Editorial!

By Dr. Data

October 4, 2005

Every Friday, the 7^th grade computer classes will be doing a CSAP reading comprehension and exploratory writing paper as part of a class assignment for November 3, 2000. The purpose is to help your student become more proficient in their reading comprehension and exploratory writing skills. The weekly assignment will consist of:

1. This assignment will be for you to write a paragraph addressing at least 6 opinions on an editorial subject listed below. Below are some sample topics:

• Soccer versus football

• Alternative music versus rap music

• Kids should wear uniforms to school

• Wendy's versus Arby's

• Pepsi versus Coke

• Computers versus paper

• Burger King versus McDonald's

• Gopads versus bicycles

• Skateboards versus roller blades

2. You must write 8 to 10 sentences summarizing your opinions in a one paragraph format. The paragraph is to be:

   • Double spaced.

   • Indent the first sentence by five spaces. Please only indent once in each paragraph.

   • Use the word processor's spelling checker.

   • Identify the paragraph's topic sentence by writing it first
   • Identify the paragraph's concluding sentence by copying it and pasting to another section of assignment clearly defining it as the concluding sentence.

   • Title needs to be short (probably 5 words or less), capitalized and not underlined.

3. Students need put name, date, computer class period, Language Arts period and team.

4. Students will print out the assignment and submit to Dr. Data!
5. Assignments will be read by the 7^th grade language arts teachers at Carmody for grammar, sentence syntax, spelling, topic sentence and concluding sentence.
6. This eight to ten sentence paragraph is worth 100 points. Please note: you earn these points only after the paragraph has been graded by the Language Arts department and any necessary corrections/suggestions are made to the original draft so that it passes CSAP standards which is approximately 80% proficiency or higher. Staple together the original copy with the edited version and submit to Dr. Data again and earn your 100 or 200 points!

1. Make the purpose for your editorial as to which side of issue that you support. This is your topic sentence for the paragraph.

2. Be positive about your supporting points. Don't necessary put down the other side of the issue.

3. Be sure to have at least 6 supporting points to your topic sentence.

4. Put down your strongest reasons for your opinion first. This makes your point of viewer stronger.

5. Don't forget to summary your opinion at the end of the paragraph as a concluding sentence.

Hope this weekly computer class CSAP activity is successful in helping our students become more proficient in their language arts skills.

Thank you.