Teacher: Mr. Shainker
HIGH SCHOOL 10TH GRADE ENGLISH HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Homework is an important part of education. The conscientious completion of homework has a positive impact on a
student's success in school. Teachers, students, and parents have the responsibility to work as a team in order to realize
the maximum benefit of homework.
These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process:
Organize Your Ideas
The purpose of an outline or diagram is to put your ideas about the topic on paper,
Diagram
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Begin your diagram with a circle or a horizontal line or whatever shape you prefer in the middle of the page.
Inside the shape or on the line, write your topic.
From your center shape or line, draw three or four lines out into the page. Be sure to spread them out.
At the end of each of these lines, draw another circle or horizontal line or whatever you drew in the center of the
page.
In each shape or on each line, write the main ideas that you have about your topic, or the main points that you
want to make.
o If you are trying to persuade, you want to write your best arguments.
o If you are trying to explain a process, you want to write the steps that should be followed.
You will probably need to group these into categories.
If you have trouble grouping the steps into categories, try using Beginning, Middle, and End.
o If you are trying to inform, you want to write the major categories into which your information can be
divided.
From each of your main ideas, draw three or four lines out into the page.
At the end of each of these lines, draw another circle or horizontal line or whatever you drew in the center of the
page.
In each shape or on each line, write the facts or information that support that main idea.
When you have finished, you have the basic structure for your essay and are ready to continue.
Compose a Thesis Statement
Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis
statement.
The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making. Now you must look
at your outline or diagram and decide what point you will be making. What do the main ideas and supporting ideas that you listed say
about your topic?
Your thesis statement will have two parts.
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The first part states the topic.
o Kenya's Culture
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Building a Model Train Set
Public Transportation
The second part states the point of the essay.
o has a rich and varied history
o takes time and patience
o can solve some of our city's most persistent and pressing problems
Once you have formulated a thesis statement that fits this pattern and with which you are comfortable, you are ready to continue.
Write the Body Paragraphs
In the body of the essay, all the preparation up to this point comes to completion. Now the topic must be explained, described, or
argued.
Each main idea that you wrote down in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main
ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs.
Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure.
1. Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in sentence form.
If your main idea is "reduces freeway congestion," you might say this:
Public transportation reduces freeway congestion.
2. Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each
point.
3. In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that point.
Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion.
Supporting Point
Commuters appreciate the cost savings of taking public transportation rather than driving.
Elaboration
Less driving time means less maintenance expense, such as oil changes.
Of course, less driving time means savings on gasoline as well.
In many cases, these savings amount to more than the cost of riding public transportation.
4. If you wish, include a summary sentence for each paragraph.
Once you have written your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue.
Write the Introduction and Conclusion
Your essay lacks only two paragraphs now: the introduction and the conclusion. These paragraphs will give the reader a point of entry
to and a point of exit from your essay.
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Introduction
The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and give an idea of the essay's focus.
1. Begin with an attention grabber.
The attention grabber you use is up to you, but here are some ideas:
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Startling information
This information must be true and verifiable, and it doesn't need to be totally new to your readers. It could
simply be a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point you wish to make.
If you use a piece of startling information, follow it with a sentence or two of elaboration.
o Anecdote
An anecdote is a story that illustrates a point.
Be sure your anecdote is short, to the point, and relevant to your topic. This can be a very effective opener
for your essay, but use it carefully.
o Dialogue
An appropriate dialogue does not have to identify the speakers, but the reader must understand the point
you are trying to convey. Use only two or three exchanges between speakers to make your point.
Follow dialogue with a sentence or two of elaboration.
o Summary Information
A few sentences explaining your topic in general terms can lead the reader gently to your thesis. Each
sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your thesis.
2. If the attention grabber was only a sentence or two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the reader from
your opening to your thesis statement.
3. Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.
Conclusion
The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic.
All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula. Simply review the main points
(being careful not to restate them exactly) or briefly describe your feelings about the topic.
Add the Finishing Touches
You have now completed all of the paragraphs of your essay. Before you can consider this a finished product, however, you must give
some thought to the formatting of your paper.
Check the order of your paragraphs.
Look at your paragraphs. Which one is the strongest? You might want to start with the strongest paragraph, end with the second
strongest, and put the weakest in the middle. Whatever order you decide on, be sure it makes sense. If your paper is describing a
process, you will probably need to stick to the order in which the steps must be completed.
Check the instructions for the assignment.
When you prepare a final draft, you must be sure to follow all of the instructions you have been given.
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Have you titled it as directed?
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What other information (name, date, etc.) must you include?
Check your writing.
Nothing can substitute for revision of your work. By reviewing what you have done, you can improve weak points that otherwise
would be missed. Read and reread your paper.
