English II/Honors English II

Miss Joschak
Fall 2016

Monthly Writing Assignment

For this assignment, you will be writing a one page essay for each month of the class. The essay is
due the first Monday of each month. Therefore, your due dates will be:
Monday 2/6
Monday 3/6
Monday 4/3
Monday 5/1
To complete this essay, you must select one of the prompt options for the corresponding month
and write a one page response/reaction to the prompt. While this is a less formal essay, you will
be graded on grammar and writing conventions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monthly Prompt Options
February
1.

2.

3.

On February 4, 1913, Rosa Parks was born. In 1955, Parks was arrested and fined for not giving up her
seat on the bus to a white passenger. Many people admired her for her confidence and bravery. If you
had been in her situation, would you have done the same thing? Why or why not? How does this
situation relate to current events?
On February 7, 1812, author Charles Dickens was born. During interviews later in his life, Dickens
mentioned that memories from his childhood helped him create his fictional stories. What are some
memories of your childhood that could someday be turned into great works of fiction?
On February 15, 1820, Susan B. Anthony was born. Anthony was known for her work with the Womens
Civil Rights Movement in the mid-1800s. Why do you think it was so important for the women of that
time to have the same rights as men? Are there still ways that women are unequal to men? How can we
change this?

March
1.

2.

3.

March 2nd is Read Across America Day in honor of Dr. Seuss birthday. The things we read have the
power to change us and the way we see the world. Have you ever read something that changed your
perspective? What was it and how did it change you?
March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank, who died in 1945. This brave young
woman is well known for the diary she kept, capturing her time hiding from the Nazi soldiers. Why was
it so important for her diary to be published? What story did it really tell and why did it need to be told?
March 15th is famously known as the Ides of March. According to Romans, this would have been the
first full moon of the new year. It became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar in
44 BC. It helped mark a turning point in Roman history in the transition from the Roman Republic to the
Roman Empire. Has there been a particular day in your life that led to an extreme change in your

future? Or, what other historical event could be compared to the Ides of March, changing the shape of a
country or nation?
April
1.

2.

3.

4.

On April 11, 1968, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. This act protected the rights of people,
including African Americans and women. Why do you think its important for all people to be treated
equally? What are steps we can take to ensure these rights?
On April 12, 1861, the US Civil War began. The war lasted four years and claimed 640,000 lives. How
might our country be different if the Union had not won? How do we still see the battle of the Civil War
being fought today?
On April 19, 1775, the Revolutionary War began. The thirteen colonies fought for and won their
independence from Great Britain. How might history be different is Britain had won the war? What
would America look like now? Would we eventually have fought for freedom anyway?
April 23rd is National Take a Chance Day. Its always good to experience new things, as they help us
change and grow. What is something you would like to chance on and why? How can you get started on
this goal?

May
1.

2.

3.

May 3rd is National Teachers Day. Think about all of the teachers youve had in school. Which ones
impacted you the most? What are the qualities of a great teacher? What advice would you give to
teachers?
May 14th is Mothers Day. Often times, our mothers are the most influential people in our lives. How has
your mother helped shape who you are? Why is she special to you? What do you need to thank her for
the most?
May 29th is Memorial Day. We use this day to honor and remember those who have died while serving
in our countrys armed forces. What does Memorial Day mean to you? Why should we honor those who
have died defending our country?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Requirements, Guidelines, and Formatting:

Must be typed in Google Docs (you can do this on your phone)
Must be turned in via assignment post on Google Classroom
Must respond to one of the prompt options for assigned month
Double-spaced
12 point, Times New Roman font
1 margins
1 page minimum, 2 page maximum
MLA formatting for header and page numbers, etc. - If you need assistance with MLA
formatting, come to me or go to https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/.
Late essays will receive 10% deduction from earned grade