Persuasive Essay: Thesis Statement And Gathering Resources Worksheet

Name:

Persuasive Essay: Thesis Statement and Gathering Resources Worksheet

Part 1: Thesis Statement

Assignment Directions:

Review “Thesis Statements” in the “Drafting the College Essay” section of “The Writing Process” media piece.

Here is an example of a persuasive thesis statement from our essay.

Grass fed beef is a much healthier option than corn fed beef because it has higher nutritional value, can provide the body with much needed Omega 3 fatty acids, and has the health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid.

Stance: Grass fed beef is a much healthier option than corn fed beef.

Subtopic 1: it has higher nutritional value.

Subtopic 2: it can provide the body with much needed Omega 3 fatty acids.

Subtopic 3: and has the health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid.

Create a thesis statement for your persuasive essay. Your thesis statement should be one sentence that includes three subtopics.

Write your thesis statement in the box below:

Topic:

Stance:

Subtopic 1:

Subtopic 2:

Subtopic 3:

Once you have identified all parts of your thesis, work to create the one sentence thesis statement below.

Thesis Statement:

Thesis Statement Self-Evaluation:

Consider the following questions when developing the thesis statement for your essay. The answer to each of the four questions below should be yes if you have drafted a quality thesis statement.

1) Is your topic stated in the thesis?

2) Does your thesis include your position/stance?

3) Is the thesis statement specific?

4) Does the thesis include three subtopics?

Part 2: Gathering Resources

Assignment Directions:

Review “Research and Sources” in the media piece “The Writing Process.”

Use the GCU Library to find three Peer Reviewed sources to use in your persuasive essay. Each source must be current (published within the last 10 years). Fill out the requested information in the table below about your sources.

Thesis subtopic

Title and Author(s)

Write a 50-word response to the following question:

How is this source relevant to your subtopic?

APA References

Permalink (GCU Library permanent link)

Article supporting your Subtopic 1

Article supporting your Subtopic 2

Article supporting your Subtopic 3

© 2013. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.

Ethical Decision-Making

For this assignment, select a case from the “Decision-Making Cases” document.

After  you select your case, you will need to complete the “Ethical  Decision-Making” document, based on the case you select. To support your  claims, perhaps consider using the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7),  The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), the book of Proverbs, or other  relevant Bible passages.

APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This  assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning  the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful  completion.

Ethical Decision-Making

Name:

Course:

Date:

Instructor:

For questions 2-6, chose from the “Decision-Making Cases” document in the topic study materials. Use critical thinking as well as support from the topic study materials to answer the following prompts.

1. Why do Christians believe that morality is absolute and objective, rather than relative and subjective? If morality is objective, where do Christians get their moral standard? Cite Chapter 7 of The Beginning of Wisdom textbook and/or topic overview. Include the resources you use on a reference page at the end of this document.

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

2. Use the case you chose from the “Decision-Making Cases” document to answer the following questions to build the Christian ethical response. Use logical reasoning (general revelation). Cite Bible passages (special revelation), The Beginning of Wisdom textbook, and/or the topic overview. Include the resources you use on a reference page at the end of this document.

a. Which case did you choose?

<Chosen case>

b. In Chapter 2 of The Beginning of Wisdom textbook and the Topic 1 Overview, the elements of a worldview (ultimate reality, nature of the universe, humanity, knowledge, ethics, purpose) are presented. In the case you chose, which worldview element is going to be the biggest factor for determining right and wrong in the case you chose? Why?

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

c. How does the Christian worldview describe the worldview element you identified?

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

d. What are Bible passages (cite at most three) that will guide the ethics for the case you choose? How do these Bible passages apply to this case?

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

e. Based on your answers to b and c, explain the Christian response to the case you chose. In other words, how might the Christian worldview resolve the issue?

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

3. Your previous responses built a Christian ethical stance and provided a Christian resolution for the case. How might this Christian resolution to the issue increase human dignity and human value?

Your answer in 50-75 words:

<Answer>

4. The Christian position that humans should flourish comes from belief in the goodness of God. How so? What are the connections between God’s goodness and human flourishing?

Your answer in 50-75 words:

<Answer>

5. Considering the Christian resolution you built for the case and everyone involved in the scenario, what might be some benefits or unintended consequences that come from this resolution? What might be challenging for people to accept or do?

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

6. What are some ways that Christians should be active in helping to alleviate the suffering related to this issue? Give specific examples that ordinary people can do.

