Posters on a wall on Tompkins Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, try to make the point that some comments to women aren’t welcome. Contest winners were published on the Times site. Narrate a photo: find a picture that intrigues you from the Times, perhaps from the Lens blog, the ongoing feature One in 8 Million or the Multimedia/Photo archive. Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions? Idea: The Learning Network’s Student Opinion questions serve as prompts for student writing that becomes preparation for a Or, send a postcard to and/or from the subject of a Times photo, add speech and thought bubbles, You might compile a book of these essays written by everyone in your class. Institution and Grade Level: CUNY Language Immersion Program, City University of New York, York College, Jamaica, Queens, New York; first-time Does Classroom Technology Enhance What and How Students Learn? as they plan and executive a piece of writing. They believe they have an audience other than me. need to provide a first name or their initials, as The Learning Network doesn’t allow students to post their last names. 112.Do Your Parents Support Your Learning? Continue reading the main story. <>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> And 36 Hours details some of the best things to do in various locales. I use editing codes (PDF) to indicate the type of errors. Have they changed over time? Look into the future. The Dining & Wine section and the blogs Bitten and Diner's Journal are good places to get inspired to write about a memorable meal, a disastrous dish or just a favorite food. Daily questions inspired by Times content from across sections. Should Racial Epithets Be Removed From ‘Huck Finn’? What issues would you like to discuss that we haven’t mentioned in this challenge already? In this lesson, students will explore the open-ended prompts for the 2013-14 Common Application essays through writing and discussion. related to an aspect of grammar that students have recently studied. Use Metropolitan Diary or Complaint Box as your guide, and write about it! in a window that is roughly half the size of the screen, while keeping the part of the post that shows the excerpt and questions visible on the screen in another window. Does Punctuation in Text Messages Matter? After students have made their corrections to their Word documents, they return to the Student Opinion question, copy and paste their writing in the box at the bottom of the post and click “Submit.” They <> Continue reading the main story. And who knows? What Words or Phrases Are Overused and Should Go Away? Updated, March 2, 2017 | We have two related question lists, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing” and “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” In anticipation of our third annual Student Editorial Contest (to be announced on Feb. 25), we’ve done the math, and below you’ll find the 100 most-commented-upon questions we’ve ever asked that call for persuasive writing. then read back to each other what you wrote. recently had his students write about dream cars and homework. ), write about a photo that captures American culture. Today’s Paper. Is It Unethical for Zoos to Kill Healthy Animals Under Their Care? Language : Personal narrative uses vivid details and images to make the story come alive for the reader . This is a perfect opportunity to practice writing and critical thinking skills in preparation for the test, though in an environment that feels comfortable and familiar: our computer lab classroom. program for English Language Learners (E.L.L.s). Is School Teaching You the Skills You’ll Need to Succeed in Life? When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies? Is It O.K. in the corridor, they love to see others reading their writing. Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School? x��]Ys�8�~w��U#� O�K�f�mm�=���y�KeIۺ�Tr�~���E&��$P�y��-U� ����|���.��]�����n7�/6g�/�^��v���|���n��t8��v��7/^/OV��OO���>}"���/ In what kind of environment do you thrive? Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students’ ID Cards? Highly sensitive people, like orchids, flourish in the right environment, experts say. Have you been knocking your head against the proverbial wall trying to teach - or learn - expository writing skills? Then, write your own entry, imagining that it could be your ticket to a life-changing experience. In order to facilitate editing, early on I will demonstrate how to compose a Word document wҵuUv�_[-�#�8�G��;��O�}t}��/������|�K��|t=,�����\�[��h�.�����Y�?/Dm︄��:����{���웲���ԵUSVf=�.k5s턜bDN�5��l��64�O��8�G��K����Ч�qsvi�0,��0�Gװ�akV����]��n�� |q���0K�k������ʲo&�7�0;�[w&/�. As a bonus, here are several more popular questions that we published since last year’s editorial contest that didn’t make the list: Not enough? Read the 2009 award-winner's essay and the other finalists' entries. What's the Matter With College? Should High Schools Drop Football Because Too Many Players Are Getting Injured? (And by the way, the banner image above was taken from the illustration, by Jeffrey Fisher, for the article that inspired this idea. Submit your story about how you’ve taught with The Times. It also give students Read how Steve Weisblatt’s E.L.L.’s The Times asked for college students to weigh in on this question after running What Students Are Saying About Democracy, Caring For Plants and “Flights to Nowhere” Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation. Does Separating Boys and Girls Help Students Perform Better in School? Everyone needs to provide an email address, too. to Refuse to Serve Same-Sex Couples Based on Religious Beliefs? What issues would you like to discuss that we haven’t mentioned in this challenge already? The Times has occasionally published installments under the headings "My Manhattan" (like this one on Broadway or this one on Central Park) and "My Brooklyn" (including this one on the Brooklyn AAA baseball team). They seldom correct all their errors before they post online, although a few Today’s Paper | Advertisement. Write as fast as you can, as much as you can, in one time period. How concerned do you think we should we be about the integrity of the 2020 election? Then try writing about what the photo reminds you of or makes you feel or think about. The New York Times Learning Network Student Personal Narrative Essay Contest Rubric Excellent (4) Proficient (3 Developing (2) Beginning (1 Story : Personal narrative tells a short but memorable story about a life experience and communicates why itwas meaningful to the writer . Is a Healthier School Lunch Program a Lost Cause? How should we reimagine our schools so that all students receive a quality education? Has the pandemic brought you closer together with friends? guest blog post or feature article. 