Week 49: College Reading and Writing: Ada Limón and Caren Teves


Week 49: College Reading and Writing: Ada Limón and Caren Teves

Ada Limón and Caren Teves: Annotating, Summarizing, Analyzing, Imitating

to annotate: to make notes on something to help you understand it better
to summarize: to put something in your own words
to analyze: to consider a question on the text, providing supporting examples from the text
to imitate: to create an original piece of writing based on something you have read

We are doing the thirty-first poem and response in the book today, starting on page 109.

Exercise: Read and annotate

1. Read the poem and response out loud and underline any words you need to look up
2. Write any questions you have in the margins or in your notebook
3. Put tricky parts into your own words in notes in the margins or in your notebook

Exercise: Questions for comprehension of the poem

1. The speaker addresses the “reader,” what is the effect (Limón 109)?
2. Who is the “she” in this poem, what does “she” do (Limón 109-110)?
3. “Don’t die” is repeated; why is it important (Limón 109)?

Exercise: Summarize the poem

Write a paragraph summarizing the poem with quotations, in-text citation, and a Work Cited Page.

Example too-short summary, incorporating quotation and in-text citation:

Brenda Hillman’s poem “The Family Sells the Family Gun” tells the story of siblings getting rid of their father’s gun after “his ashes...were lying” (87). The speaker questions what it means to own and get rid of a gun in America, saying, “[w]e couldn’t take it to the cops even in my handbag” (Hillman 88).

Work Cited Page (for today’s poem)

Limón, Ada. “The Leash.” Bullets Into Bells: Poets and Citizens Respond to Gun Violence. Ed. Brian Clements et al. Beacon Press, 2017.

Exercise: Questions for Comprehension of the response

  1. Who is the speaker and why it important?
  2. What is the importance of naming in this response?
  3. What does this response ask us to do?

Exercise: Summarize the response

Write a paragraph summarizing the response with quotations, in-text citation, and a Work Cited Page.

Exercise: Analysis

Question for analysis: There are similarities and differences to how Limón and Teves write about the use of automatic weapons and bodies (109-110, 111). Closely examine the two texts and write an analysis where you explore what each author is asking the reader to understand about the relationship between humans and automatic weapons.

Exercise: Imitation

Write a poem where you directly address the reader. Is there something you want to say to a group of people? It could be telling your family you love them, Congress that prayers are not enough, or a company that you know they are ripping you off. Use elements from Limón’s poem that you admire to make your own poem stronger.

Homework:
           
  1. Summary of Poem                   
  2. Summary of Response
  3. Analysis of Poem and Response          
  4. Imitation of Poem       

About this class:
Your notebooks belong to you; you can write first drafts in them, and make notes for yourselves.  To turn in homework, revise your work in a blue book or sheets of paper you can get from your instructor. In this class, you are welcome to submit homework for a grade. If it’s not strong enough to earn an A, I’ll give you some comments to help you revise it, and let you do it over again. You have as many chances as you want to complete and perfect the work in this class, and you are welcome to do more than one week’s worksheet for homework at a time; ask me for sheets you’ve missed. Students who complete 15 weeks of graded assignments and a longer paper can qualify for college credit. When you get close to completing 15 weeks, I’ll help you get started on your longer paper.




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