Self-Perception. Changes in. Unit. Unit Overview. Essential Questions

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1 Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception?? Essential Questions How do internal and external factors influence one s self-perception? How does voice relate to audience and purpose? Unit Overview The idea of personal change drives the activities in this unit. The activities explore the novel as a genre, showing how it deals with the idea of both internal and external changes. The novel used in this unit, Holes, by Louis Sachar, is about a young man who becomes the hero of his own life by making changes in the way he thinks about himself and his family. You will examine the ways in which Sachar uses setting, characterization, and subplot, or story-within-a-story structure, to create a vivid literary text about a young man s quest for his destiny. You will also continue your exploration of voice by writing in the voices of characters in the texts you will read. 193

2 Unit 3 Goals C To explore the concept of voice through both reading and writing C To read challenging texts, both fiction and nonfiction, with fluency and comprehension C To identify elements of legends and myths present in a contemporary work of fiction C To identify how a character is presented and how he or she changes throughout a novel C To develop writing skills through various stages of the writing process Academic VocaBulary Internal/External Diction Voice Literary Analysis Personal Letter Setting Subplot Changes in Self-Perception Contents Learning Focus: What Is Voice? Activities: 3.1 Previewing the Unit Changes: Voluntary and Involuntary Character Presented in a Film Clip *Film: Clip from The Mighty, directed by Peter Chelsom 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy Memoir: from Bad Boy, by Walter Dean Myers 3.5 Finding and Using Textual Evidence Walter Says Thank You Internal and External Reflections Personal-Setting Reflection Beginning the Journey *Novel: Holes, by Louis Sacher 3.10 You Are Entering Camp Green Lake Visualizing the Subplot Vocabulary in Context: Stanley s Attitude The New Kid Tracing Stanley s Character Writing a Letter Home Filling in Stanley s Character Noticing Zero The Boys of D Tent *Film: Clip from Holes, directed by Andrew Davis 3.19 Stanley and Zero Kissin Kate Barlow From Miss Katherine to Kissin Kate Embedded Assessment 1 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

3 Learning Focus: What Is Literary Analysis? Visualizing Vocabulary The Lifeline Hector Zeroni Evolution of the Caveman Embedded Assessment 2 Writing a Character Analysis Essay Portfolio Activity: Using Concrete Details Unit Reflection *Texts not included in these materials. n 195

4 Learning Focus: What Is Voice? What is voice in writing? Voice is the trait that shows who the writer really is. It is the way the reader hears the unique personality of the person behind the words, and, much like the clothes we wear and the music we enjoy, voice reveals a writer s personal style. Effective writing uses an authentic voice for each writing task. If you wrote a thank you letter to a grandparent, you would not want to sound angry or unappreciative. If you wrote a letter of complaint to a business, you would not want to sound too informal or casual. The different choices you make when you write will have different effects on your readers. It is essential to use the right voice at the right time for the right reasons, so that you communicate your intended message effectively. You can begin to shape voice by asking yourself two very important questions: Who is the intended audience of my writing? What is the purpose for my writing? Answering these two questions can help you use the diction (choice of words), syntax (sentence structure), point of view, and tone that best appeals to your audience and purpose. In this unit, you will practice using all of these elements as you create voice. Independent Reading: Holes won both the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal. The author, Louis Sachar, has written several other works that you may enjoy reading. Other authors to consider are Blue Balliett, Carl Hiassen, E. L. Konigsburg, Jerry Spinelli, or Ellen Raskin. 196 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

5 Previewing the Unit Activity 3.1 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Marking the Text, Think-Pair-Share, Skimming/Scanning, Summarizing/Paraphrasing Essential Questions 1. How do internal and external factors influence one s self-perception? 2. How does voice relate to audience and purpose? Unit Overview and Learning Focus Predict what you think this unit is about. Use the words or phrases that stood out to you when you read the Unit Overview and the Learning Focus. Embedded Assessment 1 What knowledge must you have (what do you need to know)? What skills must you have (what will you need to do to complete the Embedded Assessment successfully)? Write your responses below. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 197

6 Activity 3.2 Changes: Voluntary and Involuntary SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Quickwrite, Looping, Revisiting Prior Work 1. Revisit the work you did in Units 1 and 2, in which you examined changes in your life. Look also at the writing and graphic organizers you completed about changes in the characters you encountered. Notice that some of the changes were ones over which you or the characters from the stories had no control (involuntary), and some of the changes were ones over which you or they had some control (voluntary). Using the T-chart below, brainstorm changes that could be considered either involuntary or voluntary. Be prepared to share your answers. Involuntary Changes (no control) Voluntary Changes (some control) 2. Quickwrite: Choose one item from the column of Voluntary Changes. In a quickwrite, explain the change, why you made it, and the effect it had on you. Use separate paper for your quickwrite. 3. Your teacher will guide you to use looping to expand on your first ideas. Looping involves rereading what you have written and highlighting the best sentence or a sentence you can say more about. Then you write more about the idea in that one sentence. After elaborating, you follow the same process again on another sentence. I chose to change my diet and stop eating candy bars. The reason I made the change was because I had three cavities. I hope I won t have any more cavities. I never had cavities before and it scared me. The dentist numbed my mouth with a shot and I really didn t like that. The sound of the drill scared me. When the dentist started drilling, it sounded like my dad s power saw. I ve seen what that can do to wood, so I had terrible thoughts about what was happening to my teeth. 198 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

7 Activity 3.2 Parallel Structure Using parallel structure is a way of composing interesting and effective sentences. You can sometimes improve sentences by combining two or three ideas into one sentence. Parallel structure involves arranging words, phrases, and clauses in a series using the same grammatical structure to show that two or more similar things are of equal importance. The following sentences contain a series of items in parallel structure. Use these sentences as patterns to copy. Notice especially the punctuation. Carrie loved swimming, running, and playing tennis. His eyes were swollen shut, his face was red and puffy, and his nose was lopsided. Every day John walked in the door, threw his backpack on the chair, and opened the refrigerator. You may sit in the back, you may sit in the front, or you may sit anywhere in between. & Grammar Usage Use commas to separate words and word groups in a series of three or more items. Include a comma before the conjunction. Do not use commas in a series when all items are linked by and, or, nor. 1. Combine the ideas in the following sentences using parallel structure. You may follow the examples above. These sentences are taken from the excerpt from Bad Boy and the novel Holes, both of which you will read in this unit. Walter needed to fill his life with activity. He also needed to fill it with talking and with dreaming. The lizard has yellow eyes and black teeth. It also has a white tongue. 2. Reread your quickwrite about a voluntary change. Look for ideas in the writing that you can combine into one sentence using parallel structure. Revise your quickwrite with your new sentences. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 199

8 Activity 3.3 Character Presented in a Film Clip SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Close Reading Characterization and Point of View in Film The film The Mighty is based on the novel Freak, the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick. The film tells about two young freaks, Max and Kevin, who form a heroic partnership by building on each other s strengths. You will view short clips introducing Max, the main character. As you view each film clip, watch for the elements of characterization. Take notes on the graphic organizer as you notice details of appearance, action, and dialogue. In addition, as you watch, notice when the camera seems to be seeing the world from Max s personal point of view, as if the camera were his eyes. This is called the subjective camera view. Why do you think the director uses this point of view in his clip? The more neutral camera view is called the objective camera view. Notice examples of this camera view. What is its effect? Complete the graphic organizer below. Clip Appearance Actions What Max Says What Others Say 1. The Street: Grim and Gram subjective camera; then objective 2. School Hallway objective camera; then subjective 3. Sidewalk Bus Stop objective camera 4. Bus objective camera Adjectives to Describe Max 200 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

9 Activity What part of the first scene are you seeing from Max s point of view? How do you know? Is this a subjective or objective camera point of view? 2. What part of the school hallway scene is a subjective camera point of view (first person), and what part is an objective camera point of view (third person)? 3. Define subjective camera point of view and objective camera point of view based on what your class has discussed about the opening scenes. Word Connections Both subjective and objective contain the Latin root -ject-, meaning throw. The prefix sub- means under or low, and the prefix ob- means against, in the way of, or opposing. Subjective, which now means existing in the mind, is related to subject, which originally meant to throw or place under. Objective, dealing with outward, not personal, things is related to object, which meant to throw in front of or against. 4. The sentence pattern below uses parallel structure to help you state what you think Max s attitude is about himself. Fill in the sentence. Max s appearance, his actions, and his comments about himself show that he is,, and. 5. Write a sentence that describes how others think of Max. Use adjectives and parallel structure in your sentence. Literary terms The word subjective refers to personal ideas, while objective refers to ideas supported by facts and not influenced by personal beliefs. 6. Use your vocabulary notebook to continue exploring the terms internal and external. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 201

10 Activity 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Marking the Text, Oral Reading, Quickwrite, Think-Pair-Share, Role Play, Word Map My Notes M e m o i r A b o u t t h e A u t h o r Walter Dean Myers has been writing since he was a child. He published his first book, Where Does the Day Go?, in He has since written many books for children and young adults, two of which Scorpions and Somewhere in the Darkness have received Newbery Honors. His stories focus on the challenges and triumphs of growing up in a difficult environment. His memoir, Bad Boy, reveals how he overcame racial challenges and his own shortcomings to become a very successful author. From by Walter Dean Myers Word Connections The word fanatic comes from the Latin word for temple. A fanatic was someone in the temple or inspired by divinity. The root -fan- is also found in profane; someone who is profane is outside the temple, or unholy or sacrilegious. 1 By September and the opening of school I was deep into sports and became a baseball fanatic. Along with the pleasure of playing baseball there was the joy of identifying with the ballplayers. I loved the Dodgers. Maybe it was because Mama loved the Dodgers and especially Jackie Robinson. All summer long, kids playing punchball hitting a pink Spaldeen ball with your fist and then running bases drawn in chalk on the streets had tried to steal home to copy Robinson. We even changed the rules of stoop ball, of which I was the absolute King of the World, to include bases when more than one kid played. You played stoop ball by throwing the ball against the steps of a brownstone. The ball coming off the steps had to clear the sidewalk and land in the street. If it landed before being caught, you could run the bases. My speed and ability to judge distances made me an excellent fielder. We did occasionally play actual baseball, but not enough kids had gloves to make a good game. 2 My new school was Public School 43 on 128th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, across from the Transit Authority bus terminal. Mrs. Conway was my teacher, and it took me one day to get into trouble with her. 202 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

