Being an essay

Essay question:

It is possible to live in two cultures, but it is not easy.

Write the title of the essay in your “title” space on the planning sheet.

Discuss

What is your opinion about this? Can people live in two cultures, or perhaps between two?

Talk about it

Is it possible? Thesis statement

Can you express your opinion on this question firmly?

Write your opinion down in one definite sentence on the exclamation side of your card

Be ready to read it out

!

Brainstorming body paragraphs

Make a statement and provide an example to prove that it is possible to live in more than one culture.

Write the statement beside the “S” and the evidence beside the “E” on the “bright idea” side of the card but don’t share it at this point. S

E

E

Sharing ideas

Walk around silently and read everyone else’s card

Planning

Choose the six best ideas to use as body paragraphs in your essay

How will you choose?

Criteria

Reasons for an idea being chosen

It shows: A perceptive understanding of the topic

Sufficient detail, development and support to help prove it.

Body paragraphs

Six chosen people - write a paragraph first using your Statement, then your Evidence and finally an Explanation of how these prove the thesis statement

S

E

E

Conclusion

You already have the firm statement to be proven written first in the paragraph.

Now sum up your main arguments (the six best ideas) after the statement.

Introduction

Make a general statement about the issue of living in two cultures as a lead in for the reader.

Finish with the firm statement (already written in the conclusion) that it is/is not possible.

Organisation

Now make a line holding your cards.

What order should you be in?

Why?

Come to an agreement on your order in the line yourselves.

Criteria

On what basis did you decide?

Perform your essay

Loudly and clearly and with much conviction read out your part of the essay without a pause between sections.

Reflection

Take a moment to write on your planning sheet what you have learned about structuring an essay.

Do you think it will help you to plan in the future?

This plan can be adapted for any use

For teachers

Compare/contrast Follow the same procedure through

Beginning with a c/c question e.g. Is it better to live completely in the adopted culture or to try to live in both?

Firm up an answer

Then decide upon a pattern to plan your body paragraphs. It will be one of two:

A1,B1,C1 – When each body paragraph concentrates on only one criterion and speaks about it exhaustively, giving the positive, the negative and

the balanced view which encompasses both, e.g. The security of keeping to one’s own ways Or A1,A2,A3B1,B2,B3– When each body paragraph has evidence for perhaps three criteria to

be compared, e.g. exploring new foods, attending festivals, and accepting that this

is where you actually live.

Compare/contrast Criteria for choosing body paragraphs are the same.

When brainstorming body paragraphs it will be necessary to fit the S,E and E into the patterns.

If the class is big enough, two versions can be chosen to work through to performance; one from pattern #1 or #2

The conclusion also begins with the thesis statement and reminds the reader of the arguments made.

The introduction likewise finishes with the thesis statement

N.B. It is fun to have the same intro and conclusion for both patterns and it shows students that either pattern is a real choice.

Organisation again is the same but for two sets of people, on for each pattern.

Criteria for organisation is the same.

Each pattern can then perform their essays and reflect on process and pattern

ExpositoryThe process is identical until order of body

paragraphsHere, the criteria for order of body

paragraphs is sequential and logical, adding to strong argument.

Commentary

Can be chronological or thematic depending upon the piece.

i.e. poetry lends itself to chronological throughout the piece; although not exclusively.

It is fun to have students take a particular element of literary practice i.e. imagery, tone etc. and build a paragraph around it.

Decisions on order of body paragraphs are crucial and provoke important discussions about what suits best and what sounds best.

Response to literature

Depending upon the question these essays can be c/c, argumentative, or persuasive.

Elements of commentary can be used also as students become more familiar with paragraphs written in that form.

Building body paragraphs in these essays requires more extensive treatment of quotations and an extra step can be written in before ordering body paragraphs to facilitate this.

Response to literature The extra step would come before the body paragraph slide, would be titled “Steps to a body paragraph”, and would be shaped thus: Write a paragraph using your statement and choose appropriate quotations from the text to support it. Try to introduce the quotation as smoothly into the

paragraph as possible and remember to use only those words which

best support what your statement is saying.Another step needs adding here: Now choose from the quotation sentences the best/ smoothest ways to introduce quotations Then proceed to finishing the body paragraphs in the

usual way.

Enjoy essays in movement