Writing Workshop – 3rd Quarter
We are doing something slightly different for writing workshop this quarter. Our SOL Writing tests are
fast approaching, and in order for us to be ready, we need to practice writing towards this type of prompt.
Therefore, for the first three weeks of our writing workshop, you will be writing practice SOL essays.
You will need to write at least 5 paragraphs for each prompt, and practice appropriate essay
structure (IBC). You can handwrite these essays in your writing workshop section of your notebook, or
you can type them and print them out. You will be given some in-class time to work on them, but you
will also need to complete them on a weekly basis at home.
Dates:
1st essay checked on Feb. 18th and 19th
2nd essay checked on Feb. 25th and 26th
3rd essay checked on Mar. 3rd and 4th
Grade:
Each essay will be worth 10 points, based on completion only, for a total of 30 points as a drafting grade. If
the essay is not done on time, you can still do the essay for 5 points. The last date that essay grades will be
recorded is Mar. 3rd and 4th
The week of Feb. 29 – Mar. 4, there will be a summative diagnostic essay done in class. At this time, your
writing will be graded for quality and evidence of prompt-writing skills.
Prompt Choices:
1) Write about someone who has shared wisdom and experience with you. Explain why it is important to
learn from the experience of others. Include specific details and examples in your response.
2) Think about how daily life, from reading to playing games to communicating with others, has changed
over the past hundred years because of technology. Using specific details and examples, explain how
these advancements in technology have changed daily life.
3) When people ask for advice, they sometimes talk to more than one person. Explain why seeking
multiple opinions can help someone make a better choice. Use specific details and examples in your
response.
4) Civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” What is one
way you would like to change the world, and how can you help to bring about this change? Use specific
details and examples in your response.
5) There is a common saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Think of something that has an
unattractive appearance but that has special meaning to someone for other reasons. It might be an old
car, a well-used toy, a faded photograph, or something else. Identify the object and explain why it has
special meaning.
6) Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Determine never to be idle . . . It is wonderful how much may be done if we
are always doing.” Do we accomplish more if we are always doing something, or does inactivity also
serve a purpose? Take a position on this question. Support your response with reasons and specific
examples.
7) It has been said that first impressions are almost impossible to change. Based on your experiences, do
you agree or disagree with this statement? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with
reasons and specific examples.
8) Imagine your school cafeteria plans to change to a new, healthier school lunch menu, which would
eliminate some of the students’ favorite cafeteria foods. Take a position on this issue and write to
convince your principal whether this change to the school menu is a good idea or a bad idea. Use
specific reasons and examples to support your position.
9) Some people believe that students should be required to take a music, a drama, or an art class. Should
students be required to take a class in the arts, or should such classes be electives? Take a position on
this issue. Use reasons and specific examples to support your position.
10) Some schools use cell phones in the classroom for educational purposes. Think about the effects of
allowing students to have and use cell phones in classrooms. Take a position on this issue. Use reasons
and specific examples to support your opinion.
11) The British naturalist and politician John Lubbock wrote, “Your character will be what you yourself
choose to make it.” Do we choose our own character traits, or is our character formed by influences
beyond our control? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
12) Author Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you
something else is the greatest accomplishment.” Do you agree or disagree with Emerson’s statement
about individuality? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific
examples.
13) Technology allows people to complete many tasks without having contact with others. People can check
out books, shop, and play games without speaking to another person. Has the limitation of human
contact due to the use of technology had positive or negative effects on people’s lives? Take a position
on this question. Support your response with reasons and specific examples.
14) Most public places, including schools, have installed video cameras for surveillance. Is the installation
of surveillance cameras the best way to provide security, or is it a privacy violation that would not
deliver what it promises? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific
examples.
15) In some societies, students are expected to identify a career by the time they enter high school. Their
courses of study in high school are selected to guide them toward a specific career. Do you think it is a
good idea for students to commit to a career at a young age? Take a position on this issue. Support your
response with reasons and examples.