Friday, December 2, 2011

Famous Quote Friday

Our writing focus this marking period will be explanatory essays.  The best way to start is with an interesting quote.  I am sure you have all learned a format for this essay that you used in 7th grade.  Nothing is set in stone and there are many different possibilities for setting up this type of essay. You have to use what works for you. Create your own writing style. The most important thing to remember is to let your own voice shine through. 

Below you will find the quote I would like you to consider.

gerber daisy Pictures, Images and Photos
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”

Here is an additional option below.
Motivational Quote - Adversity and loss make a man wise.

Write about the format you would use to develop this quote as an essay. How many paragraphs would be necessary?  What's the first logical step for paragraph one?  Two?  More? 

Let 's see what you already know.  It may save us some time.  Now express your thoughts about this quote.

26 comments:

  1. "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." I think maybe 3 paragraphs would be necessary to develop this quote as an essay. In paragraph 1, I would describe what this quote means to me. In paragraph 2, I would describe what this quote may mean to other people. In paragraph 3, I would describe what this quote actually means and how I could use it in other ways. I like explanatory essays and there pretty easy. Good choice again Mrs.P!!! :) First one to comment!!! :)
    ~Courtney M.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good job being first Courtney M. I like your idea. Let's discuss it more in class.
    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think it should be three paragraphs the first one should explain the quote and wat it means in their perspective. For Ur quote, I would right how I think it means that in order to be successful and loved is to be unique and special. Just like wen the quote says how the beautiful and rare flowers bloom in adversity. It makes perfect sense because if everyone had the same typical flower it wouldn't be rare or beautiful. If it was different it would be of more value.

    For the second paragraph, I would make it about relating the quote to Ur life. For example I would write how everyday I'm surrounded by advertisements that show wat they believe is the perfect person. Now everyone is brainwashed into thinking.that it u don't look like that, u aren't ideal. Just like the quote, I consider me and my friends unique. we don't look like the people in those advertisements but we always have fun. I don't think the people in the advertisements are to happy because everyone wants to be them and look like them. Therefore, we are growing in adversity just like the flower in the quote and that's wat makes us unique.

    And for the last paragraph I think it should challenge the writer to compare the quote to another one. It's very challenging but it helps to understand the quote. I would relate this quote to the quote, " to the world u are one person but to one person u are the world." These quotes are alike because Ur quote explains how the best things are unique. In the other quote, it shows how u can be important to someone no matter wat. I can tie these quotes together because like Ur quote , mine shows that even if u aren't like everyone else is and wants to be, if u are unique, someone will believe u are better than all the people who are alike. thus, saying that u are the whole world to them.

    Of course I would end with a closing sentence that would state the quote.

    I hope u can understand wat I'm saying Idk if I even understand lol...*Melanie*

    ReplyDelete
  4. For me, an explanatory essay should be 3 to 4 paragraphs. The first one should explain the quote. The second one should have a personal example and the third paragraph should be an example that relates to outside of your life. That is the format that I remember but im not sure if it is right cause it is one from 6th grade and I don't remember it to well. Also, in an explanatory essay, everyone is pretty much writing the same thing; it is the same topic, same quote and same format. Because of this, yours has to be filled with smily face tricks and it can't be ordinary.
    -Jenna W.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Melanie and Jenna, your plans make sense. I was thinking of one other possibility for a paragraph. Let's see if anyone else mentions it.
    BTW what does adversity mean? "A flower that blooms in adversity..."

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  6. Three paragraphs would be necessary for the format of answering this quote. In the first paragraph you would explain what the quote means to you. In the second paragraph you would make a connection of how the quote applies to real life. Finally, in the last paragraph, you would sum up what you said in the previos two paragraphs. You condense what you thought it meant to you and your connection into two or three sentences each. Finally, you add a strong closing sentence.
    To me the quote means that the flower or person who grows up suffering and having rough times will become stronger and will be able to handle more throughout their lives. (Adversity means suffering and having rough times.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for clearing up the definition of "adversity" Devony.

    No one has mentioned what I was thinking so far for one of the paragraphs of an explanatory essay to explain a quote. Does anyone else have an idea?

