Year-round Schools Argumentative Essay Organization

Reading Workshop students, your task is to write an editorial stating your position on year-round schooling.

Be sure to include:

• An engaging opening that states your opinion

• At least two separate supporting arguments/reasons, with supporting details from at least two sources

• An explanation of the other side and your reasoning against it

• A conclusion restating your opinion and a call to action (what you want people to do)

• Citation of your sources at the end of your essay

Listed below is an organizational/format aid.

Introduction

1. Statement of opinion--Students would/would not benefit from year-round schools.

2. Two or three sentences that provide background information to the reader (you may want to do this after you write paragraphs two and three).

Body First Paragraph

1. Topic sentence that tells the topic of supporting evidence you will use in this paragraph. It might sound something like, Students that attend school year-round . . .

2. Supporting sentences with facts and/or information from sources.

Body Second Paragraph

1. Topic sentence that tells the topic of supporting evidence you will use in this paragraph. It might sound something like, Another benefit/detriment of year-round school . . .

2. Supporting sentences with facts and/or information from sources.

Body Third Paragraph

1. Topic sentence that tells the opposing viewpoint. It might sound something like, Some people might say . . .

2. Supporting information of the opposing viewpoint

3. Your rebuttal--reasons that this viewpoint is wrong

Conclusion

1. Restate the statement of opinion from the introduction

2. Wrap up your essay with final points that sum up your argument. 

Year-round Schools or Not?

Listed below are some resources. Feel free to find other sources to support your position.

http://childparenting.about.com/od/schoollearning/a/year-round-school-pros-cons.htm
http://www.ehow.com/info_8131173_disadvantages-yearround-schools.html
http://vimeo.com/35900457
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060501971.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/year-round-school-pros-and-cons.html
http://neatoday.org/2014/09/04/districts-weigh-pros-and-cons-of-year-round-schools-2/
http://education.seattlepi.com/yearround-school-advantages-disadvantages-2521.html
http://www.theprospect.net/all-day-every-day-the-pros-and-cons-of-year-round-schools-12111

Image from http://www.theprospect.net/all-day-every-day-the-pros-and-cons-of-year-round-schools-12111

Check Your Writing

Want to check your writing? Try the Hemingway App. All you have to do is copy your writing and paste it in place of the text you see in the image below and it will help with all of the things listed.

Argumentative Essay

Teamwork Informational Report

Steps for writing an informational report

1. Make a plan for the process. Think about the topic and what main points will be stressed.
2. Conduct research and take notes. Use a range of resources — from essays, articles, videos, and the Internet to do this. Take notes without copying word-for-word to reduce the risk of plagiarism. Be sure to copy websites and titles of articles so you can cite your sources.

3. Organize your paper using an outline. Decide which research and information fits best and where it should go in the essay.
4. Write the first draft of the report. Use the outline as a road map.

5. Edit and reread the report. Checking and correcting mistakes are the hallmarks of a good student.

Possible topics might be:

Teams are Built Through Cooperation
Put Your Problems Aside and Put the Team First
Drama Kills Teams
All Teammates Must Contribute
Everyone Must Give 110%
It's About the Team and not the Individual
No I in Team
Teams Work Together to Make Everyone Succeed
Team First
Helping Others Makes the Team Strong
Working Together is More Fun
Together Everyone Achieves More
Helping Makes Better Teammates
Working Together Is Easier
Working Together Helps Everyone Succeed
Team Focus is Important To Go Far
We Not Me
None of Us is Smarter Than All of Us
Teamwork Makes Dreams Work
Selfish Doesn't Work in Teams
Cooperation Counts in Teams
Teamwork is Not Something You Have, It's Something You Have to Achieve
The Whole is Greater Than the Parts
Everyone Included
A Successful Team Beats with One Heart
If No One Works on a Team, Then the Team Doesn't Work

Pond Informational Report

You can see all the Informational Reports HERE.

Informational Report--Science and L.A. Project

Reading Workshop students are working on an interdisciplinary unit in science and language arts. They are finding the volume of the classroom pond in the science class determining how many liters of water will be needed for this new and improved home for the class turtles.

In language arts, students will be writing an informational report detailing the process, and what they discovered. Essays will be scored based on the PARCC rubric below.

Could This Be You?

