Opinion Essay Writing – Gene-Editing Essay

Opinion Essay Writing – Gene-Editing Essay

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I wanted to help you out with your essay project, so here I am going to outline your process and the structure your essay will take.

The Process:

  1. The research is important.  The Newsela articles will give you some information on the issue of Gene-Editing.  I’ve added some articles to help you understand the history of eugenics, which is what we called ‘playing with genetics’ before gene-editing at the DNA level was possible.  You read one set or both sets of articles to get an understanding of the issue.
  2. As you read, you will ask yourself the foundational question: Will this technology be good for society or bad for society?  Should we continue to explore it?  Should that exploration include home gene-editing kits that anyone can use?  Should there be restrictions on the kinds of genes we want edited?  Should we limit this technology in any way?
  3. When you have an opinion on the topic, you are ready to gather your supporting evidence from the Newsela articles.  Let’s say you think gene-editing is awesome and everyone should be allowed to play with it, you start to gather facts and ideas from the articles to support your ideas.
  4. You may decide that you have several reasons for your opinion (I’m just pretending here, so please excuse my humour).  a) It can help eliminate disease. b) People will get the designer babies they really want.  d) If people want to create viruses in their basements, that’s their business.
  5. Once you have your a) opinion b) reasons, you are c) READY!

The Structure:  Introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph.

  1. Introduction or Paragraph 1: You introduce the topic of Gene-Editing.  Your first sentence should draw your reader in.  The paragraph should clearly outline what Gene-Editing is.  Use the technical terminology you learned when reading the Newsela articles.  This paragraph is also where you tell the reader that you are going to give your opinion and back it with reasons.  And you actually state your opinion clearly; that’s the thesis.  I do/do not think gene-editing is a good idea.  I think gene-editing is a good idea but only if . . . . . (and so on).  You can use better wording/vocabulary than this, but you get the idea.
  2. Paragraph 2: This is reason #1 (see above).  The first sentence is a topic sentence.  For example: “We have many deadly diseases in our world and having the ability to eliminate them would be beneficial to all.” After you state your reason, you need to use the evidence you got from the Newsela articles as support for your reasoning.  Was there evidence showing how the tech can be used safely to eliminate disease?  Use it here.  Write a few sentences that contain facts to support your idea.  That’s why we read the articles.
  3. Paragraph 3: This is reason #2 (see above).  Topic sentence goes first.  Then supporting evidence makes up the next few sentences in the paragraph.
  4. Paragraph 4: This is reason #3 (see above).  Again, you have your topic/reason for your opinion as your topic sentence.  Then your supporting evidence.
  5. Paragraph 5: In this paragraph, you conclude.  You remind your reader of the topic and your opinion.  You restate your opinion clearly.  Try to change the wording of your thesis but make sure you say it clearly.  “Gene-editing will be a positive addition to our medical and scientific technology.”  Most opinion essays have a “Call to Action.”  That means you ask your reader to do something, consider something, change some behaviour, or just think about something.   For example: “Let’s speak out in favour . . . . ” “Let’s encourage . . . . ” “You can write your MP about . . . . ”  

If you only have 2 good reasons, that’s fine!  If you have more than 3, that’s fine too.  Create another body paragraph.  An opinion essay usually just explore one side of an issue.  You want one clear opinion.  If you believe that gene-editing is a good thing but there should be restrictions, you can explain the restrictions you think are necessary and how they will help to make gene-editing a good thing.

I truly hope this was helpful.  Please don’t hesitate to ask for additional help.  That’s what I am here for.

 

Essay Writing – Cultural Geography

Essay Writing – Cultural Geography

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I wanted to give you all more information about how to structure your essay.  Several questions about it have made me think that you may benefit from a ‘sample’ or an essay ‘stem.’   I’m going to provide that here.

In preparing for your essay, the first thing you must do is read the articles on Newsela.  They will be your source of information.  That’s where you will get your facts, your impressions of each cultural area.  You have 5 to choose from:

North America                             

South America

Asia

Africa

Australia and Oceania

 

The next thing you will do is think to yourself:  Which cultural/geographic regions would I like to live and work in for 6 months?  Choose two.  Maybe you’re curious about what it might be like to live in Oceania?  Asia sounds interesting too!  What about Africa?  Choose two places and think about why you might learn/benefit/grow from living there.  Use the information you gained from reading the Newsela articles to make your choices.  Use details from the Newsela articles to support your choices.

Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to write your article.

