About this Daily Classroom Special:
The Author Study Project lesson plans were
written by Teachers Network web mentor, Lisa Kihn, a math and
language arts teacher at Nevin Platt Middle School in Boulder, Colorado.
Lisa believes in project based learning and curriculum integration to
actively involve students in their learning process. If you have questions
or suggestions please feel free to e-mail
Lisa.
Author’s Style Requirements
This paper should be two to four paragraphs long. You should analyze two to four of the following components to identify different aspects of your author’s style.
Narrative Voice
- First person – The author talks through one of the characters. One main character tells the story. You see the author using the words “I” or “we.” Notice also the age of the narrative voice. For example is it always a child telling the story?
- Third person, limited omniscient – The author uses words like he, she, they (not I), when moving the plot along. He/she does not share thoughts of all the main characters.
- Third person, omniscient (all knowing) – The author uses words like he, she, they (not I), when moving the plot along. He/she shares thoughts and feelings of all the main characters.
Literary Techniques
- Similes (comparisons using “like” or “as”)
- Metaphors (“His heart was a rock”)
- Symbolism (white = purity, black = evil, dragon = powerful foe)
- Rhyming
- Alliteration (Sally sells sea shells)
- Onomatopoeia (word that makes the sound: “plop” “pop”)
- Personification (giving human qualities to things or animals)
Descriptions
- Technical
- “Flowery” lots of imagery
- Minimal
Use of Dialogue
- Realistic dialogue
- Authentic dialect (y’all…)
- Minimal use
Vocabulary
- Sophisticated? Written for an older audience
- Simplistic
Genre
- Is there one genre that this author tends to use? What is it?
Theme/Subject Matter
- Does the author tend to write about similar topics or themes? i.e.: love, space-time continuum, personal growth, reconciliation, good vs. evil
Next: Author’s Style |