literary essays writing about theme.docx

This document is the property of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA).

Literary Essay Writing Unit Seventh Grade –

Unit Description (overview): After a period of literature analysis work, students develop a thesis statement based upon exploration of the themes developed within the analyzed text. In preparation for essay writing, students explore the thesis through written and oral responses to create supportable claims that can be presented. Students focus on the author’s intent by selecting multiple types of evidence throughout the text in order to support the claims presented in the thesis. An emphasis is placed on presenting explanation and clarification of evidence in a way that connects back to the thesis and focuses on theme. The students will study other essays in order to craft their own literary essay with elements (introduction with thesis, body paragraphs, and concluding statements) that are cohesive, using transitions and precise language. Unit Assessment Task After reading a text, imagine the author’s intent. Study and consider the themes presented by the author throughout the text. After making inferences about what the author wanted readers to understand, determine a thesis that shares the author's intent through theme. Use textual evidence to support the claim(s) about that theme made in the thesis. Construct a literary essay that clearly explains the evidence in relation to the thesis. Utilize the writing process, especially drafting, revision and conferencing, in order to create a cohesive essay worthy of sharing with others. Formative Assessment Options: ● Annotated reading(s) or notes from text ● Collection of theories on theme ● Creating a thesis including claim(s) ● Collection of evidence ● Sorting and sifting for most useful evidence ● Drafts of body paragraphs practicing various writing strategies ● Revision and editing copies of the literary essay

Summative Assessments:

● Final, polished literary essay ● Metacognitive Reflection on Writing Decisions

Process Write a literary essay analyzing a theme. By generating: responses that explore possible themes within a text By collecting: textual evidence of author's intent by rereading for quotes, word choice, and literary devices By reading: mentor literary essays to notice what creates cohesion By drafting: multiple paragraphs to introduce and support claim(s) cohesively By revising and editing: transitions and precise language to cohesively clarify/ explain the relationships between examples and theme

Key Concepts ● Theme


● Analysis of Literature ● Essay structure ● Multiple claims ● Author intent ● Textual evidence ● Direct quotes ● Paraphrasing ● Valid reasoning ● Transitions ● Formal style ● Drafting ● Revising

Essential Questions ● How do writers find meaning by using Reader's Response strategies to review a story as a whole and

carefully study a text's themes?

● How do writers collect and connect evidence and use it to support their thesis?

● How do writers structure and organize literary essays?

● How do writers connect evidence to their thesis to create cohesion?

Enduring Understandings/Overarching Questions ● Writers use literary essays to express the meaning understood from their analysis of a text.

● How do writers respond to literature?

Intellectual Processes ● Identifying and using writing conventions of a mode ● Synthesizing multiple claims related to the development of theme ● Formulating claims that can be proven through textual evidence ● Identifying and employing various types of evidence ● Sifting and sorting relevant evidence ● Analysis of mentor literary essays ● Application of literary essay writing strategies

Resources Lattimer, Heather. Thinking Through Genre: Units of Study in Reading and Writing Workshops 4-12. Portland: Stenhouse, 2003. Calkins, Lucy. Literary Essays: Writing About Reading. Portsmouth: FirstHandout, 2006. Johnston, Peter H. Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning. Portland:Stenhouse, 2004. See Link More than Form: Teaching Analytic Essays about Literature to High School Writers by Andrew Morabito


7th Grade Literary Essay

Session Lesson Focus Question(s) Teaching Points

BUILDING THEORIES

Session 1 Generating Theories about Themes

How do readers use writing to find meaning about themes in a text? About life in connection to themes in a text?

Literary essayists write and talk about a text in order to identify ideas and theories about the story’s theme.

Session 2 Finding Support for Theories

How do authors reveal theme through character depiction and development, ?

Literary essayists test their theories by finding examples in the text that serve as evidence. They look closely at character development, key words, key events, and literary devices such as metaphor. Literary essayists read and reread to identify connections in the text that confirm or disconfirm their theories. They alter their theories based on the evidence they identify and connect.

ORGANIZING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 3 Turning Theories into Claims

How do literary essayists create a claim about a theme?

Literary essayists review their evidence and create a claim about a theme that can be supported by the evidence they have collected. Literary essayists evaluate their examples to identify which examples best support the claim and if additional or different examples need to be selected from the text.

Session 4 Evaluating Evidence to Support and Explain the Claim

How do literary essayists explain and support the claims of the thesis?

Literary essayists select and organize their evidence to create a plan for drafting. They identify reasons and examples to explain and support their claim. Literary essayists evaluate their examples to identify which examples best support the claim and if additional or different examples need to be selected from the text.


Session 5 Determining Evidence: Impact of Presentation

How do writers decide the best way to present and explain a piece of evidence?

Literary essayists reread to find additional evidence to support the reasons and the claim.


