Exposition

1. Exposition A Night to Remember by Walter Lord

2. Multiple Perspectives • Describe (in writing) a time when you viewed an event differently from others. What did you learn from that experience? • When you finish your written answer, share it with a partner. • Discuss how your two experiences are similar and how they are different.

3. Overarching Questions • How and why do people experience the same event differently? • What might we learn about an event and the people who experienced it using multiple perspectives? • What are the characteristics of an effective expository composition that uses multiple perspectives?

4. Prior Knowledge • What do you already know about the sinking of the Titanic? • Where did you get your information? (book, movie, TV, etc) Be specific!

5. Bow - front of the ship Stern - back of the ship Port - left side of the ship Starboard - right side of the ship Bridge - where the captain directs the ship Astern - toward the back of the boat Deck - the flat surfaces of the boat that people can walk on Promenade deck - the deck on which passengers walk Nautical Terms

6. Chapter 1 • As we read, consider these questions: • What major things happen in this chapter? • What clues tell you that they are major?

7. Summarize • Our first reading is for the main idea, or the gist. • Write a summary of Chapter 1. • Find three moments (quotations) in the chapter that show you three different perspectives.

8. Say-Mean-Matter • Write your three moments in the Say-Mean Matter chart. • Paraphrase each quotation. • Explain how it shows you something about a different perspective.

9. Example of S-M-M

10. Turn a quote into a paragraph. • Use one line of your S-M-M chart, and turn it into a paragraph. • You’ll need a topic sentence. • Then, incorporate the quote, the paraphrase and the explanation into it.

11. StepBack • How did you choose your quotations? • What did you learn by hearing other people’s quotes and explanations?

12. Chapter 2 • Consider these questions as you read Chapter 2: • What are the major events in this chapter? • How do you know they are major?

13. Summarize Chapter 2 • Write the major events that occur in Chapter 2 in a complete paragraph. • Include what you see as problems, and explain why those items are problems.

14. Say-Mean-Matter Chapter 2 • Choose three quotations that foreshadow the disaster. (What clues are overlooked, or poor decisions made?) • Paraphrase • Analyze - explain how this affects the problem of the Titanic’s condition.

15. StepBack • How did you choose your quotations? • What did you learn from hearing the quotes that were chosen by others?

16. Chapter 3 • As you read Chapter 3, consider these questions: • What are the major events in Chapter 3? • How do you know they are major?

17. Summarize Chapter 3 • Write a paragraph that explains the major events in Chapter 3. • Be sure to include all of the major problems that come up in the chapter.

18. Say-Mean-Matter Ch 3 • Choose three quotes (significant moments) that express the problems in Chapter 3. • Paraphrase them • Explain how the problem worsens conditions on the Titanic.

19. Step Back • How did you choose your quotations? (significant moments) • What did you learn from discussing your work with others?

20. Longer Text - Accurate Representation • Re-read your summaries of Chapters 1,2,and 3. • Combine your ideas into a three paragraph text that identifies the most important events in the first three chapters. • You may need to add an introduction, or re-work some of your writing in order to make the end result meaningful. (coherent)

21. Discussion Questions • What did you learn about the significance of the Titanic from your interviews? • Why do you think Lord represents the Titanic disaster from multiple perspectives?

22. Write Like Lord • Use one of your interviews and two quotations from Lord’s text to write two paragraphs that explain the significance of the Titanic disaster. • One paragraph should use a direct quotation, and the other should paraphrase what was said.

23. Class Activity • With your group, look for examples in Chapters 4-6 that show how your “class” experienced the Titanic disaster. • Complete a Say-Mean-Matter chart that uses the quotations to support your findings.

24. Write About • Which decisions, circumstances, policies or missed opportunities strike you as most unfortunate? Why? (Pick two) • Be prepared to discuss what you decide.

25. Investigation • Investigate the perspective of someone in your “class”. • Compare what you write with others in your group. • Prepare for a whole class discussion of how the perspectives differ.

26. Discussion Question • Through most of the book, Lord (the author) does not give his own perspective about the sinking of the Titanic. What does he say in the final chapters about the historical significance of the sinking of the Titanic? Write your answer and share with a partner.

27. Examine Lord’s statements • “Never again would first class have it so good. In fact, almost immediately, the pendulum swung the other way.” (91) • “With this lost worldwent some of its prejudices-especially a firm and loudly voiced opinion of the superiority of Anglo-Saxon courage.” (94) • Choose one of the quotes above, and write whether you agree with it or not, and why or why not.

28. Analyze • Lord represents the sinking of the Titanic through the eyes and ears of dozens of people who experienced the disaster. What can multiple perspectives teach us about an event? • What do we gain, and what might be lost from examining an event from multiple perspectives?

29. Reflection • What did you learn from reading A Night to Remember? • What do you think is the most significant event or result of the disaster? • What activities helped you to understand the text the most?