middle school literary essay

Middle School Literary Essay Unit

Delia DeCourcy - Oakland Schools

delia.decourcy@oakland.k12.mi.us

ccssmiddleschoolliteraryessay.wikispaces.com

Introductions● Your Name

● Your Role

● What’s going on curricularly at the moment?

● Where are you headed next?

Goals & Burning QuestionsConcerning the Literary Essay Unit:● Consider how the previous units build on one

another● Understand the pedagogical approach of the

unit● Examine the forms of assessment in the unit● Experience key lessons and concepts● Access resources for future use

Write a question or concern you’d like addressed on the notecard.

What Precedes the Lit Essay?

●Launching● Independent Reading●Argument Paragraph●Narrative Reading

What Precedes the Lit Essay

Launching● develops a writing community in which

dialogue, feedback, process and revision are paramount

● study of a genre● students keep a writer’s notebookto generate ideas

What Precedes the Lit Essay?

Independent Reading● develops a community of readers● students build close reading skills● select books of interest● reading for both volume & understanding● students keep a reader’s notebook

What Precedes the Lit Essay?

Argument Paragraph● Students learn about the concepts of

o claimo evidenceo reasoning/analysis/commentary

● Generate and organize evidence and commentary to connect the claim to evidence (7th & 8th)

● Draft and revise to develop a coherent paragraph

What Precedes the Lit Essay?

Narrative Reading● Continuing to build the reading community● Continued use of the reader’s notebook● Arming students with knowledge about

narrative elements & practice with reading strategies

Learning Habits/Beliefs● Different ways of reading -- Close reading is an

active, analytical process supported by annotating and discussion. I can talk to the text.

● Talking about texts with peers helps me make meaning from them.

● I can make multiple interpretations about a text if I have the evidence to back them up.

Learning Habits/Beliefs● Writers use a multi-step process that involves

idea generation, drafting, and revision.● Writing is generative; I won’t use all the ideas

or material I come up with.● I have a voice and can express myself both

orally and in writing.● I am part of a reading & writing community

that I can lean on for support and feedback.

Starting w/ the End in Mind

Read the prompt for the post-unit assessment on p. 6 or 7 of your unit.

Starting with the End in Mind

● Notice & Note - 2 Draft Read

o #1 What is the essay about? - get the gist

o #2 What skills must a student marshall to write an essay like this one?

What Skills?In grade level groups

● make a list of the skills students need to write a satisfactory literary essay

● include both reading & writing skills

Which Standards?

Given the list of skills you generated, which standards will be key in the Lit

Essay unit?look at

READING LITERATUREWRITING

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/

Skills & Standards

Which skills map to which standards?

Skills & StandardsReading: Key Ideas & DetailsHow have students practiced/mastered these skills previously?

Writing: Developing an ArgumentHow will you scaffold these skills in the unit?

The AbstractWhile many literary analysis lessons assume that a student will regurgitate a literary critic or teacher’s thesis, these lessons ask student readers and writers to actively engage in theory-building, claim-making, selecting and organizing evidence, and revising and editing. This four-step process models the writer’s workshop philosophy. Classrooms that use the workshop model make explicit that the process of learning to read, write, and think are just as important as the finished essay.

(7th grade abstract)

ASSUMPTIONS

● Students read an “individual text” in the narrative reading unit○ book clubs○ independent read○ whole class novel

● Using an anchor text everyone knows that the teacher can use to model throughout the unit.

● Mentor texts are student and teacher-generated paragraphs or whole essays pulled from book or film reviews.

LESSON DESIGN: Gradual Release of Responsibility

● What?

● How?

● Why?

● Your examples?

BREAK

Overview p. 6 or 7Teaching Points: also known as learning targets or goals….CONCEPTUAL BENDS● share with students● assess what was learned at the end of

the lesson● re-teach if formative assessment

indicates a chunk of students didn’t get it

● Assessments

o Pre-assessment > from the narrative reading unit, to determine students’ ability to reading and analyze independently

o Mid-unit assessment > literary essay rough plan

o Daily - exit tickets, discussion, small group work

Overview - p. 6 or 7

● summative - evaluation of final producto students intro too academic vocabulary

● formative - process focused

How would you use each of these rubrics?

Rubric Study - p. 7-9

Audience● Who are your students writing for?● What audience will motivate and

engage them?● Who will inspire them to devise

interesting arguments?Ideas?

Anchor Texts6th - Character> “Scout’s Honor” by Avi

7th - Theme> “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes

8th - Theme & Character> “The Gift of the Magi” by O’Henry

REVIEW of LITERARY ELEMENTS

5 Story Elements Rap

OR Theme Review - p. 11 in 7th and 8th grade units

Additional resources on wiki

● shifting between the student lens and the teacher lens

o experience lessonso read lessonso debrief lessons

Immersion in Unit

Session 1 - Theory BuildingTeaching Point:Literary essayists write and talk about a text to develop theories about a story’s characters (6th), themes (7th) or characters & themes (8th).

Theory vs. Claim?Discuss with your neighbor.

Theories are initial ideas or hunches.

Claims are refined theories that have evidence for support.

Let’s Read & Annotate Our Anchor Text

Your reading agenda...● Put an I next to

any big ideas you see

● Put an S next to any emotional shifts

● Put a C next to moments of high conflict

THINKING PROMPTS● What’s the character’s

problem?

● Why are the characters in conflict?

● What did the character’s reaction reveal about him or her?

● What is the author trying to convey to the reader?

● What did the story get you thinking about?

What are the big ideas?Share...

My Theories● character: The boy acts out because

he feels abandoned in the world.● theme: Luella shows that compassion

is more effective in creating change than punishment.

● character & theme: Luella is both strict and nurturing, illustrating that kindness has more than one incarnation.

