Weekly Agenda
O Take out your agenda for this week. (If you don’t have yours,
O
O
O
O
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get a new one from the front of the room.)
On the side with the days, draw a vertical line dividing the
days to create 2 columns. Label these columns “do” and
“due”
Write the date next to each day: Monday 1/7, Tuesday 1/8,
Wednesday 1/9…
On Friday, in the “Do” column, write “Map Testing – meet in
library”
On Monday, write the learning target from the board in the
“do” column. In the “due” column, write “Frederick Douglass
revised essay due January 23” and “Agenda due January
11”
In the Weekly Goal section, create an academic and
personal goal and write them down in the appropriate
places.
Quickwrite
O What does it mean to write argument?
O Why is it important to write argument?
O What does it mean to read “closely”?
O How do you think “close reading” relates to
writing argument?
Writing Literary
Argument
Close Reading Practice
O For each of the images to follow, answer the
following questions:
O What is the author saying? (Literal/Figurative)
O Why are they saying it?
O Why is it important?
Jot down your responses to the
questions.
What details in the picture back
up your answers to the
questions?
Jot down your responses to the
questions.
What details in the picture back
up your answers to the
questions?
Weekly Agenda 1/8/13
O In the “Do” section, write today’s learning
target:
O Apply close reading to FD’s speech:
identifying key details & commentary
O On the reverse side (next week), label dates
1/14 – 1/18.
Jot down your responses to the
questions.
What details in the picture back
up your answers to the
questions?
Self-Assessment
O After practicing “Close Reading” with those
images, how is your understanding of close
reading changed?
Application
O Apply your close reading skills to Frederick
Douglass’s Fourth of July Speech.
O What is he saying?
O Why is he saying it?
O Why is it important?
O What quotations in the text specifically prove
your responses?
O Link to the speech:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2927t.h
tml
Reflection
O What new understanding do you have about
Close Reading?
O In reading the original draft of your essay,
list the strengths and weaknesses of your
essay in terms of close reading and
argument.
O Is your argument rooted in the text or just
narrative?
O Are you explaining the quotations you chose?
O What do you think will improve your essay?
Communicating
Ideas Effectively
Close Reading Argument Steps
O Steps to writing argument using close
reading:
O Make generalization about what you will talk
about in the paragraph (topic sentence).
O Introduce and give basic explanation of
quotation (motivation, insight, etc.)
O Elaborate on your explanation.
O Tie explanation and quotation to premise of
your argument.
Generalizations & Examples
O A generalization makes a basic statement about
a text:
O Frederick Douglass exposes the hypocrisy of
American ideals in his speech “The Meaning of
the Fourth of July for the Negro.”
O An example gives concrete evidence that backs
up the generalization.
O When he says, “The sunlight that brought light
and healing to you, has brought stripes and death
to me,” Frederick Douglass demonstrates the
disparity between slaves, who are denied their
freedom, and whites who enjoy liberty and
freedom from birth.
Elaboration & Commentary
O Once you introduce your quote, you need to elaborate
and explain it. (Reading between the lines.)
O Hit on particular portions of the quotation or
language that are most important. In the case of this
essay, you are looking at rhetorical devices and how
they show the hypocrisy.
O Douglass compares white freedom to “sunlight,”
demonstrating that it is something that is naturally
given to whites, noting that the same sunlight brings
death to slaves. In other words, because the slaves
do not have access to the sunlight, they wither and
die in their situation, as opposed to whites who
flourish in life.
Connect to Argument
O Each paragraph should point back to the central
argument given in the first paragraph of the
essay (the “thesis”).
O Why is the information you have given
important? You must state it explicitly.
O In comparing freedom to sunlight, Douglass
shows the white audience that the freedom they
take for granted is elemental to survival, and
ultimately, the celebration of freedom that is
denied others is a hypocritical mockery of such
freedom.
The Final Paragraph
When he says, “The sunlight that brought light and healing
to you, has brought stripes and death to me,” Frederick
Douglass demonstrates the disparity between slaves, who
are denied their freedom, and whites who enjoy liberty and
freedom from birth. Douglass compares white freedom to
“sunlight,” demonstrating that it is something that is
naturally given to whites, noting that the same sunlight
brings death to slaves. In other words, because the slaves
do not have access to the sunlight, they wither and die in
their situation, as opposed to whites who flourish in life. In
comparing freedom to sunlight, Douglass shows the white
audience that the freedom they take for granted is
elemental to survival, and ultimately, the celebration of
freedom that is denied others is a hypocritical mockery of
such freedom.
