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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Novel Study

A Cooperative Reading Focus

Learning Module

Abstract

Through a novel study, year 8 students learn about the historical context of the Holocaust, about discrimination, reading literally and inferentially, and writing a persuasive essay.

Australian Curriculum

Year 8 Achievement Standard

Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)

By the end of Year 8, students understand how the selection of text structures is influenced by the selection of language mode and how this varies for different purposes and audiences. Students explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to represent different ideas and issues in texts.

Students interpret texts, questioning the reliability of sources of ideas and information. They select evidence from the text to show how events, situations and people can be represented from different viewpoints. They listen for and identify different emphases in texts, using that understanding to elaborate upon discussions.

Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)

Students understand how the selection of language features can be used for particular purposes and effects. They explain the effectiveness of language choices they use to influence the audience. Through combining ideas, images and language features from other texts, students show how ideas can be expressed in new ways.

Students create texts for different purposes, selecting language to influence audience response. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using language patterns for effect. When creating and editing texts to create specific effects, they take into account intended purposes and the needs and interests of audiences. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary for effect and use accurate spelling and punctuation.

 

1. Predict

For the Student

In this learning module, you will focus on the following key understandings:

  • Prejudice and that with no discrimination, barriers can be broken down
  • The power of friendship
  • How to infer the deeper meaning of a text
  • How to write a persuasive text

Learning Intention: To consider what the novel might be about using the predicting reading strategy

Look at the cover of the book – read the blurb

Comment: What do you think John Boyne means when he calls his story a “fable”?

Fig. 1: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

For the Teacher

Teaching tips

Many of the students may know what happens in this story, have read it before or seen the film (which incidentally is different to the novel). Ask the class before the activity starts to try not to spoil the story for others. As the blurb says…it is best to read this story without knowing what it is about.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

2. Reading the Novel - Part 1

For the Student

Learning intention: To read and comprehend chapters 1 and 2 through Cooperative Reading.

Listen and follow on in your book as chapter one and two are being read aloud.

In your Cooperative Reading group discuss the text user role.

Think about the following questions:

  • Why you think the author started the novel this way?
  • What was the purpose?
  • What part of the narrative structure do you think this is?

Complete the individual Cooperative Reading sheet. You will be continuing to read the novel in your Cooperative Reading groups and developing your own questions.

Comment: After your discussion write one PEC paragraph which answers all three questions.

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity allows students to engage with the beginning of the novel, places emphasis on the students thinking about the deliberate choices authors make and sets up Cooperative Reading for reading the rest of the text.

Teaching tips

Throughout this learning element, whenever students are reading or working in a group, the teacher should take anecdotal notes and observations. By the end of the novel, with the help of the learning assistance teacher, each students should have been observed at least twice. It is important that you share these observations with the students.

It is important that the teacher reads chapter one and two aloud but the students can continue reading independently in their Cooperative Reading groups.

Instead of using their books, encourage students to share their PEC paragraphs on a class wiki. This will generate conversation online and allow students to read and see other people's opinions and ideas.

When talking about text user, it is important that students identity the parts of the narrative and the author's intention with his writing.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language features to understand the content of texts (ACELY1733)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

3. Character Prediction

For the Student

Learning intention: To practise the reading comprehension strategy of prediction.

Number yourselves 1-6.

  1. Bruno
  2. Gretel
  3. Bruno's Mother
  4. Bruno's Father
  5. Maria
  6. Serious young man in uniform

Now skim read the first two chapters paying attention only to the involvement of your character.Then complete a character analysis of your character answering the following questions.

  1. What have you learnt about your character including both physical and personality traits?
  2. Make a prediction about this character and their future involvement in the story.
  3. Provide evidence about your prediction. What prompted you to make this prediction?

Once you have finished your answers find another person in the room who has the same character as you. Share your answers with each other and discuss your character. You can borrow some ideas from your partner.

Predicting is what good readers do in the Discussion Manager/Text Participant role.

Comment: Share at least facts about your character. Comment on the comments of other students by adding more character facts.

Fig. 2: The Perimeter Fence of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in World War !!

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity will engage students further in the text but also aims to explicitly teach the predicting reading comprehension strategy which is part of the Discussion Manager/Text Participant role.

Teaching tips

This activity models another role in Cooperative Reading - the Discussion Manager or Text Participant. Make this clear to students.

