A. Introduce the Literary Analysis Essay Prompt - W.8.4 (5 Minutes)

• Explain that students will be writing their own literary analysis essays in Lessons 5-6. Remind students that they have had a lot of practice with informative essays this year. Literary analysis essays are a type of informative essay that examines literature. Tell students:

"In this essay, you will be asked to explain similarities and differences in the structure and meaning of two texts. This work will be similar to the work you've done in previous lessons, and you will have practice analyzing a model and planning for the essay you write in Lesson 5-6. The particular essay you will be writing will also have a compare and contrast structure."

• Display and distribute Literary Analysis Informative Essay directions. Read the directions aloud and ask students to follow along, annotating the text.
• Ask students to Think- Pair-Share:

"What is the topic of your essay? Put the prompt in your own words and share it with your partner." (Students will need to compare and contrast the structure of Maus I and "Often a Minute." They will analyze how the differing structures of each text contribute to its meaning.)

• Ask students to brainstorm with a partner:

"What are some of the steps you will need to go through as a writer to successfully answer this literary analysis prompt?" (Answers will vary, but could include the following: reread the texts, review the themes and structure in the texts, look for evidence about themes and structure, write successful Proof Paragraphs, etc.)

• Tell students that in this lesson, they will roughly sketch out what will go into the introduction and first two Proof Paragraphs. In the following lessons, they will plan the rest of their Proof Paragraphs and their conclusion.
• Answer any questions that come up about the directions for the essay.

C. Analyze a Model and Plan Proof Paragraphs 1a and 1b – W.8.2b (20 minutes)

• Review the appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can identify the structure and purpose of each part of a Proof Paragraph and use this understanding to plan the Proof Paragraphs of my own literary analysis.”

• Tell students they will now analyze the first two Proof Paragraphs of the model essay. Inform students that in this essay there are two yellow Proof Paragraphs for point 1, Proof Paragraph 1a and Proof Paragraph 1b. Both support the first yellow point of the focus statement, but they use different texts to do so. Read aloud the first Proof Paragraph as students follow along silently. Model for students, underlining the evidence with a wavy line and the elaboration with a straight line, directing students to capture the annotations on their model as well. Use the Analyze a Model: Proof Paragraphs 1a and 1b (example for teacher reference) for guidance.
• Point out that there are a lot of wavy lines, as much of the paragraph is evidence, and only a small part of it is elaboration. Explain that this is different from how evidence and elaboration have looked before, in other model essays, but it’s still evidence and elaboration.
• Say:

“The way the sentences are organized in the paragraph is different because the task of this essay is different; therefore, the thinking has to look a little different. Although the amounts of evidence and elaboration are different in this essay, the Proof Paragraph structure should still feel similar to other writing you have done. The evidence presents many examples related to the topic (in this case experiencing new ideas and people) and a smaller amount of elaboration (in this case that explains this evidence and names the theme).”

• Direct students back to the model. Read aloud and circle the transitions as students follow along. Use Analyze a Model: Proof Paragraphs 1a and 1b (example for teacher reference) as a guide. Remind students that transitions can be words or phrases, pointing out “over the course of a story” as an example, and make sure they know it is a transition. Ask:

“What job do the transitional words and phrases do in this paragraph? How are they helpful?” (Answers will vary: students should recognize that they help guide the reader through the paragraph, provide sequencing and connect ideas for the reader so that the writing makes sense.)

• Use a total participation technique to share responses with the group.
• Prompt students to find a partner, labelling themselves partner A and partner B, and locate Proof Paragraph 1b, the second yellow Proof Paragraph. Direct partner A to read Proof Paragraph 1b aloud while partner B underlines the evidence with a wavy line and the elaboration with a straight line. Together, have partners find and circle the transitional words and phrases. 
• Cold-call on students to share the evidence, elaboration, and transitions they identified with the group. Address any questions, and use any misconceptions as whole group teaching points.
• Display and distribute the Analyze a Model: Proof Paragraphs 1a and 1b, and describe how it is organized. Explain that it breaks the Proof Paragraphs into chunks. Each chunk of the Proof Paragraph is listed on the left, and the job that text plays in the paragraph is listed on the right. Transitional words and phrases are also listed on the right.
• Read through the first section of the handout, for Proof Paragraph 1a, showing how it explains the job of each part of the paragraph and connecting it to the annotating they did. Answer any questions students may have.
• Direct students to the first section for Proof Paragraph 1b, reading the paragraph element/chunk of text and the related job of the text. Prompt students to work with their partner to complete the remaining sections for Proof Paragraph 1b, recording the job of the evidence and the elaboration, and noting any transitional words. Circulate, using any questions or misconceptions as common teaching points and referring to Analyze a Model: Proof Paragraphs 1a and 1b (example for teacher reference) to ensure that students are identifying the correct job aligned to the evidence and elaboration in Proof Paragraph 1b.
• Using a total participation technique, invite responses from the group:

“How is the evidence used similar to or different from the evidence used in Proof Paragraph 1a?” (Responses will vary, but may include the following: the evidence is arranged sequentially in both, and in both paragraphs the evidence summarizes the story or poem through the lens of how it relates to the topic of exploring new and different people and ideas.)

“How is the elaboration similar to or different from the elaboration used in Proof Paragraph 1a?” (Responses will vary, but may include the following: The elaboration in Proof Paragraph 1a names a theme, but in Proof Paragraph 1b it names a theme and then also mentions how the themes are different. The elaboration is similar in that it briefly explains the evidence and points to the theme that emerged.)

• Direct students to the Characteristics of a Literary Analysis Essay anchor chart and review the sections related to Proof Paragraph(s) 1. Remind students that Proof Paragraph 1a and 1b are a set, both working together to support the first point named in their focus statement. Work with students to add specific characteristics of this essay in the “Characteristics of This Informative Writing Piece” column of their Informative Writing checklist. Field any questions students have about the evidence and elaboration is used in the first set of Proof Paragraphs, and clarify any misconceptions.
• Explain that students will now plan the first two Proof Paragraphs of their own essays, explaining similarities and differences in the structure and how that impacts meaning of Maus I and “Often a Minute.”
• Show students that the Proof Paragraph sections of their Informative Writing Plan graphic organizer are slightly different because the planner aligns to the four Proof Paragraphs the model essay contains. As needed, point students back to the model to further discuss the use of the Informative Writing Plan graphic organizer for these two paragraphs.
• Prompt students to use their Informative Writing Plan graphic organizer as a guide to orally rehearse any ideas they have for the first two Proof Paragraphs of their essays.
• Tell students that if they are ready, they should plan the first two Proof Paragraphs. Remind students that they should work independently and consider the texts Maus I and the “Often a Minute” for evidence to explain their points.
• Circulate to support students as they plan. Refer to Informative Writing Plan graphic organizer (example for teacher reference) and the Literary Analysis Informative Essay: Sample Student Response (example for teacher reference) as needed. If necessary, prompt by asking questions or providing sentence starters as necessary: ▲

“What themes emerge in each text about these topics?” (One theme developed in Maus I is about the immeasurably strong human will to keep oneself and one’s family alive, despite tragedy and oppression, and a theme developed in “Often a Minute” also is focused on the will to survive in the face of tragedy but includes for an entire nation of people to persevere and survive.)

“How are these themes similar and different?” (Answers will vary.)

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.