Preface: Each session was designed for approximately a 55 minute class period. Use your discretion if students need extra time to both see a strategy modeled multiple times and/or practice the strategy. Throughout the unit the short story “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes is the text referenced as the anchor text in teacher examples. A version can be found at: http://www.americanliterature.com/Hughes/SS/ThankYouMam.html.Consider whether your students have a common story or text that you can apply to the lessons for class modeling. Teachers could read Chapter 6 of Thinking Through Genre to guide their reading lessons prior and to help scaffold into this work. Consider making the charts referenced in the lesson below to hang up in the classroom. These charts will prompt students’ thinking and remind students of the important clues the author of the text provides to help identify themes in the text. Likely, they will have many of these moments tagged with sticky notes or mentioned in reading journal entries.

http://www.americanliterature.com/Hughes/SS/ThankYouMam.html















BUILDING THEORIES

Session 1

Concept Responding to and Theorizing About a Theme

Teaching

Point

Literary essayists write and talk about a text in order to identify ideas and theories about the story’s theme.

Preparation Copies of the following handouts: (or prepare to project on an overhead) • Thinking about Theme • Finding Support for Theories

Suggested Materials

• Students’ individual texts, read in the previous unit, with notes, bookmarks, or post-its • Notebooks, or piece of paper to use as an “exit slip” for assessment purposes • Anchor text

Teaching Point

Literary essayists write and talk about a text in order to identify ideas and theories about the story’s theme. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point • Explain that readers develop theories about the story’s theme by noticing details and

events, and then making a connection between them. • Point students to “Thank-You, Ma’m” or the alternative anchor text. • Share the “Thinking about Themes” handout. Think aloud by answering a three or

more prompts about the anchor text. You may jot key words or thoughts on the board as you think aloud.

Active Engagement

• Ask the whole class to look at the words on the board and connect the thoughts on the board to form a theory. Tell them that a theory is a hunch, or an idea, and that the purpose of this session is to come up with theories first about the meaning, or theme, in the anchor text, and then with some theories about themes in their individual texts.

• Any of the responses to the “Thinking About Theme” handout could become the basis for a theory.

• Ask the class to brainstorm some theories about a theme from the anchor text. Record their theories on the board. Do not judge or rule out any theories at this point.

• When finished, share two of your own theories about a theme from the anchor text. For examples of theories from “Thank-you, Ma’am,” see the “Finding Support for Theories” handout (this handout will be shared with students in Session 2)


Independent

Practice

• Direct students to take out their individual texts. Using the “Thinking about Themes”

handout, have students choose three (or more, depending on time and fluency of students) prompts and write a response to each in their notebooks. The teacher should circulate to make sure the students are writing about their own texts, not the anchor text used by the teacher to model thinking.

• Now, ask students to spend time reviewing the responses (sticky notes, handouts, graphic organizers, etc.) they collected in the previous unit, as well as the new responses generated from the “Thinking about Themes” handout, to create two or three theories about a theme from their independent text.

Share

• Before the end of the session, ask a few students to share any “ah-ha” moments as they dug deeper into understanding their texts. You may encourage students to use oral prompts such as: “At first I thought my character …. but now I think…” or “I realized…”

Assessment/ Extension

• Have students hand in one of their theories on piece of paper (an “exit slip”) that they

must hand you on the way out the door.


Thinking about Theme

Questions to Consider

• What “big ideas” does the story seem to really be about?

• What seems to be the most important moment in the story? Why is it

significant?

• What is the character’s major struggle or conflict? What message is sent

from the way it is resolved?

• What does the character learn or realize that readers can learn from?

• What does the author write or say that stands out as a part of the

message?

Prompts to Start Writing

• I think the author is saying...

• The characters teach/show readers…

• The story really got me thinking about…

• The biggest problem the character faced was…

• The way the character solved the problem shows me that…


Finding Support for Theories

Discovering Themes Using the Anchor Text

Possible Theory on

Theme Initial Evidence from Text This evidence gets us

thinking about…

Trust is earned

-“The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse.” -The boy sits on the far side of the room so the woman can see him. He wants her to trust him now. -After spending time together, she gave him $10.

Once you break trust with someone it is hard to earn it back. It is an important moment in the story to show the woman he is being careful around her now.

Trusting others is hard

-Mrs. Jones tells Roger, “You could have asked me” instead of snatching her pocketbook. -“The door was open. He could make a dash for it…he could run!” -“The boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, m’am.”

People don’t trust that others will help them. We jump to conclusions about people and their reactions instead of talking to them.

Trust comes with kindness

-She took notice and care to tell him to wash his face. -She asks, “Ain’t you got nobody at home to tell you to wash your face?” -At the end she gives Roger $10 to go buy the suede shoes and tells him to behave.

The woman spent time getting to know Roger and him getting to know her. She was kind to him and he finally was kind to her. This created trustworthiness between them.