They can use the Character Trait Descriptive Adjectives scaffold to describe their characters.
download (Character Trait Descriptive Adjectives scaffold)

Once students have shared with a partner, encourage them to 'borrow a bit' to enhance their own responses.

The lesson could begin with Cooperative Reading for 45 minutes and end with this activity for 15 minutes.

Cooperative Reading can be complemented by short activities which model each role. The focus, however, should be on students reading the novel and following the Cooperative Reading structure:

1. Set social and reading goals. Identify a reading strategy to focus on too, eg predicting, connecting, inferring, summarising, visualising and questioning. Note that self questioning is common to every Cooperative Reading role.

2. Read for about 15-20 minutes.

3. Develop questions and discuss.

4. Reflect on whether students reach their reading and social goals.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts (ACELT1807)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language features to understand the content of texts (ACELY1733)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

4. Chapter 4 - Text User/Illustrator

For the Student

Learning intention: To learn about the Text User/Illustrator role.

Draw in detail what Bruno and Gretel saw out of Bruno's bedroom window.

Imagine you are standing behind them so include the back of their heads and the outline of the window.

Comment: Skim and scan through chapter 4 looking for all of the detail of what they saw outside the window and describe as much of it as you can.

Fig. 3: BIrkenau Gate, Auschwitz.

For the Teacher

Purpose

Students draw in detail what they read in chapter 4 about the description of the death camp which is the setting of the novel.

Teaching tips

After the first 45 minutes is spent on Cooperative Reading in their groups, students can complete this activity. Emphasise that this is the Text User/Illustrator role and students look for details in the text to help them visualise the scene. Visualising is what good readers do.

Text Illustrators also infer so they dig deeper into what the words are suggesting and can even use symbols.

Students should be well past chapter 4 by this stage so they could visualise another scene if they like.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language features to understand the content of texts (ACELY1733)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

7. Bruno's Understanding

For the Student

Learning Intention: To examine Bruno's perspective.

Comment:

  • What are the connotations of Bruno’s use of the words “the Fury” and “Outwith”? What does this tell us about Bruno?
  • If these words are being used by the author to show Bruno’s perspective…what is the reality of Bruno’s situation?
  • What period of history does this book relate to?
Fig. 5: Living quarters at Auschwitz.

For the Teacher

Discuss Bruno's understanding of what is happening through an online discussion

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Literature and context

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

5. Reading the Novel - Chapters 5-10

For the Student

Learning Intention: To discuss the novel and gain a deeper understanding of it through the Cooperative Reading roles.

As you are reading you will need to work with the other members of your cooperative reading group.

Each of you will need to complete a cooperative reading sheet for each of the four reading roles:

Text User

Text Participant

Text Analyst

Code Breaker

You can choose which chapter you do, which role and you can choose one chapter that you do not complete a sheet for. Your cooperative reading sheets will be marked!

Comment: What do you think the novel is really about? Why? Provide evidence for your response. Comment on the comments of other students.

Fig. 4: Child Survivors at Auschwitz.

For the Teacher

Teaching tips

Students will read at different paces. Give the students who can read quickly the opportunity to read ahead. For the readers who need more support get a group together and get yourself or the support teacher to read to the group to help them get through the novel. Allowing the students to work at their own pace is important. Do not read the whole novel aloud to the class.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literature - Examining literature

Recognise, explain and analyse the ways literary texts draw on readers’ knowledge of other texts and enable new understanding and appreciation of aesthetic qualities (ACELT1629)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language features to understand the content of texts (ACELY1733)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

6. Close Analysis of Chapter 10

For the Student

Learning intention: To read and analyse character and themes in Chapter 10

Bruno meets Shmuel in Chapter 10.

Using a Venn diagram write about the similarities and differences between the two boys.

Make some inferences about Shmuel's family and religious backgrounds.

Share your Venn Diagram with a partner and include any of the key points they have included that you may not have.

Find another pair and compare your Venn Diagrams to theirs and discuss the key points.

  1. Look at the chapter heading. What do you think this means?
  2. Is it significant that Shmuel is introduced in this way?
  3. What does Shmuel's physical description tell us about the way he is being treated? (Inferential Comprehension Question)
  4. What is the significance of the boys being exactly the same age?

Comment: What have you learned about the characters and themes? Comment on the comments of other students.

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity aims to closely study chapter 10 to explore character, themes and language features.