Fancy Words
Weekly Agenda 1/9/13
O In the “Do” section, write today’s learning
target:
O Use the 4-sentence strategy from 1/8 to build
concrete examples and relate to thesis.
O When you have completed your agenda, you
may vote for Homecoming Court
Application
O In your essay, highlight the quotations you
are planning to use in your argument.
O Revise the argument to make sure it is
explained, elaborated on, and connected to
your argument.
Sentence Starters
To Introduce Quote (1 sentence)
Connecting to Argument (1-2 sentences)
O When Douglass says,
O Through his use of
“…..,” he is showing…
O In order to show…,
Douglass states, “…”
(rhetorical device),
Douglass shows the
audience…
O Douglass’s argument
exposes the
hypocrisy by…
Explaining Quote: (1-2 sentences)
O In other words…
O In saying this,
Douglass means…
Reflection
O How have you strengthened your argument?
Give specific examples of what you have
changed.
O Do you think this method and structure will
be easily duplicated in other writing
assignments?
O Where do you think your writing weakness
is?
Weekly Agenda 1/10/13
O In the “Do” section, write today’s learning
target:
O Create 3 complete evidence paragraphs
connecting FD’s statements to the hypocrisy
of July 4th
O Safety Review
O By the end of class, you must show me 3
completed paragraphs. This is for a grade.
Ask me if you need help.
Weekly Agenda 1/15/13
O Go back to Monday’s “Do” section and write
“MAP Testing”
O In Tuesday’s “Do” section, write today’s learning
target:
O Create concluding paragraph that connects
Frederick Douglass’s speech to universal truth
O In Tuesday’s “DUE” section, write “Conclusion
Paragraph Due Wednesday 1/16”
O Set weekly goals and write reflection from last
week
The Conclusion Paragraph
O Not just restating what you have said.
O Must connect to a larger, universal issue.
O The “So What?” – Why is it important that
you have covered the topic or shared the
information?
O Essentially, summarize evidence and
connect to larger meaning.
Basic Formula
O By showing (evidence),
O Douglass conveys (idea).
O Therefore, (conclusion that can be drawn).
O By showing there is in inconsistency between
celebrating the 4th of July while slavery exists,
Douglass conveys a new perspective to his white,
abolitionist audience. Therefore, it is important to see
the whole picture even when one is on the “right” side
of an issue.
O This is not a complete conclusion, yet.
Formula of Conclusion
O Summarize each of your evidence paragraphs into a
single statement (one word to a few words that
capture its “essence”)
O Determine what those words/phrases have in
common, so you can create a summarizing
statement.
O E.g. If all of my evidence shows the hypocrisy, I will
create a summarizing statement like:
O Frederick Douglass gives his audience multiple examples
of how 4th of July is hypocritical.
Answer the So What
O It’s not enough to just make a summarizing
statement. The summarizing statement is
generic and needs commentary and
explanation.
O The northern, white abolitionists listening to
Douglass haven’t been outright confronted by
the idea that it is wrong to celebrate freedom
when some in society do not hold it. Douglass
basically says that by celebrating freedom
while some don’t have it, they are as bad as
the slaveholders.
Extend it Further
O Why is it still important to look at this
argument/text? Why/how is it relevant?
State and explain.
O Although the debate over slavery is long
gone, Douglass’s speech is still relevant. It is
important for citizens to look for areas of
hypocrisy in society and to see things from
the point of view of victims of society.
Tie it Together
O Tie the text to the universal truth.
O Douglass’s speech shows us today that even
when we are on the “right” side of an issue,
we must understand the side of the victims in
order to see that we might also be
contributing to pain and suffering.
The Whole Conclusion
Frederick Douglass gives his audience multiple examples of how
4th of July is hypocritical. The northern, white abolitionists
listening to Douglass haven’t been outright confronted by the
idea that it is wrong to celebrate freedom when some in society
do not hold it. Douglass basically says that by celebrating
freedom while some don’t have it, they are as bad as the
slaveholders. Although the debate over slavery is long gone,
Douglass’s speech is still relevant. It is important for citizens to
look for areas of hypocrisy in society and to see things from the
point of view of victims. Douglass’s speech shows us today that
even when we are on the “right” side of an issue, we must
understand the side of the victims in order to see that we might
also be contributing to pain and suffering.
Write Your Conclusion
O Make summarizing phrase for each evidence
O
O
O
O
paragraph.
Put those phrases together into summarizing
statement.
Answer the “So What?” Give commentary and
explanation of our summarizing statement.
Extend it further. Why is it still important to look at
this argument/text? Why/how is it relevant? State
and explain.
Tie it together. Tie the text to a universal truth.
