NYS Common Core 7th Grade ELA Module 1 Unit 2

1. DO NOW
Take out HOMEWORK : Book Report!
Are you ready?
One a piece of paper, make a list of everything
you’ve done to get ready for our essay

2. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
What have you done?
1. Do you have a CLAIM?
2. Have you read the MODEL ESSAY?
3. Have you looked at the RUBRIC?

3. A Long Walk to Water
Learning Objectives
I can select details that will support my
claim about the theme of A Long Walk to
Water.
I can look at a model essay to see how it
supports a claim with details.
I can discuss new vocabulary from the
NYS Grade 6-8 Expository Writing
Evaluation rubric.

4. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Examining a Rubric
• Take out the “Challenges Facing a Lost Boy
of Sudan” essay from yesterday
• We will look at Row 3 today!
• Evidence = quote + actually proving
something!

5. A Long Walk to Water
Discussion Appointments
Today’s appointment:
Khartoum APPOINTMENT!

6. A Long Walk to Water
Discussion Appointment
Use
•
•
•
the Essay
Together, read through the essay
Circle the topic sentence for each paragraph
Highlight one NEW detail that supports
each challenge:
• War
• Loss of family
• Hostile environment

7. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
How are the paragraphs ordered in a
LOGICAL way?
chronological order:

8. Essay Writing
NYS Rubric
CRITERIA
COHERENCE,
ORGANIZATION
AND STYLE:
The extent to
which the essay
logically organizes
complex ideas,
concepts and
information using
formal style and
precise language.
3
Essays at this level:
Exhibit clear organization, with
the skillful use of appropriate and
varied transitions to create a
unified whole and enhance
meaning.
Exhibit clear organization, with the use of
appropriate transitions to create a unified
whole.
Establish and maintain a formal
style, using grade-appropriate
stylistically sophisticated language
and domain-specific vocabulary
with a notable sense of voice.
Establish and maintain a formal style
using precise language and domainspecific vocabulary.
Provide a concluding statement or
section that is compelling and
follows clearly from the topic and
information presented.
**Row 3**
4
Essays at this level:
Provide a concluding statement or section
that follows form the topic and
information presented.
Read this row with your partner and circle any confusing words.

9. Essay Writing
NYS Rubric
CRITERIA
**Row 3**
COHERENCE,
ORGANIZATION
AND STYLE:
The extent to
which the essay
logically
organizes
complex ideas,
concepts and
information
using formal
style and
precise
language.
2
Essays at this
level:
1
Essays at this
level:
0
Essays at this
level:
Exhibit some attempt at
organization, with
inconsistent use of
transitions.
Exhibit little attempt at
organization or attempts
to organize are irrelevant
to the task.
Exhibit no evidence of
organization.
Establish but fail to
maintain a formal style,
with inconsistent use of
language and domainspecific vocabulary.
Lack a formal style, using
language that is imprecise
or inappropriate for the
text(s) and task.
Use language that is
predominately incoherent
or copied directly from
the text(s).
Provide a concluding
statement or section
that follows generally
from the topic and
information presented.
Provide a concluding
statement or section that
is illogical or unrelated to
the topic and information
presented.
Do not provide a
concluding statement or
section.
Read this row with your partner and circle any confusing words.

10. A Long Walk to Water
Vocabulary
What words did you circle?
• __________
• __________
• __________
• __________

11. A Long Walk to Water
Vocabulary
What words did you circle?
• __________
• __________
• __________
• __________

12. Writer’s Tips
What can we do?
Things Good Writers Do
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
State the main idea in the beginning
Give examples to support your topic
Make the beginning interesting
Match and answer the question
Really understand what you are writing
Details (quotes) should support a claim.
Organize their topics
Write formally
Create conclusions related to the topic

13. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Planning YOUR essay
• Talk to your partner about the planning
packet
• Write YOUR claim on the claim/thesis line
• When done, raise your hands!

14. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Introduction:
A. Hook to capture the reader’s interest and
attention: Linda Sue Park’s novel, A Long Walk to
Water, tells the story of one of the thousands of Lost Boys of
Sudan.
B. Name the book and author. Give brief
background knowledge to reader: These boys
ran from villages during the Second Sudanese Civil War in the
1980s and had to keep moving from country to country to
escape the violence of the war.

15. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Introduction:
Claim/Thesis: Park’s main character, Salva, is based on a
real person who did survive this long journey despite the
challenges of the war, the loss of his family, and the hostile
environment of Southern Sudan.

16. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Now YOU try it!
1. Fill in the rest of the Introduction section
2. Do not copy the model essay!
3. Use your own words and ideas!

17. A Long Walk to Water
Essay Writing
Continue filling in the planning page:
4. Topic sentence for each paragraph
5. Evidence = a quote
6. Analysis = explain your quote
7. Don’t forget a conclusion!!

18. A Long Walk to Water
Homework
Parts that MUST be complete by
tomorrow:
• Introduction
• Body Paragraph 1
• Body Paragraph 2