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Does it make logical sense?
Leave it for a few hours and then read it again. Does it still make logical sense?
Do the sentences flow smoothly from one another?
If not, try to add some words and phrases to help connect them. Transition words, such as "therefore" or
"however," sometimes help. Also, you might refer in one sentence to a thought in the previous sentence. This is
especially useful when you move from one paragraph to another.
Once you have checked your work and perfected your formatting,
your essay is finished.
Format: The term paper should be 3 pages in length, type-written, with 1-inch margins on both sides, top, and bottom.
The text should be double spaced and in 12-point type. The cover page and the bibliography do not count toward the
required number of pages.
Plagiarism: As you write this paper for this course, be careful not to plagiarize any of your sources. Remember that
plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, whether blatant or merely inappropriate paraphrasing, will not be
tolerated in this course. If you have any questions as you prepare your assignments, feel free to ask for my advice.
Students will write a minimum of 4-5 pages.
Prompt #1 (August 17, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“Knowledge is the key that unlocks all the doors. You can be green-skinned with yellow polka dots and come
from Mars, but if you have knowledge that people need, instead of beating you, they’ll beat a path to your
door.”
Source: Ben Carson
Assignment: Dr. Ben Carson changed his entire life path once he realized the importance of education.
Education can provide the knowledge and skills that will make you successful. How important will education be
in your future career choice? Do you agree that your future will be determined upon the level of education and
skills you acquire? Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies,
experience, or observations.
Prompt #2 (August 24, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
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The phrase “Necessity is the mother of all invention” is thought to speak to our constant search for solutions to
the problems we find around us. It also speaks to what we consider to be a necessity. Think about how this
statement reflects the realities of how technological inventions are made.
Assignment: What is your view on the idea that necessity leads to successful problem-solving? In an essay,
support your position by discussing an example (or examples) from people in your life, inventors, role models,
or athletes.
Prompt #3 (August 31,2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“The deeds we perform in life matter more than how long we live. We live by thoughts not breaths: We live by
feelings, not in figures on a dial. He most lives – who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.”
Source: Creed of Alpha Kappa Psi
Assignment: Do you agree that our lives are measured by our deeds, not our years? Plan and write an essay in
which you develop your viewpoint on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from
your reading, studies, experiences, or observations.
Prompt #4 (September 7, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults.” —Peter De Vries
“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” – Kahlil Gibran
Today’s society seems to acquiesce to the idea that marriage is not needed for parenting, and that in the future,
children can be raised by a state agency.
Assignment: What is your view of the theory that parenting should occur within a marriage situation, or is the
family obsolete? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your
position with reasoning, and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Prompt #5 (September 14, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“Do not dwell in the past; do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
Source: Buddha
Assignment: What is your view of the idea that living in the moment is the way to live? Is that always the best
way to live? In an essay support your position by discussing an example from reading, studies, or experience.
Prompt #6 (September 21,2012)
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Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“Personal success is simply the fulfillment of what makes you happy.”- Anonymous
“The wealthy man is the man who is much, not the one who has much.” - Karl Marx
Assignment: What is your view of the idea that true success consists of personal fulfillment rather than
monetary gain? In an essay, support your position by discussing an example (or examples) from your reading,
studies, current events, our society and culture, or your own experiences or observations.
Prompt #7 (September 28,2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
The root of the word “technology” is the Greek word tecknos, which means “art.” Technology has been linked
to art for centuries. For example, it took almost four years for Leonardo Da Vinci to paint the Mona Lisa, the
most famous painting in the world. Today, it would take a graphic artist using a computer about five minutes to
reproduce her. Howard Sparks, a well-known author of the 20th century, suggests that, “The art of our era is not
art, but technology. Today, Rembrandt is painting automobiles; Shakespeare is writing research papers;
Michelangelo is designing more efficient bank lobbies.”
Source: Howard Sparks, Quote Cache Website, http://quotes.prolix.nu/Technology/ (9/30/04)
Assignment: What is your view of the idea that today’s art is technology? Plan and write an essay in which you
develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples from your reading,
studies, current events, or your own experiences or observations.
Prompt #8 (October 5, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
Some years ago, Oliver Wendell Holmes, a Supreme Court Justice stated, “We pay taxes to live in a civilized
society.” He did not elaborate on how many taxes or how much money should be paid.
Assignment: What is your view or position that taxes are the price we pay for living in a “civilized society”? In
an essay, support your position by discussing examples or events that you have observed. Cite personal
experiences, current events, and observations.
Prompt #9 (October 26, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
Thomas Edison, the great inventor, once said the following about all of his inventions: “To invent something
takes 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.” Do you agree or disagree that for an idea or goal to become a
reality it takes a lot of hard work?
