Write Like ThisCh. 6 Analyze and Interpret

Model Text

Share excerpts from a book such as Dave Cullen’s Columbine (the definitive account of the school shootings at Columbine High School) to show students that when authors analyze and interpret information they are using

information to form original ideas – not just summarizing.

Moving Students into Analysis & Interpretation Did you know that the nursery rhyme “Jack & Jill” was inspired

by King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette? Discuss, then ask students to come up with plausible

interpretations for other nursery rhymes, such as: “Humpty Dumpty” “Little Miss Muffet” “London Bridge is Falling Down” “Baa Baa Black Sheep” “Jack Be Nimble” “Ladybug, Ladybug”

Afterwards, have students read the actual interpretations on:

http://rhymes.org.uk/index.htm

Moving Students into Analysis & Interpretation Show students this chart by

Phillip Niemeyer, which symbolically captures American life in the first decade of the twenty-first century.

This chart contains the three essential elements of analyzing and interpreting:

1. It helps the reader gain a better understanding of something.

2. It takes a subject apart and closely examines how it trends.

3. It considers the societal context involved.

Have students work in groups to create charts of their own. Here are two examples.

A Chart Interpreting Romeo & Juliet A Chart Interpreting a Student’s 4 Years of High School

Moving Students into Analysis & Interpretation

If we want our students to be able to analyze and interpret, we have to teach them to really look (no more, “I read it once – I’m done”).

To demonstrate this, show the following image

for five seconds. Then have students jot down what they

remember about the image. Show them the image again and discuss what

they notice after a second look. (This image

actually contains ninety-eight “hidden” items.) Explain that analyzing and interpreting usually

begin only after a second (or third) look.

Moving Students into Analysis & Interpretation To move students into analysis and interpretation, present them

with the following painting.

Use the “multiple looks” procedure with this one too, moving students from literal interpretations to more symbolic ones.

Multiple interpretations should be welcomed, but they must be supported by specific reasons.

A chart to use for interpretation of The Surrender:

Analysis and Interpretation of Poetry Students will read the poem a number

of times, each with a different purpose: 1st reading – identify confusing words

and phrases, then discuss. 2nd reading – Mark what you notice

after the second reading that was not noticed last time, then discuss.

3rd reading – Mark what you notice after the third reading that was not noticed last time, then discuss.

4th reading – Try to imagine what might have motivated the poet to write this poem. Generate questions. Consider the context (historical, societal, religious, etc.) in which it was written. Show your thinking about the poem.

Writing – Analysis & Interpretation Comparison and contrast lends itself naturally to analysis

and interpretation. Gallagher recommends beginning with the mentor essay, “A

Tale of Two Little Leaguers” by Rick Reilly. Available here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?id=4406915 Then ask students to brainstorm alternative topics, “A Tale of

Two __________”. Ask them to consider situations they have experienced in

which someone handled the situation well, while another person handled a similar situation poorly. Consider teachers, coaches, parents, friends, siblings or celebrities.

Psst… the reading objective for December 9-13 is analyzing similarities and differences!

More Ideas to Encourage Analytical and Interpretive Writing

“Who is to blame?” – pick a major problem and have students analyze who is to blame. Consider the following: Who is to blame for the decline of reading? Who is to blame for childhood obesity? Who is to blame for the economic crisis? Who is to blame for the tragic outcomes in Romeo and Juliet or

Macbeth?

Students should be asked to do more than assign blame, they should be asked to explain why this blame is assigned. Doing so requires them to analyze and interpret.

Use games such as “Table Topics – Book Club” or “iMAgiNiff” to spark analytical discussions and writing.

Have students interpret aphorisms such as “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” – Andy McIntyre. The following website is a great resource for aphorisms:

http://www.flintstories.com/aphorisms.php Ask students to interpret the connections between seemingly

dissimilar issues, such as: The connection between the number of books in your house and your

chance for success in school. The connection between your test scores and your physical health. The connection between the environment and cancer. The connection between your age when you get married and the

chances the marriage will succeed.

More Ideas to Encourage Analytical and Interpretive Writing

Reference

Gallagher, K. (2011). Write like this: Teaching real-world writing through modeling and mentor texts. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse Publishers.