Workshop Assignment Assistance for Monday, 3/23/15

Steps 1-6/7 should have been completed during class time today, as well as during the support day EEE. This leaves steps 7-10 for workshop assignment.

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Step 1: Before reading the article, I previewed the text features to get a sense of what I would be reading about. I also previewed the reading response question to set my focus for what I would be reading for.

Step 2: While reading the article, I began to collect notes about key information to help me understand who Barbara Johns was, what her activism was about, and what her activism was like.

Similarities
between Barbara and today’s teen activists / Differences
between Barbara and today’s teen activists
·  One way Barbara Johns’ activism is similar to teen activists today is she was inspired to act based on unfairness in her own life.
·  Another way Barbara’s activism is similar is she faced/experienced great risks through her activism.
·  Another way Barbara’s activism is similar is she fought for a cause she deeply believed in.
·  Another way Barbara’s activism is similar is she used a variety of methods to inspire change within her community.
·  Another way…is she persevered despite opposition, difficulties, and impossibilities.
·  A final way…is she collaborated with others to move her cause forward. / *My brain wasn’t pinpointing differences…it was shouting similarities, so that’s where my idea generation went!

Step 3: After reading, I headed into my packet to complete my pre-writing steps. First, I reflected to think about if Barbara’s activism was similar or different to activists today. To help me think, I looked back at my WNB notes on “Teen Activism—Patterns/Theories” as these statements could help me make connections. As I was reflecting, I immediately noticed lots of similarities, so that’s where I focused my thinking.

Step 4: I worked on developing my “big idea” statement (thesis) by looking to my idea generation. Would I claim Barbara’s activism was similar or different? My idea generation made my stance clear.

Barbara Johns’ activism in 1951 is similar to the activism of teens today.

Step 5: I worked on distinguishing my supporting key points. To help me, I looked back to my idea generation statements because these would be great places to start.

Barbara Johns’ activism in 1951 is similar to the activism of teens today.

·  Like teen activists today, Barbara was inspired to make change based off of experiences within her own life.

·  Barbara’s activism led her to experience great risks.

·  Barbara tackled impossibilities without fear.

Step 6: Before moving into my graphic organizer, I completed a self-check using the questions below.

¨  Is my big idea general enough?

¨  Are my key points actual points?

¨  Do my key points support my big idea? (Can I connect back to my topic? My claim?)

¨  Can I develop my key points to create balance?

Step 7: After self-checking, I began constructing my graphic organizer with specific evidence and details I wanted to include. Remember: the better the writing plan (blue print), the clearer the big picture for the writer (architect).

Barbara Johns’ activism in 1951 is similar to the activism of teens today.
Like many teen activists today, Barbara was inspired to advocate for change based off of unfair experiences in her own life.
-  Problem: disparity between white and black schools in Farmville, VA
-  School was overcrowded, ill-conditioned, and under funded
-  Barbara, “longed to have the school she and her classmates deserved.” (p. 17)
-  Her desire to have a better education than the one provided to her sparked her activism
-  Similar to Emily-Anne: experienced bullying first-hand—worked to break the power of bullying / Additionally, Barbara’s activism led her to experience great risks for her cause.
-  Risks: danger to self, family, and friends
-  Speaking up within a community where whites held positions of power (police, government); lynching
-  Barbara, “felt no fear” (16)
-  As a result of her activism, Barbara received a death threat (18)
-  Her family lost their home (18)
-  Similar to Iqbal Masih: Iqbal was murdered for his stance and activism against child labor
Furthermore, Barbara tackled great impossibilities without fear.
-  Impossibilities: integration within Southern schools
-  Like “reaching for the moon”
-  Chose to move forward despite great threats
-  Similar to Malala: 32 million girls worldwide without an education; an overwhelming number that did not turn her away. / Overall, …

Step 8: Using my graphic organizer, I wrote my response using all that I know (and have learned from my classmates) about good essays.

Step 9: I re-read my work to make some quick changes.

Step 10: I printed my response for class.