Embedding Quotations is a necessary skill that students will use throughout their years in secondary and post-secondary education. This slide deck introduces the idea of Point, Evidence, Evaluation (PEE) paragraphs, building from a common-interest area of which video game system is best.

Students are encouraged to answer this question before moving on, and then write a quick sample PEE to demonstrate their current learning. Sharing these pieces can be an enlightening experience since many students feel very strongly about this subject. 

English Course Pack: Unit One – Literacy Skills

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1.03 – Embedding Quotations: Slide Deck

Moving Forward: Your View on Video Games

I like all video game systems, but when I present a quick PEE about which system is best, I normally choose something that opposes the major views that my students put forward.  If they all talk about PCs, I talk about Playstation.  If they all love Playstation, then I talk about XBox.  If there is any negativity towards Nintendo, that’s what I’ll focus on.  And, if students try to shut down their peers by saying mobile gaming isn’t real gaming, I will talk about how mobile gaming is the best form of gaming.

This is an opportunity to show how all viewpoints must be encouraged and respected, so long as they can be supported. Students will move towards a paradigm shift, allowing them to understand and respect viewpoints beyond their own.

Step One: Introducing the PEE

Once students have shared their paragraphs about which video game systems are best, slides 3 – 5 detail how PEE paragraphs work, and what parts exist. This is a great time for students to take notes on the three parts, and their definitions, while providing an exemplar of an effective PEE paragraph.

Students can be provided an opportunity to rewrite and represent their paragraphs here. Teachers can reassess oral communication skills, and also take informal observational notes about the use of evidence during this time.

Step Two: Brackets and Ellipsis

Next up, slide 6 – 9 demonstrate how brackets and ellipsis are used to modify quotations, allowing them to flow with students’ sentences. Teachers are encouraged to make up quick questions that allow them to practice this using the source text.

Step Three: Putting it into Practice

Now it’s time to move on to the large source text and ask students to write a PEE that uses embedded references to answer the prompt. Once complete, they should share their thoughts, and then copy the exemplar once it has been displayed.

Physically copying text is a great mnemonic that is lost when notes are not taken by hand, or when students rely on digital versions only.

The Impact

By the end of this experience, students will have a strong idea of what a PEE is, and how to use embedded quotations. Teachers will have a lot of writing samples, as well as oral communication samples that they can use as assessment opportunities (formally or informally, filling in gaps in their grade book).

Another key skill has been successfully taught!

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English – Unit One: Literacy Skills

English Course Packs: Full Units

Unit One: Literacy Skills
Unit Two: Poetry
Unit Three: Literature Circles
Unit Four: Creative Writing & Choose Our Way Tales (In Progress)
Unit Five: Essay Writing (In Progress)
Unit Six: Culminating Tasks (In Progress)

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