Tone in Reading and Writing
Dear John/Jane Letter
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Dear John:
noun: Informal 1.a letter from a woman informing her boyfriend or fiancé that she is ending their relationship or informing her husband that she wants a divorce: Nothing is worse for a soldier's morale than getting a Dear John. 2.any letter terminating a relationship. Also called Dear John letter. Origin: 1940–45 |
Tasks:
1. Choose a partner and draw a tone word from the pile.
2. Look up the information about your word and complete the Tone Word Semantic Vocabulary organizer.
3. Write a traditional "Dear John or Dear Jane" letter in which you let him or her know you are leaving. Work with your partner to write the letter in the tone assigned. Do not identify your tone word--readers should be able to figure it out!
4. Post your letter to Google Classroom discussion prompt.
5. Read THREE other letters and post what you think the tone is (individually--each of you read three).
Alternate Prompt: You return home from work to find a "Dear John" letter on your kitchen table. Oddly enough, it’s from one of your favorite pieces of furniture. What does the letter say?
1. Choose a partner and draw a tone word from the pile.
2. Look up the information about your word and complete the Tone Word Semantic Vocabulary organizer.
3. Write a traditional "Dear John or Dear Jane" letter in which you let him or her know you are leaving. Work with your partner to write the letter in the tone assigned. Do not identify your tone word--readers should be able to figure it out!
4. Post your letter to Google Classroom discussion prompt.
5. Read THREE other letters and post what you think the tone is (individually--each of you read three).
Alternate Prompt: You return home from work to find a "Dear John" letter on your kitchen table. Oddly enough, it’s from one of your favorite pieces of furniture. What does the letter say?
Paint Chips: Nuance in Tone
Show Your True Colors!
Select an interesting color from the paint chips. Be able to provide a rationale for your choice (metacognition). Draw a tone word from the pile. Look up your word and locate words that are MORE INTENSE and LESS INTENSE than your word. Create a progression of intensity using your paint chip. Locate a student in the class with the OPPOSITE of your word. Evaluate your opposite's tonal scale. |
Hamlet
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Task:
Rewrite Hamlet's "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy in the voice and style of another person. It does not have to be a contemporary figure, but it must be recognizable. You will first need to “translate the passage to English.” Consult a dictionary for unfamiliar words.
Consider the original context of the situation: With what issue was Hamlet concerned? How did he consider solving his problems? Then consider what situation your figure would be dealing with and how he or she would think about solving it.
Examples that have been used in the past are Green Eggs and Hamlet, George W. Hamlet, Barack Obama Hamlet, Yoda Hamlet, Kardashian Hamlet, Pirate Hamlet, Winnie-the-Pooh Hamlet, Nemo Hamlet, Beyonce Hamlet, Gangsta Hamlet, etc.
Select a representative from your group, or divide your new soliloquy among the group, and present to the class. DO NOT include names--we will guess your person's identity.
Rewrite Hamlet's "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy in the voice and style of another person. It does not have to be a contemporary figure, but it must be recognizable. You will first need to “translate the passage to English.” Consult a dictionary for unfamiliar words.
Consider the original context of the situation: With what issue was Hamlet concerned? How did he consider solving his problems? Then consider what situation your figure would be dealing with and how he or she would think about solving it.
Examples that have been used in the past are Green Eggs and Hamlet, George W. Hamlet, Barack Obama Hamlet, Yoda Hamlet, Kardashian Hamlet, Pirate Hamlet, Winnie-the-Pooh Hamlet, Nemo Hamlet, Beyonce Hamlet, Gangsta Hamlet, etc.
Select a representative from your group, or divide your new soliloquy among the group, and present to the class. DO NOT include names--we will guess your person's identity.