STAAR Expository Essay Review

STAAR Expository Essay

Review

Writing the Expository Essay

Exp

ository =

Exp

lain

Expository

writing explains

what you think (and why you think that way)

in a clear and complete way.

You are not telling a story or trying to persuade your reader.

Your essay will be read by two test readers who will grade it with a number between 1 and 4.

Understanding the Prompt

Let’s look at an example prompt from a real STAAR-EOC test

:

STAAR-EOC

English 1 Expository Prompt

READ the information in the box below. Although many people work to benefit themselves, some people choose to put others first. Think carefully about this statement. Write an essay explaining whether people should be more concerned about others than about themselves. Be sure to— clearly state your thesis organize and develop your ideas effectively choose your words carefully edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and sentences

In 1955 medical researcher Jonas Salk introduced an effective polio vaccine. At the time polio was considered the biggest threat to public health, yet Salk refused to profit by patenting the vaccine because he was more concerned with preventing disease than with personal gain.

Understanding the Prompt

The prompt

is presented

with a “Read” part first, a “Think” part second, and a “Write” part third.

Read the “Write” portion of the prompt first.

Don’t forget to read the other parts, but it might help you understand more if you start with the “Write” part and focus on the assignment. Use a dictionary to help you understand any confusing or unknown words.

Scoring STAAR Essays

Example Essay A:

Thinking

about others before you is a nice thing to think of, but if you think of yourself first it makes you feel isolated. Caring about others before you isn’t a bad thing, but thinking about yourself isn’t bad either. To me I think of others before me. Some people have the good life, others don’t. I’ll rather put myself in danger than others being in danger as well. I’m only one person but risking myself could save more than one life. When your in a room where there seems to be a fire some people will think of themselves while others think of the rest. The doctor could risk himself of getting polio but he could save hundreds of

lifes

that currently have polio. To me people that think of themselves before others are selfish and maybe greedy, but others that think of others are kind people. (Handwritten version 25 lines.) What would you score this essay? Remember, you can give it a 1, 2, 3 or 4.

Scoring STAAR Essays

That one got a 2!!! Do you agree?

Scoring STAAR Essays

Example Essay B:

Humanity

has a funny way of contradicting itself sometimes. All children are taught to share and put others’ needs before our own. Somewhere down the line we realize that the very people who preach these things to us don’t follow their own rules. It is very important in society today to remember the bigger picture, which often includes doing things to help others with no benefit to yourself. People use each other for personal gain all the time. A glorified outlook on this way of life is all around us. In media people are more concerned with which Hollywood star is going out with which millionaire rather than the thousands of people dying of hunger in third world countries. As consumers we see this life and wish to be like that. Doing something for

monitary

gain is just like money itself: easily expendable and transient. But doing something to help others leads to emotional or moral gain. The memmories and feelings you get from helping others won’t ever go away. It’s worth something to you. Worth more than money ever could be. Handwritten version 22 lines. What would you score this essay? Remember, you can give it a 1, 2, 3 or 4.

Scoring STAAR Essays

That one got a

4!!!

Do you agree?

Expository Essay Writing

You are going to write your essay a lot like your CECs…you will have a claim (introduction), evidence (body), and commentary (conclusion).

INTRODUCTION:

In

a STAAR essay, your introduction may be only

one sentence. In most essays, an introduction would have more information, but STAAR limits your space and your time, so you need to get to your point quickly. BODY: With a CEC, you use a piece of literature to find your evidence. With an expository essay, you can use examples from real life. You can also make comparisons and contrasts—that means explain situations that are the same or are different.CONCLUSION: Conclusions end the essay by giving a sense of importance and completeness to the idea.

What About Spelling & Grammar?

While your overall message is most important, your word usage, spelling, and grammar can affect your score.

If

you make errors

that do

not take away from the overall message you are communicating, you can still receive a high rating. Use a dictionary!Write a rough draft…it’s only one page!Read your essay, set it aside to work on another part of the test, and then come back to it again to give it a final review.Organize your essay with a purpose…don’t just ramble.

Understanding the Prompt

Let’s look at

another

example prompt from a real STAAR-EOC test

:

STAAR-EOC English 1 Expository Prompt READ the information in the box below. Should people do things only to be recognized? Think carefully about this question. Write an essay explaining whether a person must always be acknowledged in order to have accomplished something. Be sure to— clearly state your thesis organize and develop your ideas effectively choose your words carefully edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and sentences

Jane Austen (1775-1817) and Franz Kafka (1883-1924) are considered great writers. Their books continue to sell, and they are widely read and studied in schools everywhere. Neither of them, however, received much recognition while they were alive.

Understanding the Prompt

Let’s look at

another

example prompt from a real STAAR-EOC test

:

STAAR-EOC English 1 Expository Prompt READ the information in the box below. Though humans now have many health and household products because of testing on animals, many animals suffered and died because of this testing. Think carefully about this statement. Write an essay explaining whether human benefit should overrule any damage or destruction to animals. Be sure to— clearly state your thesis organize and develop your ideas effectively choose your words carefully edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and sentences

For centuries scientists have used animals to test medical procedures and medicines that they hope might be used to help people fight disease. Now many companies also test their cosmetic and household cleaning products on animals to study the effects of the products.

More Review

I have put these review PowerPoints on my webpage.

You will also find a couple of the PowerPoints and notes we used when I introduced expository writing and CECs first semester.