Diamante: In the use of this strategy, students anayzed and completed a Diamante to demonstrate the change in a character as he/she progresses through the heroic arch. It was a summative assessement of their ability to recognize, not only character attributes but to reflect the journey and transformation to a hero. Precise use of vocabulary and parts of speech were needed to identify the key attributes of the character and to catalogue the change that occured. To extend use of the strategy, students used the Diamante as an organizer to compose a balanced point by point compare/contrast paragraph. Students were asked to write a reflection and what they learned by using the strategy. All reported high enjoyment and significant learning as a result of learning, using, and applying Diamante to literature and as a writing organizer.
Hobbit
Respectable Unadventurous
Listening Greeting Relaxing
Baggins Underling; Burglar Leader
Stealing Defending Planning
Quick-witted; Gallant
Hero
Compare/Contrast Paragraph:
“There’s a hero in you; If you look inside your heart” (Mariah Carey, Hero) JRR Tolkien creates a mythical fantasy world in The Hobbit, home to Bilbo Baggins. This well to do hobbit begins his life changing journey as a respectably unadventurous creature, but returns a quick witted, gallant hero after his quest as Thorin and Company’s burglar. In the early stages of his adventure, the underling Baggins, is very respectable and unadventurous. While listening, relaxing, and greeting, Bilbo keeps his life simple and does not wander far from his safe and secure hobbit hole. “We are plain and quiet folk, and have no use for adventures.” (4) A simplistic and innocent Bilbo sets the story of Bilbo’s adventures with Thorin and Company. As the tale progresses, an authoritative leader and stealthy burglar emerges from Bilbo. Bilbo demonstrates his gallant courageousness and sharp quick wittedness through stealing, planning, and rescuing his way into the dwarves’ approval and the reader’s amazement. Many challenges along the way aid Bilbo’s task to become an apt burglar, and show him his commanding side. “In the end, they decided to do just what Bilbo suggested.” (180) Bilbo truly shows his change to a archetype hero in his journey with Thorin and Company. There’s a hero in Bilbo, when he looked inside his heart!
Hobbit
Respectable Unadventurous
Listening Greeting Relaxing
Baggins Underling; Burglar Leader
Stealing Defending Planning
Quick-witted; Gallant
Hero
Compare/Contrast Paragraph:
“There’s a hero in you; If you look inside your heart” (Mariah Carey, Hero) JRR Tolkien creates a mythical fantasy world in The Hobbit, home to Bilbo Baggins. This well to do hobbit begins his life changing journey as a respectably unadventurous creature, but returns a quick witted, gallant hero after his quest as Thorin and Company’s burglar. In the early stages of his adventure, the underling Baggins, is very respectable and unadventurous. While listening, relaxing, and greeting, Bilbo keeps his life simple and does not wander far from his safe and secure hobbit hole. “We are plain and quiet folk, and have no use for adventures.” (4) A simplistic and innocent Bilbo sets the story of Bilbo’s adventures with Thorin and Company. As the tale progresses, an authoritative leader and stealthy burglar emerges from Bilbo. Bilbo demonstrates his gallant courageousness and sharp quick wittedness through stealing, planning, and rescuing his way into the dwarves’ approval and the reader’s amazement. Many challenges along the way aid Bilbo’s task to become an apt burglar, and show him his commanding side. “In the end, they decided to do just what Bilbo suggested.” (180) Bilbo truly shows his change to a archetype hero in his journey with Thorin and Company. There’s a hero in Bilbo, when he looked inside his heart!