Transcript Abstraction Ladder

Abstraction
Ladder
Abstraction Ladder: Day
One
Level 4: Abstractions
Level 3: Noun Classes,
broad group names
with little specification
Level 2: Noun Categories,
more definite groups
Level 1: Specific,
Identifiable nouns
• Way of classifying
information from
abstract (general) to
concrete (specific)
Abstraction Ladder Cont.
• “...if Level One abstraction is used in writing, the
audience will understand what ideas and concepts
are being discussed...If a writer is trying to describe
a person, and she mentions that the protagonist
wore Birkenstock's and a jeans skirt, an image is
evoked in the reader's mind…if the writer says the
protagonist was dressed in casual attire, the
reader's impression of the character is not as strong,
and the audience will be free to interpret the
writer's meaning in ways…using the levels of
abstractions carefully will help convey meaning to
the audience.”
-Jan Streever
[http://ol.scc.spokane.edu/jstrever/comp/Summer2
01/hw3.htm ]
What is a “GREEN”
word?
• A “GREEN” word is a noun that is:
o ABSTRACT (broad)
o HIGHLY CONNOTATIVE (multiple
meanings/interpretations)
o VALUE-DRIVEN (influenced by
personal beliefs, values, morals, etc.)
EXAMPLE:
"Wealth"
• How is "wealth" an abstract idea?
• What connotative significance can it have?
• How does your personal definition of
"wealth" exemplify your values?
Together
• After viewing the following image, as a class, lets
come up with a list of Green Words that can be
associated with this image.
YOUR TURN
For the following images, create 2-3 Green Words that
you feel would describe emotions/context/theme
of the image.
Image #1
Image #2
Image #3
Thesis Statements and
Green Words
Choose one of the images shown and write a thesis
statement describing the theme/themes of the
image.
Now, Revise
• Look over your original thesis statement and this
time, include Green Words (from your list) to
strengthen your thesis statement.
• Create an “although” statement using ONE green
word in the dependent clause (at the beginning of
the comma) 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 drives them to
move beyond their environment.
Abstraction Ladder
Activity: Day Two
• Each table will have a stack of cards
containing three sets of categories, to be
organized using the abstraction ladder.
• As a table, separate and organize the sets
of information from level 4 to level 1 (general
to most specific). Compare and discuss as a
table when you think you are done.
• Raise your hand when your table is finished
so that I can check each level.
Song Lyrics: Identifying
Green Words within the
Abstraction Ladder
• Work in pairs at your table,
reading/analyzing song lyrics in order
identify aspects of the Abstraction
Ladder and Green Words. Use your
notes from yesterday if necessary.
Song Lyrics: Identifying Green
Words within the Abstraction
Ladder
• At your tables, compare Green Words.
Make sure you look for the following criteria:
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?
• Cross out any that don’t meet the criteria.
All about YOU
• Write down 3 green words that accurately
describe YOU.
• Get out your College Essay Guidelines
handout and review the sample prompts.
Choose a prompt and List 3 green words
that fit the chosen prompt.
• Using a combination of these two sets of
green words, develop a preliminary
“although” thesis for the prompt. Staple this
to your song lyrics and turn them in to the
class bin.
“Show and Tell” Article
• If you finish the song lyric and thesis activity
early, read the “Show and Tell” article.
Follow the instructions for “Analysis Protocol,
steps 1-5 only. (Do not do SOAPSTone).
• Due Wednesday 08/20.
*Remember, highlighting alone does not
count as annotating.