Writing Unit: The Importance of Questioning and Audience

For 10th Grade Students

By
Lauren N. Jones

Writing Unit: The Importance of Questioning and Audience

For 10th Grade Students
Descriptive Overview of the Curriculum Project
This unit which is designed for regular and honors 10th-grade students and is comprised
of 20, 50-minute sessions focuses on prewriting strategies, generating and developing
clearly detailed ideas through textual evidence and personal response, paper focus and
audience during revision, and reflection. It involves the use of activities from Flower and
Cowan & Cowan, as well as [Link], a wonderful resource for teachers and
students.
Software Information
[Link] is a free online website that provides lesson plans, computer based
activities including graphic organizers, and other instructional resources. Teachers can
access lesson plans by clicking on the Lesson tab and find interactive activities by going
to the Student Materials tab. Activities are grouped by topic and grade level.
Theoretical Framework
This unit integrates Vygotskys Educational theory into each lesson. Vgotsky stresses the
importance of choice and personal response because each child should be seen as an
individual who learns distinctively (Dahms 1). Each student has different interests, so
assignments must provide choice, which is done in this units journal entries, daily
activities, and paper topics. Likewise, students come from all different backgrounds,
which cause them to have different prior knowledge and experiences. This makes
students personal responses even more significant and important to share, so students can
learn from each other.
Vygotsky also stresses the importance of language. He argues that speech and language
are the primary tools to communicate with others, promoting learning (Dahms 1). Thus,
peer collaboration and peer-teacher collaboration facilitate learning, for one gains
knowledge as one develops by way of social interactions (Dahms 1). Group work spurs
critical thinking because it gets students to talk about the material and to collaborate in
learning. Vgotskys concept of the zone of proximal development says that humans
learning potential depends on the quality of social interactions. Students knowledge and
learning abilities are expanded through social interaction with more capable peers. At
times these are fellow students, while at other times, teachers help guide students
learning. Scaffolding through instruction and collaboration are essential for academic
success.
Dahl and Farnan (1998) emphasize the impact of the social and cultural contexts in which
writing takes place on students writing. Students are excellent monitors; they watch

their teachers and peers to determine what is valued and what is important for them to
learn. Teachers indeed must focus on what is truly important, so students internalize
those pieces of information. As Emig (1981) points out, teachers obsessions often
become students obsession. If a teacher constantly stresses length, it will become the
focus of his or her students writing, as opposed to more important issues like
organization, clarity, and elaboration.
Writing is a process that develops as students grow older. Intermediate-Grade writers are
beginning to gai[n] not only self-awareness, but increased deliberateness in their
writing (29). Writing is not only a way of defining self, but a way to communicate (34).
They relate their personal experiences in their writing. Middle-Grade writers need more
choice, so they take responsibility for their learning. The work of Dahl and Farnan
(1998) suggests that middle-grade writers consider planning to be increasingly important.
As found in the research above, the work of Dahl and Farnan (1998) notes that both
social participation and personal response (background) have a strong influence over a
students writing. The work of Dahl and Farnan (1998) cite Graves, who states that
composing can begin before the physical process of writing actually begins (24).
The work of Flower (1985) highlights writing as a thinking process (not always easy). A
lot of students think that great writers have great papers from the beginning, which most
likely isnt the case at all. In order to help students monitor and gauge their own writing
process, Flower (1985) explains that it is important to show them several techniques
(heuristics) they can use when writing a paper like looping, free-writing, and tagmemics.
If a student has the chance to explore these techniques and discover which ones work best
for him or her, then they are better able to see how their writing process works and how
to improve it. They will gradually learn to guide their own writing process. As a teacher,
it is important to point out that some strategies might be more helpful when writing
certain types of papers and less helpful with others.
The work of Flower (1985) emphasizes the importance of turning writer-based prose into
reader-based prose. A writer must analyze his or her audience: their knowledge, attitudes,
and needs. Students tend to always think of their teacher as their teacher, which is
certainly not always the case. Flower says it can be helpful to imagine what they want to
know, hear, and have questions about. Moreover, writers need to create a framework
within their paper for their reader, for it lets you work in a systematic, logical way to test
out ideas, determine their implications, and fit them into a meaningful whole (137).
Writers want to help their audience see things the way they see them. Cues can be used
to help lead an audience, which are incorporated into this unit. This unit includes several
examples of writer-based prose and reader-based prose, so students have a clear
understanding of what reader-based prose looks and sounds like. Having students create
criteria for reader-based prose gets students thinking about the writing process and
provides a framework for how to construct their own paper. Because writing is primarily
writer-based prose at the beginning and should because writers must first develop their
ideas to make sense to them, Flower (1985) explains that much of these changes take
place during revision. Reading aloud is an effective way to revise a paper and is used on
several occasions in this writing unit.

