Sample Lesson Facilitating Text-Dependent Responses from Students

The Common Core emphasizes text-dependent responses.  Below is a sample group presentation assignment for students that requires them to use text as support for their arguments.

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© 2012 James Mulhern                  

Jane Eyre Assignment

Part I

You will write a summary of your chapter(s).  Summary should be at least 2 paragraphs long for each chapter.

Part II

You will create ten questions about your chapter(s) to utilize during your discussion with the class.  You will provide answers for those questions, as well as page numbers where the answers can be found.

Part III

You will select at least five passages from the text to be read aloud.  On the written component, which you hand in, make sure that you list the page numbers and area of the page (top, middle, bottom, etc.) for the text that you have selected. You must also provide justification for why you chose the passage.  See following example:

1. Read aloud middle of page 281 until the end of chapter on page 282.  Begin with, “Jane Eyre who had been an ardent expectant woman . . .”  This passage is important because Jane is in turmoil over her feelings for Mr. Rochester.  Bronte uses imagery from nature and religious allusion to make her writing more powerful.

Part IV

Chose six items from the Study Guide that I gave to you.  Write a brief commentary on how the particular item (theme, characterization, style element) are significant in your section of the text.  Your commentary for each item should be at least three sentences in length.  See the following example:

1. Theme of Love and Passion--In chapter 31, Jane struggles with her passion for Mr. Rochester.  On page 343 (more than halfway down the page), Jane asks herself, “Whether it is better . . . to be a slave in a fool’s paradise at Marseilles--fevered with the delusive bliss one hour . . . or to be a village schoolmistress, free and honest, in a breezy mountain nook in the healthy heart of England?”  This passage is significant because it touches on one of the novel’s larger themes, “passionate love vs. platonic love.”  In this case, Jane Eyre is debating whether it would be better to marry Rochester or St. John Rivers. Jane's internal conflict shows that she is intelligent, logical, and emotional, someone who thinks and feels deeply.

Student Assignments

Section of the novel followed by names of students responsible for the presentation:

               

1. Pages 1-19, Chapters 1-3:

2. Pages 20-45, Chapters 4-5: 

3. Pages 45-66, Chapters 6-8:

4. Pages 67-85, Chapters 9-10:

5. Pages 85-109, Chapters 11-12:

6. Pages 109-130, Chapters 13-14:

7. Pages 131-151, Chapters 15-16:

8. Pages 151-170, Chapter 17:

9. Pages 170-193, Chapters 18-19:

10. Pages 193-207, Chapter 20:

11. Pages 207-228, Chapter 21:

12. Pages 228-244, Chapters 22-23:

13. Pages 244-261, Chapter 24:

14. Pages 261-272, Chapter 25:

15. Pages 272-282, Chapter 26:

16. Pages 282-306, Chapter 27:

17. Pages 307-333, Chapters 28-29:

18. Pages 333-359, Chapters 30-32:

19. Pages 359-371, Chapter 33:

20. Pages 371-392, Chapter 34:

21. Pages 392-411, Chapters 35-36:

22. Pages 411-433, Chapters 37-38: