Next Steps - Revisiting Writing

Today students began to revisit their initial paragraph about Sandra Cisneros's vignette, "My Name." Students were asked to have six elements in their paragraphs. Those elements are (1) a lead, (2) an introduction to the writer, the genre, and the title, (3) a claim, (4) three examples to prove the claim, (5) extension/explanation of the examples, and (6) a concluding statement that reminds this audience what the claim or message of the selection was. I will read these over the weekend and return them for final consideration on Monday. Although this is a formative assessment, I want students to be able to have a model that they can use for all future writings.

After finishing this task, students began to create a chart that organizes ideas about their culture. We had examples such as "people, culture, phrases, places, items, and foods). From this chart they were supposed to begin thinking about how to write a poem (template provided) that describes where they are from.

I am from Tennessee and Kentucky,

June and Morris.

I am from nine months of sharing my living space

and feeling like a sardine.

I am from Saturday morning cartoons, two TV channels,

powdered milk and corn flakes.

I am from "we don't discuss politics and religion in this house

to Bob and Vickie Bettle,the youth ministers.

Students will have a draft of their poems completed on Monday, and will share with their peers. From these individuals poems, we will create a class "We are from" poem, using a line from each students poem. The groups the students work with will help decide which lines tell the most about us.

Students have a rubric that outlines the expectations for this assignment.