Informative Essays "Turning Points"

How much of what happens in our lives do we actually control? This is a question that has concerned philosophers and writers for thousands of years.

Usually we expect events to progress in a certain way, then suddenly unexpected circumstances cause us to hesitate and reconsider the choices that confront us.

Sometimes we don’t have a choice at all.

In this unit, we explored life-changing events from a variety of perspectives. We read fiction, memoirs, nonfiction narratives, articles, autobiographies, and poetry. We explored how fictional characters and real people adapt and succeed when life suddenly changes direction.

The Extended Writing Project for this unit helped students share those ideas through a well-constructed informative/explanatory essay on what people do when their life suddenly changes direction. We share these original essays with you below.

WE READ:

Hatchet, by Gary Paulson

Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books

The Father of Chinese Aviation

The Story of My Life, Helen Keller

Eleanor Roosevelt, A Life of Discovery