Lois Rodgers

  Instructional Plan

A Multi-Genre Approach to Six Traits Writing

Subject Areas: English
Instructor: Lois Rodgers
School: Patagonia High School
District: Patagonia High School District, Patagonia, AZ
Grade Level: Grades 10 -12
Schools demographics:

50% minority and 75% Free and reduced Lunch

• Class scores on 2000 AIMS
• Sixth in the state on the AIMS Writing Test
• Scoring in the 91st percentile
• Class scores on 2001 AIMS
• Scoring 76% on the AIMS Writing Test (State Average 68%)
• Advanced Placement Literature and Comprehension Exam
• 50% score 3 or higher

Arizona State Standards:

Subject Area: Reading
Strand 1: Reading Process

• Concept 6:Comprehension Strategies -
  Employ strategies to comprehend text.
• PO 1. Predict text content using prior knowledge and text features (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words)
• PO 3. Use graphic organizers in order to clarify the meaning of the text
• PO 4. Connect information and events in text to experience and to related text and sources.
Strand 2: Comprehending Literary Text (Grades 9-10)

• Concept 1:Elements of Literature -
  Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structures and elements of literature.
• PO 1. Describe the author's use of literary elements:
• theme (moral, lesson, meaning, message, view or comment on life)
• point of view (e.g., first vs. third, limited vs. omniscient)
• characterization (qualities, motives, actions, thoughts, dialogue, development, interactions)
• setting (time of day or year, historical period, place, situation)
• plot (exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution) - Grade 9
• PO 2. Explain different elements of figurative language, including simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, allusion, and imagery in a literary selection - Grade 9.
• PO 3. Analyze a writer's word choice and imagery as a means to appeal to the reader's senses and to set the tone, providing evidence from the text to support the analysis - Grade 10.

Strand 3: Comprehending Informational Text

• Concept 1:Expository Text-
  Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the purpose, structures and elements of expository text.
• PO 1. Compare (and contrast) original text to a summary for accuracy of the main ideas, inclusion of critical details, and the extent to which it conveys the underlying meaning of the original text.
• PO 3. Evaluate the evidence used to support the author's perspective contained within both primary and secondary sources. (Connected to Research Strand in Writing) - Grade 11.
• PO 4. Compare (and contrast) readings on the same topic, by explaining how authors reach the same or different conclusions based upon differences in evidence, reasoning, assumptions, purposes, beliefs, biases, and argument - Grade 12.
• PO 5. Identify an author's implicit and stated assumptions about a subject, based upon evidence in the selection - Grade 12.

Subject Area: Writing
W-P1.Use transitional devices; varied sentence structures; the active voice; parallel structures; supporting details, phrases and clauses; and correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage to sharpen the focus and clarify the meaning of their writings.

• PO 1. Use transitions (e.g., conjunctive adverbs, coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions) where appropriate.
• PO 2. Vary sentence structure (e.g., compound, complex, compound-complex)
• PO 3. Use active voice as appropriate to purpose (e.g., creative writing, expository writing)
• PO 4. Use parallel structure appropriately
• PO 5.Sharpen the focus and clarify the meaning of their writing through the appropriate use of:
• capitalization
• standard grammar and usage (e.g., subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement and consistency of verb tense)
• spelling, with the use of a dictionary/thesaurus (as needed)
• punctuation (e.g., comma, ellipsis, apostrophe, semicolon, colon)
W-P3.Write an analysis of an author's use of literary elements such as character, setting, theme, plot, figurative language and point of view.

• PO 1. Develop a thesis that states a position about the author's use of literary elements.
• PO 2. Support the thesis with relevant examples from the selection.
• PO 3. Analyze the author's use of literary elements (e.g., character, setting and theme)
• PO 4. Organize the analysis with a clear beginning, middle and ending.

Materials and Resources:

• Word processor
• Unit on Darkness PowerPoint Presentation
• The Power of Patterns handout
• Aiming Towards AIMS handout
• Six Trait Writing Rubric
• Checklist for Analytical Expository
• Exemplary project movie
• Teacher computer
• LCD Projector

Instructional Activities:

• Opening
  Provide overview of the lesson and set the context for viewing the Exemplary Group Project movie. Provide questions for focused viewing.
• View Exemplary Group Project
  Show the movie using the LCD projector and discuss
• View Unit of Darkness PowerPoint presentation
  View the presentation and pose questions to facilitate students making connections.
• Multiple Perspectives
  Review with students the four different ways of looking at evil that they have studied through literature
• Expository Writing and Literary Analysis: A Multi-Genre Approach to Six Traits Writing
• The prewriting techniques that accompany this assignment should include reading, discussion, and outlining.
• Students who do not know how to do this type of writing should begin by writing body paragraphs with clear topic sentences. See body paragraphs on writing checklist. Have students outline body paragraphs before writing them. Follow this process until students have a good grasp of writing topic sentences and supporting details. Stress the ideas of leading into evidence (lead), paraphrasing or quoting evidence, and analyzing. Teach documentation of outside sources at the same time even if you are using a novel as your primary source. Each paragraph should have at least three or four drafts: outline (prewriting), draft one, draft two (edited to improve diction and content), draft three (typed and edited for conventions.) Place all drafts on the back with most recent draft on top. Ask students to highlight changes.
• Following the mastery of body paragraphs and topic sentences, ask students to formulate complete outlines for a paper, using checklist for introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The teacher should work with the students to formulate the outline.
• Throughout the process of teaching this type of writing, use oral and written metacognition, requiring that students say and write systematically the process that they are following.
• Then ask students to turn in their work in parts for peer or teacher review or both. Use the checklist to explain how to write the different parts. Have students revise the different parts: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Provide models to assist the students when they are writing the different sections of the paper. Ask students if they can share their work with classmates. Keep sample papers for the next year. Write a model yourself if you do not have one.
• Always give plenty of time for the students to write, revise, and finalize their work. Writing is a process that demands time and revisions.
• Require the final draft to be typed and accompanied by other drafts.
• Sharing Student Work
  Select students to present their work that exemplifies the characteristics/traits you want to highlight.
  

Assessment:

• Expository Writing and Literary Analysis: A Multi-Genre Approach to Six Traits Writing
  Use 6-trait rubric to score final drafts. Consider giving an effort grade in addition to 6-trait rubric score.

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