After researching websites and books on energy resources and their effect on the environment, write a five
paragraph essay that argues your position on the use of a specific energy resource. Support your position with
evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge other energy resources.
1st supporting paragraph
2nd supporting paragraph
 Describe what the energy resource is used for
 Effects on the environment (strip mining coal
(ie generating electricity, transportation etc)
is ugly and burning fossil fuels pollutes the air
and releases greenhouse gases, oil spills disrupt
 Describe how it works (mined and then burned
the ecosystem)
in a power plant, drilled and then refined for
use as gasoline)
 Environmental risks
 Describe where the resource is found
 Pro (good) and con (bad) for the environment
 Renewable or nonrenewable
 Include data (numbers!)
 Dependability (is it reliable)
 Include data tables or graphs
Introductory
Paragraph
Include
YOUR Conclusion
3rd supporting paragraph
 Comparison to at least one other energy OPINION Restate the argument as to why your resource
resource
should or shouldn’t be used in the future.
o How plentiful
 Make sure the reader has interpreted the data
o Cost
correctly
o Environmental concerns
 Convince the reader of your position using
o Data
evidence previously included
After researching websites and books on energy resources and their effect on the environment, write a five
paragraph essay that argues your position on the use of a specific energy resource. Support your position with
evidence from the texts. Be sure to acknowledge other energy resources.