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Quickwrite: What, if anything, is the difference between science fiction and fantasy? 03-06-14 Slide 2 improbable possibilitiesplausible impossibilities Slide 3 http://www.sfsite.com/columns/amy26.htm Slide 4 Review: How do we define a genre? Why bother to define genres? GENRE 1818 2011 1994 1996 1966 1865 Slide 5 Rite of passage: separation -- initiation -- return Fantasy often involves a journey A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder; fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. From Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces Slide 6 Chart and text from http://www.questcycles.com/hqcycle.html Consider the original Star Wars story: Luke gets the "call" from Obi-wan and Princess Leia, gathers up Chewbaca and Han Solo, meets all those strange beings at the bar/threshold to space, battles Storm Troopers and other enemies in preparation for the big show down with Darth Vader (his father), and finally returns to the world with the "boon of success" in that triumphant final celebration scene. Slide 7 Book Talks: Science Fiction, Fantasy Slide 8 How important is WHAT students read vs. WHETHER they read? For example, how long do you let a reluctant reader read books you consider to be lower quality before encouraging (or even requiring) that student to move on to higher quality literature for SSR? Or do you let students read whatever they want during SSR, figuring that they will read high quality texts at other times? What restrictions, if any, might you impose on SSR? (Minimum number of pages? Simply recording the number of pages and a summary for each day or week? Only novels? Magazine Mondays? Prohibitions on any particular kinds of reading magazines, comic books, poetry, textbooks, etc?) Write your responses to these questions before we discuss them. Slide 9 The National Reading Panel found SSR at least as effective as whatever practices were already in place, so at the very least, SSR does no harm. Smith and Wilhelm have shown that a strong social element can encourage reading, and SSR provides such a social element. Gallagher argues that even leisure reading can build knowledge capital, which in turn can improve students reading abilities, and SSR can help students build their knowledge capital. Mitchell describes a change in his school culture when SSR was implemented as a school-wide activity, so SSR can help create a culture in which reading is the norm. Common objections to SSR tend to be based on misunderstanding of what SSR is or what it hopes to accomplish. Finally, SSR can be a powerful symbol that a school (or a teacher) values reading. Making the Call on SSR From Thompson, Finding Value in Silent Sustained Reading Slide 10 Using SSR: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Bellwork: 1 st 10-15 min Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Alternate Days: 1 st 15-20 min Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Alternate Days: last 20-25 min Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Free Reading Friday: 2 nd half of class Goal: In-class reading, at least 45 minutes, maybe up to 75 minutes, per week. Slide 11 Slide 12 Slide 13 Key Ideas and Details CCRA.R.1CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. CCRA.R.2CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. CCRA.R.3CCRA.R.3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Craft and Structure CCRA.R.4CCRA.R.4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. CCRA.R.5CCRA.R.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. CCRA.R.6CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas CCRA.R.7CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. CCRA.R.8CCRA.R.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. CCRA.R.9CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity CCRA.R.10CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. Slide 14 Text Types and Purposes CCRA.W.1CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. CCRA.W.2CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. CCRA.W.3CCRA.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCRA.W.5CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. CCRA.W.6CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. Research to Build and Present Knowledge W.7W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. W.8W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. CCRA.W.9CCRA.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Range of Writing CCRA.W.10CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. Slide 15 Canterbury Tales standard text for English IV (Brit Lit) (Well, part of the prologue, plus maybe two or three tales, anyway) So whats the purpose of teaching whatever parts of CT we teach? Teach part of the history of the English language? Teach medieval culture? Expose students to great texts of western civilization? Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it? Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development? Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text? Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence? Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience? Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences? Slide 16 Year (or semester): Address all of the standards for reading, writing & speaking. Unit: Address several of the standards for reading, writing & speaking. Lesson: Address a few of the standards for reading, writing, and/or speaking. Activity: Address one of the standards for reading, writing, or speaking. Doing the standards You can also use bell-ringers, scaffolding exercises, between-unit activities, or end-of-class (or spare time) activities to teach specific skills and these activities can draw on SSR books, book-club books, selections from popular books, poems, news items, or even viral videos. Your minilesson should involve one or maybe two activities. It can be part of a major unit, but it could also be a bell-ringer, scaffolding activity, or end-of-class (or after-the-test, or pep-rally-day) activity. Slide 17 Minilesson: Short (5- to 10-minute) lesson focused on a single aspect of literature, reading, writing, or speaking. Good start-up or transitional activity in 90-minute block Almost required for 50-minute block (due to time constraints) Keeps students focused by keeping the class moving Small enough to retain fairly easily Good for addressing problems/questions as they arise Good for teaching concepts in context Good for learning/practicing a skill in a low-stakes setting before using the skill in a high-stakes setting Slide 18 Sample Minilessons Compare scene with summary Compare different kinds of opening paragraphs Look at use of various literary terms in sample passages Look at diction; maybe rewriting several versions of a passage, using different diction to create different effects Define genre and explain its importance Consider conventions for using commas, semicolons, and periods based on sample passages Writing believable dialog (yes, using samples from a novel) Slide 19 Next week: Author study, to include two book talks. March 20: Bring working draft (on USB drive) of formal paper