This document provides an agenda and instructions for a class discussing a novel and writing an in-class essay. It includes:
- A quiz on chapters of the novel
- Brainstorming supplies to bring on a wilderness trip, with students choosing items from lists
- Instructions for writing an in-class essay arguing which supplies they chose and countering other options
- Discussion questions on characters and events in the novel
- Homework of discussing chapters on Canvas and bringing a blue book to write the essay
2. Agenda / Participation
Agenda
Quiz
P2 Brainstorming
P2 Assignment
P2 In-class Writing and
Brainstorming
Parable Discussion
Participation for today
One point for what you say in the
full discussion (limit 3).
3 points for participation in the P2
group activities.
3. Quiz: Parable Ch. 9-11
The “All Keith” Quiz
1. What does Lauren’s dad do to
Keith that makes him leave
“permanently”?
2. What skill does Keith have that
makes him useful to people outside
the wall?
3. How did Keith get the money
from the guy who was traveling to
Alaska?
4. Brainstorming and HW
You are headed into the wilderness
(in NorCal) for several weeks. You
will not be near “civilization.” The
possibility that you will encounter
carnivores, giardiasis (from bad
water), rough terrain, weather,
insects, and poison ivy is very real.
Any other people you encounter
may not be friendly or helpful. You
are wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and
tennis shoes. You have an empty
daypack. From the lists on the next
slides, choose which additional
items you would take with you on
your trip. PROVIDE REASONS
(plural) for each of your choices.
Keep in mind:
1. The “container problem”: what
containers are you going to use to
hold/boil water? What about to cook?
2. Your own skill set. Have you ever
hunted? Do you know how to start a
fire? This is YOU in the wilderness,
not Katniss or some idealized version
of you.
5. Group 1 (Choose 2)
Blanket (one wool double)
Sleeping Bag (one single,
nylon and down)
Two extra pair of socks
(wool)
A rain coat (yellow)
Reflective heat jacket
Hiking boots (water proof)
Group 2 (Choose 1)
Waterproof matches (one
box of 20)
An empty, plastic
container/bottle (One
gallon)
Rope (25 feet)
Tarp (8x10)
Iodine Tablets (one jar of
20) [used to purify water]
6. Group 3 (Choose 1)
Bow & Arrows (6)
Small Knife (6” blade)
A large heavy sword (2.5
feet, 10 lbs)
A hammer (common
household type)
A fishing line & hook (100
feet of line and 3 hooks)
Group 4 (Choose 1)
A box of crackers (16 oz.)
A package of beef jerky
(16 oz.)
A bottle of water (one
gallon)
A package of cheese (16
oz.)
A bag of apples (10 small
apples)
7. Paper 2: In-class Essay
“Arguing a Position”
Write an essay arguing for the
supplies you have chosen to take
with you into the wild. Present the
issue to readers, and develop an
argument for the purpose of
confirming, challenging, or
changing your readers’ views on
which supplies are the most
important for survival.
You will write the essay in class on
Monday, February 5.
Bring a blue book. You will be
allowed to bring a BRIEF outline.
You don’t need outside sources for
this essay.
Basic features of an “Arguing a
Position” essay:
A well-presented issue or situation.
Well-supported reasons.
An effective counterargument.
8. Introduction and Thesis
Focus your presentation of the issue:
Your introduction should explain to
the reader both the situation you
face and why you have limited
resources.
Set up the scenario. Vacation?
Escape? Personal challenge? You have
to explain why you are going and why
you are limited in your supplies.
Feel free to be creative here.
Don’t just say, “My professor gave me
four lists…”
Thesis: Compose a thesis that makes
your position unambiguous,
appropriately qualified, and clearly
arguable. (Your thesis will likely be
near the end of your introduction).
9. Body Paragraphs
Paragraph one: topic sentence
supporting your first item.
Give reasons for your choice and
support them with examples,
scenarios, or anecdotes.
Paragraph two: topic sentence
supporting your second item.
