Thursday, December 19, 2019

Editing and Revision IAB - 19 December and 20 December 2019

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.


CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.


CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.




The Plan:
  1. Read!
  2. IAB Practice - Editing and Revision
  3. This I Believe Personal Brainstorm (On Google Classroom)

Reminders/Homework:
  • Read! (You will be expected to write another book review (yes a SECOND one) for a book you finish between December and January. We will complete this the week of January 13. Make sure you're reading a novel!)
  • Make sure you have FOUR December ELA Journal entries complete (3 December to 18 December)
  • Complete This I Believe Personal Brainstorm on Google Classroom
    • Due when you return from break
  • No Red Ink "Capitalization and Conjunctions"
    • due Friday, 10 January 2019
  • Bring back any books of Ms. Black's that you aren't reading anymore.


IAB Practice - Editing and Revision


Today you'll be doing some CAASPP Practice questions just like we did when we came back from break.

The goal today is for you to learn how to use the testing interface, and for you to practice experiencing these types of questions, and to maybe pick up some skills.

The deal today is that you are expected and encouraged to work with your table. You have to complete your own answers, but you get to help each other get them right. Talk about the questions, interrogate the text, and see if you can all do even better than you might expect.

In order to do this, you'll need an ID card from Ms. Black and you'll have to log into the testing window.


This I Believe Personal Brainstorm

This document on Google Classroom asks you to think about important moments in your life, just like Dylan thought about and shared an important moment in his life and what it taught him.

You have part of today and all of winter break to work on this document. The reason you have such a long time is because I know the questions are not easy, and I want you to have time to talk to your family and friends and really take time to reflect upon the answers. Sometimes a loved one can help remind us of things that we learned or challenges we faced that we might have forgotten about. 

It has a few parts. Please take some time to read through it today and begin working on the parts you can.


Tuesday, December 17, 2019

"The Bird Who Broke Through the Window" and Personal Moments - 17 December and 18 December 2019

Today's Goal:


CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.5
Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Read and annotate "The Bird Who Broke Through the Window" together
  3. ELA Journal Questions (Here's Ms. Black's to Copy/Paste)
  4. This I Believe Personal Brainstorm (On Google Classroom)

Reminders/Homework:
  • READ!
  • Make sure all ELA Journal Entries are completed thoughtfully.
  • This I Believe Personal Brainstorm should be completed by the time you come back from Winter Break in January. Talk to your people, get ideas from family, and fill it in as thoughtfully as you can.
  • Finish your Book Review if it is not already completed
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12
    • Due Friday, 19 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Capitalization and Conjunctions"
    • Due Friday, 10 January, 4pm

"The Bird Who Broke Through the Window"

We will read and annotate this together. I will give it to you on paper!

Purpose for Reading: What does Dylan believe and how did he come to believe it?

We will annotate in this way:
  • Write our purpose for reading at the top
  • number each paragraph
  • Circle and define words we need definitions for
  • highlight/underline key ideas in each passage and make note of why it's important

When we are done, there are three questions to copy and paste into your ELA journal!

You can copy and paste from Ms. Black's to include the date, but here are the questions:
  1. Today we did some annotation. What does annotation mean? What kinds of things did we annotate together and why?
  2. What does Dylan believe and what events in his life helped him to form this belief?
  3. What is the significance of the title? Explain what it means and why it matters.

This I Believe Personal Brainstorm

This document on Google Classroom asks you to think about important moments in your life, just like Dylan thought about and shared an important moment in his life and what it taught him.

You have today and all of winter break to work on this document. The reason you have such a long time is because I know the questions are not easy, and I want you to have time to talk to your family and friends and really take time to reflect upon the answers. Sometimes a loved one can help remind us of things that we learned or challenges we faced that we might have forgotten about. 

It has a few parts. Please take some time to read through it today and begin working on the parts you can.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Values Sort - 13 December and 16 December 2019

Today's Goal: Identify and discuss what values are important to you.'

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.C
Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.D
Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing.

The Plan:
  1. LET'S READ (Skim the blog post, then read your book.)
  2. Values Sort Activity 
  3. Values Bracket
  4. ELA Journal Questions - Copy and Paste from Ms. Black's

Reminders/Homework:
  • READ!
  • FINISH ELA JOURNAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS FROM TODAY.
  • Finish your Book Review if it is not already completed
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word"
    • Due Friday, 13 December, 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12
    • Due Friday, 19 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Capitalization and Conjunctions"
    • Due Friday, 10 January, 4pm


Values Sort:


ELA Journal Questions - 

These are the questions. You can (and should) copy and paste from Ms. Black's ELA Journal.

