Lesson 11: Supporting evidence
Ok, so we are nearing the end of unit 1 and our "Journey to the Unknown." We have really spend all of our time in the science fiction genre learning about how stories are structured.
In the last lesson, we practiced learning how to compare and contrast using a Venn Diagram. We found the similarities and differences between two versions of the same story: The War of the Worlds.
Now things are going to get a bit more sophisticated. With this lesson, we will begin to learns how to begin (yes, I wrote that on purpose) to start thinking critically about literature.
In this lesson, we will continue our analysis--thinking about and examining closely--of The War of the Worlds.
We will also be starting to learn about how to provide support for an opinion we have--especially when it comes to talking about literature.
In the last lesson, we practiced learning how to compare and contrast using a Venn Diagram. We found the similarities and differences between two versions of the same story: The War of the Worlds.
Now things are going to get a bit more sophisticated. With this lesson, we will begin to learns how to begin (yes, I wrote that on purpose) to start thinking critically about literature.
In this lesson, we will continue our analysis--thinking about and examining closely--of The War of the Worlds.
We will also be starting to learn about how to provide support for an opinion we have--especially when it comes to talking about literature.
Supporting Evidence
Supporting evidence sounds like a very smart, and therefore hard, thing to learn doesn't it? Well, hopefully I can boil it down for you pretty well with a short explanation.
Let's start with the first word: support. To support something means to help hold it up.
The second word: evidence. Evidence is something that can be used to prove something is true or false.
So, supporting evidence must mean that something is used to hold up (or prove) an idea.
And that's right!
Stay with me now!
Furthermore, when we analyze stories, often we are asked to give our opinion about something. This opinion of yours has a very important sounding word, and it is thesis.
Now that you've been introduced to the crucial vocabulary, allow me to arrange those terms in the way you should understand them:
Your thesis is supported by evidence you find directly in the literature you are analyzing.
The most common way to communicate an analysis of literature is by writing paragraphs (a collection of related paragraphs turns into an essay aka 'a paper').
For now, we'll leave the training wheels on while you are practicing you literary analysis skills--instead of writing paragraphs (plural), you'll be writing a paragraph (singular).
Slides 2 and 3 of the lesson provide further explanation and details you may find helpful.
View the video for further understanding of the supporting evidence concept:
Let's start with the first word: support. To support something means to help hold it up.
The second word: evidence. Evidence is something that can be used to prove something is true or false.
So, supporting evidence must mean that something is used to hold up (or prove) an idea.
And that's right!
Stay with me now!
Furthermore, when we analyze stories, often we are asked to give our opinion about something. This opinion of yours has a very important sounding word, and it is thesis.
Now that you've been introduced to the crucial vocabulary, allow me to arrange those terms in the way you should understand them:
Your thesis is supported by evidence you find directly in the literature you are analyzing.
The most common way to communicate an analysis of literature is by writing paragraphs (a collection of related paragraphs turns into an essay aka 'a paper').
For now, we'll leave the training wheels on while you are practicing you literary analysis skills--instead of writing paragraphs (plural), you'll be writing a paragraph (singular).
Slides 2 and 3 of the lesson provide further explanation and details you may find helpful.
View the video for further understanding of the supporting evidence concept:
Assessment: quiz
There is a 10 question quiz for this lesson.
I highly recommend understanding:
support--what it does for the reader
what the job of a conclusion is
You'll be reading several unfamiliar (never seen before in this course) text :
1) you'll be asked to identify the bolded text as either:
a hook
topic sentence
supporting evidence
conclusion
2) you'll be asked to identify the details that are taken from the text
There are two essay questions on this quiz. In order to get full points on the essay questions, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to write a paragraph using a topic sentence and supporting details.
WHEW!!
GREAT JOB!!
HINT: The middle paragraphs of an essay are called the 'body paragraphs.'
I highly recommend understanding:
support--what it does for the reader
what the job of a conclusion is
You'll be reading several unfamiliar (never seen before in this course) text :
1) you'll be asked to identify the bolded text as either:
a hook
topic sentence
supporting evidence
conclusion
2) you'll be asked to identify the details that are taken from the text
There are two essay questions on this quiz. In order to get full points on the essay questions, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to write a paragraph using a topic sentence and supporting details.
WHEW!!
GREAT JOB!!
HINT: The middle paragraphs of an essay are called the 'body paragraphs.'