Genre: 10th

Student: | Grade Level: 10th Genre: Famous Battles | Date: March 8, 2013

JING-WEI LEE

Mr Watt´s Literary Services

Seventy-eight years later, during the summer of 1428, Thomas de Montacute, the Earl of Salisbury, captured the towns of Jargeau, Beaugency, and Meung, to prevent supplies and men from reaching Orleans by the Loire River. Montacute laughed, drank, and celebrated with his fellow Englishmen. The French? Ha! They were nothing! Look at all of our victories! England was sure to win the war. Of course, it was regrettable that people had to die, but in a war, death was inevitable. Montacute was sure that the dead soldiers on the battlefield were proud of the sacrifice they had made for their country. He grinned as he sipped his wine. Watch out Orleans, he thought with a gleam in his eye, you’re next!

Student: | Grade Level: 10th Genre: Personal Essays | Date: January 14, 2013

JASON LI

Mr Watt´s Literary Services

Abraham Lincoln, our greatest president, had only the humble goal of proving himself worthy and respected to his contemporaries, “by rendering [himself] worthy of their esteem”. Lincoln as a man was motivated by his sense of morality to achieve great things politically so as to ensure the dignity of his fellow man and the unity of his nation. Through his achievements, he will be forever known in this country as a hero.

Student: | Grade Level: 10th Genre: State by State | Date: June 21, 2012

LARRY HO

Anthony Doerr, the author of Idaho’s essay, is an accomplished author of books such as The Shell Collector, About Grace, Seasons in Rome, and recently, Memory Wall. His books have been twice a New York Times Notable Book and once an American Library Association Book of the Year. Doerr also is the author of many short stories, which have won the Rome Prize, four O. Henry prizes, and several others. He also has a column in The Boston Globe and less often writes Op-Eds for The New York Times. In Doerr’s career he has developed an interest for science and the natural world. He frequently writes about nature and reviews scientific books. Doerr has also worked and lived in both Africa and New Zealand where many of his stories take place. He is now residing in Boise, Idaho with his wife and two sons.

Student: | Grade Level: 10th Genre: State by State | Date: April 25, 2012

ROBERT C

The author for the state of Alaska is Paul Greenberg, a critic and editorialist for the New York Times. As he travels through Alaska, Greenberg provides his story and goes into fine detail to describe to the reader what he sees. At times, the story seems promising. When Greenberg lands in Alaska, he encounters a Grand Aviation dispatcher who tells him, “If you’re here to write an article, you’ve got a lot of material.” The reader is filled with hope. What will they learn about the largest state in the United States … what does “a lot of material” refer to? Unfortunately, Greenberg does not pursue Alaska’s scope and variety any further; instead, he chooses to focus on the two friends that he meets in Alaska. Greenberg goes simply through his journey in Alaska: his conversation with Jac upon arrival, his meditations on Alaska’s Yu’pik Eskimos and nature, his fishing journey with Jac’s friend Ray’s family, his conversation with Jac after his return, and his departure from Alaska. This essay seems like a casual run-down of events relayed by Greenberg to the reader – in fact, it seems more like “Why I Live at the P.O.” by Eudora Welty than an informative essay.