Turning the Quotation Log into a Thesis / Introduction
Hint: If you know you will win the race before you start, the race if fixed. There will be nothing authentic in your running.
If you know the thesis before you even interact with text, your essay will be inauthentic. There will be no energy to it. You will have killed the enthusiasm.
Step 1: Colour code the quotations into groups of three. There will be some quotes which do not fit. Leave them out.
Step 2: Name each colour. Blue: fear of jealousy. Green: feeling above jealousy. Pink: Confront jealousy.
Step 3: Write an ah-ha sentence which summarized the key points of each colour. Let this sentence reveal something new to you. The idea here is to synthesize. Let the phoenix rise from the ashes. Create a strong sentence for each colour.
Samples:
The faact that Othellow beleives he is above jealousy reveals his falw: he is not yet able to understand the depths of passtion -- great love equals great jealousy.
Othellow strives to be a warrior in life but he cannot bea a warrior in the bedroom--he must realize the enegmy is himself.
In order for OThello to truly connect with Desdemona, he must step down from the etiquette of VEnice into the steam of Cyprus and allow himself to be vulnerable to passion.
Step 4: Create the thesis. Be frank. Be clear. Be emotional. Change the world (or how we see this play) with your interpretation of the work.Build the thesis directly from your three summary statements. Be sure to add the author and the title. Italicize the title of plays.
Sample Thesis:
A warrior cannot love. Only a man can love--vulnerable to jealousy and fear--knowing unconditionally that love does not require trust in the beloved but rather, love demands trust in oneself in Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello.
Tonight: Create the introduction. Use the four sentences you created in class plus create a definitive hook to slowly entice the reader toward your thesis. Type it up. Submit it to me for editing tomorrow. While you write the test, I will edit.
Ensure that you have it printed before class begins.
Introduction
Sentence 1: Hook
2: Thesis, plus author, title
3: First colour summary
4: Second colour summary
5: Third colour summary
6: Repeat the thesis in a more emotional manner. Usually short.
Remember a thesis must SAY something.
Do not say: Iago has many ways to manipulate Othello. Uh? Yeah? You think?
Tell us what you have discovered about his manipulative ways.
Iago, knowing Othello is not from Venice, plies him with lies which feed Othello's unspoken insecurities.
Okay. You are ready. Write. Write. Write.
Study for tomorrow's test by reviewing your notes. Looking closely at the literary must-haves that are used for all formal literary responses.
Look at the "musings" which you have done and re-read a few of the key scenes. Try to predict which passage I will use and why.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Eng 11 E: Quote Log is due Monday . . . .
Arrive with all of your passages chosen and your musings written and you will be ready to go. Bring three coloured markers for Monday's class. We will colour-code the log and write the introduction to the essay all in one class.
Tuesday: Final Othello test. You will be given a passage to interpret and be required to write a formal, literary paragraph of 300 to 400 words.
Notebooks will be due with the essays, week after next. We'll choose a date next week.
Tuesday: Final Othello test. You will be given a passage to interpret and be required to write a formal, literary paragraph of 300 to 400 words.
Notebooks will be due with the essays, week after next. We'll choose a date next week.
Wr 12: Manuscript due Tuesday . . .
Be sure to follow all of the criteria, especially, emailing me an electronic copy. Check off each step on the sheet.
I will check my email Sunday so you may send me new revisions or new poems.
Focus on the criteria and you will be fine.
Plan to attend the reading on Wednesday night at SMUS. It starts at 7. Marc, Courtney, Christina, Terra, Frankie and Whitney, SMUS students and I will be reading.
Location: Wenman Pavillion. Enter the main entrance which is at the corner of Richmond Rd and McCrae. McCrae runs from Shelbourne to Richmond between Hillside and Cedar Hill X. Easy to find.
Turn into the driveway and make an immediate left to park. The small building is right beside the parking lot. It's a small lot so car pool and get their early. If it is full, keep going down the drive and you'll see a lot of spots in front of the main building by the flag poles.
Free admission and free refreshments. Great!!
I will check my email Sunday so you may send me new revisions or new poems.
Focus on the criteria and you will be fine.