Finding Support for Theories Discovering Themes Using your Text

Individually, or in small groups about the same text, write in two of your theories in the left column. Name those that you feel you can find support from multiple places in the text (middle column) and that perhaps have a larger meaning connected to life (right column).

Possible Theory on Theme

Initial Evidence from Text This evidence gets us thinking about…


BUILDING THEORIES

Session 2

Concept Finding Support for Theories

Teaching

Point

Literary essayists test their theories by looking for examples from the text that serve as evidence. They read and re-read to identify connections in the text that confirm or disconfirm their theories, and may change their theories based on the further evidence they identify and connect.

Preparation • Exit slips with student theories, handed in from Session One. Hand back to students

with your questions on them, prompting them to think deeper (one-word questions such as “Why?” or “How” can be effective).

• Make copies of Finding Support for Theories handout. Prepare to project the handout revealing only the first two rows of the examples from the anchor text filled in. A teacher example using “Thank-you Ma’am” is included here.

• This session may take more than one class period Suggested Materials

• Students’ individual texts, read in the previous unit, with notes, bookmarks, or post-its • Copy of anchor text

Teaching Point 1

Literary essayists test their theories by looking for examples from the text that serve as evidence. They look closely at the important moments in the text. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point. • Projecting the handout “Finding Support for Theories—Teaching Example,” review

the rows that you have filled out: the theory, the evidence, and the larger meaning (theme)

Active

Engagement

As a whole class on the overhead, complete the remaining row using the anchor text.

Independent

Practice

• Direct students to take out their individual texts. • Individually (or in partnerships or small groups, if students have read a common text),

students begin filling out the Finding Support for Theories handout. Do not allow too much time for this—you will give them more time to complete it during the remainder of the session, or for homework.

Share

Teacher asks two or three students to share a theory, one example, and the larger meaning.

Teaching Point 2

Literary Essayists read and re-read to identify connections in the text that confirm or disconfirm their theories. They change their theories based on the evidence they identify and connect.


TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD • Review teaching point. • Tell them that, like scientists, we will test our theory by reviewing the evidence. If a

theory sounds good but has very few examples throughout the text to support it, they may need to change their theory.

• Projecting the handout “Finding Support for Theories—Teaching Example,” think aloud about which theory you think could best be supported.

• Discuss changes you could make to your theory to strengthen it.

Independent Practice 2

Using their individual texts, have students complete the Finding Support for Theories in small groups or individually. They should complete it before Session 3.

Share Ask for volunteers to share an example of a theory that they changed, and why they changed it.


Collecting Evidence Text Title __________________________________________________ Thesis: _____________________________________________________________________

DIRECT QUOTE(S)

& KEY WORDS

Pg.

SIGNIFICANT STORY

MOMENTS

Pg.

CHARACTER NOTICINGS

Pg.

AUTHOR’S

DECISION(S): Literary Devices

Pg.


ORGANIZING EVIDENCE TO

SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 3

Concept From Theory to Claim

Teaching

Point

Literary Essayists review their evidence and create a claim about a theme that can be supported by the evidence they have collected. They read and reread to identify connections in the text that confirm or disconfirm their theories. They alter their theories based on the evidence they identify and connect.

Preparation Handouts to have copied:

• Collecting Evidence handout (blank, for students) • Collecting Evidence handout, or projected. Teacher should complete with claim and

evidence about anchor text. (Sample answers are not provided here).

Suggested Materials

• Students’ individual texts, read in the previous unit, with notes, bookmarks, or post-its • Anchor text

Teaching Point 1

Literary Essayists create a claim about a theme that can be supported by the evidence they have collected. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point • Define a claim as a statement that expresses the theory the writer will try to prove. A

theory is a question; a claim is a stand, one that will be argued in the rest of the essay • Using the teacher-created theories about the anchor text, think aloud how you might

connect theories or big ideas to create a claim. For example: “Distrust and fear can only be overcome with kindness”

Active

Engagement 1

• Partner students and give them about five minutes to come up with a different claim

about the anchor text. Encourage them to come up with claims that explore different themes or meanings. For example, the teacher examples from “Thank-you, Ma’am” all have to do with Trust. But ideas like poverty, strength, generosity, wisdom, and youth also could be explored.

• When completed, ask for volunteers to write their claim on the board. • Discuss if the sentences present a claim that could be true about the anchor text. • (Students may be familiar with thesis statements. A thesis statement is usually broader

than a claim [it may contain the reason or explanation for why the author thinks the claim, or statement, is true] but for consistency and alignment with the Core Standards, a claim and thesis are roughly the same.)


Independent

Practice 1

• Students generate two claims about a theme in their individual texts, based on “Finding

Support for Theories” handout completed in Session Two and on any additional thinking they have done.