He came to me extremely upset. It was almost time to turn in his assignment and he had really messed up. He figured it out, but it was too late. He didn't have enough time to make it right and he was tore up.

He said, "Mr. McGuire, I don't know what to do. I think I did this all wrong." He was shaking and distraught. He so wanted to do well and he knew what he had done wasn't good enough.

We talked over the assignment, I showed him an example (See the post below), and then he asked if he had to turn it in right then. He chose to stay in from recess and work on his post during study table. Great job J.C. You got an A!

The big question that anyone seeking success should ask is, "could this be you?" Do you have the drive and determination to do your best? Will you make the extra effort to be a winner? Could this blog post be about you?

What Harm Essay

Trait of Your SSR Book

Reading Workshop students, please complete the form below to submit your post on a trait of the SSR book you are reading.

In Conclusion . . .

When writing a closing paragraph, you summarize what you have written about in your essay.  The first step is to think about the main point that you want to get across to your reader. You can use your introduction as a guide saying something similar with different wording.  

You may also want to look at what each paragraph says. Use this information and restate key points from the essay. You can end with a question, thought, quote or opinion that gives your reader something to think about or consider.

Good conclusions usually do one or more of these:

• Restate the thesis or main point
• Offer a suggestion
• Share your opinion
• Make a recomendation
• End with a question

Here is an example from an essay about character in a book.

I would definitely recommend this book to others, because I think a lot of girls could really relate to the main character, especially most of my friends. Also I would still recommend this book to boys, because even though it's a girl's book, it's not about being girly, and all about girls. Some boys may be able to relate to the three boys in the story! The book Spells & Sleeping Bags is one out of my two favorite books. Also, I think the author is very talented with writing her books. She's my absolute favorite author. I think Sara Mlynowski is very talented because I can really get inside the characters mind, and really get into the book as if I were the main character.

Pick an Element of Your SSR Book

The next assignment for Reading Workshop students is to pick one element of the book they are reading and write about its impact on the story. The key to this project is to support ideas and opinions with details from the text. Equally important is the need to stay on topic and DO NOT RETELL THE BOOK!

Students can choose one of the traits listed below or choose another aspect of their book. 

Setting

Character

Problems

Action

Adventure

Conflict

Mystery

Essays should begin with an introduction that gives the title, author, and topic of the writing. Below is an example using The Maze Runner featuring setting.

The book The Maze Runner by James Dashner takes place in an amazing setting.  This group of kids are locked into this mysterious place with no way to escape. Each day they try to run a maze outside their camp to find a way to get out.

New School Year Writing Assignment

Please copy and paste your post, The New School Year from the Question Board or your blog to be graded. As we discussed in class, grades will be based on use of supporting details in your writing, correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling.

D.A.R.E on the Question of the Week Board

Please turn in your D.A.R.E. Question of the Week post to be graded.

Success Post

Reading Workshop students, please submit your essay for grading in the form below. To see all the essays go HERE.

Do You Connect the Dots?

As students work on writing their Success project, one of the challenges will be to connect the dots. When using three sources and personal experiences, tying everything together will be extremely important. 

When writing an essay you need to consider the reader. When someone reads your essay, does it make sense? Does one point lead to another? Do examples support main points? Do you stay on topic from beginning to end? A good writer always connects the dots.

Want more information on using transitions to improve your writing? Check this site at Aims Community College. 

The Road to Success

We have compared the message about the struggles to success as they are shared in the song Let it Go from the movie Frozen with lyrics from the song Monster. In both, the main character (writer) achieves success. In both, they face their fears/demons to achieve it. This video is another piece of work detailing this struggle.

The assignment, Reading Workshop students is to write an essay about success. Please use the five paragraph essay format with introduction, body, and conclusion. Use at least one specific detail from each source. You may also use other resources. Be sure, at some point in the essay to include your "monster" and how success relates to your life.

Some things to consider:

1.  What is your point/focus?

2.  What do you want your readers to learn from your essay?

3.  What opinion do you hope to share and convince your readers?

4.  What details can you use to best back up your message?

5.  How can you begin in a way that will hook your reader?

6.  How can you end in a way that will leave your readers thinking about your message?

7.  How can you best organize your essay to help the reader gain by reading and understanding your essay?

8.  What (or how you say it) can you say to set your essay apart and make it the most meaningful?

9.  Does your essay have a first person look at success in your life?

Connecting With Your Audience

The goal of every writer is to touch your reader. We all want to connect in a way that makes our words mean something. Last night on American Idol, M.K. Nobilette sings a song in a way that makes her one with the audience.

