Lesson 31: A Single Shard, Informational Writing, Part 5

Have students take out their Journal responses from the previous lesson.

• Lesson 30 homework asked students to add any remaining details to their Stages of Learning graphic organizers and to respond to the following prompt:

  • Do you think there are any additional stages of learning? If so, what might they be?

Turn and Talk

Say These Directions: Discuss your response with a Turn and Talk partner:

• What other stages of learning did you identify, and why? What characters show this additional stage in A Single Shard?

  • One other stage of learning is “mastery.” Tree-ear shows mastery by fully learning skills such as purifying and molding clay. Min shows mastery of pottery by creating beautiful, flawless works of art.

Then call on two or three pairs to share their thinking.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: During today’s lesson, we’ll continue exploring how apprenticeships pass knowledge from one generation to the next. As you read about different artists and craftspeople, consider which stages of learning they have gone through to master their craft.

Modeled Writing

Guide students through the components and process of writing a body paragraph.

• Say: A body paragraph is a paragraph that discusses a single topic. In an essay, body paragraphs come after the introduction and before the conclusion. A body paragraph has four main parts:

  • A topic sentence that states the main idea or claim of the paragraph

  • Evidence that supports the main idea or claim

  • Analysis that explains how the evidence connects to the main idea or claim

  • A concluding sentence that connects the text evidence and analysis to the topic sentence

Present the following:

• Topic Sentence: Crane-man is a mentor to Tree-ear because of the guidance and valuable wisdom he shares.

• Say: This is the topic sentence of our paragraph, which tells the main idea or claim of the paragraph.

• Ask: What are some pieces of evidence from A Single Shard that support this main idea?

  • When Tree-ear wonders whether to tell Min about Kang’s new technique, Crane-man explains, “If a man is keeping an idea to himself, and that idea is taken by stealth or trickery—I say it is stealing” (p. 64). Crane-man also tells Tree-ear, “My friend, the same wind that blows one door shut often blows another open” (p. 97).

Remind students what they have learned about integrating text evidence. Then model how these sentences might be incorporated into a body paragraph using analysis.

• Say: The first piece of evidence we identified shows a way that Crane-man passes on an important value, honesty, to Tree-ear. We can explain that in the body paragraph. Notice how I use transitions such as “for example” and signal words such as explains to integrate the text evidence.

  • Model: For example, after Tree-ear observes Kang’s new inlay technique, he wonders whether he should share what he saw with Min. Crane-man considers Tree-ear’s dilemma and explains, “If a man is keeping an idea to himself, and that idea is taken by stealth or trickery—I say it is stealing” (p. 64).

• Say: Remember, when we integrate text evidence, we cite details from a text and explain how it connects to the main idea. The signal word shows lets the readers know that this sentence explains why the text evidence is included in the paragraph.

  • Model: This scene shows how Crane-man instills the value of honesty in Tree-ear and helps him understand why it is important to keep Kang’s secret.

• Say: The second piece of evidence we identified shows a way Crane-man passes on wisdom to Tree-ear.

• Ask: What does the quote “The same wind that blows one door shut often blows another open” mean? What does this help Tree-ear understand?

  • This means that the end of one opportunity can be the beginning of another. This helps Tree-ear understand that just because Min won’t teach him to throw a pot, that doesn’t mean Tree-ear can’t be a potter by molding and carving clay.

Say These Directions: Use what we have practiced to draft the next part of the body paragraph. Remember to use transitional phrases, temporal connectors, and signal words and phrases.

Invite two or three students to share their responses.

• Later in the story, Tree-ear is devastated when Min refuses to teach him to make a pot. Crane-man comforts Tree-ear by explaining that “the same wind that blows one door shut often blows another open” (p. 97). This wisdom, that the end of one opportunity can be the beginning of another, helps Tree-ear understand that he can still be a potter, but in a different way than he originally imagined.

Project the body paragraph students have co-constructed so far.

• Model: Crane-man is a mentor to Tree-ear because of the guidance and valuable wisdom he shares. For example, after Tree-ear observes Kang’s new inlay technique, he wonders whether he should share what he saw with Min. Crane-man considers Tree-ear’s dilemma and explains, “If a man is keeping an idea to himself, and that idea is taken by stealth or trickery—I say it is stealing” (p. 64). This scene shows how Crane-man instills the value of honesty in Tree-ear and helps him understand why it is important to keep Kang’s secret. Later in the story, Tree-ear is devastated when Min refuses to teach him to make a pot. Crane-man comforts Tree-ear by explaining that “the same wind that blows one door shut often blows another open” (p. 97). This wisdom—that the end of one opportunity can be the beginning of another—helps Tree-ear understand that he can still be a potter, but in a different way than he originally imagined.

Guide students to draft a conclusion sentence for the paragraph.

• Say: The conclusion sentence connects the ideas in your paragraph to the topic sentence. It should not restate the topic sentence. Instead, it should leave readers with an important takeaway or understanding.

• Ask: What are some important takeaways from this paragraph?

  • Crane-man helps Tree-ear learn and grow. Crane-man guides Tree-ear to be a better version of himself. Crane-man shares important perspectives with Tree-ear.

Model using these ideas to draft a concluding sentence for the body paragraph.

