Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________

FCAT Writes Review: Station 1

Thesis Statement Practice: You will practice writing a thesis statement for each of the prompts listed
below. Remember that your thesis statement needs to include your controlling idea (explanatory
essays)/claim (argumentative essays) and 2-3 reasons. DO NOT include examples or details in your
thesis statement.

Prompt 1: Most of use like something found in nature. Think about something from nature that you
like. Now, write to explain why you like something from nature.

Thesis Statement:




Prompt 2: Everyone has an activity that they enjoy. Think about an activity you enjoy. Now, write to
explain why you enjoy the activity.

Thesis Statement:




Prompt 3: We have all heard that it is important to be a good reader. Think about why you think it is
important to be a good reader. Write to explain why you think it is important to be a good reader.

Thesis Statement:




Prompt 4: Everyone has a special way they like to learn. Think about the special way you like to learn.
Now, write to explain why you like to learn this way.

Thesis Statement:




Prompt 5: School violence has increased significantly over the past several years. Think about the
reasons why school violence is on the rise. Write to explain why school violence has increased over the
past few years.

Thesis Statement:



Prompt 6: The principal of your school does not think that having candy and soda machines in school is
a good idea. Think about the reasons why having a candy and soda machine in your school is a good
idea. Now, write to connive your principal whether having a candy and soda machine in school is a
good idea for the school.

Thesis Statement:





Prompt 7: Some students begin thinking about dropping out of school after eighth grade. You have a
friend who is thinking about dripping out of school after eighth grade. Before you write, think about
why your friend should stay in school. Now, write to convince your friend to stay in school.

Thesis Statement:




Prompt 8: A local television station is planning to adopt a school. Students from the school will be
featured on commercials, news broadcasts, and other shows. Befog you begin writing, think bout the
reasons why your school should be chosen. Now, write to persuade the manager of the local television
station whether they should adopt your school.

Thesis Statement:





Prompt 9: The Florida Legislature is discussing the possibility of adding an hour to the school day to
improve students learning. Before you begin writing, think about the effects of adding an hour to the
school day. Now, write to convince the adult reader of your paper on whether to add an hour to the
school day.

Thesis Statement:





Prompt 10: Think about all the inventions that have been created throughout history. Before you begin
writing, think about the invention that you feel has been the most important invention in history. Now,
write to convince the reader of our paper why this has been the most important invention in history.

Thesis Statement:




Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________

FCAT Writes Review: Station 2

Introduction Practice: Below you will find the prompt and thesis statement for 2 essays. You need to
write the introduction for each of the essays.

Writing Situation: The principal of your school is thinking about whether to allow or not allow
students to chew gum in school.
Directions for Writing: Think about the effect of having students chew gum in school.
Prompt: Now write to persuade your principal either to allow or not allow students to chew gum.


















Writing Situation: Eating healthy foods is important.
Directions for Writing: Think about why it is important to eat healthy foods.
Prompt: Explain why you should eat healthy foods.

















Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________
FCAT Writes Review: Station 3

Planning Practice: Plan for the prompt below.

Writing Situation: Homework is part of school and sometimes students have homework on the
weekend as well as during the week.
Directions for Writing: Before you begin writing, think about the effects of having homework on the
weekend. Now, write to convince teachers whether students should have homework on the weekend.










































Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________
FCAT Writes Review: Station 4

Planning Practice: Plan for the prompt below.

Writing Situation: Everyone has jobs or chores. These may be things people do because they are
asked to do them or because doing he job or chore makes them feel good about themselves.
Directions for Writing: Think about one of your jobs or chores. Now, explain why you do your job or
chore.









































Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________

FCAT Writes Review: Station 5

Body Paragraph Fix and Re-Write: The body paragraph below would score a 3. Determine 5 things
that need to be fixed and improved upon in order to improve the score to a 6. Then, on the back of the
paper, re-write the body paragraph incorporating your suggestions.

