Planning Your Essay

3.5.8; 3.5.9; 0.1.3

Warm-up/Review

Discuss ways students have learned to organize an essay

• spider or idea map
• outline
• list of ideas
  

In this lesson you will learn an easy method to organize your essay ideas before beginning your writing. Pass out essay scoring guide so students know expectations.

Give students list of 10 typical essay questions. Let them choose 1 question to make a spider plan on their own.

Presentation

Choose a question and as a group brainstorm the parts of your essay starting with the main ideas.

Essay question:
What is the perfect way for you to spend a day off. Describe a perfect day off, explain the reasons for your choice. Using students input, build a spider such as this:

What is the perfect way to…Relax –

1. read newspaper
2. cup of coffee
3. explain – never enough time for me to enjoy newspaper.

What is the perfect way to…..Sleep-in –

1. not set alarm
2. allow myself to sleep until I naturally wake
3. explain – always have to rise by 5 a.m.

What is the perfect way to…..visit with friends –

1. meet for brunch
2. followed by shopping
3. explain – treat to see friends
   

Have students point out parts of their plan and where they are fulfilling the 5 points necessary on the essay scoring guide.

Assign a new topic for students to practice with that could be used when writing their essay

Essay scoring guide
List of essay questions