3.2 Voice & Style

Wednesday September 17

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Identify details that contribute to structure, writing style and voice in a written work.

• Describe the tone, structure, style, and voice in a written work.

• Write for at least 10 minutes using a mentor text to experiment with structure and/or style.

• Share your favorite excerpt from what you wrote today. 

• Give specific, positive feedback on a classmate's writing. 

Agenda Items

• Overview, definitions & example - structure, writing style, voice

• Choose one of the following readings to use as a mentor text

• Read & Annotate:

  • In the margin, write a short summary phrase for every few sentences -- What information does the author give us? Why?

  • Underline words & phrases that contribute to tone -- choose words to describe author's tone

• Questions for describing tone, structure & style

  • What do you notice about word choice? 

  • How would you describe the author's tone?

  • What do you notice about the sentences and punctuation?

  • How would you describe the structure, style and voice in each excerpt?

  • How does it influence your understanding of the author's purpose for each piece?

  • Which excerpt appeals to you most? Why?

• Questions for understanding rhetorical situation:

  • Who is the author? What background information about the author’s life and work helps us to better understand this piece?

• Journal Writing: Structure & Style Mentor Text Inspiration

• Sharing & Feedback

Assignments

• 1.7 Structure, Style, and Voice Analysis - due Friday 8/23 - submit in Google Classroom

Inspiration from Nonfiction

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read a nonfiction essay or article of your choosing independently for at least 15 minutes, noting sentences and passages that stand out to you. Write down your thoughts, quotes, questions and ideas after reading. 

• Discuss the concept of voice and digressions in writing.

• Freewrite for at least 10 minutes, exploring thoughts and ideas inspired by your reading.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing - Freewriting

• Inspiration from Nonfiction

Assignments

• Journal Writing: Inspiration from Nonfiction - example

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3.2 Dialectical Journal

Monday October 28

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use a dialectical journal format to take notes while reading.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Overview of Dialectical Journal & Reading Reading Reflection

Assignments

• 3.2 Dialectical Journal & Reading Reflection due Wednesday 10/30

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3.3 Literary Discussion: Characterization, Setting & Social Issues

Wednesday October 30 & Thursday October 31

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use a dialectical journal format to take notes while reading.

Agenda Items

• Silent Reading

• Overview of Dialectical Journal & Reading Reading Reflection

Assignments

• 3.2 Dialectical Journal & Reading Reflection due Wednesday 10/30

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Opening Pages

Friday November 1

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write the opening page(s) of your book.

  • Choose two of the four temperaments to focus on in your writing: story, structure, music, and imagination.

  • Incorporate highly specific details that introduce readers to a character and the world that this character inhabits.

  • Consider the social issues you are exploring in your book. How do these issues show up in highly specific details in your opening pages?

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing

• Overview of Opening Pages & Mentor Text

• Creative Writing Workshop

  • Generative Writing Prompt

  • Sharing & feedback

Assignments

• Homework: Read the assigned page numbers in preparation for next week's quiz, and complete dialectical journal assignment, due Friday 11/1.

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Word Play

Wednesday November 6

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write a passage or poem inspired by a word.

Agenda Items

• Vocabulary Study - etymology, parts of speech, denotation, connotation, pronunciation, syllables

• Mentor Texts:

  • “Eat” by Joy Harjo

  • Excerpt from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

  • “Ars Poetica” by Jose Olivarez

  • “From” by A Van Jordan

• Journal Writing - Word Play

Assignments

• Journal Writing: Word Play

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3.4 Discussing a Passage

Thursday November 7

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write a passage or poem inspired by a word.

Agenda Items

• Vocabulary Study - etymology, parts of speech, denotation, connotation, pronunciation, syllables

• Mentor Texts:

  • “Eat” by Joy Harjo

  • Excerpt from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

  • “Ars Poetica” by Jose Olivarez

  • “From” by A Van Jordan

• Journal Writing - Word Play

Assignments

• Journal Writing: Word Play

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3.5 Context Commentary Draft

Friday November 8 - Wednesday November 13

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write  at least three paragraphs of author's commentary explaining the historical, social, literary and biographical context that influences your writing.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing

• Overview of Context Commentary & Mentor Texts

• Context Commentary Draft

• Individual Writing Conferences

Assignments

• Homework: Read the assigned page numbers in preparation for next week's quiz, and complete dialectical journal assignment, due Friday 11/15.

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3.6 Reading Notes

Thursday November 14

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

Assignments

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3.7 Reading Notes: Significant Quotes

Monday November 18

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write reading notes that include text evidence and commentary related to themes, significant quotes, significant events, suspense and conflict. 

