Argument Essay: Rough Draft Due March 7th --- Final Draft Due March 11th

Having just finished our class novel, Three Cups of Tea, we are now moving full force into the argument essay.  Today in class, students organized the research they have been compiling and began working on thesis trees for the essay. At this point, every student should have their position (thesis), supporting details (bullet points), and thesis tree (organized outline of the argument essay). Core three did not make it as far as cores one and two on the thesis trees today, but they will have time in class to work on them tomorrow.  Additionally, tomorrow we will spend the bulk of our time writing our rough draft for the argument essay.

Since next week is ISTEP+, students are not required or expected to work on the argument essay over the weekend. We will spend time in class tomorrow as well as a day next week working on rough drafts of the essay; it will be due on March 7^th. The final copy will be due on March 11^th, and we will go to the computer lab as a class to type it. For students who do not finish typing the essay in class, Mrs. Adler and I will hold Language Arts tutoring (Monday the 11^th) in the computer lab. Students will be able to stay after and finish the essay at that time.

 I strongly encourage students to bring flash drives to class if possible. Doing so will benefit all students, but it is especially beneficial to those who do not finish typing in class and cannot stay for tutoring. After the class time and tutoring on the 11^th, we will not return to the computer lab to finish the essay. Students who do not finish in class and cannot come to tutoring will be able to turn in the essay on the 12^th, and will need a flash drive to do so.