Summary
In this lesson, students will explore the meaning of the word "parallel" and analyze how and why parallel structure is used in speeches. At the end of the lesson, students will compose a six-word memoir to summarize the purpose of parallel structure in writing.
Essential Question(s)
What is the purpose of parallel structure, and how do writers use it?
Snapshot
Engage
Students analyze an image of parallel-parked cars to determine what the term parallel means in one context.
Explore
Students interpret the meaning of parallel and its synonyms in various contexts.
Explain
Students examine the use of parallel structure in a speech and analyze the author’s purpose for using parallel structure.
Extend
Students create a claim about the speech author’s use of parallel structure and provide support for the claim.
Evaluate
Students summarize the purpose of parallel structure in writing with a six-word memoir.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Speeches (linked; share the links or print one copy each per student)
Frayer Model handout (attached; one per student)
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning handout (attached; one per student)
Student devices with internet access
Engage
Using the attached Lesson Slides, introduce students to the essential question on slide 3 and the objectives on slide 4.
Display slide 5. Show students the image of parallel-parked cars and pose the following questions:
Why is it called parallel parking?
What does that mean?
Have students use the Think-Pair-Share strategy to first think about the image and the questions individually, next talk about their thoughts with a partner, and then share with the whole class.
Explore
Display slide 6. Explain to students that beyond a driver’s test and parallel parking, there are many other areas where the idea of being parallel is important. Ask students what words they can think of that are similar to parallel? Have students brainstorm ideas as you write them on the board.
Have students form small groups and identify a list of other disciplines or areas of their lives where these words apply. Where have they seen these words used?
Regroup with the whole class and have groups share their thoughts. Add new ideas to the brainstorm list.
Explain
Display slide 7 and distribute the attached Frayer Model handout to each student. Explain that the word parallel can mean different things depending on the context in which it is used.
Introduce the definition of parallel structure as it pertains to writing, and have students work with their Elbow Partner to analyze this term and complete each section of the Frayer Model.
Once pairs have finished working, ask volunteers to share with the class what they have written in the various sections.
Move to slide 8. Give students the opportunity to choose which speech they will be reading. The links below provide access to each speech. If you have not prepared printed copies, share the links with your students.
Have students use the Why-Lighting strategy to identify examples of parallel structure as they read. Students can work individually or with an Elbow Partner.
After students have finished reading and annotating their speeches, have them form small groups of about 4 students who all choose the same text and share their findings.
When grouped, ask students to consider and discuss the following questions:
What did you notice about the ideas that were presented in parallel?
Why did the author choose to use parallel structure for these ideas?
Extend
Display slide 9 and distribute copies of the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning handout or have students navigate to the digital version. Review the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) method of writing with the class, and then pose the following prompts:
How did the author use parallel structures in the speech?
What was the author’s purpose and intent in using parallel structure with these ideas?
Have students begin by writing their claims. Give them time to draft their claims individually, and then organize students into small groups and have them share their claims with each other.
Ask groups to each choose one claim that they consider to be the strongest, and have a volunteer from each group come up and write that claim on the board.
Once all the groups have submitted a claim, have the class vote on the strongest claim.
Wrap up the discussion by telling students that by reviewing examples from their peers, they have seen several different ways to write strong claims.
Give students time to work individually to make any revisions to their claims and to complete the remaining portions (evidence and reasoning) of their CER paragraphs. Students can submit their completed CER paragraphs on paper or digitally through Google Classroom or another LMS platform of your choice.
Evaluate
Display slide 10 and ask students to take out a sheet of paper. Ask them to reflect on the purpose of parallel structure in writing and write down their thoughts for one minute without stopping.
Move to slide 11. Have students review the ideas they generated and use the Six-Word Memoirs strategy to compose a summary that identifies the purpose of parallel structure in writing.
When they are finished writing, have students share their summaries by posting them around the classroom and then walking around to view their classmates’ responses.
Resources
Bush, G. W. (2001). On the Patriot Act [Speech]. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/president-bush-on-the-patriot-act
K20 Center. (n.d.). Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER). Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/156
K20 Center. (n.d.). Elbow Partners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/116
K20 Center. (n.d.). Frayer Model. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/126
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google Classroom. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/628
K20 Center. (2021, September 21). K20 Center 1 minute timer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ilD555O_RE
K20 Center. (n.d.). Six-word memoirs. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/75
K20 Center. (n.d.). Think-pair-share. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/139
K20 Center. (n.d.). Why-lighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/128
King, M. L., Jr. (1963). I have a dream [Speech excerpts]. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/
Yousafzai, M. (2014). Nobel lecture [Speech]. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/malala-yousafzai-s-nobel-lecture
Paquette, A. (2019, August 13). Walking business man in Belgium [Image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/p0oC-D6rbWs
Nygard, A. (2020, May 22). Parked cars [Image]. https://unsplash.com/photos/FwRTLAjTeE0