An Inter-Disciplinary Mini-Unit

Level: High School

Purpose: To understand the writing process through a compare and contrast essay

Overview: These lessons will focus on the writing process and will center around the comparison of the poem Beowulf to the poem Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Lessons One: Students will read and analyze selections from Beowulf and the entire poem "Ulysses" with an emphasis on heroic characteristics. (Language Arts)

Lesson Two: Students will prewrite an essay focusing on heroic characteristics which comparing the two works. (Language Arts)

Lesson Three: Students will draft a compare and contrast essay. (Language Arts)

Lesson Four: Students will edit their essays and complete a final copy. (Language Arts)

Lesson One

Objective:

Students will read and analyze selections from Beowulf and the entire poem "Ulysses" with an emphasis on heroic characteristics.

Materials:

copy of "Ulysses" by Tennyson

copy of Beowulf

Procedure:

1. Have the students read the poem, "Ulysses." As they read, have students anaylze the character of Ulysses as a hero. Also have students read the selection from Beowulf in which Beowulf’s past exploits with Brecca are described and in which he boasts about his plans for Grendel. Have the students analyze the character of Beowulf as a hero.

Lesson Two

 Objective:

Students will prewrite an essay focusing on heroic characteristics which comparing the two works.

Materials:

copy of "Ulysses" by Tennyson

copy of Beowulf

work from Lesson One

Procedure:

1. Have the students work individually to compare and contrast the heroic characteristics of Ulysses and Beowulf. They should organize their thoughts into either an outline or a graphic organizer in preparation for a draft and final copy of the essay.

Lesson Three

Objective:

Students will draft a compare and contrast essay.

Materials:

copy of "Ulysses" by Tennyson

copy of Beowulf

work from lessons one and two

Procedure:

1. Using their prewriting work, have the students construct a rough draft for a compare and contrast essay.

Lesson Four

Objective:

Students will edit their essays and complete a final copy.

Materials:

copy of "Ulysses" by Tennyson

copy of Beowulf

work from lessons one, two, and three

Procedure:

1. Have students trade first drafts and complete the peer edit worksheet.

2. Using the information gained through the peer edit process, have the students construct a final draft for a compare and contrast essay.

Content

Writer: _________________________

Editor: _________________________

Complete the following. If you must search for an answer, write the word "unclear" in the blank.

1. Thesis statement ________________________________________________

2. Main Points 1) ________________________________________

2) ________________________________________

3) ________________________________________

3. Concluding Statement __________________________________________

4. Are all main points

thoroughly supported by information from the text? yes no

if not, which is lacking? __________

clearly explained for the reader to understand? yes no

if not, which lacks clarity? __________

5. What is one weakness in the content of this paper and how can it be improved?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

6. What is one strength in the content of this paper?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Form

Writer: _________________________

Editor: _________________________

 Complete the following.

Are the paragraphs indented? yes no

Are all quotations documented? yes no

Is there a title on the paper? yes no

 Are there any contractions or abbreviations? yes no

Are there any misspelled words? yes no

Are there any grammar errors? yes no

Are there any punctuation errors? yes no

Are there any fragments or run-ons? yes no

Are there slang phrases or clichés? yes no

Are there any dead words or weak sentence openers? yes no

Is the essay written in third person? yes no

Is the essay written in literary present tense? yes no

Is the essay written in a formal tone? yes no

Does the essay contain clear transitions? yes no

The students should be able to organize their ideas to prepare for an essay.

The students should be able to draft an essay of comparison.

The students should be able to edit another student’s first draft and then write their own final draft.