Independent Reading Project

Finding Argument in Fiction

After viewing the presentations about argument writing, consider your current independent reading book.  Good writing will have conflict with or without resolution. Does it explore a situation that should or should not be true? Does it involve characters that do or do not violate a rule?

Choose whether you will be exploring a TRUTH or a RULE found in your novel.

Due:HW GRADE:__________ thesis/claim using should/should not be true or does/does not violate a rule

Examples:

TRUTH: Second-grader Freddy Dissel has that left-out kind of feeling as the middle kid in the family, but he should find the truth in how special he is for others and himself. (From The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo by Judy Blume)

RULE: Leslie Burke, not the typical girl, does not need to be punished for the rules she violates as a creative and out-going tomboy creating a magic land of make-believe for herself and her friend. (From Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson)

Due:QUIZ GRADE:__________ proof of 3-5 quoted examples AND counterclaim

Examples:

Proof:  Freddy feels like “the peanut butter part of the sandwich”. (4)

QUOTES WILL INCLUDE PAGE NUMBERS OR ZERO GRADE GIVEN

Counterclaim: Leslie is endangering herself and her friend Jesse Aarons by taking unnecessarily dangerous risks and chances.

Due:HW GRADE:__________ rough draft of essay including introduction (2-3 sentence summary of plot and thesis/claim), body paragraphs (at least three including counterclaim and proof), conclusion (2-3 sentences including what was learned/discovered)

Due:TEST GRADE:__________ finished essay