The document contains notes from a 7th grade language arts class. It discusses selecting topics that are neither too general nor too limited, identifies example topics at the appropriate level of specificity, and lists potential controversial topics students could write about. Assignments included a reading response, thesis statements, and developing 25 questions on their topic.

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7th Grade Language Arts
Assignments:
-25 Questions (M)
Agenda:
-Reading Response (M)
1. Independent Reading
-Thesis Statements (W)
2. Choosing a topic
3. Narrowing your topic
4. 25 questions
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Selecting a topic
Too General: Ants
Still too General: Fire Ants
Still too General: The evolution of fire ants
Just Right: The invasion of fire ants in the U.S.
Too Limited: What to do if you are stung by a fire ant
Too Limited: What a fire ant looks like
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Identify the topics that are neither too general nor too limited
1.
a. The population of the U.S.
b. Information from the latest U.S. census
c. Some problems in collecting accurate information in the latest U.S. census
d. The number of people of Vietnamese origin living in San Francisco,
according to the latest census
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Identify the topics that are neither too general nor too limited
2.
a. Symbolism in Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening" and Mending Wall"
b. Robert Frost's poetry
c. Symbolism contemporary American poetry
d. The origin of the word wall
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Identify the topics that are neither too general nor too limited
3.
a. History of and current requirements for physical education classes
in local schools
b. Overweight Americans
c. Too much TV
d. Health benefits of sports and other forms of exercise
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Identify the topics that are neither too general nor too limited
4.
a. U.S. presidential elections
b. Pros and cons of paid political advertisements
c. How the U.S. presidential candidates are chosen
d. Problems with various types of voting machines
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Legalizing of Marijuana
• legal for medicinal purposes
• better for you than cigarettes
School lunch program
• Should schools serve frenchfries and fried potato
products?
• fast food options like
McDonalds or Taco Bell?
• open lunch programs
February 15, 2014
Smoking in public
• allowed at parks an other outdoor public venues
• certain distance from public entrances
Genetically modified food
• restaurants allowed to sell genetically
modified chickens under the name
"chicken"
• Food labels
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Euthanasia
• people with a terminal illness
have the right to doctor assisted
suicide
Abortion
• continue to be legal?
• legal in the case of rape and incest?
Others:
• Should school athletes/professional athletes have
to take drug tests?
• Should scientists be allowed to test products
intended for human use on animals?
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