If you can't hand it in on Monday, you have already spoken to me and asked for an extension. Do not arrive to class without your paragraph, your draft, and your completed checklist. Thank you!
Need help? Come in at lunch. Arrive with specific questions so that we can target the area that has you stumped.
I handed out the USSR response forms. Please do not read a second book before you complete your response form.
You worked well today.
Thanks to Julie and Isaiah for volunteering to get the class reading if I am ever late to class.
Appreciate your help.
Improving Literary Paragraph Writing
|
STYLE
____
All verbs are in the present tense
____ No
contractions are used.
____ I
do not re-tell the story
____
Quotes are incorporated well
____
Sentence beginnings vary
____
Sentence length varies
____ I
have a least one short sentence
____ My
tone is persuasive
____ My
vocabulary is decisive and accurate
____ I
use precise synonyms
____
The hook is impressive
____
The thesis answers the question in an insightful manner and makes
the reader think
____ I
have planned my work so I can focus on how I want to express my
opinions, not on what I have to say
____ I
use blue or black ink or it is typed
____ I
double space
____ I
proofread my work to catch annoying errors or typos
____ I use great verbs such as
reveals, demonstrates, elucidates, offers, emphasizes, portray,
depicts, exposes, represents, etc.
|
CONTENT
____ I
have found three really good examples from the story and at least
one of them is a quotation
____ I
link all my examples to the thesis so that I answer the question
directly
____ I
make sure I explain my examples clearly
____ I
use transition words or phrases between points
____ I
have a hook, a thesis, three pieces of evidence which I explain,
transitions, and I conclude by repeating my thesis
____ I
make sure I use synonyms for words that I have to repeat a lot
during the paragraph
____ I
always use my literary “must-have” list
____ My
thesis is a 6!
____ I
stay on topic
____ I
feel confident that I can answer the question because my opinion /
evidence chart is elaborate
____ I
have read and re-read the story until my answer is crystal clear
____ My response is PAGE PERFECT –
no rips or tears, no wrinkles. I have a title, a date and my first
and last name at the top of the assignment
|
|
GRAMMAR AND SPELLING
____ I
know the difference between a comma , and a semi-colon ; and use
them correctly
_____
I know the difference between a plural and a possessive: boys
(pl.), boy’s bike (poss.)
____ I
read my work aloud so that I catch any incomplete sentences
___ I
correct any run-on sentences
___ I
never use a comma to join two complete sentences
____ I
replace the word “this” with a noun or a phrase. For example
This shows how frightened the character is. (We don’t
know what you mean by this. Replace it with a phrase: By
hiding in the cupboard, the character reveals her fear or a noun:
Rebellion shows how vulnerable the character feels).
____ I
replace pronouns such as it, he, she, they, this, that with nouns
_____ I use nouns not pronouns
|
INSIGHT
_____ I
have found several pieces of evidence to use in my paragraph and I
cite correctly
_____ I
have made inferences for each piece of evidence and I explain my
quotes expertly
_____
My thesis goes beyond the obvious
_____
My opinions about the story offer the reader of my paragraph a
deeper understanding of the story
_____ I
do not re-tell the story
_____ I
use transitions well so that I clearly prove my thesis
_____
My paragraph proves my thesis
_____ I
organize my evidence so that the link between the question and the
answer is clear
_____
My answer stands out from the crowd
_____ I
offer a view of the story that required me to think a lot about
the significance of the events
_____
My opinions are inferences. I don’t re-tell.
_____ I surprise myself and I
enjoy the story more now that I have spent time thinking about it
|
