Access Your Files From Home!

iAnnotate

Use these instructions to upload your annotated documents to Dropbox so that you can access them at home.

1. Open iAnnotate on your iPad.
2. Click on the Library icon in the upper left hand corner.
3. Click on the Connections tab
4. Click on Add Dropbox
5. Enter your Dropbox user name.  (This is your email address.  Make sure to spell it correctly.)
6. Click Set Up Connection.  You will see a Dropbox icon added. 
7. Click on the Local Files folder.
8. Locate the file that you want to post to Dropbox and click on the white circle in the upper left hand corner of the document icon.  This will put a red check in the circle.
9. Click Flatten PDF in the menu on the left.  This will create another copy of your document containing all the annotations you made.
10. Click on the white circle in the upper left hand corner of the NEW document you just created.  This will put a red check in the circle.
11. Click Copy in the menu on the left.
12. Click Dropbox
13. Click Upload to Dropbox.  Click OK.
14. Go to the Dropbox app on your iPad.  Check to see that the document appears.  (It takes like 5 minutes to upload.)

Dropbox from Home

Use these instructions to access your Dropbox from home:

1. Go to www.dropbox.com.
2. Log in. 
3. See your files.  :)

Evernote from Home

Use these instructions to access your Dropbox from home:

1. Go to www.evernote.com
2. Click Sign In (upper right hand corner).
3. Enter the email address and password you used to create your Evernote account.
4. See your files. :)

Inwood Email from Home

Use these instructions to access your IAL email from home:

1. Go to www.mail.inwoodacademy.org
2. Log on.  Your user name is the FIRST LETTER of your FIRST NAME and your ENTIRE LAST NAME.  For example: jharrison.  Your password is inwood.
3. Have fun.

DON'T FORGET THAT YOUR PAPER IS DUE THE DAY YOU GET BACK FROM BREAK!

 

The following pictures are examples of people who forgot to do their paper:  

 

 

Writing the Conclusion of Your Literary Analysis Essay

The Conclusion

Your literary analysis essay should have a concluding paragraph that gives your essay a sense of completeness and lets your readers know that you have come to an end of your paper.  

You may decide to: 

• Summarize the main points you made in the body
• Make a relevant comment about Whitman's work
• Examine Whitman from a different perspective
• Restate the thesis using different words 

**Your conclusion should be approximately 100-300 words long.**

Here is an example conclusion paragraph that I wrote for you about hot dogs: 

     If hot dogs are indeed a healthy source of protein, why would the manufacturer need to use so many chemical preservatives in their production?  The fact that the meat used in hot dogs comes from several different animals from many different farms is reason enough to stop eating them.  The main problem in encouraging others to stop poisoning their bodies with hot dog meat lies in their delicious taste.  Many people enjoy hot dogs with mustard, ketchup, and even sauerkraut.  There's even been stories of people who eat their dogs cold, without any condiments or bread whatsoever.  As you can see, this hot dog situation is tricky to navigate.  Unless the government steps in with a law banning the sale of hot dogs across the country, it is most likely that Americans will continue to enjoy this mystery meat for years to come.  

Exemplar Body Paragraph

Thesis Statement

In his major work of poetry, Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman explores the connection between human life and nature, suggesting that he was a Transcendentalist.  

Exemplar Body Paragraph

     As Whitman was working on his poetry in Leaves of Grass, he was surrounded by the violence of the American Civil War.  This is evident in his work, as he often uses metaphors related to the civil war to explain his feelings about nature.  For example, "Tenderly will I use you curling grass / It may be you transpire from the breasts of young men / It may be if I had known them I would have loved them."  This is an excellent example of how Whitman compares a creature of nature to the violence of the Civil War.  He means that as the young soldiers are fighting and dying in the fields of battle, their blood pours into the earth, thus causing grass to grow.  When Whitman looks at the grass, he is reminded of the lives that were lost and expresses feelings of compassion and love for these men.  This kind of metaphor is common in Whitman's poetry and goes a long way to prove that he may have been a Transcendentalist.  

Annotations

Click on the link below to see an excellent example of an annotated copy of Whitman's poem that Jeremy Rivas worked on: 

Annotated Whitman

Writing the Body of Your Literary Analysis Essay

What's the Point? 

A literary analysis essay must make an argument about a text and support that claim with evidence.  Since we have been focused on Transcendentalism in class, some of this work has already been done.  Your job is to figure out if Walt Whitman can be considered to be a Transcendentalist based upon the passage you read, analyzed, and annotated.  You must decide whether or not you think he could be considered a Transcendentalist and then begin gathering evidence from the text to prove your claim.    

