Evaluating Conclusions

Using the North Carolina End-of-Course II March 1998 prompt, students will evaluate seven conclusions which use A Doll's House for the prompt response.

A lesson plan for grade 10 English Language Arts

By Carol Harris2

Learn more

Related pages

• Living History - Civil War: After researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, students will write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.
  

Related topics

• Learn more about English language arts.

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• evaluate seven conclusions which respond to an End-of-Course II writing prompt.
• develop criteria for writing effective conclusions which respond to an End-of-Course II writing prompt.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Hours

Materials/resources

• The North Carolina End-of-Course II March 1998 Writing Prompt for schools using a traditional schedule.
• A sample response to literature the student has previously written in class.

Technology resources

None.

Pre-activities

• Students should read Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
• Students should read the North Carolina End-of-Course II March 1998 Writing Prompt. Tenth grade teachers in each school should have a copy of the March 1998 E-O-C II Writing Prompt.
• Students should identify the key elements in the North Carolina End-of-Course II March 1998 Writing Prompt.

Activities

Modeling

1. Write on the board or overhead the criteria for writing effective conclusions.

2. For each criteria, show students an effective and an ineffective example of that criteria.

Guided Practice

3. Make copies of the handout from the Attachment section in this plan.
4. Tell students to read the seven conclusions and rank the conclusions from 1 to 6 with 1 as the weakest and 6 as the strongest. The actual rankings below are based on the students’ actual End-of-Course II writing scores. These conclusions were taken from their essay responses. Conclusion A is a “5.” Conclusion B is a “4.” Conclusion C is a “3.” Conclusion D is a “6.” Conclusion E is a “3.” Conclusion F is a “2.” Conclusion G is a “5.”
5. Begin your class discussion on conclusions by having students share their rankings. The teacher records a tally of the rankings and determines if there is a consensus among students.
6. Ask students to explain which conclusions are more effective than others and why these conclusions are effective. Students are developing criteria for writing effective conclusions at this point. In their discussions, students may learn about what not to do in their conclusions as well as what to do. As students explain why a particular conclusion is effective or not effective, help them examine the following: students’ diction, allusions to literary devices, key phrases from the prompt, profound questions and the writers’ opinions, trite statements, inappropriate questions, vague or ambiguous pronoun references, pure plot summary, abrupt endings, etc.
7. Summarize the criteria for writing effective conclusions.

Independent Practice

8. Now that students understand how to write effective conclusions, have them look at an essay they have previously written which responds to literature. Students should rank their conclusion based on the criteria learned. Then students should revise their conclusions. The teacher and student then compares the first conclusion with the revised conclusion. Teachers decide how they will score the revised conclusions. Teachers can add more points to the students’ essays or give a daily grade based on a numerical assignment given to a “6,” “5,” “4,” “3,” “2,” or “1″ conclusion.

Assessment

1. Assess students’ rankings of conclusions by asking for a show of hands and making a tally of the rankings. If students are within one range above or below the actual rankings as cited in #2 of ACTIVITIES, they are evaluating conclusions effectively.
2. Assess students’ revisions of their conclusions. Teachers can add more points to the students’ essays or give a daily grade based on a numerical assignment given to a “6,” “5,” “4,” “3,” “2,” or “1″ conclusion.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

A Doll’s House conclusions: pdf | doc

Related websites

N/A

Comments

If teachers want a copy of the student’s essay who received a 6.0 on the North Carolina End-of-Course Writing II prompt and whose conclusion is the 6.0 in this plan, they may write to Carol E. Harris for a copy. Please include a self-addressed, self-stamped envelope, and mail to the following address:

Carol E. Harris
Leesville Road High School
8409 Leesville Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27613