Paragraph 1:  Here you are going to introduce the idea of the essay and name your choices.  It might go something like:

“I am very excited to have been offered this amazing opportunity to live and work in different cultures and geographic regions for the next year of my life.  My family and I have considered . . . . . and we have chosen to spend 6 months ________________ and 6 months ______________________.

 

Paragraph 2: Here you are going to explain your first choice.  Why do you want to live and work in ____________?  What did you read in the article about that region that makes you want to experience the life there firsthand?  Your paragraph may go something like this:

______________ sounds like a wonderful place to experience for 6 months for several reasons.  Firstly, it has ________________ .  Secondly, I think it would be interesting to see _________________________.  Another fascinating thing about ________________ to experience firsthand will be ______________.

Paragraph 3: You will do the same as in paragraph 2, but this time with your 2nd choice.

My family and I are also very excited to experience life in _________________________.  We can’t wait to learn _______________________.  We will do our best to learn _______________________ (insert language), and we will definitely enjoy ________________________________ (insert important city or festival or landscape, etc.).

Paragraph 4: This can be your conclusion.  You remind the reader why learning about different cultures and geographies can be exciting and beneficial.  Does it help to understand our world to know that different people live differently?  Does it help to know that, although they may live differently, some of our issues have been similar?

In conclusion, I believe my family has much to learn by travelling to these regions and spending time with the people there.  We look forward to ___________________ and to __________________.

 

I hope this helps in your planning.  Please let me know if you need more information.  I’m here to help you.

Writing for WEEK FIVE!

Writing for WEEK FIVE!

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This week, our writing prompt is a video!  I’m going to ask you to watch the video (which will be easy because it’s so good), write a response to all the questions, and send it to me in a Word Online Document OR write a blogpost about it.  Blogposts would be fun because then you can discuss your favourite parts with others.

Make sure your written response is in sentences and paragraphs.  Please answer at least 2 of the questions in your response!  Each answer would take about a paragraph (5 sentences).  Reread your writing – always – to check for clarity (Are my ideas stated clearly?) and correctness (Did I use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar?).  

 

The Questions!

  1. Why are shared experiences important?  Use examples from the video and your own experience.
  2. Choose one or two of these improvisational scenes (jokes/presentations) and tell how YOU would feel if you present but not part of the improvisational team.  How would you react if you found out you were filmed?  Use specific details from the video in your explanation.
  3. Which improvisational scene was your favourite?  Why? Use examples from the video to explain your reasoning.
  4. Offer YOUR idea for the next funny and absurd improvisational scene?  This is a chance to be completely creative and ABSURD!  Remember to describe it completely: Who would present?  How many people?  What would they do?  Where would they do it?  
  5. What is the value in the absurd?  Why do people need a little ABSURDITY in their lives?

 

ABSURD means:

adjective

– utterly or obviously senseless, illogical, or untrue; contrary to all reason or common sense; laughably foolish or false:an absurd explanation.

noun

– the quality or condition of existing in a meaningless and irrational world.
As always, you are free to use a writing prompt from previous weeks OR you can write on a topic of your choice.
Writing Prompts: Week FOUR!

Writing Prompts: Week FOUR!

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Are you ready for WEEK FOUR?  I am!  I’m excited to read more of your amazing writing, Grades 7 and 8!  You have shown great creativity in your blogging in the past few weeks.

I would like you to remember that writing is both an art and a skill.  As artists, you are free to create, use your own voice, develop your own style, and show readers your unique thoughts and ways of expressing!  As a skill, you need to remember to follow the rules of writing:

  • use correct spelling
  • use punctuation correctly
  • use left alignment and paragraphs correctly (Grade 8 is expected to use paragraphing correctly with dialogue as well)
  • reread your writing to check for clarity and for errors
  • make corrections using what you know about sentence structures, spelling, punctuation

FOR GRADE 8 Students:

I am so excited about this week’s prompts because in addition to the four prompts I’m providing below, I’m going to give you a link to over 1000  Writing prompts that may inspire you to write an ESSAY!

Some students have asked for ESSAY PROMPTS!  Well, here they are:

NY Times Learning Network Writing Prompts

Remember that an essay has a ‘thesis statement’ or a statement in which you clearly state your opinion OR the main focus of the essay.

Remember that an essay has a:

  • introduction (thesis is usually in the introduction)
  •  body paragraphs to support your thesis: each paragraph is on a separate topic of support
  • concluding paragraph (includes a restatement of your thesis in different words AND a call to action)

Grade 7 students are welcome to write an opinion piece in response to the above prompts, however they are not expected to use the formal opinion piece structure.

For all students!

Writing Prompt #1

 

Writing Prompt #2

 

Writing Prompt #3

 

Writing Prompt #4

Happy WRITING!  I can’t wait to read your blogs.

Well Aren’t YOU Punny!

Well Aren’t YOU Punny!

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As promised, I’m creating a blogpost that you can comment on with your FAVOURITE PUNS!

What’s a pun, you ask?  Simple.

Puns are a type of figurative language that are
often, but not always, humorous. A pun uses
words that have two or more meanings in order to
create an alternate interpretation. 

For example:

Right!  So you see what I mean?  Positive has a ‘double meaning’ here.  It relates to the positive charge that a battery has and the positive feeling people get. So, it’s funny, right?  Well, sort of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s another example:

What kind of cats like to go bowling?

Alley cats.

 

OK, you didn’t like that one?  How about this one, eh?

If you didn’t get this one, maybe you aren’t aware of the fact that the mushroom is a member of the FUNGUS species.  ‘Fungi’ is the singular form of the word ‘fungus.’  So, the mushroom is actually a fungi.  But he’s also inferring that he’s a FUN GUY!  Right?  Get it, get it, huh?

OK, there’s a reason they say that puns are the lowest form of humour.  They’re DAD humour.  They’re Uncle Fred humour!  Maybe we groan, but really, inside, we’re laughing. (Maybe.)

So, here’s your chance to make us all laugh or groan or both!  Put your favourite pun in the comments or make your own blogpost with your favourite puns!

 

P. S. If your pun is in the form of an image, you’ll have to use your own blogpost to share it as you can’t upload an image into a comment box.

Week Three – Writing Prompts

Week Three – Writing Prompts

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I am LOVING your blogposts, ladies and gentlemen!  You are amazing writers, and I applaud every single one of you who has attempted a blogpost in the past two weeks.

I’m doing my best to give you feedback on your blogs.  If I haven’t responded yet, I promise that I will!

Here are our writing prompts for this week.

Remember:

  • You can write whatever you want!  You don’t have to use the prompt.
  • I’m providing lots of choices so that something might inspire you.  You can choose one prompt, or none, or all of them. 
  • If you don’t want to post on the blog, but you’ve written, please send me your writing in an email.
  • Try to add a comment or two on other people’s blogposts!

 

 

 

Writing Prompt #1: You don’t have to choose the celebrities shown.  Choose your own: Nick Jonas? Kevin Hart? Rhianna? Who would you like to speak at our school?  Don’t forget to explain WHY that celebrity would be an excellent choice.


 

Writing Prompt #2: What fashion should be AGAINST THE LAW?  Don’t forget to TELL US WHY!

 

 

 

Writing Prompt #3: This one explains itself!

 

 

Writing Prompt #4: Tell this story!

 

 

I can’t wait to see what you write!

 

The Reveal: What was the real story?

The Reveal: What was the real story?

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Last week, two of our writing prompts were from the news.  I got them from the NY Times Learning Network.  I thought that this week I’d give you a separate post to reveal the stories behind the images.

 

  1. Last week I posted this image from NY Times Learning Network

    UPDATED: FEB. 27, 2020

    This week’s image comes from the Sept. 21, 2010 “Pictures of the Day: The U.N. and Elsewhere” on The New York Times Lens blog. The original caption reads:

    Bangladeshi commuters walked across a floating boat bridge on the Buriganga River in Dhaka. Water hyacinth hampered the movement of boats on the river, so they were tied together to form a temporary bridge.

    Munir Uz Zaman is the photographer.

     

     

  2. And I posted this picture, which was from the NY Times Learning Network too!
    UPDATED: JAN. 9, 2020

    This week’s image comes from the Dec. 17, 2019 article “There Are No Children Here. Just Lots of Life-Size Dolls.” The original caption reads:

    A tourist making funny faces for a picture with the dolls in the community center.

    The article by Motoko Rich, with photographs by Nadia Shira Cohen, begins:

    The last children were born in the remote mountain village of Nagoro 18 years ago.

    Now, just over two dozen adults live in this outpost straddling a river on the Japanese island of Shikoku. The elementary school closed its doors in 2012, shortly after the last two students completed sixth grade.

    But on a recent bright autumn Sunday, Tsukimi Ayano brought the school back to life.

    It just so happened that she did it with dolls rather than humans.

    Ms. Ayano, 70, had arrayed more than 40 handmade dolls in a lifelike tableau on the grounds of the shuttered school. Recreating a school sports day known as “undokai,” a staple of the Japanese calendar, she had posed child-size dolls in a footrace, perched on a swing set and tossing balls.

    “We never see children here anymore,” said Ms. Ayano, who was born in Nagoro, and has staged an annual doll festival for the last seven years.

    Japan’s population is shrinking and aging, and nowhere is the trend felt more intensively than in its rural regions, where a low birthrate is exacerbated by dwindling employment opportunities and an inconvenient lifestyle.

    “There are no chances for young people here,” said Ms. Ayano, who remembers when the village had a medical clinic, a pachinko gambling parlor and a diner. Now, Nagoro does not have even one shop. “They can’t make a living.”

    Some 350 dolls made by Ms. Ayano and her friends outnumber the human residents by more than 10 to 1. All around Nagoro, she has staged the dolls — made of wood and wire frames, stuffed with newspapers and dressed in old clothes donated from across Japan — in various scenes evoking the real people who once populated the village.

Week Two – Writing Prompts

Week Two – Writing Prompts

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Last week, lots of students in our English classes blogged and commented on each other’s blogs!  Yay!  Your writing was so entertaining and wonderful to read.  Thank you to all who blogged!

Writing is a great way to:

  • be creative
  • express our ideas
  • connect to others

 

This week I’m giving you a couple of EXTRA PROMPTS!  Don’t forget, you can blog about anything!  You don’t have to use any of the prompts, and you could use all of them!  You can write one blogpost or many!

If you chose to respond to Prompt #3 last week, I thought you might like to see the NYTimes article that actually went with this image.  Just click on the link below to see the article and the comments from readers who tried to guess like you did!

Prompt #3 – NYT article reveal!

(After clicking on the above link, you’ll need to scroll down quite a bit to see the reveal.)

 

Our prompts for this week!

Prompt #1: Use this photo to inspire a short story OR tell what you think is actually happening in this photo.

 

 

 

Prompt #2: Why ARE memes so popular?  By the way, if you’d like, you are welcome to create your own meme after you explain.

 

Prompt #3:  Turn this prompt into a story!

 

Writing Prompt #4: Tell the story!

 

Writing Prompt #5 – YOU CHOOSE YOUR MONSTERS!  What would they say to each other? 

 

Are there certain kinds of prompts that inspire you more than others?  Do you like the visual prompts?  Do you want some nonfiction prompts like the one last week on “Mentors?”   Let me know in the comments section of this blogpost!  

 

Week One – Writing Prompts!

Week One – Writing Prompts!

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One of the things that I’d like for us all to do during this online school time is WRITE!

Just like reading, the more you write, the better you get at writing!  So, I’m going to provide you with 3 Writing prompts per week, and I would love it if EVERYONE could try to write at least once every week.  Your writing should be a paragraph or more in length.

If you do not feel inspired by the prompts, you are free to write on a topic of your choice, but try to write a little every week.  Even just a journal entry of what you’re reading or how you’re feeling would be great.  If you don’t want to put your writing on the blog, just write and send it to me via email.  If you can’t share your writing at all, just write for yourself.

If you choose one of these prompts, please put the image into your blogpost first and then write your blogpost.

How to put an image into your post:

  • Right click on the image
  • Select “Save Image As”
  • Save your image with a title you’ll remember
  • In your blog, put your cursor where you want the image
  • Click on the “Add Media” button that appears right under your blog title
  • Click on ‘upload file’ and find your file
  • After your image loads, look at the right hand side bar and scroll down
  • You will see the following:   

In the right hand corner, you can decide where the photo will go (left, center, right), how big the photo will be (thumbnail, medium, full size) and then click “Insert into Post.”

Now that you know how, here are the Prompts!

 

Prompt #1 :Write a short story based on this photograph.

 

Writing Prompt #2 

 

Writing Prompt #3 :  You  can  use  this  one  in   two  ways.  See   below!

  1. This is actually a photo taken from a news article in the New York Times.  Can you explain what you think is happening in this photo?  What’s your best guess?  I will post a link to the actual story next week.
  2. Write a fictional short story based on this photo.

 

Oh, and ONE MORE THING . . . I expect you to comment on each other’s writing.  Find 2 other students in your grade and comment on their blogposts.  Say something specific, like “I like the way you used . . . . ” or “You made me feel . . . . ”

I can’t wait to read your writing!

Staying Home and Staying Healthy Together!

Staying Home and Staying Healthy Together!

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Hi students!  Long time no see, as they say!  I hope you are all doing well, staying home, and keeping busy and healthy.  I thought I’d let you know what I’ve been up to in my little hideout!  I hope that you will follow the format and us know how you’ve been spending your time this week.

Here’s how this post works.

