Annotated Reading and Introducing Character Analysis Triangle with If You Ain't Got Heart by Piri Thomas

Note: this is a two or three day lesson plan

Objectives

Students will be able to

• annotate a text with their thoughts on a character
• define assertion and controlling idea
• brainstorm on a character leading to an assertion about that character
• cite evidence to support the assertion
• develop a controlling idea coming from their assertion and evidence
• write a short essay stating the controlling idea, assertion, and evidence about Piri Thomas

Procedure

Day One

1. Do Now: In Reading Workshop, define character trait, characterization, and motivation.

2. I will tell students that we are getting deeper into our character analysis study and preparing to write a character analysis paper. I will pass out the reading for the week and direct their attention to the overhead, which has the first page of the reading.

3. I will reveal the "Annotating Text" chart paper and describe what annotating is and why we do it.

4. I will demonstrate annotating text with the first page of the reading.

5. After the modelling, students will receive highlighters and will be told to read the rest of the reading, highlighting and annotating about their thoughts regarding Piri.

Homework: Students will brainstorm for one page about what they think of Piri.

Day Two

1. Do Now: Take out homework from last night. If you did not do it, please do it now. If you did it, please read over what you wrote and underline what you think are your most important thoughts.

2. Students will get a half piece of paper. Together we will cut the paper in half, then in half, and then in half again so that they have three pieces of paper descending in size.

3. Students will take the brainstorming they have already done, quickly read over it, then try to capture all their ideas on the largest piece of paper. Once they finish that, they will try to capture all their ideas (generalizing on some) onto the next smaller size, and so on until they are at the smallest size and writing one or two sentences about their character.

4. We will go around the room and share what they have written.

5. I will tell them that this is their assertion and define assertion. They will write the definition in their notebooks.

6. If there is time remaining, students will create a web surrounding their assertion.

Day Three

1. Do Now: In Reading Workshop, read over what you wrote from yesterday, what kind of lesson do you think the author wants you to learn by telling you this character's story?

2. We will share their Do Nows.

3. I will tell them that this "lesson" is the theme or controlling idea. I will show students the chart paper for a controlling idea and they will copy it down into their notebooks.

4. Students will receive the character analysis triangle (to be uploaded at a later date). I will explain how it works - the widest part of the triangle is the controlling idea, the next widest is their assertion, and the rest (including the tip) is where they put the examples, details, and quotes from the text that support their controlling idea and assertion.

Homework: Finish triangle

Assessment

I will look at students' annotated texts, brainstorming, and triangles to see if they are analyzing their characters in depth and using evidence from the text to support their assertions and controling ideas.