Weekly Readings and Analysis Activities
Each week, students will be assigned one of the readings, below. After completing the reading, students should write an Analysis Essay, one-pager, Critical Reading Graphic Organizer, or Student Choice Response. Analysis essays will be uploaded to peergrade.io for student feedback and revision.
Readings and Reading Schedule:
Week 1: "A Note on Technique" from On Teaching and Writing Fiction by Wallace Stegner
Week 2: "Set Design" from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Week 3: "On Writing: Section 6 (Description pp. 173-180)" from On Writing by Stephen King
Week 4: "Goodbye to all T--t" from On Teaching and Writing Fiction by Wallace Stegner
Week 5: “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore
Week 6: "On Writing: Section 7 (Dialogue pp. 180-187)" from On Writing by Stephen King
Week 7: "Short Assignments" from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Week 8: "Creating a Character" from What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher
Week 9: Analysis of Restaurant Reviews: See Unit 3
Week 10: "On Writing: Section 9 (Figurative Language pp. 195-200)" from On Writing by Stephen King
Week 11: "Character" from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Week 12: "Plot" from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Week 13: "A Sense of Place" from What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher
Week 14: "On Writing: Section 11 (Revision pp. 208-220)" from On Writing by Stephen King
Week 15: "On Writing: Section 12 (Ideal Reader pp. 220-227)" from On Writing by Stephen King
Week 16: "How Do You Know When You're Done?" from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Analysis Essay
At the end of the first week of each unit, the analysis essay should be posted to the student's website or blog with the label "Analysis Essay, week #___."
Analysis Essay format:
Summary of the reading. The summary should include the main ideas from the reading. Keep it brief, but include an appropriate amount of quoted or paraphrased material to provide enough detail, so that anyone reading your essay understands the main ideas.
Analysis of the reading. The analysis should include a discussion of the ideas the author presents, as well as a discussion of how the author writes about those ideas. Is the author funny? sarcastic? Does he give examples? Are the examples helpful? What is your perception of these ideas?
Application of the reading. Apply the ideas in the reading to yourself as a writer, and to your own writing. Which of the ideas will you use? How will you use them? Which of the ideas are you still struggling with? Why might these not work for you? Consider the pieces you are currently working on. How do these ideas apply to your writing?
Analysis Essay format:
Summary of the reading. The summary should include the main ideas from the reading. Keep it brief, but include an appropriate amount of quoted or paraphrased material to provide enough detail, so that anyone reading your essay understands the main ideas.
- Your essay should have the author's name and chapter title (as well as book title, if appropriate) in the first sentence.
- Example: "In Chapter 7 of On Writing author Stephen King discusses..."
Analysis of the reading. The analysis should include a discussion of the ideas the author presents, as well as a discussion of how the author writes about those ideas. Is the author funny? sarcastic? Does he give examples? Are the examples helpful? What is your perception of these ideas?
Application of the reading. Apply the ideas in the reading to yourself as a writer, and to your own writing. Which of the ideas will you use? How will you use them? Which of the ideas are you still struggling with? Why might these not work for you? Consider the pieces you are currently working on. How do these ideas apply to your writing?
Analysis Essay Rubric
One-pager
Description: A one-pager is a single-page response to a reading assignment. It provides an opportunity to be both brief and creative in illustrating your grasp of a particular reading.
Purpose: The purpose of a one-pager is to allow you to learn by creating your own images, patterns, and questions relating to a particular chapter, essay, or primary source document. Studies have shown that people read differently when they know that they must do something with the reading. By actively reading and creating a one-pager, you will better understand the main idea within a reading assignment.
Connections: A one-pager connects the verbal and the visual. It connects the writing’s thoughts to your thoughts. It connects words and images.
Directions:
Purpose: The purpose of a one-pager is to allow you to learn by creating your own images, patterns, and questions relating to a particular chapter, essay, or primary source document. Studies have shown that people read differently when they know that they must do something with the reading. By actively reading and creating a one-pager, you will better understand the main idea within a reading assignment.
Connections: A one-pager connects the verbal and the visual. It connects the writing’s thoughts to your thoughts. It connects words and images.
Directions:
- Use unlined plain white paper.
- Pull out a quotation or two and write them on the paper. Use them as a springboard to explore your own ideas. The quote should have meaning to you and connect to the theme of the readings. You may select a direct quote OR a line from the reading itself.
- Create a visual image or images. You can either draw one image or several to illustrate the central theme of your one-pager.
- Cluster around the image(s) dominant impressions, feelings, or thoughts regarding what you have read. What words come to mind when you see this image?
- Make a personal statement about what you have read. This could be a critique of the ideas of the author or of the way the author presented the information. Does the author clearly explain her ideas? Did the author leave something out that you think should have been addressed in the reading? Does the author connect with his audience? The personal statement could also simply be something you found particularly interesting. Your personal statement should be several sentences.
- Create two thoughtful questions and answer them.
- Create the one-pager in such a way that your audience will understand both the reading and some of your thinking about what you have read.
- Your one-pager must include color (pens, markers, and/or pencils are acceptable).
Critical Reading Graphic Organizer
Complete the graphic organizer, below, with a partner or with your table group. All members of the group should participate in the discussion and in the decisions about what is written on the graphic organizer. This is not a "divide and conquer" activity! It must be done as a group.
| criticalreading_1_.pdf |
Student Choice Response
Student Choice Responses are exactly that. Chose one of the above methods for your reading analysis this week. Or...come up with a new idea and clear it with me!