CRAFTCraft and Structure

Digging Deeper into Close and Critical Reading for

Narrative and Informational Text

Referring back to the four questions of Close and Critical Reading…

• What does it say? = summary

• How does it say it? = craft• What does it mean? = theme• What does it matter? = connections

How does it say it?

This is the most challenging. This is where the teacher determines if students dissected the selection to see how the parts functioned.

Student task: detect craft and structure

Ingredients + recipe…

How did crust, sauce, cheese, meat and vegetables make this!

How do Craft and Structure work?

CraftWhat are the ingredients?• What are the elements

in use? • What literary devices?• How do the choices

support purpose and audience?

StructureWhat is the recipe?• How is the text put

together? • What format was

chosen?• How do parts work

together and apart?

Basic Elements of Craft

Essential Question: How did the author’s choices produce this work?

We look to a seemingly endless supply of literary devices to dissect what goes into a selection.

Where do we start?

What was the author’s purpose?What was the author’s tone and

perspective?Who was his intended audience?What is the point of view (1st, 2nd

or 3rd person)?

Ready to go to the next level?

What genre of text does the selection represent?

1. Fiction: narrative selections such as fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, historical fiction, adventure, romance, drama, poetry…

2. Nonfiction: memoir, biography, journals… Informational Text: periodicals, articles, textbooks,

scientific journals, reference material and any information on the natural and social world

If the selection is NARRATIVE…

There should be some discussion of: • Plot – How did major events unfold?• Setting – How does the “where and when” impact

the story?• Theme – What is the “universal truth” in the story?• Characterization – How do details make characters

life-like?• Conflict – What kind of conflict is used? (man versus self, other characters, society, or nature)

If the selection is INFORMATIONAL…There should be some discussion of:• Organization – cause & effect; comparison & contrast;

problem/solution; sequence; fact & opinion; theory/evidence

• Appearance – numbered items, bulleted points, subheadings, captions, footnotes

• Use of Visual Aids – charts, graphs, tables, inserts, figures, maps, diagrams, pictures…

• Use of Font – changes in style, size or color

In either genre these elements are common:

• Imagery – pictures created by words• Style –accessible, technical, action-packed…

• Symbolism – concept represented• Irony – unexpected twist• Foreshadowing – hints at future• Flashback – reflections on past

Common elements continued…

• Language and Word Choice – slang, formal, dialect, foreign or tech. terms• Simile – compares using “like” “as”• Metaphor – compares using “is/are” • Mood – reader’s feeling afterwards• Tone – author’s attitude

In either genre these devices are possible:

• Allusion - reference to other literature• Analogy - relating concepts based on similarity• Aphorism – “old saying”• Euphemism – milder terms used for the unpleasant• Paradox – contradictions used for effect• Parallelism – repeating word patterns for effect• Satire – mocking a serious subject Note: there are dozens of literary devices not listed

Basic Types of Structure

• Cause and Effect - “B” is the result of “A” with a causal chain possible

• Comparison and Contrast – point by point or subject by subject views are shared (effect size of 1.61)

• Problem and Solution – the problem is explained and at least one possible solution offered

• Sequential – events are told in order of occurrence• Fact versus opinion – weighed side by side • Theory versus evidence – deeper than opinion and

tested with results

Consider Cause and Effect…“For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

And all because of a horseshoe nail…”

Carefully selected the structure plays a major role in impact.

Types of Appeal

• Rational – appeals to the thinking, logical side of the reader. It makes sense to me. (head)

• Emotional – appeals to the empathetic side of the reader. It makes me feel… (heart)

• Ethical – appeals to the right & wrong/values of the reader. It makes me want to act. (gut)

Activity:Let’s practice. Read the passage.

The first time she sang in public was in the church. The pastor said she had a voice as big as Carnegie Hall. A local talent show brought her to the attention of a record label at age 15. Her first recording went gold in just a few days. By the time she was 20, she was branching out to do movies. If others were stars, she was the moon, making memories from melodies. Critics compared her to Judy Garland and Whitney Houston. When her career started to fade by age 30, she was finding comfort in pills and alcohol.

What did you decide for:

• Genre nonfiction and biography

• Purpose to inform ( to entertain due to celebrity)• Audience music fans

• Point of View (POV) 3rd person observer

What other decisions…• ToneAuthor seems positive and understanding

• Literary DevicesSimile: as big as Carnegie hallMetaphor: she was the moonAlliteration: moon making memories…melodiesForeshadowing: tragic endings of Garland & Houston

• StructurePassage is organized sequentially.

What are the benefits of mastering craft & structure as a reader?

The Common Core State Standards will have their own computer-adaptive test by 2015.

Any student exposed to digital curriculum (NWEA, Apex Learning, online instruction) will be expected to respond to questions about how the structure of the passage had an impact on the reader. Good writers know this.

Direct, Explicit Comprehension Instruction – Reading Next, 2006

What are the benefits of mastering craft & structure as a writer?

Students develop an appreciation for the writing process. They analyze the assignment, decide their purpose, acknowledge audience, and choose a point of view. Once they determine their attitude towards the subject, all the other choices are made as support.

Writers invert the skills used as a reader.

Specific Product Goals; Inquiry Activities - Writing Next, 2007

What is the take-away?

• Craft is about selecting elements in the composing of a passage

• Structure is the frame and space to interact for those elements

• Together they form a unique representation to support author and reader

Crafted and Presented by Beverly Dawn Whatley, Literacy Specialist

November 2012Pictures: Bing Images All Rights Reserved