Department: English
Paige Mattingly; Lauren Powell; Jennifer Elder; Don Bradley
Commander Snow Day Plans
2015-2016
Focus for commander 1-5: Reading Comprehension
Commander
Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
Commander
Day 5
Read “American History” by Susan Ortiz Cover and annotate by responding to
prompts in the margins. Identify the speaker’s specific tone by analyzing
diction. Develop five critical questions about the text (based on your
annotations
Using the excerpt from Commander Day 1, complete an explication sheet
(handout #1) for the passage. Use textual evidence to support your claims
about characters/themes in the text. Create a web of words that helps you
understand tone and mood. Answer the questions: What do those words have
in common? Why might the author choose these particular words?
Complete a Character Analysis Frame for the narrator in the excerpt from
American History. Use textual evidence to support your claims; use complete
sentences in the frame and develop your ideas.
Use the “Abstract Words for Thematic Ideas” as a guide to answer the
questions provided about the passage American History.
The bigger picture: building commentary (your opinion based off of the text).
Now that you have looked at various aspects of the selected passage, please
complete the dialectical journal for theme. Remember to identify at five pieces
of textual evidence that relate to theme on the left side of the T-chart and the
importance of the quote to the story on the right side.
Focus for snow days 6-10: Writing
Commander Using the essay prompt provided, based on American History create an outline
Day 6
for an argument paper.
“How does Cofer’s background affect her telling of the assassination of John F.
Kennedy? . Use textual evidence from the excerpt to help support your
answer to the writing prompt.
Write an introductory paragraph for this paper. Be sure to include a strong
thesis statement in the last sentence of your first paragraph.
Commander Review the excerpt from American History and the prompt you created during
Day 7
Commander Day 6. Write the rest of your essay today (the body and
conclusion). This is a rough draft only. Be sure to develop your argument
using specific textual evidence.
Commander Use the review sheet provided to reflect on the rough draft you created during
Day 8
Commander Days 6 & 7. Answer the questions on the review sheet and edit
your introduction.
Commander Use the “Transition Toolbox” handout to edit the transitions for each paragraph
Day 9
in your paper. Edit your conclusion (using the information provided).
Commander Using the Literary Analysis Rubric for your paper, evaluate your work (reread
Day 10
and revise/edit). Complete the Literary Analysis Evaluation. Be sure to include
evidence from your paper in your evaluation. Use language from the rubric in
the process.