• Model: By passing on values and wisdom, Crane-man helps Tree-ear see events in different ways that help him grow as a person.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, you will read an informational article about artists and craftspeople who learned their crafts through practice and mentorship, and write a body paragraph using evidence you find in the text.

Part A: Model Finding and Using Evidence (W.6.2.b, W.6.9) (10 minutes)

Share with students the article "Hands That Remember: Artists Who Make Things by Hand." Direct students to the eight numbered profiles in the article.

• Say: In earlier lessons, you learned how to write a thesis statement and how to integrate evidence. Today, you will read about modern craftspeople and artisans to find evidence to support the topic sentence “Good craftsmanship and artistry require both skill and creativity.”

Display the Body Paragraph Checklist:

• A topic sentence that states the main idea or claim of the paragraph

• Evidence that supports the main idea or claim

• Analysis that explains how the evidence connects to the main idea or claim

• A concluding sentence that connects the text evidence and analysis to the topic sentence

• Say: We’ll use the Body Paragraph Checklist to remind ourselves of what we’re looking for as we organize our evidence and analysis.

Model reading the text about Esther Mahlangu aloud and adding details to the Main Idea and Details graphic organizer. Check off items on the Body Paragraph Checklist as you add details and explanation.

• Say: The topic sentence, "Good craftsmanship and artistry require both skill and creativity," is the main idea. I'll add this to the Main Idea section of the graphic organizer. Follow along as I read the first paragraph about Esther Mahlangu aloud. As I read, I'll look for ideas or details related to the topic sentence.

• Ask: What does the first paragraph share about Esther Mahlangu? Does it give us any evidence to support our topic sentence?

  • She was born in 1935 in South Africa and started learning Ndebele mural painting from her mother and grandmother when she was about nine years old. Ndebele women have been painting the outside walls of their homes in bold geometric shapes for many generations. These paintings announced celebrations, marked important milestones, and told the community about a family's pride and traditions.

• Say: The first paragraph gives us important background information about the artist and her tradition, but I don't see strong evidence yet that directly supports our topic sentence. I'll keep looking for details in the next paragraph.

• Ask: Do you see any evidence in the next paragraph that relates to the topic sentence? If so, how does the evidence support the topic sentence?

  • The paragraph explains that Mahlangu learned by watching her mother and grandmother very closely, studying how they held their feathers, mixed their colors, and made choices about pattern and proportion. Only through all that careful watching, and through many early attempts that did not go so well, did her own hand grow steady. This is an example of a skill that takes years of dedicated practice to develop.

Model adding this information to the Detail #1 section of the graphic organizer.

• Say: Let's finish reading the remaining paragraphs about Mahlangu. As I read aloud, look for evidence related to creativity.

• Ask: Do you see any evidence in these paragraphs that relates to the topic sentence? If so, how does it support the topic sentence?

  • The paragraphs explain that Mahlangu took the traditional Ndebele wall-painting style and put it on canvas so that people all over the world could see it, not just people who could visit the murals in Mpumalanga. She painted a BMW car, worked with international companies, and showed her art in museums everywhere. She has said that although her artworks are based on traditional Ndebele designs, "they are still very modern and current." This shows that she brings her own creativity to the tradition rather than simply repeating what came before.

Model adding this information to the Detail #2 section of the graphic organizer. Review the Body Paragraph Checklist, marking off where you've written evidence of each of the items.

Part B: Finding Evidence to Write a Body Paragraph (RI.6.1, W.6.2.b, W.6.9) (20 minutes)

Have students work with a partner to read about two different artists or craftspeople discussed in the article “Hands That Remember: Artists Who Make Things by Hand.”

Say These Directions: Select two different artists or craftspeople to read about. As you read, record evidence in the Main Idea and Details graphic organizer that supports the topic sentence: “Good craftsmanship and artistry requires both skill and creativity.” Include at least three details from the text.

After students finish reading the text and gathering evidence, direct them to work independently to write a body paragraph.

• Say: Write a body paragraph using the topic sentence and the evidence you gathered. Make sure to include analysis and a conclusion sentence. In your paragraphs, use transitional words and phrases to make connections between ideas. Your explanation sentences after your evidence should connect your evidence to your topic sentence. Use the Body Paragraph Checklist to guide your writing.

Lesson 31 Writing Rubric: Writing Workshop 1 — Evidence Paragraph

Writing prompt: Write an evidence-based paragraph about how apprenticeship and mentorship shape a learner's growth in A Single Shard. Use a clear topic sentence, at least one piece of integrated evidence, and an explanation that connects the evidence to your claim.

Quick Write

Say These Directions: Respond to the Quick Write prompt in one or two sentences.

• Ask: How did the artists or craftspeople you read about show skill and creativity in their work?

  • Gladys Paquin shows skill by building pots by hand using the coiling technique and making her own paint from plants and minerals. She shows creativity by combining designs from both Laguna and Zuni traditions in her own unique way. Master Chizuko shows skill by mixing lacquer and gold powder to exact proportions. She shows creativity by reading the cracks in each broken bowl and deciding how to make them the most beautiful part of the piece.

Have students complete their body paragraphs if they did not do so in class.