1. 8 th Grade Writing

2. 8 th Grade

3.  American Forces Abroad:  In recent years, American military forces have served in trouble spots on several continents. Some people believe that U.S. forces should be used only when a threat to our national security exists. Others argue that as a world power, we have a responsibility to respond to nations in need. Write a letter to the President explaining when you believe the use of U.S. forces in foreign countries is appropriate.

4.  Crime Reduction:  While some types of crime are decreasing in America, the number of crimes committed by teenagers continues to grow. Experts have different opinions about the most effective ways to treat or punish youthful offenders. Write a paper explaining what approaches you think would work best to reduce crime by teenagers.

5.  Character:  Someone once observed, "Character is what you do when you think no one is watching." Write an essay expressing your opinion about what this quotation means.

6.  Leadership:  Many political campaigns focus on presenting their candidate as "the most qualified leader" in a race, and therefore the person who should be elected. Write a paper explaining what specific qualities you think makes a person a truly effective leader.

7.  School Facilities: School facilities are built at great expense to the taxpayers, yet they sit vacant during summer vacation. Your school board has asked students to provide input on the possibility of using school facilities during the summer. Write an essay from the students' point of view for the school board concerning this issue.

8.  Goodwill Project:  Your class has decided to adopt a project for the year. Some of the students want to conduct a local food drive, while others want to adopt a specific family to assist. Decide which of the two projects you want the class to choose. Write a paper supporting your choice.

9. 8 th Grade

10.  http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/0 4/200-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/ http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/0 4/200-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/  http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/0 5/301-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/ http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/0 5/301-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/

11.  Situation: Has cursing gone overboard? Some signs suggest the answer is yes. States and cities are beginning to enforce anti-obscenity rules that have been ignored for decades. In 1999, for example, a young canoeist in Michigan was given a 90-day jail sentence and a $100 fine for cursing. He had fallen out of his canoe and let out a stream of obscenities within earshot of a family.   Task: Write an editorial for the Messenger-Inquirer in which you take a position on the answer to the question: Has cursing gone overboard? Give reasons for your position on this topic, and be sure to include supporting details. 

12.  Situation: Researchers at Stanford University analyzed the 200 most popular video rentals in 1996 and 1997 to check out alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse in the movies. The study found that 89% of the movies showed alcohol use, 93% showed tobacco use, and 22% showed illicit drug use. Typically, these activities occurred in the background with no suggestion of their harmfulness. These means that teens are getting the message that alcohol and tobacco use are normal, accepted activities.   Task: Write an editorial for the Messenger-Inquirer in which you express your opinion on the information given above. Is the use of alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse in moves harmful to teens or not? Support your opinion with details.

13.  Situation: Public-school students in Maryland are required to do 75 hours of community service during their middle and high school years in order to get their high school diplomas. A growing number of school districts across the country are deciding to require the same thing from their students.   Task: Write an editorial for the Messenger-Inquirer in which you respond to the information above. Should community service be a graduation requirement? Give reasons to support your position.

14.  Situation: As phones and service have become cheaper and easier to come by, there has been a huge increase in the number of teens with cell phone service. According to cell phone industry analyst Harold Shosteck, 20% of adult cell-phone users feel it is important for their children to have cell phones, 24% of female teens have cell phones now, and 15% of male teens already have cell phones.   Task: Do you think teens should have cell phones? In an editorial for the school newsletter, express your opinion. Be sure to give details to support your opinion.

15.  Situation: Think about the rules you are required to follow in school. Choose one of the rules that you think is particularly fair or unfair, and think about why you feel that way.   Task: In an editorial for the school newspaper, express your views on this rule. Give reasons to support your opinions on why this rule is fair or unfair.

16.  Situation: You have been in middle school for almost one year now. Next year, several of your neighborhood friends, including the principal’s daughter, will be coming to OMS as 7 th graders. She overheard you explaining to her daughter about how to have a successful year at OMS, and she knows that many new students feel worried about entering a new school.  She’s asked you to write an article for the school newsletter that will be sent home to all parents of incoming students.   Task: Write an article for the school newsletter, which will be sent to all incoming 7 th graders to OMS next year. In your article, include ways in which new students can have a successful 7 th grade year. Use examples from your first-year experiences at OMS.