11 Activity 3.4 In the elementary grades I attended, reading was taught by having kids stand up one at a time and read aloud. Mrs. Conway had us up and reading as soon as the readers had been handed out. When it came to be my turn, I was anxious to show my skills. I read quickly, and there was a chorus of laughter in response. They were laughing at my speech. Slow down and try it again, Mrs. Conway said. I slowed my speech down and started reading from the top of the page. Johnny Brown started laughing immediately. Johnny always had something to say to make the class laugh. I threw the book sidearm and watched it hit his desk and bounce across the room. Don t you dare throw a book in my classroom! Mrs. Conway, red-faced, screamed. Into the closet! Into the closet! Grammar Usage An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It answers the questions how? when? where? or to what extent? Underline the adverb in paragraph 3 that tells how Walter read. My Notes & I had to stand in the closet for the rest of the morning. That afternoon Mrs. Conway divided the class into reading groups. I was put into the slowest group. I stayed there until the next week, when the whole class was given a spelling test and I scored the highest grade. Mrs. Conway asked me to read in front of the class again. 7 I looked at Johnny Brown as I headed for the front of the class. He had this glint in his eye, and I knew he was going to laugh. I opened my mouth, and he put his hand across his mouth to hold his laugh in. I went across to where he sat and hit him right on the back of the hand he held over his mouth. I was sent to the principal s office and had to stay after school and wash blackboards. Later in the year it would be Johnny Brown who would be in Mrs. Conway s doghouse for not doing his homework, with her screaming at him that he couldn t be a comedian all his life. He went on to become a television comedian and is still doing well. Being good in class was not easy for me. I had a need to fill up all the spaces in my life, with activity, with talking, sometimes with purely imagined scenarios that would dance through my mind, occupying me while some other student was at the blackboard. I did want to get good marks in school, but they were never of major importance to me, except in the sense of winning the best grade in a subject. My filling up the spaces, however, kept me in trouble. I would blurt out answers to Mrs. Conway s questions even when I was told to keep quiet, or I might roll a marble across my desk if she was on the other side of the room. 8 9 Literary terms Point of view is the perspective from which a writer tells a story. Writers use I when they are telling the story in first-person point of view. Writers use the personal pronouns he, she, or they to tell a story in third-person point of view. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 203

12 Activity 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy My Notes The other thing that got me in trouble was my speech. I couldn t hear that I was speaking badly, and I wasn t sure that the other kids did, but I knew they often laughed when it was my turn to speak. After a while I would tense up anytime Mrs. Conway called on me. I threw my books across that classroom enough times for Mrs. Conway to stop my reading once and for all. But when the class was given the assignment to write a poem, she did read mine. She said that she liked it very much. I don t think he wrote that poem, Sidney Aronofsky volunteered. I gave Sidney Aronofsky the biggest punch he ever had in the back of his big head and was sent to the closet. After the incident with Sidney, Mrs. Conway said that she had had quite enough of me and that I would not be allowed to participate in any class activity until I brought my mother to school. I knew that meant a beating. That evening I thought about telling Mama that the teacher wanted to see her, but I didn t get up the nerve. I didn t get it up the next day, either. In the meantime I had to sit in the back of the room, and no kid was allowed to sit near me. I brought some comic books to school and read them under my desk. Mrs. Conway was an enormously hippy woman. She moved slowly and always had a scowl on her face. She reminded me of a great white turtle with just a dash of rouge and a touch of eye shadow. It was not a pretty sight. But somehow she made it all the way from the front of the room to the back, where I sat reading a comic, without my hearing her. She snatched the comic from me and tore it up. She dropped all the pieces on my desk, then made me pick them up and take them to the garbage can while the class laughed. Then she went to her closet, snatched out a book, and put it in front of me. You are, she sputtered, a bad boy. A very bad boy. You cannot join the rest of the class until your mother comes in. She was furious, and I was embarrassed. And if you re going to sit back here and read, you might as well read something worthwhile, she snapped. 204 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

13 Activity 3.4 I didn t touch the book in front of me until she had made her way back to the front of the class and was going on about something in long division. The title of the book was East o the Sun and the West o the Moon. It was a collection of Norwegian fairy tales, and I read the first one. At the end of the day, I asked Mrs. Conway if I could take the book home. She looked at me a long time and then said no, I couldn t. But I could read it every day in class if I behaved myself. I promised I would. For the rest of the week I read that book. It was the best book I had ever read. When I told Mrs. Conway I had finished, she asked me what I liked about the book, and I told her. The stories were full of magic events and interesting people and witches and strange places. It differed from Mystery Rides the Rails, the Bobbsey Twins, and a few Honeybunch books I had come across. I realized I liked books, and I liked reading. Reading a book was not so much like entering a different world it was like discovering a different language. It was a language clearer than the one I spoke, and clearer than the one I heard around me. What the books said was, as in the case of East o the Sun, interesting, but the idea that I could enter this world at any time I chose was even more attractive. The me who read the books, who followed the adventures, seemed more the real me than the me who played ball in the streets. Mrs. Conway gave me another book to read in class and, because it was the weekend, allowed me to take it home to read. From that day on I liked Mrs. Conway. I still didn t get to read aloud in class, but when we had a class assignment to write a poem, she would read mine. At the end of the year I got my best report card ever, including a glorious Needs Improvement in conduct. It was also the golden anniversary of the school, and the school magazine used one of my poems. It was on the first page of the Jubilee Issue, and it was called My Mother. When I saw it, I ran all the way home to show Mama Grammar Usage Notice that the titles of books are printed in italic (slanted) type: East o the Sun and West o the Moon. When you write titles of books, put them in italics if you are typing, or underline them if you are writing by hand. My Notes & Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 205

14 Activity 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy My Notes Mr. Irwin Lasher My new school, the new P.S. 125, was quite close to my house. It was located on 123rd Street, right across from Morningside Park between Morningside and Amsterdam Avenues. The school was ultramodern for the day, with table and chairs that could be arranged any way the teacher wanted instead of the rigid desks nailed to the floor we had been used to having. I was in class 6 2 and had my first male teacher, Mr. Irwin Lasher. You re in my class for a reason, he said as I sat at the side of his desk. Do you know what the reason is? Because I was promoted to the sixth grade? I asked. Because you have a history of fighting your teachers, he said. And I m telling you right now, I won t tolerate any fighting in my class for any reason. Do you understand that? Yes. You re a bright boy, and that s what you re going to be in this class. My fight with Mr. Lasher didn t happen until the third day, and in a way it wasn t really my fault. We were going up the stairs, and I decided that, when his back was turned, I would pretend that I was trying to kick him. All right, he paused on the staircase landing before leading us to our floor and the kick that was supposed to delight my classmates by just missing the teacher hit him squarely in the backside. He turned quickly and started toward me. Before I realized it, I was swinging at him wildly. Mr. Lasher had been in World War II and had fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He didn t have much trouble handling me. He sat me in a corner of the classroom and said that he would see me after class. I imagined he would send a note home, and that my mother would have to come to school. I was already practicing what I would say to her when I gave her the note. But instead of sending a note home, he came home with me! Down the street we came, my white teacher and me, with all my friends looking at me and a few asking if it meant I was going to get a beating. I thought it probably would, but I didn t give them the satisfaction of an answer. Mama was sitting on the park bench across from our house when I came down the street with Mr. Lasher firmly holding my hand. 206 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

15 Activity 3.4 Mrs. Myers, I had a little problem with Walter today that I think you should know about, he said, sitting next to her on the bench. He called Mama by my last name, not knowing that I was an informal adoptee. Her last name was Dean, of course, but she didn t go into it. Mr. Lasher quietly explained to my mother that all the tests I had taken indicated that I was quite smart, but that I was going to throw it all away because of my behavior. We need more smart Negro boys, he said. We don t need tough Negro boys. Mr. Lasher did two important things that year. The first was that he took me out of class one day per week and put me in speech therapy for the entire day. The second thing he did was to convince me that my good reading ability and good test scores made me special. He put me in charge of anything that needed a leader and made me coach the slower kids in reading. At the end of the year I was the one student in his class whom he recommended for placement in a rapid advancement class in junior high school. With Mr. Lasher my 14 grades improved significantly. I was either first or second in every subject, and he even gave me a Satisfactory in conduct. As the tallest boy in the sixth grade, I was on the honor guard and was scheduled to carry the flag at the graduation exercises, an honor I almost missed because of God s revenge My Notes Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 207

16 Activity 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy 1. Using the highlighting, marking, and discussing you did while reading about Walter in Mrs. Conway s and Mr. Lasher s classes, fill in the chart below. Include quotations from the text and the number of the paragraph for each quotation of textual evidence. The first example is done for you. Actions That Get Walter in Trouble Why Walter Acts That Way Adjectives to Describe Walter Throws book across the room I threw the book sidearm and watched it hit his desk and bounce across the room. ( 5) Actions That Help Walter Stay Out of Trouble Why Walter Changed New Adjectives to Describe Walter Literary terms A topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph. 2. Topic sentence: Write a sentence stating the changes that occurred in Walter s self-perception and behavior from the beginning of fifth grade to the end of sixth grade. 208 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

