Thematic Analysis Research Paper - English 11: Part 1- Thesis Statement

Submitted by klehman on Wed, 03/02/2011 - 23:45Printable version Bookmark and Share
Created By:
Kathy Lehman
Title/Role:
Head Librarian
Organization/School Name:
Thomas Dale High School
Location:
Virginia

Grade Level:
11
Type of Lesson:
Lesson in a unit
Type of Schedule:
Flexible
Collaboration Continuum:
Intensive
Content Area:
Language Arts
Content Topic:
British Literature. Developing a thematic thesis statement.
Standards for the 21st-Century Learner
Skills Indicator(s):
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.
Dispostion Indicator(s):
1.2.5 Demonstrate adaptability by changing the inquiry focus, questions, resources, or strategies when necessary to achieve success.
1.2.6 Display emotional resilience by persisting in information searching despite challenges.
2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
Responsibilities Indicator(s):
1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):
2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.
3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.
Scenario:
This lesson focuses on step 1, writing the thesis statement. To ensure student success, the teacher and librarian jointly plan instruction. Six library instructional periods will be interspersed with classroom instruction by the teacher. Students will be paced through the research process from exploratory reading, to creating a thesis statement, brainstorming questions, locating resources, making source cards and taking notes. Before the first day in the library, the teacher will instruct students on strategies for preliminary reading and thesis writing. The librarian will instruct students in information access, evaluation of sources and citing sources. Both teacher and librarian will circulate in the library to guide students as they begin writing their thesis statement and using print resources. The second and third library days focus on locating online resources and making source cards. The final two library days will be for students to take notes and revise strategies as needed to fill gaps in their research. Synthesizing information and writing will take place after the library periods are completed.

Overview:
In preparation for writing a thematic analysis paper, students complete exploratory reading about their author using general reference books. The essential questions are: Which themes common in your author’s life and works do you find applicable to your work? How can you apply your new knowledge to create a thesis statement for your research paper? Once students have constructed a thesis statement, they will be guided to critical literature and begin the research process.

Final Product:
Students create a thesis statement which will guide their development of questions to direct their research. The thesis must be broad enough to cover the novel’s theme and narrow enough to be manageable in a 6-8 page paper. It must have solid keywords to achieve successful result lists when using advanced search strategies in online databases.

Library Lesson:
● Students will learn to read for general information in the literature reference collection to gain an understanding of their author. ● Students will learn to write a thesis statement based on their prior knowledge of the novel or play and new knowledge they learn from their exploratory reading about their author. ● Students will learn to apply ethical and legal guidelines gathering and using information.

Estimated Lesson Time:
120 minutes
Assessment
Product:
The teacher and librarian monitor the students as they read about their authors and write their thesis statements. The teacher and librarian also use an exit slip at the end of day 1 to determine each student's understanding and progress and to isolate which students are having difficulty and will need extra help on day 2 in the library.

Process:
The librarian introduces the general reference resources to students and matches students with books for silent reading. As students read and work on their thesis statement, the teacher and librarian circulate and listen as students begin formulating their ideas for a thesis statement. As needed, the teacher and librarian will generate questions based on the readings to guide students to formulate their thesis statement.

Self Questioning:
What are the general themes my author writes about? How can I apply those themes to my novel or play? Are there unique themes present in my work? What is the message my author is trying to say in my work? How can I best write that message in a thesis statement? At the end of Day 1, students are asked to complete an Exit slip with the statements: ● Today I worked on _____________. ● I learned that _________________. ● One problem I had was _________. ● Next I am going to _____________.These self question sheets are from Assessing for Learning. Harada and Yoshina . p. 54. (Libraries Unlimited, 2010).

Instructional Plan
Resources students will use:
Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)
Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)

Resources instructor will use:
Other

Other instructor resources:
Reference sources in the collection: British Writers, Critical Survey of Long Fiction and others

Instruction/Activities
Direct instruction:
Before coming to the library, the teacher will instruct students with a practice session for exploratory reading so they understand how they will glean their author's purpose from a general reference book. Example: The teacher begins with an essay on Carson McCullers. The class will read the selection and the teacher highlights the parts that raise questions about common themes of loneliness, failure of love and metaphors of spiritual isolation in her novels and stories. They apply these ideas to the "Ballad of the Sad Cafe" and come up with questions that could lead to a thesis such as "How does my novel‘s setting portray “spiritual isolation?" or "What characters reflect the theme of loneliness in the story?"

Modeling and guided practice:
The teacher and librarian circulate to determine which students need additional help. Students having difficulty formulating a thesis may need to read the passages of the general reference text or an overview of the work with the teacher or librarian and think through the passage by answering a series of questions. For example with a student reading about Othello the teacher might say: “Notice Iago and evil are often in the same sentence. Does Iago prey on strong or weak characters? What is Shakespeare saying about the nature of evil in Othello? How might you restate that idea in a thesis statement?” The objective is for students to apply the themes and issues of the author’s life and works to the novel or play they have just read. As they generate their own questions about the work, they begin to identify the keywords needed for their research.

Independent practice:
Once they have their thesis, students will move into print sources with critical essays such as Bloom’s Modern Critical Interpretation series or the Twayne’s Series on individual authors. They may revise their thesis after reading the experts. For example, after reading the novel 1984, one student writes, “In the novel 1984, George Orwell invades the lives of the people.” After reading critiques about the work and adding new knowledge, the student revises the statement, “In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, totalitarianism disrupts citizens’ freedom and individuality.” This revision will enable the student to generate excellent results lists by combining the keywords of the author and title with the terms “totalitarianism”, “freedom” and “individuality” in full text fields. Once students move beyond exploratory reading to critical reading, the librarian provides source card forms so students can begin collecting bibliographical information on print sources they will use in their research paper.


Have you taught this lesson before:
Yes

Strategies for differentiation:
A student unable to read a print source can be directed to an online reference source to complete the thesis assignment. For students with physical disabilities, the online sources provide audio access and enlarged print. The keyboard helps those with fine motor disabilities. Much of the information gathering and citation collection can be done as point and click with the mouse.
AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

Common Core State Standards English Language Arts:

CC.11-12.W.7 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS3 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS1 » Writing Standards » 1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS2 » Writing Standards » 2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.3 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 3. Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS1e » Writing Standards » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.f » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS2e » Writing Standards » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.1.c » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS1 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.4.d » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (11,12)

CC.11-12.L.4.c » English Language Arts » Vocabulary Acquisition and Use » c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.d » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.e » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.c » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.e » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.4 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.a » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.c » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » c. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.d » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. (11,12)