her from going to the ball. Therefore, Cinderella feels abused by the very people who are supposed to love her.

TS

CD

CM X2

CS

A Visual

Concrete Details (CD) are the meat of the hamburger.

A Topic Sentence (TS) is the top bun of a hamburger.

Commentary Sentences (CM) are the “extras” on the hamburger—the tomato, cheese, lettuce, mayo—they make it delicious!

A concluding sentence (CS) is the bottom bun of the hamburger.

Shaping the Essay- Your Turn

• Turn your paper over and read the 1 chunk paragraph on The Three Little Pigs– Example # 2

• Using your colors, underline/highlight each element of the paragraph

• Identify (write)each element of the chunk paragraph like we did with Cinderella

The Three Little Pigs

In the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs,” the third pig is very wise. For example, remembering his mother’s warning about a wolf, he builds his house out of sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down the brick house. This shows that the third pig is smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by the wolf. In conclusion, the third pig outsmarts not only his brothers but the “big, bad” wolf as well.

Blowing Chunks

Chunk Quiz

1. Using your colors, underline/highlight each element of the paragraph

2. Identify each element of the paragraph like we did with Cinderella and Three Little Pigs

Shaping the Essay-QUIZ

• In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry is a champion to many of the more insecure students at Hogwarts. For example, when Malfoy takes Neville’s Rememberall, Harry gets on a broom and gets it back. He simply cannot stand someone who picks on others. Because of this, Harry becomes a hero to those less fortunate. In other words, he has found a place where he belongs, and he becomes determined to protect the vulnerable people he has grown fond of.

Shaping the Essay-QUIZ

• In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry is a champion to many of the more insecure students at Hogwarts(TS). For example, when Malfoy takes Neville’s Rememberall, Harry gets on a broom and gets it back(CD). He simply cannot stand someone who picks on others(CM). Because of this, Harry becomes a hero to those less fortunate(CM). In other words, he has found a place where he belongs, and he becomes determined to protect the vulnerable people he has grown fond of(CS).


• More complex points need more support.

• Topic Sentence still at the beginning and a Concluding Sentence still at the end.

• Includes two chunks with a transition between them that connect the chunks.TS + (cd, cm, cm) + Transition+ (cd, cm, cm) +

CS


• Now read the paragraph on Las Vegas

• Using your colors, underline/highlight each element of the paragraph

• Identify each element of the paragraph like we did with Cinderella and 3 Pigs

Las Vegas• Las Vegas is the most surreal city anywhere in the world. For instance,

the center of the city is full of different kinds of buildings including a two-thirds scale Eiffel Tower, a giant black glass pyramid, a scaled-down replica of the New York skyline, and a faux Medieval castle. The whole place reminds me of a big amusement park like Disneyland with its different “lands.”It’s as if each building was constructed in isolation without any consideration of the other buildings. In addition, this center is surrounded by a sprawl of suburbs housing close to two million people and stretching out into the desert. I always wonder what made so many people want to live in such an inhospitable place. All those people and houses almost seem as if they traveled across the wasteland and gathered to pay homage to the weird buildings in the center. Las Vegas is such a strange city, it is hard to believe it actually exists unless you actually go there and experience it for yourself.

Las Vegas(T)Las Vegas is the most surreal city anywhere in the world.

(CD)For instance, the center of the city is full of different kinds of buildings including a two-thirds scale Eiffel Tower, a giant black glass pyramid, a scaled-down replica of the New York skyline, and a faux Medieval castle. (CM)The whole place reminds me of a big amusement park like Disneyland with its different “lands.”(CM)It’s as if each building was constructed in isolation without any consideration of the other buildings. (CD)In addition, this center is surrounded by a sprawl of suburbs housing close to two million people and stretching out into the desert. (CM)I always wonder what made so many people want to live in such an inhospitable place.(CM)All those people and houses almost seem as if they traveled across the wasteland and gathered to pay homage to the weird buildings in the center.(CS)Las Vegas is such a strange city, it is hard to believe it actually exists unless you actually go there and experience it for yourself.

