Points possible: 50. Make sure you think about the explicit and the implied elements of the question prompt. What are you really being asked to do?

Transcription

1 2.3.6 Practice: Opinion Paper Practice Assignment English II Core (2013) Sem 1 (S ) Points possible: 50 Assignment Write an opinion essay in response to one of the following essay prompts: A. Who is to blame for the tragic events in The Crucible? B. How is The Crucible relevant to present-day audiences? Your essay should consist of at least three paragraphs. Name: Date: It should include an introductory paragraph with an identifiable thesis statement and a concluding paragraph. Each supporting paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. Your essay should be written in a 12-point font with standard margins. For extra help on completing your assignment, click your practice guide. Tips for Success Interpreting the Question/Prompt Make sure you think about the explicit and the implied elements of the question prompt. What are you really being asked to do? Tips for Writing a Thesis and Topic Sentences Your thesis should be specific. For example, "This essay is about Romeo and Juliet" is much too vague. The following is a more specific example: "Mercutio's presence in Romeo and Juliet highlights Romeo's moody temperament, thus rendering his suicide believable and, indeed, inevitable." Your thesis should be an arguable point no one wants to read an essay that simply states a fact. For example, "Moby Dick is a white whale that bit off the leg of Captain Ahab" is not an arguable point; it's a fact about the novel Moby-Dick. Now consider the following thesis statement: "Ahab's mad quest for vengeance is not the central tragic event of Moby-Dick; that honor belongs to Queequeg." Now that's an arguable statement it may not be true, but it's arguable. About Intros and Conclusions Your introduction should provide the broad context your reader will need in order to understand what you are writing about. It should also create interest and draw the reader into your essay. Your conclusion should summarize your argument and contain a restatement of your thesis. About Supporting Your Points Remember to use facts, quotes, examples, or explanations to support your argument. Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, use MLA format when citing your references. 1/11

2 Self-Assessment Checklist Read each question and evaluate your short response. If the answer to the question is yes, check the box to the left. If the answer is no, go back and revise your work. Your teacher will use these same guiding questions to score your short response. Quality of Ideas Did I demonstrate an understanding of the assignment by: Writing an opinion essay on The Crucible? Discussing who was to blame for the tragic events in the play? Discussing how the play is relevant to today s audiences? Did I demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively by: Using my language or ideas in a creative way? Going beyond basic information to make connections between ideas? Did I demonstrate the ability to write a thesis statement by: Making a claim that requires support? Did I demonstrate the ability to support my ideas by: Referring directly or indirectly to the reading? Addressing all parts of the writing topic? Connecting each supporting sentence to the claim in the thesis statement? Did I demonstrate the ability to conclude by: Summarizing the ideas and/or restating the thesis statement? Did I demonstrate the ability to organize my writing by: Using transitions? Ordering ideas logically? Form and Presentation Did I follow presentation requirements (12-point font, standard margins, length requirements)? Did I properly cite all quotations? Style Did I use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex)? 2/11

3 Did I avoid run-on sentences and fragments? Did I check for spelling and grammar errors? Did I use an appropriate tone? Copyright 2012 Apex Learning Inc. (See Terms of Use at w w w.apexvs.com/termsofuse) 3/11

4 3.2.6 Practice: Formal-Debate Graphic Organizer Practice Assignment English II Core (2013) Sem 1 (S ) Name: Points possible: 50 Date: Assignment Draft the constructive speeches for both the affirmative and negative sides of a topic of your choice. Each speech should be two paragraphs long. You should express the affirmative side of the argument in one speech and the negative side of the argument in the other speech. Your assignment should be written in a 12-point font with standard margins. For extra help on completing your assignment, click on your practice guide. Self-Assessment Checklist Read each question and evaluate your short response. If the answer to the question is "yes," check the box to the left. If the answer is "no," go back and revise your work. Your teacher will use these same guiding questions to score your short response. Quality of Ideas Did I demonstrate an understanding of the assignment by: Drafting constructive speeches from the affirmative and negative sides on a topic of my choice? Using the Toulmin model for debate as the format for both speeches? Did I demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively by: Using my language or ideas in a creative way? Going beyond basic information to make connections between ideas? Did I demonstrate the ability to write a topic sentence by: Making a claim that requires support? Did I demonstrate the ability to support my ideas by: Referring directly or indirectly to the reading or readings? Addressing all parts of the writing topic? Connecting each supporting sentence to the claim in the topic sentence? Did I demonstrate the ability to conclude by: Summarizing the ideas and restating the topic sentence? Did I demonstrate the ability to organize my writing by: 4/11

5 Using transitions? Ordering ideas logically? Form and Presentation Did I follow presentation requirements (12-point font, standard margins, and required length)? Did I properly cite all quotations? Style Did I use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex)? Did I avoid run-on sentences and fragments? Did I check for spelling and grammar errors? Did I use an appropriate tone? Copyright 2012 Apex Learning Inc. (See Terms of Use at w w w.apexvs.com/termsofuse) 5/11