Thesis Statement

Go back and re-read the introduction that you wrote a few days ago.  The last sentence of your introduction should be your THESIS STATEMENT.  The thesis statement tells the reader what to expect:  it is a restricted, precisely worded declarative sentence that states the purpose of your essay or the point you are trying to make.  Without a thesis statement, your literary analysis essay has no chance for success.  

Here is an example thesis statement: 

Matthew McConaughey's performance in Dallas Buyers Club proves once and for all that he is a serious actor and worthy of winning an Academy Award.  








Obviously, you SHOULD NOT write a thesis statement about Mr. McConaughey!  Your thesis statement should be about Walt Whitman and whether or not you consider him to be a Transcendentalist based upon what you read from his work, Leaves of Grass.

YOU MUST GET APPROVAL FOR YOUR THESIS STATEMENT FROM HARRICIONES BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO WRITE THE BODY OF YOUR ESSAY! 

** Make sure also that your introduction has mentioned Walt Whitman and the title of his work, Leaves of Grass. **

Leveled Criteria

Level 1: TWO body paragraphs with a minimum of TWO pieces of evidence quoted from the Whitman text.  Total word count for whole essay: 500-750

Level 2: TWO body paragraphs with a minimum of TWO pieces of evidence quoted from the Whitman text and one section of paraphrasing.  Total word count for whole essay: 600-900

Level 3: THREE body paragraphs with a minimum of THREE pieces of evidence quoted from the Whitman text and two sections of paraphrasing.  Total word count for whole essay: 750-1000

Level 4: FOUR body paragraphs with a minimum of FOUR pieces of evidence quoted from the Whitman text and two sections of paraphrasing.  Total word count for whole essay: 900-1100

Writing the Body

The body to your essay should PROVE that Whitman was or was not a Transcendentalist.  You do this by citing evidence from the text and explaining its meaning to the reader.  (Think of each body paragraph as a short answer response.  Organize your thoughts using RACE.)  

Citing Evidence from Poetry

According to the criteria above, you will need to directly quote from the poem as well as paraphrase.  Use the following resource to learn more about how to paraphrase: Purdue OWL.

You may quote one to three lines of poetry by placing the lines in quotation marks within the text of your paper.  Separate lines of poetry using a slash mark (/).  Leave a space on each side of the slash.  In parentheses place the line numbers of verse you've quoted:

Whitman begins this section of the poem by stating, "Welcome is every organ and attribute of me, and of any man hearty and / clean, / Not an inch nor a particle of an inch is vile" (1-3).

When citing more than three lines of poetry, begin the verse on a new line and indent.  Do not use quotation marks and make sure to include the line numbers in parentheses after the punctuation.  Make sure to copy the poem EXACTLY as it appears in the text:

Whitman begins this section of the poem by stating:
   
     Welcome is every organ and attribute of me, and of any man hearty and
     clean,
     Not an inch nor a particle of an inch is vile, and none shall be less
     familiar than the rest.  (1-4)

How to do Literary Analysis

Locate Your Text

Go to Dropbox/Student Work/Texts/Whitman to access your text.  After opening it in Dropbox, open it in iAnnotate.  Use iAnnotate to mark up the text with your notes.  This is the PDF you will need to send  me as your exit slip!  

 

Follow the Steps

Use the following steps to perform a literary analysis of your Whitman excerpt:

1. Read the text SLOWLY to yourself.  (Sometimes reading aloud can help.  Click on the correct link below to hear the text.)

Level 1          Level 2          Level 3          Level 4 

2. See if you can figure out the "gist" of the meaning.  A gist is like the main idea.  Spend some time writing in your journal about what you think the text means.

3. Read the text a SECOND TIME.  This time, mark any words that are unfamiliar.  Look up the meaning of any unfamiliar words in the dictionary and annotate the text with synonyms for the words that are unfamiliar.

4. Watch this video about the life of Walt Whitman.  How does this video help you understand the meaning of the text?  Go back to your journal and spend more time trying to determine the gist of the text.

5. Read the text a THIRD TIME.  You should be getting closer to understanding the meaning of the text.  During this third reading, pay attention to the figurative language that Whitman uses as you begin to ANALYZE the text.  Make sure to ANNOTATE as you break down each line and uncover the deeper meaning of the text.

6. Have a conversation with another person that analyzed the same text.  Discuss the meaning of each line and  help support one another as you come to a shared understanding of what the text truly means.  

