integrating-quotes-into-formal-paragraph.doc 

1. We reviewed the symbolic nature of the penny from a recent story we read together. Students searched the story to find a phrase or sentence that, in their opinion, best proved the author’s use of the penny as a symbol. Once found, we chose the phrase most people thought gave evidence of that.  With that phrase, we constructed a paragraph together on the board integrating that quote into a paragraph for a “pretend” essay with the topic of symbolism used in literature. We followed the six steps on the handout that outlined the purpose for each of the sentences of the paragraph.
2. We discussed, as well, some of the aspects of a literary essay that differ from a reflective or personal essay. Such things like not using personal pronouns, avoiding any use of contractions, and always writing about the literature in present tense (as the action is always constantly occuring in the story) are habits students will have to become more familiar with in the future.
3. They then worked on their own, searching through the other story, “The Rink” by R.B. MacIntyre, to find the right phrase or sentence that proves the use of symbolism in that story. Once found, they had to write their own paragraph, integrating the quote, and pretending that it will be the third body paragraph to fit in the same “pretend” essay after the paragraph we had constructed as a class.
   This essay will be due, typed without a title page, for Thursday’s class. (The students chose that as the due date for themselves.)