Essay #1 --Fall 2019

For this essay we will be investigating issues related to our book, Urban Farming, and to the movies, Crude Awakening and Before the Flood. One of the intriguing arguments that gets built into both the book and the movies is that this contemporary life that many of us take for granted, is actually the result of specific events in history, especially including the discovery and rise of Oil. And of course this same Oil, which has made modern life possible, is also seriously threatening life on this planet. 

For this paper you will be examining this claim and taking a stand about whether or not you think this is true.  The following questions are intended to offer some guidance to you as you build your paper. It is OK to argue more than one side of a question if that is how you feel. 

1.     HOW did Oil make modern life possible?

2.     What are 3 negative consequences of burning so much Oil on this planet?

3.     Why do we allow these consequences to happen?

4.     What is your own relationship to energy use?

6.    What are 3 possible solutions to this problem? (You should include at least one idea from Urban Farming in this question.) 

In order to support your points, you need to use the ideas found in the book, the movies, your research, and in any other handouts, books, etc. that we have access to.

You should try to include more than one quote per paragraph whenever possible, two is good! Quote length in a paper of this length should be no more than 1-2 lines. EVERY body para needs at least one quote. 

The essay’s page minimum is 6 full pages…(BNDJTM…) Be sure you do Rule of 3 for each question that you pick. That will help you reach the page minimum.

Be careful that you don’t simply retell the history of the how humans have used energy over the years. Use these moments in history to SUPPORT the analytic points you want to make. Paragraph topic sentences should start with concepts. Paragraph topic sentences should also feature KEYWORDS, which are taken from the essay assignments tasks.

Here is a Link to discussion of how to do Rule of 3
https://seanchabot.blogspot.com/2014/01/rule-of-3.html

Here is a Link to discussion of how to do Typical Academic Paragraph.
https://seanchabot.blogspot.com/2014/01/features-of-typical-academic-body.html

Here is a Link to discussion of how to do a 3 paragraph Introduction.
https://seanchabot.blogspot.com/2018/06/3-paragraph-intro.html

Below are due dates for each class... make sure you have the right class ....

The paper is due Sept 30 for the M/W English 1 classes ...First draft is due Sept 25. 
The paper is due Oct 1 for the Tues nite 1A  class ...First draft is due Sept 24. 
The paper is due Oct 2  for the Wed nite Eng 7  class ...First draft is due Sept 25. 

Of course we will also be doing pre-drafts along the way as well. 

Best of Luck!!