2. I then go through the posts to create a work sheet such as this one (PDF) that shows sentence-level errors from their What would you write about to try to win this trip? 3 0 obj That's what three students have done in the past, traveling to Africa to Student Question | Is Social Media Making Us More Narcissistic. 3. 1. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the Street? A new Student Opinion question appears every school day. Has the pandemic brought you closer together with friends? Join the conversation. It surprises me how often I see people who aren’t part of the language immersion stream The Pentagon has since opened all combat jobs to women in the military. You might get started by each writing down five topic ideas, one each on a piece of paper, and throwing them into a paper bag. We’ve also previously published a list of 301 prompts for argumentative writing, organized by topic. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and Mascots? students to join in. When there are incidents of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia or just plain bullying in a school community, what should a school do? We have Each question is linked to a related Times article, which you can access free, and includes additional subquestions to help you flesh out your ideas. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? Student Opinion questions that especially resonate with your students’ experience are a great place to start. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies? Or moved you farther apart? Should parents let their children play football? We encourage you to send us your thoughts about these suggestions by visiting our feedback page. 117.Have Your Parents and Teachers Given You Room to Create? endobj You may become famous and merit your own Times Topics page, like Bill Clinton or Oprah Winfrey. <>>> Compete against a friend. 10. Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive? Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education? Your Neighborhood … Now, five years later, we’ve collected 500 of them that invite narrative and personal writing and pulled them all together in one place (available here as a PDF).. Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning? Should Students Be Barred From Taking Cellphones to School? The New York Times to learn how to find and highlight the beauty in a community. When I evaluate their writing, I use the same rubric (PDF) that will be used when students take Take a fresh approach with these 10 tips! 8. vii Introduction ix 1 Persuasive Writing Prompts 1 Rubrics—Scoring Explanations 19 Model Persuasive Essays 20 2 Expository Writing Prompts 51 Rubrics—Scoring Explanations 60 Model Expository Essays 61 3 Narrative Writing Prompts 89 Rubrics—Scoring Explanations 102 Model Narrative Essays 103 4 Literary Response Prompts 131 … Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits? School — from questions about homework to cheating, bad report cards, bullying and gym class. If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It? Or, if you want to go further, develop an idea for an Op-Ed, Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors? Is Home-Schooling Better Than a Traditional Education? Every school day since 2009 we’ve asked students a question based on an article in The New York Times. Write your own obituary or wedding announcement, Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys? Updated, March 2, 2017 | We have two related question lists, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing” and “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.”. 6. Capt. Updated, March 2, 2017 | We published an updated version of this list, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing,” as well as a companion piece, “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” We also now have a PDF of these 200 prompts.. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get five new Student Opinion questions delivered to you every week. Some students are more willing to talk about and take ownership of their errors than others, though everyone benefits from our Why We Chose It: We’re thrilled that our daily Student Opinion questions attract such a variety of kinds of students to engage with current events and ideas, but we hope that English Language Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports? When Is the Use of Military Force Justified? or "What's the Matter With Summer Jobs?"). Are you just a little too in love with your own Instagram feed? Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class? Below, a lesson plan from a language immersion program that has prepared over 2,000 students — speaking 45 different languages — for success in college. Highly sensitive people, like orchids, flourish in the right environment, experts say. Should You Feel Guilty About Killing Spiders, Ants or Other Bugs? The New York Times. What Current Musicians Will Stand the Test of Time? college students who are also English Language Learners. Student Opinion. March 1, 2017 ; Sign up for our free Feb. 26 webinar on teaching argument writing. When hard copies are posted on a bulletin board Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? Finally, they craft essays. In what ways has progress been made? 113.Do You Talk About Report Cards With Your Parents? In the computer lab, I use The Learning Network feature called Student Opinion, I ask students to read the excerpt from the article or editorial that appears within the post and then respond to the questions. which presents a very recent New York Times article or Op-Ed piece, along with several guiding questions, to help them think critically about what they have read and about their own experiences related to the topic What Should Be Done to Stop Cyberbullying? �6�(�?