Learning intention:

 To be able to draft a text response introduction and body paragraph using

evidence
 To understand how to place quotations within an essay
Activities:
 Completing the plan (20 minutes)
 Body: Organizing our ideas evidence (20 minutes)
 TEEL: Writing Body 1 (30 minutes)
 Sharing and feedback (10 minutes)

Success Criteria:
 I can write an introduction to my essay
 I can use TEEL to write an interpretation of the novel using evidence

Homework: ‘SG’ work will be collected at the end of today

 Wednesday 22nd July
Learning intention:
 To be able to draft a text response introduction and body paragraphs
using evidence
Activities:
 Revision: Body paragraph (20 minutes)
 Student writing: Essay (40 minutes)
 Writing the introduction (20 minutes)
 Sharing and feedback (10 minutes)

Success Criteria:
 I can write an introduction to my essay that addresses the question
 I can use TEEL to write an interpretation of the novel using evidence

Homework: ‘Essay and ‘SG’ work due at the end of the lesson please
STEPS TO WRITING A TEXT
RESPONSE ESSAY
‘The Simple Gift’ Year 9 English
Learning intention*:
To be able to give a well researched, clear opinion on a topic in the Australian
media using evidence and persuasive language
July 13-15 th

To be able to actively listen to my peers and give feedback

*These will be an ongoing learning intentions this week

Activities:
 Preparing notes (40 minutes)
 SAC: Speeches & Feedback (45 minutes)

Success criteria:
 I can present an well-supported opinion on a topic of my choice, using clear
persuasive language
 I can give feedback to my peers about their presentations

Homework:
All students must have a copy of Macbeth by Monday
 What is a text
response essay An essay is a formal piece of
anyway? What is the writing that sets out a
point of writing Whatviewpoint in clear and
is a text response logical
essay
one? terms...a
anyway? Whattextisresponse essay
the point?
Howspecifically
do I learn torequires students
write one?
to respond, at length, to
question on a novel, film or
other text using evidence from
the text to demonstrate their
understanding.
STEPS IN PLANNING AND WRITING
AN ESSAY
We are going to concentrate on 5 steps when
planning our essay
We will go through these steps:
As a class
Individually
You will only be assessed on your individual
text response essay

Please ensure you are writing down the process

in note form as we go...
 PRACTICE QUESTION

‘Billy begins the novel leaving a home he does not

belong to and ends living in a home that he feels a
real connection with. How does Steven Herrick
deal with this theme of belonging in ‘The Simple
Gift’?’
 STEP #1
ANALYSE THE QUESTION
 STEP #1: ANALYSE THE
QUESTION
What are the key terms?
Underline important words/phrases
Synonyms
What is the question asking?
Is it predominantly about; characters? A theme?
Values?
Rewrite the question in your own words if you need
to
What type of question is it?
Have a look at the instruction words to ensure you
understand the approach your essay must take
E.g. If a textual quotation is included, identify its relevance
to the question that follows it
 STEP #2
PREPARE YOUR IDEAS
STEP #2: PREPARE YOUR IDEAS
Decide on your point of view
You must provide a clear and consistent overall
viewpoint- this is called your contention
 e.g. If your question is a statement about the text followed by a
‘Discuss’ or ‘Do you agree?’, you will probably feel that you
agree, disagree or partly agree/disagree. Why do you feel this
way? Note your response as you are thinking...
Write down your contention in one sentence
Check your notes and the text to find
concrete/specific evidence for your viewpoint
Your ideas must be backed up/supported by what
actually happens in the text
If you can’t find anything to support your contention it
needs to be rewritten
 QUESTION 2
Contention

In the novel ‘The Simple Gift’ author Steven Herrick

shows us that to belong we need to find people who care
about us for who we are. He does this by using the
central character of Billy who changes the lives of those
around him.
 STEP #3
PLAN YOUR ESSAY
 STEP #3: PLAN YOUR ESSAY
It is important to have a plan for your essay before you
begin writing. The plan can be brief and in point form,
but it should include:
Your overall response to the question (contention)
Brainstorm evidence from the novel
You might do a mind map, list etc.
Group ideas together under main points/Order
them
A list of the three main points you are going to present to
support your contention

Hint: Put your strongest point last!

