How do you generate ideas for an explanatory essay?
In this lesson you will learn how to generate a precise topic by using your text and notes for evidence.
Analyze the role of animals in Mark Twain’s “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. Include in your essay an explanation how the use of animals contribute to the theme of the story and examine how the use of the animals add humor to the story.
Let’s Review
Close reading
&
analysis
1
2
Analysis of role of animals in Mark Twain’s “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”.
Assignment
3
Generate
&
Plan
4
Draft &
revise
5
Edit &
publish
Let’s Review
Let’s Review
Address what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
Analyze the role of animals in Mark Twain’s “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. Include in your essay, an explanation how the use of animals contribute to the theme of the story and examine how the use of the animals add humor to the story.
Let’s Review
Review your notes and text then ask yourself, “What is an important theme from the text?” Jot down your answer.
1
2
Ask yourself, “What evidence supports my thought?” List your evidence.
3
Ask, “Is each piece of evidence strong and thorough?”
Core Lesson
Evidence?
Important theme?
Core Lesson
Thish-yer Smiley had a mare—the boys called her the fifteen-minute nag, but that was only in fun, you know, because, of course, she was faster than that— and he used to win money on that horse, for all she was so slow and always had the asthma, or the distemper, or the consumption, or something of that kind. They used to give her two or three hundred yards start, and then pass her under way; but always at the fag-end of the race she'd get excited and desperate-like, and come cavorting and straddling up, and scattering her legs around limber, sometimes in the air, and sometimes out to one side amongst the fences, and kicking up m-o-r-e dust and raising m-o-r-e racket with her coughing and sneezing and blowing her nose—and always fetch up at the stand just about a neck ahead, as near as you could cipher it down.
Textual evidence?
Core Lesson
Is this evidence strong & thorough?
Yes!
✓Textual evidence
✓Moves plot
✓Humorous
✓Thematic
Core Lesson
And he had a little small bull-pup, that to look at him you'd think he warn't worth a cent but to set around and look ornery and lay for a chance to steal something. But as soon as money was up on him he was a different dog; his under-jaw'd begin to stick out like the fo'-castle of a steamboat, and his teeth would uncover and shine like the furnaces. And a dog might tackle him and bully-rag him, and bite him, and throw him over his shoulder two or three times, and Andrew Jackson—which was the name of the pup—Andrew Jackson would never let on but what he was satisfied, and hadn't expected nothing else—and the bets being doubled and doubled on the other side all the time, till the money was all up…
…He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'lated to educate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut—see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat- footed and all right, like a cat. He got him up so in the matter of ketching flies, and kep' him in practice so constant, that he'd nail a fly every time as fur as he could see him. Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he could do 'most anything—and I believe him.
Core Lesson
Theme: Overconfidence can cause trouble.
Core Lesson
Close reading
&
analysis
1
2
Analysis of role of animals in Mark Twain’s “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”.
Assignment
3
Generate
&
Plan
4
Draft &
revise
5
Edit &
publish
Let’s Review
Review your notes and text then ask yourself, “What is an important theme from the text?” Jot down your answer.
1
2
Ask yourself, “What evidence supports my thought?” List your evidence.
3
Ask, “Is each piece of evidence strong and thorough?”
Core Lesson
In this lesson you have learned how to generate a precise analysis by using your text and notes for evidence.