  1. What was your team's final decision? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?
  2. How did it feel when a value you cared about was removed from the board? 
  3. What strategies did you use in completing the activity? How did you make decisions as a team?
  4. Were you ever persuaded to change your mind? Explain. 
  5. Why do you think that everyone has different values? If we know that everyone has different values, how does that affect how we communicate and interact with each other?
IF ABSENT!
Do the following in your ELA Journal instead:

  1. Visit a list of core values. Here is a pretty good one; it's very long.
  2. Choose 5 Core Values that you find to be extremely important in your life.
  3. Explain what each of these values are (define them) and why they matter to you. (That sounds like at least two sentences for each value to me)

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

"This I Believe" Introduction

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.


The Plan:
  1. Read!
  2. "This I Believe" Introduction - Assignment is accessible on Google Classroom
  3. Ketchup Time

Reminders/Homework:
  • READ!
  • Finish your Book Review if it is not already completed
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word"
    • Due Friday, 13 December, 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12
    • Due Friday, 19 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Capitalization and Conjunctions"
    • Due Friday, 10 January, 4pm


"This I Believe" Introduction
"This I Believe is an international organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 125,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, have been archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow." - from the website ThisIBelieve.org
We are going to be reading and analyzing the original introduction to this project, explained by Radio Host Edward R. Murrow.

You will be using a platform called Go Formative, but the assignment is assigned in Google Classroom, and it will take you to the appropriate place. You will be working with a partner, and you will need to read each section aloud to each other before answering the questions.

  1. Open the assignment.
  2. Read the title and byline and answer the first question.
  3. Read the first section aloud to each other, then work together to answer the question that follows.
  4. Work through the reading and the questions (there are 8 questions) together with your partner. You can work together but you must still complete the assignment on your own computer as well. 
  5. Answer in complete sentences. Do not forget the RA strategy. Be specific and do not use personal pronouns unless the question specifically says you can.

 This is not an easy text. It is not meant to be. Ask questions, support each other, talk to the guest teacher, and see if together, you can figure out what difficult sentences mean. That's the task of being a careful reader. You are capable and you can do it.


Ketchup Time
When you finish, you have some time to make like a tomato and CATCH UP.

You have options, IN THIS EXACT ORDER. Do not move on to the next one until you are positive that the first is complete:

  1. Finish your Book Review
  2. Finish the No Red Ink Assignment "Choosing the Right Word" that is due this Friday
  3. Revise your essay (there may or may not be comments, but all of your documents do have a rubric at the end of the document. Please go look at it. All students who want a revised score should make time to meet with Ms. Black for a few minutes at RAM or after school one day to go over some suggestions, though it is not required.)
  4. Complete Typing.com Intermediate #1-8
  5. NoRedInk "Capitalization and Conjunctions" Assignment.



Monday, December 9, 2019

Writing Your Own Book Review - 9 December and 10 December 2019

Today's Goal: 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.


The Plan:

  1. Read
  2. Genre Notes (In your Independent Reading Notebook)
  3. Book Reviews!


Reminders/Homework:

  • Read for at least 20 minute each day. More is better.
  • Finish your Book Review on Google Classroom
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word" Assignment
    • Due Friday, 13 December, 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12
    • Due Friday, 19 December, 4pm

Genre Notes

In your "Independent Reading Notebook" where you track your books, you will find a tab at the bottom that says "Genre Notes." 

Today we will discuss and take notes on the last three genres/categories on our chart:
  1. Autobiography/Biography/Memoir
  2. Nonfiction
  3. Poetry
You have no ELA Journal Questions for these today.


Book Reviews!

You will find your own personal copy of this document in Google Classroom. 

It has:
  • a space for you to write your book review
  • a list of ideas we made last class, plus some others that other classes thought of
  • links to book reviews
You get to let out all your feelings and opinions right now. Just keep in mind that you must write about a book you have on your independent reading list that you have finished in the past few weeks. 

You must also be detailed. Do not leave out ideas and say "you'll just have to read it to find out." You can talk about what you thought about very specific details and share those specific details. This is fine. Maybe just avoid major plot spoilers, but if you put a spoiler warning at the top, then it's fair game. 

You may not write your book review about Hatchet.


Thursday, December 5, 2019

Reviewing Book Reviews - 5 December and 6 December 2019

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9
Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.


In addition: Analyze book reviews to prepare to write a book review in class tomorrow by identifying the necessary elements required for the task.

