A Definition Is....

Remember Charles Shultz’s line from Peanuts: “Happiness is . . . a warm pup”? Well, one kind of essay you can write is a variation on that idea. It’s an essay that defines something--by explaining how that something works, how it compares with something else, how it might be classified, or by showing an example of what it is.

A definition is an explanation of meaning of a word. Almost daily, every one of us is asked to define something. If what we are asked to define is intangible (cannot be touched, such as love) or not visible, we may have difficulty. Even if we are familiar with the word, we may not be sure where to begin or how to proceed.

There are various ways to develop a definition of something. Here are the most common kinds of definitions: function or action, example, comparison or contrast, and classification.

Pick two from each group and complete in a sentence. Use your own paper.

1. Definition by action or function
   
   Example: A newspaper is read by people to find out what is happening in the world.
   
   
   1. A pencil sharpener is....
   2. A pool table is...
   3. A hand-held calculator is...
   4. An exercise bike is...
   5. A digital watch is...
      
      
2. Definition by example
   
   Example: A great meal is roast beef with mashed potatoes.
   
   
   1. Bad luck is...
   2. A friend is...
   3. Summer is...
   4. Fear is...
   5. A hero (heroine) is...
      
      
3. Definition by comparison and/or contrast
   
   Example: A cassette is like a record because it records sounds. OR A cassette is not like a record because it is a tape.
   
   
   1. An apartment is/is not like a house...
   2. A merry-go-round is/is not like a ferris wheel...
   3. A radio is/is not like a television...
   4. Soccer is/is not like football...
   5. A station wagon is/is not like a hatchback....
      
      
4. Definition by classification
   
   Example: A watermelon is a kind of melon.
   
   
   1. A subway train is a kind of...
   2. A chimpanzee is a kind of...
   3. A frisbee is a kind of...
   4. A moped is a kind of ...
   5. Weight-lifting is a kind of...
      
      

Travel Brochure Project

Objectives:

1. To demonstrate knowledge and share information about another country’s people, culture, etc.
   
   
2. To make connections between literature and real life
   
   
3. To enhance our understanding of the global community
   
   

Assignment:

Choose a country and read a novel by an author from that country or read a novel that has the country as its primary setting. Research the country’s history, traditions, cultures, foods, music, and religion.

Use examples found in the research to create a travel brochure.

Include the following categories:

• Places to See
  
  
• People to Meet
  
  
• Religious Experiences
  
  
• Foods to Try
  
  
• Things to Do
  
  

You may add additional categories, as you deem appropriate, and mix fictional elements with realistic ones. (Use fictional characters from the novel in the category “People to Meet.”) Be creative and have fun while remaining accurate about the country’s characteristics.

Also, use excerpts from the novel to reinforce information about the country in your brochure. (For example, if a character eats a particular type of food in your novel, you may include a quote from the novel containing a food reference.) Use your imagination! Divide the paper into three sections, and fold it like a travel brochure, or use a computer that has a brochure template. When your brochure is completed, you will present it to the class.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Five categories w/ appropriate information pictures (draw, use magazine pics, insert clip art)
  
  
• Five novel quotes
  
  
• Bibliography page (turned in separately)
  
  
• Class presentation
  
  

Follow up:

After the class presentations, you will be asked to select a country you would like to visit and write a brief essay explaining why you want to go there.

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