6 4.3.7 Practice: Poem Commentary Practice Assignment English II Core (2013) Sem 1 (S ) Name: Points possible: 50 Date: Assignment Based on a poem from the lesson, write a short commentary answering the following question: How do specific motifs (patterns) in the poem help to present ideas or impressions that are central to the work? Choose one of the following poems (found in The Best Poems Ever: A Collection of Poetry's Greatest Voices) and color mark and annotate it. 1. "Which Recounts How Fantasy Contents Itself With Honorable Love" by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz on page "The Triple Fool" by John Donne on page "Archaic Torso of Apollo" by Rainer Maria Rilke on page "Ode to Enchanted Light" by Pablo Neruda on page 14 Present your response in a short-essay format with an introductory paragraph, a supporting paragraph, and a brief concluding paragraph. Your commentary should discuss at least two motifs (patterns) you found in the poem, show how those motifs are connected to the ideas or impressions created in the work, and discuss how the work affected you. Tips for Success As you draft your commentary, consider that many of the same ideas and standards that you would follow to create a formal essay still apply. Go back to your color-marked annotations and analyze each pattern in relation to the poem as a whole. Each clear pattern provides you with a basis for a topic paragraph. After creating at least two topic paragraphs based on two observed patterns, consider your thesis. Base your thesis on the information you've gathered from the patterns. How do the patterns work as a whole, or what do they yield? How do they ask the reader to engage the poem in a particular way? Your thesis should be a precise answer to the commentary question above. Since this is a commentary, you will be including a paragraph on how the poem has affected you as its reader. What have you personally taken away from it? Your personal reading may provide a fantastic introduction to your commentary, provide support for your assertions about the patterns you've identified, or even work well as part of your conclusion. Remember to borrow extensively from the poem, including quotes and support to back up your claims and assertions. A good commentary is full of direct references to the poem. In many cases, showing your reader what you mean is more powerful than simply telling the reader. Self-Assessment Checklist 6/11

7 This is the self-assessment checklist. After you've completed your assignment and before you submit your work, read each question and evaluate your essay. If the answer to the question is yes, check the box to the left. If the answer is no, go back and revise your work. Your teacher will use these same guiding questions to score your essay. Quality of Ideas Did I demonstrate an understanding of the assignment by: Discussing at least two motifs (patterns) found in one of four assigned poems? Showing how those motifs connect to ideas created in the work? Relaying how one of the assigned poems affected me? Did I demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively by: Using my language or ideas in a creative way? Going beyond basic information to make connections between ideas? Did I demonstrate the ability to write a thesis statement by: Making a claim that requires support? Did I demonstrate the ability to support my ideas by: Referring directly or indirectly to the reading or readings? Addressing all parts of the writing topic? Connecting each supporting sentence to the claim in the thesis statement? Did I demonstrate the ability to conclude by: Summarizing the ideas and/or restating the thesis statement? Did I demonstrate the ability to organize my writing by: Using transitions? Ordering ideas logically? Form and Presentation Did I follow presentation requirements (12-point font, standard margins, and required length)? Did I properly cite all quotations? Style Did I use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex)? 7/11

8 Did I avoid run-on sentences and fragments? Did I check for spelling and grammar errors? Did I use an appropriate tone? Copyright 2012 Apex Learning Inc. (See Terms of Use at w w w.apexvs.com/termsofuse) 8/11

9 5.2.8 Practice: Cultural-Artifact Writing Practice Assignment English II Core (2013) Sem 1 (S ) Name: Points possible: 50 Date: Assignment Write a creative work (poem, internal monologue, or narrative) in which you suggest the cultural significance of an object from your house. Your piece, if in prose, should be a paragraph. Your piece, if a poem, should be one stanza. It should explore how the object in question has meaning for you and for those who share your culture. Prose pieces should be written in a 12-point font with standard margins. Self-Assessment Checklist Read each question and evaluate your short response. If the answer to the question is yes, check the box to the left. If the answer is no, go back and revise your work. Your teacher will use these same guiding questions to score your short response. Poetry Quality of Ideas Did I demonstrate an understanding of the assignment by: Identifying an object of cultural significance from my house? Incorporating the cultural significance of the object being described into a one-stanza poem? Did I demonstrate the ability to think creatively by: Using my language or ideas in a creative way? Did I demonstrate the ability to use imagery by: Using examples that engage the five senses? Did I demonstrate the ability to use other poetic devices by: Using devices such as metaphor, simile, assonance, alliteration, personification and the like? Form and Presentation Did I follow presentation requirements (12-point font, standard margins, and required length)? Grammar and Style Did I use an appropriate number of lines? 9/11

10 Prose Did I demonstrate appropriate line structure? Did I check for spelling and grammar errors? Did I use an appropriate tone or voice? Quality of Ideas Did I demonstrate an understanding of the assignment by: Identifying an object of cultural significance from my house? Incorporating the cultural significance of the object being described into a one-paragraph work? Did I demonstrate the ability to think creatively by: Using my language or ideas in a creative way? Did I demonstrate the ability to use correct narrative structure by: Including an introduction, supporting sentences, and a closing clincher? Describing a logical sequence of nonfictional events? Did I demonstrate the ability to use literary devices by: Incorporating at least one simile or metaphor into the prose writing? Including such things as alliteration, irony, or hyperbole if appropriate? Form and Presentation Did I follow presentation requirements (12-point font, standard margins, and required length)? Grammar and Style Did I use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, and complex)? Did I avoid run-ons and fragments? Did I check for spelling and grammatical errors? Did I use an appropriate tone or voice? 10/11

11 Copyright 2012 Apex Learning Inc. (See Terms of Use at w w w.apexvs.com/termsofuse) 11/11