Teaching Point 2

Literary essayists read and reread to identify connections in the text that confirm or disconfirm their theories. They alter their theories based on the evidence they identify and connect. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point • Project or hand out “Collecting Evidence (Teacher Example)” you have partially filled out

on the anchor text. • Model how you gathered a variety of types of evidence to support the claim. Name for

students the type of evidence you have collected: a direct quote, a key word, a significant event, or a literary device the students are familiar with, such as metaphor or symbol. Emphasize the importance of including the page number, as a way to nudge students to re-read and find exact examples.

Active

Engagement 2 Ask students to work in small groups or partnerships to complete the “Collecting Evidence (Teacher Example)”. Check for understanding. Have students turn in to you. You will select two or three to use in Session Four as examples.

Independent Practice

Hand out a blank copy of Collecting Evidence for students to use as they re-read their individual texts, collecting a variety of evidence to prove their claims.

Assessment Conference with students as they collect evidence to check for variety and accuracy.



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 4

Concept Identifying Reasons and Evaluating Evidence

Teaching

Point

Literary essayists identify reasons and examples to explain and support the claim. They evaluate their examples to identify which examples best support and explain their claim.

Preparation • Copies of Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim handout

• Collecting Evidence-- Teacher Example on anchor text, completed in Session 3 by teacher and students. Select two or three from the previous session to use in Teacher Model and Think-Aloud for today’s session.

• Collecting Evidence—Individual Texts Suggested Materials

• Individual texts • Anchor text

Teaching Point 1

Literary essayists identify reasons and examples to explain and support the claim.

TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point • Project Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim handout. Using the anchor text, talk

through your thinking about each of the three questions. Teacher example not provided here.

• The goal is to push thinking to explain why the claim is true. Each explanation becomes a reason, which could serve as the topic sentence of each body paragraph.

Independent

Practice 1

• Handout Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim. Ask students to complete it

individually, then share responses with a partner to help them generate three reasons that could support their claim.

Share Ask for a few volunteers to share their claim and their three reasons. Talk through their reasons, and whether they are broad enough. Often students struggle to find a reason that is not an example, or they just restate their claim in a different way.

Teaching Point 2

Literary essayists evaluate their examples to identify which examples best support and explain their claim.

TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point


• Project a student “Collecting Evidence” handout, collected from students in Session 3. Talk through the student’s evidence. Is it the best example of what the student is trying to prove in the claim? Are there additional examples that could be used to support it? Are there a variety of types of examples (key words, events, direct quotes, literary devices) used to support it?

Active Engagement

• Hand out Collecting Evidence—student sample #2 (not provided: see preparation notes above), with student name removed, if desired. In pairs, ask students to evaluate the evidence and to highlight or underline the two pieces of evidence that best support the claim.

• Discuss as a whole class. Ask if some examples should be eliminated or replaced, and/or if they need to be supported with additional examples to prove the claim.

• Point out that good evidence comes from 1) throughout the text, and is not found in just one place; and 2) comes from a variety of types of evidence.

Assessment Have students turn in their Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim sheet that they completed today in class. Before the next session, assess whether students are grasping the concept of a reason in support of a claim.


Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim: Session 4 Write a response to all three questions. Push your thinking based on what you know about the character and how he or she acts, speaks to other characters, and thinks. You may re-read your text to help you with your responses. What people or situations have influenced the character I’m writing about? Why does he or she change? What will continue to hold him or her back? Share your response with a partner or small group. Connect your thinking to come up with three reasons to support your claim about your character. 1. 2. 3.



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 5

Concept Re-reading to Find Evidence for Reasons

Teaching

Point

Literary essayists re-read to find additional evidence to support the reasons and the claim

Preparation • Assessed handout students passed in at conclusion of Session 4 (Identifying Reasons to Support a Claim). Write a comment or two on each one, giving guidance and suggestions for their reasons. Select (and prepare to project) some strong examples of claims and supporting reasons. Select (and prepare to project) two examples that could be improved.

• Literary Essay: Rough Plan handout, one for each student. Completed plans could serve as the Mid-Unit assessment.

Suggested Materials

• Individual texts

Teaching Point

Literary essayists re-read to find additional evidence to support the reasons and the claim. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD

• Review teaching point • Pass back students’ work from Session 4 (Identifying Reasons…) • Project strong student examples of good claim and supporting reasons, and discuss their

good features. You may choose to keep the student writer anonymous. • Project student examples that could be improved. You may choose to keep anonymous.

Think-aloud about how the supporting reasons could be improved. • Remind students that they have found and evaluated evidence to support their claims;

now they need to re-read to find the best examples that support their reasons.

Independent

Practice

• Distribute Literary Essay: Rough Plan handout • Explain that this will serve as the mid-unit assessment, and that students should

complete. You may choose to grade this work.

Assessment Conference with students over their claim, reasons, and examples. Expect that articulating reasons why the claim is true will be the most difficult for students.


