• Alert the students when 45 minutes have elapsed. • After students have been writing for 45 minutes, alert them that there are 20 minutes remaining and suggest they begin revising their essays. • Alert the students when there are 10 minutes remaining in the session. Close the testing session. Student Directions: Part 1 (35 minutes) Your assignment: You will read several articles and view a video and several photographs and then write an argumentative essay about graffiti. Steps you will be following: In order to plan and compose your essay, you will do all of the following: 1. Read two articles, watch a video, and view four photographs. 2. Answer three questions about the sources. 3. Plan and write your essay. Your Assignment Your science class is creating a website on recent scientific discoveries. Your assignment is to write an argumentative essay about genetically modified food for the website. In the essay, you should briefly explain what genetically modified food is and argue either for or against its production, including specific details and evidence from the sources you read/viewed during part 1. The audience for your essay will be your teacher and classmates, as well as parents and friends who visit the website where your essay will be published. Directions for beginning: You will now read the sources and watch a video. Take notes because you may want to refer back to your notes while writing your essay. You can refer back to any of the sources as often as you like. (article 1) (video 1) (article 2) (photos 1–4) Questions: Use the remaining time to answer the questions below. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, they will help you think about the sources you’ve read and viewed, which should help you write your essay. You may click on the appropriate buttons to refer back to the sources when you think it would be helpful. You may also refer to your notes. Answer the questions in the spaces provided below them. 1. The video, “Graffiti as an Art Form,” suggests that graffiti has important benefits to the artist and audience. What evidence does it provide to support
writing the final draft of your essay. (Source 1) (Source 2) (Source 3) Questions Use the remaining time to answer the questions below. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, they will help you think about the sources you’ve read, which should help you write your essay. You may click on the appropriate buttons to refer to the sources when you think it would be helpful. You may also refer to your notes. Answer the questions in the spaces provided below them. 1. Explain why most people have strong feelings about genetically modified food. Use details from the sources to support your answer. 2. Which piece of information from the article you read could be used as the strongest, most convincing supporting evidence for the production of genetically modified food? Use details from the article to explain your answer. 3. Which piece of information from the second video you viewed could be used as the strongest, most convincing supporting evidence against the production of genetically modified food? Use details from the video to explain your answer. Part 2 (70 minutes) Directions for Beginning You will now have 70 minutes to review your notes and sources, plan, draft, and revise your essay. While you may use your notes and refer to the sources, you must work on your own. You may also refer to the answers you wrote to earlier questions, but you cannot change those answers. Now read your assignment and the information about how your essay will be scored, and then begin your work. How your essay will be scored: The people scoring your essay will be assigning scores for 1. Statement of purpose/focus—how well you clearly state your opinions on the topic and maintain your focus 2. Organization – how well your ideas logically flow from the introduction to conclusion using effective transitions and how well you stay on topic throughout the essay 3. Elaboration of evidence – how well you provide evidence from sources about your opinions and elaborate with specific information 4. Language and Vocabulary – how well you effectively express ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose 5. Conventions – how well you follow the rules of usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling Now begin work on your essay. Manage your time carefully so that you can: