* TEACHER EDITION * GP Essay Prompt Countdown:
25 Days ‘til Testing!!
T.E. NOTE 1: Any responses regarding the ‘content’ of an essay are merely a ‘guide;’
this is neither an exhaustive nor a prescriptive list of required/right answers to the question.
Feel free to use all, any, or none of the ideas below to guide discussion on each prompt.
Certainly your classes will generate newer, fresher ideas than this static standard! ;-)
T.E. NOTE 2: The “TIPS,” on the other hand, are more concrete. These suggestions
should help you provide your students with a clear understanding and approach to the
‘style’ of prompt that each day presents.
DAY 25…
WHOLE CLASS PRACTICE:
TEACHING TIP:
As a single-day lesson, use the following prompts below to introduce the following:
ü Style of prompt
ü Broad or limiting terms
ü Application of Hand Approach themes to view issue from multiple perspectives
ü If discursive/persuasive, identifying the opposing viewpoints to be addressed
q ‘Not too much nor too little.’ To what extent is this the basis for a
fulfilled life?
ü Discursive…’to what extent’
ü Broad…’too much/little’ of what? Life Fulfillment in what regard? (Professional life
happiness? Family life happiness? Social/cultural fulfillment? Financial fulfillment?
Spiritual?) Use the Hand to narrow!
ü Opposing viewpoints = going to the extreme ends of a lot or a little VS. finding
balance between the two extremes
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD * TEACHER EDITION * ü Talking Points:
Extremes bring fulfillment:
i. ‘Whatever it Takes’ mentality for success-seeking leads to fulfilled professional
life
ii. Over/under religious belief = fulfillment in regards to one’s spiritual beliefs or
lack thereof
iii. Pacifism leads to fulfilled life…as little conflict as possible
iv. The less of the environment we abuse, the more fulfilled we’ll be in terms of
sustaining life on earth
Balance brings fulfillment:
i. Over/under eating vs. balanced diet = fulfilled life in terms of health
ii. Control of stress leads to a fulfilled professional life
iii. Too much or too little religious belief can bring about violence/tragedy while
balance can bring about tolerance, which leads to a fulfilled life for all b/c of
acceptance
iv. Too much abuse of environment will lead to degradation
q ‘Population growth is the primary source of environmental damage.’ Is
this the whole truth?
ü Argumentative/Persuasive…’is this (or is it not) the truth’
ü Can be upgraded to discursive but is not required
ü Limits…environment as the target of damage
ü Opposing viewpoints = population growth is causing environmental degradation VS.
some other factor causing the damage
ü Talking Points:
Population as source of damage
i. More people = more resources
ii. Overcrowding = overuse and abuse
iii. More urbanization = less natural environment/destruction of habitats
Other sources of damage
iv. Modernization at root…Unsustainable use of natural resources to meet
modern needs; intensification of industry to meet needs
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD * TEACHER EDITION * v. Inadequate environmental education as source…pollution, however
intentional; carbon footprint; consumerism without knowledge of
environmental impact
q Consider the view that the key to good health is not medicine, but
lifestyle.
ü Argumentative
o The key to this prompt is effectively comparing and contrasting medicine VS
lifestyle, as opposed to isolating each and ignoring the other.
ü Broad…health (physical, mental, emotional)
ü Opposing Viewpoints = medicine is more powerful in maintaining good health than
mere lifestyle choices VS. good lifestyle decisions have more influence on good
health than medicine
ü Talking Points:
Medicine
i. Role of genetics…sometimes meds do more than lifestyle choices because
of genetic makeup we cannot control
1. Possible counter = gene mapping/manipulation
ii. Psychological/emotional disorders often need medicine’s intervention to
balance chemicals in brain
iii. Medicine’s ability to regulate
Lifestyle
iv. Personal responsibility (i.e. drinking/smoking, diet/exercise) as preventative
measure to avoid medicine altogether
v. Alternatives to medicine (i.e. holistic healing, yoga, acupuncture, etc.) do
have potential for alleviating ailments
vi. Responsibility of government to promote healthy lifestyle (i.e. Surgeon
General warnings; political campaigns like “Let’s Move”; etc.), again, as
preventative measure to avoid meds down the road
vii. Environmental factors and their role in health (i.e. smog, industrial pollution,
etc.); avoiding unhealthy environments or taking safety precautions in those
environments to avoid need for meds (i.e. work safety in factories to avoid
inhalation of dangerous chemicals; using a water purifier in a region where
water pollution is prevalent)
1. Possible counter = unavailability of such safety precautions on job
site or in living environment (i.e. developing countries, areas affected
by disaster)
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD * TEACHER EDITION * DAY 24…
INQUIRY RESEARCH PROJECT & PRESENTATION
TEACHER MODEL
TEACHING TIP: To introduce the Inquiry Research Project, use the PowerPoint model to
communicate expectations with students. (‘To what extent is media always misleading?’)
q To what extent is the media always misleading?
