Name ______________________________________ Date _________ Period ________
Preventing/Handling Mass Hysteria
Directions : Write an essay based on the activities you completed in class about how to
prevent/handle mass hysteria. While this essay is an opinion, you should back up your
opinions with facts. The essay questions are clarified below, with a suggested format.
Please see Ms. Lare if you need any help.
Special Note : If you would like to include information about other events related to mass
hysteria that were not covered in class in the body of your essay, you may do so but then
be sure to cite your sources.
Essay Questions : Why does mass hysteria occur? What can we as a society and/or
as individuals do to protect people from mass hysteria?
NOTE: YOU MUST MENTION AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS
RELATED TO MASS HYSTERIA IN YOUR ESSAY. You will lose 5 points if you
fail to do this.
Suggested Format :
Introduction
Body Paragraph One – Why does mass hysteria occur?
Explain two specific, historical/recent examples of mass hysteria
used to back up your opinion
Body Paragraph Two - First action(s) society/individuals can protect people from mass
hysteria
Facts to support this opinion from historical/recent events
Body Paragraph Three– Second action(s) society/individuals can protect people from
mass hysteria
Facts to support this opinion from historical/ recent events
Conclusion – Re-state opinions AND connect to a more recent example of an event
that caused/could have caused mass hysteria
Excellent
Good
Fair
Needs
Improvement
Overall Format
(note : -5 if
conclusion
present but does
not connect to
more recent
event)
Essay has a clear,
well organized
format with an
introduction,
body, and
conclusion
Either the
introduction or
conclusion is
missing
Much of the
obituary is
disorganized/
hard to follow
Clear Opinion
Statements : Why
does mass hysteria
occur? What can
we do to protect
people (at least
two actions/ways)?
Student’s
opinion to all
questions in
clearly stated
Introduction and
conclusion
clearly included
but parts of the
body are
confusing/
disorganized
Student’s
opinion is less
clearly stated or
only one
action/way stated
Answer to one of
the questions is
confusing/ not
clearly stated
Answer to both
questions
confusing/ not
clearly stated
Why does mass
hysteria occur
How to Protect
from Mass
Hysteria : First
Action(s)
How to Protect
from Mass
Hysteria :
Second
Action(s)
Accurate
Information
Legibility
Spelling/
Grammar
Examples are
One example
Two specific
too general and clearly supports
examples
opinion
clearly support do not explain a
specific
opinion
historical/
recent event
Action less
Support for
Action(s)
clearly stated
opinion is
clearly stated
confusing/ less
and supported and/or support
is too general/
clearly related
with facts
not related to
to action(s)
from specific
specific
historical/
historical/
recent events
recent event
Action less
Support for
Action(s)
clearly stated
opinion is
clearly stated
confusing/ less
and supported and/or support
is too general/
clearly related
with facts
not related to
to action(s)
from specific
specific
historical/
historical/
recent events
recent event
All information
Most of the
Some of the
is accurate
information is
information is
accurate
accurate
Entire essay is
Most of the
Some of the
easy to read
essay is easy to essay is easy to
read
read
There are one
There are three
There are no
or two spelling/ or four spelling/
spelling/
grammar
grammar
grammar
mistakes
mistakes
mistakes
-3 if missing works cited page (only if it is required; see special note above)
One example
missing or both
examples are
confusing/ do
not support
opinion
Support for
opinion is
missing
Support for
opinion is
missing
Little of the
information is
accurate
Little of the
essay is easy to
read
There are five
or more
spelling/
grammar
mistakes