Sample Paragraph – Teacher Presented Circle: Evidence (direct quotes, summarizing and/or paraphrasing key events). Label the type of evidence used. Underline: Connections to the claim – sentences/phrases. Notice where around the evidence the connections occur.

Like most young people who have a relationship with a grandparent or other older person, Roger’s time with this Mrs. Jones helps him learns how to be kind to others. Even though Roger tried to steal the lady’s purse, the lady tries to teach him how to treat others. Mrs. Jones shows how kindness can help others when she wants the boy to wash his dirty face. On page 19, the lady said, “Ain’t you got nobody at home to tell you to wash your face?...Then it will get washed this evening.” She is being kind to the boy by pointing out that he needs to clean his face and providing the water and towel to clean his face. The boy should be thankful for the lady caring for him. She also showed undeserved kindness to the boy on page 20. She served him a meal of ham, beans and cocoa. The lady was being kind by giving him a clean towel to dry off. Even though Roger had mistreated her, Mrs. Jones tried to show him that kindness is the proper way to treat people. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION: (Evidence is bolded. On the board or on hard copies, circle the evidence instead.)

Like most young people who have a relationship with a grandparent or other

older person, Roger’s time with this Mrs. Jones helps him learns how to be kind to others. Even though Roger tried to steal the ladies purse, the lady tries to teach him how to treat others. Mrs. Jones shows how kindness can help others when she wants the boy to wash his dirty face. On page 19, the lady said, “Ain’t you got nobody at home to tell you to wash your face?...Then it will get washed this evening.” She is being kind to the boy by pointing out that he needs to clean his face and providing the water and towel to clean his face. She also showed undeserved kindness to the boy on page 20. She served him a meal of ham, beans and cocoa. Even though Roger had mistreated her, Mrs. Jones tried to show him that kindness is the proper way to treat people.

*notice paraphrase and quote with the face example, notice paraphrase with the meal example *notice underlined connections before and during the face example, and before and after the meal example.


Sample Paragraph- Student Practice Circle: Evidence (direct quotes, summarizing and/or paraphrasing). Label the type of evidence used. Underline: Connections to the claim – sentences/phrases. Notice where around the evidence the connections occur. The first way of seeing right and wrong in this story is when Mrs.

Luella Bates Washington Jones took in the boy and nurtured him; she

tried to teach him between right and wrong. She gave him food, a

nice conversation, and even a chance to escape. Mrs. Jones was

being sensitive to the boy she caught. She was trying to teach the

young man that if you treat people right it will get you further. For

example, the boy told Mrs. Jones that he tried to steal her purse for

one reason, to buy blue suede shoes for himself. She then replies,

“Well you didn’t have to snatch my pocketbook to get some blue suede

shoes... You could have just asked me.” The boy, now, after being

told he should just ask for help, believes that the right thing to do is

ask, not take.


Session 5 Evidence Exit Slip Name____________________________________ Copy a drafted piece of evidence chosen today for best presentation of evidence. Which presentation choices did you make? Why do you think your choice best presents the evidence?


Session 5 Teacher Example Direct Quote

The first way of seeing right and wrong in this story is when Mrs. Luella Bates Washington

Jones took in the boy and nurtured him; she tried to teach him between right and wrong. For

example, Mrs. Jones replies, “Well you didn’t have to snatch my pocketbook to get some blue

suede shoes... You could have just asked me.” The boy, now, after being told he should just

ask for help, believes that the right thing to do is ask, not take.

Paraphrase



example, Mrs. Jones tells him he should have asked her for her money instead of trying to take

it. The boy, after being told he should just ask for help, believes that the right thing to do is

ask, not take.

Summary



example, Mrs. Jones asked him why he was stealing her money. He tells her he was intending

to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. She then tells him he should have asked her for her money

instead of trying to take it. He is surprised with this idea, but stays to hear more and get to

know Mrs. Jones. The boy, after being told he should just ask for help, believes that the right

thing to do is ask, not take.



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 6 Drafting Evidence: Connecting Story Examples

Essential Question: ● How do writers present story evidence in a way that supports claim?

Connection Have determined an example to use in conjunction with the anchor text, written with this type of evidence in this way. Have copies made of Evidence: Connected Story Examples hand-out.

Teaching Point Yesterday students analyzed their presentation of evidence. Today they need to look at how best to present evidence that refers to story examples.

Active Engagement Writers introduce the story example, quote or paraphrase the evidence, and connect clarifying statements to support the claim.

TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD ● Connect with students and share teaching point. ● Display a piece of evidence using a story example that fits your anchor text

(“Thank You, Ma’am” sample provided). Point out that around the quoted or paraphrased evidence, the writer needs to introduce the example with story information leading up to the example and then connect the clarification phrases and statements toward support of the claim.