The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Genre Notes (In your Independent Reading Notebook)
  3. Genre Reflection Questions 2 (in your ELA Journal; you'll need to copy and paste the questions from Ms. Black's)
  4. Book Review Analysis

Reminders/Homework:
  • Read for at least 20 minute each day. More is better.
  • Bring in a book you have finished in the last month or so. If you can't, you won't be in trouble, but it will help. You will be working to write a book review next class. 
  • Typing.com Intermediate #5-8
    • Due Friday, 6 December, 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word" Assignment
    • Due Friday, 13 December, 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12
    • Due Friday, 19 December, 4pm


Genre Notes

In your "Independent Reading Notebook" where you track your books, you will find a tab at the bottom that says "Genre Notes." 

Today we will discuss and take notes on three MORE genres/categories:
  1. Fantasy
  2. Science-Fiction
  3. Graphic Novels

In your ELA Journal, you'll answer these two questions in complete sentences and thorough answers with details:
  1. Is Star Wars a fantasy or sci-fi universe? Defend your answer using details from the story. (If you haven’t seen Star Wars, share one fantasy and one sci-fi movie or tv show and how you know. Be specific and use details from the story.)
  2. What is your favorite graphic novel or series? Why? How do the images help tell the story?


Book Reviews

Today you will review a selection of book reviews to learn about their important elements

Your job: Read the book review that is assigned to you and make a list of everything that you notice that the writer DID in their book review. What makes it a good book review? What's significant about this piece of writing? What important pieces of information did the write include (and not include) about the book?


Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Reading Literary Texts IAB Practice and Genre Notes - 3 December and 4 December 2019

Today's Goal: 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.9
Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories


The Plan:

  1. You'll need your Independent Reading Notebook AND your ELA Journal open. Feel free to go copy and paste the questions from Ms. Black's ELA Journal into yours.
  2. Read
  3. Genre Notes 
  4. IAB Practice - Reading Literary Texts

Reminders/Homework:

  • Read for at least 20 minutes each day. More is preferable.
  • Get access to a book that you have finished in the last month or so. Put it in your backpack because we'll be using it in a couple days.
  • Typing.com Intermediate #5-8 
    • Due Friday, 6 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word" Assignment
    • Due Friday 13 December 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12 
    • Due Friday, 19 December 4pm


Genre Notes

In your "Independent Reading Notebook" where you track your books, you will find a tab at the bottom that says "Genre Notes."

Today we will discuss three genres:
  1. Realistic Fiction
  2. Historical Fiction
  3. "Traditional" Literature, sometimes called "Classics" (Here's a list of some)

In your reading notebook, we'll take some notes together. Then, in your ELA Journal, you'll copy and paste and answer the following questions:


  1. Hatchet is a realistic fiction novel. Why would Hatchet also be considered a “classic” novel or “traditional literature”?
  2. What is one realistic fiction book you have read this year. What makes it a realistic fiction novel? Please explain using details from the story.
  3. Have you read a historical fiction novel this year? If so, share a little bit about it and what makes it a historical fiction novel. If you haven’t, explore a little bit and share one that you might be interested in reading and why.

IAB Practice - Reading Literary Texts

Honestly, we're going to figure this out together, but today you'll be doing some practice CAASPP questions. You'll be doing a set of questions about a piece of fiction/literature reading, as that's what we've been practicing while reading Hatchet. 

The goal today is for you to learn how to use the testing interface, and for you to practice experiencing these types of questions.

The deal today is that you are expected and encouraged to work with your table. You have to complete your own answers, but you get to help each other get them right. Talk about the questions, interrogate the text, and see if you can all do even better than you might expect.

In order to do this, you'll need an ID card from Ms. Black and you'll have to log out of your computer to log into the testing window.

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Cry in the Wild - 22 November and 2 December 2019

Today's Goal: 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7
Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Make sure you have everything done that you need to have done.
  3. Watch A Cry in the Wild

IMPORTANT:

  1. If you didn't read your essay aloud to someone, you must do that today before you can watch the movie.
  2. If you didn't do the NoRedInk Diagnostic #2 yet, I'm going to make you do it while you watch the movie. 



Reminders/Homework:
  • READ a book!
  • Work on finishing/revising your essay
  • No Red Ink Diagnostic #2
    • Due Friday, 22 November 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #5-8 
    • Due Friday, 6 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word" Assignment
    • Due Friday 13 December 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #9-12 
    • Due Friday, 19 December 4pm

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Revision Checklist and Reading to a Partner - 20 November and 21 November 2019

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 6 here.)
The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Revision Checklist with a Partner
  3. A Cry in the Wild movie time.
  4. Return your copy of Hatchet

Reminders/Homework:
  • READ a book!
  • Work on finishing/revising your essay
  • No Red Ink Diagnostic #2
    • Due Friday, 22 November 4pm
  • Typing.com Intermediate #5-8 
    • Due Friday, 6 December 4pm
  • No Red Ink "Choosing the Right Word" Assignment
    • Due Friday 13 December 4pm

Ms. Black what should my title be?!?!
The requirements for your title are this:

  • You may not write the word "Essay" in your title.
  • Your title should be related to the content of your essay
  • It needs to be appropriate and academic. Make it sound professional.


