Debbie Doe

Thank You M'am/ All the Years of Her Life

English 9 Writing Assignment—Questions Focusing on Our Readings:

In fictional reading, do the adult characters’ reactions and involvement with a younger character
impact the future choices and decisions of the younger character? Do you believe this is true in real
life?

Your assignment:

I would like you to focus on the questions above and relate them to our readings. After reading these
stories, could a reader infer the answers to this question to be “Yes” or “No”? Please write about and
support your answer. Use, compare, and write about the adult characters we have been reading about and
their reactions to the incidents and young characters involved (Look back at your reading journals and
character letters from TYM and AtYoHL). Include examples from the story that help define the
characters’ emotions, set the tone, and create the imagery which support the pointsyou are making.
Identify how the adults react (look at character actions and the dialog) and whether or not their reactions
seem motivate and/or affect the young characters (look at character actions and dialog). Finally, support
your answers to the questions even further by adding an example from real life. Include an experience or
incident that you have had or that you have observed where an adult stepped in, reacted, became involved
and did or did not have an impact (remember it must support your answer). For this portion, please
include some information about the incident and who was involved, who the adult was who stepped in,
why you think this adult stepped in, and how it turned out. Try to include details that will help your
reader see and feel what was going on (use imagery and vivid verbs to convey messages). Remember to
stay focused on supporting your “Yes” or “No” answer!

Take a look at the rubric and writer’s checklist so that your will be aware of things I will be looking for in
this paper.

Standards addressed:
CE3.1.1 Interpret literary language (e.g. imagery, illusions, symbolism, metaphor) while reading literary
and expository works.

• “I see it” two sided journal entries—write down examples of imagery with page number, on other
side what that image help clarify or bring to focus!!
• Use sticky notes to record imagery and metaphors to share as a whole group
• Transfer to construction paper around room

CE 3.1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of literary characterization, character development, the function

of major and minor characters motives and causes for actions, and moral dilemmas that characters
encounter by describing their function in specific works.

• Create character sheets with noun partner. Choose character from each story and draw life size
picture.
• On character sheet write traits that relate to what the character thought and felt
• Next to the trait, write down the words from the text (along with page number) that exemplify
this trait
 • Next to these words write down how you reacted to it…what you think or feel because of these
words
• Hang this in hallways in room

CE 3.1.5 Comparatively analyze two or more literary or expository texts, comparing how and why similar
themes are treated differently, by different authors, in different types of texts, and/or from different
cultural perspectives.

• Use sticky notes to record words and phrases along with page numbers to keep track of cultural
variations and how it might impact the theme
• Read two short stories from different authors and cultural perspectives both having similar
themes
• Complete adult character sheet or young character sheet from each story

CE 3.1.9 Analyze how the tensions among characters, communities, themes, and issues in literature and
other texts reflect human experience
• Keep double entry logs to collect key points and help identify character motives and reader
response to motives
• Literature circle discussions using student process log responses while reading
• Use looping journal writing to explore a time when an adult had an influence on student
• Write down at least 4 reactions of the main character to the situation that surprised you on
pages…
• What questions would you want to ask the main character? Post these for others to answer

CE 3.2.5 Response to literature In a variety of ways (e.g. dramatic interpretation, readers theater, literature
circles, illustrations, writing in a character; voice, engaging in social action, writing an analytic essay)
providing examples of how texts affect their lives, connect them with the contemporary world, and
communicate across time

• Identify characterization through dialog. On characters pictures write two examples of what the
character said and what it discloses about the character.
• Venn diagram to identify ways story was similar and different in relationship to adults present in
story and how presence or absence of such adult influenced the them.

TOPIC EXPLORATION
Read both short stories and answer focused reading questions as you read. Be an active reader to better
understand what you are reading. Use sticky notes to record spots of interest in the text and record the
page and words from text on the sticky notes. Be aware of how author develops themes and influences
you through cultural inferences, character dialog and actions, and imagery created. Make sure to
participate actively in literary circle meetings! Identify your own involvementment with this topic
through a looping journal entry about a time an adult became involved with you and whether or not it
made a difference.

RESEARCH
Read both short stories and thoughtfully complete journal entries, character sheets, Venn diagrams. It is
also very important to participate actively in your literary circle meeting. You might discover something
others have missed while reading. When you are finished, write down the writing assignment question in
the form of an answer which includes your “Yes” or “No” answer. Include with this at least two
examples from your reading notes that support your idea.

FIRST DRAFT
You have two days to finish your first draft. This draft must to present a clear view on your answerto the
question…either the yes or no side. Your side must be clearly stated and supported with at least two
examples from each story (So that means 4 examples total). For each example you need to explain how
the example connects and helps to support your side. Also, you need to have a real life example that
supports your side that helps clarify your reasoning and helps connect the literary theme to real life.
Please have a peer editor from this class read your first draft andfill out a peer editor sheet. The focus on
this draft is the content and meaning of your paper as well as looking for ACTIVE VOICE writing!
Remember that this is not your final draft, but you will be awarded points for the effort that you have
made to create a logical presentation of your answer and whether or not you had a peer editor review it.
Reread and revise this draft and bring it to your conference with me. Pull out your checklist questions
and fill it out.

CONFERENCE DRAFT
Bring your conference draft and your completed writer’s checklist with you to conference. We will
spend two days revising and conferencing. Please sign up for a conference time with me either before or
after school or during our lab/revision time. Be prepared to go through your writer’s checklist with me
and to discuss at least two areas in your paper that you are struggling with or two questions about
improving your paper for content and message that I can help you with. I will review your paper for
content at this conference and make suggestions for you to revise. Make sure that you take time to read
your paper though out loud to yourself for content and look for spelling errors. Complete your draft for
final Peer Review You will receive points for your completed checklist, focus areas and focus questions
you bring to me.

PEER REVIEW DRAFT

Bring your revised draft to class today and be prepared to have it reviewed for content and meaning by a
peer editor. You will be assigned a peer reviewer who will read your paper and fill out the writer’s
checklist for this paper. Please focus on content and meaning, spelling and punctuation and the use of
active voice. Have your paper reviewed by at least two peer editors. Ask them to fill out peer editor
sheet. You and your peer editors will receive points for thoughtful peer review sheets and comments.

FINAL DRAFT
Your final draft is due on Friday. This paper should be revised and ready for my eyes for a final reading!
It should clearly present your answer to the questions:

In fictional reading, do the adult characters’ reactions and involvement with a younger character
impact the future choices and decisions of the younger character? Do you believe this is true in real
life?

Your paper should be focused on this topic and use specific examples from the stories we have read as
well as a real life experience that you would like to include. All examples must be supported with your
thoughts or interpretations. I will be focused on content and meaning, spelling and grammar rules we
have covered, as well as the use of active voice.

Somewhere I would work in a mini-lesson about active and passive voice and obtain literary circle
information

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=280 (active/passive)

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=19 (lit. circle)