The Literary Essay

Oh, and STAAR… That, too

I. STAAR Format

Writing Test – Monday, April 1, 2013

� Revising Section

� Editing Section

� THREE 26-line essays, including at least one of each of the following:

� Literary Essay (Short Story)

� Expository Essay

I. STAAR Format

Reading Test – Tuesday, April 2, 2013

� Fiction selections with multiple choice

� Nonfiction selections with multiple choice

� Drama selections with multiple choice

� Poetry selections with multiple choice

� 2-3 Short Answers (at least one of which will ask you to make a connection between two of the reading selections at an analytical level)

II. Important Notes

� STAAR is a TIMED test. You

will have a maximum of four

hours for the reading test and

four hours for the writing test.

This means you need to get

used to timed reading and

timed writing!

� You will have access to a

dictionary and thesaurus for

the entire test.

III. The Essays

� You will write two kinds of essays, but you will write three essays total (one of one kind, two of the other)

� You will do this IN ADDITION to the revising and editing sections, so you will have four hours to complete the multiple choice and write three essays.

� You will ONLY have twenty-six lines on which to write your essay.

IV. The Literary Essay

� You will write a short story that MUST contain the following elements:� A well-developed conflict and

resolution

� Interesting and believable characters

� Other literary devices to enhance plot (like dialogue or suspense) – There are no specifications as to what else you use, but you do have to use something else.

IV. Literary Essay STAAR Prompt

Look at the photograph.

Write a story about the power of imagination. Be sure that your story is focused and complete and that it

has an interesting plot and engaging characters.

V. Timed Writing Friday!!!

� Plan wisely!

� Unlike most timed writings, you will receive

the prompt in advance this time.

� Use your time wisely, and monitor the

clock!

� Remember to fully develop your ideas.

VI. Planning Process

� Determine a protagonist.

� Identify three ways you’re going to characterize your protagonist.

� Identify the main conflict of your story.

� Identify the resolution of your story.

� Identify the inciting moment of your story.

� Choose several literary elements to incorporate in your story.

VII. Sample Response #1

Imagine. Imagine you’re the pilot of a 747 American Airlines jet flying from Dallas to Miami. Your halfway there when the engine light starts blinking. You ask the co-pilot to go check out the problem. He comes back saying, “We’ve got an engine down.” You call to the nearest airport and schedule an emergency landing, then calmly let your passengers know whats going on. Within minutes your on the runway with firetrucks and ambulances racing behind you.

This is the power of imagination. A five year old pretending to be a pilot of a broken plane, or the pitcher of a major league baseball team. Imagination gives kids the chance to explore the world and new

VII. Sample Response #1

ideas freely. There are no limits, no boundaries, just open space free to explore. Without this powerful way of the mind, life would be boring and kids would never get the chance to experience the freeness and creativity of life.

VIII. Sample Response #2

The hair on the back of Kevin’s neck stood on

end. He could feel the goosebumps go down his arms and legs. The slightest change in wind made his feet tingle. He had climed mountains before, but nothing quite like this. He stood on the edge of a great adventure.

He had been climbing through the dense forest of trees for six days and seven nights. The journey had been rough and he was now running on only one package of dried noodles. He looked out past the clouds to the small flickering lights that carresed the black earth down the valley. He thought of his mom back home, worrying for him. She had given him a

VIII. Sample Response #2

giant bear hug before he left, along with a note about being careful. Oh how he missed her. It seemed like years since he had had one of her famous peanut butter and banana sandwich’s. This jump was for her. Cautiously he went up on his toes and felt the breeze in his hair. And then he fell.

He fell for what seemed like eternity. The wind whistled past his face and his hands and legs flailed in the air. He felt totally free, until he hit. He hit the ground hard. He slowly rose off the ground and looked onto his own back porch. There his mom stood smiling. “How was your adventure?” she said calmly. Kevin only grinned.