Research Framework
Much of this writing unit incorporates reading aloud, modeling, personal response, and
guided instruction.
During drafting, students rarely take the time to read their work aloud, yet it serves as an
effective revising strategy. Greene (1989) and Raban & Saunders Bolton (1990) both
stress the importance of students reading their work aloud. Revisiting their work gets
students to rethink and evaluate their own work without the pressure of grades or teacher
assistance. After reading their work aloud, students often alter their own work to make it
clearer not because the teacher asks them to, but because they wish express their thoughts
more fully (so it makes sense to them). In addition, reading work aloud makes the writer
take ownership of their workusually making him or her care more. Gordan (1990),
likewise, notes the importance of having students take ownership of their work, as well as
acknowledge/become their audience when revising their work. Students must seek to
write reader-based prose as opposed to writer-based prose.
In exploring the ways students interact with the text, teachers can plan reading and
writing instruction that builds on the effective strategies students use, as well as model
additional strategies. Understanding how a student reads, writes, and thinks allows a
teacher to build upon a students prior knowledge and scaffold when/where necessary. As
is evident in this unit, teachers must help students engage in the text and personally
respond to it. Rogers (1990) found that students relied more heavily on personal
response, specifically those toward the characters, when creating thematic statements for
each of the short stories. The absence of personal reaction appeared to hinder students
abilities to formulate themes. If a student can not develop a theme, they are unable to
develop a well organized and grounded paper. Rogers (1990) suggests more complex
stories require a richer analysis which includes a mix of textual and personal response,
which can be spurred through journal writing (an effective pre-writing strategy).
Personal response is heavily connected to the way students construct meaning from a
text. As explained by Flower (1985), as well as others, a reader can understand a
students paper differently than the student writer intended. Therefore, it is always
important for a writer to consider their audience as he or she writes. Because teachers
want their students to interact with the text, it is important to encourage such interaction
through discussion and assignments.
Moreover, teachers must model and instruct how to effectively go through the writing
process. Gordan (1990) article hones in on the importance of showing students what to
look for and how they should construct their paper. Gordan (1990), likewise, emphasizes
students ability to take what at teacher has taught them and to use it on their own when
critiquing their own work and others. This unit includes a great deal of modeling,
discussion, and guided peer and independent critique, so students have multiple
opportunities to utilize what they have learned and gain a firm understanding of the
writing concepts/process. More importantly, such scaffolding will lead students to see
and incorporate such techniques on their own to become more independent learners.

Student Description

Most regular and honors 10th grade students can write a basic five paragraph essay
with basic structure and have an understanding of basic grammar concepts.

Most lack any sort of flow or ability to transition between ideas.

Most have trouble formulating and sticking to an analytic thesis statement.

I created this unit assuming that all students have access to a computer after school
either at home or some area close by.

Learning Environment

The class is comprised of 25 students, a fairly standard class size for sophomore
English, which will allow each of the 25 students to have use of his or her own
computer.

While ideally it would best for the class to have 25 computers in it, so the teacher can
incorporate computer use into lessons on a regular basis, this is not very realistic.
Students will have access to 25 computers, either in their classroom or in a centrally
located computer lab that has been schedules on the days specifying computer use.

Each computer in the computer lab will have access to a printer and the internet. The
lab will include at least 4 printers that will print in color, as well as black.

Goals and Objectives of the Curriculum Project

Goal 1: for students to learn the importance of questioning as a pre-writing strategy
Objective 1.1--Students will learn the importance of picking out key information from a
text to solve a problem or question by working individually and in groups.
Objective 1.2--Students will learn the importance of questioning as a pre-writing strategy
and gain helpful strategies to aid in question development. Students will
also develop their own questions in response to different subjects.
Goal 2: for students to examine the elaboration and clarity of their ideas in their own
work, as well as in their peers
.
Objective 2.1 --The student will develop their feature story, with an emphasis on
exposition. Student will work on elaborating ideas clearly through word
choice and vivid description, making sure sentences are clear and varied,
and organize ideas into a logical sequence (10.7.b.c.d). Students will
critique peer-writing (10.9).
Objective 2.2--Students will present their feature stories, as well as critique others stories
(10.1, 10.2).
Goal 3: for students to engage with and respond to the text
Objective 3.1--Students will learn about and be able to identify the six elements of a short
story: setting, conflict, point of view, plot, character, and theme (10.3).
Objective 3.2--Students will collaboratively engage with the text, as well as reference the
text following MLA format (10.3, 10.10, 10.11.d).
Objective 3.3--Students will build text analysis skills by discussing personal response and
opinions about a text they have read, as well as learn a new prewriting
strategy known as Looping.
Objective 3.4--Students will gain a greater understanding of the novel as a whole through
close examination of the main characters.
Goal 4: for students to generate and fully develop their ideas through personal response
and quotes.
Objective 4.1--Students will use technology, while reading and analyzing the text, to
generate ideas regarding character development. (SOL 10.3.b, 10.10.b, and
10.11.d.)
Objective 4.2--Students will work collaboratively to discuss and generate ideas regarding
possible paper topics (10.7.a.b).
Objective 4.3--Students will work on fully developing their ideas, as well as learn how to
properly incorporate quotes (10.7.a.d.d, 10.8.a, 10.9, 10.10).
Goal 5: for students to keep a tight focus in their paper, as well as consider and address
their audience.

Objective 5.1--The student will learn the difference between writer-based prose and
reader-based prose, as well as the importance of creating reader-based
prose. Students will learn and use a variety of strategies to create readerbased prose.
Objective 5.2--Students will focus on elaboration and keeping to the topic both
independently and in pairs (10.7a-f, 10.9a-c).
Objective 5.3--Students will remember the importance of considering their audience and
learn ways to make sure they are addressing their audience (10.7.e.f).
Goal 6: for students to effectively revise papers and reflect on their writing process
Objective 6.1--Students will develop strong introductions and conclusions.
Objective 6.2--Students will make final revisions on their papers and get feedback from
the teacher (10.7.e.f, 10.8.a).
Objective 6.3--Students will reflect on their writing process, as well as the activities and
strategies they used in class.

