LAT  Writing  Lesson  1:  Introducing  the  Literary  Analysis  Task     Page  1  ©  2015  Standards  Solution  Holding,  LLC.  All  Rights  Reserved.  

Rationale This lesson serves as an overview of the prose constructed response (PCR) of the PARCC

Literary Analysis Task (LAT), which is the essay writing portion of the exam. The LAT is a significant change from what students have encountered on past standardized tests like the NJASK.

Goal To understand the requirements of the PARCC Literary Analysis Task prose constructed response To assess student aptitude for literary analysis with a practice LAT PCR.

Task Foci

CCSS W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS RL.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as

inferences drawn from the text. CCSS RL.6.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through

particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. CCSS RL.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as

well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Objectives Students will be able to identify the type of writing that they will be asked to produce on the

PARCC Literary Analysis Task. Students will practice literary analysis skills by completing a sample prose constructed response.

Materials

Literary texts and prompt Student writing space

Procedures

Tell students that today they will examine the prose constructed response of PARCC’s Literary Analysis Task and then practice with an ungraded writing activity.

As a primer, make sure students are clear on the difference between literature and informational text, as distinguished by the CCSS.

Next, explain “literary analysis” for them, so that they are clear that it is different from a summary. “When we write a summary, we select the most important details of a story and write them in our own words to tell our reader what happens in the story. In a literary analysis, we look very closely at those important details and write about how and why they happen and what their significance is.”

PARCC Literary Analysis Task

Grade 6 Writing Lesson 1: Introduction to the Prose Constructed Response

on the Literary Analysis Task

LAT  Writing  Lesson  1:  Introducing  the  Literary  Analysis  Task     Page  2  ©  2015  Standards  Solution  Holding,  LLC.  All  Rights  Reserved.  

“So, how do we do this?” Explain that over the next few lessons, you will teach students the skills they need to successfully answer the prompts.

Explain the structure of the Literary Analysis Task to students: “In this section of the exam, you will be asked to read two literary texts (stories, poems, or plays), answer a few questions about what you read, and then write an essay in response to a prompt about the reading.” For the prose constructed response, students are prompted to write about an element of literature (e.g. How does the author develop the theme of…?) or a combination of elements (e.g. How do character’s words and actions support a theme? or How does the setting affect the mood of the story?).

Display the sample prompt and discuss. “What is the prompt asking us to do?” Distribute the texts and prompt. Have students read the texts independently. Explain that now students will write a practice prose constructed response. Their essays

won’t be graded; this is just to see where they are in terms of writing a literary analysis. Distribute lined paper, two sheets for the essay and one for scrap. Tell the students, “You have 50 minutes to complete this writing sample. Ready?

Begin.” Remind the class when five minutes remain. When time ends, say, “Stop! Pencils down!” Collect papers. Have students discuss the experience. Note what they express having trouble with.

Teacher Observations During/After the Task Which students carefully followed the directions in the prompt? Which students seemed to struggle with developing an argument? How many students included textual evidence to support their reasons? How many students included an introduction and conclusion? How many students used the standard paragraph structure? Did anyone write the response as one long paragraph? Which students finished before the time limit? Which students revised/edited their responses after they had completed their initial

response?

The Haircut Laura Schaefer

Lindsey wanted a haircut. She’d had the exact same long hair since first grade, and she was in sixth grade now. It was time for a change. Mom said Lindsey could get it cut at an elegant salon, and that they’d have lunch afterward with Lindsey’s big sister Olivia, who was home from college for the weekend. Lindsey couldn’t wait for the big day to come—a fancy salon and a day with Olivia sounded like the best thing ever. Olivia was a freshman at Duke University, which was in an entirely different state. Lindsey missed her desperately and couldn’t wait to hear all about her classes and activities at school. It felt like forever since Olivia had moved away in September, even though it had only been a month. When Lindsey was finally—finally—sitting in the stylist’s chair at the fancy salon, she didn’t know what to ask for, exactly. Her surroundings were so sophisticated, it was hard to think. She said, “I know I want something different.”

The stylist smiled and got to work. After only twenty minutes, Lindsey looked completely altered. She ended up with a very short pixie cut with some longer pieces of hair on top of her head. It was a huge change. Lindsey was shocked, but she managed to thank the stylist and mumble that she liked it as her Mom paid.

It wasn’t until they found Olivia and sat down to eat that Lindsey finally admitted she wasn’t so sure about her new hair. “It’s so short! I miss my long hair already!” she wailed.

“I think you look beautiful,” Olivia said quickly. “Having short hair is brave. It perfectly shows off your face.” “I don’t know…” Lindsey sniffled. “It feels strange on the back of my neck.” “You know, I was thinking of getting my hair cut, too,” Olivia said. “You’ve galvanized me, Lindsey. After lunch, let’s see if the salon has a free appointment for me.”

