Transcript Non-Fiction - Eaton Rapids Public Schools

Nonfiction
English 9 A
Nonfiction Element Autobiographies and Biographies
• A biography is the written story of a life.
– The writer must research the person’s life and
write in a way that makes what happened
come to life for us.
• An autobiography is the written story of
the writer’s own life.
– Since the writer is writing about himself or
herself, research is not needed. The writer
usually writes in a way that allows us to see
his or her personal thoughts and emotions.
Nonfiction Element –
Objectivity or Subjectivity?
• Objectivity is an unbiased account that is
not based on the writer’s thoughts.
– Objectivity is important in autobiographies.
• Subjectivity is open to the writer’s
interpretation of the events.
– Subjectivity is important in biographies.
For more information, read page 355 in your textbook.
“When I Lay My Burden Down”
Page 356
• “When I Lay My Burden Down” is an
excerpt from Maya Angelou’s
autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings. This portion of the story takes place
in 1938.
– Her parents divorced when she was four.
– Moved from California to Stamps, Arkansas.
• Stamps was a typical segregated southern town.
– She quickly begins to call her grandmother,
“Momma”, and works alongside her in
Momma’s general store.
“When I Lay My Burden Down”
Assignment
• Answer 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 from the book.
• Complete the Reading Check from the
book.
“The Best Gift of My Life”
page 395
• “I think my idea of heaven when I was a
kid was Christy Sanders’s home.”
– What does this tell you about the author and
her desires?
• At the beginning of the story, the author
compares and contrasts her home and
Christy Sanders’s home.
– What are comparisons and contrasts?
“The Best Gift of My Life”
Assignment
• Questions 1- 6 from the book.
• Complete the reading check from the
book.
Nonfiction Element - Essays
• The term essay comes from the French
word essais which means “tries” or
“attempts”.
• Read page 399 from your textbook to
learn about the history of essays.
“Darkness at Noon” Page 454
• This is an essay that is filled with
anecdotes.
• An anecdote is a brief story used to make
a point or provide an example.
– “Darkness at Noon” is filled with anecdotes.
• Based on the title “Darkness at Noon”,
what can you guess the essay is about?
“Darkness at Noon” Assignment
• Answer questions 1-4 from the book.
• Complete the Reading Check from the
book.
Nonfiction Element - Writer’s
Purpose
•
Nonfiction writing is divided into four
main categories.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Exposition
Description
Narration
Persuasion
Nonfiction Element - Exposition
• Exposition is a method of writing that
explains or informs.
– “Judo throws require both precise timing and
exact balance. At this level (yellow belt) there
is always a slight possibility that the
participants have insufficient agility or
coordination.”
• Answers, “What is it, and how does it
work?”
Nonfiction Element - Description
• Description is writing that uses images to
help us experience something with our
senses.
– “The air conditioner in the gym was broken,
and the place was like a giant oven. Jim was
sweating heavily after the last throw. Terry
lunged for Jim but his fingers slipped on Jim's
glistening skin.”
• Answers, “What does it look, sound, smell,
feel, taste like?”
Nonfiction Element - Narration
• Narration tells about a series of events,
usually in chronological order.
– “I had just come out of the last throw and had
turned toward Terry, who was getting up to
come at me from the left. I made a quarter
turn and moved my left leg forward when he
reached for my neck and his hand slipped.”
• Answers, “What happened?”
Nonfiction Element - Persuasion
• Persuasion uses evidence to influence
people.
– “Jim’s jealous of me and always has been. I
got my yellow belt three meets ahead of him,
and I’m the only one who’s ever thrown him
three out of four.”
• Answers “What should I feel or do about it?”
Nonfiction Element Persuasive Techniques
• Deductive – Starts with a main idea and
then supports it with details and examples.
• Inductive – Starts with details and
examples and ends up with a conclusion
(main idea).
Nonfiction Element - Fallacies
Fallacies are errors in logical thinking.
1. Attacking the person
2. Circular reasons – Repeating the point
without evidence.
3. False cause and effect – Relating two
events that may not, or are not, related at
all.