Revision Checklist with a Partner
Here's how it works:
  1. IF you are done with your essay, you will be assigned a partner, and you will sit next to that partner. and receive an "Essay Revision Checklist".
  2. On your own document, you will complete the "basic steps" and help each other make sure all the things are done.
  3. Read your introduction and put a checkbox ONLY if you 100% know for sure that you have each element.
  4. Trade computers and papers in order to read your partner's introduction and fill in the second checkbox ONLY if you 100% know that your partner has that the element described.
  5. Trade back and repeat steps 3 and 4 for Body Paragraphs.
  6. Trade back and repeat steps 3 and 4 for your Conclusion.
  7. Trade back and repeat steps 3 and 4 for "General Formatting"
  8. Once ALL of this is done, you must read your essay out loud to your partner, one at a time. That assigned partner must listen and sign your paper saying that they listened to you read it.
  9. Turn it in to Ms. Black or Mr. Mello or Mrs. H. Yes, you are required to turn it in.
NOTE: If you do not get to the read-aloud portion of this activity (Step #8), then you are required to read it out loud at home to a parent/guardian/adult at home and have them write their name and sign it. You must bring it back and turn it in. You will not be able to watch the movie on Friday if you have not gotten your Checklist signed off.


Monday, November 18, 2019

Rubric and Revision - 18 November and 19 November 2019

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 6 here.)
The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Update Reading Log
  3. Review Rubric/ Assessment activity
  4. Revision Work

Reminders/Homework:

  • READ a book!
  • Work on finishing/revising your essay
    • CLICK HERE for the overall essay guidelines. 
    • FINAL DRAFT: Due Friday, 22 November, 4pm
  • No Red Ink Diagnostic #2
    • Due Friday, 22 November 4pm


Reading Log Updates
So I know lots and lots of you have not updated your reading logs lately. For some of you, it's a matter of remembering. For some of you, it won't open. For others, it's that you're not reading. 

If it won't open: The star ratings are the problem. You're copying and pasting a picture a whole bunch of times, and the chromebooks can't handle it (who knew? I didn't.) All of you will need to replace the pictures of stars with text. So you can do an X or you can fill in numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 in each box, or you can fill in the boxes with numbers. Whatever makes you happiest.

If you've been reading different books every day, great! I need you to write them in and then write "abandoned" on date finished. If you're reading the first five pages of 10 different books, that's fine, but you need to record it. 

If you've forgotten, do your best, and then you'll need to keep adding moving forward.



Expanding on Evidence (This is part of your BODY paragraphs: the EEEEs.)

Below is what the rubric says about your evidence and reasoning (explanation)
It is scored on a scale of 1 through 4. Which is which?

1: Below Grade-Level
2: Approaching Grade-Level
3: At Grade-Level
4: Above Grade-Level

I will give you and your table five paragraphs.
Your job is to decide which achieves which rubric score.

EGUSD CCSS Rubrics by Elk Grove Unified School District is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://blogs.egusd.net/ccss/educators/ela/rubrics-k-12/.

Revision Work

Here are the 3 checklists you'll be able to access in class today.





Thursday, November 14, 2019

Summarize for your Introduction, Conclusion Paragraphs - 14 November and 15 November 2019

Today's Goal:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.


The Plan:
  1. Read
  2. Hatchet Summary
  3. Hatchet Essay time to complete Introduction and Conclusion paragraphs
Reminders/Homework:

  • READ a book!
  • Finish your COMPLETE DRAFT (all four paragraphs) of your essay in Google Classroom by next class.
    • CLICK HERE for the overall essay guidelines. 
    • FINAL DRAFT: Due Friday, 22 November, 4pm
  • Typing.com INTERMEDIATE #1-4
    • Due Friday, 15 November 4pm
  • No Red Ink Diagnostic #2
    • Due Friday, 22 November 4pm



Hatchet Summary
You will need a sticky note and a collaborative attitude for this activity.

You will work with a group (your group might change) to write the best possible two-three sentence summary of Hatchet that you can.

