Mock Writing Assessment #1
This is a full simulation of the Academies of Loudoun Writing Assessment. Set a timer for exactly 45 minutes. Before you begin writing, take 3--5 minutes to plan your response using the 5-dimension rubric we discussed. Remember: your logic, organization, and depth of thought matter far more than having perfect grammar!
Directions:
Read the passage carefully. Plan and write a response according to the guidance below.
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Your response will be evaluated on the strength of your argument(s) and the ideas presented.
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Your response may be structured in any way as long as it is thorough and comprehensive. For example, you may opt to utilize detailed bulleted phrases, outlines, paragraphs, etc.
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Grammar, spelling, and syntax will not count against you.
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You will have 45 minutes to submit your response.
A state environmental agency is proposing a total ban on a widely used agricultural fertilizer. The agency wants to ban the chemical because heavy rains are washing it into nearby lakes, causing massive algae blooms that deplete oxygen in the water and kill local fish populations. However, local farmers strongly oppose the ban. They argue that without this specific fertilizer, their crop yields will drop by 30%, which could bankrupt family farms and lead to food shortages in the region.
A. Imagine you are an environmental scientist hired to investigate the situation and make recommendations to the state environmental agency. What questions do you need to ask to assess whether banning this fertilizer is the right decision?
B. What types of information might you use to support your findings? What criteria would you use to judge the accuracy and authenticity of the evidence you gather?
C. How would you present your arguments to the state environmental agency? How would you acknowledge differing points of view?
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