This page updated: 1/10/2021
Compare & Contrast
Organize: Writing Scaffold
Plan to complete this entire assignment over 2-3 sessions
The Goal:
Use your Venn diagram and the decisions you made during the first part of Prewriting to complete a writing scaffold. When you have a completed writing scaffold, you will be ready to create a rough draft in a mini-essay format.
Do you remember your essential question?
Do you remember your Purpose?
Do you remember your Audience?
Do you have a complete Venn Diagram based on the CQs from the last lesson?
Review your checklist from the last assignment to help you answer these questions. Also, be ready to discuss these questions in your 1-on-1.
We will learn more about crafting a good thesis statement & restatement below, so don't worry if you don't like what you have. You can change it.
The Mini Essay Format:
Review what each section of your mini essay requires. The writing scaffold for this piece will contain these sections.
Your Introductory Paragraph:
Opening hook: Your Choice Need Help? Check out these suggestions!
Background information: BRIEFLY explain what the two activities are.
Feel free to use this as a thesis statement, or create your own.
_______ and ______ are activities I enjoy, and over the years I've discovered some surprising/unusual/interesting comparisons and contrasts between them.
If you are doing the challenge, you need to make your own thesis statement by combining the EQ and challenge CQ and creating an answer:
How would you compare & contrast two different activities (hobbies) you enjoy? What "hidden" common themes do you uncover as you compare & contrast these two activities?
Your Body Paragraphs:
Using three categories you chose, compare & contrast each activity.
If you chose to do the challenge, use the common themes you found as the main ideas of your body paragraphs.
Your Conclusion Paragraph:
You will restate your thesis statement using different words.
Include a summary: Choose - Summarizing key/best points, a Personal Reflection, Prediction, or Call-to-Action Challenge the reader to examine activities or hobbies they participate in and look for interesting or unusual comparisons and contrasts.
Use a closing hook similar to your opening hook to bring the writing to a close.
Directions:
1. Make a copy of this Google document. It's your writing scaffold for a mini-essay.
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Call your copy, " [My name] writing scaffold for C & C Point-by-Point Mini Essay"
2. Review the instructions on your copy of the document. You will use the blank writing scaffold on the last page of your document for your assignment. The first video reviews the writing scaffold, so follow along on your copy.
3. Next, make a copy of the printable, and watch the second video below, on constructing better thesis statements, restatement of thesis, and topic sentences.
Remember, you can use the one your instructor gave you or create your own. You will have to create your own topic sentences for the body section.
4. Next, make/print a copy of the Example Compare/Contrast Venn & Scaffold.
Follow along as you watch the last video to see how to construct the body section of the Mini Essay Writing Scaffold. This video will show you how to go from your Venn to the CQs, then, to your scaffold, and thesis/restatement.
The video also addresses how to develop the Challenge EQ in the scaffold.
5. When you complete your writing scaffold, submit a sharable link below.