“Really?” asked Lindsey. The idea that she had inspired her big sister made her feel a lot better. She remembered she was hungry and finished her pasta quickly.

“Really.” The three finished their delicious lunch and walked back to the salon, which did indeed have a free appointment available. In no time at all, Olivia got the same haircut as Lindsey. It looked good on her, too. Olivia suggested they pose for a selfie, which she took with her phone and immediately posted online. Lindsey’s smile was wide and genuine. She loved her new hair.

Rapunzel Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

 

Once upon a time there was a man and a woman who had long wished for a child. Finally the woman came to believe that the good Lord would fulfill her wish. Through the small rear window of these people's house they could see into a splendid garden that was filled with the most beautiful flowers and herbs. The garden was surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared enter, because it belonged to a sorceress who possessed great power and was feared by everyone.

One day the woman was standing at this window, and she saw a bed planted with the most beautiful rapunzel. It looked so fresh and green that she longed for some. It was her greatest desire to eat some of the rapunzel. This desire increased with every day, and not knowing how to get any, she became miserably ill.

Her husband was frightened, and asked her, "What ails you, dear wife?"

"Oh," she answered, "if I do not get some rapunzel from the garden behind our house, I shall die."

So just as it was getting dark he climbed over the high wall into the sorceress's garden, hastily dug up a handful of rapunzel. But no sooner than he had climbed over the wall than, to his horror, he saw the sorceress standing there before him.

"How can you dare," she asked with an angry look, "to climb into my garden and like a thief to steal my rapunzel? You will pay for this."

"Oh," he answered, "My wife saw your rapunzel from our window, and such a longing came over her, that she would die, if she did not get some to eat."

The sorceress's anger abated somewhat, and she said, "If things are as you say, I will allow you to take as much rapunzel as you want. But under one condition: You must give me the child that your wife will bring to the world.”

In his fear the man agreed.

When the woman gave birth, the sorceress appeared, named the little girl Rapunzel, and took her away. Rapunzel became the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old, the sorceress locked her in a tower that stood in a forest and that had neither a door nor a stairway, but only a tiny little window at the very top.

When the sorceress wanted to enter, she stood below and called out:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair to me.

Rapunzel had splendid long hair, as fine as spun gold. When she heard the sorceress's voice, she untied her braids, wound them around a window hook, let her hair fall twenty yards to the ground, and the sorceress climbed up it.

A few years later it happened that a king's son was riding through the forest. As he approached the tower he heard a song so beautiful that he stopped to listen.

He rode home, but the song had so touched his heart that he returned to the forest every day and listened to it. One time, as he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw the sorceress approach, and heard her say:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair.

Then Rapunzel let down her strands of hair, and the sorceress climbed up them to her. And the next day, just as it was beginning to get dark, he went to the tower and called out:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair.

The hair fell down, and the prince climbed up. At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man such as she had never seen before came in to her. However, the prince began talking to her in a very friendly manner, telling her that his heart had been so touched by her singing that he could have no peace until he had seen her in person. Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him as her husband, she said yes and placed her hand into his. The sorceress did not notice what was happening until one day Rapunzel said to her, "Frau Gothel, tell me why it is that you are more difficult to pull up than is the young prince, who will be arriving any moment now?"

"You godless child," cried the sorceress. "What am I hearing from you? I thought I had removed you from the whole world, but you have deceived me nonetheless.”

In her anger she was so unmerciful that she took Rapunzel into a wilderness where she suffered greatly. On the evening of the same day that she sent Rapunzel away, the sorceress tied the cut-off hair to the hook at the top of the tower, and when the prince called out:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair.

She let down the hair.

The prince climbed up, but above, instead of his beloved Rapunzel, he found the sorceress, who peered at him with poisonous and evil looks. The prince was overcome with grief, and in his despair he threw himself from the tower. He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell poked out his eyes. Blind, he wandered about in the forest, eating nothing but grass and roots, and doing nothing but weeping and wailing over the loss of his beloved wife. Thus he wandered about miserably for some years, finally happening into the wilderness where Rapunzel lived miserably.

He heard a voice and thought it was familiar. He advanced toward it, and as he approached, Rapunzel recognized him, and crying, threw her arms around his neck. Two of her tears fell into his eyes, and they became clear once again, and he could see as well as before. He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.

Literary Analysis Task Prose Constructed Response

You have read two stories in which a haircut formed a central plot point. Consider how the main character in each story reacts to the incidents that occur, and write an essay in which you analyze how each character’s thoughts and actions reveal aspects of her personality. You do not need to compare and contrast the characters from the two texts; you may consider each one separately. Be sure to include evidence from each story to support your analysis and understanding.