Category: A4 Blog

Plan to have work days on (to work on Essay 2, which is due Dec. 20):

• 11/15, 11/27, 11/29, 12/4, 12/6, and 12/11
  • Read R&J, The Outsiders, or The Giver
  • Prepare, Plan, Draft, Revise, and Edit Essay 2

Plan to read and view plays and films to prepare for the final exam:

• 11/26 or 11/28 (listen to Measure for Measure)
• 12/3 or 12/15 (view Measure for Measure)
• 12/9 and 12/10 or 12/12 (prepare/view SGaawaay K‘uuna)

On 12/2 plan to briefly start the Future of Writing Project. Once this is done, plan to correct Key Concepts Test from attempt 2. You will work on the longer questions on 12/2 for Key Concepts. You will also copy your correct answers onto a short version of the test, which is what you will use for 12/13.

The Key Concepts test is on 12/13. This will be a short version of the test. You will prepare for this on 12/2.

The week before Winter Break is a busy week. We will complete Quiz 7 and Learning Story Test 2. Essay 2 is due on 12/20. Thursday 12/19 is Gym Riot Day. Expect a reduction of instructional time. This will be made up on 12/16 (meaning that period 2 and 4 will start the learning story test on 12/16 and will also do quiz 7 on 12/16).

Friday 12/20 has some other holiday traditions. Essay 2 is due on 12/20. If you are not finished, expect to be required to work that day to finish. If you are finished, and you want to do other activities that day, ask for permission and if all caught up and what you want to do is okay to do (allowed by the school and/or other teachers) I will likely sign off on it. (Meaning, I will sign a hall pass or permission slip.) 12/20 is a work day. Get your work done, and there is no more work and therefore you may have free time.

When you come back from break, plan to focus on the Future of Writing Presentation and the Final Exams. You will:

• Present on the future of writing
• Complete the summation test
• Do part 1 and part 2 of the Final Exam
• Complete Learning Story Part 3

The future of writing assignment may be excused if you are late on Essay 2 or have other make up work. The most you can earn for the term grade if you miss doing the future of writing presentation is Emerging. Everyone is expected to at least watch the presentations.

Essay 2 and the summation test, final exam, and learning story part 3 are all required. Most assessment is based on these tests and assignments. (Learning story 2 and key concepts are also required.)

Today we covered lessons learned from Quiz 5. Many students did not demonstrate that they understood the key concepts. Based on this, I changed from definitions to lists and categories. I also went over the main point: Textual analysis is using theory (systematic thinking and rigorous thinking) to explain how a text is written.

Theory – A systematic explanation of how or why, using systematic and rigorous thinking

Systematic – Breaking some down into parts, show how the parts work together, describe and explain this

Rigorous – Deep reading and listening (researching)

Scholarship – Production of knowledge (using theory and evidence and/or logic)

Thesis – The point of a paper (must be theoretical, must be systematic, must be rigorous)

Deep reading – The point is to know/understand: scan (reflect: the point of the text), skim (reflect: what you will focus on), uninterrupted read (focus on your focus), notes/read (take notes, but only your focus) (4 readings in total, meaning: read it four times – at least)

Text – A system for sharing knowledge (others share knowledge with you)

Essay – A system for making your thinking visible (you share knowledge with others)

Knowledge – True understanding, facts, accurate/valid theories (which can be wrong, the point is to try to be right, as close to what really is – as possible)

The point

1. You will write Essay 2 (textual analysis essay on R&J, The Giver, or The Outsiders), Learning Story 2, Key Concepts Test (3rd try), Learning Story 3, Summation Test, Final Exam Part 1 (essay on how to write an essay), and Final Exam Part 2 (reflective analysis essay on Measure for Measure)
2. For all of the work above, you will:
   • Use textual analysis
   • Explain how and why you used textual analysis
   • Apply the research process
   • Explain how you and why you used the research process
3. The point of all (of the above) is to learn how to think, how to read, and how to write at the high school level (deep reading, reading to know and remember) (writing, making thinking visible and using theory to understand and explain)

The 2 systems – Essay System and Text System

Today we read a chapter (your choice) from “The Truth About Stories” by King and a chapter (4) from “Potlatch as Pedagogy” by Florence Davidson and Davidson. We took notes and wrote reflections. These will be on the tests and exams later in the term. You may also use both sources in the Essay 2 assignment.

Quiz 5 is on Wed. Nov. 20. We reviewed for the quiz on Mon. Nov. 18. Board notes are posted on the blog.

