Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Learning Focus:
I can…

• compare and contrast a fictional society and a real society
• use compare and contrast organizational structure in writing

Opening:

1. Review the task: 

• Write TWO well-developed paragraphs arguing that one society, our or Jonas's, handles the circle of life better.  Support your argument with textual evidence.  Use correct compare/contrast structure and transitions in your writing.

2. What are the transitions you should use?

• Copy the list in your Journal on the page you will use for your paragraphs

3. Why TWO paragraphs? Can I have THREE?  What is the focus?  How do I focus? AHHH!

• Don't panic
• Begin a paragraph with a topic sentence stating which society handles the circle of life better and the SUBTOPIC
• Use a third INTRODUCTORY paragraph to state your controlling idea (if you have one!)
• Don't forget to use transitions - they make the ride a lot smoother for your reader - and help organize you!

Work Period:

4. Review your Notes on page 72 and determine the TWO subtopics you will address in your paragraphs.  Find a few pieces of textual evidence from the book to support your thinking.

5. A few notes on the paragraphs...

• Yes, you can have more than two subtopics, but each subtopic needs its own paragraph
• Yes, you can have ONE subtopic.  But you won't earn as much.  
• But, better to write one paragraph about one subtopic (feature) in both societies (subject) with TEXTUAL EVIDENCE than two weak paragraphs with NO TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

6. Begin.  In your journal, write your paragraphs.

Closing:

7. Introduce the work period tomorrow and the hand-out.

• Why the three formats?
• How do you label each one?
• Why do I make you work so hard all the time!?!?