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 Student Samples: Pros, Cons, and Hooks
a short essay that examines both sides of a job
The writing of author Melinda Long is inspiring student writers to try new techniques with the traits of organization and sentence fluency.
By visiting this lesson's Teacher Instructions & Lesson Resources page, you will find even more samples that can be printed for your class to be used as discussion tools during the teaching of this lesson.
Your students can self-publish their writing to this lesson by clicking here.
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Additional Student Samples Being Sought:
Grades 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12
Learn more about WritingFix's policies for publishing student work by visiting our Publishing Student Writers Information Page.
WritingFix is currently seeking additional student samples from this writing assignment that can be featured in this space. Submitted student work must show evidence of revision, editing, and the final draft must be typed and sent through e-mail. Teachers: if you can help us obtain one, two or three student samples, along with a digital photo of the student(s) and a signed permission slips, we will send you either a complimentary copy of one of the Northern Nevada Writing Project's print publications.
Contact us at publish@writingfix.com and write "How I Became a Pirate" in your e-mail's subject line, if you have a student sample to share with us.
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Student Samples: Early Elementary
 Being a BeeKeeper
by Daphne, second grade writer
The job of being a beekeeper is fun because you can eat all the honey you want, but you shouldn’t eat too much.
It is fun getting honey, getting money for honey, and having lots of beautiful flowers. You also get to work at home.
However, the job of a beekeeper can be hard. You might get stung a lot. You have to wear hot suits. You will not be famous and you will not be rich.
I would not like to be a beekeeper because I don’t like to get stung.
Student Samples: Upper Elementary
 Pro Football Pros & Cons
by Dylan, fourth grade writer
Being a Pro football player sounds cool with all the pros and stuff. You got to remember though, there still are cons.
One pro is you get to be famous, and I like that. You can be rich and strong. That comes in handy when you need to move things into your the mansion that you bought with all your money. I would use my money for a mansion, a million dogs, and more footballs. The way you get strong is by running, and this job is athletic! Probably the most important thing about being a football player is having fun.
A bad thing about being a Pro football player is you get hurt. People get hurt just about every game! Another reason is with all the reporters these days, you’ll never get time to yourself. You also can’t play when you get too old, which stinks because, what if you’re really good at it? Once you get old enough, they kick you out! The final two cons are you travel everywhere to play different teams so you never see your family, and you get traded so you don’t stay on the same team as your friends.
After thinking...I think I will be a football player!
(Click here to print Dylan's Pros & Cons Essays)
 Pros and Cons of Being a Vet
by July, fifth grade writer
Being a vet can be very rewarding, and at times get difficult. One rewarding thing about being a vet is animals can be nice and respect you. A difficult thing about being a vet is animals might feel intimidated and bite, scratch, and kick at you.
Some fun things about being a vet are that vets do surgeries on animals, which might not seem fun, but at the end, you are glad because you just saved an animal. When you’re a vet, you get to be with animals almost every day. Also when you’re a vet, you can get up to 118,000 dollars a year. Once you have saved an animal, the owner is very pleased with your work. If you absolutely love animals, this is a great job for you.
Some bad things about being a vet are that before you become a vet, you have to go through about eight years of college, and that involves a lot of patience. You also deal with dangerous animals that might hurt you. Vets work long hours, which is not very pleasant. You also have to deal with both angry and sad pet owners too.
Now you can see how being a vet is exciting, but sometimes not anything like you expected. Even though being a vet can be hard, at the end of the day, you are delighted that you saved a lot of animals’ lives. I would really enjoy being a vet.
(Click here to view and print July and two of her classmate's Pros & Cons Essays)
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Student Sample: High School
 Jedi: the Pros and Cons
by Mike, eleventh grade writer
Although light sabers can be dangerous, they will become your best friend when wandering the galaxy as a Jedi. Storm Troopers, surprise attacks, and traps are all dangers that come up on a daily basis. This is when that silver handle hanging from your waist begins looking real friendly.
Having a light saber and racing pod racers isn’t all fun though; it can get you killed. Also, it can get very lonely, and with every human girl in a galaxy far away from you, sometimes you have to resort to “women” from other species. The problem with different species is that many cannot stand humans. This makes you susceptible to attack at all times; booby traps, surprise attacks, you name it. Get to cocky and—BAM—light saber to your chest; you’re dead.
As a Jedi, you really need to stay on your feet. That’s what’s nice about having the force on your side. You’re unaware, but if there are a few creatures waiting around the corner for you, all of a sudden you get this feeling; it’s the force telling you to take a different route. Your life is saved. Besides, you wouldn’t want anyone tearing your robe. Yoda would tear you a new one if you tore another robe. Yoda may get angry with the amount of robes you go through, but he is a great person to have on your side. No matter what, Yoda’s got your back.
So I really believe the good outweighs the bad when it comes to being a Jedi. And even though they’re one in a million, when you find that right human girl, you know she’s diggin’ your Jedi skills.
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