Objective-Based Overview of the Curriculum Project

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

1.1

1.2

1.2

5.1/5.3

2.1

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

2.2

2.2

3.1

3.2

3.3

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

3.4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.3

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

5.2

5.3/5.1

6.1

6.2

6.3

Evaluation
1. Students will receive
Day 1 (1)
Day 2 (2)
Day 3 (2)
Day 4 (1)
Day 5 (3)
Day 6 (1) - Feature story is due and presentation.
Day 7 (1) - Feature story is due and presentation; reflection letter due.
Day 8 (1)
Day 9 (1)
Day 10 (1)
Day 11 (3) - Character Maps turned in.
Day 12 (3)
Day 13 (1)
Day 14 (2) - quote sheet will be turned in with final.
Day 15 (2)
Day 16 (2)
Day 17 (1)
Day 18 (1)
Day 19 (1)
Day 20 (0) - Aspern paper and reflection letter due.
= 30 check marks x 2 points =

60 pts.

2. Feature Story

70 pts.

3. Feature Story Presentation

30 pts.

4. Aspern Paper/Book Analysis

pts.

100

5. Journals (15 pts each- 2 chosen, 5pts. each- 2 additional)

40 pts.
TOTAL

300

pts.

270-300 A
240-269 B
210-239 C
180-209 D
0-179 F

Reflection letters will not be graded; however, they will be

considered when a student has a borderline grade.

Day 1
Objective:

Students will learn the importance of picking out key information from a
text to solve a problem or question by working individually and in groups.

Activity:

Watch clip of Clueless to show the importance of pulling out specific parts
from the whole to prove and explain an idea. For instance, in the movie,
we see Chers thought process as she solves a problem: why she is upset
when her friend Tai admits to liking Josh. By thinking through past
events, she discovers that it is because she is in fact in love with him. On
the screen, we see snippets of the movie that help us see the development
of this love. We see parts of different scenes and follow Chers thought
process as she compiles all the important parts. Like Cher, we need to put
the pieces together for our own audience. We need to pick out the
important points to prove our idea and to answer our own questions. Clip
can be found at: [Link]
docid=5005407586450220455&q=Cher+and+Josh+in+clueless&ei=NhgR
SKPWE474rAKdvoi7BA&hl=en
Read a short story/murder mystery (from
[Link] or
[Link] The Wembly Kidnapping
(Appendix A). Have students pick out the important points to solve the
crime. Have students underline the important parts of the story and
explain why they chose them.
Have them answer the following questions:
What crime was committed?
Who committed the crime?
Why did he or she commit it?
What strategy did you use to pick out your clues?

Clue

Why do you think this point is

important?

Then, students will get into groups of 4 (teacher will have students count
off (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4) and discuss their important points. They will
then decide on which point they believe was the most important in solving
the crime. Each group will then pick one person to tell which point they
as a group picked as the most important.
Make sure to reiterate that the strategies students used individually and
then in groups, can be applied to other longer texts they will soon read.
Have students turn in worksheet before leaving class. For homework,
each student will post their own blog to the mystery story online.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for completion of their individual

worksheets.

References:

Hillocks, G. (1984).

Day 2
Objective:

Students will learn the importance of questioning as a pre-writing strategy

and gain helpful strategies to aid in question development. Students will
also develop their own questions in response to different subjects.

Activities:

The teacher will begin the class by drawing connections from the previous
class period to the current period in explaining the importance of
questioning. Had the police not questioned Eric about the persons
appearance, we would never have learned that Eric lied about not seeing
the persons front. No matter if it is a case, an interview, or a paper, it is
important to know the right questions to ask.
Write 4 different types of people on the board (For ex. a policeman, a
presidential candidate, an actor, and a rapper). Have the students each
write one question that they would ask that person under their name. Once
students have all returned to their seats, go through the questions with
them and talk about the wide variety of questions. Have students explain
why they would ask that particular questionwould it spark interesting
conversation, did the question relate to them personally, did it deal with
their job, etc. Then, have students compare and contrast the questions that
their peers wrote on the board. Before beginning, throw out some
questions to provoke their thought process: Would the questions directed
to the rapper work directed to the presidential candidate?, are there any
questions that overlapped or could?, etc. Have them jot down some of

their ideas in their notebook for 5 minutes. Have students move their
chairs into a large circle and then each say one comparison or contrast they
discovered.
After discussing ideas each student have, the teacher reiterates the
importance of thinking about the subject you are writing about before
developing questions. Often thinking about the subject can provoke your
own questions, which can help you write about something original and
interestingsomething you only thought to ask. The teacher will explain
that a great paper is often based off a great question. Likewise, one must
consider their audience. What is something they would want to know?
Something they would find interesting?
The teacher will then break students into groups of two. In each group,
students will take turns telling each other about themselves. Students will
not ask questions, but will simply learn a little bit about the other person
and jot down some information. For homework, each student will come
up with 5 initial questions to ask their partner that will hopefully provoke
interesting conversation and write a couple sentences after each question
as to why they decided to ask that question.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for participation and a check for their
questions when they are turned in.

References:

Flower, L. (1985).

Day 3
Objective:

Students will learn the importance of questioning as a pre-writing strategy

and gain helpful strategies to aid in question development. Students will
also develop their own questions in response to different subjects.