17 Activity Look back at the excerpts from Flipped that you read in Activity 2.9. Remember that the character s perspective or point of view affects the readers understanding of the story. If you were reading Bad Boy from the perspective of Walter s teachers, you might have a very different understanding of the situation and of Walter. Pretend you are Walter s teachers. In the graphic organizer below, explore how Walter s teachers would view him. Use the Word Wall and your Vocabulary Notebook to find precise adjectives. Carefully consider the teacher s diction, or choice of words. Also, think of synonyms and antonyms to help you choose descriptive words. Literary terms A character s perspective is his or her view of a situation or of other characters. & Grammar Usage An action verb is a verb that expresses physical or mental action. Mrs. Conway Mr. Irwin Lasher What adjectives would she use to describe Walter? What adjectives would he use to describe Walter? Why? How has Walter behaved in her class? Use action verbs. Why? How has Walter behaved in his class? Use action verbs. What advice about Walter would she give to the next teacher? What advice about Walter would he give to the next teacher? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 209

18 Activity 3.4 Character Analysis in Bad Boy 4. Writing Prompt: Write a note from either Mrs. Conway or Mr. Lasher to the teacher who will have Walter in class next year. Using the voice and diction of Mrs. Conway or Mr. Lasher, describe Walter in a way that will help the next teacher allow Walter to excel. 5. Role Play: Working with a partner, assume the roles of teachers. One of you will be Mrs. Conway or Mr. Lasher, and you will describe Walter to the teacher who will have him in class next year. You may use the note that you have written above. Use the voice of the teacher and try to persuade the new teacher to treat Walter in a way that will allow him to excel. After 2-3 minutes, switch roles with your partner. 210 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

19 Finding and Using Textual Evidence Activity 3.5 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Outlining, Prewriting, Drafting, Word Map When analyzing literature, writers use details and examples to support their opinions about a story. These statements of opinion or interpretation are topic sentences. In Activity 3.4, you wrote a topic sentence stating your opinion about how Walter has changed during the story Bad Boy. You have also filled out a graphic organizer listing details about Walter s behavior. Now you will write commentary that explains why the details or examples support your opinion of Walter s change. A sample is written for you. Academic VocaBulary Literary analysis is the study of a work of literature to evaluate or interpret elements that affect a reader s understanding or opinion of the work. Topic Sentence At the beginning of the fifth grade, Walter is impulsive and violent, but by the end of the sixth grade he has found excitement and a sense of self through reading. Detail/Example (supports the topic sentence) Walter rolls marbles across the desk and blurts out answers to questions. Commentary about Example (explains HOW details or examples support the topic sentence) Walter always wants to be active and doesn t realize how upsetting his actions are to the teacher. 1. Write your topic sentence from Activity 3.4 here: 2. In the following graphic organizer, create sentences that support your topic sentence. Detail/Example 1 Commentary about Detail/Example 1 Detail/Example 2 Commentary about Detail/Example 2 Detail/Example 3 Commentary about Detail/Example 3 unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 211

20 Activity 3.5 Finding and Using Textual Evidence 3. Write a concluding sentence. In it, you may restate the main idea or comment on the ideas in the paragraph. 4. Using the details and commentary you have outlined, draft a body paragraph. Add transitions and further commentary if necessary. 212 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

21 Walter Says Thank You Activity 3.6 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, RAFT, Prewriting, Drafting, Revising, Think-Pair-Share, Role Play, Self-Editing, Word Map 1. In reading the excerpts from Bad Boy, you have had an opportunity to look inside the mind of Walter Dean Myers, one of today s most popular writers for young people. Write notes about what you know about Mr. Myers s adult life. 2. Imagine that you are Walter Dean Myers. You are credited with many accomplishments, but you know that you did not achieve your successes without the help of others. Write a personal letter thanking either Mrs. Conway or Mr. Irwin Lasher. It might help to examine a RAFT prior to writing your initial draft of the letter. Academic VocaBulary A personal letter is one that contains information about oneself versus a letter written on behalf of a business or an organization. Role Audience Format Topic The persona of the grown-up Walter Dean Myers His elementary-school teacher, either Mrs. Conway or Mr. Irwin Lasher Thank-you letter The way the teacher influenced Walter as a young man and in his life 3. As prewriting for your letter, consider how each teacher helped you. Fill in specific details below from the Bad Boy excerpt. You may also include inferences about how specific details from the excerpts affected your life. These will be the things you thank the teacher for in your letter. How Mrs. Conway Helped Walter How Mr. Irwin Lasher Helped Walter 4. Now choose the teacher to whom you want to write a letter. Whom have you chosen to write to and why? unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 213

22 Activity 3.6 Walter Says Thank You 5. Next, think about the person to whom you are writing your letter. What kind of language would be appropriate to address your former teacher? What is the subject? Work with a partner or small group to create Do and Do Not lists. When you finish, role-play the Do list using the voice of Walter as an adult. Think about what kind of words and examples the adult Walter would use. When writing a letter to a former teacher Do Do Not TIPS: Here are some tips for writing your letter in the voice of Walter Dean Myers as an adult. Remember to use the voice of an adult, Walter Dean Myers, who is a successful writer. Use an appropriate salutation, or greeting; for example, Dear Mrs. Conway, or Dear Mr. Lasher. In the body of your letter, get to the point. Tell your former teacher why you are writing to him or her. You should include some of your accomplishments, but try not to brag! Be specific about why you appreciate your former teacher. For example, instead of saying Thank you for being a great teacher, you might say Thank you for helping me learn the multiplication tables. I was having trouble memorizing them. Close your letter appropriately ( Sincerely works well for this kind of letter). 6. Write an initial draft of your letter on the next page. Then, follow your teacher s directions for revising and editing your letter. As you edit, check your spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. Write your revised draft on your own notebook paper and save it in your Working Folder; you will revisit it later in the unit. 214 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

23 Activity 3.6 (Date) Dear (Closing) (Sign your name) (Print your name) unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 215

24 Activity 3.7 Internal and External Reflections SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Prewriting, Drafting, Word Map 1. In this unit, you have seen that the way others see a person from the outside is not always the same as the person sees himself or herself. The reflection on the outside may not match what is on the inside. Now you will apply this knowledge to yourself. 2. On the outside front of a folder, draw a simple face or profile. On the outside of the face, draw pictures and write words, phrases, sentences, or quotes that others (parents, relatives, teachers, friends, classmates, etc.) would use to describe you. These are your external reflections. 3. On the inside of the folder, draw a larger face or profile with very simple details so that you can draw pictures and write words, phrases, sentences, or quotes that demonstrate how YOU see yourself. These are your internal reflections. 4. Write your name on each side: On the outside write the name that reflects how others see you, and on the inside write a version of your name that is more personal, reflecting how you see yourself. For example: Robert (outside), Bobby (inside) Jennifer (outside), Jokester (inside). 5. Reflection can also refer to a kind of thinking and writing in which you consider ideas or opinions. Create a Word Map for the word reflection used in this way. 216 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

25 Activity Writing Prompt: Use the ideas on the outside and inside of your folder to draft a reflective essay explaining how others might describe you, how you would describe yourself, and how these descriptions might be similar or different. Use your folder as a graphic organizer for your writing. You may want to create a Venn diagram on your folder to begin your thinking. Literary terms An essay is a short literary composition on a single subject. It usually presents the author s personal views. How Others Describe Me How I Describe Me As your introduction, write one sentence comparing the inside and outside you. Consider these examples: What you see is not always what you get. People may look at me and think I am., but I am actually What you see is really who I am. People look at me and think I am, and they are exactly right. Write two body paragraphs, one about how others might describe you (your external reflection), and one about how you would describe yourself (your internal reflection). For a conclusion, write one paragraph comparing the similarities or differences between your two descriptions. Grammar & Usage Transitions of comparison include in the same way, likewise, as, also, similarly. Transitions of contrast include but, although, however, yet, nevertheless, on the other hand. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 217

26 Activity 3.8 Personal-Setting Reflection SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Sketching, Visualizing, Prewriting, Drafting, Word Map Academic VocaBulary A setting includes time and place. Time may be time of day, season, year, and the details connected with the specific time. 1. Think of a place that means a great deal to you. Imagine that you are there. Fill in the columns below with details about the place, trying to remember and visualize everything about it, especially how you feel when you are there and the details that help create that feeling, including people, animals, and objects. You may even want to draw a picture of the place. You can refer to the descriptions of settings that you wrote in Activities 2.8, 2.11, and 2.18 for ideas. Place Time Feeling or Mood Details & Grammar Usage The present tense of a verb is the form that shows an action or condition that exists at the present time. 2. Writing Prompt: Using the details you have listed, write a paragraph that does the following: starts with a sentence about the feeling, mood, or atmosphere that is created when you are in that place describes where the place is, and when and why you are there uses the present tense, as if you are in the place as you write the paragraph uses precise adjectives (use the Word Wall) includes all the details you can remember to make that place real to the reader ends with a sentence about what or how you feel. 218 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

27 Activity Look at the model below. Circle the present tense verbs, and underline the parallel structure. I am proud, awe-struck, and exhausted. I am at the top of Anderson Reservoir Dam. I have been hiking with friends, but I am the first one to get to the top. I look down and see the trees swaying, the birds flying, and the Guadalupe stream rushing down the valley. I feel the breeze on my sweaty neck, the sun on my aching shoulders, and the throbbing of my pulse in my ears. 4. Revise your own paragraph to include at least one sentence that has parallel structure. Check that you have used present tense throughout your paragraph. unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 219