Resources

Depending on your level, you may do one of the following: 

     Level 1: work in a group in the hallway
     Level 2: work with a partner
     Level 3: ask a specific question to a partner
 
For additional help, consult the following resources:

• How to Annotate a Text

• Whitman Mentor Text Video

This is NOT Walt Whitman... but man, what a pretty purple bow. 

Exit Slip

When you have completed ALL OF THE STEPS ABOVE, send your FULLY ANNOTATED PDF by email to Harriciones!

Walt Whitman Biography

PBS Documentary

Click on the caption of the picture below to watch a video clip from PBS to learn more about the life of Walt Whitman.

Walt Whitman

Transcendentalists

Click on the caption of Emerson to watch a video that will give you more information about American Transcendentalists.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you have finished watching the videos above, respond to the following prompt in your journal: 

Based on what you know of Whitman's life, what evidence can you use to suggest that he MAY or MAY NOT be a Transcendentalist?  
                                                     

Literary Analysis: Revising Your Introduction

Purpose

The goal of your introductory paragraph should be to:

• introduce the reader to the concept of Transcendentalism

• provide relevant quotations from Emerson to clarify major beliefs of a Transcendentalist

Plagiarism

In writing a Literary Analysis essay make sure you avoid plagiarism!  One good way to ensure that you are not accused of plagiarism is to only use words that you understand yourself and can explain in your own words if asked.  Please explore this website to make yourself aware of the various kinds of plagiarism.  You will be held accountable to these standards.  

Revision

Once you have completed the first draft of your introduction, you must revise for clarity.  The revision process is what can turn decent writing into GREAT writing.  Complete the following steps to revise:

1. Find a writing partner that you can trust to put effort into helping you revise your work.
2. Ask your partner to read your introduction aloud, sentence by sentence.
3. Pause at the end of each sentence to correct errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
4. When your partner is finished reading the entire paragraph, ask them to respond to the following questions:

• Did I clearly explain what Transcendentalism is? 

• Did I cite enough relevant evidence from Emerson to clarify the major beliefs of a Transcendentalist? 

• Did I use formal language? 

• What could I do to make my writing stronger? 

Exit Slip

When you are completely sure that your work is at its best and you have done the necessary revisions, email your work to Harriciones to receive a grade.  You will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• How well you explained the concept of Transcendentalism

• Your selection and explanation of relevant evidence from Emerson

• Your use of formal language and writing in the 3rd person

 Don't make Walt upset.  He can get a little ridiculous:

Literary Analysis: Introductory Paragraph

TASK: Write the introductory paragraph for your literary analysis essay.   

 

PROCEDURE:  Your introductory paragraph should clearly introduce the topic of Transcendentalism.  You should define Transcendentalism using all the information presented in class.  Make sure to: 

• Write in the 3rd person (don't use the pronoun "I")

• Cite and explain at least 2 pieces of evidence from the Emerson text to help you define Transcendentalism

• Use FORMAL academic language

Your finished introductory paragraph should be 150-250 words long.  

 

You may use any of the websites that we visited, Youtube videos on Transcendentalism, a dictionary, and the Emerson text that you annotated.

Here you will find videos for the Emerson text that we read together in class: 

Emerson Paragraph 1

Emerson Paragraph 2 

Example Introductory Paragraph

This is an example introductory paragraph that I wrote for you to see what your writing should look like.  Pay attention to the language that I use and how I was able to cite and explain evidence that helped me to clearly introduce my topic:

Buddhism is considered to be one of the major religions of the world.  Buddhism began in India with the teachings of a man named Sidhartha Guatama and eventually spread throughout many of the countries in Asia.  During the 1950s a group of poets and writers called the “Beat Generation” began to experiment with some Buddhist ideas in their writing, thereby exposing many American people to this way of thinking.  Some of the most prominent ideas in Buddhism include the concept of karma and the belief in reincarnation.  According to Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a Western monk, “Indian schools believed that karma operated in a simple straight line, with actions from the past influencing the present, and present actions influencing the future.”  Basically, this means that Buddhists believe that the things you do today will affect your future.  Reincarnation on the other hand is defined by M. O'C. Walshe as, “a soul that exists and passes on from life to life, occupying successive bodies.”  As you can see, these Buddhist ideas are vastly different than those of traditional American families.  Despite that fact, Buddhism is one of the fastest growing religions in America and continues to influence many people that have never set a foot in Asia. 

Trancendentalism

What is Trancendentalism? 

To find out, complete the following web quest.  (Make sure you are sitting in the correct number group and complete the task below that corresponds to your number.)  You may use the Dictionary.com app to define any unfamiliar vocabulary. 

