Abstraction Ladder: Day One

• Way of classifying information from abstract (general) to concrete (specific)

Level 4: AbstractionsLevel 3: Noun Classes,

broad group names with little specification

Level 2: Noun Categories, more definite groups

Level 1: Specific, Identifiable nouns

Abstraction Ladder Cont. • “...if Level One abstraction is used in writing, the audience

will understand what ideas and concepts are being discussed...If a writer is trying to describe a person, and she mentions that the protagonist wore Birkenstock's and a jeans skirt, an image is evoked in the reader's mind…if the writer says the protagonist was dressed in casual attire, the reader's impression of the character is not as strong, and the audience will be free to interpret the writer's meaning in ways…using the levels of abstractions carefully will help convey meaning to the audience.” -Jan Streever [http://ol.scc.spokane.edu/jstrever/comp/Summer201/hw3.htm ]

What is a “GREEN” word?

• A “GREEN” word is–ABSTRACT–HIGHLY CONNOTATIVE–VALUE-DRIVEN

EXAMPLE:

• "Wealth"• Is "wealth" an abstract idea?• Does wealth have connotative significance?• Does your definition of "wealth" say anything about

what you value?

YOUR TURN

For the following images, create 2-3 Green Words that you feel would describe emotions/context/theme of the image.

Thesis Statements and Green Words

Choose one of the images shown and write a thesis statement using green words to describe the theme/themes of the image:

• Try to create an “although” statement using ONE green word in the dependent clause (at the beginning) and TWO in the independent clause (back half).

• Example for The Glass Castle:Although the Walls children grow up in deprivation, their determination and intelligence drives them to move beyond their environment.

Abstraction Ladder Activity: Day Two

• Each table will have a zip lock bag with three sets of different colored cards. Each color set represents one abstraction ladder example.

• In pairs, take one of the colors and try to re-create the abstraction ladder, going from abstract to concrete (level 4 to level 1). Compare and discuss as a table when you think you are done.

Song Lyrics: Close Read on Abstraction Ladder

“Show and Tell” Article

• Read the “Show and Tell” article independently and make annotations on the sidebar provided.

• You may highlight, but that alone does not count as annotating. You MUST provide commentary/question the text in a close reading format to receive credit.

• What you do not finish in class is homework.