Your answer in 75-100 words:

<Answer>

 

References:

© 2020. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.

 

© 2020. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.

Best Practices In Student Self-Assessment

Students learning self-regulation strategies may not always recognize how those skills can be developed across content areas. Teachers can assist these students by providing them guidance on how to expand their skills. It is also helpful when teachers establish common processes that provide students with the feedback they need to assess their personal efforts and outcomes.

For this assignment, take on the role of an elementary level teacher at a K-5 school. Your principal has noticed how well you communicate learning objectives, guide students to set individual goals, and guide students to self-regulate and track their progress across multiple content areas. Because of your successes using these best practices, your principal has asked you to present best practices to fellow teachers across all content areas in an upcoming professional development.

Part 1: Best Practices Presentation

Create a 10-12 slide digital presentation to present to your teacher colleagues describing evidence-based instructional practices related to the self-regulation cycle, including goal setting, communicating learning objectives, monitoring student progress, providing effective feedback, and promoting self-regulation across multiple content areas.

The presentation should include the following components:

How to communicate the unit or lesson learning objectives to students, and how they will be measured on their performance of those objectives

How to encourage students’ motivation and engagement through the use of technology and other strategies, creating opportunities for students’ active participation in learning, self-motivation, and positive social interaction

How to continuously monitor student progress to provide effective, descriptive feedback across multiple content areas

How to work with students to collaboratively establish learning goals, identify quality work, and analyze their assessment results across multiple content areas

Title slide, reference slide, and presenter’s notes.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

Part 2: Reflection

In 250-500 words, summarize and examine the process of implementing best practices in encouraging self-regulation, setting goals, communicating objectives, monitoring progress, and providing effective feedback.

Consider the following questions:

How can you use students’ performance data to guide and engage students in thinking and learning?

How does the assessment data inform future instructional planning based on identified learning gaps and patterns?

How does planning for students to engage in the self-regulation cycle influence students’ confidence in learning independently and taking ownership of their academic progress?

Best Practices in Student Self-Assessment

Students learning self-regulation strategies may not always recognize how those skills can be developed across content areas. Teachers can assist these students by providing them guidance on how to expand their skills. It is also helpful when teachers establish common processes that provide students with the feedback they need to assess their personal efforts and outcomes.

For this assignment, take on the role of an elementary level teacher at a K-5 school. Your principal has noticed how well you communicate learning objectives, guide students to set individual goals, and guide students to self-regulate and track their progress across multiple content areas. Because of your successes using these best practices, your principal has asked you to present best practices to fellow teachers across all content areas in an upcoming professional development.

Part 1: Best Practices Presentation

Create a 10-12 slide digital presentation to present to your teacher colleagues describing evidence-based instructional practices related to the self-regulation cycle, including goal setting, communicating learning objectives, monitoring student progress, providing effective feedback, and promoting self-regulation across multiple content areas.

The presentation should include the following components:

How to communicate the unit or lesson learning objectives to students, and how they will be measured on their performance of those objectives

How to encourage students’ motivation and engagement through the use of technology and other strategies, creating opportunities for students’ active participation in learning, self-motivation, and positive social interaction

How to continuously monitor student progress to provide effective, descriptive feedback across multiple content areas

How to work with students to collaboratively establish learning goals, identify quality work, and analyze their assessment results across multiple content areas

Title slide, reference slide, and presenter’s notes.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

 

Part 2: Reflection

In 250-500 words, summarize and examine the process of implementing best practices in encouraging self-regulation, setting goals, communicating objectives, monitoring progress, and providing effective feedback.

Consider the following questions:

How can you use students’ performance data to guide and engage students in thinking and learning?

How does the assessment data inform future instructional planning based on identified learning gaps and patterns?

How does planning for students to engage in the self-regulation cycle influence students’ confidence in learning independently and taking ownership of their academic progress?

