INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETIVE WORK TO INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION TO ARGUMENT: WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE TEXASTEXAS INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETIVE WORK GRADE 8 08-14-02-TXTM-20 GRADE 8 TEACHER GUIDE TEACHER Introduction to Interpretive Work Grade 8 Introduction to Argument: Writing About Literature © 2020 Inquiry By Design, Inc. 08-14-02-TXTM-20 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ..........................................................5 At-A-Glance . 9 Understanding the Features.................................................................13 Introduction . 17 1 Introducing “Everyday Use”: Comprehension Work..........................................21 2 “Everyday Use”: Wrapping Up the Comprehension Work .....................................25 3 Introducing Interpretive Assignment #1...................................................29 4 Interpretive Assignment #1: Whole-Class Discussion .........................................33 IA Articulating the Qualities of Interpretive Writing (Optional Intersession) . 37 5 Interpretive Assignment #1: Drafting Interpretations .........................................41 Next Steps for Student Writing . 46 6 Introducing “It’s That It Hurts”: Comprehension Work .......................................47 7 “It’s That It Hurts”: Wrapping Up the Comprehension Work...................................49 8 Introducing Interpretive Assignment #2...................................................53 9 Interpretive Assignment #2: Whole-Class Discussion .........................................57 10 Studying Drafts, Composing Drafts ......................................................61 Next Steps for Student Writing . 66 Works Cited . 67 Appendix . 69 Criteria for a Good Discussion ..............................................................70 Interpretive Assignment #1: Writing About “Everyday Use” ........................................71 Interpretive Assignment #2: Writing About “It’s That It Hurts”......................................72 Scaffolds and Modifications: Descriptions and Use ...............................................73 INTRODUCTION TO INTERPRETIVE WORK Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Grade 8 English Language Arts and Read- ing addressed in this unit of study: ELAR.8.1 — Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: lis- tening, speaking, discussion, and thinking—oral language. The student devel- ops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion. The student is expected to A. Listen actively to interpret a message by summarizing, asking questions, and making comments. B. Follow and give complex oral instructions to perform specific tasks, answer questions, or solve problems. C. Advocate a position using anecdotes, analogies, and/or illustrations employ- ing eye contact, speaking rate, volume, enunciation, a variety of natural gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively. D. Participate collaboratively in discussions, plan agendas with clear goals and deadlines, set time limits for speakers, take notes, and vote on key issues. ELAR.8.4 — Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking—self-sustained reading. The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently. ELAR.8.5 — Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts. The student is expected to A. Establish purpose for reading assigned and self-selected texts. B. Generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information. Introduction to Interpretive Work 5 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills C. Make, correct, or confirm predictions using text features, characteristics of genre, and structures. E. Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society. F Make inferences and use evidence to support understanding. G. Evaluate details read to determine key ideas. H. Synthesize information to create new understanding. I Monitor comprehension and make adjustments such as re-reading, using background knowledge, asking questions, and annotating when understand- ing breaks down. ELAR.8.6 — Response skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and think- ing using multiple texts. The student responds to an increasingly challenging variety of sources that are read, heard, or viewed. The student is expected to A. Describe personal connections to a variety of sources, including self-selected texts. B. Write responses that demonstrate understanding of texts, including comparing sources within and across genres. C. Use text evidence to support an appropriate response. D. Paraphrase and summarize texts in ways that maintain meaning and logical order. E. Interact with sources in meaningful ways such as notetaking, annotating, freewriting, or illustrating. G. Discuss and write about the explicit or implicit meanings of text. H. Respond orally or in writing with appropriate register, vocabulary, tone, and voice. I. Reflect on and adjust responses as new evidence is presented. J. Defend or challenge the authors’ claims using relevant text evidence. ELAR.8.8 — Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and think- ing using multiple texts—genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre- specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to: E. Analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative text by i. Identifying the claim and analyzing the argument. ii. Identifying and explaining the counter argument. iii. Identifying the intended audience or reader. 6 Introduction to Interpretive Work Introduction to Interpretive Work : Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ELAR.8.10 — Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and think- ing using multiple texts—writing process. The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate con- ventions. The student is expected to A. Plan a first draft by selecting a genre appropriate for a particular topic, purpose, and audience using a range of strategies such as discussion, back- ground reading, and personal interests. B. Develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing by. i. Organizing with purposeful structure, including an introduction, transitions, coherence within and across paragraphs, and a conclusion. ii. Developing an engaging idea reflecting depth of thought with spe- cific facts, details, and examples. ELAR.8.11 — Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and think- ing using multiple texts—genres. The student uses genre characteristics and craft to compose multiple texts that are meaningful. The student is expected to C. Compose multi-paragraph argumentative texts using genre characteristics and craft. ELAR.8.12—Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes. The student is expected to A. Generate student-selected and teacher-guided questions for formal and informal inquiry. Introduction to Interpretive Work 7 At-A-Glance At-A-Glance Session Guiding Questions Agenda ELAR Session 1 • What are some strategies for • Students will listen to “Everyday Use” and read along • 8.1 (A, B, D) Introducing comprehending a fictional text? silently, marking the text and making notes in the margin of • 8.4 “Everyday Use”: their student reader. • 8.5 (A, B) Comprehension Work • Students will work with partners to craft a synopsis of the • 8.6 (B, D, E) story that accounts for characters, key moments, and basic plot development. Session 2 • What are some strategies for • Students will reread “Everyday Use.” • 8.1 (A, B, D) “Everyday Use”: comprehending a fictional text? • Students will work in small groups to confirm or revise • 8.4 Wrapping Up the their synopsis of the story that accounts for characters, key • 8.5 (A, B, E, Comprehension Work moments, and basic plot development. F, G, H, I) • Students will identify and share moments in the text they • 8.6 (A, B, consider important. C, D, E, G, • Students will reflect on the comprehension work they have H, I) been doing by quick-writing and discussing their answers to the following questions: “What are the things you did to answer this question and what was the order––as best you can remember––in which you did them?” Session 3 • What do you do in order to • Students will form and discuss an interpretation of • 8.1 (A, B, C, Introducing form an interpretation? “Everyday Use” in small groups, responding to the question: D) Interpretive At the end of the story, Maggie smiles— “But a real smile, • 8.5 (A, B, F, Assignment #1 not scared.” Why isn’t Maggie scared anymore? G, H) • Students will reference the text to support their • 8.6 (B, C, E, interpretations. G, I) • Students will take notes about their own and their • 8.10 (A) classmates’ interpretations, to help them with the interpretive writing to come. Session 4 • What do you do in order to • Students will quickly compose an initial written response to • 8.1 (A, B, C, Interpretive form an interpretation? the question: At the end of the story, Maggie smiles—“But a D) Assignment #1: • How can you contribute