The Next Phase of RA

Since (most) classes have worked on close reading The Overachievers, developing thesis statements, scouring a passage for evidence, and explaining its analytical import, you are now ready to move to the further over-analysis, i.e. microscopic evaluation of a text.

Following our mini version of a presentation (yep, that's what you did today) of rhetorical strategies for The Overachievers, we are or will be in a packet of passages for the verbal group presentation. Whether your class has reached this point or not, all 9 passages are included in the packet for additional practice and notes. If you do have the time prior to presentations, I would recommend practicing close reading on as many of these passages as you can and isolate what main strategies are in each one. This will garner greater confidence in our future close reads. You can also take notes during the class presentations to compare/contrast your responses and/or have further examples of how to compose a rhetorical analysis.

Before processing the day's agenda, do recall that the vocab quiz for unit 12 occurred today, and any absentees have 48 hours to either make up the quiz or schedule a time for the task.

1 & 4: We completed the Overachievers with partners sharing their thesis statements, topic sentences, evidence, and brief explanatory analysis. In both classes, the strategies of pathos, anecdotes, and juxtaposition were the popular choices, which would make for a thorough investigation of rhetorical process if we were to expand to a full essay. Alas, we are not since you will be doing that with your group verbal presentation, assigned today. Each partner/small group has a passage to close read this evening and prep strategies and possible hooks for the presentation - all in preparation for prep time in class tomorrow. We will be presenting your findings after 60 minutes of in-class prep time, so be aware of what you will need to do outside of class as a result. Absentees are not that far behind in the game, so you will have your passages tomorrow.

3: After looking at how Julie is presented through all those anecdotes, juxtaposition, pathos, and the like, you were assigned a new Overachiever to analyze, either Audrey or AP Frank. We are currently in the midst of sharing strategies with a partner regarding these two overachievers, which will resume tomorrow.

7: After planning our double dip and cookie shindig for the block day, we resumed our pathway into rhetorical analysis with the group verbal presentation, a partner activity akin to your Overachievers work - but much more developed, detailed, and delineated. Each partnership has a passage to close read and create a verbal essay for class presentation. While you will have a total of 60 minutes of class prep time, anything else will occur outside of the classroom, so make sure you and your partner are ready to go.