1. Dissecting the Writing Prompt “It all starts here.”

2. Dissect the Writing Prompts According to the Following T  Topic A  Audience P  Purpose E  Essay Format

3. Writing Situation Since 2000, there has been much emphasis placed on student- testing due to the No Child Left Behind Act. Each year, students are tested to determine if they can advance to the next grade level. Recently, the superintendent has been questioning if the Georgia High School Graduation Test should determine if students graduate. He has decided to listen to parents and students to receive their opinion on this controversial issue. Writing Directions Think about your position on the GHSGT. Write a letter to your superintendent either supporting or opposing the use of the GHSGT to determine if seniors graduate. Be sure to include convincing reasons and examples to support your position.

4. Writing Situation Since the war in the Middle East began in 2002, many people have expressed mixed feelings about its continuation. Recently, President Obama has confirmed that the war will not conclude this year because there is more work to be done. Writing Directions Think about the effects of the war. Write a letter to President Obama convincing him that the war should or should not continue. Be sure to support your opinion with convincing reasons and evidence.

5. Writing Situation Recently, President Obama has begun discussion of instituting year- round schooling. Students would still have the holidays off, but their summer vacations would decrease to 3 weeks. Throughout the year, students would follow the following pattern: attend school for 9 weeks and have 3 weeks off…attend school for 9 weeks and have 3 weeks off…and so on. The president feels that this initiative would improve the education of America’s students. Directions for Writing Think about President Obama’s desire for year- round school. Produce an article for a national newspaper explaining why year-round schooling would or would not be effective. Be sure to include specific details and examples to support your main reasons.

6. Writing Situation For the past five years, teaching organizations nationwide have been writing proposals to the United States Secretary of Education in an effort to increase teachers’ salaries. Their argument is that teachers work too hard to continue to make such dismal incomes. Directions for Writing Write an essay to be read to your superintendent convincing him that teachers do or do NOT need a raise. Be sure to provide convincing arguments to support your position.

7. Writing Situation: The mayor of your city is considering a 7:00PM curfew for children under the age of 18. Some people think that this curfew is too strict. Other people think that the curfew should apply to everyone under the age of 14. Many young people think the curfew is not necessary at all. Directions for Writing Think about the effects of the curfew. Write a letter to your mayor to convince him or her that this curfew is not necessary. Include specific details to support this position.

8. Writing Situation The amount of graffiti has greatly increased at your school. The members of the school board must find ways to stop the graffiti because it is costing them hundreds of dollars to continue to remove it or paint over it. Writing Directions Write a composition to your school board in which you fully explain the solution the school board could use to resolve this problem. Be sure to use clear, specific steps they could take to prevent the problems with graffiti.

9. Writing Situation Parents are having to cut back in order to provide for their children. They are being more and more creative with saving money. Many parents argue that the school could help by providing all students with free lunch, but some argue that this would cost districts too much money. Writing Directions Write a letter to your superintendent convincing him that each school should or should not provide students with free lunch. Be sure to use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

10. Writing Situation Principals nationwide are preventing teachers from organizing fieldtrips for their students. They feel that this time off campus takes away from valuable learning time, especially when students have numerous tests that they have to pass. Writing Directions Think about the benefits of fieldtrips. Write a letter to your principal explaining to him/her the benefits of participating in fieldtrips. Be sure to use specific reasons and examples to support your main points.

11. Writing Situation Every year, it seems that video games contain more and more "adult" content. The games grow more violent and contain more vulgar language. The governor believes that these games are causing numerous problems for the young people of the state; he says they contribute to poor grades, juvenile crime, and a general lack of respect for adults. He proposes a law that would prohibit stores from selling games rated M (for "Mature," meaning the game may not be suitable for people under the age of 17) or AO (for "Adults Only") to anyone under the age of 17. Writing Directions Think about the governor's goals. Do you think the law he proposes is the best way to achieve those goals? Write a letter to the governor expressing your opinion on the law he proposes. Provide convincing reasons and specific examples to support your position.

12. Writing Situation Some students at your school believe they shouldn’t have to do any homework after doing class work all day at school. The teachers argue that doing homework is an important learning activity. What do you think? Directions for Writing Write a letter to convince your principal to agree with your position on homework. Include specific reasons and examples to support your position.