28 Activity 3.9 Beginning the Journey SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Previewing, Graphic Organizer, Double-Entry Journal Literary terms A novel is a type of literary genre that tells a fictional story. It may be of considerable length and reveals its plot through the actions, speech, and thoughts of its characters. 1. The texts you have analyzed and the activities you have completed so far in this unit have prepared you for reading Louis Sachar s novel Holes. Whenever you pick up a new book to read, it is a good idea to preview it. Now, preview your copy of Holes. Begin with the front and back covers and the brag page the page that lists awards or quotations from reviewers, which is often located just inside the front cover. Title Why do you think the novel is called Holes? Describe the lettering used for the title (color, size, style). Does the title look interesting to you? Author What do you know about the author? Have you ever read any other works by this author? If so, did you like them? Pictures Words Effectiveness Do you see any pictures or illustrations? If so, describe what you see. Why do you think these pictures or illustrations were selected? Is a description of the book provided? If so, summarize it in one or two sentences. Are there any reviews of the book provided? If so, what are some of the key words in the reviews? Which elements of the covers and the brag page make you want to read the book? Explain. 220 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

29 Activity As you read Holes, you will be keeping a double-entry journal. In this kind of journal, you will record your thoughts and questions in response to your reading. In your double-entry journal you may respond in these ways: write about an experience in your own life that relates to what is happening in the novel write your opinions about what is happening in the novel write questions you may have about the novel. 3. In a double-entry journal, you copy or summarize passages from the book on the left side (textual evidence) and write your response to that passage on the right side (commentary). Draw a horizontal line under each entry. It will look something like this example: Passage from text Page # Personal response/commentary In summer the daytime temperature is around ninetyfive degrees in the shade if you can find any shade. There isn t any shade in a big dry lake. 3 This reminds me of when my family took a summer vacation in San Antonio, Texas. It was so hot I could hardly breathe! When we went to Sea World, we visited the penguin exhibit every chance we could just to escape the heat. I can t believe anyone would have a summer camp in a dry, hot place like this. 4. If you are having trouble thinking of what to write, use these response starters: I really like (or dislike) this part because I wonder why I predict that I think the character should This reminds me of the time when I... This reminds me of a book I read (movie I watched, and so on) 5. On the next page, you will find a blank double-entry journal form. Your teacher may want you to trace or copy it so that you will have enough pages for writing your thoughts while you are reading Holes. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 221

30 Activity 3.9 Beginning the Journey Title of Novel: Author: Passage from text Page # Personal response/commentary 222 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

31 You Are Entering Camp Green Lake Activity 3.10 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Double-Entry Journal, Think-Pair-Share, Word Map 1. What feelings do you get when you read the description of Camp Green Lake? 2. How do you think Stanley feels, seeing it for the first time? 3. How do you know that the point of view from which this story is told is omniscient? How would the story differ if Stanley were telling the story? Literary terms In an omniscient point of view, the narrator is allknowing and tells the story in third-person point of view. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 223

32 Activity 3.10 You Are Entering Camp Green Lake Below you will find a pattern for a character-description bookmark. Use this pattern to create your own bookmark, which you will use to take notes about the main characters in Holes and, of course, to hold your place while you are reading. At the end of every reading assignment, write down descriptions of Stanley s external features or his internal thinking. Remember, authors use the following techniques of characterization: character s appearance character s actions what the character says what others say about the character. Leave the inside of your bookmark blank until your teacher gives you further directions. Stanley Yelnats Stanley Yelnats Description Page # Description Page # 224 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

33 Visualizing the Subplot Activity 3.11 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Rereading, Summarizing/ Paraphrasing, Visualizing, Word Map, Predicting 1. What is happening in the main plot with Stanley? Summarize the main events through Chapter As you reread Chapter 7, list or sketch the major incidents in Elya Yelnats s life. These incidents are part of a subplot in this novel. Academic VocaBulary A subplot is a secondary plot that occurs along with the main plot. 3. After your discussion of the life of Elya Yelnats, think about why the author, Louis Sachar, included this flashback. In a paragraph, summarize the family myth and describe its effect on Stanley s selfperception. Literary terms A flashback is a sudden and vivid memory of an event in the past. It may interrupt a current sequence of events to relate events that happened in the past. A symbol is an object, person, or place that stands for something else. unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 225

34 Activity 3.12 Vocabulary in Context: Stanley s Attitude SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Marking the Text, Oral Reading, Word Map & Grammar Usage One context clue to the meaning of an unknown word is the way it is used in a sentence. Knowing whether the word is a noun, adjective, verb, or adverb may help you to predict its meaning. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter/Page Stanley s Attitude The words and sentences around a word are called its context. You may find clues in the context to help you determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Read the following passages, paying attention to the underlined words. Determine the meaning of the words by finding and circling clues in the passages. Remember that a writer s diction, or word choice, creates a tone for example, Stanley s attitude. As you read, think about how the author s choice of words communicates information about a character. Part One: Words in Context Quote Supposedly, he had a great-great-grandfather who had stolen a pig from a one-legged Gypsy, and she put a curse on him and all his descendants. Stanley and his parents didn t believe in curses, of course, but whenever anything went wrong, it felt good to be able to blame someone. All of them had something else in common. Despite their awful luck, they always remained hopeful. But perhaps that was part of the curse as well. Not every Stanley Yelnats has been a failure, Stanley s mother often pointed out, whenever Stanley or his father became so discouraged that they actually started to believe in the curse. The first Stanley Yelnats, Stanley s great-grandfather, had made a fortune in the stock market. He couldn t have been too unlucky. curse means Stanley took it as some kind of sign. His father had been trying to figure out a way to recycle old sneakers, and suddenly a pair of sneakers fell on top of him, seemingly out of nowhere, like a gift from God. sign means Stanley couldn t help but think that there was something special about the shoes, that they would somehow provide the key to his father s invention. It was too much of a coincidence to be a mere accident. Stanley had felt like he was holding destiny s shoes. No one believed they [the sneakers] fell from the sky. It wasn t destiny, he realized. It was his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealinggreat-great-grandfather! coincidence means destiny means 226 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

35 Activity 3.12 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter/Page Quote He wondered if he had a defective shovel. He glanced helplessly at his shovel. It wasn t defective. He was defective. defective means Madame Zeroni warned that if he failed to do this, he and his descendants would be doomed for all of eternity. doomed means Part Two: Making Generalizations 1. After discussing the meaning of the words you have just defined, predict how the ideas may relate to Stanley and his attitude toward his life. Notice the words on the lines below. These words are antonyms, or opposites, with a rating scale ranging from left to right between them. Where would Stanley put himself on that scale? Where would you put yourself? Circle the number you think applies to Stanley s attitude toward himself. In a different color, plot how you think the terms apply to you. Literary terms Tone refers to a writer s or speaker s attitude toward a subject. Lucky Unlucky Blessed Cursed Choice Destiny Success Failure Extraordinary Ordinary 2. After thinking about your ratings, write a sentence using some of the new words, describing Stanley s attitude toward himself. Use parallel structure in your sentence. At the beginning of Holes, Stanley believes he is Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 227

36 Activity 3.13 The New Kid SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Discussion Groups, Double-Entry Journal, Drafting, Oral Reading, Skimming/Scanning, Word Map In Chapters 4 9, you read about Stanley s first night at the camp, followed by his first day of digging. He meets two of the adults in charge, Mr. Sir and Mr. Pedanski, and several of the other boys. The author shows you how Stanley feels about his new environment. In this activity, you will examine what the others at the camp think about Stanley. 1. First, write a few things you know about each character. Your doubleentry journal and bookmark may help you locate passages, since you have been noting page numbers in them. Nickname Boy s Real Name Details About Character The Caveman Armpit Magnet Zigzag Squid Zero X-Ray 228 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

37 Activity Choose one of the boys (not Stanley) and fill in the graphic organizer about that character based on what you have learned so far. Character s Name: Characterization Notes What does the character look like? What does the character do? What does the character say? What do the other characters say about this character? What does the character seem to think about Stanley? 3. Pretend you are this character and you are describing the new kid, Stanley, to a boy in one of the other tents who has not yet met him. Describe what Stanley is like, using the notes you took above for details. When you write in the voice of a character, make yourself sound as much like your character as possible. Write on separate paper, and use your list of adjectives from your bookmark. You may want to begin with this starter: Have you seen the Caveman, the new guy? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 229

38 Activity 3.13 The New Kid 4. Now think about Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski, the two adults Stanley has met. Quickly look through Chapters 4 9, and reread any parts where these characters appear. Take notes on both characters. Characterization Notes Mr. Sir Mr. Pendanski What does the character look like? What does the character do? What does the character say? What do the other characters say about this character? What does the character seem to think about Stanley? 5. Pretend you are either Mr. Sir or Mr. Pendanski (circle one) and that you are describing Stanley to the Warden, who has not yet met him. On separate paper, write a monologue in the voice of this adult character. Make yourself sound as much like him as possible. Imitate the way he talks and have him talk about Stanley in a way that reflects the way the adult is presented in the book. You may want to begin with this starter: Warden, have you seen Stanley Yelnats? Pair up with a partner and read your writing aloud. Discuss the effectiveness of each monologue and revise as needed. 6. Discussion question: Once again, think back to the excerpts you read from Flipped, in which two characters tell the story of the same incident quite differently. Now, in this activity, you have written in the voice of two characters about the same thing: the arrival of the new kid. How did you and your classmates make the two versions different from each other? In other words, how did you make the adult sound different from the boy? 230 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

