STEP 2: UNEXPLAINED MYSTERIES PROJECT

Unexplained Mysteries & Legends Project  Part 2: ANALYZING SOURCES OF INFORMATION

You should COMPLETE ONE OF THESE PAGES FOR EACH OF YOUR 5 SOURCES:

1.  Identify the Source:  
     Title of article –
     Title of source (website) –
     Author  (if given) –
     Retrieval Date –
     URL –


2.  Fact vs. Opinion
     a. Overall, does this article seem to be mostly factual or mostly opinion?
     b.  Identify or give an example of the factual content.  Identify or give an example of opinion statements, if possible.


3.  Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Ideas of the article
     a.  Summarize the main ideas of the source/article.
     b.  Identify any important ideas that disagree with other sources.
  

4.  Recognizing bias, point of view, and the author’s intent
     a. What is the position of the author?  What is his/her bias or view of your topic?   Explain why. Bias means unacknowledged shaping of the information to match the author’s position.     Information may be omitted, understated, or overemphasized.
     b. Why do you think the author wrote this article?  (What was his purpose? To inform?  To persuade you to buy or do something?  To warn you?  etc.)


5.  Identifying relevant background information about the source.
     a.What do you know about the author’s credentials?  (His/her background, education, experience, etc.)  Are they good or not?
     b.Would you trust this author’s opinion?  Why or why not?
     c.If you do not know the author, what else do you know about the source?  Is it a credible, good source?
     d.If you can’t find the author’s name, does that tell you anything about the value of this source?


6.  Judging content credibility of this source.
     a.Does the article use logical reasoning and explanations?   Explain.
     b.Does the article offer adequate support for its assertions (main points) to prove them?  In other words, has the author convinced you or would you need more information to believe that what he says is true?
     c.Did you read anything in other sources that contradicts the information given in this source?   If so, what is different?
     d.What kind of source/medium is this?  (Online article, TV show, newspaper article, book etc.)  Does the medium affect the way the information is presented?  How? (For example, movies tend to be more dramatic than print.)

INTRO AND CONCLUSION FOR NEW ME ESSAY

Thesis:  There are some things about myself that I would like to redesign.

1. Something physical  (nose, height, etc.)
2. Mental ability  (IQ, GPA, etc.)
3. Financial status (job, car, income, etc.)
4. Athletic ability (BB, golf, wresting, etc.)
5. Creative talent (be more musical, artistic, etc.)
6. Change where you live (town, country, state)
7. Change something in your past
8. Change your attitude or outlook
9. Change personality (more assertive, less critical, more outgoing, etc.)
10. Improve relationships

THE NEW ME OR YOUR OWN TITLE

            Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and wished that you could change the way you look?  Maybe that long nose that you inherited from great-granddad is not all that flattering.  On the other hand, perhaps you already think you’re the fairest guy or gal in the land, but do you wish you could be more intelligent, or more charming, or even more ambitious?  There are three things about myself that I would like to redesign.

            The first thing I would change is… (Finish this topic sentence for the first supporting paragraph.)

            The next thing about me that I would change is… (Finish this topic sentence for the 2^nd supporting paragraph.)

            There is one more thing I would change about myself and that is … (Finish this topic sentence for the 3^rd supporting paragraph.)

            Although it would be great to become this new person, I realize that there are some things I can change and others that I cannot.  I may be able to change (fill in the blank) but I know that I cannot change (fill in the blank.)  I would rather just be myself than to be someone I am not, anyway.  Nevertheless, it is fun to imagine the possibilities of what it would be like if I could indeed redesign myself and create a new “me.”

NEW ME OUTLINE template

MAKE UP A TITLE

Thesis:  (Find it in the introduction and put it here.)

I.          INTRODUCTION

II.        The first thing about myself I would change is …(finish/revise this sentence).

A.    Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing sentence

III.       The second thing about myself that I would change is …(finish/revise this sentence.)

A.    Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing sentence

IV.       There is at least one more thing I would change about myself and that is…(finish/revise this sentence).

A.    Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing sentence

V.        CONCLUSION

LITERARY ELEMENTS #11

Literary Elements #11  To Kill a Mockingbird  Ch 16  
Name: ________

Metaphor - A comparison that does not use "like" or "as." Ex.  The road was a ribbon of moonlight.
Simile - A comparison using "like" or "as." Ex. Her voice sounds like an angel’s.
Personification - Giving an animal, object, or idea human characteristics or personality.   Ex.  My car stubbornly refused to start today.
Allusion - A reference in literature to a famous person, place, or event.
Hyperbole – An exaggeration or overstatement.  Euphemism – Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.
Irony – When the opposite of what you would expect happens.
Colloquialism - regional or cultural saying
Foreshadowing – The author gives a hint of what is to come later in the story.
Symbol – An object stands for or represents an idea.
Pun – “Sounds like” joke; words with a double meaning.

1.  On page 156 find a metaphor that describes Aunt Alexandra’s inner anger.  It makes her sound like she is a furnace giving off heat.