STORY EVIDENCE= INTRO, EXAMPLE, CONNECT ● A conversation may need to happen to remind students that in order to set- up

the example, an introduction is needed and to connect the evidence to the claim, key words (or synonyms of key words) from the claims are used to show the connection.

Share

Hand-out the sample Evidence: Connected Story Examples. Ask students to work as partners to label where the story examples as evidence contains:

STORY EVIDENCE= INTRO, EXAMPLE, CONNECT

Independent Practice

Allow students to share their noticings and check for understanding. Consider coming back whole group if needed.

Assessment With students’ own text and their Collecting Evidence handout, encourage them to look closely for piece of evidence that are significant story moments that need to be presented as a connected story example. When students feel they have found story examples, invite them to draft body paragraphs using the formula of INTRO, EXAMPLE, CONNECT when presenting story examples as evidence.


Evidence of Connected Story Examples

STORY EVIDENCE= INTRO, EXAMPLE, CONNECT

Mrs. Jones shows how kindness can help others when she wants the boy to wash his dirty face. On page 19, the lady said, “Ain’t you got nobody at home to tell you to wash your face?...Then it will get washed this evening.” She is being kind to the boy by pointing out that he needs to clean his face and providing the water and towel to clean his face. INTRODUCED: Mrs. Jones shows how kindness can help others when she wants the boy to wash his dirty face. EXAMPLE: On page 19, the lady said, “Ain’t you got nobody at home to tell you to wash your face?...Then it will get washed this evening.” CONNECTION TO CLAIM: She is being kind to the boy by pointing out that he needs to clean his face and providing the water and towel to clean his face.

Your Turn

Break apart the presented story example to show Intro, Example, Connect

STORY EVIDENCE= INTRO, EXAMPLE, CONNECT Mrs. Jones has the wisdom to leave the door open and her purse on the bed to show

Roger that she will trust him to do the right thing. Roger feels he must honor her trust by taking the time to sit on the far side of the room so she could see him. They both treat each other with respect which leads to them trusting each other. INTRODUCED:

Conference with students or collect their Writer’s Notebooks to read drafted work and offer feedback on how students have drafted story evidence.


EXAMPLE: CONNECTION TO CLAIM:



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 7 Drafting Evidence: Connecting Author’s Decisions

Essential Question:

• How do writers present author’s decisions in a way that supports the claim?

Preparation Have determined an example to use in conjunction with the anchor text. Have copies made of Evidence: Connecting Author’s Decisions hand-out.

Connection Yesterday students practiced writing story examples as evidence. Today they need to look at how to present evidence they plan to use that refers to author’s decisions, especially literary devices.

Teaching Points Writers present the example with clarifying statements that name or describe the author’s decision and connect the decision in support of the claim. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD ● Connect with students and share teaching point. ● Display a piece of evidence regarding author’s decisions that fit your anchor

text (“Thank You, Ma’am” sample provided). Point out that around the evidence the writer needs to name the author’s literary device decision, describe it, and connect it in support of the claim. Literary Device EVIDENCE= NAME/DESCRIBE, EXAMPLE, CONNECT

● A conversation may need to happen to remind students that in order to set- up or connect the example, key words (or synonyms of key words) from the claims are used.

Active Engagement Hand-out samples of Evidence: Connecting Author’s Decisions. Ask students to work as partners to label where the author’s decision was NAMED/ DESCRIBED, EXAMPLE GIVEN, and CONNECTED.

Share

Allow students to share their noticings and check for understanding. Consider coming back whole group if needed.

Independent Practice With students’ own text and their Collecting Evidence handout, encourage them to look closely for piece of evidence that is an author’s decision use of literary device. When students feel they have found story examples, invite them to draft body paragraphs using the formula of NAME/DESCRIBE, EXAMPLE, CONNECT when presenting story examples as evidence.

Assessment Conference with students or collect their Writer’s Notebooks to read drafted work and offer feedback on how students have drafted literary devices/author’s decisions.


Evidence of Literary Device Examples LITERARY DEVICE EVIDENCE= NAME or DESCRIBE, EXAMPLE, CONNECT Mrs. Jones says, “You Lie!” when the boy claims he didn’t mean to take her purse. Hughes uses Mrs Jones’ dialogue to reveal to readers that she sees through the boy and will not accept lying his way out of a consequence. The dialogue shows how trust is broken through lies and dishonesty. NAME/DESCRIBE: Hughes uses Mrs Jones’ dialogue to reveal to readers that she sees through the boy and will not accept lying his way out of a consequence. EXAMPLE: Mrs. Jones says, “You Lie!” when the boy claims he didn’t mean to take her purse. CONNECTION TO CLAIM: The dialogue shows how trust is broken through lies and dishonesty.