Level 1

Watch this VIDEO on Youtube.  Answer the following questions:  

1. Explain the connection between nature and trancendentalism.   
2. According to the video, what do you need in order to figure out "the great mysteries of life?"
3. List 3 people that helped to develop Transcendentalism as a movement in American Literature.  

Level 2

Use the information on Philosophy Slam to answer the following questions about Henry David Thoreau:

• Why did Thoreau have to live away from society to learn about himself?
  
• Choose a quote from Thoreau. Explain what you think it means. How does it fit into transcendentalism? What does it tell you about your life?

Level 3

Use the information presented on the PBS Website to answer the following questions:  Name 3 Americans that are considered to be Transcendentalists.  Describe the main beliefs of each person that you listed by citing evidence from the website.   

Level 4

Use the information presented on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy to answer the following questions:   What is Transcendentalism?  List 5 beliefs common to a person that is a Transcendentalist.  

Exit Slip

Answer the question that corresponds to the number you received.  Submit your answer by email before the end of the day. 

Level 1: Summarize the main idea of the Emerson excerpt.  Make sure to include at least 3 supporting details. 

Level 2:  Is Emerson a Transcendentalist?  Why or why not?  Use evidence from the passage to support your answer. 

Level 3:  If Emerson were to give a speech about global warming, what would he say?  Be sure to include 1 quote from the passage you read. 

Level 4:  Based on what you know about Emerson, how do you think he would feel about the use of technology in our present-day world?  Use evidence from the passage to support your answer. 

Literary Analysis

Literature begs for readers to read, react to, think about, and interpret the text.  Literary analysis gives you a chance to deconstruct the symbols, language, setting, plot, character, and foreshadowing in order to suggest the true MEANING of a text.

In literary analysis, you make a claim about the text and support your claim with evidence, reasoning and analysis. 

Task

• Visit Teen Ink
• Find an example of a literary analysis essay
• Read the essay
• Send Harriciones an email with the following information and answers to the following questions: 

                         Title and author of the essay you read

          1. How do you know that the essay you read is an example of literary analysis?
          2. Copy and paste a passage from the essay that shows "deeper understanding" of the text.     
          3. Explain the passage you copied above in your own words. 

Reading Can Help You Form Strong Relationships

Today we begin a new writing project: Literary Analysis. 

To prepare yourself for an in-depth look at complex literature, take the following quiz:

Emotional Intelligence

Download this article from the New York Times:

For Better Social Skills, Scientists Recommend a Little Chekhov

Questions for Shared Inquiry Discussion

1. How can reading literary fiction help you socialize? 

2. How is reading literary fiction different from reading popular fiction? 

 

Publishing

The best feedback for a writer comes when you share your writing with the outside world.

For middle school writers, using the internet to connect with writers across the country can be extremely powerful.  In class we will be choosing a website or app to use for sharing writing and I'd like to have your input!

Here is your task: 

Take a look at the following websites to get an idea of these kind of websites and be prepared to share your opinion with the rest of the class.  Explore, investigate, and decide which site you like better:

Teen Ink
Watt Pad
Booksie
Mibba
Figment
Young Writer's Society

If you are finished exploring these sites, do a Google search for other sites like these.

Once you are completely finished and know which site you like best, send me an email that contains the following information:

1. Which site you like best.
2. Why you like that site.

I will count up the votes and make a decision next week!

This is an example of the kind of email I'm expecting from you: 

My view on Wattpad is it's a great place to read, connect and have a good laugh. The pros is that it's free and everyone can make an account and share work. I no doubt love Wattpad, but I don't think its appropriate for a school environment. Most stories are really incomplete and have yet to be updated. It's a constant wait, but at the same time it's very worth it. The reason I would even consider it as a option is because the people who share their stories sound real. They sound like normal kids that everyone can relate to. They share their pain and stories and it's just more than just reading it feels like your there. The problem with TeenInk and other websites like that is that they are made for the specific purpose of sharing work and publishing. The kids on those websites are not connecting they are just publishing and it's not very fun. On Wattpad you can relate and connect with many minds. It's incredibly hard to choose. On one hand you have Wattpad that's unprofessional, lacks structure, but is also very connecting and on the other you have some fancy pants TeenInk website that  is professional, has the structure but it just feels like you're sharing with robots. I believe that we should use both. We need structure but we also need to connect.

This is an example of the kind of email that I DON'T want to get from you: 

I like WattPad because it's fun.  Teenink is not as fun.  

The Real World

Use the data below to see how your performance on tests will impact your own future:

Washington Heights and Inwood Community Report

Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment

Test Scores and College Admission

Sample English Regents Exam

Sample SAT