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  8. In order to create a successful explanatory essay for the quote "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all",you would need at least 3 paragraphs. The first one would explain what the quote actually means, then the second would show how it can be applied to your personal life, and the last would be applied to the real world. This technique was taught to us in 7th grade as previously mentioned so I don't think we will really have a hard time writing this style. Anyway, the quote means that those who grow up or surrounded and raised with bad luck, misfortune, or through a time of suffering,are the most diverse and rare people of all. I find this type of writing the easiest and most informational type because we are given quotes that make us think and can show us how to understand things we couldn't really understand before. This was a great choice of writing to choose for this marking period.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think it would be 4 paragraphs because it could have ,restate the quote, then explain how it relates to u, then explain how it relates to history or science , then for the last, u would just kinda recap using different words .

    The quote would be a good one to use in classs because it like ahs two parts to it, the adversity part , and then the whole thing put together.js

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Erika and Morgan R. You girls are correct. I do agree on the real world reference but Morgan clarified it even more to possibly include an historic or scientific reference.

    Thanks for your input, girls.

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Mrs.P! Yeah! I've never been first!! We should talk about it in class!!! Also, I may miss 4th period on wednesday and thursday because I'm in the band and our concert is on wednesday and thursday! Thought I would tell you. All I know is that me and Jess may miss 4th period on wednesday and thursday! Well, see you tomorrow!!! :)
    ~Courtney M.

    ReplyDelete
  12. No problem, Courtney M. We will be writing about a quote and reading, of course. Have a good concert.

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  13. We did alot of essays explaining quotes last year in Ms. Stack's class. I remember starting off with: In the quote "The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all" means people being themselves is a rare sight...and then write the introduction paragraph.
    The first paragraph would explain the quote fully.
    The second paragraph would state how your life relates to the quote.
    The third paragraph would give examples relating to the world, a book, something on TV etc..
    Finally, the conclusion. It is the shortest paragraph.
    All together there would be 4 and a half paragraphs.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks Mrs.P!! And can't wait!!!! See ya tomorrow(: byye!
    ~Courtney M.

    ReplyDelete
  15. for quotes i think the least amount of paragraphs you can have is 3 1st paragraph what the quote means. 2nd what the quote means to you 3rd the wrap up of everything

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks to my two Courtneys and to Kevin too.

    Tomorrow we will write. I have a few interesting but tricky quotes to share.

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  17. BTW Who noticed that I used to , too, and two in the same sentence?

    ReplyDelete
  18. checking to see if this works sorry
    paisley

    ReplyDelete
  19. First what it really means
    second how you interpret it
    third (optional) examples
    fourth bring it together restate quote
    paisley

    ReplyDelete
  20. the quote, "adversity and loss make a man wise" means that if you get everything you ask for and no problems arise you are not going to learn anything at all and have no common sense
    and also if you have no loss or hardship you will live in the land i call the land of cupcakes and lolli pops.

    all in all having no problems can create a problem in itself.

    from paisley

    ReplyDelete
  21. I did!! I love writing!! Can't wait and I don't think i will be missing your class tomorrow and thursday!!! Were not going to see the whole concert so I may miss maybe a part of 4th but probably not. Well, see you tomorrow Mrs.P!! :)
    ~Courtney M.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks Paisley and Courtney M. See you both Wedenesday. Please check the new post too. You will have to do some serious thinking.

    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  23. I think that about 3 or 4 paragraphs are needed for an explanatory essay. The 1st paragraph you could talk about the quote, and what it means. The 2nd paragraph could be used for a more in depth explanation of the quote, and what you think it means. The 3rd paragraph could explain what the quote can be used to explain the past or present. On the last paragraph, it's where you "wrap up" everything you said and conclude your essay. I also like the quotes, too!

    ReplyDelete
  24. We will definitely have more quotes soon, Erin O.
    Mrs. Prisbell

    ReplyDelete
  25. can anyone actually give me an essay. not some pointers. i already know the points. the essay is not exactly materializing for me. it's going to a max. 1052 words. i need more than that.

    ReplyDelete