Alice Walker Everyday Use Analysis
Using Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Questioning Techniques in Writing Instruction
A substantial part of English 10 asks students to begin to develop well organized literary analyses of fiction and non-fiction text. In order to do that they must be familiar with the writing process and confident in responding to writing prompts. Writing prompts are often a set of questions expressed in a set of directions that asks students to do some pretty heavy cognitive work. For the second quarter my students have been working with Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” to explore the relationship between culture and identity. As students worked with the text they engaged in several tasks to gain a deep understanding of the story's characters’, their motivations …show more content…
The writing prompt was:
Everyday Use by Alice Walker is a short story exploring one particular culture’s historical traditions. The two sisters, although raised in the same family, have very different ideas of how to best preserve their heritage. In a multi-paragraph essay, compare and contrast Maggie and Dee based on their points of view and personalities with respect to preserving their heritage. Make sure to include specific details and examples from the story in your analysis.
The prompt is a level 3 depth of knowledge question because it asks students to compare and contrast their understanding of two central characters in the story. They must use evidence to make an interpretation of a complex idea – how and why two different characters express their appreciation for their culture. In order to respond to the prompt fully, students must analyze the way the author develops both characters, describe how word choice might reflect the author’s bias and synthesize their interpretation to express alternative methods of preserving one’s cultural heritage. The prompt uses academic language to deliver the question as a set of directions. Students must actively engage with the text and pull out academic language like “compare and contrast” in order to begin to understand the
A substantial part of English 10 asks students to begin to develop well organized literary analyses of fiction and non-fiction text. In order to do that they must be familiar with the writing process and confident in responding to writing prompts. Writing prompts are often a set of questions expressed in a set of directions that asks students to do some pretty heavy cognitive work. For the second quarter my students have been working with Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use” to explore the relationship between culture and identity. As students worked with the text they engaged in several tasks to gain a deep understanding of the story's characters’, their motivations …show more content…
The writing prompt was:
Everyday Use by Alice Walker is a short story exploring one particular culture’s historical traditions. The two sisters, although raised in the same family, have very different ideas of how to best preserve their heritage. In a multi-paragraph essay, compare and contrast Maggie and Dee based on their points of view and personalities with respect to preserving their heritage. Make sure to include specific details and examples from the story in your analysis.
The prompt is a level 3 depth of knowledge question because it asks students to compare and contrast their understanding of two central characters in the story. They must use evidence to make an interpretation of a complex idea – how and why two different characters express their appreciation for their culture. In order to respond to the prompt fully, students must analyze the way the author develops both characters, describe how word choice might reflect the author’s bias and synthesize their interpretation to express alternative methods of preserving one’s cultural heritage. The prompt uses academic language to deliver the question as a set of directions. Students must actively engage with the text and pull out academic language like “compare and contrast” in order to begin to understand the