Memoir Unit Week Four 2013

Welcome!! Peninsula Writers Special Guests Ms. Lee Bradley Mr. Rick Guilford Ms. Sue Guilford Ms. Shirley Neitzel Ms. Marcie Woods Ms. Cerise Fuhrman Special Guests Dr. Paskewicz, Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Steelman

Stephen Dunning Small-Groups Select a timer (12 minutes per person) While each person reads his/her piece, group members read along silently and annotate text After listening, wait a few minutes to formulate thoughts about the piece Discuss the piece as though the writer is not there (authors should be taking notes) Focus discussion on ideas and language Author may “explain” or comment about raised suggestions Thank group members

Homework Minimum 3 pages TWO COPIES!

AGENDA Poetry Announcement Rhetorical Vocab (Comparison) Partner Feedback Session Choice Reading

Debriefing What did you learn from small-group? What will change in your piece?

Final-Copy Questions MLA format Attention to rubric Heading Title Double spacing Page numbers Attention to rubric Diction, syntax Ideas Final copy of memoir due next class: October 9 Bring rough drafts: YOUR copy from Stephen Dunning (Mon.) 2. Your partner’s copy (Tues.) Bring The Glass Castle to return to IMC

Sentence Patterning On graph paper, make a graph that represents the number of words included in each sentence of two paragraphs. We want a “heartbeat!”

Pair/Share With your partner, read your revised piece “Stephen Dunning” style

Read-Around Choose a section of your piece you would like to read to the whole group Preface your reading with a one-sentence synopsis of your piece

Rubric for Memoir Assignment Item Description Total Points Earned Points Writing Process Produces multiple revisions, making thoughtful changes to original draft 5 _____ Prepares for small-group sessions with ample copies of a finished rough draft 5 _____ Participates in revision activities with a focus on writing improvement 5 _____ Genre Characteristics Focuses on unifying theme of one slice of subject’s life 5 _____ Includes relevant, genuine, and vivid details of experience 5 _____ Demonstrates empathy through a balance of detailed accounts and privacy issues 5 _____

AGENDA Rhetorical Vocab (Balance) Précis Summaries

Précis Summaries Highly structured four-sentence paragraph Assertion/Claim Development Purpose Audience 4 parts Check out the funny You Tube video on precis summaries – students will love this. Also – there are several example handouts to make the explanation clearer.

Rhetorical Précis Intended audience Relationship with audience Assertion/Claim (who, what, when) Name of author (phrase describing) Genre + title of work + date (2012) Rhetorically accurate verb “THAT” clause containing the thesis Development (how) How the author “develops and/or supports” Chronological Order Purpose (why) The “author’s purpose” Infinitive ( “ is to” + verb) Audience (to whom) Intended audience Relationship with audience

Rhetorically Accurate Verbs argues suggests states proposes declares maintains advocates asserts denies refutes proves disproves explains a strong action verb that reports the author's thesis

The Glass Castle In her poignant memoir The Glass Castle (2005) Jeannette Walls suggests that even though her upbringing was unstable at best, the end result was hopeful. She makes her claim by describing in great detail the poverty in which she lived, the lies from which she ran, the other kids from whom she hid, and the parents on whom she relied.

The Glass Castle 3. Her sole purpose is to capture her own story by writing it down in a way that is both brave and haunting; she wants people to finally know her without judging her parents too harshly. 4. Walls reaches out to an empathetic audience, one who understands the complex mix of a family who somehow withstands the fierce storms of living together but still learns to forgive and love in spite of the judgment of others and even of themselves.

Précis Summaries Gradual Release of Responsibility Model: The Glass Castle Partner: “Us and Them” by Sedaris (pg. 16) Individual: Personal Memoir (pg. 17)

AGENDA Turn in memoir Return TGC to IMC Rhetorical Vocab (balance) Group discussions Didion: “On Keeping a Notebook” HOMEWORK: Precis Summary (typed)

Memoir ORDER: TOP to BOTTOM Yellow Rubric (ADD NAME on scoring side) Final copy Tuesday’s draft Monday’s draft Reminder: Write Michigan Contest!! Win MONEY!!

Rhetorical Précis Intended audience Relationship with audience Assertion/Claim (who, what, when) Name of author (phrase describing) Genre + title of work + date (2013) Rhetorically accurate verb “THAT” clause containing the thesis Development (how) How the author “develops and/or supports” Chronological Order Purpose (why) The “author’s purpose” Infinitive ( “ is to” + verb) Audience (to whom) Intended audience Relationship with audience

Joan Didion American author best known for her novels and her literary journalism. Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation. A sense of anxiety or dread permeates much of her work.[ wikipedia]

“On Keeping a Notebook” Read and annotate thoughts Keep in mind that you will be writing a precis summary on this piece Summative: typed, double spaced due TOMORROW!

AGENDA Announcements: Finish “Currently” Journal Scotland/England trip Catching Fire movie trip 3rd Hour: Fill out Employability skills self-assessment Finish “Currently” Journal “Non-Fiction” Friday! On iPads OR Choice Reading outside