Essay Format
How many paragraphs are in a standard essay?
5
Identify the hook, background, and thesis of this introduction paragraph:
Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm is blaring, and the start of school is just 90 short minutes away. The problem? You feel like it was just moments ago that you feel into a deep, restful sleep, and waking up now seems out of the question. You can't even imagine sitting upright, let alone learning Pythagorean's Theorem or writing an essay on the five themes of geography. Some people think that early school start times benefit students, but others disagree. Schools should start later because middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development and to perform well academically.
Hook: Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm is blaring, and the start of school is just 90 short minutes away. The problem? You feel like it was just moments ago that you feel into a deep, restful sleep, and waking up now seems out of the question. You can't even imagine sitting upright, let alone learning Pythagorean's Theorem or writing an essay on the five themes of geography.
Background: Some people think that early school start times benefit students, but others disagree.
Thesis: Schools should start later because middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development and to perform well academically.
What is a claim, and for which writing purpose is it used?
The author's position on an issue or problem; used in argumentative writing
Explain the meaning of this term or phrase:
Explain the author's intent by mentioning...
Tell about why the author said something, explain what the author's purpose was for including this piece of information
What is an editorial?
a newspaper or other type of article written by an editor that shares an opinion
List the types of paragraphs in an essay in sequence.
Introduction, Body Paragraph 1, Body Paragraph 2, Body Paragraph 3, Conclusion
What is the author's claim?
Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm is blaring, and the start of school is just 90 short minutes away. The problem? You feel like it was just moments ago that you feel into a deep, restful sleep, and waking up now seems out of the question. You can't even imagine sitting upright, let alone learning Pythagorean's Theorem or writing an essay on the five themes of geography. Some people think that early school start times benefit students, but others disagree. Schools should start later because middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development and to perform well academically.
Schools should start later.
Answer Claim and Evidence Task Card #2
C - Students should pay to play school sports because schools are having to make tough decisions based on smaller budgets.
Explain the meaning of this term or phrase:
Which sentence best illustrates the conclusion made in Part A/previous question
Choose the sentence that does the best job of showing or explaining why the last answer you chose was correct
What is an excerpt?
A small section of writing that comes from a longer story, article, or reading selection
What must you include in an introduction paragraph for an essay? List in order.
Hook, (Hook transition sentence), background information, thesis or controlling idea sentence
What will the author's first and second body paragraphs be about?
Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm is blaring, and the start of school is just 90 short minutes away. The problem? You feel like it was just moments ago that you feel into a deep, restful sleep, and waking up now seems out of the question. You can't even imagine sitting upright, let alone learning Pythagorean's Theorem or writing an essay on the five themes of geography. Some people think that early school start times benefit students, but others disagree. Schools should start later because middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development and to perform well academically.
Body 1 - middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development
Body 2 - starting school later helps middle school students perform well academically
Answer Claim and Evidence Task Card #3
B - Schools should watch students' social media postings in order to keep all children safe.
Explain the meaning of this term or phrase:
What conclusion can be drawn about the author's relevance of evidence regarding spacesuits?
What inference, assumption or guess can you make about why the author chose the facts he used to talk about spacesuits.
What does it mean to justify your answer or your thinking?
To provide evidence and logical reasoning for your answer
What is a hook? Name at least one type.
The first sentence in a piece of writing meant to grab the reader's attention. Types include an anecdote, fact/statistic, famous quote, scenario, rhetorical question, three-word staccato lead, onomatopoeia, dropping into the action
Give an example of a counterargument this essay might use:
Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm is blaring, and the start of school is just 90 short minutes away. The problem? You feel like it was just moments ago that you feel into a deep, restful sleep, and waking up now seems out of the question. You can't even imagine sitting upright, let alone learning Pythagorean's Theorem or writing an essay on the five themes of geography. Some people think that early school start times benefit students, but others disagree. Schools should start later because middle school students need extra sleep for critical brain development and to perform well academically.
Any reason middle school should continue to start at an early time, ex: sports and after-school activities, sibling care, after-school chores or homework, etc.
Answer Claim and Evidence Task Card #11
A - States should ban junk food in schools because it will help children learn to be good eaters.
Which of these inferences about the author's purpose is supported by the text?
Which guess can you make about the author's purpose or reason for writing that you can support with evidence from the text?
What is a stanza?
A group of 2 or more lines that form a unit in a poem. The "paragraph" of poetry.
What type of paragraphs in what order would you use to write a cause and effect essay? Compare and contrast?
Compare/Contrast
or
Define each and give and example of each:
Synonym
Antonym
Affix
Synonym - a word the means the same thing
Antonym - A word that means the opposite thing
Affix - a word part including a prefix (word beginning) or suffix (word ending)
In argument writing, what is a concession? What is a rebuttal or counterargument?
Concession - the acknowledgement of the potential validity of the opposing side of an argument
Rebuttal/Counterargument - Your response to the opposing position on a topic
What does it mean to integrate information?
Include information from somewhere else in your own writing, especially in a smooth and natural sounding way. This does not usually require a citation.
What are conventions in writing? What is usage?
Conventions in writing include spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.
Usage in writing means the way in which a word or phrase is normally and correctly used.