Plan to attend the reading on Wednesday night at SMUS. It starts at 7. Marc, Courtney, Christina, Terra, Frankie and Whitney, SMUS students and I will be reading.
Location: Wenman Pavillion. Enter the main entrance which is at the corner of Richmond Rd and McCrae. McCrae runs from Shelbourne to Richmond between Hillside and Cedar Hill X. Easy to find.
Turn into the driveway and make an immediate left to park. The small building is right beside the parking lot. It's a small lot so car pool and get their early. If it is full, keep going down the drive and you'll see a lot of spots in front of the main building by the flag poles.
Free admission and free refreshments. Great!!
English 10: Study for test . . . Monday
A quotation quiz tests your ability to make inferences by finding symbols in the quote, making connections to other scenes in the novel, and by discussing what the quotation reveals about the character.
Sample:
" ' Why one sprig of nut grasss can ruin a whole yard. Look here. When it comes fall this dires up and the wind blows i all over Maycomb county! ' " (56).
Circle the parts of the quote that you plan to discuss. Make connections. Think about what it might symbolize. Think about the context of the quote (i.e. what is happening when it is spoken and/or who is being addressed).
This quotation is Miss Maudie talking to Scout about the weeds in her garden, in particular, one hardy weed, called "nut grass" which spreads easily if not dug up. A weed which spreads more weeds symbolized the racism in Maycomb County. The fact that Tom Robinson does not have a chance, even though, the deed he is charged with is impossible due to his injured arm, proves Miss Maudie's point. The weed in this town is racism. And even worse, the fact that people do not want to change. Atticus is called nigger-lover by children, Cecil Jacobs and Francis, by neighbours, Mrs. Dubose and Mr. Radley, and even his sister, Alexandra doubts his effort to defend an innocent man simply because of his skin colour. Harper Lee is warning the audience that to let one weed grow such as (a false belief) will ruin the entire garden. Believing Mr. Ewell's word over Tom's based on skin colour is this pernicious weed.
To study:
Choose five quotations from pages 1-112 that you find important. Write a paragraph for each one. Arrive in class with this step complete and you can earn an extra 10% on your test.
During the test, follow the three steps we practiced. Circle the strongest words in the quote. Make connections to other scenes or characters. Decide what the image in the quote could symbolize.
You have done this type of exercise many times this year during the poetry unit. Remember what the "fleas in the vacuum cleaner" represented in Ruzesky's poem, "A Slow Fuse"? What did the window represent in Leedahl's poem, "Spring"? What did the cherries represent in the poem, "Cherries"?
Authors show but do not tell us what to think. We draw our own conclusions by making inferences and connecting our opinions to other parts of the novel.
INJUSTICE PROJECTS DUE: WED. NOV. 14. Focus on showing us the problem and let us draw our own conclusions.
You will not have any more class time. If you need the Maclab, plan to stay after school Monday or at lunch on Wednesday. Computers are available in my room at lunch.
T
Sample:
" ' Why one sprig of nut grasss can ruin a whole yard. Look here. When it comes fall this dires up and the wind blows i all over Maycomb county! ' " (56).
Circle the parts of the quote that you plan to discuss. Make connections. Think about what it might symbolize. Think about the context of the quote (i.e. what is happening when it is spoken and/or who is being addressed).
This quotation is Miss Maudie talking to Scout about the weeds in her garden, in particular, one hardy weed, called "nut grass" which spreads easily if not dug up. A weed which spreads more weeds symbolized the racism in Maycomb County. The fact that Tom Robinson does not have a chance, even though, the deed he is charged with is impossible due to his injured arm, proves Miss Maudie's point. The weed in this town is racism. And even worse, the fact that people do not want to change. Atticus is called nigger-lover by children, Cecil Jacobs and Francis, by neighbours, Mrs. Dubose and Mr. Radley, and even his sister, Alexandra doubts his effort to defend an innocent man simply because of his skin colour. Harper Lee is warning the audience that to let one weed grow such as (a false belief) will ruin the entire garden. Believing Mr. Ewell's word over Tom's based on skin colour is this pernicious weed.
To study:
Choose five quotations from pages 1-112 that you find important. Write a paragraph for each one. Arrive in class with this step complete and you can earn an extra 10% on your test.