Weekly Agenda 1/16/13
O In Wednesday’s “Do” section, write today’s
learning target:
O Create interesting introductory paragraph for
literary argument essay
O In Tuesday’s “DUE” section, write
“Introductory Paragraph Due Thursday 1/17
& Final Draft Due 1/23”
The Introductory Paragraph
O Why write it last?
O Function:
O Grab the Reader’s Attention
O Provide necessary background information
O Shape reader’s perspective
O Present thesis statement
Grab the Reader’s Attention
O Professional writers who write for magazines
and get paid for their work use 5 basic
patterns:
O Historical Review
O Anecdotal
O Surprising Statement
O Famous Person
O Declarative
Historical Review
O Share brief history of the topic.
O History must be brief so it doesn’t take over paper
– just the facts, ma’am.
O Example:
O The victory brought pure elation and joy. It was May
1954, just days after the Supreme Court’s
landmark ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education of
Topeka, Kansas. At NAACP headquarters in New
York, the mood was euphoric. Telegrams of
congratulations poured in from around the world;
reporters and well-wishers crowded the halls.
From “Integration Turns 40” by Juan Williams in Modern Maturity, April/May 1994.
Anecdotal
O What is an anecdote?
O If using an anecdote, make sure it doesn’t take over the paper
and it is relevant to the topic. They are not generally used in
literary analysis.
O Example:
O Mike Cantlon remembers coming across his first auction ten
years ago while cruising the back roads of Wisconsin. He
parked his car and wandered into the crowd, toward the
auctioneer’s singsong chant and wafting smell of barbecued
sandwiches. Hours later, Cantlon emerged lugging a $22
beam drill-for constructing post-and-beam barns– and a
passion for auctions that has clung like a cocklebur on an old
saddle blanket. “It’s an addiction,” says Cantlon, a financial
planner and one of the growing number of auction fanatics for
whom Saturdays will never be the same.
From “Going, Going, GONE to the Auction! By Laurie Goering in Chicago Tribune Magazine, July 4, 1994.
Surprising Statement
O Not used often. Can be surprising because it is
disgusting, joyful, shocking, or because who said it.
O Example:
O Have a minute? Good. Because that may be all it takes
to save the life of a child—your child. Accidents kill
nearly 8000 children under age 15 each year. And for
every fatality, 42 more children are admitted to
hospitals for treatment. Yet such deaths and injuries
can be avoided through these easy steps parents can
take right now. You don’t have a minute to lose.
From “60 Seconds That Could Save Your Child” by Cathy Perlmutter with Maureen Sangiorgio in
Prevention, September, 1993.
Famous Person
O Name Dropping – gives authority or creates
interest
O Example:
O The most widely read writer in America today is not
Stephen King, Michael Chrichton or John Grisham.
It’s Margaret Milner Richardson, the Commissioner
of the Internal Revenue Service, whose name
appears on the “1040 Forms and Instruction”
booklet. I doubt that Margaret wrote the entire
1040 pamphlet, but the annual introductory letter,
“A Note from the Commissioner,” bears her
signature.
From “Dear Taxpayer” by Will Manley in Booklist, May 1, 1993.
Declarative
O Commonly used to state topic
O Example:
O In the College of Veterinary Medicine and Engineering, for
example, nearly one-third of the teaching faculty may retire
by the year 2004. In the College of Education, more than a
third of the professors are 55 years and older. The largest
turnover for a single department is projected to be in
geology. More than half of its faculty this year are in the age
group that will retire at the millennium, says Ron Downey of
K-State’s Office of Institutional Research and Analysis. The
graying of K-State’s faculty is not unique. A Regents’ report
shows approximately 27 percent of the faculty at the six
state universities will retire by the end of this decade,
creating a shortage of senior faculty.
From “The Tuition Tap” by Tim Lendemuth in K-Stater, February 1994.
Background Information
O Scientific, historical, cultural, or personal
O Things the reader needs to know about the
topic (but doesn’t) in order to “get” your
thesis.
Shape the Reader’s Perspective
O Make the reader realize a need, see
themselves in a similar situation, feel sad,
angry, pious, or patriotic
Present the thesis
O The main idea of the entire essay
O Works like a topic sentence works in a
paragraph
What NOT To Do
O Apologize. Never suggest that you don’t know what
your talking about. Avoid:
O In my [humble] opinion…
O I’m not sure about this, but…
O Announce your intentions. Avoid:
O In this paper I will…
O The purpose of this essay is to…
O Use a dictionary definition. Avoid:
O According to Webster’s…
O Dilly-dally. Get to it and move confidently into your
essay!