First Semester Essay:   WV Studies Contrasting Governments

 

            It is time to write our first semester essay on government.  Your essay will be a descriptive essay contrasting the Federal Government (ch. 5) with the State Government (ch.6) .  It will consist of five paragraphs.  The first paragraph will be your introduction started by your thesis statement then an overview of how you will contrast the executive, legislative and judicial branches.  The following three paragraphs will contrast each of the three branches of the two governments one at a time.  The final paragraph will be your conclusion. In your conclusion you should highlight the similarities of the branches further contrasting with your previous paragraphs.  Information can be utilized from your notes on chapters five and six or you can use information from the internet, etc. 

 

You must complete the chart on the back of this paper worth 50 points.

Your essay will be worth 100 points.

Your essay cannot be written in first person.  ( no, “I am going to tell you about”  “I think”  “You can conclude” ,  stuff like that.

The following rubric will be used to grade your essay.

Rubric  First Sem. Essay.   Use of first person will automatically take off 30% from your total grade.

1st paragraph-  Introduction  5 sentences minimum, grammar correct, well stated thesis, accurate support sentences-  20 pts.  3 to 5 grammar mistakes, thesis somewhat problematic, some support sentences are not accurate  15 pts.  Inaccurate thesis,  more than 5 grammar mistakes,  support sentences do not support thesis  10 pts.    5 sentence minimum not met-  5 pts.

2nd paragraph-  First branches contrasted  5 sentences minimum, grammar correct, well stated topic sentence, accurate support sentences-  20 pts.  3 to 5 grammar mistakes, topic sentence somewhat problematic, some support sentences are not accurate  15 pts.  Inaccurate topic sentence,  more than 5 grammar mistakes,  support sentences do not support thesis  10 pts.    5 sentence minimum not met-  5 pts.

3rd  paragraph-  Second branches contrasted  5 sentences minimum, grammar correct, well stated topic sentence, accurate support sentences-  20 pts.  3 to 5 grammar mistakes, topic sentence somewhat problematic, some support sentences are not accurate  15 pts.  Inaccurate topic sentence,  more than 5 grammar mistakes,  support sentences do not support thesis  10 pts.    5 sentence minimum not met-  5 pts.

4th  paragraph-  Third branches contrasted  5 sentences minimum, grammar correct, well stated topic sentence, accurate support sentences-  20 pts.  3 to 5 grammar mistakes, topic sentence somewhat problematic, some support sentences are not accurate  15 pts.  Inaccurate topic sentence,  more than 5 grammar mistakes,  support sentences do not support thesis  10 pts.    5 sentence minimum not met-  5 pts.

5th paragraph-  Conclusion – Further contrasting by highlighting the similarities of the three branches  of state and federal government 5 sentences minimum, grammar correct, well stated topic sentence, accurate support sentences-  20 pts.  3 to 5 grammar mistakes, topic sentence somewhat problematic, some support sentences are not accurate  15 pts.  Inaccurate topic sentence,  more than 5 grammar mistakes,  support sentences do not support thesis  10 pts.    5 sentence minimum not met-  5 pts.

 

 

 

 

Complete the chart -  First Sem. Essay Contrasting governments  State and Federal governments.

Thesis statement ( write your thesis statement in the next cell                                                   >
2nd paragraph -  branch contrasted  -  list -  > and contrasts.    Topic sentence:	3 to 4 differences:
3rd  paragraph -  branch contrasted  -  list -  > and contrasts.   Topic sentence:	3 to 4 differences:
4th  paragraph -  branch contrasted  -  list -  > and contrasts.   Topic Sentence:	3 to 4 differences:
Conclusion  list the similarities that you will state in your conclusion.   Topic Sentence:	3 to 4 similarities