The comments by Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. are just as relevant to writers as they are to singers. Fancy writing and fancy words don't matter. Writing a message that is meaningful to your reader is what matters most.

Fictional Writing Project

1.  Can be by yourself or with a partner (shared writing on Google Docs).
2.  Must have problems building to a climax.
3.  Must use dialogue with correct paragraphing and punctuation
4.  Must have a main character and at least one supporting character
5.  The setting should play into the story
6.  End with a purpose

Want some easy steps to follow? Here are some tips from an earlier blog post.

The first step to writing a story involves making some decisions.

How many characters will there be?

What are the names of the characters?

Who is the main character?

Where does the story take place?

When does the story take place?

What will happen in the story?

What problems occur?

How will the problems be solved?

What moral or lesson will be learned?

Start Here

1.  Create your characters and develop their characteristics and physical traits.  Is there a villain and what is he/she like?  How does the bad guy impact the story?

2.  Create the setting.  Where and when does the story take place?  How does the setting impact the story?

3.  Create the problem or conflict?  What minor problems will build tension leading to the climax?  How will the main character react when faced with the main problem/conflict?

4. What crisis will occur at the last minute which will grab the reader and give the main character a last chance to solve the problem?  Plan for a fingernail biting moment.

5. How will the main character solve the problem?  What positive attribute like courage, creativity, or intelligence does he/she possess which will help him succeed?

6.  Finish with style.  What lesson does the main character learn?  How will the reader connect and learn from the moral?

What is Your Kind?

Many Reading Workshop classes end with singing for the last five minutes. Lyrics are projected on the white board and students sing along with the music. This helps students learn to be better readers, but especially improves fluency and vocabulary.

Recently we were singing a Miranda Lambert song, All Kinds of Kinds. The point of this song is that the world is made up of all kinds of people each unique in their own way.

The assignment, Reading Workshop students is to write a blog post that describes your traits. Think about what makes you unique. What makes you the kind of person that you are? What are your strongest traits? When people think of you, what comes to mind? Please use specific examples/incidents/stories to illustrate your points.

Some examples of traits include:

kind, considerate, caring, responsible, outgoing, introverted, hard working, leader, follower, noisy, quiet, talkative, helpful, outspoken, patient, impatient, cooperative, honest, dishonest, strong-minded, independent, dependent, courageous, thankful, appreciative, brave, polite, mannerly, lazy, unmannerly, respectful, disrespectful, humorous, witty, good listener, empathetic, creative, open-minded, studious, controlling, bossy, shy, particular, weird, insane, willing, prepared, competitive, unprepared, close-minded, morose, somber, serious, sad, sassy, passionate, fiery, loving, adventurous, feisty, stubborn, curious, believing, sharing, giving, opinionated, brainy, intelligent, fair, fearless, fearful, trustworthy, trusting, energetic, enthusiastic, hilarious, mature, materialistic, greedy, selfish, unselfish, idealistic, cocky, self-assured, assertive, picky, aggressive, passive, stable, timid, backwards, sneaky, forceful, mindful, addictive, careful, flexible, kind-hearted, joyful, over-achiever, attention seeking, sensitive, calm, spicy, optimistic, radiant, comforting, outrageous,  . . .

Before you write, please create an outline. Below is an example of the expected outline format that Hannah made for her Bullying Essay.

II. Bullying Is A Problem

     A. Everyone that gets bullied at school gets made fun of by the rest of the people

     B. I think that bullying is the worst!

          1.Why would someone go to school everyday just to make fun of someone.

     C. People that goes to school just to bully someone must be making the worst decision ever.

III. If You See Bullying

     A. If you ever see bullying the best thing you could do is tell an adult.

          1.When you tell an adult make sure you tell them everything that you seen.

     B. After the problem is solved.

          1. Try to make friends with that person and

          2. Make sure that the person isn't getting bullied anymore.

IV. When Bullying Starts

     A. Sometimes I don't see it at first because you might think they are just kidding.

     B. But after it happens 24/7 I start to wonder if I should go talk to that person and see whats going       on.