Activities:

Students will break off into their assigned pairs. Students will each
interview their partner for 15 minutes (asking their initial questions, as
well as other questions for clarification). The teacher will stress the
importance of reading your partner. If they give a really interesting
response to one of your questions, go with it and ask them another
question dealing with that subject. Students want to focus their questions
as the conversation continues. They are not trying to learn everything
about their partner; they are trying to discover something interesting and
meaningful to them and their partner.
Students will then return to their desks to their original places. The
teacher will then explain their homework assignment, a feature story. See
Qualities in a Feature Story in Appendix B. The teacher will then put up

on the overhead an example of a feature story. The teacher will read it

aloud, while touching on the different tactics used to interest the audience
(rhetorical strategies). Go through the essential elements of a feature
story. For homework, students will write a rough draft of a 300 word
feature story (a profile of a classmate which focuses on something specific
about him or her). Students will be presenting these feature stories later in
the week, so they need to consider their audience (their class) when
writing.
Evaluation:

Students will turn in a copy of their initial questions (check) with

explanations for a completion grade (check).

References:

Flower, L. (1985).
[Link]

Day 4
Objective:

The student will learn the difference between writer-based prose and
reader-based prose, as well as the importance of creating reader-based
prose. Students will learn and use a variety of strategies to create readerbased prose.

Activity:

Pick a few students to tell us about their home layout. Ask students if it
was easy to understand what the students were describing, what was
helpful, what was confusing, etc. Then, explain the apartment/house tour
analogy (Flower Ch. 10 p.228/ Appendix C).
Explain the importance of us[ing] your knowledge to fill some need your
reader really has (3). Dont just tell us the basic characteristics of your
classmate. Tell us something that will interest us and make us want to
hear more. The way you word, organize, and begin your paper can make
all the difference.
Go over brochure example on the overhead. Have students work in
groups of 3-4 and read through shoe paragraphs (Flower Ch.10, p.236/
Appendix D). Have them write down differences they see and reflect on
why the reader-based paragraph is more effective. As a class, come up
with ways to tell if something is writer-based or reader based (could use a
chart).
Talk about the importance of knowing your audience. Explain that before
they complete their next paper, they will go more in depth about
considering your audience and will look more closely at whom their
audience is and how they can address their needs.

Need to show your ideas are logically related to one another (transitions
can help with this). Need to lead the reader. Pass out cue handout (Flower
Ch.12, p.18/Appendix E). Go over the handout as a class and model how
you can include cues in your paper to guide the reader.
Homework: Students will revise their papers to make it reader-based prose
by using the strategies discussed in class and bring 3 copies of revised
paper to class.
Evaluation:

Students get a check for participation and explaining the differences

between the two shoe paragraphs.

References:

Flower, L. (1985).
Gordan, C. (1990).

Day 5
Objective:

The student will develop their feature story, with an emphasis on

exposition. Student will work on elaborating ideas clearly through word
choice and vivid description, making sure sentences are clear and varied,
and organize ideas into a logical sequence (10.7.b.c.d). Students will
critique peer-writing (10.9).
Students will break into groups of three, where each student will read
aloud their feature story and get feedback from the other two classmates,
who will be silently following along. This feedback will be guided by the
following worksheet, which they will later turn in. Each student reading
will, likewise, fill out an evaluation of their own writing at this point
(10.9). The worksheet each student will fill out for their own piece will
include:
Were there any sections where you felt that your piece didnt flow very
well, was choppy etc.? You are most likely to realize this while reading.
How do you think you will improve the flow?
How many transitional words have you used?
What is your favorite part of your piece?
How did you find reading your paper aloud helpful?
What problems did you discover that you hadnt noticed originally before
reading your paper aloud?

The two students listening will fill out the following worksheet:
What are two things you really like about the students paper?
How did you think the paper flowed?
What is one suggestion you have about helping their paper flow better?
What is one suggestion you have to helping your peer appeal to their
audience?
What is one thing you found really interesting?
What is one part they may want to revise to increase interest?
The teacher should get feedback from students at the end of class, as to
how well the strategy of reading aloud helped them in revising their paper.
Stress that students can use this strategy when writing any paper and that
students can read aloud to themselves. Likewise, stress that it is important
how you read the paper aloud when presentingmaking sure to pause at
periods, commas, etc.
Homework:

Go through the worksheets on your paper. Spend time thinking about your
partners suggestions. The teacher should explain that a component of
their feature story is to consider the feedback from the worksheets. Revise
writing for clarity of content and presentation. Proofread and prepare final
product for intended audience and purpose (10.7.e.f).

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for each of the worksheets when they are
turned in with their final draft (3).

References:

Gordan, C. (1990).
Raban, B. & Sanders Bolton, M. (1990).
Greene, B.M (1989).

Day 6
Objective:

Students will present their feature stories, as well as critique others

stories (10.1, 10.2).

Activity:

Students will present their feature stories in pairs to the class. Students
will go alphabetically.

Students will listen to their fellow students stories and write down one
thing they liked about the story and one helpful suggestion.
Speeches may overlap into Day 6.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their feedback. Those who presented
will turn their feature stories in for a grade. Presentations will also be
graded based on their paragraph flow/cueing, appealing to the audience,
and overall presentation.

References:

-NA-

Day 7
Objective:

Students will present their feature stories, as well as critique others

stories (10.1, 10.2).

