Lesson Plan: Intro Paragraph Peer Review
Comparative Literature and Culture
Objective
To model the components of an effective intro paragraph in a comparative literature essay; to give students practice revising their own introductory paragraphs; to expose students to one another’s writing techniques using peer review
Estimated Time
30 minutes
Work Completed Before Class
Students have been assigned to post on our online course manager the introductory paragraphs for an upcoming essay assignment that asks them to use a theoretical article to compare two literary texts. Since students have spent the previous two classes compiling the evidence they will use in their essays, they are well prepared to compose and post carefully considered introductory paragraphs prior to today’s class.
In Class
- Pass out a sample introductory paragraph for an essay that uses a work of literary theory to compare two literary texts. Read it aloud and discuss its components, including: its opener, the way in which it motivates both its theoretical project and the comparison the author has chosen to make, and the thesis statement. (10 minutes)
- Ask students to exchange intro paragraphs with a partner. Ask each student to write analyses (written separately, two minutes each) of their peer’s:
- Opener
- Motive
- Thesis
In addition, I typically ask my students to circle all of the vague terms in their peer’s thesis. (8-10 minutes)
- Ask students to exchange verbal feedback with their partners. (3 minutes per student; 6 minutes total)
- Reconvene as a group and discuss some of the changes students plan to make to their introductory paragraphs based on the feedback they just received from their peers. (5 minutes)
Ryan Wepler
Developed at Brandeis University through a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation