Lesson 4 >>

Lesson 3: Planning an Essay

Aim: How can we plan the organization of our essay?

Materials: Notebooks, computers with Internet access and word-processing programs.

Instructional Objectives: Students will be able to plan the organization of their Task II essays on Ben and Jerry's Homemade, Inc.; students will be able to review their plans with other students and engage in feedback.

Do Now: Students are asked to list three ways to prepare to write an essay.

Answers 

Discuss with another person
Write an outline
Make notations on the reading material
Mapping
Free writing
Gather notes and related homework assignments

http://benjerry.com/flavors/

and pick one ice cream they would like to try.

After the class is surveyed for favorites, the teacher asks the students if they think the names and descriptions of the ice creams were carefully planned and why? A discussion should follow about the care and planning that marketing executives put into the names and descriptions of their products to maximize sales.

The relationship between planning and success is made at the end of the discussion.


Homework Review: The reasons for the financial growth of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc. are elicited from the students as the homework is reviewed. The homework is not collected, as it is used in the day's lesson. 


Development: 

1. The students form groups of three and read "The Situation," "Your Task," and "Guidelines" to acquaint themselves with the parameters of the writing assignment.
   
   (The following writing assignment is based on a typical New York State English Language Arts Task II question. That task requires students to read factual information and review a graphic representation of some kind such as a graph, time line, map, etc.)
   
   The Situation: Your business teacher has asked you to write a report about a successful food company which attracts weight-conscious persons to its product line.
   
   Your Task: Write a 250-word report about Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. for your business class. Demonstrate that the company is successful and has developed products for weight-conscious people. Remember you must use quantitative caloric information from the nutritional website: http://benjerry.com/scoop-shops/menu/scoop-shop-nutritional.pdf
   
   Guidelines:
   
   • Tell your teacher about the successful history of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc. and its low fat products
   • Include specific, relevant and accurate information from the articles and charts to develop your report
   • Use a tone and level of language appropriate for a report to your business teacher
   • Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
   • Be sure to indicate any words taken directly from the text by using quotation marks or referring to the author
   • Follow the conventions of standard written English

2. The following tasks are divided among the three students. One student reviews the time lines; the next studies the nutritional charts; the third reviews the homework of the members of the group. The teacher explains that when they are finished they are going to brainstorm ideas for the report.
   
   To brainstorm is to share ideas that may be useful to complete a task or solve a problem. There is no criticism. Every idea is listened to and noted. 
   
   
3. The students brainstorm ideas for inclusion in the report on Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Report. One student is the official reporter, but the other two students should take notes too. 
   
   
4. Students write an outline of their report (individually). 
   
   
5. Students print out any pages from the website they think they may need to do the homework.
   
   
6. Students prepare an outline for their report.