Activity:

Students will present their feature stories in pairs to the class. Students
will go alphabetically.
Students will listen to their fellow students stories and write down one
thing they liked about the story and one helpful suggestion.
Each student will vote on which classmate told the best story.
All students will fill out a Student Reflection Sheet (see Appendix F).

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their feedback. Those who presented
will turn their feature stories in for a grade. Students Reflection Sheets
will be taken into account when teacher assigns paper grade.
Presentations will also be graded based on their paragraph flow/cueing,
appealing to the audience, and overall presentation.

References:

[Link]

Day 8
Objective:

Students will learn about and be able to identify the six elements of a short
story: setting, conflict, point of view, plot, character, and theme (10.3).

Activity:

The teacher will begin class by commending students on their great job.
The teacher will stress that it is important for us to know characters in
novels, just as it is important to understand our classmates. By looking

closely and asking questions, we get a better understanding of what is

going on. Just as students asked each other questions, we want to come up
with questions while reading that we can a) discuss in class b) read closely
to find clues as we did with the mystery story.
The teacher will introduce the novel they are about to begin (The Aspern
Papers by Henry James). In this novel, there are 3-4 main characters (The
critic, Miss. B, Miss. Tina, and perhaps Jeffrey Aspern). Explain that in
order to understand the novel it is important to understand the different
elements of a short story.
The teacher will discuss the different elements of a short story, referencing
the Creative Writing packet. Students will take notes.
Once the teacher was gone through the different elements, as well as their
importance, the teacher will guide the students in identifying the six
elements of a well-known story (teachers choice, ex. Goldilocks and the
Three Bears).
Right before the end of class, the teacher will then read aloud the first
chapter of the novel to pique students interest.
Homework: Students will finish reading the first two chapters of The
Aspern Papers. Students will underline main points and place question
marks by areas of confusion, as well as identify the six elements of the
novel thus far.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for participation. Students will turn in the
six elements for a check.

References:

Creative Writing Packet

Gordan, C. (1990).
Stephens, E.C., & Brown, J.E. (2005).

Day 9
Objective:

Students will collaboratively engage with the text, as well as reference the
text following MLA format (10.3, 10.10, 10.11.d).

Activity:

The teacher will explain that they will be engaging with the text by
completing an activity called Scintillating Sentences and Quizzical
Quotes. As a class, they will look up what scintillating means and what
quizzical means. The teacher will give a few examples, so the students
fully understand the meaning of each word.

Students will work in groups of four with classmates near them. They will
complete the activity: Scintillating Sentences and Quizzical quotes
(Appendix G) for the first two chapters of the novel.
Each group will put one scintillating sentence and one quizzical quote up
on the board.
As a class, we will discuss each of the quotes and make inferences about
the text.
The teacher will introduce journal writing. Teacher will explain the
importance of personal response to the text and how informal writing can
generate ideas, thus making the paper much easier to write. Students will
complete a 1-2 page journal entry on each of the six sections Ch.1-2,3-4,57, and 8-9 in their spiral notebook (For other novels and/or short stories,
divide where you think relevant) over several days. Each journal entry
must include at least one quote they find relevant to the prompt. Students
can choose to address one or both of the prompts. At the end of each
journal entry, students will write down one question they have and/or
would like to discuss (could be one scintillating sentence or quizzical
quote). Journal entries will be graded at the end of the unit.
Homework: Journal Entry Ch.1-2 responding to one or both of the
following prompts:
Is there anything particularly unusual about the setting? Does the
setting itself serve as a character in the story? How significant is time in
the story? How is the setting presented?
What is the point of view? How would the story be different if it
were told from another point of view? Does the point of view shift? If so,
what is gained/lost by this shift?
Make sure to give textual evidence. Read Ch.3.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their Scintillating Sentences and

Quizzical Quotes that were placed on the board. Journal entry will be
graded at a later date.

References:

Rogers, T. (1990).
Stephens, E.C., & Brown, J.E. (2005).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).
Hillocks, G. (1984).

Day 10

Objective:

Students will build text analysis skills by discussing personal response and
opinions about a text they have read, as well as learn a new prewriting
strategy known as Looping.

Activity:

Students will read Ch.4 (very short chapter) in pairs before moving their
desks to form a big circle (10 min).
The class will then come together and briefly discuss the different
elements of the short story and their personal responses (where
applicable). The teacher will have each student will briefly read a few
sentences of their journal, which highlights the central point of their entry
(15 min).
The teachers should explain that rather than writing a journal entry, they
will be using a prewriting strategy known as Looping to generate ideas.
The teacher will explain Looping by referring to and walking students
through the Cowan handout, which all of the students will receive a copy
of to be put in their notebook (Appendix H).
The teacher should use Cowans example as a means to model the strategy
(print an overhead of the money example).
Homework: Students will individually write their journal entry for Ch.3-4
using the looping strategy with one of the following prompts:
What is interesting about the major character(s)? How does the
major character change? How is character in the story revealedby
authors comment, by others remarks in the story, by things the character
does and says?
Are there two types of people, two views of life, two opposing
philosophies contrasted in the story? If so, how are these related to the
theme? How are they revealed? Can I compare/contrast two characters
and relate this to the meaning of the story?

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their response.

References:

Creative Writing Packet

[Link]
Rogers, T. (1990).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).
Flower, L. (1985).

