Unit Overview In this unit, students practice research and argument standards through the investigation of photography and the theme of home. Students will seek to answer the question What is the worth of home? by investigating various external threats that contribute to the potential loss of a home—natural disasters, borders, joblessness, big companies, etc.
Essential Questions
In what ways can photography convey an argumentative or political message? How can photography inspire change?
How does photography represent the society in which we currently live? How does society represent the photography that is currently produced?
What are the components of research and an argumentative paragraph?
Learning Objectives
Students will demonstrate understanding of academic research process.
Students will analyze non-fiction and visual texts.
Students will create a formal text that critically analyzes visual argument.
Students will participate in the writing process including construction of several drafts, evaluate writing in writer’s conferences and peer reviews, make extensive revisions, and edit for professional publication.
Unit Texts
Destroy this Memory, Richard Misrach
Border Cantos, Richard Misrach
Petrochemical America, Richard Misrach
various articles from Newsela (natural disasters, borders, petrochemicals)
Cyberjournals Photography Analysis
What do you see?
What do you think?
What do you wonder?
What emotions do you see in this image?
Why does the image provoke these emotions?
Why do you think the photographer chose to capture this image?
What argument can be made through the image?
What evidence appears in the photo that supports the argument?
Annotated Paragraph
SUMMARY: In general, what is the article about? What is the most important information in the article?
ARGUMENT: What claims does the author make? What does the author believe to be true about the topic?
SUPPORT: What direct evidence does the author use to support those claims? Put in quotation marks, with the author’s last name in parentheses and the period at the end.
SO WHAT?: What does the author want you to do with this information? What do you want to understand?
Professional Publication
Title: Headline Routine—This routine draws on the idea of newspaper-type headlines as a vehicle for summing up and capturing the essence of your writing. Write a headline for this topic or issue right now that captures the most important aspect that should be remembered. Remember a headline is generally no longer than a sentence long, but does contain specific details.
Format: block paragraphs, no indents, spaces between paragraphs
Categories: Cyberjournal, Borders (the Categories option is listed under POST OPTIONS on the bottom left of your blog post)
Submission: After you Post the blog post, open the internet version of your Writing Portfolio. Click on Cyberjournal/Blog then on your newly published post. Send that URL link to Addie in a professional email with the subject line—Cyberjournal: THEME TITLE.
Project | Research Paper Many think a research paper is merely an essay in which they define a topic. For example, they might research Web2.0 tools such as blogs then proceed to define what a blog is, who invented the blog, who uses a blog and why. This is true, but only in part. The main function or purpose of the research paper is to first analyze the topic (define Web2.0 tools and describe how they impact society) and second construct an argument in regards to the topic (Web2.0 tools turn the average writer into a true scholar with publication of writing).
Topics
Hurricane Ian + Natural Disaster Responses
Petrochemical America + Environmental Racism
Border Cantos + Sanctuary Cities
OUTLINE Thesis Statement | The thesis statement establishes the argument of the research paper. Topic + Analysis = Argument (Thesis). The thesis statement is the road map for your essay. If you provide analysis and evidence for every component of your thesis statement, you will theoretically win your argument. The thesis also gives your reader a clear understanding of what the text will be about. It engages the reader in the argument by encouraging them to read further.
Definition | The definition paragraph introduces your audience to your interpretation of the topic. This paragraph will answer the majority of the closed questions you researched, but it also needs to include your personal understanding of the topic. For example, while there is a specific definition of empathy, how we demonstrate empathy as individuals varies greatly, which is open to interpretation. While some topics like empathy may end there, other topics, like the Civil War may need more information in the definition paragraph. Other components might include:
historical background (dates of the war, legislation, Emancipation Proclamation)
key players (Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee)
relevant events (Gettysburg, Battle of Lexington)
Visual Argument | In this portion of your essay you will establish a problem statement by analyzing a picture by Richard Misrach. This picture may not be one that we already analyzed in class, but you should analyze just as we did in class:
SEE | Identify things you see within the image
THINK | Explain what this image expresses or makes you think
WONDER | Question what this image suggest about society or human response
Researched Argument | This is the portion of your essay in which you will synthesize your argument using academic research. Remember that an innovative argument not only recognizes the conversations about the topic via academic research, but also adds to the conversation by offering new insight not yet considered.
CLAIM
EVIDENCE
EXPLANATION/
A claim is like a mini-thesis. It sets up the argument for a specific paragraph within your essay. Your claims must represent a specific component of your thesis statement. Notice in my example that my claim directly relates to the “capitalism” component of my thesis statement.
Next provide evidence to support your claim. This evidence must directly relate to your claim, but it should not summarize your claim. Instead, it should support your claim and advance your argument.
Finally, provide an explanation of how the evidence supports your claim and supports your overall argument. This explanation also leads your audience into the next paragraph of your essay.
Conclusion | Restate thesis. Restate argument. Restate purpose. Sounds simple. It is not. Remember that restate actually means that you have already provided your readers with this information once. While it is important to do so again to remind them of what your paper was about, you are actually doing so in a new way, not in fact restating. Restating is redundant and boring to your readers.
Works Cited | At the end of the Research Paper, you must include a Works Cited. Remember a Works Cited is different from your Annotated Bibliography in that it is only the sources referenced in your paper and there are not annotated paragraphs. Reference the Étude Formatting and Style Guide for specific information on creating a Works Cited.
At the end of the Research Paper, you must include a Works Cited. Remember a Works Cited is different from your Annotated Bibliography in that it is only the sources referenced in your paper and there are not annotated paragraphs. Reference the Étude Formatting and Style Guide for specific information on creating a Works Cited.