Give reasons for your choice and
support them with examples,
scenarios, or anecdotes.
Additional Paragraphs: Repeat
using the same or similar strategies
10. Counterarguments
Write at least TWO counterarguments
that address why you wouldn’t take
the items the other people in your
group think are very important. You
should address specific supplies
others in your group chose to take.
You may do this in each body
paragraph as you argue for your
choice, or you may do it as a
separate paragraph after you finish
arguing for your tools.
For example, you might start by
writing, “While some people might
prefer a sleeping bag, I find it to be a
poor choice compared to the
blanket.” Then you can explain why.
11. Conclusion
If your adventure is over, describe
how it ended and how you have
recovered, suffered, or benefitted
from it.
OR
If the adventure is ongoing,
consider predicting your future in
the wild.
What are you chances of success?
What do you see as your biggest
challenge?
How might you fail?
12. In-class writing: Write your Intro.
(Come up with your scenario and thesis.)
Remember what goes in your intro:
Focus your presentation of the issue:
Your introduction should explain to
the reader both the situation you
face and why you have limited
resources.
Set up the scenario. Vacation?
Escape? Personal challenge?
Feel free to be creative here.
Don’t just say, “My professor gave me
four lists…”
Thesis: Yes, your thesis statement is
just as easy as you suspect it is.
Briefly identify the situation and
then list your items. One sentence.
Now share your intro scenario and thesis with your group.
13. In-class writing:
Reasons
You know your five items.
Now, come up with your reasons for
choosing each one.
Each one of these items will have its
own paragraph, so you’re going to
need more than just a one-sentence
reason.
You may want to provide multiple
reasons. Think of all the ways you
might use that item.
Consider how your skills fit with that
item (do you know how to use it?).
You may want to provide personal
experience or an anecdote as part of
your reason.
Details are your friend here.
Example: say I chose “a steel pot”
(not one of your options).
Reason: versatile item!
--can use it to boil water (so no need
for iodine).
--could use to collect water when it
rains.
--can use to cook roots or berries
over a campfire.
I can’t hunt, but I can forage and
gather. And I can cook.
--could wear on head to keep head
dry.
Now share your reasons with your group.
14. In-class writing:
Counterarguments
Now remind yourself of two items
that people in your group chose
that you would not choose.
For each of these two items, come
up with at least one reason why
you think it’s not as good a choice
as the choice you made.
Could be a bad choice in general
(“Why would anyone choose X?”)
Or could be a bad choice for you
(“I don’t know how to fish, so…”)
Give specific details and develop
your reasons.
Now share your counterarguments with your group.
15. Your “outline” for Monday
You are allowed to bring a piece of
paper with the following on it:
1. Your thesis statement. (Will only
be one sentence.)
2. A list of the two (or more) items
that you intend to use as your
counterarguments.
That’s it. That’s the outline.
16. Parable Discussion
1. How do you feel about Keith? Can
you see him beyond/outside of
Lauren's perspective? What does he
want? Can you empathize with him?
Do the members of Lauren's family
(including Lauren) deal with Keith in
the best ways? Why or why not?
2. What do we learn about the world
outside the wall from Keith's
adventures and death? Lauren has
complicated feelings about what
happened to Keith. Why?
3. Olivar is a KSF company town.
What does this mean? What are the
pros and cons of living in a company
town like Olivar (according to the
various characters in the novel)?
Which side would you choose? Would
you choose to move to Olivar? Why or
why not?
4. Lauren preaches a sermon after
her father's disappearance. What is it
about? Why does she choose that
subject? Does she believe her own
sermon? Why or why not?
5. At the end of Chapter 13, we
reach a turning point in the book.
What do you think is about to
happen?
17. HW for Monday
Discussion 8 AND Discussion 9 on
Canvas.
Bring a blue book and your outline
(see Discussion 9 for what you are
allowed to bring).
Be ready to write Paper 2 in class.
Remember to turn in your
participation for today:
One point for what you say in the full
discussion (limit 3).
3 points for participation in the P2
discussion activities.
