E6: Conformity and Assimilation

Name______________________________ Date Started_________

Annotating the ELA Regents Question #28: The Critical Lens

What is this question asking? Highlight the 3 most important parts of the question and
rephrase the question here:

Part 4 (Question 28)

Your Task:
Write a critical essay in which you discuss two works of literature you have read from the
particular perspective of the statement that is provided for you in the Critical Lens. In your
essay, provide a valid interpretation of the statement, agree or disagree with the statement
as you have interpreted it, and support your opinion using specific references to
appropriate literary elements from the two works. You may use scrap paper to plan your
response. Write your essay beginning on page 3 of the essay booklet.
What does this quotation
mean? Paraphrase it
below:

Critical Lens:
we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world
L. M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables, 1908

Guidelines:
Be sure to
Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria
for analysis
Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it
Choose two works you have read that you believe best support your opinion
Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze the works you have chosen
Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements
(for example: theme, characterization, setting, point of view) to develop your analysis
Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner
Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose
Follow the conventions of standard written English

Annotations for this part are on the next

page

Be sure to

Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria for
analysis
This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it
This means I need to :______________________________________________________________________________________________

Choose two works you have read that you believe best support your opinion
This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze the works you have chosen
This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements (for
example: theme, characterization, setting, point of view) to develop your analysis
This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner

This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose

This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Follow the conventions of standard written English

This means I need to :_______________________________________________________________________________________________

In the following essay, highlight and annotate (draw a line to the margin and explain
in the margin):
1. The interpretation of the critical lens
2. The author and title of a first piece of literature
3. The author and title of a second piece of literature
4. A specific reference to a literary element
5. A place where you can tell that the writer agrees or disagrees with the critical lens
6. At least 3 errors in conventions

Now imagine you are the person grading this students essay. You can assign a total
of 6 possible points to the essay. What grade will you give the essay and why?
Reference the task (the assignment) in justifying your response.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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How did the score you gave the paper (in the question above) compare to the Regents scorer grade
(below)? ___________________________________________________________________________
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Anchor Level 4 (out of 6 possible points) Quality Commentary (response)

Meaning
Provides a reasonable interpretation of the critical lens that establishes the criteria for analysis
(When faced with desire these characters loose sight in all other things). The response makes implicit
connections between the criteria and The Great Gatsby (Everything he had done for her was wasted,
now it had been lost) and Macbeth (Macbeth has his own life taken away at his own cost to seek
power).

Development
Develops some ideas more fully than others, with reference to specific and relevant evidence from
The Great Gatsby, using plot details to discuss Gatsbys efforts to win Daisy (Jay and Daisy had been
very close, Daisy has a new partner, He set up dates to win her over). The discussion of Macbeth is
less specifically developed, relying on plot summary.

Organization
Maintains a clear and appropriate focus on the idea that in order to recieve something, you must pay
a price. The response exhibits a logical sequence of ideas, moving from the introduction of both
works, to the presentation of characters who pay for their desires, and ending with a reiteration of
the lens. Internal consistency is weakened in the opening paragraph, by introducing, but not
addressing, the use of symbols in the discussion.

Language Use
Uses appropriate language (Jay Gatsby had encountered a close friend and to seek the crown and
become king) that is sometimes inexact (served with different sacrifices, the cross paths, to far away),
with some awareness of audience and purpose (These novels both express the quote). The response
occasionally makes effective use of sentence structure and length (Macbeth and Jay Gatsby pay a
price for their own desires).

Conventions
Demonstrates emerging control, exhibiting occasional errors in spelling (recieve, joing, suprise),
punctuation (include; The, that desire Jay, progresses Jay), grammar (whom considered, story by the
name of Daisy, their life), and usage (to most novels) that hinder comprehension.

Conclusion:
Overall, the response best fits the criteria for Level 4, although it is somewhat weaker in
conventions.

E6: Conformity and Assimilation

Name______________________________ Date Started_________

OO #2: Getting Into the Regents Mindset

Outcome

Advancing

Reflect: Identify
strengths and areas
for potential growth
in order to create a
plan for progress.

Meeting
Explain mastery of
skills, learned
knowledge, and
potential areas of
growth.

Exceeding
Use knowledge of
strengths and
challenge areas to
plan for increased
mastery of content.

Before you begin this O.O., please:

Complete your Regents Literary Terms Sorting AND

Complete your Annotating the ELA Regents Question #28: The Critical

Lens exercise
1.

Now that you have started to become familiar with the ELA Regents exam, what do you
imagine you will find challenging about the exam? ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.

Which part(s) of the exam do you think will be easiest for you and why? (Part 1:
Listening Passage with MC questions; Part 2: Two Reading Comprehension passages
with MC questions; Part 3: Two Reading Comprehension passages with MC questions
and two paragraphs (one on theme, one on a literary element); Part 4: The Critical Lens
Essay) _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.

What have you learned about yourself so far in high school about you as a test-taker?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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4.

What strategies have you found that are successful in helping you do your best on tests?
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5.

What is your motivation for working your hardest to do well on the ELA Regents exam?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.

What other things are on your plate that you predict might interfere with your ability
to focus on preparing for the ELA Regents?( you can choose to either write your answer
here or to say here that you will talk to your coach about this onewe will likely check
in with your coach to ask them to help you think this one through) ________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

7.

Think of two people you know who have passed the ELA Regents. Write their names and
explain your relationship with them here:____________________________________________________
and _______________________________________________________________________________________________.

8.

Can you commit to attend O.R. Thu & Fri every week until Regents? (5 weeks) YES NO

9.

Anything else youd like to include for us to know about you/ you and tests/ you and
ELA/ etc? __________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________