Your Turn: Break apart the presented literary device example to show Name/Describe,

Example, Connect

LITERARY DEVICE EVIDENCE= NAME or DESCRIBE, EXAMPLE, CONNECT One way Langston Hughes express his theme of compassion is through one of the character’s reaction to conflict. In the story, a boy named Roger decides to grab Mrs. Jones’ purse and take off. Fortunately, he was unsuccessful. She quickly asked him questions like: "What did you want to do it for?, Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?, and Was I bothering you when I turned that corner?” The author uses the conflict between the boy and the woman as a chance to show compassion through Mrs. Jones’ reactions. By her asking of his intentions and showing concern for his home life, she shows the boy the true way to treat others. NAME/DESCRIBE: EXAMPLE: CONNECTION TO CLAIM:



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 8 Planning the Organizational Structure of the Essay

Essential Question: • How do writers plan the format of an essay to best present the claims of the

thesis?

Preparation At this point, students should have created a thesis statement and drafted a variety of types of evidence to support the argument. Have samples essays prepared for as class set examples or Possible Structures hand-outs to take with them.

Connection In prior sessions, students drafted evidence to support their argument. Today they will determine how to organize, present and connect their ideas in the essay.

Teaching Point 1 Writers decide how to logically (i.e. chronologically, categorically, by priority) present evidence to best support the claim. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD • Review connection and teaching point • Define for students chronologically (time order of story), categorically (based on

aspects from the claim), and by priority (importance or strength in support of claim).

• Share a Possible Structures hand-out with students. Think aloud sharing your thoughts on how each way presents the evidence and supports certain types of claims.

Active Engagement Share a Student Essay Sample for students to determine how the evidence is presented – chronologically, categorically or by priority. Have them share out and explain their thinking after working in table partners for a few minutes.

Independent Practice Invite students to think about their thesis and evidence. Give them time to talk through with a common-text partner which organization method would help them best support their argument. Encourage them to use the Possible Structures hand-out as they think through their plan. Ask that students capture their thinking by planning in their writer’s notebook the organizational structure for their essay.

Share Have students share with a partner in their own text which format they have chosen. Have them explain the topics of their paragraphs and .

Assessment Possible way of knowing if students have picked a suitable format is by an exit slip or checking their planning in their writer’s notebook.


POSSIBLE ESSAY STRUCTURES: Consider your claim(s)

Chronologically, Categorically, and by Priority Essays organized chronologically present by time, or sequence. Meaning, you would give examples in order from the beginning of the book, the middle and the end proving your claim. You might also use chronological order when claiming that a character’s changed over the course of the story shows theme.

Common Chronological Transitions:

First, Next, Then, Lastly At the beginning, Near the middle, At the end Initially, Later on, finally

Essays organized categorically present things by classification, or sorting things into categories. You may choose to organize your essay categorically if you:

• have multiple claims and can categorize each into a group. • are describing or defining; listing down the general ideas and discussing them. • are presenting evidence containing two aspects: similarities/differences, comparison/contrast ,

cause/effect, problem/solution

Common Category Transitions:

One way, Another way, A third way First off, Secondly, Thirdly Also, In the same way, Just as However, In contrast, On the other hand

Essays organized by priority presents by importance or significance. This structure is considered when evidence can be ranked from more compelling to less compelling.

Common Priority Transitions:

Most importantly, In fact, Accordingly Besides, Further, Furthermore, Moreover


STUDENT ESSAY SAMPLES: The paper’s introduction is present to provide the thesis. The topic sentence of each body paragraph has been listed and bolded. Use them to determine the organizational structure this writer chose for the essay.

Life Lessons

In the story “Thank You, Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, a young man named Roger tries to steal a woman’s purse. She stops him and drags him home to her house. In the hour that follows, he learns a lot from her. Hughes presents the theme of learning lessons as a result of your mistakes. The boy learns that life is hard for everyone, being poor doesn’t mean you should make poor decisions, and that people can generous if you have a real need.

Except for a few people, many people have hard lives in one way or another. Another lesson Roger learns from Mrs. Jones is to make good decisions not matter what. Thirdly, Mrs. Jones’ actions teaches readers to be generous.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ________________________________________ How do you know?

Respect and Trust go Hand in Hand

Most young people can benefit from having a trusting relationship with an older person. In the story “Thank You, Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, a young man named Roger meets an older woman by trying to steal her. Through the course of the story, she shows the boy respect and trust go hand in hand.

At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Jones’ reaction to Roger’s stealing shows her distrust

for him. Early on at her house, the boy learns that Mrs. Jones is willing to trust him if he is

respectful. Later on, Mrs. Jones shows respect for Roger in hopes that he will show that he is

trustworthy. By the end of the story, it is clear that Roger respects Mrs. Jones and they have a mutual

trust.


ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ________________________________________ How do you know?



SUPPORT CLAIMS

Session 9 Introductory and Ending Paragraphs: Utilizing the Thesis and Key Words

Essential Questions:

● How do writers make a thesis statement clear in an introduction and connected in the conclusion?

