EWRT 1ACLASS 16:

Agenda

Presentation Vocabulary 22-23

Vocab Game

Discussion: Essay #4

In-Class Writing: Finding a

problem to write about.

In Groups:

Study the

words on the

next slide and

prepare to

compete

Essay #4

Essay #4: Proposing a

Solution

Essay #4 Assignment: (200 points) Write an essay from 4-6

pages in length, that addresses the topic below. Use a

minimum of two credible secondary sources to support your

argument. These are in addition to The Hunger Games.

Prompt : Write an essay proposing a solution to a well-defined

problem faced by a community or group to which you may

belong. Alternatively, you may address a well-defined

problem faced by one of the districts or communities in The

Hunger Games. Address your proposal to your audience: one

or more members of the group, its leadership, or to outsiders

who may be able to contribute to solving the problem.

Your completed chart should

look like this:Groups and

organizations

1. The Hunger Games

2. De Anza College

3. Your Neighborhood

4. Karate Club

5. Community

Recreation Center

Problems

1. Not Enough Food

2. Lack of Parking

3. Commercial parking

problem

4. No commitment

5. Not enough safe

places for kids to

play

Solutions

1. Make hunting legal

2. Reorganize lots

3. Apply to city for

resident permit parking

only

4. Organize activities to

include more members

5. Start a volunteer parents

group to offer after

school activities at local

schools.

Now, Choose a newproblem from your chart:

Write one paragraph

describing the problem.

Write another paragraph

describing a solution.

If you did your homework, you should also

have four paragraphs written for two

different problems:

You should now have six

paragraphs written for three

different problems:

Look at what you have; choose one of the

problem/solution pairs to explore:

Write another paragraph describing the problem in

more detail.

Be as specific and vivid in your explanation as

possible given the information you currently have.

It usually helps to consider several possible solutions before focusing on one solution; problem solving requires creativity. Answer the following questions to help you make a list of creative solutions you could consider for your problem:

Can you adapt a solution that has already been tried or proposed for related problems? Which? How?

What smaller, more manageable aspect of the larger problem could you solve? How might you do so?

Could re-imagining the goal help you make fundamental changes?

Could the problem be solved from the bottom up instead of from the top down?

Could an ongoing process help solve the problem?

Listing Multiple Possible

Solutions to your Problem

Exploring Potential Solutions

Now, take the answers to those

questions and write paragraphs

addressing one or more potential

solutions to your problem.

Work in your groups:

Share your explanation of your problem

and your potential solutions with at least

one member of your group.

Ask each other questions so that you can

identify the most promising solution.

If it becomes obvious that you don’t have

a working solution, go back one space

and start again!

Choosing the Most

Promising Solution

In a sentence or two, describe the solution you want to explore further. You cannot know for certain whether you will be able to construct a convincing argument to support this solution, but you should choose a solution that you feel motivated to pursue. This will be your working thesis!

Explain Why Your Solution

Would Solve the Problem.

Write for a few minutes explaining why

you think this solution could solve the

problem. For example, would it

eliminate one or more causes?

change people’s attitudes?

re-imagine the objective?

reduce anxiety and tension?

Show Why Your Solution Is

Possible.

Write for a few minutes explaining why people could agree to put the solution into effect. For example, what would it cost them in time or money?

Explain How It Could Be

Implemented.

Write down the major stages

or steps necessary to carry out

your solution. This list of steps

will provide an early test of

whether your solution can, in

fact, be implemented.

How do I find

out how

much will this

cost?

Who will

know how

much time will

it take to do

this?

Who has tried

this solution in

the past?

What do I still need to

know and how can I

find the information?

Are there

statistics that

support this as a

good idea?

Plan Follow-Up Research.

Add notes about the kinds of information you

think would help make your argument convincing

for your readers and where you think you can find

this information.

Post #19:

Your revised and developed description of your problem. This should be two

to four good paragraphs.

Write one or more sentences to serve as your tentative thesis statement. In most

essays proposing solutions to problems, the thesis statement is a concise

announcement of the solution. Think about how emphatic you should make the

thesis and whether you should forecast your reasons.

Write a paragraph explaining why your solution would solve the problem.

Add a paragraph about why it is possible.

Make a list of the steps of implementation.

Review the readings in this chapter to see how other writers construct their

thesis statements.

Bring SMG and a copy of your essay draft.

Next Class: Vocabulary Test 4: 19-23

Homework