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(developed for English 99 Basic Writing / English 101 Academic Writing)
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-- to help students understand that
analysis means “breaking something apart” in order to understand the whole
-- to help students construct a paragraph using analysis as the rhetorical model
-- to help students understand the importance of purpose and audience when writing
-- to help students understand writing as a discovery process
Pizza (The local pizza parlor might
agree to provide pizza in exchange for reading the students’ analysis paragraphs)
Toolbox supplies (paper, pens, pencils, markers, Post-its)
Music (resource: Learn with the Classics, by Ole Andersen, Marcy Marsh & Arthur
Harvey)
Pizza rating scale (range = worst pizza I’ve ever tasted to the best pizza I’ve
ever tasted!)
Graphical organizer for analysis paragraph (resource: Infusing the Teaching
of Critical and Creative Thinking into Content Instruction, by Robert J. Wartz
& Sandra Parks)
1. Students will judge the quality
of a pizza and write analysis paragraphs. Their work will be given to the management
of the pizza parlor. Students may work individually or in small groups.
Discussion:
Audience = pizza parlor management
Purpose = to analyze the quality of the pizza
Analysis = breaking something apart in order to understand the whole
2. As students taste the pizza,
they use the scale the instructor has provided to record their gut reaction
to the pizza’s quality.
Discussion:
It’s not much help to know that people “like” or “don’t” like the pizza. In
order to understand their own reaction to the quality of the pizza, the students
must break the pizza apart and study the parts. They must do a pizza analysis.
3. The instructor gives students
a graphical organizer for an analysis paragraph.
Discussion: Students now have the topic and angle for the topic sentence.
topic=pizza
angle = tastes good or does not taste good
The instructor suggests that students keep the graphical organizer in mind as
they work on the next step of the project.
4. Students break pizza apart on
their plates: topics, cheese, sauce, and crust. Students take notes or create
maps/flowcharts to record information they will use to develop general and specific
support for their analysis paragraphs.
Discussion: A general comment about the toppings will be supported with details
such as how fresh the toppings are, if the toppings are visually appealing,
if toppings are chopped up small enough, and so on. Is the sauce too bitter
or two sweet? Is the crust tough or tender? What about the flavor of the crust?
5. Students develop a conclusion
that is informed by their analysis.
Discussion: The conclusion might be that a lack of fresh ingredients for toppings
and a tough crust are the characteristics that contribute most to the overall
poor quality of the pizza. The instructor emphasizes that in order to understand
and explain their original reaction to the pizza, students had to BREAK APART
the pizza, or ANALYZE the pizza.
6. Group discussion Can students think of other occasions when using analysis might be useful? How could students use analysis as a tool in their other courses? In the workplace? How will the pizza parlor management use the analysis paragraphs?
7. Students write a draft of the pizza analysis paragraph, using the graphical organizers and their notes.
8. The instructor shares feedback from the pizza parlor management.
Students
complete a project reflection activity.
Suggested reflection activity (adapted from Stephen Brookfield’s “Classroom
Critical Incident Questionnaire” – Adult Learning: An Overview, by Stephen Brookfield)
1. At what moment during this project did you feel most engaged with what was
happening?
2. At what moment did you feel most distanced?
3. What about this project surprised you the most?
4. How could you use analysis as a tool in a setting other than your English
classroom?
The design
of this activity was guided by careful consideration of
-- the unique learner - (text about unique learner/this activity goes here)
-- the environment- (text about the environment/this activity goes here)
-- the construction of individual meaning - (text about construction/this activity
goes here)
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