LESSONS Final Project
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Final ProjectFor your Final Project for this Lesson Unit on the 5-Paragraph Essay, you will write a Narrative Essay. Below are 4 Writing Prompts. Choose one and complete. You must first do an outline (color coded if you like). Then, you must write your essay (color coded if you like). Once you have written your outline and essay, you must grade yourself according to the Narrative Rubric (same as in Lesson 3). Click here for the Narrative Rubric. If you are not satisified with your own grade, you may go back and make any corrections based on any low grades you gave yourself in the rubric. When you have completed your final essay, grade yourself again using the Narrative Rubric to grade this one final essay. Make sure you have been honest in your grading. Email both the final essay and final rubric to me. Notice that you won't be writing an Expository Essay or Persuasive Essay. The reason is both these essays require you to research the Internet for information. We have not covered the lessons on researching the Internet. That's next. Writing Prompt #1: "Scared Stiff" Everyone has been scared at some time in one's life. Think of one of those times. Where did the incident take place? Remember the reason that you were scared. What were the emotions that were involved? What did you see and hear? What actions did you take? What were the results of those actions? If others were involved, what were their reactions? How was the situation resolved? What did you do, and how did you feel after it was all over You are to write a five-paragraph essay on the topic of an incident in which you were scared. Take time to plan the essay. Use an outline. Remember that it is personal, so put yourself into it and provide a good opening so the reader can become involved - define the moment. Choose how you are going to develop the essay. Are you going to use time order or something else? Once you decide, choose the three topics that you are going to use. Write them down. What are the things that you want to say about each? Choose wisely so that you emphasize the most important supporting ideas. Take a moment and really thing about the details that need to be shared with the reader so that they feel they are seeing or feeling the incident along with you. Write down those supporting ideas for each of the topics. How are you going to make a transition from one paragraph to the other? Are you going to do it in the last sentence of the paragraphs or the first? If you are going to choose the latter, remember the easy but effective transition words. How are you going to end or summarize the preceding paragraphs? Remember to originally restate the topic sentence and then do the same for the three main supporting topics you presented. Read over and check the paragraphs for the following: Spelling errors, punctuation errors, grammar errors, lack of variety in sentence structure, inclusion of sentence fragments, and lack of detail. Correct any mistakes. Writing Prompt #2: "Proud Moment" We have all had occasions to feel proud about an achievement. The achievement did not have to be world class. But, at the time, you felt proud. It could have been something as seemingly simple now as when you first rode a two-wheel bike. Or it could have been the first birthday cake that you baked for your mother. Perhaps it was that great present your brought home from kindergarten for one of your parents. It could have been the recital in which you preformed, your great play in a game that you won, an award that was given or a seemingly impossible wonderful grade on a project or report card. There are so many things from which to choose that come from a seemingly ordinary life. Your job is to write a five-paragraph essay on an incident in which you were proud. Choose one of those events in which you were proud. It does not have to be one listed above. Probably the one that you remember the best is the right choice. Use an outline. Define the event in time and place. Think of the emotions or actions that went along with it. Write down that topic sentence. Think of the way you are going to develop the topic. Are you using time order or something else. Then think of the three most important subtopics you can develop. Put them on the planner also. Remember that they will be the topics for the supporting three paragraphs. Think about each of those subtopics. What can you say to develop those thoughts? Be sure to bring in details that support and develop the thoughts. Try to picture that portion of each of the subtopics as if you were there. Think of what was going on, what was going through your mind, what effort was necessary to fulfill each, if others were contributing in some way. Write them down. Be sure to do that for each of the three subtopics. How are you going to originally summarize what you have put down? Remember that originally restating the major topic is a good idea. Then synthesize the supporting ideas. Go back and look over the planner to see if you really did develop the main topic. Did you stay on track with each and every idea? Now is the time to write the essay. Writing Prompt #3: "Most Deserving" Each of us has somebody in the family, possibly even yourself, who deserves an award. Hopefully, the award can be positive like "The Best Mom", The Greatest Dad", "The Top Helper", "Best Cook", "The Great Gardener" or the like. Of course, it could be somewhat negative like "The Royal Pain", "The Sloppiest Bedroom Award" or "The Always on the Telephone Award". Your job is to write a five-paragraph essay about the award you would give to a deserving family member. Think of an award that someone in your family really deserves. Often going with the idea that first came to your mind is often a good idea. Use an outline. Define the award. Think of the main reasons that you think support the giving of that award. Be specific. Write down those reasons. Think about each of those subtopics specifically. Give distinct instances or facts that support each of those subtopics. Be sure that they truly bolster the topic. Do that for each of the three topics. Now is the time to write the essay. Begin by giving the relationship of the person and the award that you would give. Then support the giving of the award with the three main support ideas or subtopics. Remember to vary the sentence structure. Use your strongest reason first. Try to write in active voice throughout. Use each of those subtopics as the topic of the supporting three paragraphs. As you write the supporting details, be sure that you are not always using the same format for each sentence. Varying the structure creates interest and stops the paragraph from seeming like a grocery list of facts. Think about the transitions you will use between each paragraph so that the ideas smoothly flow from one to the next. Doing this makes for less revision in the end. As you summarize in an original manner the first sentence of the essay, be sure that you define the award and the person receiving it. Do the same for the three main reasons you presented. This paragraph like the first must be strong as you are convincing the reader that your opinion is correct, and this is the award that they deserve. Go back and check for spelling and grammar errors. Do you have any sentence fragments? If so, eliminate them. Did you change your sentence structure in each paragraph? If not, rewrite. Do all of your verbs agree with the subject? Are they in the same voice? Fix these and any other errors that you find. Writing Prompt #4: "Hangin' Out" Each of us has a time when family or friends got together that is a happy memory. Perhaps it was a holiday like Thanksgiving or a birthday. Maybe it was a family reunion or a picnic. It might have been a graduation or wedding. It could have been a sporting event. It really could be any time that your family or friends gather together. For one reason or other, it stands out as being a pleasant time in our life. Choose one of those pleasant times and tell us about it in a five-paragraph essay. Use an outline. Select any time that you would like to share. Be sure to define it carefully as the subject. Think about the things that made it a pleasant experience. Write them down as possible subtopics. Select the three that you feel are most important or that have the best things to share. Put them on your planner. What is the best organizational pattern to use? Should you use time order? Should you focus on something else. That decision will dictate the organization of the essay. Under each, give three things, activities, reason, emotions etc. that explain to the reader about the topic. Be specific. Think about and plan for the summary ending to remind the reader about all of the things that made this a memorable event. As you begin to write the essay, remember that a narrative often should have some emotion expressed in the topic sentence. It focuses the reader's attention and sets the stage for what is to come. As you continue to write, use specific details, strong active voice verbs, and descriptive language. You are inviting the reader to participate in your event. They cannot do it if you only present general information. It is sometimes hard to keep the writing from becoming a list, but with a little effort and attention to each sentence, as you write it, a good flow and unity in each paragraph can be established. Refocus the reader in the summary. Retell the subject and the supporting details to reinforce the memorable quality of the gathering. When you are finished, reread and edit. Be sure there are no distracting errors to take way from the enjoyable reading. Correct any that you might find.
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