2. Find an allusion to a famous person on page 156. Why would Mr. Underwood want to “live down” his name?

3. On page 157, find a metaphor that refers to the way Atticus was acting towards Aunt Alexandra’s bossy ways. This is a “battle ground” metaphor.  What do you think it means?

4. On page 157 find a colloquialism that means Mr. Cunningham was able to understand things from Atticus’s perspective. 

5.  On page 159 find a simile that Miss Maudie uses to describe the steady stream of people coming into Maycomb to see Tom Robinson’s trial.     

6.  On page 160, find an allusion to a famous person in history. 

7. On page 160, what does this statement made by Miss Maudie seem to imply about her neighbor?  What is the tone of the comment?  

8. On page 161, Jem explains to his sister why Mr. Dolphus Raymond is an outcast in Maycomb.  What is the reason? 

9.  What point do you think the author is making on page 162 when Scout continues to ask, “But how can you tell?” (if someone is of mixed race)  Jem’s response continues to be, “You just have to know.”

10.  On page 162 find an example of hyperbole.  It refers to how ridiculous the people of Maycomb were when it came to race. 

11. The description of the Maycomb County courthouse indicates there are two kinds of architecture fused together because of a previous fire, early Victorian with Greek columns and a 19^th Century clock tower.  What might this symbolize?

12. Find an example of alliteration at the bottom of page 162.  Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in poetry. 

13. What is ironic and paradoxical about what men in the Idlers Club say about Atticus? 

14.  What is symbolic about where Dill, Jem, and Scout sit during the trial in the courthouse?  P. 164

15.  On pages 164-165, find a simile that refers to Judge Taylor.

16.  When the Cunninghams and the Conninghams got into a dispute in court, Judge Taylor threw the case out.  What did he say was the reason?  What does it mean to “throw a case out?” (metaphor) 

OUTLINE FORM

TITLE OF ESSAY

Thesis:  Write your thesis statement here.

I.          INTRODUCTION

II.        Write your first topic sentence here.

A.     Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing  or transition sentence

III.       Write your second topic sentence here.

A.     Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing  or transition sentence

IV.       Write your third topic sentence here.

A.     Supporting sentence

B.     Supporting sentence

C.     Supporting sentence

D.    Supporting sentence

E.     Closing  or transition sentence

V.        CONCLUSION

OUTLINING FROM TEXT

CREATING OUTLINES from Text

1.  Arrange this information into the proper outline format.  Find the title.  Some items are topic sentences.  One item is the thesis.  The rest are supporting details.

Outside the basement door and to your left we have an awesome kids’ play area.

Two tall elms

Lots of green grass under the shade trees

Tomato plants

Two lawn chairs near the table

In the center of the yard we have shade trees and a picnic area.

Swing set

My backyard

On the far right we have a small, fenced in vegetable garden.

Sweet corn

If you look out the living room window at my house, you’ll have a great view of my back yard.

Yellow slide

Picnic table

Pumpkins

Sand box

My sister’s plastic 3-wheeler and toys

Squash

2.  Arrange this information into the proper outline format.  Create a title.  Find the thesis. Some items are topic sentences.  The supporting details are given, too, but you’ll have to take them out of sentence format and list them as separate details.  You may have more than 4 details under a topic sentence.

            Eating is something most people do at least three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is the morning meal. The meal can include eggs, bacon, ham, cereal, bread, or fruit.  Lunch is the meal eaten halfway through the day. Many people like to eat foods such as soup, salad, and sandwiches.  The evening meal, dinner, is usually the largest meal of the day. People may eat a main dish of meat or fish. They may also have salads, vegetables, and rice or bread.

3.  Bigger Challenge – Put the following information into an outline.  Come up with your own details for A., B., C., D., etc.  

MANY MOVIES

Thesis:  There are lots of different movies available at your DVD rental store.

I.                    INTRODUCTION

II.                 Horror movies

III.               Action movies

IV.              Comedies

V.                 Westerns

VI.              Science Fiction

VII.            Children’s movies

MAKING YOUR OWN DETAILS - OUTLINES DAY 3

MAKING YOUR OWN OUTLINES – DAY 3

Make outlines from the information below.  Follow the correct outline form.

Add your own details (A, B, C, D, etc.)  Don’t forget INTRODUCTION and CONCLUSION or closing sentences.

Title:  GROCERY SHOPPING

Thesis:  There is a great variety of foods available to buy in a grocery store.

Topic sent:  Dairy products are important items on your shopping list.

Topic sent:  Remember to purchase fresh produce, too.

Topic sent:  Be sure to shop in the meat department.

Topic sent:  Although they are not always nutritious, it’s fun to shop for snacks, too.

Title:  MY RELATIVES

Thesis:  I have been blessed with a very large extended family.

Topic sent:  These are the members of my immediate family.

Topic sent:  My grandparents are part of my extended family.

Topic sent:  I also have a few favorite cousins, aunts, and uncles.