1. Bellwork Tuesday 1/10/17
On a clean sheet of paper, brainstorm and write down 2-3 themes from "The Transformation of Arachne into a Spider." Remember that a theme is a statement that makes an observation about life or teaches a lesson conveyed by a work of literature. Remember that the objective is not to come up with a catchy or well-known saying. The objective is to come up with the statement that best fits the story. Avoid using 1st or 2nd person (any variation of the words I or you) in your theme statements. Themes are often stated as cause/effect statements. Ex. - _________ leads to _________.
After brainstorming, put an asterisk (*) beside the theme that you think best fits the story.

2. Essay Prompt
Identify a theme in the passage and explain how the characters help to develop the theme.

3. Read the entire prompt and passage, including the extra information given before or after the excerpt.
2. Write an introductory paragraph that includes the following:
2-3 sentences that identify the passage and briefly summarize the passage, focusing only on the aspect of it that relates to the prompt.
Ex. - In the (genre) (title) by (author), (summarize main point of passage).
b. A thesis statement that is a one-sentence direct response to the prompt.
If you are having trouble composing a response on your own, look back to the prompt for phrases or a sentence you can reword into a statement.

4. (Example from “Daedalus and Icarus”)
Brainstorming a Theme
(Example from “Daedalus and Icarus”)
Good: Listen to your parents.
Does it fit the story? (Yes)
Does it apply to most people? (Kinda…)
Better: Listen to those who are wiser than you and care about you.
Does it apply to most people? (Yes)

5. Example Introductory Paragraph
In the myth “Daedalus and Icarus,” excerpted from Metamorphoses by Ovid, a boy dies because he didn’t listen to his parents’ advice. This story teaches readers to listen to those who are wiser and care about you.

6. Homework
Look back over your bellwork. Choose the best theme for an essay from “The Transformation of Arachne into a Spider.”
Make sure that
it can apply to a lot of people.
it fits the story.