Writing with specific word choices...

Goal: Using diction to describe a scene.

Agenda:
Read
Describing a scene using specific diction.



Submit your winning description HERE.

Novel Quiz and Practice with Connotation Denotation

Scrantrons are scary looking.  (We won't use them.)

Goal: Take a quiz about your group novel and practice your knowledge of connotation and denotation.

Agenda: 
Read
Novel Quiz
Practice

Novel Quiz: 
This quiz will assess your knowledge of the first 3/4 of your book.
You should be finished with your group novel by Friday.
Ready? Take the QUIZ.

Practice with Connotation and Denotation: 
Even though you wrote about this yesterday we still think you need a little more practice.
Click HERE and wait for the code we will give you.

Reminders: 
Finish reading your group novel.
Make sure your English Journal is up to date.

Writing About Diction

Goal: Finding and writing about examples of diction with purpose in our group novels.

Agenda: 
Read
Selecting and writing about diction (We learned about diction on Thursday.)

#1 Choose: (The hard part) 

• Find a passage in your group novel that has a lot of description and sensory detail.
• Figure out what the author is DOING in that passage. Why is it there? What is the purpose?

#2 Talk: (The easier part) 

• Pick out three words that you think the author chose specifically because of the purpose of the paragraph.
• Agree on those words with your group. If you disagree talk about why.
• Don't pick boring words. These should be words with a connotation that fits the purpose of the passage.

#3 Write: (The easiest part) 
Open your English Journal and use the frame below to write a paragraph about the diction (word choices) the author uses in your chosen passage.

Frame: (Copy into your English Journal)

On page ___, of (book title) the author, (author) uses words such as “_____,” “_____,” and “_____” in order to (author’s purpose for choosing those words). The first word "_____" (shows/implies/demonstrates/give the impression) that ......... Then the author uses "_____" to....... The third word, "______" also supports the author's purpose because.........The use of this diction in this passage allows the author to....(specific impact on that part of the text).

Example:

• This example uses the story we read last week. 
• You are writing about your GROUP novel. 
• Note that the words here have been changed slightly from the frame above to make the writing work for this specific example. You can make adjustments too. 

In paragraph 2, of "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" the author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, uses words such as “pitiful,” “dirty,” and “entangled,” to illustrate how vulnerable the angel is. When he calls him "pitiful" the reader gets the sense that we should feel sorry for the angel. The word "dirty" lets us know that the angel is not clean and maybe in need of care. The third word, "entangled," implies that the angel is trapped and vulnerable. The use of this diction in the passage allows the author to portray the angel as suffering, neglected, and in need of sympathy.

Reminders:

Keep reading your group novel to finish by 11/2, Friday.

Finish the work from today for HW if you didn't finish in class

Check your English Journal for any work you need to finish.

Check the blog when you are absent.

Article of the week: Would you do that?

Goal: Mastering the art of summary.

Agenda: 
Read
Summary Example
Read and Write


2. Summary Example:

• We noticed in your previous AOW assignments that most of you could use some help writing better summaries. 
• Review the example below and see how it fits with the summary frame pictured below. 

3.  Read a new AOW and write about it: 

1. Read THIS ARTICLE assigned to you in Newsela. (sign in with Google.) 
2. Time yourself. It should take you 3-7 minutes to read this article. (I timed myself reading it carefully and it took me three minutes and twenty-eight seconds.)
3. Open your EJ and use the summary frame in this picture to write a paragraph about what you just read. 
4. Write a second paragraph about what you think about the article. Do you know people who would do this? 

Reminders: 
If you didn't finish reading "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" you should finish that.
Finish your group novel by the end of next week.
Choose a book you'll be reading after that. 

Connotation and Denotation

Goals: Understanding connotation and denotation and then applying that knowledge to some excerpts from the story we read yesterday. 

Agenda: 
Read
Connotation and Denotation Lesson
Application with a partner. 


Connotation and Denotation Lesson: 
DICTION refers to the specific word choices that authors make.
Often, authors choose specific words because of their CONNOTATION.
Words can be interpreted three different ways.

1. DENOTATION - This is the literal, dictionary definition of a word.

2. CONNOTATION (emotional charge) - Every word has a positive, neutral, or negative connotation or association. 

• "Youth" = positive connotation (or association); "Juvenile" = negative connotation; "Adolescent" = neutral connotation.
• "Request" or "Remind" = positive connotation; "Whine" or "Nag" = negative connotation; "Ask" = neutral connotation.
• "Assertive" = positive; "Bossy" = negative; "Dominant" = neutral.
  

3. CONNOTATION (symbolic meaning) - Some words have a secondary figurative or cultural association with them. In this case, the word can take on a whole new meaning.

• Snake: An evil, devious or immoral person.
• Chicken: A coward.
• Pig: A vulgar person or slob.
• Sweet: Cool, awesome or fun.

With your partner: 
Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM to look more closely at some of the language from the story we read yesterday. (It's okay if you didn't finish reading it. There are paragraphs on the form of the parts you really need.)
Absent? You are still responsible for the work. You can do it on your own. 

Reminders: 

Finish reading your group novel by 11/2.