Preparation Possibly create a chart of what is included in introductory paragraphs and/or conclusions. An introductory thesis paragraph could include:

• Text Reference: the title and author of the novel or play. • Plot Summary: a brief review of the most significant event(s) in the story to

introduce the topic (in this case, theme). • Claim or Thesis Statement: the theory you’ve decided to turn into a claim

to prove (This should be disputable. In other words, different people could have a different interpretation of the story’s meaning.)

• Mention of Evidence: how you will prove the claim; what type of content you will use. (significant story moments, character’s actions, the story’s conflict, etc.)

A conclusion paragraph could include:

• A restatement of the thesis in another way • Reconnects to the reader (something to ponder, application to their life,

emphasis on significant essay points) Prepare a sample of each that fits the anchor text.

Connection Over the last few days, students have been drafting their evidence to support the claim. As writers, we become clearer in our argument as we write. Visiting the introduction and conclusion paragraphs toward the end helps writers affirm the clarity of their argument.

Teaching Points ● Writers craft a thesis statement that presents an easily recognizable argument by utilizing a key phrase for the claim(s).

● Writers conclude their essay by revisiting the thesis and reconnecting

to the reader using the key phrase. TEACHER MODEL AND THINK-ALOUD • Review connection, charts reminding them of introduction/conclusion

components and teaching points. • Share the sample intro/conclusion to the anchor text • Notice together the key words/synonyms are used in both the introduction and

conclusion that create cohesiveness. Explain how connecting these two pieces are important to bringing cohesiveness to the essay.


Active Engagement Pair students to look at each other’s thesis statements. Have them identify the key phrase or words that should continue through the essay and into the conclusion. Have them list in their writer’s notebook. Encourage alternate ways of saying that idea to create variety of the same idea.

Independent Practice Draft an introduction and conclusion that utilize the key words and phrases and intro/conclusion charts presented.

Share

Re-pair the same students to share with each other their crafted introductions and conclusions. Encourage them to notice each others’ use of the key words and phrases generated during active engagement.

Assessment Look at students’ drafted introductions and conclusions. Notice whether students need reinstruction to format their paragraphs. However, mainly focus on whether students are identifying key words/phrases to build cohesiveness.


SAMPLE INTRODUCTION

People talk about “random acts of kindness.” These are rare in our world

today. Sometimes though, you see the trust between people through their acts

of kindness like a stranger give a compliment, or a teacher asking about a

student’s day. In the short story, “Thank You, Ma’am,” the boy gets a random act

of kindness by the woman he was stealing a purse from. Her kind and

compassionate actions of taking him home and getting to know him showed the

boy the power of kindness and trust. The author, Langston Hughes, uses the

boy’s story to teach readers the importance of having kindness and trust in our

world. SAMPLE CONCLUSION From the events in the story, Langston Hughe’s themes are shown through

the valuable lessons the woman teaches the boy. By taking him in and

pampering him, she imparts a kindness he has never known. Mrs. Luella Bates

Washington Jones was a strong role model for the boy, showing him the power

in trust between two people. A very important lesson taught to all is to build

trust in relationships by treat others with kindness.


*The following sessions are ideas on how to complete the writing process within the literary essay. Some samples are given under resources, but not all lessons are provided.

REVISING AND

EDITING

Session 10 *Revising: Create Cohesion using Transition and Key Word Choices

Essential Questions:

• What word choices does a writer make in order to transitions new ideas and keep the essay connected while maintaining voice and formal style?

Teaching Point ● Writers consider using synonyms, phrases, and expressions that have the same connotation as key words from the claims and transition words to connect ideas.

REVISING AND EDITING

Session 11 *Peer Conferencing

Essential Question: ● What do writers need from reviewers in order to know if the purpose and

audience of the essay is clear?

Teaching Point ● Writers ask reviewers to identify and evaluate the elements of the essay.

REVISING AND

EDITING

Session 12 *Editing for Conventions: Functions of Phrases and Clauses

Essential Question: ● How do writers vary their sentences using phrases and clauses?

Teaching Point ● Writers position phrases and clauses to bring attention to particular ideas.

REVISING AND EDITING FOR COHESION

Session 13 *Polishing and Publishing: Citation

Essential Question:

● How do writers cite the texts referenced in an essay? Teaching Point ● Writers follow parenthetical citation and works cited formats to

reference the text(s) used in their essay.

Session 14 *Celebration & Reflection

Essential Question:


● To what audience do writers share their work? ● How do writers evaluate their final essay and the decisions they made while

writing?

Teaching Points ● Writers share literary essays with an audience who is considering ideas about literature.

● Writers reflect on their writing decisions and the impact of those decisions.

Independent Practice Sample Writing Decisions Hand-out as a possible reflective component.

literary essays writing about theme.docx

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