Taking Notes by Choosing Quotes
The skill of choosing quotes is a little more involved. We’ve gone over it in class. Usually I ask you to answer a question by picking a quote. For each web site and article for the Raisin in the Sun work, I’ll pose a few questions in class. It’ll then be your turn to do the web research to answer the questions. You provide evidence for answers by picking strong quotes. If I don't pose a question, simply pick your favorite line and then tell why it is your favorite.
I’ll now remind you of a brief example of something we’ve done in class. The story I’ll take the example from is Thank You M’am by Langston Hughes. You remember. Boy tries to steal a purse but gets beat up and then fed by the woman he assaulted. After we read it, I asked you to pick a quote that proved he had learned a lesson. Most of you chose this one:
“He did not trust the woman not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted now.”
Picking quotes is not easy, but when chosen correctly, they easily prove the point.