Climate Change Essay Assignment
ASSIGNMENT GOAL:
You will write on your own a five paragraph essay about climate change using the guidelines
provided in class. You will read about carbon credits and decide whether or not the use of
carbon credits would result in less climate change. You will also:
 Write an MLA work cited page
 Complete the essay checklist
 Complete a self reflection
Your research question for this essay is “Are carbon credits a good way to make people
create fewer greenhouse gases?” You will develop a thesis statement (main idea) for your
introduction to answer this question. You will write 3 content paragraphs for your essay t help
you present information to support your thesis:
 Paragraph 1: Relationship between global warming and climate change
 Paragraph 2: Impact of climate change
 Paragraph 3: Carbon credit information (choose a side!)
*You will hand in a PRINTED copy of your assignment!!!!
*PRINT IT BEFORE CLASS
LEARNING GOALS:
Research and Communication
 Can clearly communicate and support ideas with well chosen evidence in written, oral,
visual and digital products, using MLA guidelines.
 Locate, evaluate, organize and process research material to develop and communicate
ideas and information
Unit 3: Climate change
 Understand the relationship between global warming and climate change (paragraph 1)
 Give examples of how the effects of a changing climate impact a group of people
(paragraph 2)
 Understand the role and responsibility of human behavior and how it affects the
environment (paragraph 3)
SKILLS:
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Develop research questions and write a basic these statement
Access a variety of relevant sources using effective search strategies
Practice note-taking methods
Create and use an outline during the research process
Express ideas using examples in the form of an essay
Document your sources using MLA style
Draft and revise writing
Meet goals and deadlines and use time wisely during the research/writing process
Reflect on the research/writing process and ATL’s during the assignment
THE PROJECT: Step 1 Research
1. You will need to write research questions to help you focus your research, and also decide
whether or not you believe carbon credits will help reduce climate change. You will write
about:
 Introduction: Introduce your topic and let the reader know what you are going to write
about. Let the reader know what opinion you hold about carbon credits.
 Paragraph 1: Relationship between global warming and climate change – why is carbon
important?
 Paragraph 2: Impact of climate change – why is this an important issue?
 Paragraph 3: Actions people can take – are carbon credits a good or bad idea?
 Conclusion: Summarize what you have written
2. Take notes using the note-taking method we will discuss in class. See Moodle for examples
and information.
*Show Ms. Clarke your notes when you are finished
Step 2: Planning
3. Create an outline for your essay (see example on Moodle.)
4. Organize your notes – do you have all the information you need based on your outline? If not
you may need to do more research.
*Show Ms. Clarke your outline when you are finished
Step 3: Writing/Revising/MLA Citations
5. Use your outline and research notes to write a draft of your research paper.
6. EDIT YOUR WORK!! Look at the lists of common errors and double-check that you have not
made them!!! You should:
 Self edit your work
 Ask family members, teachers or friends to review your work and give suggestions.
7. Based on feedback, revise your research paper and write a final draft.
8. Remember to make a ‘Works Cited’ page using MLA guidelines!
Step 4: Final Draft
9. In the top left hand corner of your first page write your name on the top line, underneath put
your class and the date. Under that write a title for your research paper and center it on your
page. Double space your writing. Your 5 paragraph essay should be around 2 pages.
10. Your citations should be on a separate page and be titled ‘Works Cited.’ Don’t put your
name on this page.
You will hand in (in this order) stapled together:
 Research paper (with name, class and date in top left hand corner, centered title)
 Works Cited page
 Research notes
WORK TIME/DUE DATES:
You will have time to work in class BUT not necessarily the whole class!
January 7/8 – lesson on note taking
January 11/12 – lesson on writing an outline and first draft
January 13/14 – work time (after test) to work on draft
January 15/18 – lesson on MLA style essay/work cited reminders and work time
Due date: January 21 - 7C / 7D
Due date: January 22 - 7A / 7B