Activities

1. Given an essay with a conclusion, identify and label the purpose of each sentence within the conclusion.
   
   
2. Given multiple conclusions and essays without conclusions, match the conclusions to the correct essays.

3. Given multiple claims, use a thesaurus to reword claims into new sentences, while retaining the original meaning.
   
   
4. Given a body paragraph from an analysis, summarize the analysis in one or two sentences. 

5. Given an opinion piece without a conclusion, provide a concluding section from the analysis presented.
   
   
6. Given a response to literature without a conclusion, provide a concluding section from the analysis presented. 

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Given an essay with a conclusion, student identifies and labels the purpose of each sentence within the conclusion.  Student carefully reads essay.  Student correctly labels each sentence within the conclusion.  Student understands the conclusion should contain:

• The claim or main idea of the essay restated in slightly different words.  It should retain the original meaning.
• Restatement of each main idea or examples from the body paragraphs.
• Something for the reader to think about.  This may be a restatement of what was learned in a new way, or giving the reader a reason to care about the topic. 

2. Given multiple conclusions and essays without conclusions, student matches the conclusions to the correct essays.  Student carefully reads essays.  Student carefully reads conclusions.  Student correctly matches the conclusions with the correct essays.   When deciding if a conclusion matches an essay, student looks to see if:

• Within the conclusion, the claim or main idea of the essay is restated in slightly different words and matches the essay claim.
• Within the conclusion, the main ideas or examples from the body paragraphs are restated in slightly different words.
• Within the conclusion the authors gives the reader something to think about from the essay.  This may be a restatement of what was learned in a new way, or giving the reader a reason to care about the topic. 

3. Given multiple claims, student uses a thesaurus to reword claims into new sentences, while retaining the original meaning.  Using a thesaurus, student correctly rewrites claims, while retaining the original meaning.  Student uses one or more or a combination of the following strategies to reword the main idea.

• Student highlights key words in the claim and replaces those words with synonyms, ensuring that the new words used do not change the intended meaning. 
• Student changes the voice of the claim.  If the claim is written in active voice, he/she rewrites it in passive voice or vice versa.  For example, Animal research is wrong. (active voice-the subject is performing the action).  Research should not be performed using animals. (passive voice-the subject of the sentence is receiving the action).
• Student rearranges words in the claim, while maintaining the original meaning. 
• Student rearranges words in the claim and replaces some key words with synonyms to change the main idea wording, while retaining the original meaning. 

4. Given the body paragraphs from an analysis, student summarizes the analysis found in the body paragraphs in one or two sentences.   Student correctly summarizes the analysis in the body paragraph in one or two sentences.  Student:

• Student closely reads all body paragraphs to determine the topic sentences.
• Student identifies and combines the body paragraph topic sentences using a conjunction, to form a compound sentence.
• Student rewords the body paragraph topic sentences using synonyms, while retaining the same meaning.
• Student rewrites the two body paragraph topic sentences in an active or passive voice so that the sentences retain the same meaning.
• Student rearranges words in the topic sentences, while maintaining the original meaning.

5. Given an opinion piece without a conclusion, student provides a concluding section from the analysis presented.  Student correctly writes a concluding section.  Student restates the claim and body paragraph examples in new words, while giving the reader something to think about.  Student does not add new information to the conclusion.   Conclusion makes sense and sums up the text.  Student uses one or more or a combination of the following strategies to rewrite the claim:

• Student identifies the claim from the introduction. 
• Student highlights key words in the claim and replaces those words with synonyms, ensuring that the new words used do not change the intended meaning. 
• Student changes the voice of the claim.  If the claim is written in active voice, he/she rewrites it in passive voice or vice versa.  For example, Animal research is wrong. (active voice-the subject is performing the action).  Research should not be performed using animals. (passive voice-the subject of the sentence is receiving the action).
• Student rearranges words in the claim, while maintaining the original meaning. 
• Student rearranges words in the claim and replaces some key words with synonyms to change the claim wording, while retaining the original meaning.

     Student correctly restates the body paragraph examples or supporting details in the conclusion using one or
     more or a combination of the following strategies to summarize the body paragraphs:

• Student closely reads all body paragraphs to determine the topic sentences.
• Student identifies and combines the body paragraph topic sentences using a conjunction, to form a compound sentence.
• Student rewords the body paragraph topic sentences using synonyms, while retaining the same meaning.
• Student rewrites the two body paragraph topic sentences in an active or passive voice so that the sentences retain the same meaning.
• Student rearranges words in the topic sentences, while maintaining the original meaning.

     Student gives the reader something to think about in the conclusion by asking a question, restating what was
     learned in a new way, or giving the reader a reason to care about the topic. 

6. Given a response to literature without a conclusion, student provides a concluding section from the analysis presented.  Student correctly writes a concluding section.  Student restates the main idea and body paragraph examples in new words, while giving the reader something to think about.  Conclusion makes sense and sums up the text.  Student uses one or more or a combination of the following strategies to rewrite the main idea of the analysis:

• Student identifies the main idea of the analysis from the introduction. 
• Student highlights key words in the main idea and replaces those words with synonyms, ensuring that the new words used do not change the intended meaning. 
• Student changes the voice of the main idea.  If the main idea is written in active voice, he/she rewrites it in passive voice or vice versa.  For example, People accomplish great things when they work together. (active voice-the subject is performing the action).  Great things are accomplished by people working together. (passive voice-the subject of the sentence is receiving the action).
• Student rearranges words in the main idea, while maintaining the original meaning. 
• Student rearranges words in the main idea and replaces some key words with synonyms to change the main idea wording, while retaining the original meaning.

     Student correctly restates the body paragraph examples or supporting details in the conclusion using one or
     more or a combination of the following strategies to summarize the body paragraphs:

• Student closely reads all body paragraphs to determine the topic sentences.
• Student identifies and combines the body paragraph topic sentences using a conjunction, to form a compound sentence.
• Student rewords the body paragraph topic sentences using synonyms, while retaining the same meaning.
• Student rewrites the two body paragraph topic sentences in an active or passive voice so that the sentences retain the same meaning.
• Student rearranges words in the topic sentences, while maintaining the original meaning.

     Student gives the reader something to think about in the conclusion by asking a question, restating what was
     learned in a new way, or giving the reader a reason to care about the topic.  Student does not add new
     information to the conclusion.