4. Hasty generalization
Nonfiction Element – Emotional Appeals
•
Emotional appeals add an extra
persuasive push, but they are not a
substitute for a logical argument.
1. Bandwagon – Everyone is doing it.
2. Testimonial – Famous people back a certain
product.
Read page 452 and 453
for more details and examples.
“Homeless” Page 461
• In this essay, Anna Quindlen takes a new
approach to what she calls “the thing that
seems most wrong with the world.” Instead
of just talking about the problem, gathering
statistics, complaining, and hoping it will
go away, what does Quindlen ask us to
do?
• As you read, look for the problem, and
what Quindlen thinks is the solution.
“Homeless” Assignment
• Answer questions 1-3 and 6 from the
book.
• Which category of nonfiction writing is this
essay? Why?
• Write two paragraphs explaining what you
think is the most wrong with the world right
now.
“Choice: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.” Page 367
• Listen to the original speech by Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
• “Choice” is a speech that gives tribute to
what he accomplished.
• The speech was given in Jackson
Mississippi, in 1972, about four years after
he died.
“Choice: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.” Assignment
• Answer questions 1-9 from the book. All
answers must be in complete sentences.
Write at least one paragraph for number 9.
• Complete the reading check from the
book.
“An Indian’s Views of Indian
Affairs” Page 447
• Persuasive speeches use logical and
emotional appeals to convince the listener
to think or act in a certain way.
– Pay attention to the way Chief Joseph uses
both in his speech.
• This speech is one of Chief Joseph's many
attempts to convince the government to let
him and his tribe move back to their home.
“An Indian’s Views of Indian
Affairs” Assignment
• Answer questions 1-4 from the book.
Non-Fiction Unit Test Review
1. Types of Non-Fiction
2. What is an autobiography?
3. What is a biography?
4. What is an essay?
5. What is the purpose of a descriptive essay?
6. What is the purpose of an expositional essay?
7. What is the purpose of a persuasive essay?
8. What is the purpose of a narrative essay?
9. What is subjectivity?
10. What is objectivity?
11. What is an emotional appeal in writing?
12. What is a logical appeal in writing?
13. What is imagery?
14. What is a personal essay?
15. What is a formal essay?
Non-Fiction Unit Test Review
•
Writing
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
Define a thesis statement.
What is the purpose of an introductory paragraph?
What is the main purpose of a body paragraph?
What is the main purpose of the conclusion?
“Homeless”
1. What is the main point of “Homeless”?
2. How does the author, Anna Quindlen, support this
point?
3. Does the author use fact, opinion, or both to support
her point? How?
4. Quindlen states “They are not homeless. They are
______”.
5. What does that difference mean?
Non-Fiction Unit Test Review
•
“Darkness at Noon”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
•
What disability did the author face?
What else did people assume about him?
Give one example of incorrect assumptions from the story.
What is the main point of “Darkness at Noon”?
What was the most upsetting experience for Krents?
How does Krents support the main idea of the essay?
Why is the importance of the title, “Darkness at Noon”?
“An Indian’s View of Indian Affairs”
1. What is the main point of this selection?
2. Does Chief Joseph use fact, opinion, or both to support his
point? Give examples.
3. According to Chief Joseph, what promises did the government
break?
4. What type of emotional appeals does Chief Joseph use?
5. What type of logical appeals does he use?
Non-Fiction Unit Test Review
•
“When I Lay My Burden Down”
1. How do the narrator and Momma deal with the
children’s taunts?
2. What does Momma teach the narrator?
3. What is the main point of “When I Lay My Burden
Down”?
•
“The Best Gift of My Life”
1. Why is Rylant ashamed of her home?
2. What has the biggest impact on her life? Why?
3. What is “The Best Gift of My Life”?
Non-Fiction Unit Test Review
•
“Choice: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther
King, JR”
1. What is the main purpose of this essay?
2. How does the author make her point?
3. What details does the author use to support
her main point?
4. Why was the author bitter in the 60’s?
5. What does Walker mean when she writes,
“The history of my family, like that of all
black Southerners, is a history of
dispossession.”?