Essay Writing on Career Choices for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 9
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Previous Lesson: Vocabulary Registers in Agriculture and Medicine
Topic: Writing
Subject Matter: Write on any of the following topics: Why I chose to become a doctor; Why I chose to become a teacher

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the type of essay required for the given topics.
• Create a suitable outline for an essay on career choices.
• Write a well-structured essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of planning before writing an essay.
• Develop interest in expressing their career aspirations through writing.

Psychomotor Domain

• Construct clear and grammatically correct sentences within an essay.
• Organize ideas logically into paragraphs to form a coherent essay.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Whiteboard or blackboard
• Markers or chalk
• Student notebooks
• Sample essay outlines
• Chart showing essay structure

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important as it equips students with essential essay writing skills, which are fundamental for academic success and effective communication. By focusing on career choices, it also encourages students to reflect on their future aspirations, helping them develop critical thinking and self-expression relevant to their personal development.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic knowledge of sentence construction, paragraph writing, and the general idea of what an essay is.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Essay Writing on Career Choices

Understanding Essay Writing

An essay is a piece of writing that gives the writer’s own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays are traditionally divided into formal and informal categories.

Parts of an Essay

Every good essay has three main parts:

1. Introduction: This is the first paragraph. It introduces the topic and states the main idea (thesis statement) of the essay. It should capture the reader’s attention.
2. Body Paragraphs: These are the paragraphs between the introduction and the conclusion. Each body paragraph discusses a specific point that supports the main idea of the essay. They should contain a topic sentence, supporting details, and examples.
3. Conclusion: This is the last paragraph. It summarizes the main points of the essay and restates the thesis statement in different words. It should leave the reader with a final thought.

Planning an Essay: Making an Outline

An outline helps organize your thoughts before you start writing. It ensures your essay is logical and well-structured.

Steps to create an outline:

1. Choose a topic: Select one of the given topics, e.g., “Why I chose to become a doctor” or “Why I chose to become a teacher.”
2. Brainstorm ideas: Write down all thoughts, reasons, and examples related to your chosen topic.
3. Formulate a thesis statement: This is the main idea you want to convey in your essay.
4. Structure your points: Organize your brainstormed ideas into the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Example Outline for “Why I chose to become a doctor”:

1. Introduction:
   1. Hook: Importance of doctors in society.
   2. Thesis Statement: My passion for helping people and interest in science led me to choose medicine.
2. Body Paragraph 1: Early inspiration and interest in science.
   1. Personal experience (e.g., family member’s illness).
   2. Love for Biology and Chemistry in school.
   3. Desire to understand the human body.
3. Body Paragraph 2: Desire to help and impact lives.
   1. Making a difference in people’s health.
   2. Relief of suffering.
   3. Contribution to community well-being.
4. Body Paragraph 3: Challenges and rewards of the profession.
   1. Long hours and demanding study.
   2. Satisfaction of saving lives.
   3. Continuous learning and growth.
5. Conclusion:
   1. Summary of main reasons.
   2. Restate thesis.
   3. Final thought: Commitment to the medical profession.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to mention different types of writing they have learned (e.g., letter writing, story writing). The teacher then introduces essay writing as a formal type of writing and states the lesson topic: “Essay Writing on Career Choices.”

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively to the introduction of the topic.

Learning Point: Introduction to essay writing

Step 2: Understanding Essay Structure

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the three main parts of an essay (introduction, body, conclusion) using a chart. The teacher emphasizes that each part has a specific role in making the essay clear and coherent.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, observe the chart, and ask questions for clarification.

Learning Point: Essay parts and roles

Step 3: Identifying Essay Type and Topic Selection

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Guidance

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify that the given topics (“Why I chose to become a doctor” or “Why I chose to become a teacher”) require a descriptive or expository essay where they explain their reasons. The teacher then asks students to choose one topic they would like to write about.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify the essay type and choose their preferred topic from the options provided.

Learning Point: Essay type identification

Step 4: Making an Outline (Guided Practice)

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to make an outline for their chosen topic. The teacher demonstrates by creating a simple outline for one of the topics on the board, showing how to brainstorm ideas and organize them into the introduction, body paragraphs (with supporting points), and conclusion. Students are encouraged to develop their own outlines based on the example.

Pupils’ Activity: Students actively participate in the brainstorming session and begin to create an outline for their chosen essay topic in their notebooks.

Learning Point: Essay outline creation

Step 5: Drafting the Essay (Introduction and Body)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Monitoring

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher instructs students to start writing their essays, focusing on developing their introduction and the first one or two body paragraphs based on their outlines. The teacher moves around the classroom, providing individual assistance and feedback.

Pupils’ Activity: Students begin writing their essays, translating their outlines into sentences and paragraphs.

Learning Point: Essay drafting practice

Step 6: Developing the Conclusion and Review

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Encouragement/Review

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds students to ensure their essays have a clear conclusion that summarizes their points. The teacher encourages students to review their work for clarity and coherence as they write.

Pupils’ Activity: Students continue writing, focusing on completing their essays with a conclusion and reviewing their work.

Learning Point: Concluding and reviewing essays

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What are the three main parts of an essay?
2. Why is it important to create an outline before writing an essay?
3. Mention one reason why you might choose to become a doctor.
4. Mention one reason why you might choose to become a teacher.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Essay writing understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on essay structure and outlining into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording essay notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds students that essay writing requires careful planning and clear expression. The teacher encourages them to practice writing on different topics to improve their skills.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and reflect on the importance of essay writing.

Learning Point: Essay writing importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the essay you started in class on your chosen career. Ensure it has a clear introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a strong conclusion. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

1. Write an essay on “Why I chose to become a doctor.”
2. OR Write an essay on “Why I chose to become a teacher.”

Lesson Keywords

• Essay – A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
• Outline – A plan for a piece of writing, showing the main points.
• Introduction – The beginning part of an essay that states the main idea.
• Body Paragraph – A paragraph that develops a specific point supporting the main idea.
• Conclusion – The final part of an essay that summarizes the main points.
• Career Choices – Decisions about one’s future profession or occupation.

Differentiation

For struggling learners, the teacher can provide a more detailed essay outline template with sentence starters for each section. Advanced learners can be challenged to include more complex vocabulary, varied sentence structures, or research additional details about their chosen career to enrich their essays.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding of essay writing, search on YouTube for: JSS2 essay writing career choices