Day 11
Objective:

Students will gain a greater understanding of the novel as a whole through

close examination of the main characters.

Activity:

The teacher will then read Ch. 5 aloud to the class and ask them what they
find curious, interesting, and/or confusing about the chapter. The teacher
should spur discuss about the characters, since they will be completing an
assignment in which they must examine the characters in the novel.
For the remainder of class, students will be creating and printing character
maps of Miss. Tina, Miss. B, and the critic through the
[Link] website.
Students can access this activity through:
[Link]

Go to [Link]

Click on purple Student Materials tab

Click on Drama Map

Click on the graphic Character Map

OR
Go directly to [Link]
Students will answer each of the prompts with one quote from the book
with an in-text citation, as well as a few sentences in their own words.
After finishing each character, each student will print his or her character
map before beginning the next one.
Homework: Students will read Ch.6-7 and complete their journal entry for
Ch.5-7 with one or both of the following prompts:
How does the author establish the tone of the book? How does this
tone relate to the conflict? The theme? The resolution? The characters?
Does the tone change in the story? If so, what does this change contribute
to the story?
Is this story believable? What makes it realistic? What makes it a
fantasy? If it is a fantasy, can it also be true? If it is realistic, can it also
be false? What makes the story believable or unbelievable?

Evaluation:

Students will turn in their character maps for a check (3 total checks).

References:

[Link]
Rogers, T. (1990).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).

Day 12

Objective:

Students will use technology, while reading and analyzing the text, to
generate ideas regarding character development. (SOL 10.3.b, 10.10.b, and
10.11.d.)

Activity:

Before this activity, students will have done daily journal writings,
character maps, finished the novel, and participated in various discussions.
Students will bring their book to class and will have picked a character
they are most interested in. Students will work individually on this
assignment (if there are enough computers, or if not, in pairs).
This assignment involves making a Character Trading Card. By this point,
students have looked closely at the characters and their impact on the
novel.
Students will log on to computers, go to the website, and answer each
question fully. They must refer to the novel (i.e. use quotes to support). If
there is not enough room, they can put their answer and an in-text citation.
Each student will print out a copy of their trading card, fold it, and tape it.
Students can access this activity through:
[Link]

Go to [Link]

Click on purple Student Materials tab

Click on Character Trading Cards

OR
Go directly to [Link]
Students will work on their Trading Card for approximately 30 minutes.
For the remaining 15 minutes, students will pair up with someone with the
same character and discuss their answers. If time allows, they will then
pair up with someone with a different character and teach them about him
or her.
Once students have completed the trading card, they can use it as a
springboard for their paper.
Homework: Students will finish reading the novel and respond to the last
prompts:
What is the conflict in the story? How is this conflict revealed?
How is this conflict resolved? Is this resolution believable?
What makes the story good? What are its strengths? What are
its weaknesses? Will this story last?
What is the most important development that occurs in the story?
What is significant about that?

Students will also review journal entries and think of some possible topics
(at least 3) for your paper and bring them to class.
Evaluation:

Students will turn in trading cards, which are worth 3 checks (1 for
completion, 1 for including quotes, 1 for thoughtfulness).

References:

[Link]
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).
Rogers, T. (1990).

Day 13
Objective:

Students will work collaboratively to discuss and generate ideas regarding

possible paper topics (10.7.a.b).

Activity:

Students will take out the three possible topics for their paper that they
generated the night before. The teacher will go around making sure all
students have three topics before students get into groups. (5 min.) The
teacher will explain the paper assignment:
The paper will be a minimum of three pages.
Each paper should be making a definitive statement/argument that
will be supported with textual evidence.
Students will work in groups of 3-4, where they will take turns talking
about the topics they chose. While one student is explaining his or her
ideas, the other students will provide feedback regarding the topics
relevance and potential. (30 min.)
Students will return to their original seats and choose one topic to use with
the Looping strategy. (15 min.)
Homework: Students will refer to their Looping assignment to generate
additional ideas and focus their paper. Students should come to class with
a fixed topic and a general gist of what they are seeking to accomplish in
their paper (rough outline).

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for the three topics they came up with.

References:

Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).

Flower, L. (1985).
Rogers, T. (1990).
Gordan, C. (1990)

Day 14

Objective:

Students will work on fully developing their ideas, as well as learn how to
properly incorporate quotes (10.7.a.d.d, 10.8.a, 10.10).

Activity:

The teacher will have students take out all materials/activities they have
that relate to their paper topic. Students should have out their graphic
organizers, trading cards, and journal entries. If students chose to write on
a different character other than the one they did their trading card, they can
collaborate with someone who did.
The teacher will explain the importance of referencing the text. As they
have learned throughout this unit, it is important to find evidence to
support their ideas. At times, it is important to directly quote the
information, while other times it is important to simply paraphrase. The
teacher will then explain what paraphrasing means and the difference
between paraphrasing and direct quoting.
The teacher will give ask students to read out some quotes they used in
their journals, which he or she will copy on to the overhead. As a class,
they will work together to incorporate the quote into a sentence/paragraph
and to cite it properly (MLA). At times, the teacher may suggest that the
quote would be better paraphrased. The teacher will model choosing
whether to and how to paraphrase.
Students will then work individually to come up with quotes that support
their ideas.
Homework: Students will focus on fully developing two body paragraphs,
which make references to the text (has both paraphrases and direct
quotations). Students will refer to their cue handout to help with
paragraph flow.

