Week 14 is the last week of regular class this semester. (I will make some materials available in Week 15, and we will have meetings, but we won’t be covering any new material at that time.)
Lesson 1
We’re going to discuss Opinion Paragraphs, since this is something you will have to study in Academic English IV. I’ll cover the structure of an Opinion Paragraph and also explain a couple of the most common mistakes students make when trying to write them.
We’ll also discuss the Final Exam and our schedule for the rest of semester.
Finally, I’ll also talk about the the Participation Self-Assessment form that you need to download for our meetings in Week 15. You can download a copy here:
Don’t forget to fill out and bring a copy of the form linked above to our meeting in Week 15. You need this for the discussion we’ll have. Also, prepare any questions you’d like to ask me, so you don’t forget!
Please also note any questions you have. Time will probably be somewhat limited, but at least I can try help you.
Week 14, Lesson 2
We’ll meet in small groups and discuss any last questions or problems you’re having with your writing, as well as some strategies for preparing for the Final Exam.
Supplementary Materials for This Week
For Lesson 2 of Week 14, I’m providing you with some Textbook-Related and Non-Textbook Related Videos. Unlike most weeks, this week both types of videos are required viewing. Make sure you watch them all and review the handouts and exercises associated with each.
Textbook-Related Videos and Materials
This video more deeply explores the information on Opinion Paragraph Writing, which was briefly addressed in Video 28 of this series. Please watch the video and review the handout below.
Non-Textbook Related Videos and Materials
The videos below are more focused on preparing you for either the Final Exam, or getting ready for Academic English IV.
Paragraph Blog Post for Week 14
For this week’s Paragraph Blog, you should use the writing process we’ve studied already (including the several Brainstorming Steps, Template Sentence Extraction, Paragraph Skeleton, and Editing) to write a paragraph about an opinion. As discussed in this week’s Textbook-Related Video, you can write about a belief or opinion of your own, or you can write about a suggested policy or solution to a problem.
The topic can be realistic (a solution to, say, the problem of depression among students) or it can be fantastical (your opinion on the Earth-Martian Alliance). If you prefer, you can also draw inspiration from pop culture or media, such as, “I believe that the Jedis are an evil and dangerous force in the Star Wars Universe” or “I think that Thanos is a hero and the Avengers are in fact villains.” You can also take a more modest opinion, like “I feel that Black Panther is the best Marvel movie,” or write about current events, like “I believe that Elon Musk’s destruction of Twitter is revealing his incompetence in business to the world.”
Whatever your choice, follow the entire writing process we’ve studied, from start to finish, in a Google Document. Use all the steps of the writing process we’ve studied, including:
- Free Writing & What’s Interesting Here?
- Create a Mind Map
- State Your Thesis
- Extract Template Sentences from an Opinion Paragraph in the textbook
- Build a Paragraph Skeleton
- Copy the Paragraph Skeleton and convert it to a First Draft. Edit any structure problems and add any missing information you notice.
- Copy the First Draft to a new page and edit the grammar problems to make a Second Draft.
- Copy the Second Draft to a new page and edit the paragraph for any last small formatting or grammar errors, or any other last-minute problems you notice. Label this last version “Final Draft.”
You should know what each of these steps are, and should be able to do each step.
Your goal here is to write a paragraph that explores your opinion. When you finish, copy and paste the the paragraph into the Paragraph Blog. Before you publish the blog post, download a copy of the Google Document as a PDF file and attach it to the post. Then publish it as your Week 14 Paragraph Blog post.
Got Questions?
If you still have questions, you’ll have one more chance to ask me, during our group meeting next week. Otherwise, please contact me to request an appointment, or speak to me after class following Lesson 1 next week.
Thanks everyone! Good luck on your exams, and try to stay healthy and safe out there!