G8 ELA Performance Task Prep

PROMPT:

Write an informational article for the school newspaper about Ancient Rome.

What kind of essay writing should you use to answer this prompt?

• Informational - just the facts

• Argumentative - using the facts to create an argument

• Narrative - a story that is either real or imagined

Identify how many paragraphs I should write for an informational essay

A narrative essay has 5 paragraphs. Each option below explains what is included in each of the 5 paragraphs. Reorder them to demonstrate the organization of your narrative essay.

• Narrative hook, background information and main idea

• Introduce the conflict and rising action

• Rising action and climax

• Resolution of the conflict

• Lesson that the main character learned

Match the description to the paragraph for an informational essay.

• Topic sentence with major point #1. CERER.

• Conclusion

• Hook, background information, and thesis.

• Introduction

• Topic sentence with major point #2. CERER.

• Body paragraph #1

• Restate thesis, summarize your information, and call to action.

• Body paragraph #3

• Topic sentence with major point #3. CERER.

• Body paragraph #2

Which of the following is the best thesis for an argumentative essay?

• Washington State needs to take action on wildfires, they are really bad.

• I think Washington State needs to take action on wildfires because they burnt my friend's house down.

• Washington State needs to take action on wildfires because they threaten wildlife and damage homes.

• Washington State needs to take action on wildfires because they threaten wildlife and damage homes. Some may say they're good for soil, but that's not worth it because people die every year from wildfires.

Answer explanation

The best thesis for an argumentative essay has:

A claim that makes a judgment (whether something's good or bad, what needs to be done about a problem, what should be) and takes a stance without using first person language. It contains:

A statement including two major points. However, some may say that ____, but [reason #3].

Read the prompt below and choose the selection that has the best thesis statement.

Sources 1 and 2 contain information about teenagers and sleep. Write an informational blog post that explains the benefits of sleep for teenagers.

• Teenagers should get more sleep because it's good for their developing brains and sleep can help their performance in school. However, some may say that sleep isn't important, but it clearly is because it improves their mental health.

• Sleep is very beneficial for teenagers so you should make sure teenagers in your life are getting enough sleep. However, make sure you don't sleep too much because that can hurt your health too.

• I think sleep is beneficial for teenagers because it's good for their developing brains, it can help their performance in school, and it improves their mental health.

• Sleep is beneficial for teenagers because it's good for their developing brains, it can help their performance in school, and it improves their mental health.

Draw how you might organize your essay when you first read the prompt tomorrow

The "I" in IADD stands for...

• Internal struggle

• Illustrate a picture

• Intense thinking

• Inner thought

In which essay should you use the IADD strategy?

• Informational

• Argumentative

• Narrative

In which essay do you need to acknowledge a counterargument and explain your rebuttal?

• Informational

• Argumentative

• Narrative