TEXT ANALYSIS DOMINANT IMPRESSIONS Day 4 Bell Ringer

TEXT ANALYSIS & DOMINANT IMPRESSIONS Day 4

Bell Ringer: Run On Sentences & Comma Splices ◦ Create 1 run on sentence. After, fix the sentence. ◦ Create 1 comma splice. After, fix the sentence. ◦ Create 1 fragment. After, fix the sentence.

Journal: ◦ How would you describe your reading habits? Do you like to read? Do you prefer a certain genre? Do you read often? Why or why not? What factors have potentially influenced your reading habits? Have particular people influenced your reading habits?

Reading Critically: “The Strong Arm of a Sixth-Grade Teacher” ◦ Turn to your table partner and discuss the annotations that you developed

Vocabulary ◦ We’re going to look back at a term presented on page 47 of yesterday’s reading. ◦ Please open your vocabulary log.

Vocabulary – Dominant Impression ◦ A dominant impression is a quality, mood, or atmosphere that reinforces the writer’s purpose. ◦ It is primarily a feature of narrative and descriptionbased writing. ◦ A strong text allows readers to “feel” the mood of the writer. How does the writer do this? Through language! ◦ In this sense, the writer must be consistent.

Dominant Impression Activity ◦ Take an index card ◦ Pick a person that you know well ◦ Write their name in the top left corner (mom, dad, sister, boss, etc. ) ◦ Write your name under theirs ◦ Write 3 positive words, phrases, or traits on one side ◦ Write 3 negative/less charming (don’t be too mean – just honest!) words, phrases, or traits on the other side ◦ Put them in the container when you’re done **Keep it classy, Warriors!

Teacher Notes ◦ Read the negative side first – “Who wants this to be their mom, sister, grandmother, etc. ? ” ◦ Read the positive side next - “Who wants this to be their mom, sister, grandmother, etc. ? ” ◦ This is the same person! ◦ As a writer, you have the power to choose details that present a person in a particular light ◦ People are not all good or all bad – choose the details that help you create a consistent dominant impression of them

Example: Dark shapes glide through the night sky on silent wings, their sinister shadows outlined against the light of a full moon. Swooping down to earth, they hover near houses and deserted buildings, breaking the peace of the night with their disturbing presence. Carriers of disease, drinkers of blood, companions of witches and demons, bats -- the very word brings a shiver of fear to most people. ◦ From Bats by Sylvia A Johnson

What kind of mood do these adjectives convey? Dark shapes glide through the night sky on silent wings, their sinister shadows outlined against the light of a full moon. Swooping down to earth, they hover near houses and deserted buildings, breaking the peace of the night with their disturbing presence. Carriers of disease, drinkers of blood, companions of witches and demons, bats -- the very word brings a shiver of fear to most people. ◦ From Bats by Sylvia A Johnson

How about these nouns? Dark shapes glide through the night sky on silent wings, their sinister shadows outlined against the light of a full moon. Swooping down to earth, they hover near houses and deserted buildings, breaking the peace of the night with their disturbing presence. Carriers of disease, drinkers of blood, companions of witches and demons, bats -- the very word brings a shiver of fear to most people. ◦ From Bats by Sylvia A Johnson

. . . and the verbs? Dark shapes glide through the night sky on silent wings, their sinister shadows outlined against the light of a full moon. Swooping down to earth, they hover near houses and deserted buildings, breaking the peace of the night with their disturbing presence. Carriers of disease, drinkers of blood, companions of witches and demons, bats -- the very word brings a shiver of fear to most people. ◦ From Bats by Sylvia A Johnson