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for participation and will later turn in their
quote sheet for a check.

References:

Hillocks, G. (1984).

Day 15
Objective:

Students will continue to work on generating and developing their ideas,

as well as review how to properly incorporate quotes (10.7.a.d.d, 10.8.a,
10.9, and 10.10).

Activity:

Class will begin with the teacher passing out and going over the Three
Perspectives of Tagmemics (Appendix I). The teacher will explain that

this strategy is an excellent way to generate ideas. The teacher will go

through the Three Perspectives by providing an easily understood
example. For ex, a PBJ sandwich:
Topic as a particle: Peanut butter, Jelly, Bread.
Topic as a wave: Over the years, people have continued to love
PBJs, yet with the numerous choices of peanut butter, PBJ lovers
have more options.
Topic as part of a field: PBJs seem to be an American staple, but
there are many other American foods like hamburgers.
Students will use this approach to help expand their paper. For instance,
the Topic as part of a field would fit nicely in the conclusion, while the
Topic as a particle would fit in the introduction.
Students will exchange their papers (two body paragraphs) with the person
next to them. The teacher will quickly review paraphrasing, quoting, and
cueing/transitioning.
Students will read through each others paragraphs paying close attention
to the three issues. At the bottom of the paper, each student will provide
feedback for their partner. Editors will go through their cue handout to
make sure students incorporated several of the cues. Students will write
down how many their partner used, as well as any cues they think will fit
well into their paragraphs. Students will check to make sure that students
correctly cited sources. Students will circle mistakes and any floating
quotes (those that are not incorporated into a sentence/all alone). Students
will discuss their revisions with their partner to avoid any confusion.
Homework: Students will make necessary changes to their two
paragraphs. Students will elaborate/expand on any areas of confusion.
Students will look generate ideas for the rest of their paper using the Three
Perspectives of Tagmemics.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their two paragraphs and a check for the
feedback they provide their partner.

References:

Hillocks, G. (1984).
Flower, L. (1985).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).

Day 16
Objective:

Students will focus on elaboration and keeping to the topic both

independently and in pairs (10.7a-f, 10.9a-c).

Activity:

The teacher will emphasize of leading their audience through their paper.
By making their paper clear and organized, the reader knows where the
writer is going. Topic sentences as well as the introduction set
expectations. The teacher will then give examples of weak and strong
topic sentences. Students will explain what the differences are and why.
Students will then take out their drafts and write their thesis statement at
the top of each page. They will then highlight the topic sentences of each
of their paragraphs. Students will then independently read each of their
paragraphs individually and seeing if their topic sentence summarizes the
main point of each of the paragraphs and not misleading their reader. If
they are misleading, the students will fix them with the best of their ability
before switching with a partner.
Each student will read the thesis statement at the top of the page before
beginning reading. They must constantly refer to it to make sure that the
writer is doing the same in their paper. Students will go through their
partners paper just as they went through their own and make suggestions
at the bottom of each page.
Homework: Students will finish developing their last two body
paragraphs. Students will revise their papers (focusing on fully
developing their ideas, sticking to their thesis, and creating strong topic
sentences).

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for the changes they made on their own
papers and a check for helping their partner. The teacher will eventually
receive all of these drafts.

References:

Hillocks, G. (1984).
Flower, L. (1985).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).

Day 17
Objective:

Students will remember the importance of considering their audience and

learn ways to make sure they are addressing their audience (10.7.e.f).

Activity:

The teacher will explain that it is easy for writers to not think about their
audience because they are the ones writing their papers. However, one
can avoid egocentrism by thinking about their audience.
The teacher will give the example that when you want to ask your parents
for something, you consider their response, objections, and desires.

Then, the teacher will review the handout where, Ann goes through the
process of writing her parents a letter (Flower Ch.10/ Appendix I). The
teacher will ask the students the differences they see between the letters
and why the last one is better than the rest.
As a class, the teacher and students will develop a criteria/checklist for
addressing their audience (those who are familiar with the novel, teacher,
and their peers). This criterion will become part of the rubric. Need to
analyze the audience: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Needs.
For the last few minutes of class, students will get into pairs and discuss
ways they can revise their papers, so they are addressing their audience.
Homework: Students will go over their papers to make sure they are
addressing their audience. They will use the criteria developed in class to
judge their paper.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for participation.

References:

Hillocks, G. (1984).
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).
Flower, L. (1985).

Day 18
Objective:

Students will develop strong introductions and conclusions.

Activity:

The teacher will begin by explaining why he or she did not have students
write their introduction when they first started draftingit is impossible to
introduce your paper before you have written it; you dont know exactly
where it is going to go.
The teacher should explain that they now know where their paper went, so
they should have no problem writing their introduction and conclusion.
Just as with their topic sentences, the introduction should lead the reader,
and the conclusion should be clear.
To aid students in writing their introductions and conclusions, he or she
should use the hour glass analogy. The introduction should start off broad
and then narrow to your thesis (the last sentence of the intro), while the
conclusion should start off narrow and expand.
Students will work independently on their introductions and conclusions.
The teacher will go around the room and answer any questions the
students may have.

Homework: Students should compile their final drafts of their paper and
print out a copy to revise in class.
Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for their work.

References:

Flower, L. (1985).

Day 19
Objective:

Students will make final revisions on their papers and get feedback from
the teacher (10.7.e.f, 10.8.a).