�~��*��7O��rT,�Y|���'����z��*+�����;DS4�v?m7O�|����铺m˪���W�}Wj��X�]֢h�.���ˑ�f Students can take the full class to complete their writing, working on other assignments if they have extra time. 9. Should Farm Animals Have More Legal Protections? 4 0 obj So skim the list and pick issues that interest you. 27. %���� based on what you envision for yourself. Then, they will identify and examine Times pieces that might serve as “mentor texts” for their own application essays. I usually assign that day’s post or one that might be one or two days old. You may also want to read the guidelines. do reporting with the Times columnist, by writing a winning essay. work. come very close. Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage? What story does this image inspire for you? Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class? Take turns pulling a topic out and challenging yourselves to write about it for five minutes, What does justice look like? Use the suggestions below to spark personal writing. The New York Times. Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools? Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place? Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football? Her vision was once seen as radical. What do you think shaped them? Should They Be Required to Register for the Draft? After class, I compile everyone’s writing into a single document, which I then print and post on a hallway bulletin board that’s designated for language immersion program use so students can read one another’s Emily Naslund on patrol in Marja, Afghanistan, in 2010. A fast and easy way to start writing is to freewrite or craft a response to an article, editorial, column or blog post. 2 0 obj 26. 2012, 2011 and 55 and another 40 from 2010. Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes? Go to related article » Credit Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times. What Mr. Weisblatt Did, and Why, in His Own Words. Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers? A word cloud created from all the Student Opinion questions we asked during the 2013-14 school year. Does Life Exist — or Has It Ever Existed — Somewhere Besides Earth? Get the latest lesson plans, contests and resources for teaching with The Times. Should Parents Limit How Much Time Children Spend on Tech Devices? When did you first become aware of having political opinions? Should College Football Players Get Paid? If you're preparing to write a traditional personal essay or creative nonfiction, you might try modeling your piece on a past installment of the Lives or Modern Love columns. Sign up for our free newsletter. Continue reading the main story. Get the latest lesson plans, contests and resources for teaching with The Times. What problems worry you most? I teach at the City University of New York (CUNY) in a non-credit program for English Language Learners (E.L.L.s) who have been admitted to the university, but still have to pass reading and writing skill tests in order to begin matriculating. This lesson plan shows how to tailor the feature to the challenges and rewards of expressing opinions in a non-native language, and Ditch the five-paragraph essay and embrace "authentic" essay structure. In class a few days later, we look at the posted writing together. How Should Parents Address Internet Pornography? Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks? The Learning Network. Learners worldwide know that we are especially impressed by their contributions. Read the winning How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings? an article on the subject. Should Companies Collect Information About Us? Do Machines … Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers? Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too? Teacher: Steve Weisblatt Institution and Grade Level: CUNY Language Immersion Program, City University of New York, York College, Jamaica, Queens, New York; first-time college students who are also English Language Learners. Those who want to stay anonymous can even submit their writing under an assumed name. writing. Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men? We encourage you to send us your thoughts about these suggestions by visiting our feedback page. the 100 most-commented-upon questions we’ve ever asked that call for persuasive writing. 90 minutes in the computer lab. Student Opinion questions, starting with the most recent post, The complete collection of our Student Opinion questions from 2014, 2013, In anticipation of our third annual Student Editorial Contest (to be announced on Feb. 25), we’ve done the math, and below you’ll find Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport? Stuck for an idea? Should All Police Officers Wear Body Cameras? Student Opinion. a fine opportunity to hone their proofreading and editing skills. 1. “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.”. 7. When there are incidents of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia or just plain bullying in a school community, what should a school do? What work remains to be done? Should Colleges Find a Better Way to Admit Students? 24. Places to look for provocative ideas include the following: You might word your response as a Letter to the Editor. If you were in a leadership position, what would you do differently? What does justice look like? What should be done to address them. Should There Be More Educational Video Games in School? An essay addressing those questions was chosen by two of our Student Council members this week. My colleague 114.Do You Want Your Parents to Stop Asking You ‘How Was School?’ 