TEACHING TIP Con’t: Once you’ve shared project expectations with students, assign
each group (or let each group select) a prompt from the ‘Small Group Inquiry Project:
Presentation Prompts’ list below. From here on out, students will be exposed to a GP
prompt per day to serve as a timed, bell-ringer brainstorm activity. Following the bell-ringer
of the day, feel free to give students time to plan and organize their Inquiry Project, in
addition to any other exam review activities you have prepared for the final lap to the GP
finish line! Note that presentations will serve as part of our countdown (see countdown list
for further clarification).
SMALL GROUP INQUIRY PROJECT: PRESENTATION PROMPTS
ü Should women be more prominent in the public life of your country?
ü Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of globalization for your country and its
citizens.
ü To what extent can small businesses survive in the modern economic climate?
ü How important is numeracy in today’s society?
ü How feasible is human settlement on other planets?
ü Is it more important to preserve old buildings or encourage new forms of architecture?
ü To what extent can democracy survive when corruption is widespread?
ü ‘Cosmetic surgery is mere vanity.’ Discuss.
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD * TEACHER EDITION * TEACHING TIP: For a baseline of ideas for each of the bell-ringer prompts listed below,
visit the CIE website to view Examiner comments, which are featured in both the “Examiner
Report” and “Mark Scheme.” For your convenience, I’ve included the test administration
information after each prompt.
23 Days Remaining…
PROMPT-A-DAY TIMED BRAINSTORM
23. ‘People always respond to crisis when it’s too late.’ To what extent is this a fair comment?
Ø May/June 2006
22. Consider the view that the computer has failed to meet our educational needs in school.
Ø
May/June 2012, Paper 11
21. How far does society benefit from using more than one language?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2008
20. To what extent is a university education essential for an individual’s prospects?
Ø May/June 2013, Paper 12
19. ‘The media pays far too much attention to people who don’t deserve it.’ How far do you
agree?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2012, Paper 12
18. Inquiry Project: Presentations 1 & 2
17. How far is it possible for societies to provide equal opportunities for all their citizens?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2007
16. How valid is it to claim that war cannot be avoided?
Ø
May/June 2011, Paper 12
15. ‘No limits whatsoever should be placed upon medical research.’ Discuss.
Ø
Oct/Nov 2012, Paper 12
14. Is there any value in studying the history of other countries?
Ø
May/June 2004
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD * TEACHER EDITION * 13. How far is it true to say that leisure interests in your country have changed in recent years?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2009, Paper 01
12. Inquiry Project: Presentations 3 & 4
11. ‘National boundaries have far less meaning now than they did in the past.’ To what extent
do you agree?
Ø
May/June 2008
10. How important is it to explore alternative forms of energy?
Ø
May/June 2006
9. Do we rely too much on science to solve the world’s problems?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2004
8. How true is it that the most pleasurable things in life are bad for you?
Ø
May/June 2011, Paper 11
7. Assess the alternatives to prison in dealing with offenders.
Ø
May/June 2003
Ø
Also see: Oct/Nov 2013, Paper 13
6. Inquiry Project: Presentations 5 & 6
5. To what extent has drug-taking damaged the reputation of a sport?
Ø
May/June 2008
4. Discuss the idea that reading printed books is a thing of the past.
Ø
May/June 2010, Paper 11
3. How far would you agree that developing countries have more urgent priorities than
environmental protection?
Ø
Oct/Nov 2009, Paper 01
2. Are films and movies only for entertainment and nothing else? Illustrate your answer with
appropriate examples.
1. Inquiry Project: Presentations 7 & 8
CREDITS: Jill Pavich, NBCT [email protected] AICE: General Paper 8004 Boca Raton Community High School, PBCSD