Situation: Due to potential problems, many school systems have adopted a policy that bans cell phones
on school grounds. However, some parents have provided these items out of concern for safety.
Directions: Do you agree or disagree that cellphones should be banned on school grounds?
Prompt: Now write an essay in which you convince the reader of your opinion.

Students need cell phones in order to communicate with family. Having
a cell phone allows you to communicate your needs with your family. For
example, I was at school and realized I forgot my house key. I didnt want to
go home and have to break in so I called my mom and she brought an extra
key to the school on her lunch break. Also, I can communicate changes in
the schedule. I play soccer for the school and need to notify my family if a
game is canceled. With my cell phone it is easy to send a text to the hole
family saying, Game Canceled Today. Cell phones allow me to reach out to
my family.


In order to get to a 6, this author needs to:

Suggestion 1:



Suggestion 2:



Suggestion 3:




Suggestion 4:



Suggestion 5:

Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________
FCAT Writes Review: Station 6

Body Paragraph Identification and Write Second Body Paragraph: Read the body paragraph
below and identify all the parts. Then, on the back of this paper, continue this essay and write
body paragraph #2.

Identify parts of the body paragraph: Put a T next to the transition. Put an R next to the reason. Put
SP1 next to Supporting Point 1. Put SP2 next to Supporting Point 2. Put an S next to the summary
sentence.

Identify DRAPES and Sensory/Figurative Language: Put a next to any part of DRAPES (Hint: You
should be able to find at least 3) . Put a ! next to any sensory language (Hint: You should be able to find
at least 2). Put a * next to any figurative language (Hint: You should be able to find at least 2).

Writing Situation: Your school is thinking of developing a program where 8
th
grade students act as mentors for 6
th
grade
students. The mentors job is to help the student adjust to middle school. The principal has asked for you to write to current
6
th
grade students and give them advice for succeeding in middle school.
Directions: Think about what advice you would give to a middle school student. Now, write to explain what the 6
th
grader
needs to do in order to succeed in middle school.

First of all, in order to succeed in middle school it is crucial that you complete all homework
assignments. Homework assignments are a major part of your overall grade. In elementary school,
homework was only 10% of your final grade; but now that you are in middle school, homework is a
whopping 30% of your grade. That is quite a drastic increase; therefore, homework needs to be taken
seriously. In 6
th
grade, a friend of mine frequently failed to do his homework assignments. Every class,
the teacher would come around and ask, Brian, do you have your homework? Brian would casually
respond, Nah, I didnt feel like doing it. The teacher would take her crimson red pen out and scrawl
the words NO HOMEWORK over his agenda. Brian thought that this would not have a negative
consequence because he did all his classwork. However, when Brian received his progress report and
saw a 65%, he was filled with regret and fear for the punishment his parents would give him once he
got home. Neglecting your homework is like forgetting to feed a tigerit will eventually come around
to bite you. Furthermore, doing homework helps you retain the information you learned in class.
Studies show that students who do homework daily retain more knowledge than students who do not
do homework. I struggle in my math class. Everyday when I enter math, my stomach churns as I take
my seat and my sweaty palms reach into my backpack for a pencil. I look down at the worksheet and
can hear the math problems shouting at me, You are a failure! as they giggle together at my ineptitude.
But, since I have started doing the homework I now feel more confident. Now, Im no longer taunted by
math problems. Overall, you can see that doing homework will drastically improve your success in
middle school.

Name:________________________________________________________________Date:____________________Class:_______________
FCAT Writes Review: Station 7

Meeting with Mrs. Higdon: After meeting with Mrs. Higdon, write down your glows and grows and then
identify 5 things that you must remember to do when you get the test on Tuesday.

Glows Grows





















When I get the FCAT Writes test, I need to remember:



1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Homework: Write a letter to yourself about what you need to do in order to be successful on FCAT Writes. Read this
letter Tuesday morning before the test.