Curriculum Project: Sample Curriculum Planning Charts Assignment

Virginia Standards Sample Curriculum Planning Charts: Third Grade

Jane Doe

Liberty University

 

Legend

A Art

CI Community involvement activity (collaboration)

CIV Civics

CC Collaboration with colleagues

CE Character education

CL Cultural literacy and diversity

CM Communication

CT Critical thinking

D Dramatic Arts

DA Differentiation/diversity/accommodation

E English

EC Economics

EVAL Evaluation (assessment)

GA Group activity

GEO Geography

L Literacy

LI Listening

LS Life skills

HE Health

HI History

HS Home/school connection (collaboration)

HW Homework

M Math

MA Manipulative activity

MU Music

OL Oral language/presentations (public speaking)

PE Physical education/movement

PS Problem solving

R Reading

S Science

T Technology

W Writing

 

 

 

 

Running head: SAMPLE PLANNING CHARTS 1

 

SAMPLE PLANNING CHARTS 2

 

Day 16

Character Trait: Commitment
VA SOL Writing 3.8, 3.9; Reading 3.4 f, g

Cursive handwriting; write with purpose; expand vocabulary

VA SOL MATH 3.2

Fractions, mixed numbers

VA SOL SCIENCE 3.4

Animal adaptations:

Physical

 

VA SOL HISTORY 3.1

Ancient Greece

Introduction and Vocabulary

Fine Arts, Health, and

PE / Movement Connections

ENG/HI: Class will compile a list of unknown content vocabulary/topics about Ancient Greece. (SEE HISTORY)

 

ENG/T/R/GA/W/CM: The teacher will explain to students that nonfiction writing is used provide information about a topic to readers. Students will divide into groups and the teacher will assign an equal number of content words/topics to each group. Students will use their iPads and classroom library to look up information and to create definitions/short answers with the most important facts about the word/topic in their own words (not a word for word definition, but a created definition or short answer). The group will work together to create a working short answer about each word. Then the students will divide the words evenly amongst themselves. Each student will write the definition/short answer the group came up with in their best cursive handwriting, with correct spelling.

 

EVAL: Teacher will collect and review definitions for topic understanding and correct spelling.

M/CT: The teacher will introduce improper fractions. She will write several proper and improper fractions on the board. She will ask the students if they can tell what is different about each of these fractions (desired answer examples: the top is bigger than the bottom, the numerator is bigger, the denominator is smaller, the numbers are the same on top and bottom). When it is obvious all the students see what makes the improper fractions different from proper fractions the teacher will then use the smartboard to show the students how to convert the improper fractions into mixed numbers using models.

 

MA/M/GA: Students will separate into pairs. They will use fraction manipulatives to physically create improper fractions then convert them into mixed numbers. Students should commit to using their time wisely. The students will choose one improper fraction/mixed number equation they created to present to the class on the magnetic board.

 

EVAL: Teacher will monitor fraction presentations for understanding.

S: The teacher will talk about what the word adaptation means by breaking out the root word, adapt. She will explain to the students that animals adapt for many reasons, such as to avoid predators, to find food, and to keep warm.

 

S/T: The class will watch a video about black bear adaptations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw7z8Fo5ijk

 

S/A: Students will use the maker’s space bin to design one form of black bear adaptation. The creations must be unique, wearable, and realistic (meaning they must represent actual black bear adaptations).

 

OL: Students will wear their creations and stand up at their seats to show them to the class. They will describe how their adaptation creation will help the black bear (e.g., find food, avoid predators, keep warm).

 

EVAL: Teacher will add to and help students fully articulate what role each adaptation plays as they present their adaptations.

 

 

HI: The teacher will review geography lessons about Ancient Greece, making sure to include the term “city-state.” Then she will ask the students what they “know” about Ancient Greece and what they would “like to know” about Ancient Greece making sure to prompt students to include architecture, government, and sports. She will record the answers on the board.

 

HI/MU/T/LI: Students will watch short video about Ancient Greece with the song, “Party at the Parthenon.” The students will sing along and do the movements Hercules does. The teacher will play the video again, this time asking the students to call out any names of people or places they hear as the video plays. The teacher will add the words the students call out to the “want to know” list. https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/ancient-greece/

 

DA: For the students who have trouble processing auditory information, a printout of the song’s lyrics will be provided for them to read along with while the song is playing.

 

 

FINE ARTS

· Visual Art – Wearable animal adaptation

· Music – “Party at the Parthenon”

 

HEALTH

· The teacher will discuss with students the proper clothing humans need to keep themselves warm because we cannot adapt to the environment as well as some other animals.

 

MOVEMENT / PE

· Movement – Students will move along to the Ancient Greece video and mimic the movements of Hercules in the video.