Example: Dominant Impression ◦ My family ate dinner at Merrymead Diner every Friday night while I was a child. We huddled close in a large, red booth as we scanned the familiar menu. The aroma of gravy over creamy mashed potatoes lingered in the air. I snuggled close to my mom’s arm as she ordered our drinks. The waitress brought our thick milkshakes out on a tray and placed them in front of us on a paper doily. The jukebox in the back played songs that we all knew the words to, and we sang along until our food arrived, hot and enticing on the table. Outside I shivered in the cold air, but in the diner I was cozy, munching on crispy French fries and enjoying a hot, juicy cheeseburger. ◦ Can you feel the mood of this paragraph? The author is trying to convey a feeling of comfort. Notice how the author does not tell the reader she feels safe, happy, or comfortable. She shows the reader through descriptive detail. ◦ http: //www. iup. edu/page. aspx? id=61881

◦ Example of a weak dominant impression: It was hot in Africa. Even with the windows open, the bus was noisy and hot. The walls of the bus were grey. Each seat inside the bus held two people. The bus was full of people from different parts of Africa. The bus driver was an old man and was a bad driver. It was noisy, dusty, and there were flies. Some passengers worried they would be kicked off with their animals. The bus was really crowded, and things got worse as the day went on. ◦ Example of a strong dominant impression: Somalia. A plateau-like place situated at the end of the horn of Africa about the size of Texas. I remember one day in particular that was different from the rest. The summer sun beat down relentlessly on the parched, chapped earth. The air was hot, almost stagnant. The steamy breeze from the open windows of the bus did little to ease the discomfort. Dust sputtered out from underneath the tires, making tinking sounds against the fender, leaving a cloudy trail nearly a mile in length behind it. People swatted the buzzing flies from their faces; others shushed their goats, afraid they would be kicked off for the noise. It was half past three and already the bus had reached its full capacity, unusual for this time of day. Little did we know, the hot and dirty bus ride would be the best part of our trip. http: //www. stlcc. edu/Student_Resources/Academic_Resources/Writing_Handouts/Creating_a_Dominant_Impression. pdf

How to create a dominant impression… A dominant impression is created by the unified effects of the six strategies of descriptive writing: 1. Sensory language Vague The food was unappetizing. Vivid The pale turkey slices floated limply in a pool of murky fat. 2. Action verbs The sprinkler was refreshing. The cool water from the sprinkler sprayed our hot faces. 3. Vivid adjectives The traffic was heavy. Our old car puffed as Main Street became clogged with a line of clamoring motorists. 4. Specific, concrete details 5. Figurative language 6. Point of View

Dominant Impression • Pick a group of 3 • As a group, analyze the dominant impression for both “Proficiency” and “The Strong Arm of a Sixth-Grader”. • Write down specific vocabulary choices to support what you believe is the specific mood conveyed by the writer • There may be more than one "right" answer, so be sure to pull evidence to support your assertion

What to Avoid When Using Sensory Details ◦ Too many adjectives—retain only the most powerful words in your writing, deleting any unnecessary words ◦ Many inexperienced writers throw in “pretty” words to make their prose more dramatic and meaningful. But such cosmetic touch-up often turns out to be redundant or simply uninspiring. ◦ “The dark, dreary house had an empty, suspicious feel to it, the thick air stale and sour with undefined, scary kitchen odors …” ◦ Too many adverbs—verbs are stronger than adverbs ◦ “She strolled into the room” is more powerful than “She walked casually into the room. ” ◦ Clichéd figures of speech—overused language, such as “green with envy”, “all's fair in love and war, ” or “caught red-handed” signals a lack of imagination.

“Always living in Spanish” – Partner activity ◦ Read the narrative once and write down your immediate impressions of the essay ◦ Read the narrative a second time a. b. Note the author’s style, word choice, and level of difficulty or formality. c. d. e. f. Make connections: text to self; text to text; allusions Make marginal notes of your response to the author’s ideas. Note questions, insights, and new thinking. Talk about the main idea and your impressions of the article. Each read a passage you thought intriguing, difficult, or insightful. Answer the “Focusing on Writing” questions 1 & 3 on page 119

Short Writing Assignment ◦ 2 Paragraphs ◦ 1 paragraph per text ◦ In each, define the purpose, stance, and dominant impression of the author. Also, describe their organization and style. Use specific references to the text to support your ideas.

Brainstorm Clichés in a Group