1) What is your artifact?
This artifact is my Three Gorges Dam Essay.
2) What is The Three Gorges Dam? Why is it controversial?
The Three Gorges Dam is a dam located in Southern China on the Yangtze river. It was made because the Yangtze was growing extremely wild and would many times
flood, taking lives. The dam now provides one-ninth of the nation’s energy and keeps the river from flooding. The dam did not come alone. Worldwide controversy rapidly spread after the building of the dam. There were many valid arguments, for or against the dam. The dam is controversial because there are so many pros and cons about the dam. Some people for the dam argue that it generates a lot of energy, prevents flooding and transportation is safe. Those against the dam may argue about the 1.13 million who were displaced, the money spent and the relocation programs that were inefficient to those who needed it.
3) What is an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay is an essay that argues a claim with 3 fact-based arguments that support your claim. Your goal in writing an argumentative essay is to argue against people who disagree with your claim.
4) What is your essay’s claim?
My essay’s claim was that the Three Gorges Dam should not have been built.
5) What process did you go through to complete your essay?
Well, first of all, we looked at videos and read articles about the Three Gorges Dam. Then, we chose what side we would take on the issue. (For or against the dam) Then, based on the information, you would choose your arguments and find evidence that would support that your argument. Then, you would piece together the puzzle by writing the essay. Finally, we would do our introduction and our conclusion and proof-read.
6) What was one specific area where you demonstrated success?
I was particularly proud in getting a 4 in “Central claim is well-supported by textual evidence. Use of relevant evidence is sustained throughout the entire analysis.
The core reasoning follows from evidence.” It was one of my original struggles that I was able to overcome.
7) What was one challenge of writing the argumentative essay?
I was challenged by making all of my paragraphs melt together, to become one. Originally, all of my paragraphs were stacked together like bricks, but once I found the cement to put between them, the essay fit together.
8) If you could rewrite this essay, what would you do differently?
I would try to make my conclusion more detailed. During revisions and edits, I could not think of a particularly “good” ending, but then, after we looked at the essay again, the ending just clicked in my mind.
9) Comparing your argumentative essay for the common writing assessment last quarter to this one, where are some areas where you see growth?
In fifth grade, to finish fourth quarter, we did our persuasive essays, and I implied everything I had basically learned from there into the first argumentative essay, not realizing that the two were different, but there are quite a few differences.
10) What core values does this relate to and why?
I think that the core values that this essay relates to would be:
- Critical Thinker because you had to think about the dam from two different perspectives before your could choose what side you would take.
- Curious because you needed to try and find information that had not been used in class so that your essay stood out.
- Communicator because you had to communicate your ideas into your essay in a way that made sense.
- Persevering because you had to find evidence that supported your claim, you had to proofread, edit when something was wrong. It was a long process.
- Risk Taker because you had to think of new evidence that supported your claim, that made sense, even if nobody else was using it.
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| Our debate in preparation for the essay. |
