lesson plan using scaffolding for teaching academic essay writing in an English class at the university level.

 

Here’s a specific lesson plan using scaffolding for teaching academic essay writing in an English class at the university level.

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Lesson Plan: Writing an Academic Essay

Target Audience: University students
Duration: 90 minutes
Objective: Students will write a well-structured academic essay, including a clear thesis statement, topic sentences, supporting details, and a conclusion.

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Lesson Breakdown with Scaffolding Steps

1. Pre-Assessment (5-10 minutes)

• Objective: Assess prior knowledge and activate students’ understanding of essay writing.
• Activity: Group Discussion
  • Ask students:
    • "What are the main parts of an academic essay?"
    • "What makes a thesis statement effective?"
  • Record responses on the board to identify gaps in knowledge.

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2. Step 1: Introduce Essay Structure (10-15 minutes)

• Objective: Understand the key components of an essay.

• Activity: Lecture and Modeling

  • Use a visual organizer (e.g., a diagram of an essay structure) to explain:
    • Introduction: Hook, background, thesis statement.
    • Body Paragraphs: Topic sentence, evidence, analysis.
    • Conclusion: Restate thesis, summarize key points, final thought.
  • Modeling: Show an example essay and highlight each section.

• Support: Provide a handout with an annotated essay structure.

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3. Step 2: Writing a Thesis Statement (15 minutes)

• Objective: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement.

• Activity: Guided Practice

  • Provide examples of strong and weak thesis statements.
  • Modeling: Write a sample thesis on the board, explaining the thought process (e.g., "Education reforms are essential because they improve accessibility, quality, and inclusivity").
  • Guided Practice:
    • Ask students to choose an essay topic (e.g., climate change, social media impact).
    • Write their own thesis statements with teacher prompts:
      • "What is your argument?"
      • "What are your main supporting points?"

• Feedback: Review and refine thesis statements as a class.

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4. Step 3: Writing Topic Sentences and Outlining (15 minutes)

• Objective: Develop topic sentences that align with the thesis and organize essay ideas.

• Activity: Pair Work

  • Modeling: Write a sample topic sentence that connects to the thesis (e.g., "One way education reforms improve quality is by updating outdated curriculums").
  • Students create an outline:
    • Thesis statement.
    • 3-4 topic sentences for body paragraphs.
    • Supporting evidence (examples, statistics, quotes).

• Support:

  • Provide an outline template.
  • Circulate to offer individual assistance.

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5. Step 4: Drafting a Body Paragraph (20 minutes)

• Objective: Write a cohesive body paragraph.

• Activity: Individual Practice with Scaffolding

  • Modeling: Write a paragraph as a class, including:
    • Topic sentence.
    • Evidence (e.g., "According to a 2022 UNESCO report...").
    • Analysis linking evidence to the topic sentence.
  • Independent Practice: Students draft their first body paragraph based on their outlines.

• Support:

  • Provide a checklist:
    • Does the paragraph have a clear topic sentence?
    • Is the evidence relevant and well-explained?
    • Does it connect back to the thesis?

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6. Step 5: Conclusion and Peer Review (20 minutes)

• Objective: Write a conclusion and refine the essay through peer feedback.

• Activity 1: Writing a Conclusion

  • Modeling: Show an example of an effective conclusion (e.g., summarize main points, restate thesis, final insight).
  • Students write their own conclusions.

• Activity 2: Peer Review

  • Exchange drafts with a partner.
  • Use a rubric to evaluate:
    • Clarity of thesis and topic sentences.
    • Logical flow of ideas.
    • Use of evidence and analysis.
    • Grammar and style.

• Support: Provide a peer review worksheet with specific questions (e.g., “Does the thesis align with the conclusion?”).

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7. Step 6: Revision and Homework Assignment

• Objective: Revise the essay for submission.
• Homework:
  • Revise the essay based on peer and teacher feedback.
  • Submit the final draft in the next class.

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Assessment

• Formative Assessment:

  • Observe students during group work and provide real-time feedback.
  • Collect outlines to check progress.

• Summative Assessment:

  • Evaluate the final essay using a rubric focusing on:
    • Structure and organization.
    • Quality of thesis and arguments.
    • Use of evidence and analysis.
    • Grammar and style.

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This lesson plan emphasizes gradual release of responsibility with clear scaffolding at each stage.