During the test, follow the three steps we practiced. Circle the strongest words in the quote. Make connections to other scenes or characters. Decide what the image in the quote could symbolize.
You have done this type of exercise many times this year during the poetry unit. Remember what the "fleas in the vacuum cleaner" represented in Ruzesky's poem, "A Slow Fuse"? What did the window represent in Leedahl's poem, "Spring"? What did the cherries represent in the poem, "Cherries"?
Authors show but do not tell us what to think. We draw our own conclusions by making inferences and connecting our opinions to other parts of the novel.
INJUSTICE PROJECTS DUE: WED. NOV. 14. Focus on showing us the problem and let us draw our own conclusions.
You will not have any more class time. If you need the Maclab, plan to stay after school Monday or at lunch on Wednesday. Computers are available in my room at lunch.
T
Thursday, November 1, 2012
English 10: Finish reading to 112, end of part 1
Continue to post-it note key passages which reflect your character and injustice, prejudice or loss of innocence. You will be presenting your findings to the class.
Tomorrow: We will be reviewing the first section of the novel to prepare for a test on section 1, Monday.
I collected all of the USSR forms today.
If you were absent today, please connect with your injustice-project group members as we had time to work on the project. We will be working on the project again tomorrow.
Due: Wed. Nov. 14th.
Tomorrow: We will be reviewing the first section of the novel to prepare for a test on section 1, Monday.
I collected all of the USSR forms today.
If you were absent today, please connect with your injustice-project group members as we had time to work on the project. We will be working on the project again tomorrow.
Due: Wed. Nov. 14th.
Wr 12: Revise your manuscript . . .
Bring any poems to class tomorrow that you want me to edit. I'm also available during lunch and after school to go over any poems with you.
Follow the criteria. We'll be in the lab on Monday to do the final touches. All manuscripts are due Tuesday. If you have not yet picked up the manuscript handout, see me. It's also on Tuesday's blog.
Tomorrow, we have two groups presenting.
One-Al Purdy
Two-Shel Silverstein
Follow the criteria. We'll be in the lab on Monday to do the final touches. All manuscripts are due Tuesday. If you have not yet picked up the manuscript handout, see me. It's also on Tuesday's blog.
Tomorrow, we have two groups presenting.
One-Al Purdy
Two-Shel Silverstein
Eng 11E: Pick all the quotations for your log . . .
You worked hard today despite the extra sugar and lack of sleep. I am impressed. I thought the flurry of Othello topics listed on the board were brilliant.
You have all chosen a topic. A topic is not a THESIS. It is too early to worry about WHAT you will write about. At this stage you want to do several close readings of text to EXPLORE your topic.
Quotation Log is due Monday. Tonight, choose all of your passages.
Tomorrow during class and over the weekend, write up all of your responses in the form of a chart or paragraphs or web etc.
Bring the completed log to class on Monday and we will turn it into a thesis.
Tuesday: Othello test and Othello notes are due. The test will be one passage. You must analyze the passage (do a close reading) and answer a question in a formal literary paragraph. Similar to your short story test but the passage will be shorter. Memorize all of the brainstorming steps we have been using.
Next week, Wed, Thurs, Friday, you will be writing the essay during class. You'll have the long weekend to edit/revise and then you will bring a draft to class for peer editing, Tues. Nov. 13.
You have all chosen a topic. A topic is not a THESIS. It is too early to worry about WHAT you will write about. At this stage you want to do several close readings of text to EXPLORE your topic.
Quotation Log is due Monday. Tonight, choose all of your passages.
Tomorrow during class and over the weekend, write up all of your responses in the form of a chart or paragraphs or web etc.
Bring the completed log to class on Monday and we will turn it into a thesis.
Tuesday: Othello test and Othello notes are due. The test will be one passage. You must analyze the passage (do a close reading) and answer a question in a formal literary paragraph. Similar to your short story test but the passage will be shorter. Memorize all of the brainstorming steps we have been using.
Next week, Wed, Thurs, Friday, you will be writing the essay during class. You'll have the long weekend to edit/revise and then you will bring a draft to class for peer editing, Tues. Nov. 13.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)