EMBEDDED ASSESSMENT #2UNIT 3

WRITING A CHARACTER ANALYSIS of A HERO

This will be completed as a TIMED writing TEST. After directions are given, you will plan on the back of the directions page, and write a rough draft. You will have 60 minutes to complete your rough draft. Revise and Edit. Write a final copy. You will be given 60 minutes during the next class period to complete the essay.

• Persuasive Writing • Expository writing

characterDeveloping Character via courage

PAGE161

PG.

STEP 1:

• Go back to the charts you created about the changes in Stanley’s character and the changes in Zero’s character. LOOK ON PAGES 146-151 IN SPRING BOARD AND LINK

• Also look at the generalizations about Zero’s change and Stanley’s change you have written. Look at the details about the character when you first meet him. What does he look like? How does he act? What do others say about him? Where does he come from? Refer also to the chart you created tracing Stanley and Zero’s growing friendship.

STEP 2:

• Refer to the details about the character when you leave him at the end of the novel. What does he look like? How does he act? What do others say about him? Where is he going now?

THESIS: PARAGRAPH 1

Begin your essay with a thesis statement. Use the following as a model:

• In the beginning of the novel Holes, by Louis Sachar, Stanley Yelnats is ______________ , but by the end of the novel, partly because of his friendship with Hector Zeroni, Stanley is ___________________, __________________ and ____________________.

PARAGRAPH 2

• Begin the first body paragraph with a sentence describing Stanley at the beginning of the novel. Use the lists and the generalizations you have made to write this paragraph describing Stanley’s character at the beginning of the story. Use at least three details and examples from the beginning and explain how the details support your opinion.

PARAGRAPH 3

• Write a topic sentence stating your opinion about how Zero affects Stanley’s change.

• In the rest of this paragraph, prove your opinion about how Zero affects Stanley’s change, using at least three details you have noted in your graphic organizers about the relationship between the boys. Be sure to explain the importance of the details with commentary.

PARAGRAPH 4

• Write a topic sentence stating your opinion about Stanley’s character and how it has changed by the end of the book.

• Then write the rest of the paragragh using at least three details (quotes) from your graphic organizers and include commentary that explains the importance of the details to your opinion.

PARAGRAPH 5

o CONCLUSIONo Restate the subject of your essay.o Summarize how these traits support your

point of view.oConclude with a summary of your opinion.

o Concluding sentence goes beyond a simple summary.

STEPS- USER FRIENDLY!On hand out

1. Introduction paragraph. You may begin with an attention getter, than write a topic sentence.

2. Second paragraph- Tell what Stanley was like at the beginning of the story. What did he look like? How did he act? What did others say about him? USE AT LEAST 3 DETAILS and ONE example (quote- line from story) from the novel to support your opinion. *page, paragraph, quote, commentary.

STEPS 3 and 43. Third paragraph. Tell how Zero affects Stanley’s

change. Prove it by using AT LEAST 3 DETAILS and ONE example (quote- line from story) from the novel to support your opinion. *page, paragraph, quote, commentary.

4. Fourth paragraph. Describe Stanley’s change at the end of the novel. USE AT LEAST 3 DETAILS and ONE example (quote- line from story) from the novel to support your opinion. *page, paragraph, quote, commentary. (yes ,again!)

STEP 5 +5. Conclusion

oRestate the subject of your essay.o Summarize how these traits support your

point of view.oConclude with a summary of your opinion.

*****Concluding sentence goes beyond a simple summary.

REVISEo ADDING OR ELABORATING

o Make sure you have your quotations, page, paragraph, commentary and details.

o Find a key (important) sentence- Add 2 more sentences of elaboration. (more details)

o Add similes, metaphors and other descriptive language.

o REPLACINGo Look for overused words like “then”, “and”, “I”

etc. Try replacing them with synonyms. (a thesaurus can help)

o Look for inaccurate facts or quotations/dialogue and replace with accurate information.

o DELETINGo Look for any statements that are off topic or not

necessary and take them out of the story.

GO BACK AND READ/REREAD YOUR ESSAY BEFORE WRITING FINAL

Revising is different from editing.

When you revise your job is to make sure all your information is written in a clear and interesting way.

Revising video

EDIT EDITING CHECKLIST• Did I use words that are capitalized correctly?• Did I check that ALL my words are spelled

correctly?• Have I indented all my paragraphs?• Have I put quotation marks around any lines

from the story?• Have I written complete sentences?• Is my name on all my papers?

SAMPLE TOPIC SENTENCE 1:

• Throughout the book Holes, by Louis Sachar, the main character Stanley goes through many changes. At the beginning of the story, he is _______________, ______________ and __________________but by the end of the story with the help of his friend Zero, Stanley is _______________, _________________ and ___________________.

SAMPLE TOPIC SENTENCE 2:

• “As long as Zero could keep going, he could keep going too.” (page 162, paragraph 15) In the book Holes, Stanley made dramatic changes with the help of his friend Zero. He went from being ______________, ____________ and ____________at the beginning of the story to ______________, _________________ and ________________.

SAMPLE TOPIC SENTENCE 3:

• “Higher and higher they climbed. His strength came from somewhere deep inside himself…” (page 170, paragraph ____) Stanley found that in the face of near death, he discovered things about himself that turned his life around. At the beginning of the novel Holes, he was _________________, _____________________ and ________________. With the help of his friendship with Zero, by the end of the story he was ____________________, ___________________ and ______________________.

SAMPLE TOPIC SENTENCE 4:

• No friends and always being made fun of. Stanley had been miserable for many years. On page 7, paragraph ___, “He didn’t have any friends at home. He was overweight…” At the beginning of the novel Holes, he was _________________, _____________________ and ________________. With the help of his friendship with Zero, by the end of the story he was ____________________, ___________________ and ______________________.

YOUR TURN!

• ORGANIZE QUOTES• PLAN• WRITE ROUGH DRAFT• REVISE• EDIT• WRITE FINAL DRAFT

CHARACTER TRAITSCHOOSE AT LEAST 3 TRAITS ABOUT STANLEY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY.

CHOOSE 3 TRAITS THAT DESCRIBES STANLEY AT THE END OF THE STORY AFTER ALL OF HIS CHANGES.

CHARTUSE THIS CHART TO HELP ORGANIZE QUOTES, EVENTS AND CHARACTER ACTIONS THAT ILLUSTRATE THE CHARACTER TRAITS.

PLANoPLANNING PAGE

PLAN YOUR INTRODUCTION/THESIS, THE SEQUENCE OF YOUR PAPER AND YOUR CONCLUSION

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