39 Tracing Stanley s Character Activity 3.14 SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Quickwrite 1. As you read the novel Holes, you will take notes on Stanley s changing personality and growing realizations. On the graphic organizer below, record information you have about Stanley so far. Be sure to note page numbers. Chapters Appearance Actions What Stanley Says What Others Say Chapters 1 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapters 7 8 Chapters 9 10 Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 231

40 Activity 3.14 Tracing Stanley s Character 2. Write a topic sentence about Stanley s character at this point in the novel. Literary terms Textual evidence refers to quotations, summaries, or paraphrases from text passages to support a position. 3. Quickwrite: Predict how Stanley will change while he is at camp. Use textual evidence to support your prediction. 232 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

41 Writing a Letter Home Activity 3.15 SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Marking the Text, RAFT, Rereading, Drafting 1. In Chapter 9, Stanley begins writing the following letter to his mother. Highlight the parts of the letter that are true in one color and the parts that are not entirely true in a second color. Dear Mom, Today was my first day at camp, and I ve already made some friends. We ve been out on the lake all day, so I m pretty tired. Once I pass the swimming test, I ll get to learn how to water-ski. 2. Reread the entire letter Stanley writes to his mother. Why does Stanley lie to his mother? What kind of relationship do they seem to have? How can you tell? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 233

42 Activity 3.15 Writing a Letter Home You have been studying Stanley s character and describing him on your bookmark. You wrote in the voice of other characters when you described the new kid. Now you will write in a voice that is appropriate for the audience of your letter and your purpose for writing it. You will write in Stanley s voice, answering the letter from his mother. 3. Think about the people Stanley has come to know at camp. Stanley might feel comfortable telling his mother the whole truth about some of them. For others, he might slightly change the truth or leave out part of the truth. Complete the chart below. Refer to page numbers in your double-entry journal to help you locate information. The Whole Truth What Stanley Would Tell His Mother Armpit Magnet Zigzag Squid Zero X-Ray Mr. Sir Mr. Pendanski The Warden 234 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

43 Activity Note the important incidents (including the page numbers) that have occurred since Stanley s first day. Again, think about the whole truth versus what Stanley would tell his mother. Incidents (including page numbers) The Whole Truth What Stanley Would Tell His Mother Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 235

44 Activity 3.15 Writing a Letter Home 5. Now that you have thought about the people and incidents that Stanley might write about, write a letter to his mother to persuade her not to worry. Choose your words carefully, using hyperbole and emotional language to convince her that you are being treated well and are having fun. Be sure to maintain Stanley s point of view and his attitude or tone. (Refer to Activity 3.6 for the personal letter format.) Role Stanley, who does not want his mother to worry Audience Stanley s mother Format Letter Topic People he has met and activities he does at camp Date Salutation Body of the letter: In the first paragraph of the letter, thank your mother for her letter and respond to something in it. Write at least one paragraph describing the people you have gotten to know at camp, keeping your audience in mind. Continue by writing at least one paragraph describing some things that have happened at camp. Closing: Conclude your letter in a way that reflects the relationship Stanley has with his mother. Signature: Sign the letter (it appears that Stanley s mother forgot to do this step!). 236 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

45 Activity Practice addressing the envelope below with the information provided. Top Left: Sender s First and Last Name: Walter Gibson Sender s Street Address: 1985 Hughes Lane Sender s City, State, and ZIP code: Anytown, CA Center: Recipient s First and Last Name: Alison Bradbury Recipient s Street Address: 21 Reiner Street, 3B Recipient s City, State, and ZIP code: Faraway, NY Now make an envelope for Stanley s letter to his mother. Use your knowledge of Holes to complete the address as accurately as possible, although you will need to invent some parts. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 237

46 Activity 3.16 Filling in Stanley s Character SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Drafting 1. Continue to identify Stanley s changing personality and growing realizations. Use the notes you have taken on your bookmark and in your double-entry journal to help you. Record your thoughts on the graphic organizer below. Be sure to record page numbers. Chapters Appearance Actions Chapters What Stanley Says What Others Say About Stanley Chapters Chapters Chapters SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

47 Activity Writing Prompt: Draft a paragraph that demonstrates your understanding of Stanley s personality. First, write a topic sentence about Stanley s character. Complete the graphic organizer below providing details or examples and commentary to develop an outline of your ideas, as you did in Activity 3.5. In your concluding sentence, predict how Stanley is going to change. Write your draft on a separate paper, and save it in your Working Folder. Topic sentence:. Detail/Example 1 Commentary about Detail/Example 1 Detail/Example 2 Commentary about Detail/Example 2 Detail/Example 3 Commentary about Detail/Example 3 Concluding sentence: Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 239

48 Activity 3.17 Noticing Zero SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Quickwrite 1. Quickwrite: In Chapter 18, Zero asks Stanley to teach him how to read. Why do you think Zero feels comfortable enough with Stanley to reveal his secret wish? Why does Stanley turn Zero down? Can you think of any reasons other than the ones stated in the book? 2. You have already noticed Zero s character in Activities 3-13 and 3-16: The New Kid and Writing a Letter Home. Now, you will look more carefully at how Louis Sachar lets us get to know Zero. Remember that authors reveal character by the following methods: the character s appearance the character s actions what the character says what others say about the character. 3. Working with a small group, create a graphic organizer on poster paper on which you show how Zero is characterized in the chapter(s) your teacher assigns. Examine Chapters 5 18, noting the methods listed above, to gain a deeper understanding of Zero and his status at Camp Green Lake. Provide page numbers for your examples. Each group member should work on the poster and takes notes on his or her own paper. 4. As a group, present your poster to the class. Make sure that each person plays a part in the presentation of your group s ideas. 5. During the presentations, listen carefully to the ideas of the other groups and take notes about Zero. When all the presentations are concluded, think of words that describe Zero: his appearance, his actions, the things he says, and the things other characters say about him. 6. When you started writing descriptions of Stanley on your bookmark, you were instructed to leave the inside of your bookmark blank. At this time, you will begin taking notes about Zero on the inside of your bookmark. Write a heading like the one on the outside of your bookmark, but change the name to Zero. 240 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

49 The Boys of D Tent Activity 3.18 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Quickwrite, Discussion Groups, Prewriting, Notetaking The Social Ladder There is clearly a hierarchy of status among the boys at Camp Green Lake; even the adults know about it. As you watch a clip from the film version of Holes, you will see who is at the top and who is at the bottom of the social ladder. Try to figure out why. Word Connections The Greek root -arch- in hierarchy refers to a ruler or leader. It also appears in monarch and patriarch. Hier- comes from the Greek word for sacred. A hierarchy was once a government by officers of the Church. It now refers to an arrangement by rank. Which boy is at the top of the hierarchy at Camp Green Lake? How can you tell? Provide concrete details from the film for support. What skills, talents, characteristics, etc., put him at the top? How does Stanley interact with him? Which boy is at the bottom of the hierarchy at Camp Green Lake? How can you tell? Provide concrete details from the film for support. Why is he at the bottom? How does Stanley interact with him? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 241

50 Activity 3.18 The Boys of D Tent Fitting In In this same clip, we see Stanley begin to move from being the new arrival at Camp Green Lake to being one of The Boys from D Tent. How can you tell that Stanley is becoming one of the guys? Provide concrete details from the film for support. How does Stanley seem to feel about it? How can you tell? Provide concrete details from the film for support. How can you tell that Zero is not one of the guys? Provide concrete details from the film for support. How does Zero seem to feel about it? How can you tell? Provide concrete details from the film for support. 1. What does Zero ask of Stanley? 2. Based on what you have observed in this clip, why does Stanley say No? 242 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

51 Stanley and Zero Activity 3.19 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Summarizing/ Paraphrasing 1. You have traced the changes in Stanley s and in Zero s characters since the beginning of the novel. Now it is time to trace the change in the relationship between the two boys. On the chart below, write incidents that mark a change in their relationship, starting with Chapter 18 and continuing through Chapter 22. Give specific page numbers. The first one is done for you. Zero s Actions Toward Stanley Chapter 18, page 82 Zero asks Stanley to teach him to read. Stanley s Actions Toward Zero Chapter 18, page 82 Stanley says he can t help Zero. 2. After you read Chapter 32, you will come back to this graphic organizer, add notes to it, and write a statement about how Stanley s and Zero s relationship has changed. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 243

52 Activity 3.20 Kissin Kate Barlow SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Visualizing, Word Map, Graphic Organizer In Chapters 23 28, you will meet three new characters in a new subplot. On the chart below, keep track of these new characters by listing objects associated with them, things they say, things they do, and how they look. Write two precise adjectives under each name. You will use this information to create a symbolic drawing of one of the characters to explain to your classmates. Character Details (include page numbers) Katherine Barlow Charles Walker Sam SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