Activity:

Students will work independently or in pairs to revise their papers. Each

student will meet individually with the teacher for a few minutes.
Teachers will answer any questions the student may have and provide
feedback.
Homework: Students will finalize their paper and print it out to turn in at
the beginning of class tomorrow. Students will also gather all of their
drafts, activities, etc. dealing with the paper to be turned in. Students will
place everything in a folder with the final draft on top.

Evaluation:

Students will receive a check for working quietly and effectively.

References:

Flower, L. (1985).

Day 20
Objective:

Students will reflect on their writing process, as well as the activities and
strategies they used in class.

Activity:

Students will write an informal reflection letter to the teacher during class
time answering the following questions:
How would you describe your writing process?
What step did you find the hardest? The easiest?
What is your favorite part or thing about your paper? Why?
Is there any part of the paper which you believe could be improved?
Why?

Which of the pre-writing strategies in class did you find most helpful
(looping, The Three Perspectives of Tagmemics, Journal writing,
Character Maps, Trading Cards)? Why?
Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your paper?
Homework: Students will pick two of the four journal entries for the
teacher to read and give feedback on. All journals will be turned in the
following day and will be graded.
Evaluation:

Although this letter cannot hurt their grade, it can certainly help it. The
teacher will take the letter into consideration while reading their paper. Of
course, no paper is perfect nor is it expected to be. The paper will be
graded based on the issues focused on during workshops.

References:

Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980).

Flower, L. (1985).
Leslie, A.

Bringing the Unit to Closure

Students will turn in their journals the following day. Two of the journals will be graded
based on completion, while the two journal entries chosen by the student will be graded
based on their quote, their analysis, and their thoughtfulness (grammar will not be taken
into account unless errors interfere with text comprehension).
Students will be beginning a new unit, where they will continue to use the pre-writing
strategies introduced in this unit.
The Feature Story and Book Analysis on The Aspern Papers will be graded based on the
issues focused on during workshops.
Extensions of the Curriculum
This unit was developed for average and honors 10th graders. It would was be effective
for average and honors 11th graders.
Because of the readability and length of the Aspern Papers, it is a text that is readily
available to all students. The level of difficulty stems from the types of activities, papers,
and discussion demanded of the student.
Many of the pre-writing activities would be effective in lower grade and ability level
classrooms. Because of the flexibility of these assignments, they can be made as easy or
as difficult as is appropriate for the class. The character maps could easily be used in a
middle school classroom.

List of Other Software

The Jing Project is currently free experimental software that can be downloaded online;
however, it may later cost money to use. Although it was not incorporated into this unit,
it provides interesting ways to use technology to model editing and revising of a paper. It
allows teachers to also record their voice explaining their writing process and thoughts.
A teacher can prepare clips of he or she modeling a pre-writing strategy such as looping

on a Word document and can then play it during class. These clips could also be used
when the teacher cannot make it to school, and there is a substitute.
List of Other Books and Other Materials
Stephens and Browns text A Handbook of Content Literacy Strategies provides a
plethora of strategies and activities that can be used throughout the writing process to
interest and engage the student, spur thinking, and initiate writing.
Limitations
This unit is a great starting off point. It incorporates numerous pre-writing strategies that
fully prepare students to write their papers. However, little time was given to grammar
and punctuation, outside of standard changes and incorporating quotes through
appropriate notation.
This unit focused primarily on narrative writing and analytical writing/book analysis. No
time was allocated for research. If this unit was to be expanded, I would recommend
including more creative writing and research. Students could write letters or diary entries
as the different characters in the novel, as well as create dialogue between Miss. B and
Miss. Tina, for there is very little. Students could research the setting of the novel
(Venice) and provide background information to the class on a variety of topics.
Likewise, for upper level students, research could be incorporated into the Book analysis.
Moreover, this unit assumes that all students have access to a computer at home and that
students have access during class. This is not always the case.

References
Conrad, Hy (1997 October). The wembly kidnapping. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from
[Link] Web site: [Link]
Cowan, E., & Cowan, G. (1980). Writing. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.
Dahl, K, & Farnan, N (1998). Children's writing: Perspectives from research. Newark:
International Reading Association.
Emig, J. (1981). The composing processes of twelfth graders. Urbana, IL: National
Council of Teachers of English.
Flower, L. (1985). Problem solving strategies for writing. San Diego: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, Publishers.
Gordan, C. (1990). A study of students text structure revisions. English
Quarterly. 23,1-2, 7-30.
Greene, B.M. (1989). The Influence of Miscues on Basic Writers Revision
Strategies. Eric document. ED 305 665, 1-14.
Hillocks, G. (1984). What Works in Teaching Composition: A Meta-Analysis of
Experimental Treatment Studies. American Journal of Education, 93(1), 133-170.
James, H. (2003). The Aspern Papers. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics.
Leslie, Adam. (Feb-April 2008). Personal Correspondence.
Raban, B. & Sanders Bolton, M. (1990). Writing what they mean. English
Quarterly. 23,1-2.40-49.
Rogers, T. (1990). The role of personal response in high school students thematic
interpretations of complex short stories. English Quarterly. 23,1-2,51-61.
Short Story Elements. Retrieved March 10, 2008, Web site:

[Link]
Stephens, E.C., & Brown, J.E. (2005). A Handbook of Content Literacy Strategies.
Norwood: Christopher-Gordan Publishers, Inc.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.