What are your theories?With your group, in your WNB, jot down as many theories as you can about “Thank You, Ma’am.” FOCUS:● 6th - character development● 7th - theme● 8th - character and theme[Develop theories about your individual text using your notes and annotations.]

Session 2 - Finding Support for Theories

Teaching Point:Literary essayists test their theories by looking for examples from the text.

Session 2 - Finding Support for Theories

Possible Theory on Character

Evidence from Text

Evidence gets me thinking about...

The boy acts out because he feels abandoned in the world.

“There’s nobody at my house,” said the boy.

How having a family makes people feel like they below. If you don’t have this, you feel like an outsider and may take more risks.

Session 2 - Finding Support for Theories

In your group, find evidence for 3 of your theories using the

Finding Support of Theories Handout.

[In your individual text, find evidence to support 2-3 of your theories.]

LUNCH

Session 2 - Finding Support for Theories

Teaching Point:Literary essayists reread in order to test their theories. They may change their theories after discovering new evidence.

Session 2 - Revising a TheoryOriginal: The boy acts out because he feels abandoned in the world.Revised: Interacting with a kind and generous person can help us see the error in our ways. The boys isn’t initially ashamed but after his time with Luella he realizes he was wrong. Revise one of your theories due to lack of or contradictory evidence in the text. SHARE[Revise one or many of your theories about your individual text.]

Unit Reading TimeReview sessions one and two

in your grade level packet.

Debrief● How does the unit scaffold students

into building complex theories and supporting and revising them?

● What adjustments might you make for your students?

● Questions?

Session 3 Teaching Point: Literary essayists review their evidence and create a supportable claim about theme.

Drafting & Supporting Claims

Drafting ClaimsMy Theories:

● Luella shows that compassion is more effective in creating change than punishment.

● Luella is both strict and nurturing, illustrating that kindness has more than one incarnation.

● Interacting with a kind and generous person can help us see the error in our ways. The boys isn’t initially ashamed but after his time with Luella he realizes he was wrong.

Drafting ClaimsMy Claim:

Kindness, nurturing and generosity are forces that are most likely to inspire

a change in behavior.

Drafting ClaimsWith a partner, turn your theories

into a debatable claim.6th - character

7th - theme8th - character and theme

SHARE[Study your theories about your individual text and

devise or select a debatable claim.]

Supporting ClaimsSession 4 Teaching Point:Literary essayists identify reasons and examples to explain and support the claim.

Supporting ClaimsKindness, nurturing & generosity are forces most likely to inspire a change in

behavior.

Types of Evidence: Direct Quotes, Character Action, Thoughts, Dialogue, Key Events, Author’s Device

Type of Evidence Page Number

Textual Evidence Relevance to Claim or Reasons

direct quote 1 “No’m,” said the being dragged boy. “I just want you to turn me loose.”

After Luella has shaken the boy and physically restrained him, he apologizes but just wants to get away. No real change.

character action 3 Luella feeds the boy and gives him ten dollars to buy shoes--acts of kindness; the boy is speechless as he leaves her house.

The boy was once eager to run away but is now hesitant to leave the house because he feels connected to this stranger--and grateful.

Supporting ClaimsWith a partner, complete

Collecting Evidence for Claims(8th grade, consider using

7th grade’s graphic organizer)

Identifying Reasons (6th -2 pages, 7th - modify 8th grade)

[Collect evidence and identify reasons in your WNB for the claim about your individual text.]

BREAK

Mid-Unit AssessmentComplete Your Rough Plan

[for your individual text]LEAD WITH YOUR REASONS

Conference with another pair to get feedback on:● how well your reasons connect to your

claim● how your evidence connects to your

reasons● how well your reasons connect to each

other

Unit Reading Time

Review sessions 3, 4, and 5 in your grade level packet.(3 & 4 for Grade 6)

Debrief● How does the unit scaffold students

into drafting & supporting claims with reasons and examples?

● What adjustments might you make for your students?

● Questions?

Drafting & Managing Types of Evidence

Session 7 Teaching Point: Literary essayists draft body paragraphs by presenting evidence through paraphrase and direct quotes.

● quoting vs. paraphrasing (6th & 7th)● setting up the paraphrase or quote

within a paragraph (6th)

Drafting & Managing Evidence Types

Drafting Body Paragraphs - Sessions 6 & 8● 7th grade - Introducing & Connecting

Evidence handout● 8th grade - Extended & Connected

Examples handout

Drafting Paragraphsdraft - feedback - revision - self-reflection

- revision - feedback - revision

How the paragraphs● support the claim● connect to one another● move the argument along

Unit Reading Time

Review sessions 6th grade: 5-77th & 8th grade: 6-8

Debrief● How does the unit scaffold students

into drafting their essay?

● What adjustments might you make for your students?

● Questions?

Final Lessons● Introductory & Concluding Paragraphs

● Peer Review & Revision

● Editing and Publishing

● Reflection (Metacognition)

Peer Review● Training students to make substantive

comments that are helpful to another writer.● The Challenges?

○ kids unsure of what to do○ kids wanting to be “nice”○ kids on auto pilot○ differing skill levels○ others?

● Let’s watch a video!

Peer Review1.Model by thinking aloud through a

piece of student work (old).2.Give students sentence stems/starters.3.Let the students critique your

paragraph or essay.4.Give more scaffolding at first and less

as they become more practiced.5.Use throughout units - not just at the

end.

SAMPLES ON THE WIKI

Your Metacognitive Task● In your WNB

○ What did you learn today? How did you learn it?

○ Which learning was most challenging?

○ What do you anticipate will be the toughest part about teaching this unit?

THANK YOU!

delia.decourcy@oakland.k12.mi.us