1. A. Think about your current claim regarding the way the interpretive process works B. Then, on a blank piece of paper, write down that claim

2. A. Even though there are many obstacles and influences that are in our way, people tend to look on the brighter side and look for a positive outcome. B. Fable of the Goat is about how an old man’s greed brings him bad luck. C. My interpretation of “The Willowdale Handcar” being about infidelity shows how much the media shapes the way I interpret things. D. We interpret due to influences like culture, family, school, past experiences, upbringing, friends, and environment. E. We interpret based on our beliefs and values.

3. A. Reexamine your claim: A. Does it answer the prompt? In other words, does it make a statement about how the interpretive process works? B. Is it clear or confusing? C. Is it specific or is it too broad / vague? B. Revise your claim if necessary or make a note on how you’ll need to revise it for the revision.

4. Highlight places in your interpretation where you are actually doing what you claim we do when we interpret. In other words, if you say the interpretive process works through X, highlight places where you actually used/do X to create your interpretation.

5. A. Select one highlighted area B. Then, use the following framing language: The interpretive process works by (my claim). Here’s where I did (my claim): “cite the highlight” This part of my interpretation shows how (my claim) works when interpreting because _____

6. There is a hidden meaning in the texts we read that we have to find or decode when we interpret FISH FICTION!

7. Poems and assignments are inherently different from one another FISH FICTION!

8. We recognize distinguishing features in a text which allows us to start interpreting FISH fACT!

9. Everyone is free to interpret and think in his or her own way. FISH FICTION!

10. We interpret based on what we’ve learned through shared cultural knowledge FISH FACT!

11. There are no limits to the way we can think and interpret things FISH FICTION!

12. We produce what we expect to see because we follow a recipe when we interpret FISH FACT!

13. Our mental operations are expanded by institutions FISH FICTION!

14. How Fish would respond to your claim: Fish says “_____” When Fish says this, he means ________. The link between this concept and my claim is _________________________________.