115.How Much Do Your Parents Help With Your Homework? How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities? Had an amusing or frustrating experience lately? Should the United States Stop Using the Death Penalty? How well do you think our leaders have responded to the coronavirus crisis? Whether they were pets you owned or creatures you encountered in the wild, what have animals taught you? Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested? Whose Fault Is It if a Child Is Failing in School? program standing in front of the bulletin board reading the opinions. Sometimes we focus on two or three types of errors or errors But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the broad topic that seems to engage students the most? And, we have 130 new argumentative writing prompts … 1 0 obj How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays? Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older. To what extent is the legacy of slavery and racism still present in America in 2020? Our 100 Most Popular Student Questions for Debate and Argumentative Writing. their writing assessment test, the results of which determine whether the student can begin taking college classes for credit. Modeled on one of these features, write about your favorite local place or about the qualities of your town or neighborhood. Sign up for our free newsletter. Jake Michaels for The New York Times. See what comes With The New York Times. 28. Vestal, New York vi 501 Writing Prompts. endobj test of their English proficiency at the end of the one-year, non-credit program. What work still needs to be done to end discrimination based on sex? In what kind of environment do you thrive? What problems worry you most? With The New York Times. What would the overview on your page say? Does Technology in the Classroom Ever Get in the Way of Learning? Others are classic debate issues like government regulation and gun violence. They’ll very proudly point which one is theirs on the board. Should Texting While Driving Be Illegal in Every State? What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security? They enjoy expressing their points of view. My students’ writing is identified with the 4D tag. The Learning Network ... will release automated software that uses artificial intelligence to grade student essays and short written answers. Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School? endobj or write about a photo that captures American culture. <> How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card? 4. 23. The Learning Network. Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation. entries, and write your own essay answering the same question (or adapting it as necessary: "What's the Matter With High School?" Many of them are, of course, on topics teenagers care about — technology, video games, sports and gender issues. By Michael Gonchar. 25. %PDF-1.5 discussion of patterns of errors that the class is still learning to correct. Do Students Learn Best When They Direct Their Own Education? Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value? Do Photoshopped Images Promote Unrealistic Expectations of Beauty and Body Image? Is It O.K. Challenge yourself to write the pithiest, punchiest "diary" entry or complaint possible. Win a Trip with Nicholas Kristof. Supported by . The Learning Network | Student Question | Is ... See all Student Opinion » Do you spend too much time trying to be attractive and interesting to others? Similarly, the Real Estate section's weekly Living In column describes the features and character of various metropolitan-area neighborhoods. Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment? Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life? 5. How concerned do you think we should we be about the integrity of the 2020 election? Or moved you farther apart? For mine, the post about the value of standardized testing yielded especially good results, as they are very familiar with test-related pressure because they must pass three tests to be admitted to CUNY. Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores? Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work? Supported by. Students in the City University of New York Language Immersion Program use Learning Network posts as writing prompts. The students like writing Student Opinions because it seems real to them. To make it easy to find their submissions, I ask my students to include the code “4D” as part of their names, such as Johnny4D. up! 116.How Has Your Family Helped or Hindered Your Transition to a New School? What should be done to address them? What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start? One way to write a personal essay is to ground it in a place. Daily questions inspired by Times content from across sections. “I Forgot My Phone” | Does technology make us more alone? Updated, March 2, 2017 | We have two related question lists, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing” and “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” In anticipation of our third annual Student Editorial Contest (to be announced on Feb. 25), we’ve done the math, and below you’ll find the 100 most-commented-upon questions we’ve ever asked that call for persuasive writing. we hope it encourages more E.L.L. student opinion. Does Technology Get in the Way of Learning? Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your Clothing? Their work has “3B” as part of their names. Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School? Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction? By using Student Opinion questions as writing prompts, my students learned to respond to questions in thoughtful and often reflective ways. This week we’ll be publishing three more great Reader Ideas, and hoping you’ll write in with your own. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters? express themselves in writing, then post a comment to tell us how you get your students writing.