· Movement – Students will stand up at their desks to describe their animal adaptations using arm and body movements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 17
Character Trait: Commitment
VA SOL Writing 3.8, 3.9; Reading 3.4 f, g

Cursive handwriting; write with purpose; expand vocabulary

VA SOL MATH 3.2

Fractions, mixed numbers

VA SOL SCIENCE 3.4

Animal adaptations

Camouflage

 

VA SOL HISTORY 3.1

Ancient Greece

Architecture

Fine Arts, Health, and

PE / Movement Connections

E/W: The content vocabulary and nonfiction writing unit continues. The teacher will remind the students that nonfiction writing is meant to inform readers about a topic. She will tell the students that when they are writing nonfiction, they must be careful not to put in opinions or personal comments. Students should commit to writing only the facts when writing nonfiction.

 

E/W/GA/H: While in their history groups, students will write two paragraphs describing the Ancient Greek architecture features of the modern day building they were assigned. Details about the building’s location, designer, purpose, date of construction, and obvious safety features should be included in the nonfiction writing. Everyone should have a chance to contribute writing to the paragraphs using their best cursive writing.

 

DA: Students who struggle with writing may dictate their contributions to the group’s paragraphs to another student in the group who may act as scribe.

M: Converting improper fractions to mixed numbers continues.

 

M/PE/GA/CT/PS/CM/CC: All third-grade classes will get together to complete this activity. On a hard, flat surface outside, the teachers will draw or mark the symbols used for converting improper fractions to mixed numbers (i.e., fraction bar, equals sign, space for a whole number with another fraction bar). The marks should be large enough to use real world basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, or other PE balls to create fraction models. The students will be divided into groups with students from other classes. Students will use the materials to create improper fraction models. Then students will use sidewalk chalk to write the mixed number that equals the improper fraction they created. Each group will work together to solve the problem itself and to solve the other problems created by using real world manipulatives (e.g., how to keep the balls from rolling away, how to make the sidewalk chalk numbers big enough to fit the model).

S: The teacher will briefly review with the class the various ways animals adapt to their environment and why they adapt. She will then discuss in more detail what camouflage is and why animals use it.

S/T: Students will watch a video on animal camouflage to see if they can locate the animals when they are camouflaged in their natural environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsTW6xwjLyY

S/A: Students will create a representation of an animal using camouflage. They may draw, paint, sculpt, or use paper strips to create a realistic representation of a camouflaged animal.

DA: Because the video requires students to look closely to find the camouflaged animal, students with visual impairments may watch the video on an iPad so they can see each picture more closely. The video should be synced to the class video so if the teacher pauses it for the class, the video will pause for the students using the iPads.

HI: The teacher will tell the students that Ancient Greece has contributed many things to society that we still see and use today. The first one to discuss is architecture. The teacher will present many real-world pictures and artists renderings of the architecture in Ancient Greece and the buildings in our society that were influenced by the Greeks. She will discuss the specific features of Greek architecture as each picture is shown.

 

HI/T/GA/CM: Students will divide into groups. Each group will be given the name of a modern-day building that was influenced by Greek architecture. They will use iPads to look up, read about, and study pictures of this building. Working together they will create a chalk drawing on black construction paper of the building. They will also write two paragraphs about the building as described in today’s English lesson.

FINE ARTS

· Visual art – Greek architecture chalk drawing

· Visual art – Animal camouflage creation.

 

HEALTH

· The teacher will include a discussion of the various safety features inherent to Greek architecture both in Ancient Greece and in today’s designs.

 

 

MOVEMENT / PE

· Movement – Creating large scale models of improper fractions and mixed numbers.

 

 

Day 18
Character Trait: Commitment
VA SOL Writing 3.8, 3.9; Reading 3.4 f, g

Cursive handwriting; write with purpose; expand vocabulary

VA SOL MATH 3.2

Fractions, mixed numbers

VA SOL SCIENCE 3.4

Animal adaptations:

Physical and behavioral

 

VA SOL HISTORY 3.1

Ancient Greece

Democracy

 

Fine Arts, Health, and

PE / Movement Connections

E/HI/GA/CC/D: Students will continue to expand their understanding of content vocabulary and explore nonfiction writing by drafting a play with a group of students from the various third grade classes. Students will write the script for a play that showcases a display of direct and indirect democracy as studied in today’s History lesson.

 

E/CE: Creating a play is a large undertaking that requires commitment on the part of everyone involved to make it successful. Students will watch a portion of Admiral William McRaven’s speech at the 2014 University of Texas commencement. The teacher will make sure to discuss with students how important it is to work through challenges and obstacles to overcome adversity and to be successful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7QL6hjeNDA (Begin video at the 8:18 minute mark and end at the 9:43 minute mark.)