This is sort of what your paper will visually look like when
you're done with the summary activity.
Here are the steps:

  1. On your sticky note, write a two-sentence summary of Hatchet. Seriously. two sentences. Write small, and write ONLY what is needed to understand the story. Think about it before you write it, because you only get the one shot.
  2. Read your summary to your group. Together, combine forces to create one NEW summary that can be two or three sentences. Pick the best words and the most clear information

HINT: Your summary should start with one of two things:
  • In the novel, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, Brian Robeson is ________
  • The novel, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, is about ________


Hatchet Introduction

You can use these sentence frames (also found on Google Classroom) to help you.

Your introduction has exactly two things, in exactly this order:
  1. An introduction/brief summary of Hatchet
  2. Your thesis statement

Hatchet Conclusion

You can use these sentence frames (also found on Google Classroom) to help you.

The entire purpose of a conclusion paragraph is to sum up the essay and to answer the question: So what? Why does it any of it matter at all?

If you aren't sure, you're going to have to discuss it with some people to figure it out, but here are some ideas for your ending (Pick one).
  • Explain why the character change, the way that Brian became, is important in the real world.
  • Explain why Brian's character change is important to HIM even after he leaves the wilderness. You have to connect it to things that are not related to surviving in the wilderness, though. You might talk about what he talks about in the epilogue
I don't want to tell you how to end your essay, but I do want to tell you that you need to come up with a reason that this change matters, and who it matters to. It could matter to Brian, it could matter to all people, and it could matter to specific kinds of people. You have to decide, and you have to decide why and SAY it. 

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Body Paragraphs! - 12 November and 13 November, 2019

Today's Goal: 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.
Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.

The Plan:
  1. Open your Google Classroom and READ!
  2. Body Paragraph Time!! (Find your NEW document in Google Classroom)
  3. 4 minute break to shake off all your hard work
  4. More Body Paragraph Time!!
Reminders/Homework:

  • READ YOUR INDEPENDENT READING BOOK! YAY!
  • Finish your BODY PARAGRAPHS in Google Classroom by next class.
  • Typing.com INTERMEDIATE #1-4
    • Due Friday, 15 November 4pm


Hatchet Prompt:
In the novel, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, how does Brian Robeson change as a character from the beginning of the story to the end?

CLICK HERE for the overall essay guidelines. 


BODY PARAGRAPHS:

Please note in the directions linked above that your essay will be four paragraphs long. Your body paragraphs will not be small. They will be big. They will be a lot of sentences. They will not be lazy.

Organizing Your Essay

Alright, today we start writing, but it involves some organization first.

There are basically two ways to organize this essay. There may be others, but which way you organize your essay kind of depends on your thesis.

Option #1: Before and After 
  • Body paragraph 1 = Evidence and explanation of what Brian was like before his changes.
  • Body paragraph 2 = Evidence and explanation of what Brian was like after his changes
Option #2: Specific Character Trait Changes (One change in each paragraph)
  • Body paragraph 1 = Explain one way that he has changed by giving evidence and explanation of how he was the opposite before and how he has become that now.
    • Example: Evidence 1 is about how he was dependent
                      Evidence 2 in this paragraph demonstrates how he became independent.
  • Body paragraph 2 = Explain another way that he has changed by giving evidence and explanation of how he was the opposite before and how he has become that now.
    • Example: First evidence demonstrates how he was emotional, and your second piece of evidence demonstrates how he became stronger and more emotionally stable.

Writing Body Paragraphs!
I have attached/will attach a number of resources to Google Classroom, but you can use as many or as few as you want. Your body paragraphs need lots of time and effort, though, because rushing or being lazy will not show off your writing skills. You will need to challenge yourself to dig deeper than you would normally do. 
Body Paragraphs need to follow the RACE format, but it is a MODIFIED RACE format.

BODY PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE:
  • RA - Topic sentence that addresses what the paragraph will be about
  • C - Evidence #1 in a complete sentence
  • E - what's the significance of this evidence?
  • E - how does it prove that Brian has that character trait?
  • E - more if needed. E IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
  • probably a sentence here to transition from one piece of evidence to the next.
  • C - Evidence #2 in a complete sentence
  • E - what's the significance of this evidence?
  • E - how does it prove that Brian has that character trait?
  • E - more if needed. E IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
  • S - Sum it up and help transition to the next paragraph.

At the minimum, that means your body paragraphs will be eight sentences OR MORE. 


DO YOU NEED EVIDENCE? YES. 
IS THERE A RESOURCE FOR THAT? YES.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE EVIDENCE WE GATHERED!

Here are the pictures of the charts on the wall. Follow these steps for ONE body paragraph. You need to do this two times!