Evaluating Expository Essays

Evaluating Expository Essays

• Evaluating expository essays, particularly those centered on problem and solution, ensure clarity of meaning and purpose is key in English.

Learning Targets

• Competency involves evaluating informational text in different media: spoken, written, visual, and multimedia forms.
• Evaluation focuses on the clarity of meaning, purpose, form, and function of the text.
• Evaluate expository essays, specifically problem and solution essays, for clarity of meaning and purpose.
• Identify the central idea in an expository essay.
• Find facts, figures, dates, statistical reports, or research findings that buttress the main idea.
• Find informed opinions in expository essays.
• Determine claim of fact, value, and policy as used in problem-solution expository texts are learning objectives.

Integration Points

• Environmental awareness and preservation is important.
• Sustainable Development Goal 13 is about taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• Sustainable Development Goal 15 involves protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss

Climbers' Dilemma: A Problem-Solution Example

• Climbers are ascending a mountain when one loses footing.
• Tethering as a solution, as they avert a catastrophe by being connected.
• Decision to pack up and return home prevented additional issues.

What is the main point of a paragraph?

• Green plants utilize chlorophyll to produce their own food, requiring sunlight, water, minerals, and carbon dioxide.
• Molds, mushrooms, and yeasts obtain food from other sources like bread, fruit, soil, decaying wood and sugar in water

Main Idea Explained

• The main idea is the central concept which writing or speech conveys, communicating the most important information or message.
• The gist the essence of the passage is what the writer seeks to communicate.
• The gist is not the same as the topic; a topic might be "dogs," while the main idea is "dogs make great companions."
• Main ideas can be directly stated in a topic sentence but may also be implied, requiring readers to infer it.
• Understanding the main idea helps comprehension by focusing on essential information.

Warmth of Filipinos

• Filipinos are known to be very warm and friendly
• They often engage with others, from strangers to family.
• They share stories and engage in conversation.
• The word 'hugot' describes someone drawing out sentimental emotions.
• Filipinos are willing to share stories of their past, even personal ones.

Getting to the Main Idea: A Step-by-Step How-to

• Begin by thoroughly reading the text.
• Identify the topic of discussion.
• Discern the author's writing purpose.
• Pinpoint the central point or argument.
• Summarize the text to its core message.
• Know the difference between main ideas and supporting details.
• Take into account the structure of the text.
• Use context clues for better understanding.
• Ask guiding questions to find the central point.
• Practice identifying the main idea regularly.

Example: Dogs as Companions

• An example topic is that dogs are loyal, caring and enthusiastic
• Everyone should experience the joy of owning a dog

Example: Deforestation in the Philippines

• Deforestation threatens wildlife in the Philippines despite reforestation efforts.

Plastic Pollution and its Impact

• The central idea is that plastic pollution is a serious global problem affecting nature and humans.

Identifying Main Ideas and Details: Filipinos are Warm and Friendly People

• Filipinos generally are warm and friendly.
• It's common to find Filipinos conversing with strangers and sharing stories.
• Filipinos often willingly share their past and personal stories.
• Filipinos are known for ‘hugot’ or deep expressions of feelings.
• Filipinos are expressive and sentimental.

Plastic Pollution: A Global Crisis

• Plastic pollution is a global environmental crisis challenging the planet's sustainability
• The pollution impacts ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.
• Single-use plastics are accumulating in oceans, rivers, and landfills.

Deforestation in the Philippines

• Deforestation is a serious problem that affects the Philippines.
• Despite rich flora and fauna, some species are at risk because of deforestation.
• The government has implemented programs, but deforestation still persists.

Nature's beauty

• Nature provides is unparalleled, is beauty, serene and rejuvenating.
• Time in nature reduces stress, and improves mood.
• Stewards of the Earth have a responsibility to preserve and protect nature.

Biodiversity as the Foundation

• Protecting biodiversity is essential in maintaining life, stability, and sustainability on the planet.
• Biodiversity has living organisms and ecosystems.
• Different species play unique roles in maintaining the ecosystem.
• Biodiversity preserves clean resources.

Climate Change Crisis

• Climate change is a significant global issue caused by human activities.
• Addressing it requires international cooperation and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Explained

• Learn how to define what quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing are.
• Use those techniques to identify the main idea in a text.
• Main ideas can be identified through facts, statistical reports, and research findings or opinions.
• Supporting details are facts and opinions.
• Quoting involves directly citing or referencing text but extracting the key statements
• Paraphrasing means restating information, retaining the original meaning while providing clarity.
• Summarizing is condensing text to essential points.

Text Analysis: Air Pollution

• Air pollution is the cause of health issues.
• Seven million people die due to pollution.
• Cities introduce solutions like increasing public spaces.
• Parks and trees can significantly improve air quality.

Text A: The Rainforest

• The text describes, "The rainforest is a special place full of many different plants and animals."
• The rainforest is a remarkable environment teeming with various plants and animals.
• The rainforest is a unique habitat with diverse plants and animals

Text B: Nature

• Nature is a wondrous thing full of beauty and mystery.
• Nature never ceases to amaze and serves as a reminder of the harmonious balance of life.
• Nature’s beauty can be broken down into mountains, rivers, trees, and flowers.

Claims

• A claim requires evidence and intends to persuade.
• Reducing single use plastics decreases ocean pollution

Claims of Fact

• A claim of fact asserts the truth or falsehood of something based on evidence. -"The Earth revolves around the sun"
• "Climate change is caused by human activity"

Claims of Value

• Expressing preference and judgement that relies on belief, norms and principles eg "Honesty is the most important value in a relationship"

Claims of Policy

• Proposes action to address an idea, eg “The government should provide free healthcare."
• "Schools should implement stricter rules on bullying“
• "We should use renewable energy sources to combat climate change."