Three layers

• Topic sentence• CD = Support (hamburger patty)

– CM = Expansion (lettuce)– CM = Expansion (tomato)

• CD = Support (hamburger patty)– CM = Expansion (cheese)– CM = Expansion (pickles)

• CD = Support (hamburger patty)– CM = Expansion (special sauce)– CM = Expansion (catsup)

For an eleven-sentence paragraph, you have three chunks:

Concluding sentence

Transitions

• A good paragraph will also use transition words. These are words or phrases that help readers connect ideas.

• Example transitions:

For example,

For instance,

Consequently,

Thus,

As a result,

Because of this,

In summary,

Hence,

Therefore,

Blowing Chunks Quiz # 2Jane Schaffer Paragraph Quiz #2 • Directions: color code and label each of these sentences according to

the Jane Schaffer paragraph format.

• In the poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the main character feels self-conscious in a world that seems to move too fast for him. At the beginning of the poem, Prufrock invites the reader to follow along with him, but twice during his introduction of his topic, he is interrupted by women who “come and go/ Talking of Michaelangelo” (658-9). These anonymous women interrupt Prufrock, distracting him from his point, even though what they are discussing has no relationship to what he is attempting to say. They pass him by, while he attempts to reorganize his thoughts by changing the subject, and thus continually playing catch-up to the world around him. Prufrock’s inability to fully communicate his ideas makes him feel isolated and ineffective in a world that seems disconnected from him.

Blowing Chunks Quiz # 2• In the poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the main

character feels self-conscious in a world that seems to move too fast for him. At the beginning of the poem, Prufrock invites the reader to follow along with him, but twice during his introduction of his topic, he is interrupted by women who “come and go/ Talking of Michaelangelo” (658-9). These anonymous women interrupt Prufrock, distracting him from his point, even though what they are discussing has no relationship to what he is attempting to say. They pass him by, while he attempts to reorganize his thoughts by changing the subject, and thus continually playing catch-up to the world around him. Prufrock’s inability to fully communicate his ideas makes him feel isolated and ineffective in a world that seems disconnected from him.

Blowing Chunks Quiz # 3

Directions:• Using your colors, underline/highlight each

element of the Schaffer paragraph

• Identify each element of the paragraph like we did with Cinderella, old 3 Pigs and Vegas

Blowing Chunks Quiz # 3New Piggy

• In the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs,” the third pig has the traits that help him succeed. For example, he is wise and builds his house out of sturdy brick. The wolf is unable to blow down the brick house. This shows that the third pig is smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by the wolf. Additionally, he is a hard worker. Although it is much easier to build a house out of straw, he chooses the material that will hold up. Even though laying bricks is time-consuming, he knows it is the better choice. This oldest pig also learns his lessons. He remembers his mother taught him that predators seek out little pigs. Knowing a wolf-attack is likely, he plans out his home construction to prevent tragedy. In conclusion, the third pig’s nature enables him to outsmart not only his brothers, but the “big, bad” wolf as well.

Blowing Chunks Quiz # 3New Piggy

• (TS) In the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs,” the third pig has the traits that help him succeed. For example, he is wise and builds his house out of sturdy brick(CD). The wolf is unable to blow down the brick house(CM). This shows that the third pig is smarter than his brothers, who were both eaten by the wolf(CM). Additionally, he is a hard worker(CD). Although it is much easier to build a house out of straw, he chooses the material that will hold up(CM). Even though laying bricks is time-consuming, he knows it is the better choice(CM). This oldest pig also learns his lessons(CD). He remembers his mother taught him that predators seek out little pigs(CM). Knowing a wolf-attack is likely, he plans out his home construction to prevent tragedy(CM). In conclusion, the third pig’s nature enables him to outsmart not only his brothers, but the “big, bad” wolf as well(CS).

jane schaffer writing program writing an effective response to literature essay

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