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Assignment: In an essay support your position that it takes a lot of hard work to make a goal a reality by
discussing examples of an individual you know or have read about. Cite personal experiences where you had an
idea and carried it through until it became a reality.
Prompt #10 (November 2, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“Experiential education is based on the premise that for real learning to happen, students need to be active
participants in the learning process rather than passive recipients of information given by a teacher. Interns tend
not to be aware that experiential learning is considered a controversial form of education by some academics. In
addition to knowledge and skill acquisition, the internship is also intended to promote self-understanding, selfdiscipline, and self-confidence which are the heart of the experience.”
Source: Sweitzer, H. Frederick & Mary A. King. The Successful Internship, p.12
Assignment: What is your viewpoint of the value of experiential education? Be sure to include an explanation
of what is experiential education, your viewpoint of experiential education, and your reasons that support your
viewpoint of experiential education which include examples of experiential education in your life.
Prompt #11 (November 9, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 64% of Americans are overweight or obese. The obesity
issue has ignited various debates and finger-pointing over who is responsible for this health crisis. Lawsuits
against fast food chains, like McDonald’s, lay the blame for an individual’s weight gain on the door step of the
restaurants themselves, who aggressively advertise, especially to young people, and offer a menu of fat-filled
items guaranteed to make you “happy” and satisfied at a great price.
The other side of the debate is expressed in the following quote:
“Obesity has much to do with our own choices. Changing how we think about food would be a good
first step toward improving how we eat, exercise, and take care of ourselves and those around us.”
Source: Seattle Post – Intelligencer Editorial, March 11, 2004.
Assignment: Do you think that restaurants should be responsible for an individual’s weight gain? Plan and
write an essay in which you develop your viewpoint on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and
examples taken from your reading, studies, experiences, or observations.
Prompt #12 (November 16, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
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“Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can’t be two people. Instead, you have
to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.” -- Lee Iacocca
Assignment: What is your view on the idea that there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’? Plan and write an essay in which you
develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your
reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Prompt #13 (November 30,2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
In a national survey, 84% of high school students said they would work harder in school if employers looked at
their transcripts.
Source: From Maryland Business Roundtable “1999 Annual Report”
“Your transcript is one of the things in your life over which you have control. Make it a powerful statement
about who you are.”
Source: Michael Spiller, American Federation of Teachers
Assignment: Should transcripts be a standard part of the hiring process or should they be kept private? Plan and
write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and
examples taken from your reading, experience, or observations.
Prompt #14 (December 7, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
“A great parent knows how to say no. Many parents find that it’s tough to be firm with their children. They
can’t set rules. They threaten but don’t follow through with consequences. ‘No television for a week,’ a mom
may tell her child in the afternoon, only to make an exception that very night. But the fact is, if we relinquish
our parental authority, we are doing a disservice to our kids.”
Assignment: What is your view of the idea that parents need to be firm in disciplining their children? In an
essay, support your position with an example (or examples) from literature, science, current events, or your own
experience and observation.
Prompt #15 (December 14, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following quote and respond to the assignment
below.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”
Assignment: What is your view on the idea of the importance of what lies within a person? In an essay, support
your position by discussing an example (or examples) for literature, the arts, science and technology, current
events, or your own experience or observation.
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Prompt #16 (January 11, 2012)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
Every important discovery results from patience, perseverance, and concentration--sometimes continuing for
months or years--on one specific subject. A person who wants to discover a new truth must remain absorbed by
that one subject, must pay no attention to any thought that is unrelated to the problem.
Assignment: Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue.
Are all important discoveries the result of focusing on one subject? Support your position with reasoning and
examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Prompt #17 (January 18, 2013)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
Winning does not require people to be against someone else; people can reach their goals through cooperation
just as well as they can through competition. Winning is not always the result of selfish individualism. People
achieve happiness by cooperating with others to increase the happiness of all, rather than by winning at others'
expense. Ours is not a world in which the price of one person's happiness is someone else's unhappiness.
Assignment: Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue.
When some people win, must others lose, or are there situations in which everyone wins? Support your position
with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Prompt #18 (January 25, 2013)
Directions: Think carefully about the issue presented in the following paragraph and respond to the assignment
below.
So-called common sense determines what people should wear, whom they should respect, which rules they
should follow, and what kind of life they should lead. Common sense is considered obvious and natural, too
sensible to question. But people's common sense decisions may turn out to be wrong, even if they are thought to
be correct according to the judgment of vast majorities of people.
Assignment: Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue.
Can common sense be trusted and accepted, or should it be questioned? Support your position with reasoning
and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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