Description: Begin by working with a partner to brainstorm what you already know about Mordecai Richler, Michel Tremblay, Margaret Laurence, and Leonard Cohen and their works. Discuss topics you would like to explore. Brainstorm and record inquiry questions related to the authors and their works, such as, How did their lives influence their writing? What themes do their works share? What does their writing have in common? Place a star beside the questions you are most interested in exploring. Next, conduct preliminary research on the authors and their lives using the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Eventually you will narrow down your focus to one work by each author. Complete a proposal that outlines the four titles you have chosen and the topic. Possible research topics are how the writers lives influenced their works, how they are social commentators, or how they have used similar themes in their works. For example, you may examine religious themes or motifs, cultural conflicts, or the themes of survival, loss of innocence, quest for freedom, and journey. As you read each of the four works you have chosen, keep a response journal to record your thoughts and observations, and record three important quotes from each work as well as one important quote from each of the four topics on the CBC Archives Web site. Write a thesis statement and outline for an independent comparative essay. Write a 1500-word essay comparing the literary works, analyzing them critically and using compelling evidence from the texts to support your analysis. Purpose: 1. To make comparisons and see connections among authors and their works 2. To conduct Web-based research and write a literary comparative essay following necessary methods of organization and writing conventions 3. To select, use, and cite compelling evidence from sources to support critical analysis Timelines: Start date: Approximate number of hours assigned to research/analysis Approximate number of hours assigned to writing Due Procedures: 1. Work with a partner or group to discuss what you know about the four authors. 2. Compose inquiry questions that will form the basis of your comparative. 3. Complete the proposal. 4. Use assigned class time for research, writing, and literary analysis. 5. Complete reading, research, reader-response journals, and writing at home or in the library. 6. Conference with the teacher, sharing your thesis statement and essay outline. 7. Complete your rough draft(s). Have your draft(s) peer-edited. 8. Complete a final draft and submit it for evaluation along with all of the process work. 9. Discuss your topic with your group or class.
Part A: Inquiry Questions About Instructions: Choose a partner. Discuss what you know about the four authors: Leonard Cohen, Margaret Laurence, Mordecai Richler, and Michel Tremblay. Brainstorm and record inquiry questions related to the topic, such as, How did the authors lives influence their writing? What themes do their works share? What does their writing have in common? After the allotted time, choose a few questions of particular interest to you and place a star beside them to form the basis of your individual research. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Part B: Proposal Instructions: Independently complete this proposal for your comparative. Titles of four literary works (and their authors): 1. 2. 3. 4. Tentative Topic:
Reader-Response Journal Complete an entry for each work. Your journal entries should be interesting, original, and insightful. Avoid summarizing the plot. Instead, focus on your reactions and how the author was able to elicit these reactions. Analyze the source by focusing on connections to the author and to the other texts. You must provide at least three quotations from each literary work and one from each of the four CBC Archives Web site topics (include page or clip number). Write the complete quotations, followed by an analysis. Format for Each Entry: Topic: Source: Analysis (include response, quotations, and analysis):
Group Quotations Assignment 1. Your teacher will group you according to your selection of one of your four literary works. 2. Refer to your reader-response journals and locate your three significant quotations from the work and the one quotation from the CBC Archives Web site topic about the author. 3. In your group, explain why you believe each of your quotations is significant. Consider such criteria as speaker, context, and theme. 4. As a group, select, through discussion and consensus, the three most important quotations from the literary works and the one quotation from the site. 5. Write the four chosen quotations on chart paper with citations. As a group, prepare an explanation of the significance of each quotation. 6. Present your work to the class and lead a brief discussion.
Essay Outline Main Inquiry Question(s) Thesis statement (what you intend to prove) Outline Begin your essay outline below. In the essay outline, indicate your main points by letter and list your subtopics beneath the main points using numbers, e.g., I. II. A. 1. 2.
Checklist for an Independent Study Project - Comparative Literary Essay Group Work: I have worked with a partner to brainstorm ideas about my project prepared for and participated in the group quotation assignment and presentation Process Work: I have chosen a few inquiry questions to become the focus of my research written a specific topic and thesis statement researched my essay thesis, using the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site read my four literary works carefully written analytic, reflective responses in my reader-response journal recorded three quotations per literary source and one from each of the four CBC Archives Web site topics taken notes on key points, with accurate references to my sources evaluated my research to determine where it was sufficient and suitable created an essay outline shown my process work to my teacher written and revised a draft of my essay asked a peer to read and edit my essay and used feedback appropriately Final Product: I have used a formal tone created a beginning, middle, and end that flow used linking words and sentences to compare and contrast the four authors and their works proved my point of view with references to my sources shown an understanding of my information, ideas, concepts, and themes organized and synthesized significant information, ideas, and sources summarized my argument in my conclusion checked my grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation used parenthetical references and a Works Cited list, effectively integrating researched ideas created an essay that meets my purpose submitted all of my process work with the final product
Comparative Literary Essay Rubric Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Knowledge/ limited Understanding knowledge of form Knowledge of of comparative form of comparative Level 2 (60-69%) some knowledge of form of comparative Level 3 (70-79%) knowledge of form of comparative Level 4 (80-100%) thorough knowledge of form of comparative Understanding of theme(s) limited understanding of theme(s) some understanding of theme(s) understanding of theme(s) thorough understanding of theme(s) Understanding of how to connect significant information, ideas, and sources limited understanding of how to connect significant information, ideas, and sources some understanding of how to connect significant information, ideas, and sources understanding of how to connect significant information, ideas, and sources thorough understanding of how to connect significant information, ideas, and sources Thinking/Inquiry Critical thinking skills revealed in inferences to the writers and their works Uses critical thinking skills with limited Uses critical thinking skills with moderate Uses critical thinking skills with Uses critical thinking skills with a high degree of Inquiry skills (e.g., comparing, planning, sorting, and analyzing information and ideas) Applies few of the skills involved in an inquiry process Applies some of the skills involved in an inquiry process Applies most of the skills involved in an inquiry process Applies all or almost all of the skills involved in an inquiry process Communication Communication of ideas (in journals and in essay) Communicates ideas with limited clarity Communicates ideas with some clarity Communicates ideas with clarity Communicates ideas with a high degree of clarity and confidence
Comparative Literary Essay Rubric Continued... Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Communication for audience and purpose with appropriate voice and style (e.g., formal tone) Communicates with a limited sense of audience and purpose Level 2 (60-69%) Communicates with some sense of audience and purpose Level 3 (70-79%) Communicates with a clear sense of audience and purpose Level 4 (80-100%) Communicates with a strong sense of audience and purpose Use of form of essay structure (including transitions to link the four authors and their works) limited command of essay structure moderate command of essay structure command of essay structure extensive command of essay structure Application Application of required language conventions Uses the required language conventions with limited accuracy and Uses the required language conventions with some accuracy and Uses the required language conventions with accuracy and Uses the required language conventions accurately and effectively all or almost all of the time Application of technology (e.g., Internet, software, spell check) Uses technology with limited appropriateness and Uses technology with moderate appropriateness and Uses appropriate technology with Uses appropriate technology with a high degree of Application of the writing process Uses the writing process with limited competence Uses the writing process with moderate competence Uses the writing process with competence Uses the writing process with a high degree of competence Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity. Summary Comments/Suggestions: Assessor (Circle): Peer/Self/Teacher