Teaching tips

Students compare and contrast two characters (Bruno and Shmuel) based on the introduction of Shmuel in chapter 10.

The inferential comprehension question is designed to challenge students to see the similarities between the two boys despite their obvious differences.

This activity can also complement a Cooperative Reading session. It also focuses on the Text Analyst/Investigator role.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Resonding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

8. A brief History of WWII

For the Student

Learning intention: To find out new information about the Holocaust and record the main ideas

View the PowerPoint shown by the teacher on the Holocaust. Take notes in theSnotetaking scaffold. This PowerPoint presentation will give you valuable background information on the historical period. You will need to take extensive notes in these columns -

  1. Key Words/Phrases
  2. Notes
  3. Questions/responses.

Then watch the documentary "Auschwitz: the Nazis and the Final Solution". This documentary focuses on aspects of The Holocaust and anti-semitism within Nazi Germany. While you are viewing the documentary complete a Chat Chart.

My words My questions
The most important parts My connections
My thoughts

Comment: Discuss your responses. Comment on how your responses are the same and different? What struck you the most?

Fig. 6: Adolf Hitler in World War 11

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity will enable students to encounter aspects of the Holocaust in a visual way and to hear first-hand accounts that bring an immediacy to the way that they experience the information.

Resources

NEED A NEW DOCUMENTARY

The documentary - Auschwitz: the Nazi and the Final Solution is available in five parts on YouTube.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Teaching tips

Note Taking Sheet

download (Note_Taking.pdf)

Students will be using a Key Words/Phrases - Notes - Questions/Responses note taking scaffold to record their information. This is a way of recording information as a means of monitoring understanding and linking new information with prior knowledge. Taking notes can also be a way of recording and summarising information from a spoken or written text.

Chat Chart

After reading/viewing a text/s students discuss the text in small groups and then complete the chart.

Ensure the students discuss their Chat Chart and express their reactions to the YouTube clips. This supports thinking and student agency.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Literature and context

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

Literature - Resonding to literature

Recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts (ACELT1807)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

9. Exploring Perspectives about the Holocaust

For the Student

Learning intention: To explore different perspectives about victims, perpetrators and bystanders

Think/pair/share what you think the following quotes mean:

“The world is too dangerous to live in – not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who sit and let it happen.”

Albert Einstein

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Edmund Burke

Using the information gained from the documentary write a PEC paragraph that discusses your understanding of the different roles people played during the Holocaust.

Comment: PEC PARAGRAPH: What different roles do you believe German people played in the Holocaust? What risks did some of them (Germans and Jews) take in this situation? If people were bystanders or naïve to what was happening, does that make them any less responsible?

Is it true that “what you don’t know won’t hurt you?”

Answer with reference to your knowledge from the documentary and the novel.

Fig. 7: Many German children were evacuated from Berlin because of bombing.

For the Teacher

Perspectives of people in the Holocaust

As a way of exploring why the holocaust occurred students consider different perspectives. This includes the soldiers, bystanders, victims and prisoners.

Purpose

In this activity allows students to deepen their understanding of the different roles played in the tragedy of the Nazi "Final Solution." It allows them to understand the characters in the novel.

Teaching tips

This links in closely with the creative and essay tasks later in the unit.It is important to do it well and discuss the different aspects with the students. Their ability to complete the final assessment tasks is heightened through completing this activity as well.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Literature and context

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

Literature - Resonding to literature

Recognise and explain differing viewpoints about the world, cultures, individual people and concerns represented in texts (ACELT1807)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

10. Literal vs Inferential Meaning

For the Student

Learning intention: To infer deeper meaning about the text at the word and sentence levels.

Complete the Literal/Inferential Meaning Chart. You will have noticed while reading 'The Boy in Striped Pyjamas' that there are many words and phrases that are repeated several times. Authors do not use these accidentally - it is our job to investigate their purpose in using them.

1. Write down the phrase that is repeated in the 'Repeated word/phrase' column.

2. Write down the literal meaning of the word or phrase in the 'literal meaning' column. Remember that the literal meaning is the obvious or surface meaning in the text.

3. Write down the inferential meaning in the 'Inferential Meaning' column. Remember that the inferential meaning is the one based on your interpretation - not explicitly expressed by the author.

For the Teacher

Purpose

This activity is designed to reinforce students' prior knowledge of literal and inferential reading and to explore the deeper meanings within the text by observing what has been suggested by the author. Students will begin filling their worksheet out and will then return to it as they read on in further activities.

