Students in Ms. Swink’s eighth grade English classes are writing their literary analysis essays.
Eighth grade teachers block their English/language arts time so that students have the entire class to work on the essay; this ensures that students have uninterrupted time to think and write.
After reading the assigned texts, they are given the prompt. Teachers talk them through how to create a thesis and preview statement from the key words given in the prompt. The whole class listens and offers feedback as their peers read their thesis and preview statements aloud. Then students collect evidence, hand write paragraph outlines, type, revise, proofread and finally, turn in their essays.
Throughout the process, teachers offer lessons to help students grow in their writing abilities and target the areas that are assessed on the rubric.