Transcript Green Words and Thesis Development

Green Words
and Thesis
Development
Abstraction Ladder Activity
 Each
table will have a zip lock bag with
three sets of different colored cards.
Each color set represents one abstraction
ladder example.
 In pairs, take one of the colors and try to
re-create the abstraction ladder, going
from abstract to concrete (level 4 to level
1). Compare and discuss as a table when
you think you are done.
Turn to Beowulf
 Table
1: Grendel
 Table 2: Beowulf
 Table 3: The Battle with Grendel
 Table 4: Grendel’s Mother and Battle with
G’s mother
 Table 5: Beowulf’s Last Battle
 Table 6: The Death of Beowulf
Turn to Beowulf
 Highlight
your section for the top, middle,
and bottom of the abstraction ladder
 Top of the ladder: Green
 Middle: Blue
 Bottom: Pink
 Hint: Green and pink are easiest; blues are
the ones that aren’t really specific, but
aren’t umbrella terms either
Annotations and Summary
 Add
annotations based on the
example. Where do you see
“green” concepts implicitly
present?
 Write green words that
“encompass” the section in the
margins. An example from a song
analysis is on the next slide.
Get Out Your Song
Thesis development
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Summarize your section in your notes.
After you have summarized the poem, turn to
section 2 in your binders and locate your
notes on the Abstraction Ladder.
Write the title of the section in your notes, then
DEVELOP A COHESIVE THESIS STATEMENT
expressing what the poet is trying to convey.
Write this thesis down. Use the same piece of
paper to take notes on this powerpoint--you
will turn it in later
The Abstraction Ladder in your
section– Big ideas
 On
the small white board at your table,
write down ALL the green words from your
section. Make them LARGE and LEGIBLE
 Class check for abstract/ general
concepts
 DO NOT ERASE. Put the board down for
now
 Set Beowulf aside
From Abstract Concept to
“GREEN Words”: a note
 We
have talked about abstract concepts
and highlighted them in green, BUT that
does not mean that all of them will make
the cut for what we will not identify as
“GREEN WORDS.”
 So, what does it take to be GREEN?
What is a “GREEN” word?
A
“GREEN” word is
AN ABSTRACT NOUN
HIGHLY CONNOTATIVE
VALUE-DRIVEN
EXAMPLE:
 "Wealth"
 Is
"wealth" an abstract idea?
 Does wealth have connotative
significance?
 Does your definition of "wealth" say
anything about what you value?
YOUR TURN
 Go
through the words on your white
board. For each, ask yourselves



1. Is this an abstract NOUN?
2. Is it strongly connotative (positive or
negative)?
3. Does a person’s definition for this word
indicate what he/she values?
 Cross
out any that don’t meet the criteria
STILL YOUR TURN
 Put
the words from your board in your
notes. Make a list of 5 additional words
that represent "green" concepts. Each
time, ask yourself
 1. Is this abstract?
 2. Is it strongly connotative (positive or
negative)?
 3. Does a person’s definition for this word
indicate what he/she values?
So how does this help me write
a better thesis?
 Your
thesis should be driven by a
combination of strong green words
 Because of their connotative,
value-driven nature, a “green”
word based thesis will automatically
drive your paper toward persuasion.
Try this:
 Look
at your list of green words.
Create a sentence utilizing three of
these words. It can be about
anything (school appropriate, of
course!).
STOP!
 Did
you just write a three-prong
thesis?
 If you did CROSS IT OUT!
Round 2:
 Write
another sentence using three of
your green words, BUT this time follow this
formula:
 Create an “although” statement using
ONE green word in the dependent clause
(at the beginning) and TWO in the
independent clause (back half).
 Example for The Glass Castle:
Although the Walls children grow up in
deprivation, their determination and
intelligence drive them to become successful
people.
Rewind
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
Go back to your section of Beowulf and look
at the thesis you wrote at the beginning of
class
Use three strong green concepts from the
song to REWRITE your original thesis on the
following:
DEVELOP A COHESIVE THESIS STATEMENT ON
what the lyricist was trying to convey in this
song. Use your green words and
“Although…”formula this time.
Homework
 Highlight
and annotate “Life in 999” the
same way you did Beowulf.
 Green = top of the ladder
 Blue = middle
 Pink = details
 Add annotations based on the example.
Where do you see “green” concepts
implicitly present?
 Write green words that “encompass” the
section in the margins.
 Write an “Although…” green word thesis
statement for “Life in 999.”