53 From Miss Katherine to Kissin Kate Activity 3.21 SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Notetaking, Close Reading When you read Chapters 23 28, you read a subplot of the novel, which was the story of Katherine Barlow. The film Holes handles Katherine s story a bit differently from the novel. In the film, short flashbacks of Katherine s story are woven in with Stanley s story. This means that the director must provide signals so that viewers will recognize the transition between the two story lines. You will watch all seven flashbacks about Katherine Barlow. During each flashback, pay attention to the following: the way in which the director signals the beginning and the ending of a flashback. the way the film presents the changes in Katherine Barlow s character. Flashback 1: The Work of an Angel In this clip, you will see a flashback to Green Lake as it was more than one hundred years before Stanley s time. Just as we use transitions in writing to help readers follow ideas, filmmakers use transitions to help viewers understand that the setting (time, place, or both) has changed. Notice the way the director transitions from Stanley s time to Miss Katherine s time. 1. What do you hear that sets the viewer up for a transition to the past? 2. What do you see that sets the viewer up for a transition to the past? Word Connections The Latin root trans- in transition means across or beyond. The word part appears in many English words, including transform, translate, transmit, transgress, and transport. 3. When one image or picture slowly fades away and another fades in to take its place, the film is using a dissolve. Complete this sentence: Flashback 1 begins with an image of, which dissolves into an image of. Your teacher will assign you one method of characterization to focus on as you watch the flashbacks. Take careful notes; you will become an expert on this method for a group of your classmates. Include specific details from the film to support your ideas. Word Connections The word dissolve can be used either as a noun or a verb. As a noun, a dissolve is a gradual fading used as a transition between scenes. As a verb, dissolve means to come to an end or to melt. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 245

54 Activity 3.21 From Miss Katherine to Kissin Kate Flashback 1 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. Flashback 2: It s a Deal Flashback 2 begins with an image of, which dissolves into an image of. Flashback 2 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. 246 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

55 Activity 3.21 Flashback 3: I Can Fix That Flashback 3 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. A song plays during Flashback 3. Listen to the words of the song and the way the song sounds. Why do you think this song was chosen for this scene? The song repeats Under my skin, I m just like you. Think back to Activity 3.7. How does this lyric relate to the view one might have of him- or herself (internal) and the view others might have (external)? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 247

56 Activity 3.21 From Miss Katherine to Kissin Kate Flashback 4: Give Me a Kiss Flashback 4 does not begin with a dissolve from Stanley s time to Miss Katherine s time. Instead, it cuts straight from Stanley s time to the townspeople burning Miss Katherine s school. Why do you think the filmmaker decided to use a different transition? Flashback 4 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. 248 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

57 Activity 3.21 Flashback 5: Miss Katherine s Revenge Flashback 5 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. Flashback 6: Kissin Kate Barlow Flashback 6 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 249

58 Activity 3.21 From Miss Katherine to Kissin Kate Flashback 7: Kissin Kate s Last Stand Flashback 7 Appearance Describe Miss Katherine s appearance, including her costume. Actions What do we see Miss Katherine doing? How does she act? What the Character Says What does Miss Katherine say? How does she say it? What Others Say About the Character Paraphrase their comments. Writing Prompt: Imagine that before she died next to Sam s boat, Kate Barlow had hidden her journal there. In the voice of Kate Barlow, create a journal with at least seven entries, one for each of the flashbacks. Show how her character has changed over time. Be sure to write about the incidents that caused her to change. Use your notes to help you capture Kate s experiences, thoughts, concerns, observations, feelings, and state of mind at these seven moments in the film. Remember to use I and write in first person. Revisit Activities 3.6 and 3.13 to review voice. Write the journal entries on separate paper, using the format shown below. Save your work in your Working Folder. Date and time: Thoughts: 250 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

59 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: RAFT, Drafting, Revising, Self-Editing, Peer-Editing, Sharing and Responding Embedded Assessment 1 Assignment Your assignment is to write two letters about an incident in Holes, one in the voice of one of the adults in the novel and one in the voice of one of the boys other than Stanley. Make sure the voice you use in each letter is consistent with the portrayal of that character in the book. Finally, write a reflective piece that explains the differences in word choice (diction) and character perspective between the two letters. Steps Prewriting 1. You have already written in the voices of characters from Holes, so begin by revisiting your prior work. First, look at Activity 3.13, The New Kid, in which you wrote about Stanley s arrival at Camp Green Lake from the perspective of one of the boys and of one of the adults. In this Embedded Assessment, you will again describe an incident, this time one of your choosing, from the perspective of two different characters. 2. In addition, review Activity 3.15, Writing a Letter Home, in which you wrote a letter from Stanley to his mother. Also review Activity 3.6, Walter Says Thank You, in which you wrote a letter in the voice of a grown-up Walter Dean Myers. RAFT was used in both of these activities. 3. Begin by highlighting the parts of these letters where you think you were particularly successful at capturing the voice of that character. 4. Make notes in the margin explaining what makes the highlighted parts most true to that character. You might notice, for example, that you effectively modeled his or her pattern of speaking, or that the words he or she says really reflect the character s way of thinking in the same way he or she is presented in the text. 5. Share your thoughts on your efforts to write in the voice of a character with a partner, and respond to his or her work as well. 6. Complete the following graphic organizer, which will help you choose an incident from Holes about which to write. You need to choose an incident that would interest at least one of the boys and one of the adults. You may want to choose an incident that the boys would view very differently from the adults. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 251

60 Embedded Assessment 1 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters Incident Chapter Why is this incident important? Which character(s) would be most interested in this incident? Why? Example: Stanley gives the lipstick tube that he finds to X-Ray instead of turning it in himself. 13 It s important to Stanley because X-Ray is the leader, so Stanley scores points with the leader. It s important to X-Ray because he has never found anything; he gets a day off. Zig Zag gets mad at Stanley, though. He tries to get Stanley in trouble from this point on. 252 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

61 Embedded Assessment 1 7. Once you have chosen your incident, reread it, and then identify the boy and the adult whose perspectives you would like to present. Use RAFT to help you plan. Role: Which boy have you chosen to write as? Audience: To whom will the boy write? Format Letter Topic: What incident will you write about? Role: Which adult have you chosen to write as? Audience: To whom will the adult write? Format Letter Topic: What incident will you write about? Drafting 8. Review the format of a letter, and then draft both letters. C Keep in mind that each of the letters you write will tell the story of the same incident in two very different ways. Consider using parallel structure to emphasize ideas of equal importance. C Write your letters, but do not sign them yet. If the voices of the two characters are true to their portrayal in the novel, your reader should be able to figure out who is the writer of each letter without being told. C This is an opportunity to rethink the use of active and passive voice for your letters. You might choose to use passive voice for effect in one of your letters. Be consistent in your use of active or passive voice throughout the letter. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 253

62 Embedded Assessment 1 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters 9. Use the graphic organizer below to help you analyze how you made the boy s voice different from the adult s voice in your letters. Then, on a separate paper, draft a reflection in which you explain your choices. Character Adult: The Character s Voice (words, phrases, expressions he or she uses, attitude) What the Character Would Say About the Incident Boy: Revising Through Self-Assessment 10. After you draft your letters, highlight the parts of the letters where you think you were particularly successful at capturing the voice of that character. Make notes in the margin explaining what makes the highlighted parts the most representative of that character. 11. Read both letters and your reflection softly to yourself, correcting any mistakes that you notice along the way. Make sure your letters and your reflection sound right. 12. Look for sentences where you might use parallel structure to emphasize ideas of equal importance. 13. Revisit the Assignment and the Scoring Guide and ask youself how successful you have been in meeting the criteria of the assignment. Make notes, either in the margin or by using sticky notes, of any additional changes you want to make. 254 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

63 Embedded Assessment 1 Revising Through Sharing and Responding 14. You and your partner will read your letters aloud to each other. Listen to your partner s letters and try to determine which character is the writer of each letter. Take notes below while you are listening. Boy s Letter I think the writer is Adult s Letter I think the writer is Which details from the letter fit with this character s way of seeing the world? Which details fit the character s personality? What words, phrases, or sentence structures sound like this character? 15. Read your partner s comments and your self-assessment. C Which parts of your letters and your reflection will you improve? C What specific changes will you make? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 255

64 Embedded Assessment 1 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters Editing for Publication 16. Make sure that you have followed correct letter-writing format. 17. Use all the tools available to you to create a draft that is as error-free as possible. 18. Following your teacher s directions for formatting and publishing, produce a publishable draft of your letters and your reflection. Creating a Reflective Response 19. Review the graphic organizer you completed on page 254 and the reflection you drafted at that point. Then, complete this graphic organizer to help you explain how you used diction (word choice) and character perspective to make the boy s letter different from the adult s letter. If you realize that you have not made the voices sound different from each other yet, revise accordingly. Boy s Letter Adult s Letter Diction Character Perspective 20. Revise your reflection on the choices you made as a writer to present two separate voices, one true to the way the boy is presented in Holes, the other true to the way the adult is presented. Explain why you made these choices. 256 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

65 Embedded Assessment 1 Scoring Guide Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Ideas The letters effectively tell the story of the same incident in two very different ways, creatively reflecting the personality of each character writing the letter. The letters include relevant, detailed, paraphrased evidence from the text to support the explanation of the incident. The letters tell the story of the same incident in two different ways, reflecting the personality of each character writing the letter. The letters include appropriate paraphrased evidence from the text to support the explanation of the incident. The letters may not tell the story of the same incident in two different ways or reflect the personality of each character writing the letter. Paraphrased evidence from the text to support the explanation of the incident is limited or may be missing. Organization The letters are well organized, containing an appropriate salutation, detailed body, and a closing with no errors in formatting. The letters are organized to include a salutation, a body, and a closing with only minor errors in formatting. The letters are not organized well or do not use appropriate letter format. Use of Language Each letter contains a consistent and distinct voice that provides a clear sense of the purpose, audience, tone, and context. Each letter contains an identifiable voice that provides a sense of the purpose, audience, tone, and context. The letters contain voice(s) that are unidentifiable and/ or inconsistent and do not convey purpose, audience, tone, or context. Conventions Specific and descriptive diction is used to create voice. Parallel structure is used effectively to emphasize equal importance of ideas. The letter is formatted and punctuated properly. Writing has few or no errors in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization. Specific and descriptive diction is attempted to create voice. Parallel structure is used to show equal importance of ideas. Proper format and punctuation of the letter are attempted. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization mistakes don t detract from the letter. Limited descriptive diction is used to create voice. Parallel structure attempted. The letter lacks proper format and punctuation. Readability is severely affected by multiple errors in punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 257

