Writing an Essay on My School for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 10
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Previous Lesson: Identifying Facts, Opinions and Author’s Techniques
Topic: Writing
Subject Matter: Write an essay on the topic “my school”; Identify the topic of the essay; Write outline of the essay

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the topic of an essay.
• Explain the purpose of an essay outline.
• State the main parts of an essay.

Psychomotor Domain

• Write an outline for an essay on “My School”.
• Draft an essay on the topic “My School” using an outline.

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
• Students’ notebooks
• A sample essay outline on “My School”
• A sample descriptive essay

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students develop essential writing skills, particularly in descriptive essay writing. Learning to identify essay topics and create outlines improves their ability to organise thoughts logically and present coherent arguments. These skills are fundamental for academic success and effective communication in various contexts.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic knowledge of sentence construction, paragraph writing, and simple descriptive writing.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Writing an Essay on My School

What is an Essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing that expresses the writer’s opinion or describes a particular subject. It usually consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Identifying the Topic of an Essay

The topic of an essay is the main subject or idea that the essay will discuss. For this lesson, the topic is “My School”. Identifying the topic helps you focus your thoughts and gather relevant information.

Writing an Outline for an Essay

An outline is a plan or a guide that organises your ideas before you start writing an essay. It helps ensure your essay is well-structured and covers all important points.

A typical essay outline includes:

1. Introduction:
   1. Hook (a sentence to grab attention)
   2. Brief description of your school
   3. Thesis statement (main idea of the essay)
2. Body Paragraphs: (Each paragraph discusses a specific aspect of the school)
   1. Paragraph 1: Location and Environment
      1. Where the school is located
      2. Physical appearance (buildings, grounds)
   2. Paragraph 2: Facilities and Resources
      1. Classrooms, library, laboratory
      2. Sports field, sick bay, staff room
   3. Paragraph 3: Teachers and Staff
      1. Qualities of teachers (dedicated, friendly)
      2. Support staff (cleaners, security)
   4. Paragraph 4: Students and Activities
      1. Student population
      2. Clubs, sports, cultural events
3. Conclusion:
   1. Summarise main points
   2. Reiterate the importance or impact of the school
   3. Final thought or wish for the school

How to Write the Essay from the Outline

Once your outline is ready, expand each point into full sentences and paragraphs. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of your school. Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs to make your essay flow well.

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 what they remember about writing compositions or descriptive pieces. The teacher then introduces the lesson topic: “Writing an Essay on My School”.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to questions about composition writing and listen attentively to the introduction of the new topic.

Learning Point: Essay writing introduction

Step 2: Identifying the Essay Topic

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Guidance

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that the first step in writing any essay is to clearly identify the topic. For this lesson, the topic is “My School”. The teacher asks students what aspects of their school they would like to write about.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify “My School” as the topic and brainstorm ideas related to their school.

Learning Point: Essay topic identification

Step 3: Understanding Essay Outline

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what an essay outline is and why it is important. The teacher then writes a simple outline structure (Introduction, Body, Conclusion) on the board and explains what each part contains.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and ask questions for clarification about essay outlines and their structure.

Learning Point: Outline structure understanding

Step 4: Guiding Students to Write an Outline

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides the students to create an outline specifically for the essay “My School”. The teacher prompts them to think about different aspects like location, facilities, teachers, students, and activities, and helps them organise these points under the Introduction, Body, and Conclusion headings.

Pupils’ Activity: Students actively participate in brainstorming and constructing an outline for the “My School” essay under the teacher’s guidance.

Learning Point: My School essay outline

Step 5: Drafting the Essay from the Outline

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Instruction/Facilitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher instructs students on how to expand their outline points into full sentences and paragraphs. The teacher reminds them to use descriptive words and ensure their essay flows logically from one point to the next.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the instructions and begin to think about how to turn their outline into a complete essay.

Learning Point: Essay writing principles

Step 6: Initial Essay Writing Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Individual Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher allows students to start writing the introduction or the first body paragraph of their essay based on the outline they have created. The teacher moves around to provide individual support.

Pupils’ Activity: Students begin to write their essays in their notebooks, applying the outline and writing principles.

Learning Point: Essay drafting practice

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 is the topic of the essay we are writing today?
2. What is the purpose of an essay outline?
3. Mention two main parts of an essay outline.
4. What are some things you would include in the body of an essay about your school?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Essay writing assessment

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 identifying essay topics and writing outlines into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Outline and essay notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds students that planning with an outline makes essay writing easier and more organised, encouraging them to always plan their writing.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and acknowledge the importance of planning in essay writing.

Learning Point: Essay planning importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the essay on “My School” using the outline you created in class. Ensure your essay has a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a strong conclusion.

1. Write a descriptive essay on “My School” in your English notebook.
2. Your essay should be between 150-200 words.
3. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
4. Use vivid adjectives and adverbs to describe your school.

Lesson Keywords

• Essay – A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
• Outline – A plan for an essay, showing the main points in order.
• Topic – The main subject of an essay.
• Introduction – The beginning part of an essay that introduces the topic.
• Body Paragraphs – The main part of an essay where ideas are developed.
• Conclusion – The end part of an essay that summarises and provides a final thought.

Differentiation

For students who struggle with writing, provide a partially completed outline with sentence starters for each section. Encourage them to focus on simple, clear sentences. For advanced students, challenge them to use more complex sentence structures, a wider range of vocabulary, and figurative language to make their descriptions more vivid.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search YouTube for “How to write an essay for JSS 2” or “Essay writing outline for primary school”.