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O Captain My Captain Analysis - TWIST Analysis

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Activity Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Rubric

Activity Overview

Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that examine Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. This activity is referred to with the acronym “TWIST”. In a TWIST, students focus on a particular paragraph or a few pages, to look deeper at the author’s meaning.

Using the full text of “O Captain! My Captain!” or just a single stanza, students can depict, describe, and analyze the way poetic elements work together to create a central message or theme.

TWIST Example for O Captain! My Captain!

TWIST

TONE	Distressed: The speaker struggles to process the death of his hero. He is overcome with sorrow and shock.
WORD CHOICE	O heart! heart! heart!, bleeding, cold, dead, pale, still, no pulse, mournful tread, fallen
IMAGERY	“O the bleeding drops of red..."
STYLE	Each eight-line stanza is split into two distinct parts. The first four lines are long and praise Lincoln's achievements. The last four lines are short and give agitated descriptions of Lincoln's dying moments.
THEME	The speaker's distress is made greater by the heroism of the captain. This conveys a theme about honoring our fallen heroes.

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Perform a TWIST analysis of a selection from “O Captain! My Captain!”. Remember that TWIST stands for Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, Theme.

Click "Start Assignment".
Choose any combination of scenes, characters, items, and text to represent each letter of TWIST.
Write a few sentences describing the importance or meaning of the images.
Finalize images, edit, and proofread your work.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 5 (Advanced / Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Prose Analysis with TWIST

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Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

T.W.I.S.T.- Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme

TWIST is an acronym for a series of questions one must ask when analyzing a text, especially when working with complex narratives. Create a storyboard that analyzes the key TWIST aspects of the excerpt, including accurate or interesting depictions, and complete explanations.

	Proficient 33 Points	Emerging 27 Points	Beginning 22 Points	Try Again 17 Points
TWIST Analysis	Each aspect of TWIST is analyzed thoroughly and thoughtfully. The tone(s) is/are correctly identified and explained and are supported by evidence. The word choice uses a healthy sample of words from the excerpt that are loaded with connotation, associations, or emotional impact. The chosen imagery highlights sense impressions created by the writer and indicates the author's attitude or evokes a particular reaction from the reader. The author's style is discussed in terms of figurative language, point of view, literary techniques, punctuation, etc. The theme identified highlights the meaning of the passage and offers insight, and it is supported by evidence from the text.	Most of the aspects of TWIST are analyzed thoroughly and thoughtfully. In discussing the aspects, the student may have forgotten key evidence, or they may be unclear in their analysis. The student shows a basic understanding of each of the parts of the acronym, but may not apply them fully to the selected passage.	Most aspects of TWIST are provided with basic evidence and quotes from the passage. The student may be able to identify the elements correctly, but not be able to explain them completely or reveal insight. The discussion is rudimentary and/or may seem rushed.	Some aspects of TWIST are missing or too limited to score, or most of the aspects of TWIST are incorrect. The student makes no attempt to reveal insight in his or her analysis.
Depictions	The depictions of each aspect of TWIST are accurate to the passage, or provide an interesting, creative, or insightful visual interpretation of the element in the passage. It is evident that the student spent a lot of time, creativity, and effort into carefully crafting each artistic depiction.	Most of the depictions of each aspect of TWIST are accurate to the passage, or provide an interesting, creative, or insightful visual interpretation of the element in the passage. It is evident that the student stayed on task and put time and effort into crafting each artistic depiction.	Most of the depictions of each aspect of TWIST are accurate to the passage, but they are minimal. There may be some inaccuracies or evidence that the student strayed from the task at hand. The student may not have paid much attention to detail in crafting each depiction, and there may be evidence of rushing or limited effort.	Some of the depictions of each aspect of TWIST are inaccurate, missing, or too limited to score. It is evident that the student did not put a lot of time, effort, and creativity into crafting each artistic depiction.
English Conventions	Ideas are organized. Displays control of grammar, usage, and mechanics. Shows careful proofreading.	Ideas are organized. Contains few errors in grammar, usage and mechanics. Shows some proofreading.	Ideas are organized. Contains errors in grammar, usage and mechanics which interfere with communication. Shows a lack of proofreading.	Contains too many errors in grammar, usage and mechanics; (and/or) errors seriously interfere with communication. Shows a lack of proofreading.

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