Notice:

• Theory is rigorous and systematic, so doing theory (analysis) requires that you look at something as a bunch of parts that work together (as a system is a bunch of parts that work together)
• The text (book, novel, poem, song) is a system (as it is made up of parts)
• You learn about literary devices, elements of narrative, 3-Act Structure, and features of text in order to apply systems thinking when writing a textual analysis essay
• So you need to know what literary devices are, what elements are narrative are, what 3-Act Structure is, and what features of text are IN ORDER TO WRITE A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS ESSAY at the systems-thinking level (level of explain, level of theory)
• As you recall… the first thing we learned as theory and system… those are the key ideas
• A good paper explains a theory…. that is why you use the Levels of Analysis and why you know what a system is and what a system’s elements are (parts, inputs, outputs, function, boundary)
• In addition, when writing an essay your essay is also a system (made up of the Five Fs, LOAs, features of text, etc.)
• For Essay 2…. your thesis will be a theory that explains how or why the text (novel) was written and to do this you will focus on how the author uses literary devices, how they use elements of narrative, or how they use 3-Act Structure
• And do not forget… there are systems in systems…
  • Literary devices are a sub-system that is made up of parts
    • Alliteration
    • Metaphor
    • Sensory imagery
    • Simile
    • Allusion
  • Elements of narrative are a sub-system is that made up of parts
    • Setting
    • Characters
    • Point of view
    • Theme
    • Plot
    • Climax
    • Resolution
    • Tone
  • 3-Act structure is a sub-system that is made up of parts
    • Act I
    • Act II
    • Act II
    • Plot line
    • Rising action
    • Climax
    • Resolution

Quiz 7 Read a young adult romance novel from the class set of thirty choices as part of the Future of Writing Presentation. Then take a quiz to demonstrate that you have read and understand the key selling features of the book (for the purpose of publishing it, another book like it, or better – likely to be more profitable – book like it). You choose your book for this quiz and project (each book is assigned to a specific seat/desk). Other YA romance novel choices are available. 

Future of Writing Presentation Working as part of a group (of your choice), develop a marketing plan and book proposal that will result in an instant best seller and help you and your team get a big bonus from the YA publishing division where you work, applying the models, systems, and processes of this course. You will use only AI to write your materials, make your book cover, write a bio of your author, and develop your business plan. In addition, you will create social media content using both AI and your group members. This project connects to the novel you read for Quiz 7. There are three parts to this assignment for marking: Part 1 – Business Plan; Part 2 – Research Notes; and Part 3 – Presentation/Discussion Participation.

1. Themes
   • Money, Money, Money (in a rich man’s world….)
     • Power to get the things I want…
   • Power of Love
     • Power to belong and build community
   • Justice! (An eye for an eye….)
     • Power to survive
2. “Silence = Death”
   • Power to survive is life and death, speaking up and being heard to get what you and your community need
3. Martin Luther King Speech
   • March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs
   • I Have a Dream Speech
   • Connection – Time Machine (and the themes)
4. Shakespeare
   • Why did he write?
   • How did he become so famous?
   • How to read his work
   • Understanding the history of the times, context
5. Romeo and Juliet
   • Learn about changes in meanings of the words
   • Act 3, Scene 2
   • Why double meaning?
   • What can it mean?
   • Why do you think that?
   • How does this connect to modern communication?

Auden Poem – Read the entire poem here

Write a textual analysis essay on Romeo and Juliet, The Outsiders, or The Giver (your choice of play or novel).

1. Choose one of the three texts.
2. Develop a plan. Start with your focusing question. Write it out. Write your focusing question in your journal.
3. With the focusing question in mind, read or re-read your choice of text. While reading, take notes. The notes should focus on details related to the focusing question. Take 10-15 pages of notes (bullet point form or outline form). (Fewer pages are required for a score of 1, 1+, or 1++. (Write the notes in your journal.)
4. As you are developing your thesis and supporting ideas, write at least five reflections in your journal. These are speed writes. As you do this, read other texts that are related to your inquiry. Take notes in your journal of these sources. (Be sure to record the source title, author, page number, date of publication.)
5. Once you have read or re-read the text, write your thesis statement and at least three supporting ideas. Then write the outline – for Proficient and Extending plan a 3-section paper (10-15 paragraphs, under 2000 words) and for Emerging and Developing plan a 5-paragraph paper (at least 25 sentences). At this point, you will have your literary element or literary element in mind as well. Write these in your journal.
6. Once you have a thesis statement, at least three supporting ideas, and outline, write your first draft. Focus on FILLER and FOCUS – do not focus on FORM or FLOW. Just write out your thoughts in support of the thesis, supporting ideas, sources, and literary devices/elements. Your first draft should include development of your own thoughts and development of your own theory in relation to the text. Draft 1 should go in your journal.
7. For draft 2, use lined paper and double space. Revise draft 1 by reflecting on how to be more focused, clearer, and better at explaining and supporting your idea. Be sure to go back over the evidence, examples, sources, quotes, etc. At this point, follow the outline and be sure to use correct format for your in-text citations. Play attention to FOCUS, FORM, FILLER, FLOW, and FEELING. Apply all the LOAs. Use systems thinking. Be sure to check over the English 9 rubric as you write the draft.
8. For draft 3, you have a choice. You may type it or write it using lined paper and blue or black ink. Revise, improve, refine, and edit. Apply MLA format.  Be sure to check over the rubric as you work on the draft. (If using lined paper and pen, spelling errors are not marked down but you should use correct capitalization, indentation, and punctuation – and you should use white out, not cross outs, for this essay.)

Essays are marked according to the English 9 Essay Rubric – using these marks: Insufficient Evidence (0), Initial Understanding – Passing (1), Partial Understanding – On Track (2), Complete Understanding – Complete (3), and Sophisticated Understanding – Extending (4).