 STEP #4
WRITE YOUR ESSAY (DRAFT)
STEP #4: WRITE YOUR ESSAY
Introduction: This is the first paragraph and it
‘sets up’ your essay, providing a general overview
of your response. The recipe to a strong
introduction is:

Start with a contention that also incorporates the

text title and the author
Create three topic sentences that give the reader
an indication of your discussion points in the
order they will appear in your essay
 SAMPLE INTRODUCTION
Steven Herrick’s prose novel ‘The Simple Gift’
demonstrates that selflessness is our greatest quality. In
the beginning of the novel the protagonist Billy plans
to leave home to escape his abusive father however he
worries about leaving his dog behind. Later on, when
he forms a relationship with Benderat’s ‘hobo’ Old Bill
we see the caring side of Billy come out again as he
changes Old Bills perspective on life. Similarly, Old
Bill ends up giving Billy everything he has as a thank
you proving that thinking of others is what makes you
a better person.
 STEP #4: WRITE YOUR ESSAY
Body paragraphs: An text response essay typically has
three body paragraphs, each developing one of the main
ideas that you are presenting to support your point of view
T stands for Topic Sentence: the first sentence indicates the
main point that paragraph focuses on
 Hint: This is rarely an ‘event’ from the text but an idea or concept
E stands for Evidence: introduce the evidence from the text
that supports the point made in the paragraph
 Hint: Evidence should be a mix of indirect (paraphrasing) and
direct
E stands for Explanation/Expand: explain how the
evidence supports your statements about the text and your
responses to the topic
L stands for Link: link back to the topic using key
terms/OR introduce the next idea
 Body paragraphs
Every body paragraph should have:

A clear topic sentence

Statements of interpretation (about themes, characters,
views and values etc.)
Mention what the author is doing “Herrick
suggests/communicates/shows…”etc.
Examples (discussion) and evidence (quotes) from the
novel
A linking sentence back to the contention OR the
following paragraph
 Sample body paragraph
Although Billy arrives in Bendarat focused solely on creating a
new beginning for himself, his values draw him towards
helping others who need it. This allows him to feel as though
he really belongs. When he first sees Old Bill sprawled out
beside the train line he connects with him and wants to help
him, endorsing Herrick’s value of kindness in the text.
Although their friendship does not start off easily, it is the job
at the cannery that forces Old Bill to start sobering up and face
his painful past. Billy's acceptance of Old Bill and his
willingness to encourage him to turn his life around changes
both of their lives for the better and shows that when you act
on your values you form meaningful relationships that remind
you of where you want to be.
 STEP #4: WRITE YOUR ESSAY
Conclusion: The conclusion brings the discussion to a
convincing close. The main elements to include in this
paragraph are:
A clear response to the topic
A concise statement of the central viewpoint (contention)
A summary that draws together the main points of the essay

 Hint! A convincing conclusion:

Uses varied vocabulary
Refers back to what was stated in the introduction but
does not repeat it
Makes strong statements about the text as a whole that
have developed from the discussion
 STEP #4: WRITE YOUR ESSAY
Use appropriate language
Use a formal style of language
Incorporate quotations from the text appropriately to
support your discussion
Avoid using first-person pronouns
Establish clear links between paragraphs
Use the conventional structure
Introduction
Body Paragraphs
Conclusion
 Quoting from ‘The Simple Gift’
 Quotations should never have a full stop at the beginning- only at the end as
they are there to support what you are saying!
 For example: It is clear in the beginning of the text that Billy does not belong at home and has wanted to
leave for a long time “I throw one rock on the roof of each dead-beat no hoper…house In Longlands rd,
Nowheresville.” (p.4)

 Only choose the best part of the quotation to include

 You may use an ellipsis (...) to eliminate any part of the quote that is
irrelevant but not so much that it doesn’t make sense anymore
 For example: “I throw one rock on the roof of each dead-beat no hoper…house
In Longlands rd, Nowheresville.” (p.4)

 If using page numbers, place the page number in brackets at the end of the
quotation for easy referencing later on
 Single page= one p e.g. (p.3)
 Across more than one page= double p (pp.3-4)
 Use of quotations
Poor
Billy thought his down was a Nowheresville “I throw one rock on the roof of each
dead-beat no hoper…house In Longlands rd, Nowheresville.” (p.4)
 This quotation does nothing but repeat the discussion

Good
Billy knew that he had to get out of his home town if his life was to get better “I
throw one rock on the roof of each dead-beat no hoper…house In Longlands rd,
Nowheresville.” (p.4)
 The quotation clearly supports the previous discussion point

Excellent
Billy saw his town as being full of “dead- beat no hopers” and decides to leave “…
Longlands rd, Nowheresville.” (p.4) for a better life elsewhere, away from his
absuive father
 The student has used small parts of the quotation as part of the discussion
 STEP #5
EDIT AND PROOFREAD YOUR ESSAY
 STEP #5: EDIT AND
PROOFREAD
Re-read (and rewrite) to improve ideas and
expression
Take into account the teachers feedback

Proofread your final copy for grammar,

punctuation and spelling errors
This does mean simply hitting ‘Spell check!’