Australian Curriculum

Language - Expressing and developing ideas

Recognise that vocabulary choices contribute to the specificity, abstraction and style of texts (ACELA1547)

Literature - Literature and context

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

Literature - Resonding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

11. Reading the Novel: Chapters 11-20

For the Student

Learning Intention: To read and reflect on the chapters 12-18.

Read the rest of the novel with your partner. As you finish each chapter complete the activities as listed below:

Read-Pause-Predict: After finishing chapter 12

Read-Pause-Discuss: After finishing chapter 13

Read-Pause-Make Connections: After finishing chapter 14

Read-Pause-Sketch: After finishing chapter 15

Read-Pause-Bookmark: After finishing chapter 16

Read-Pause-Retell: After finishing chapter 17

Read-Pause-Summarise: After finishing chapter 18

Read-Pause-Infer: At the end of the novel

Complete this work in your cooperative reading journal.

Comment: What surprised, interested or struck you the most as you finished reading the novel? Comment on other students' comments, discussing similarities and differences.

Fig. 8: Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

For the Teacher

Teaching tips

Pair students together that are at similar stages of the novel. If students have worked ahead and are at this stage before completing the activities based upon WWII and the Holocaust, ensure they have access to these activities to complete.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Resonding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

12. Character Development

For the Student

Refer back to your notes from Learning Activity 3 - Character Prediction. Answer the questions below:

  1. What did you learn about your character, including both physical and personality traits? Use the list of adjectives to help you describe your character, sort these into positive and negative words. 
  2. Was your prediction about their future involvement in the story correct? Explain what was correct or wrong about it.

Once you have finished your answers find another person in the room who has the same character as you. Share your answers with each other and discuss your character. You can borrow some ideas from your partner.

Predicting is what good readers do in the Discussion Manager/Text Participant role.

Move into an expert group, you should have 1 of each character. Share and discuss the development of your character over the story. 

Comment: Share at least facts about your character. Comment on the comments of other students by adding more character facts.

For the Teacher

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Resonding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

13. Creative Writing

For the Student

Learning Intention : To start my writing project in Scholar.

Write a creative piece from the point of view of another character from Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or that links to the story through its themes.

Choose one of the following options:

1. Write a series of three to five diary entries from the perspective of a character other than Bruno from The Boy in Striped Pyjamas. These entries should reflect your chosen character’s thoughts and feelings, while responding to the events of the narrative.

OR

2. The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, is presented through the unique voice of a naïve narrator who does not fully understand the significance of the events that occur around him. Compose an original short story that uses a naïve narrator in a similar fashion.

WORD LIMIT: 500-2000 Words

Read an excerpt from a diary. Annotate what you notice about the format of a diary entry. 

In a class discussion, create the success criteria for a diary entry.

 

For the Teacher

Purpose

Students demonstrate what they have learned about the novel, setting and characters through writing a creative piece.

Teaching Tips

The rubric in Scholar will provide explicit guidelines for students as they write their creative pieces.

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Creating literature

Create literary texts that draw upon text structures and language features of other texts for particular purposes and effects (ACELT1632)

Literacy - Creating texts

Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)

Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to improve the effectiveness of students’ own texts (ACELY1810)

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and publish texts imaginatively (ACELY1738)

14. Bruno & Shmuel

For the Student

Learning intention:

Each table will receive an A3 sheet with a statement on it. Write as many ideas, quotes and evidence as you can.

  • Describe the relationship between Bruno and Shmuel. Use the adjectives list to help you.
  • How does Bruno and Shmuel's relationship develop? What are the important events or conversations?
  • What does Bruno gain from the relationship? Use the adjectives list to help you.
  • What does Shmuel gain from the relationship? Use the adjectives list to help you.
  • What risks does Shmuel take to maintain the relationship? What could have happened if they were caught?
  • What risks does Bruno take to maintain the relationship? What could have happened if they were caught?

After you've written as much as you can, move to another table and add ideas that aren't on the sheet. Continue until you've read and written on each sheet. Your teacher will display these around the room.

Comment: Summarise the main points. 

For the Teacher

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Literature and context

Explore the ways that ideas and viewpoints in literary texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts may reflect or challenge the values of individuals and groups (ACELT1626)

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

15. What you don't know won't hurt you

For the Student

Learning intention: 

“What you don’t know won’t hurt you.”

