1. They Say/I Say Presentation
American Literature

2. Instructions for Assignments
Each of the following reading assignments will ask you to read and write in a way that makes you track the major themes of Colonial America. In the end, you will be graded on:
1) Your Writing
2) Your Notes
3) Your Attention to Instructions
This assignment will develop two primary skills:
Citations – properly quoting text
Formal – According to ____, when talking about _____., “. . .”
Paraphrase - ___________ thinks . . .
Embedded -- _______ believes people should ____, and “. . .”
Argumentative Writing – using other voices to state your beliefs

3. Instructions for Thanatopsis
Citations
Argumentation starts with other people’s voices. For this portion of the assignment, you are going to work on EMBEDDING citations –or, using other people’s voices to complete your ideas.
You Say
Thanatopsis, by William Cullen Bryant, captures America’s fascination with nature. It’s told in 3-Parts.
You need to turn the poem into a:
Second Person
3-Part Narrative (a story, from beginning to end)
Summarizing the story, as if in a conversation with the author
Should follow this pattern: summary of idea, followed by quote that makes the point” (and have a citation)
Should have picture that represents your main idea
Example:
Mr. Bryant, you believe that people love nature and her “voice of gladness” (line 6).

4. Thanatopsis

5. Instructions: Cowboys and Indians
Citations
Argumentation requires you KNOW YOUR ARGUMENT, which starts with examining text and using other people’s ideas to DEFINE your position. Formal Quotations will give a source, a situation, a quotation, and a citation.
Comparison-Contrast
Read the words to both Ballad of Davy Crockett and Trail of Tears.
In the box to the Left:
Create the heading This is Our Story
Use Three Formal Quotes that capture Davy Crockett’s Story (see below)
In the box to the Right:
Create a heading that says The Other Side of the Story
Use Three Quotes that capture the Native American Position (see Below)
Example:
The poem, when talking about about the Native American’s sadness, says “ . . .” (Line 7)

6. Ballad of Davy Crockett vs. Trail of Tears

7. Instructions for Tone Words
Citations
Argumentation requires you know the material well enough to paraphrase (put the authors words into your own).
27 Tone Words (They Say)
The poem O Pioneers! O Pioneers! has 27 stanzas (sections/paragraphs). You don’t need to know every word, but, for each stanza, you need to have a tone word (a word that DESCRIBES what is being said). With your words, you will need to create your own poem:
3 Stanzas (paragraphs)
Use all 27 of your Words
Each line must say (somewhere) “They Say/Said” (for parts other people would agree with), or “I Say/Said” (for parts you agree with).
Try and leave an impression; don’t just retell the story
Put your tone words in BOLD
Example:
The sun is WARM, they say, but the forests are EMPTY
I say we should stay, even if ALONE, but they say COURAGE will keep us going

8. O Pioneers! Oh Pioneers!

9. Instructions for Next Page
Charting Your Ideas
Building an argument requires three primary elements:
Know your a Topic (the subject you are discussing)
Know your Argument (the point you are trying to make)
Know your opponent (the person who would disagrees)
Chart Your Argument
On the next two pages, you will be reading O’Sullivan’s Manifest Destiny Speech and Chief Seattle’s Letter to President Polk. With each, you should chart the following
DEFINE your topic (Summarize the ISSUE at hand)
Identify your ARGUMENT – Major Claim (problem and a solution)
CLASSIFY your argument – 3 quotations that make your case.
Western expansion made people {TONE WORD}
Formal Citation
Embedded Citation
Paraphrase
In the 1800s, John O’Sullivan said people should . . .

10. O’Sullivan Manifest Destiny
Western expansion made people {TONE WORD}
Formal Citation
Embedded Citation
Paraphrase
In the 1800s, John O’Sullivan said people should . . .

11. Chief Seattle In the 1800s, John O’Sullivan said people should . . .
Western expansion made people {TONE WORD}
Formal Citation
Embedded Citation
Paraphrase
In the 1800s, John O’Sullivan said people should . . .

12. Deductive Response
A Deductive Response Paragraph is the most complete response a student can write. It follows this pattern (one sentence a piece): Argument – Your opinion Supporting Voice – Claim summarizing agreeing opinion Citation – Formal Citation showing opinion Interpretation – Explain why voice is important Opposing Voice – Claim summarizing opposing opinion Citation – Embedded Citation showing opinion Compare-Contrast Voices – Tell opinion you agree with Citation – Paraphrase of the two viewpoints Interpretation – Why your opinion right? Global Perspective – What does this issue tell us about the world we live in? Write a Deductive Response Paragraph in response to the following prompt: How do Americans like to see themselves, and is it fair to think that way?