Response to Literature:
Finding Evidence
Objective
To find evidence from the text to support a theme
for a response to literature writing piece.1
1
Theme- The theme of a text is the big idea or
message that the author wants you to infer.
CFU: What do we use evidence for? Describe the
theme of a story that you know.
Activate Prior Knowledge
How do you know
that this little boy
ate his mom’s
cupcake?
Connection: Just like you noticed the little boy’s guilty face
to tell you he ate the cupcake, you can notice clues in the
text to find evidence that tell about the theme.
Importance
1. Sometimes when we check for evidence,
we might realize that we need to change
the theme.
2. Using evidence from the texts helps us
and the reader understand the theme.
3. Other
Concept Development
Evidence is an example from the text that
justifies1 or shows the development of a
theme.
1
justifies- proves
CFU: What is evidence? Where do you find evidence?
Why do you use evidence?
Concept Development
Evidence- Format:
1. Can be direct quotes from the text, which is copying
the words exactly and putting quotes around them.
“she quietly did what the servants told her to, and she
never complained.”
2. Can be paraphrased, or put in your own words
Cinderella endured the harsh treatment from her stepfamily with grace.
CFU: What are the two formats you can use to write evidence? You
can write evidence _____. What does it mean to paraphrase?
When you paraphrase, you ___. What is a direct quote? A direct
quote is _______. What punctuation MUST you use for a direct
quote?
Concept Development
Evidence:
1. May be an event, but only in so far as it
demonstrates the theme, and you must
explain how it shows the theme.
2. Is not a summary of the story.
CFU: When is it okay to use an event as evidence?
Concept Development
Evidence- In Response to Literature:
1. Evidence is used in the second paragraph, because
that is the analysis paragraph, where you need to
justify your own thoughts.
2. Evidence does not need to be used in the first
paragraph because that is the summary paragraph,
where you retell events.
CFU: Where do you use evidence in your response to
literature writing? Why do you need to use evidence in
the second paragraph?
Closure
1. Why do we use evidence?
2. What are the two ways to write
evidence?
3. How is a summary different from using
evidence?