Transcript Close and Critical Reading - Michigan's Mission: Literacy

CRAFT
Craft and Structure
Digging Deeper into
Close and Critical Reading for
Narrative and Informational Text
Referring back to the four questions of
Close and Critical Reading…
• What does it say? = summary
• How does it say it? = craft
• What does it mean? = theme
• What does it matter? = connections
How does it say it?
This is the most challenging. This is
where the teacher determines if
students dissected the selection
to see how the parts functioned.
Student task:
detect craft and structure
Ingredients + recipe…
How did
crust,
sauce,
cheese,
meat and
vegetables
make this!
How do Craft and Structure work?
Craft
What are the ingredients?
• What are the elements
in use?
• What literary devices?
• How do the choices
support purpose and
audience?
Structure
What is the recipe?
• How is the text put
together?
• What format was
chosen?
• How do parts work
together and apart?
Basic Elements of Craft
Essential Question: How did the author’s
choices produce this work?
We look to a seemingly endless
supply of literary devices to
dissect what goes into a
selection.
Where do we start?
What was the author’s purpose?
What was the author’s tone and
perspective?
Who was his intended audience?
What is the point of view (1st, 2nd
or 3rd person)?
Ready to go to the next level?
What genre of text does the selection
represent?
1. Fiction: narrative selections such as fantasy, mystery,
sci-fi, historical fiction, adventure, romance, drama,
poetry…
2. Nonfiction: memoir, biography, journals…
Informational Text: periodicals, articles, textbooks,
scientific journals, reference material and any
information on the natural and social world
If the selection is NARRATIVE…
There should be some discussion of:
• Plot – How did major events unfold?
• Setting – How does the “where and when” impact
the story?
• Theme – What is the “universal truth” in the story?
• Characterization – How do details make characters
life-like?
• Conflict – What kind of conflict is used?
(man versus self, other characters, society, or nature)
If the selection is INFORMATIONAL…
There should be some discussion of:
• Organization – cause & effect; comparison & contrast;
problem/solution; sequence; fact & opinion; theory/evidence
• Appearance – numbered items, bulleted
points, subheadings, captions, footnotes
• Use of Visual Aids – charts, graphs, tables,
inserts, figures, maps, diagrams, pictures…
• Use of Font – changes in style, size or color
In either genre these elements are
common:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Imagery – pictures created by words
Style –accessible, technical, action-packed…
Symbolism – concept represented
Irony – unexpected twist
Foreshadowing – hints at future
Flashback – reflections on past
Common elements continued…
• Language and Word Choice – slang,
formal, dialect, foreign or tech. terms
• Simile – compares using “like” “as”
• Metaphor – compares using “is/are”
• Mood – reader’s feeling afterwards
• Tone – author’s attitude
In either genre these devices are
possible:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Allusion - reference to other literature
Analogy - relating concepts based on similarity
Aphorism – “old saying”
Euphemism – milder terms used for the unpleasant
Paradox – contradictions used for effect
Parallelism – repeating word patterns for effect
Satire – mocking a serious subject
Note: there are dozens of literary devices not listed
Basic Types of Structure
• Cause and Effect - “B” is the result of “A” with a
causal chain possible
• Comparison and Contrast – point by point or subject
by subject views are shared (effect size of 1.61)
• Problem and Solution – the problem is explained
and at least one possible solution offered
• Sequential – events are told in order of occurrence
• Fact versus opinion – weighed side by side
• Theory versus evidence – deeper than opinion and
tested with results
Carefully selected the structure plays a
major role in impact.
Consider Cause and Effect…
“For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
And all because of a horseshoe nail…”
Types of Appeal
• Rational – appeals to the thinking, logical side
of the reader. It makes sense to me. (head)
• Emotional – appeals to the empathetic side of
the reader. It makes me feel… (heart)
• Ethical – appeals to the right & wrong/values
of the reader. It makes me want to act. (gut)
Activity:
Let’s practice. Read the passage.
The first time she sang in public was in the church. The
pastor said she had a voice as big as Carnegie Hall. A
local talent show brought her to the attention of a
record label at age 15. Her first recording went gold
in just a few days. By the time she was 20, she was
branching out to do movies. If others were stars, she
was the moon, making memories from melodies.
Critics compared her to Judy Garland and Whitney
Houston. When her career started to fade by age 30,
she was finding comfort in pills and alcohol.
What did you decide for:
• Genre
nonfiction and biography
• Purpose
to inform ( to entertain due to celebrity)
• Audience
music fans
• Point of View (POV)
3rd person observer
What other decisions…
• Tone
Author seems positive and understanding
• Literary Devices
Simile: as big as Carnegie hall
Metaphor: she was the moon
Alliteration: moon making memories…melodies
Foreshadowing: tragic endings of Garland & Houston
• Structure
Passage is organized sequentially.
What are the benefits of mastering
craft & structure as a reader?
The Common Core State Standards will have
their own computer-adaptive test by 2015.
Any student exposed to digital curriculum
(NWEA, Apex Learning, online instruction) will
be expected to respond to questions about
how the structure of the passage had an
impact on the reader. Good writers know this.
Direct, Explicit Comprehension Instruction – Reading Next, 2006
What are the benefits of mastering
craft & structure as a writer?
Students develop an appreciation for the writing
process. They analyze the assignment, decide
their purpose, acknowledge audience, and
choose a point of view. Once they determine
their attitude towards the subject, all the
other choices are made as support.
Writers invert the skills used as a reader.
Specific Product Goals; Inquiry Activities - Writing Next, 2007
What is the take-away?
• Craft is about selecting
elements in the
composing of a passage
• Structure is the frame
and space to interact
for those elements
• Together they form a
unique representation
to support author and
reader
Crafted and Presented by
Beverly Dawn Whatley, Literacy Specialist
November 2012
Pictures: Bing Images All Rights Reserved