  1.  Tell about ONE thing that you are sad to have missed. (Limit to 1.  We’re following the toilet paper model. No hoarding sad things.)
  2. Tell about ONE or TWO things that are bringing you outside for fresh air.
  3. Tell about what you’ve been reading. (NO LIMIT! Books are not toilet paper.)
  4. Tell about 1-5 songs you’ve been listening to. If you do this one, you have to share a youtube video of one of your songs so that we can all enjoy each other’s music.
  5. Tell about 1-3 shows you’ve enjoyed or 1-3 video games you’ve been playing.  (I”m assuming some of you have been watching TV or MOVIES??? MAYBE?? Playing games????)
  6. Tell about 2 foods you have enjoyed over the past week!
  7. Tell about 1-5 activities that have kept you busy at home.  Maybe this will become a list of things that others can use when they get bored.
  8. Tell about one thing that you’d be doing or would LIKE to do once this virus is history!

By the way, you can do just a few of the above if you want.  Just GO FOR IT!  Write something!

 

  1. I have been following instructions.  I’ve stayed home.  This was HARD for me to do. Believe me, I was so so sad when I had to cancel my plans to spend March Break in Montreal with my daughter to watch the World Championship Figure Skating Competition.  Whaaaaa! (That’s what I sounded like, crying.)   The competition was cancelled, of course, but still . . . I was looking forward to being with my girl.  But, my daughter and I promised one another that we’d attend a similar event as soon as this whole Covid-19 thing is over.

2.  I love taking my walks down along the water in Morrisburg.  That’s been getting me outside almost every day for at least 30 minutes.  Something about getting outside, even if it’s just for a walk makes me feel GOOD!  Here’s a few pics from today’s walk.

 

3.  OK, you KNOW this is one of my favourite things to do!  I’ve finished a couple of books over the past week or so.

I finished these two books.

 

And I’m currently reading these two.  I’m listening to Indian Horse on audio and it’s one I think you will read in high school.

 

 

4.  I’ve been listening to . . . Lady GAGA!  Her voice is so inspiring to me.  What a crazy BIG voice!

I love this one by one of my ALL TIME favourite groups!  It is a fitting song for now because it’s called “Home We’ll Go” (and stay, I hope).

5.  Some of my favourite shows this past week have been: Schitt’s Creek and The Good Fight.  Schitt’s Creek is so funny.  I love all of the characters.  Moira cracks me up, but I also admire her  because she has a brilliantly broad vocabulary.  Have you noticed that? Also, if this #stayhome thing lasts a long time, I’m going to envy Moira’s collection of wigs, cause I’m not that good at cutting hair.  I love David and Alexa too.  Alexa is just so . . . selfish that it’s funny, and David is just a cool observant character.   The Good Fight is about a team of lawyers.  It’s political and funny and serious too.

I don’t play video games (except for Pacman and no one wants to hear about that).

6.  Two foods I’ve enjoyed . . . . does COFFEE COUNT?  Because – you know me – I drink a lot of coffee.  Ok, maybe coffee is not a food. In that case, I’d have to say I love my salads.  I’m trying to remember to eat fresh vegetables and fruits since I’m not going to the grocery store often. I make a very, very, mean salad.  My salads usually contain: baby romaine lettuce, broccoli, red pepper, red onion, avocado, cucumber, and sometimes grated cheese! 🙂

Another food I’m enjoying is pasta!  Pasta is a comfort food for me.  I love tomato sauce on my pasta. Any kind of pasta will do, but my favourite is penne or spaghetti.

7.  I have been WRITING a lot!  That’s an activity that has kept me very busy.  In January I started a challenge with other teachers online called #100daysofnotebooking and I’m on day 84 today!

I’ve written in my journal/notebook every day for 84 days, which is more than I’ve ever written since I was a student in university.  I’m enjoying it and finding it very helpful, especially now during this very weird and sometimes difficult time.  You should try it!  Blog or writing in your journal.  Sometimes a journal is better when you just want to get angry on the page or be sad or rant or whine (not that I ever whine . . . never).

Here’s a page out of my journal in February:

I’ve also been face-timing with family and calling friends and texting a lot with everyone I know!  It’s been nice to keep in touch when I can’t see people face to face.

8. One thing that I really want to do when I get to go out and not think about Coronavirus any more is visit my daughter in Georgia!  I can’t wait to see where she lives and walk around her neighbourhood with her!  I hope I’ll be able to to that sometime this summer.

Write your own version of this post in your blog.  If you have a problem with uploading a photo or embedding a youtube video, email me and I’ll help you.  When you’ve finished your blogpost, come back to this one and put a notice in the comments.  Just say: Come see my blogpost!

I can’t wait to read all about what you’ve been up to this past week!

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