66 Embedded Assessment 1 Writing Letters in the Voices of Characters Scoring Guide Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Reflection The reflective response provides a clear distinction between the two letters as it identifies and explains the writer s word choice, sentence structure, and character perspective. The reflective response explains the difference between the two letters by noting the distinction in word choice, sentence structure, and character perspective. The reflective response does not identify, explain, or distinguish between the two letters. There is minimal or no reflection on word choice, sentence structure, and/or character perspective. Evidence of the Writing Process The letters reflect appropriate revisions that are consistent with the characters. The letters reflect surfacelevel revisions that are consistent with the characters. The letters reflect minimal, if any, evidence of revision appropriate to the characters. Extensive evidence reflects the various stages of the writing process. Evidence reflects the various stages of the writing process. Little or no evidence reflects the stages of the writing process. Additional Criteria Comments: 258 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

67 Learning Focus: What Is Literary Analysis? Have you ever heard the saying don t judge a book by its cover? If so, you probably understand that this question urges us to look beyond the surface of something to find what is important or meaningful beyond that first glance. Looking beneath the surface is exactly what literary analysis means. To analyze literature is to understand that writers make conscious choices about creating characters, settings, and conflicts. You already know that writers of short stories, novels, and plays create characters and put them in conflict situations. When you write a literary analysis, you show that you appreciate and understand how writers express an idea or theme through the way a character responds to a conflict. Characterization is the way a writer creates a believable person. The way a writer describes a character s appearance, actions, speech, and others opinions about the character reveals the motives, feelings, and inner life of the character. Characterization allows a reader to see and hear the person on the page. To understand and appreciate how writers do this is the art of analysis, which can help you in the art of creating your own stories. Just as painters express ideas and feelings by arranging colors and images on a canvas, writers convey emotions and ideas through the skillful arrangement of words. Considering language this way leads you to a deeper understanding of what you read. For example, you might analyze a text to show how thematic concepts such as change, love, and friendship are developed through characters, plots, and conflicts. When you think deeply about concepts like these, you can make connections to your own relationships and experiences. In this part of the unit, you will show your understanding by analyzing fictional characters who are put in new settings and face difficult conflicts that change them forever. Your analysis of the changes that characters face will help you become aware of and appreciate the changes you have encountered in your own life. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 259

68 Activity 3.22 Visualizing Vocabulary SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: QHT, Skimming/Scanning After reading through Chapter 38, review the underlined words in the following quotations. Then work with a partner to decide what the words mean. Use context clues in the sentences, and feel free to go back to the novel and scan the text to find the larger context of the word s use. When you have decided on a definition, each of you will create a set of flashcards. On one side of an index card, write the definition, and on the other side write the word and draw or paste a picture that represents the word s definition. Once you have created the flashcards, pair with another student and explain the word s definition based on the visual cue on each other s flashcards. Chapter/Page Chapter 24 Page 105 Quotation No one dared to look at his grotesque face. Chapter 29 Page 129 But the image of the fist and thumb remained in Stanley s head. Chapter 34 Page 152 Chapter 35 Page 157 It was a mirage caused by the shimmering waves of heat rising off the dry ground. It was a warm, bubbly, mushy nectar, sweet and tangy. Chapter 36 Page 165 Chapter 36 Page 166 Chapter 37 Page 167 Chapter 38 Page 171 Chapter 38 Page 171 Stanley cupped his hands together, and Zero stepped on his interwoven fingers. Zero had deep gashes in both hands. Instead they zigzagged back and forth, increasing their altitude by small increments every time they changed direction. As the ground flattened, a huge stone precipice rose up ahead of him, just barely visible in the moonlight. Zero s head knocked against the back of his shoulder as he fell and tumbled into a small muddy gully. 260 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

69 The Lifeline Activity 3.23 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Double-Entry Journal, Graphic Organizer, Predicting, Summarizing/Paraphrasing, Drafting Stanley and Zero experience extreme highs and lows in Chapters of Holes. To make these high and low experiences visual, create a graphic to show a lifeline of the incidents in these chapters. Plot the incidents according to the level of emotional impact each incident has on Stanley and Zero. Choose the most important incidents (which could be internal as well as external) to represent, and place them in chronological order on the lifeline. Some incidents are provided for you. Positive Stanley and Zero find treasure (Chapter 44) Neutral Negative Zero runs away (Chapter 30) Stanley crashes the truck (Chapter 32) Positive Neutral Negative Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 261

70 Activity 3.24 Hector Zeroni SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Double-Entry Journal, Discussion Groups, Skimming/Scanning, Word Map 1. It seems that there is more to Zero than others realized. If you were going to write a character analysis of him, you might write about the difference between what others think of Zero and how Zero really is. Use your adjectives bookmark to help you complete this thesis statement. Use parallelism and descriptive adjectives to describe Zero. Everyone at Camp Green Lake seems to think that Zero is,, and, but he is actually,, and & Grammar Usage The importance of parallel structure in this sentence is that it emphasizes opposites presented in the same order.. If you were writing a character analysis essay on Zero, you would begin with an introduction. The introduction has the important job of grabbing the reader s attention and indicating the topic. Your thesis statement, which lets the reader understand what your essay is about, will appear somewhere in your introduction. 2. Sometimes the hardest part of writing an introduction is getting started. When you are writing about a character, one way to grab your reader s attention is to begin with a quotation from the novel. Here is an example of an introduction that begins with a quote: Even you, Zero. You re not completely worthless, said Mr. Pendanski, the counselor at Camp Green Lake. In Louis Sachar s novel, Holes, Mr. Pendanski is always telling the boys at Camp Green Lake that they deserve respect. Unfortunately, even Mr. Pendanski does not seem to believe that Zero deserves respect. People at Camp Green Lake seem to think that Zero is,, and, but he is actually,, and. 3. Identify the five elements in the introduction above by marking the text as indicated. a. Underline the quotation from the novel. b. Put a box around the name of the character whose words are quoted. c. Circle the title of the novel. d. Put a star next to the author s name. e. Highlight the thesis statement. 262 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

71 Activity Scan back through the novel to find other quotations that could begin an introduction similar to this one. See if you can find quotes that go well with the adjectives you have chosen for the thesis statement. List the quotes here. Then, practice writing an introduction for an essay about Zero on separate paper. Be sure to include all five elements that you identified in the model introduction. Grammar & Usage When you incorporate quotations from a text into your writing, remember the following: Copy the text exactly. Place quotation marks around the exact words from the text, whether or not they are a speaker s words. if you insert any explanatory information in the quotation, place brackets around it. 5. Save your introduction in your Working Folder; you will revisit it later in the unit. Word Connections Complete the analogy with one of the choices given. Poem : stanza :: a. paragraph : sentence b. baseball bat : tennis racket c. home : house d. vegetable : green bean Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 263

72 Activity 3.25 Evolution of the Caveman SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Graphic Organizer, Think-Pair- Share, Word Map, Brainstorming Word Connections Evolution contains the Latin root -volv-, which means to roll or to turn. 1. You have seen Stanley change in some significant ways. Think about how, and even more important, why Stanley has changed. Write the changes in the appropriate rows on the chart below, and label each change as internal or external. The prefix e- means out or out of. To evolve means to roll out or to unroll. The suffix -tion is a noun suffix. Involuntary Changes (no control) Reason for Change Voluntary Changes (some control) Reason for Change 264 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

73 Activity Now, think about Stanley s changes in terms of their importance. List three or four of the most important changes in Stanley, the ones that are likely to change him for the rest of his life. Use your adjective bookmark to help you describe Stanley before and after. At the Beginning of Holes By the End of Holes Sentence Models In Embedded Assessment 2, you will write an essay about Stanley. Transitions, which establish the relationship between one thought and the next, guide your readers through an essay. You may create transitions by repeating the key words and ideas throughout your essay. In addition, you may use certain common words and phrases that signal a transition. 3. Use your notes from both charts to fill in the model sentences below. a. at the beginning of the novel Stanley was, but because of, he is by the end of the novel. b. at first, Stanley was, but as a result of & Grammar Usage Some common transitional words and phrases include because, although, in contrast, therefore, as a result, on the other hand, for example, more important, most of all, similarly. Clear transitions help you present coherent writing. Coherence is the clear and orderly presentation of ideas. the end., he became in Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 265

74 Activity 3.25 Evolution of the Caveman 4. Highlight the words in the preceding model sentences that tell when. These are transitions that show the passage of time. Other transition words you could use to show time include then, finally, again, and next. List additional transitional words that tell when things happened. 5. You figured out that most of the changes in Stanley were caused by something in particular. Highlight the words in the model sentences from the previous page that show cause and effect. Other transitional words that you can use to show cause and effect include since, therefore, and consequently. List additional transitional words that show cause and effect. 6. In the conclusion to your essay, you will restate your thesis. Rewrite your two model sentences, summarizing the changes in Stanley as you would do in the conclusion to an essay. a. b. 7. In a conclusion, besides restating the thesis of your essay, you may predict how these changes would affect Stanley s future. Brainstorm ways you think the changes in Stanley will affect his future. 8. Another way to conclude your essay, after restating your thesis, is to make a connection between the book and real life that supports your thesis. Brainstorm some connections. 266 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

