English Essentials: Topic Sentences

As we continue our work this week revising and workshopping your papers on Chris Kyle, I thought it would be a good idea to review Topic Sentences.

Now, a lot of you know what a topic sentence is: it's the first sentence of each of your body paragraphs that says what your paragraph will discuss. Topic sentences, however, are not just that simple! They involve a very clear set of characteristics that we will discuss and check in our papers today.

For today, please watch the video above and in the comments section below write the topic sentence for one of your body paragraphs. Be sure to identify your important parts: Topic and Main Point. For example, if I looked at my first body paragraph in the paper I wrote in class, this is what I would post:

Topic Sentence 1: In order to understand how Kyle changes over the course of American Sniper, readers must first understand the Christian values instilled in him by his father and his mother: to help others and to protect members of their community.

Topic: how Kyle changes over the course of American Sniper.
Main Point: the Christian values instilled in him by his father and mother: to help others and to protect members of their community.

English Essentials: Writing Workshop

Writing Prompt:
All of last week, we participated in an intensive, collaborative writing workshop. Each of you put copies of your rough draft up on the projector and we discussed your thesis statements, topic sentences, evidence, and ideas.

For today, we will do something a little bit different.  I want you to spend 20 minutes doing the following:

1) Write down your answer to the question, "How does Chris Kyle change?"

Your answer should look like this: "Chris Kyle changes through ___, ___, and ___." Each blank will be one of the arguments you make your body paragraphs.

For example:

Chris Kyle changes through the lessons his father teaches him about protecting those who are weaker than himself, the lessons he learns as the number one sniper for the US military, and the discovery that he can still be a sheepdog protecting his family and military veterans at home.

2) Then, spend the next 15-20 minutes writing quietly. You should focus on making sure you explain how the evidence in each paragraph answers this question.

After your quiet writing, we'll pick a volunteer and put your answers on the board, workshopping for the rest of class.

Writing Workshop with Dr. B.: "A Mind at Work"

For today's class, we are going to do something a little bit different. Rather than have you do the writing, Dr. B. is going to show you how she would outline and write an essay on complex characterization.  Your job for today is to watch the process that unfolds as she

1) reads through the prompt,

2) identifies the question that needs to be answered,

3) breaks down the passages she selects, and

4) answers the question.

In the comments section below, comment on anything you notice or find important in Dr. Brigman's technique.  Some questions you might consider are the following: how does she break down the question? How does she jump into the writing task? What can you do during class tomorrow and all of this week exam that will involve the same strategies?

You might also consider Amanda Vickery's advice, "a mind at work." What does Dr. B. do that shows you (and readers) her mind is "at work" while answering the question?

For help with Live Commenting as a workshop strategy, please see previous examples from Dr. B's period 2 English class here.

Update 5/24/17: Here is the rough draft of the essay Dr. B. did in class yesterday.

English Essentials: Understanding How Characters Change

In yesterday's class, we discussed some of the ways Chris Kyle has changed over the course of the book (and movie).  Because round characters can be seen from all sides, we get a sense of the emotions they experience as they go through major life changes.  For example, when Kyle's wife says that his "hands feel different" after his first tour of Iraq, the audience is getting a clue that Kyle is not the same man that went off to war.  His physical change represents his actual change as a soldier (and sniper).  This change is further emphasized when Kyle becomes a father only a few minutes later in the movie.

Writing Activity:
For today, find a specific example of how Kyle changes in the book American Sniper and explain how he has changed from the man he was before that incident took place. Make sure to use a quote, cite your page number, and discuss the way Kyle changes in the quote.  Give your reader an explicit explanation ("word for word") and an  implicit explanation (implied meaning in the quote).

When you have explained Kyle's change, compare it to the movie. How is this change represented in the movie? Is it different (or the same) in any important ways?

Post your response in the comments section below. Be sure to check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  You will receive a summative score for L1 (rubric here) and RL3 (rubric here).

Then, respond to your classmates with a specific and meaningful comment.

English Essentials: Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs

Writing Activity:
Rewatch the scene in which Chris Kyle's father tells him an important piece of advice: in life, some people are sheep, some people are wolves, and some people are sheepdogs; each animal plays an important role in a society.

1) What does Kyle's father mean by calling some people sheep, wolves, and/or sheepdogs?
2) What theme (central idea) do you see emerge from this early lesson?
3) Give one example in which you see Kyle acting as a "sheepdog."  Who are his sheep? How does he protect them?

Formative Assessment for RL2, "I can determine theme and analyze how it develops over the course of a work." (Rubric here.)
L2, "I can demonstrate command of the conventions of standard written English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing."  (Rubric here.)

English Essentials: Chris Kyle and Complex Characterization

Respond to the questions below in the comments section.  Please number your answers and write in complete sentences.  Be sure to read your post over before you hit "publish!" You will be receiving a score on L1 and L2 (capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and mechanics).

Activity:

1. Define complex characters. Then, list the qualities that make Chris Kyle "complex." 
2. Are these characteristics represented well in the movie? Or, does he seem "flatter" or "less complex" in the movie?
3. Why do you think the movie chose to open with Kyle behind the lens of his sniper rifle rather than his childhood?