• Explain the significance of excerpts from the text including the author’s use of literary elements and techniques and the relationship to larger themes present in the work.

Agenda Items

• Examining Highly Specific Details: How do these details enhance our understanding of elements and ideas in the piece?

  • Highly specific details --> word choice

  • Imagery 

  • Facts & Statistics

• Conflict, Tension & Suspense

• Foreshadowing

• Themes

• Figurative Language --> metaphor, simile, personification, etc.

• Symbolism

Assignments

• Reading Notes: Significant Quotes

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3.8 Critical Questions Discussion Preparation

Wednesday November 20

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss a significant quote or observation from your reading.

  • explain the context of the quote

  • explain your thoughts on the quote

• Brainstorm a critical question inspired by an observation from your reading.

Agenda Items

• Critical Questions Discussion Preparation: In the attached document, read the instructions, then find your book and your name, and add your significant quote, explanation and critical question.

Assignments

• 3.8 Critical Questions Discussion Preparation

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3.9 Socratic Seminar: Critical Questions about Poverty

Thursday November 21

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss a significant quote or observation from your reading.

  • explain the context of the quote

  • explain your thoughts on the quote

• Ask critical questions inspired by an observation from your reading.

Agenda Items

• Review supplemental materials for the seminar discussion

• Critical Questions Discussion Preparation

• Socratic Seminar Discussion

Assignments

• 3.9 Socratic Seminar: Critical Questions about Poverty - rubric 

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3.X Research for Creative Writing

DATE TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Incorporate researched information in your creative writing.

Agenda Items

• 
  

• Mentor Texts:

  • 
    

• Journal Writing - 

Assignments

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3.X Researching & Gathering Information

Friday November 15

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Describe your current and past levels of economic stability, including details and circumstances.

• Discuss examples of facts and information researched by the author, and explain how the author connects the researched information to the personal story. 

• Brainstorm at least 3 questions, topics, or events that will help you find information that is relevant to understanding the context of your personal story.

• Research and write down facts and information that provide context for understanding your personal story.

• Cite sources of information, including the title, author, and URL for the web page.

• Take notes on information that provides relevant context details for your personal story.

• Apply the facts and information to your personal story, describe how it influenced context, and explain the implications for events and behavior.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing: Telling Your Personal Story

  • Do you have the resources essential to a healthy life? (This includes stable housing, safety, clean water, electricity, nutritious food, healthcare, education, employment that provides a living wage, transportation, Internet, etc.) If not, what resources do you need? Please complete the Family Support Form if you have unmet needs.

  • What opportunities/advantages or challenges/disadvantages do you currently have? What opportunities or challenges have you or your family faced in the past? 

  • Was there ever a time when you or your family struggled with access to economic resources? What factors are/were affecting your access to essential resources?

  • How have these factors impacted your choices, habits, or behavior?

  • What concerns do you have for your economic stability in the future?

Assignments

• Read The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore, Part 2 pg 63-122 due Sunday October 29 by 11:59pm - take notes on details and sentences that stand out to you.

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Conflict, Tension & Suspense

DATE TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• 
  

• Mentor Texts:

  • 
    

• Journal Writing - 

Assignments

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Highly Specific Details & Sequencing

DATE TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• "Filmic Order"

• Mentor Texts:

  • 
    

• Journal Writing - 

Assignments

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Flash Prose

TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• "Filmic Order"

• Mentor Texts:

  • 
    

• Journal Writing - 

Assignments

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Creative Response

TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• 
  

• Mentor Texts:

  • 
    

• Journal Writing - 

Assignments

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3.X Context Commentary Essay

DATE TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write a 2-3 page essay that includes facts and information related to the  historical, social, cultural and biographical context for your writing.

  • thesis statement

  • text evidence from the texts you studied

  • a structure for presenting your ideas: narration, cause-effect, comparison-contrast, problem-solution, definition or description

  • analysis body paragraphs: claim, evidence, commentary

  • use appropriate punctuation and grammar to embed quotes in your explanation

  • use signal phrases to cite sources of information (title and author)

  • appropriate transition phrases

  • use appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Agenda Items

• Introduction Paragraph

• Drafting Essay

  • Reasoning, elaborating, forming a complete, coherent response - How do you know this explanation is adequate?

  • Body paragraphs - claim, evidence, commentary

  • Commentary explains the significance and relevance of evidence in relation to the line of reasoning.

  • Sequencing, transition words

Assignments

• 3.9 Line of Reasoning in Essay Draft due Sunday November 12 by 11:59pm

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