75 Writing a Character Analysis Essay SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Revisiting Prior Work, Drafting, Revising, Marking the Draft, Self-Editing, Peer-Editing, Sharing and Responding Embedded Assessment 2 Assignment Your assignment is to write a character analysis essay about the changes that take place in Stanley Yelnats, many of which occur as a result of his friendship with Hector Zeroni. You should focus more on the internal changes that Stanley experiences; however, you may include external changes that Stanley experiences, as well. Use concrete details from the novel as textual evidence to support your statements. Steps Prewriting 1. Begin by examining the ways in which Stanley has changed. You have already considered some of the many changes in Stanley as you completed Activity 3.25, Evolution of the Caveman. Review your work, along with other activities you have completed, that helped you analyze Stanley s character. Complete the graphic organizer below to help you pinpoint how Stanley has changed. Label each change as internal or external. Concrete Details from the Text, with Page Numbers What does Stanley look like? At the Beginning of Holes By the End of Holes How does he act? What does he do? What do others say about him? What does he say (and think) about himself? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 267

76 Embedded Assessment 2 Writing a Character Analysis Essay Planning 2. Use the following outline to guide you as you plan the organization and the evidence to include in your essay. More specific directions follow the outline. Keep your purpose in mind as you write this first draft. A. The introduction includes a thesis statement. B. Each body paragraph includes a topic sentence and sentences with supporting details and commentary. Since commentary is your analysis, you may include more commentary than details or examples in your character-analysis essay. Topic Sentence: an idea supporting the thesis. Example/Detail 1 from the text Commentary about Example/Detail 1 analysis of the example Example/Detail 2 from the text Commentary about Example/Detail 2 analysis of the example Example/Detail 3 from the text Commentary about Example/Detail 3 analysis of the example C. Concluding Sentence: a look back at the thesis, a look forward to the future, and/or a reflection on the significance of the thesis idea. 3. Consider language as you begin. Literary analysis essays are most often written in third-person point of view. That is, you do not use I statements in your commentary. For example, if you want to say I think Stanley changed significantly, you simply write your sentence as Stanley changed significantly. Drafting 4. Begin your essay with an introduction that includes a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should clearly state that Stanley Yelnats has experienced some significant changes throughout the course of the novel and indicate what may have contributed to those changes. Remember that one way to begin your introduction is with a quotation from the novel, as you practiced Activity 3.24, Hector Zeroni. Also, make a conscious effort to use verbs in the active voice. You may use passive voice if it contributes to an effect you want to achieve. 5. Begin the first body paragraph with a topic sentence describing Stanley at the beginning of the novel. Use at least three details or examples from the beginning of the novel. Then provide commentary on how the details support your topic sentence. Use transitions to show when or why things happened. 268 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

77 Embedded Assessment 2 6. Begin your next paragraph with a topic sentence stating how Zero affects Stanley s change. Ask yourself, How does Stanley s friendship with Zero make him a better person? In the rest of this paragraph, provide textual support for your opinion. Use at least three details you have noted in your graphic organizer about the relationship between Stanley and Zero in Activity 3.19, Stanley and Zero. Explain the importance of the details with commentary. Include transitions that show cause and effect. 7. Next, start your last body paragraph with a topic sentence stating how Stanley s character has changed by the end of the novel. Then, complete the paragraph using at least three details and examples from the novel, and include commentary on how these details support your topic sentence. 8. In your conclusion, restate your thesis. You can also think ahead to Stanley s future, or you can connect the book to real life or to a universal idea such as friendship in a way that supports your thesis. Revising Through Self-Assessment 9. What did you do to immediately grab readers attention in your introduction? 10. Write your best description of Stanley, one that uses precise adjectives supported with concrete examples from Holes. 11. Did you leave any descriptions unsupported, or did you use vague descriptors? If so, how will you revise to improve these descriptions? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 269

78 Embedded Assessment 2 Writing a Character Analysis Essay 12. Summarize your ideas about how Stanley has changed through the course of the novel. 13. Summarize your ideas about how Zero influenced the changes in Stanley. 14. What do you consider to be the strongest part of your essay? Why? 15. Read your character analysis essay softly to yourself, correcting mistakes that you notice along the way. Make sure your essay sounds right. 16. Compare the draft of your essay to the graphic organizers you completed and the outline of an essay provided for you. You might use colored pencils to underline the different parts of the outline to make sure they are all addressed in your essay. You might have changed your mind about some of your ideas once you got started writing, but be sure to check to see if you left out any important elements of a character analysis essay. If any elements are missing or need more development, revise accordingly. 17. Mark your draft as follows to determine where you may still need revision: a. Highlight the following elements in your essay (you may want to use different colors): C Transitions (words or phrases) to help your reader follow your essay. C Descriptive details with precise adjectives and action verbs. if you have a small amount of highlighting, you probably want to revise. b. revisit the Assignment and the Scoring Guide and ask youself how successful you have been in meeting the criteria of the assignment. Make notes, either in the margin or by using sticky notes, of any additional changes you want to make. 270 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

79 Embedded Assessment List the changes you want to implement to improve the final draft of your essay. Revising Through Sharing and Responding 19. Exchange papers with another student. Read your classmate s essay very carefully; then respond to these questions/directions for your classmate. C Was I able to immediately grab your attention in my introduction? Show me the sentence. Do you have any suggestions to make it stronger? C read to me what you consider to be my best description of Stanley, where I used precise adjectives that are supported by ideas with concrete examples from Holes. C Did I leave any descriptions unsupported or use descriptors that were unclear? If so, where? C Summarize my opinion about how Stanley changed throughout the course of the novel. C Did you find yourself lost or confused at any point in my essay? If yes, read to me the confusing sentence(s). C What did you like best about my essay? 20. Read your partner s comments and your self-assessment. Which parts of your character analysis will you improve? What specific improvements will you make? Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 271

80 Embedded Assessment 2 Writing a Character Analysis Essay Editing and Publishing 21. Rewrite your draft, incorporating the changes you identified. 22. Remember to use the Word Wall for synonyms for the word change and to check your use of words as well as their spellings. Use all the other tools available to you to create a draft that is as error-free as possible. 23. To create a publishable draft, you must edit your work to make it as errorfree as possible. Pay particular attention to the capitalization of names and titles, as well as punctuation. Remember to use parallel structure and to punctuate quotations correctly. 24. Following your teacher s directions for formatting and publishing, produce a publishable draft of your character analysis essay. TECHNOLOGY TIP If you are using word processing software, it is easy to add headings that can help guide a reader through your essay. For example, you may want to use standalone headings (such as Editing and Publishing above) or a run-in heading that is often followed by a colon and the first line of the paragraph. 272 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

81 Embedded Assessment 2 Scoring Guide Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Ideas The content shows a sophisticated response to the prompt by an insightful analysis of Stanley s character and its relationship to the thematic concept of change. The thesis and topic sentences are supported with embedded quotes, examples, and an in-depth analysis of the claims made. The content shows an adequate response to the prompt by appropriately analyzing Stanley s character and the concept of change. The thesis and topic sentences are supported with relevant examples from the novel and an analysis of the claims made. The content does not appropriately respond to the prompt. A limited analysis of characterization and the concept of change exists or may be replaced by a plot summary. The thesis and topic sentences are limited; the examples from the novel are not appropriate and the analysis is minimal. Organization Use of Language The essay is skillfully designed and contains the following: a strong introduction with an effective hook and thesis body paragraphs with topic sentences and transitions to provide coherence an insightful conclusion that discusses the larger ideas of change expressed in the novel. Word choice is effective and descriptive throughout the essay. Parallel sentence structure is used appropriately. Sentences are complete and varied. Essay is written in thirdperson point of view. It contains no I statements. The essay is structured and contains the following: an introduction with a hook and thesis body paragraphs, topic sentences, and transitions an insightful conclusion. Word choice is appropriate and, at times, descriptive. Parallel sentence structure is used. Sentences are complete. Most of the essay is written in third-person point of view. It avoids I statements. The essay is not structured and is missing one or more of the following: an introduction with a hook and thesis body paragraphs, topic sentences, and transitions an effective conclusion. Word choice is forced, vague, and/or repetitive. It detracts from the paper. Parallel sentence structure is not used. A significant number of incomplete sentences impact the fluency of the writing. Essay does not maintain third-person point of view and contains I statements. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 273

82 Embedded Assessment 2 Writing a Character Analysis Essay Scoring Guide Scoring Criteria Exemplary Proficient Emerging Conventions Direct quotations are punctuated and formatted properly. Direct quotations may contain minor punctuation or formatting errors. Direct quotations contain many punctuation or formatting errors. Writing contains few or no errors in spelling, punctuation, or capitalization. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization mistakes do not detract from the essay. Spelling, punctuation, or capitalization mistakes detract from meaning and/ or readability. Evidence of Writing Process Extensive evidence reflects the various stages of the writing process. Evidence reflects the various stages of the writing process. Little or no evidence reflects the stages of the writing process. 274 SpringBoard English Textual Power Level 1

83 Portfolio Activity: Using Concrete Details Activity 3.26 SUGGESTED Learning Strategies: Marking the Text, Rereading, Revising, Revisiting Prior Work 1. In this unit, you and your classmates have expanded your understanding of words, many of which are displayed on the Word Wall. From that list, choose words that you would like to be sure to use in your writing and speech and add these keeper words to your Vocabulary Notebook. 2. In this unit, you practiced using concrete details or examples from a text and elaborated on them with commentary. Go back through your Working Folder and your Portfolio for Units 1 3 and find three pieces in which you wrote about a text that you had read or viewed. 3. Use a highlighter to mark the concrete details you provided as textual support for your ideas. 4. Select one of the three pieces that would best benefit from revision, and revise it by adding details, examples, and commentary. 5. Place your revised work in your Working Folder. Unit 3 Changes in Self-Perception 275