Define: idiom

a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light ).

“What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” is an idiom. What do you think this means? In a think/pair/share share your idea.

Comment: Record your idea in a comment. Read and respond to at least 2 other students.

How does “What you don’t know won’t hurt you" apply to the novel? In a pair brainstorm characters and events that you think demonstrate this statement. 

Your teacher will display the brainstorms around the room. 

For the Teacher

Australian Curriculum

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

16. Fences - figurative and literal

For the Student

Learning intention:

Look back at your inferential sheet (at the end of Learning activity 11). The novel discusses the breaking down of fences, both literal and figurative. On the picket fence record ideas about what the author meant about the literal fence, the figurative fence and support these statements with quotes/evidence from the novel.

Picket fence

 

For the Teacher

Australian Curriculum

Language - Language for interaction

Understand how rhetorical devices are used to persuade and how different layers of meaning are developed through the use of metaphor, irony and parody (ACELA1542)

Literature - Responding to literature

Share, reflect on, clarify and evaluate opinions and arguments about aspects of literary texts (ACELT1627)

Literacy - Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

17. Essay

For the Student

Learning intention: To draw on everything you have learnt about the novel to write a persuasive essay.

Read through the essay questions provided below:

  1. Describe the relationship between Bruno and Schmuel. How does it develop? What does each of them gain from the friendship? What risks do they individually face in order to maintain their friendship?
  2. “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Discuss how this statement applies to a minimum of three characters in the way they dealt with what was happening at Auschwitz. You may also consider how this quote was applicable to German society during WWII and society as a whole.
  3. “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a story about childhood innocence, friendship and the importance of breaking down fences, both literal and figurative.” Discuss.

What is the essay question asking you?

Highlight the key words - what is the essay asking you to do. What do these words mean? On your essay plan break this down. 

Describe Provide a detailed explanation as to how and why something happens.
Discuss

Essentially this is a written debate where you are using your skill at reasoning, backed up by carefully selected evidence to make a case for and against an argument, or point out the advantages and disadvantages of a given context. Remember to arrive at a conclusion.

Thesis statement

What is a thesis statement?

  1. tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
  2. is a road map for the essay; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the essay.
  3. directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be Monsters in texts or “A monster calls”; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the themes, relationships or concepts in the novel.
  4. makes a claim that others might dispute.
  5. is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation

Look at the exampels your teacher has given you.

Examples are from: https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/thesis-statement-examples/

Bad example Good example Reason why
Eating fast food is bad and should be avoided Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because the fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease Thesis is focussed and not too broad
There are high numbers of homeless people living in Berkeley, California. Homeless people in Berkeley should be given access to services, such as regular food donations, public restrooms, and camping facilities, because it would improve life for all inhabitants of the city. Thesis is centred on debatable topic
Secondhand smoke is bad and can cause heart disease and cancer; therefore, smoking should be outlawed in public places, but outlawing smoking is unfair to smokers so maybe non-smokers can just hold their breath or wear masks around smokers instead. Secondhand smoke is just as harmful as smoking and leads to a higher prevalence of cancer and heart disease. What’s worse, people who inhale secondhand smoke are doing so without consent. For this reason, smoking in any public place should be banned. Thesis picks a side

On your planning sheet brainstorm how you are going to answer the essay question. Begin to develop your thesis statement.

After brainstorming, plan your essay. Chunk the ideas in body paragraphs. Ensure you thesis is running throughout the essay. Have your quotes and evidence ready to go and start writing! 

For the Teacher

Persuasive writing

Purpose

Students demonstrate what they have learned about the novel and persuasive writing in a formal essay.

Teaching Tips

The rubric will provide explicit guidelines for students as they write their essays.

Revise guidelines for writing an essay if necessary.

download (ESSAY_WRITING_GUIDELINES.docx)

Project Rubric

Australian Curriculum 

Language - Text structure and organisation

Understand how cohesion in texts is improved by strengthening the internal structure of paragraphs through the use of examples, quotations and substantiation of claims (ACELA1766)

Literacy - Creating texts

Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and publish texts imaginatively (ACELY1738)

Acknowledgements

The original authors of this learning module were: Rachael Radvanyi, Stephen Ahern, Laura Hicks, Anne Dunn, Rita van Haren, Tanya Greeves, Prue Gill, and Jennifer Nott.

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