Beatriz Larios CI 403 Lesson Plan # 4 Tittle: Apples vs Bananas: Comparing and contrasting characters.

Time: 50 mins Setting: Refer to student population tab. Theory Into Practice/Background: Burke says, I might be making observations about the characters, which I must then analyze; this analysis might spark in me some personal connection, which I then narrate in my essay to emphasize the point and make it more interesting (175). This is exactly the type of thinking that I want to spark in my students. The reasoning behind writing a compare and contrast essay is to get the students to look at the characters and the way they affect the people around them. They want to produce an effect argument about the portrayal of Chinese culture but through an effective means. Burke bullets the main things to look cover within a compare/contrast essay, in the comparison, the similarities are carefully established and developed. In contrast, the differences between the two elements or sides are emphasized. You must clearly establish early on the basis of the comparison so as to provide a context for all that follows it (176). The type of background information that a teacher would need is the content material within the book. In order to give the students an assessment, it has to be one that you can complete. One would need to know the fundamental elements to a compare and contrast essay such as the ones Burke mentions in the above paragraph. One would have to be able to provide a model for the essay and provide rubric to detailing expectations. The content material that the students will use is their character map from the previous lesson; they will use the active reading charts that they completed for the chapters they have read. They are going to use the Venn diagram form the compare and contrast activity to help organize the main points they want to cover within their essay. This lesson links to other lessons to follow because it has the students write about the text and create an analysis. Its not going to be a long paper so this is lesson is going to serve as a foundation for more complex writing that they are going to present in the future. Objectives: Students will produce writing examples that are grammatically correct that are written to a specific audience. Materials: The materials need for this lesson are, The Hundred Secret Senses and American Born Chinese, character map worksheet, active reading chart, compare and contrast essay assignment sheet. Preparation: The classroom will be set up differently today, student desks will be arranged individually in five rows of five to promote an individual working environment and allow the students to focus on their assignment. Procedure: First students will take a quick reading comprehension check which will consist of three short answer question that are 2-3 sentences each. They will be based on both The Hundred Secret Senses and American Born Chinese to ensure that they are grasping concepts within the work. (10 mins). Next students will work with the person next to them and create a pro and con list for each of the two forms in the novel. They will compare the two styles and determine which style is more effective. (10 mins). Then students will choose two characters (one from each novel) and they will create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast key traits. Students will choose so knowing that they will use this diagram to facilitate them in their writing of the compare and contrast essay. (10 mins). Students will proceed to work on the compare and

contrast essay in which they want to compare the two characters and focusing on the way other characters/the reader perceive these characters. (20 mins) Whatever they do not finish with the essay will be for homework. Discussion Ideas: Some of the questions to get students started with their multiple comparisons are: Which stylistic approach is easier to gleam information form? Which style would you prefer to read? Would a novel like The Hundred Secret Senses work as a graphic novel? What are negative traits that this character has? What makes this character likable? Bilingual/ESL and Englishes Accommodations: One of the accommodations that I can make is have the assignment sheet translated into Spanish. Another thing that I can do is outline key words that go into a compare and contrast essay. Create a list of words that can usually be found. As for the reading check, I would also translate the prompt into Spanish have them write the response in English. I would also give an additional two multiple choice question that are purely about the plot, just to grasp if they are understand key plot details. Special Education Accommodations: The special accommodations that I can do for both students would be during the main activities have the work with students who are patient and who stay on task easily. When it comes the compare and contrast activities I can provide them with additional examples and with an expectation list. Assessment: The main assessment in this lesson is the reading comprehension check which will let me know if the students are doing the readings for homework, are they understanding what they read beyond the fundamental plot points. Can they pull out details and create and inference such as the ones they have been doing within the active reading chart. Extension Ideas: Ways to extend this activity would be to open up the compare and contrast activity to a class discussion. It could even be opened up into a class debate in which the class is divided in half and one side argues in favor of one novel side while the other side argues in favor of their novel and why that is the best stylistic approach to learn. Source of Activity: As a group, we wanted to do a compare and contrast activity that could allow the students to write a mini essay. We also decided that we need to do some type of comprehension check and I thought short answer is a way to get students thinking about the prompt and testing their knowledge and comprehension of the text. I came up with the idea to do both a pro and con for each book and the way they present information. I also that a Venn diagram would be a good way to get students started organizing the arguments points that they want to use. Resources and References: Burke, Jim. The English Teachers Companion. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008. Illinois State English Language Arts Goals: Writing:3.A.5 Produce grammatically correct documents using standard manuscript specifications for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Lesson #4 Reading Comprehension check

Directions: Answer the follow short answer questions with 3-5 sentences. Provide examples from the text as well as inferences. I will be checking to see that not only have you kept up with the readings but also that you understand what the story is about. 1) What characteristics do cousin Chin-Kee present that is stereotypical of his culture? How does this affect how people view him including Danny? 2) What is the relationship that Olivia has with both her mother and Kwan? Compare and contrast. 3) Analyse this quote: Olivia is telling Kwan, And when I cant bear it any longer, I lash out and tell her shes crazy. Before I can retract the sharp words, she pats my arm, smiles and laughs. And the wound she bears heals itself instantly. Whereas I feel guilty forever (23). What does this say about Olivia as a person and Kwan?

Assignment Sheet - Compare and Contrast Essay

For the past two days we have been working with character maps and Venn diagrams, now its time to take that information to help you organize it into an Essay. Your assignment is to create a compare and contrast essay about two characters (one from American Born Chinese and another from The Hundred Secret Senses) and use the information you have gathered to support a concise argument, whether that be an argument about gender dynamics, culture, relationships etc. Feel free to discuss in your essay how each character deals with their environment and the people within that environment. In addition when supporting your claims make sure to provide quotes as evidence. Feel free to draw on quotes you have written down already in your active reading chart. This essay should be approximately 1-2 pages long. Refer to Rubric for further expectations.

Rubric: Compare and Contrast Essay

Student Name: ________________________________________
3Meets Standards The position statement provides a clear statement of the author\'s position on the topic. Includes 3 or more pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement. 2 - Approaching Standards A position statement is present, but does not make the author\'s position clear. 1Below Standards There is no position statement.

CATEGORY Thesis

Support for Position

Evidence and Examples

4Above Standards The position statement provides a clear, strong statement of the author\'s position on the topic. Includes 3 or more pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement. The writer anticipates the reader\'s concerns, biases or arguments and has provided at least 1 counter-argument. All of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author\'s position. A variety of thoughtful transitions are used. They clearly show how ideas are connected Author makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.

Includes 2 pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement.

Includes 1 or fewer pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences).

Transitions

Most of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author\'s position. Transitions show how ideas are connected, but there is little variety Author makes 1-2 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.

At least one of the pieces of evidence and examples is relevant and has an explanation that shows how that piece of evidence supports the author\'s position.

Evidence and examples are NOT relevant AND/OR are not explained.

Some transitions work well, but some connections between ideas are fuzzy.

The transitions between ideas are unclear OR nonexistent.

Grammar & Spelling

Author makes 3-4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.

Author makes more than 4 errors in grammar or spelling that distracts the reader from the content.