 

DA: Students in the group may act as scribe for students who struggle with writing.

 

M/A: To cement the terminology: mixed numbers and improper fraction, students will be given construction paper with block numbers showing mixed numbers and improper fractions. Students will color and decorate the numbers with squiggly lines, polka dots or in any way they chose and will then cut out the numbers. On a display board in the classroom, the teacher will have the words “Improper Fractions” and “Mixed Numbers.” Students will place their numbers under the proper headings.

 

M: Next, the teacher will review the models that were created by the students in previous days. She will demonstrate how to write equations from these models and explain how the numbers represent the same equation that the models represented.

 

M/GA/CT/PS: The teacher will use the smart board to present models of improper fractions. In pairs, students will work together to write down the equation the model represents.

S/T: The teacher will review the lessons learned so far about camouflage. She will discuss with the class the other ways animals avoid predators in the environment. She will introduce behavioral adaptation to the study of physical adaptations. Students will watch a video discussing these adaptations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2JdRPKYyTc

 

S/T/HW: For homework, students will research and print two images each of animals displaying either behavioral or physical adaptations. They will write sentences under each picture describing what physical adaptation the animal in the picture is using or what behavioral adaptation the animal is exhibiting making sure to clearly label whether the adaptation is behavioral or physical.

 

EVAL: The teacher will collect papers to assess understanding of animal adaptations.

 

DA: If students do not have access to computers or printers at home, they may be given time in the computer lap to complete this activity.

HI/T: Continuing the Ancient Greece unit, the teacher will discuss representative and direct democracy. She will tell the students how Greek democracy functioned in comparison to how American’s current form of democracy functions. Students will watch a video on Ancient Greece’s democratic system.

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-did-democracy-really-mean-in-athens-melissa-schwartzberg

 

HI/D/CC/A/GA: Together with the other third grade classes, students will work together to create performances of Ancient Greek democracy (direct) and American democracy (representative). Students will divide into groups of at least 10 students. They will work together to create a play that acts out a Greek democratic system and an American democratic system. Each play should be narrated and may include dress up, designed props using materials from the classroom. It should be unique, but it must clearly explain and perform a representation of a direct democracy and a representative democracy. (Multiple day project)

FINE ARTS

· Dramatic art – Democracy play

· Visual art – Democracy play props

· Visual art – Improper fractions and mixed numbers display.

 

HEALTH

· The teacher will discuss with the children how predators can be dangerous to humans and ways students can be aware and avoid the dangers they present to them.

 

MOVEMENT / PE

· Acting in the play provides a chance for all students to be active and to move around.

 

SAMPLE PLANNING CHARTS 4

 

References

Black, I. (2013). Animal adaptations. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw7z8Fo5ijk

Flocabulary. (2018). Ancient Greece. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/ancient-greece/

Motivational Archive. (2018 Mar. 9). Watch this everyday-motivational speech by navy seal admiral

William H. McRaven. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7QL6hjeNDA

Rayor, L. (2012). Avoiding predators: How to avoid being eaten. [Video file]. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2JdRPKYyTc

Schwartzberg, M. (n.d). What did democracy mean in Athens? [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-did-democracy-really-mean-in-athens-melissa-schwartzberg

Scientist Cindy. (2016). Coolest camouflage – animal adaptations. [Video file]. Retrieved

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsTW6xwjLyY

Virginia Department of Education. (2008). History and social science standards of learning

 

for Virginia public schools: Grade 3 introduction to history and social science.

 

Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/esting/sol/standards_docs/

 

history_socialscience/next_version/stdshistory3.pdf

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2010). English standards of learning curriculum

 

framework. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/frameworks/

 

english_framewks/2010/framework_english_k-5.pdf

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2010). Grade three science standard of learning for Virginia public schools-

 

2010. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/2010/k-

 

6/stds_science3.pdf

 

 

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2013). Music standards of learning for Virginia public schools.

 

Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/fine_arts

 

/2013/music/std_finearts_music.pdf

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2013). Visual arts standards of learning for Virginia public schools.

 

Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/fine_arts/2013

 

/visual_arts/std_finearts_visualarts.pdf

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2015). Physical education standards for Virginia public schools. Retrieved

 

from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/physical_education/index.shtml

 

Virginia Department of Education. (2016). Mathematics standards of learning for Virginia

 

public schools: Grade 3. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/

 

standardsdocs/mathematics/2016/stds/stds-grade3.pdf