Day 38: Essay Checklist, Rough Draft Completion, and Linking Verbs Quiz
Shift students from draft writers to critical editors of their own work. In Day 38 of the Grade 9 English course, students utilize a comprehensive Essay Checklist to audit their rough drafts. After completing a quick grammar checkpoint with a linking verbs quiz, students systematically evaluate their formatting, introduction hooks, thesis clarity, PEEL body structures, and MLA Works Cited pages to prepare for peer evaluation.
75 Minutes | Key Concepts: Structural Editing, Writing Self-Assessment, MLA Style Layout, Linking Verbs Assessment, Rough Draft Polishing
Learning Goals and Standards
Students will:
- Review and evaluate their opinion essay using a structured checklist
- Identify strengths and areas for improvement in their writing
- Verify that their essay meets assignment requirements and MLA formatting expectations
- Revise content, organization, grammar, and citations before submission
- Apply self-assessment strategies to improve the quality of their work
- Prepare a polished final draft for submission
Ontario Curriculum Connections (ENL1W)
- C3.2 Revising and Editing — revise drafts to improve content, organization, style, and accuracy
- C3.3 Publishing, Presenting, and Reflecting — produce polished final drafts using appropriate conventions
- C1.3 Developing Ideas and Organizing Content — ensure ideas are clearly organized and supported
- B2.1 Language Conventions — apply grammar, punctuation, and spelling conventions accurately
- A3.2 Critical Thinking — reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of written communication
Common Core (Grades 9–10)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.5 — strengthen writing through planning, revising, editing, and rewriting
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4 — produce clear and coherent writing
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1 — demonstrate command of grammar and usage
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.2 — demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
IB Language & Literature (ATL Skills)
- Self-management through revision and editing
- Communication through polished writing
- Reflection through self-assessment
Cambridge IGCSE English
- Review and improve written work independently
- Demonstrate accuracy and organization
- Apply editing and proofreading strategies effectively
OECD Global Competence Framework
- Reflect critically on personal work
- Communicate clearly and accurately
- Develop independence and responsibility as a writer
Resources
Bell Ringer
Ask students:
Think about the last major assignment you completed. If you could change one thing before submitting it, what would it be?
Then ask:
Which is easier: finding mistakes in someone else’s writing or finding them in your own? Why?
This discussion introduces the importance of revision and self-assessment before submission.
Lesson Flow
1. Linking Verbs Quiz
To start the class, have students complete the Linking Verbs Quiz as a quick grammar warm-up. This short activity helps reinforce proper sentence structure and verb use, both of which are crucial for writing fluid, clear essays.
2. Essay Checklist for Rough Draft Completion
Before submitting essays for peer review tomorrow, students must ensure that their drafts meet all structural and stylistic expectations. Distribute or display the Essay Checklist and have students go through it carefully, checking off each section as they confirm completion.
Essay Checklist:
MLA Formatting
My essay is in Times New Roman, size 12, and double-spaced.
My name, teacher’s name, course, and date appear in the upper-left corner of the first page.
I have a properly formatted header with my last name and page number on each page.
My title is centered (no bold, underline, or italics unless part of a title).
Introduction
My introduction begins with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention.
I have included background information to set up the essay topic.
My thesis statement clearly presents my argument or main idea.
Body Paragraphs (PEEL Format)
Each body paragraph begins with a clear point related to my thesis.
I have used evidence (quotes, examples, or references) to support my ideas.
I have explained how the evidence supports my point.
I have linked each paragraph back to the thesis and ensured transitions are smooth.
Conclusion
My conclusion restates the thesis in a new way.
I have summarized my main ideas without repeating the exact words from my body paragraphs.
I ended with a final thought that leaves a strong impression or broader connection.
MLA In-Text Citations & Works Cited
Every quote or paraphrased idea has a correct in-text citation (Author page#).
My Works Cited page is formatted correctly in MLA style.
The Works Cited page is alphabetical and follows MLA punctuation and spacing rules.
3. Finish Rough Drafts
Once students have reviewed the checklist, the remainder of class should be dedicated to completing and polishing their essays. Encourage them to read their work aloud quietly—it’s one of the best ways to catch awkward phrasing or missing words.
Remind students that all essays must be complete for tomorrow’s class, as they will be participating in peer editing. The stronger and more complete their drafts are, the more useful the feedback session will be.
First-Hand Suggestions
Students often think they are finished once they type the last sentence, but some of the biggest improvements happen during the revision process. I’ve found that using a checklist helps students slow down and view their work from a reader’s perspective. Even strong writers usually discover missing evidence, unclear explanations, or small formatting issues when they systematically review their essays before submitting them.
Differentiation for the Essay Checklist Lesson
Support Strategies
- Provide a simplified version of the essay checklist
- Model how to review one section of an essay at a time
- Encourage students to read their essay aloud to identify errors
- Allow peer review before self-assessment
- Break revision into categories:
- content
- organization
- citations
- grammar
- formatting
Support for English Language Learners
Pre-teach key vocabulary:
- revise
- edit
- draft
- checklist
- citation
- format
Helpful sentence starters:
- “One strength of my essay is…”
- “One area I need to improve is…”
- “I still need to check…”
- “I revised this section because…”
Alternative Demonstration Options
Students may:
- discuss revisions verbally with the teacher
- complete the checklist with a partner
- highlight completed checklist items directly on their essay
- use speech-to-text or text-to-speech tools during editing
Extension Opportunities
Students ready for enrichment can:
- provide peer feedback using the checklist
- strengthen transitions and sentence variety
- improve word choice and sophistication of arguments
- verify all citations and MLA formatting independently
- revise for stronger voice and audience engagement
Essay Checklist FAQ
How does an essay checklist improve student writing? An essay checklist breaks a massive writing task into small, manageable parameters. It forces students to self-assess specific components like formatting, thesis statements, and structural evidence before turning in their work.
What should be included in a Grade 9 essay editing checklist? A comprehensive 9th-grade checklist must cover basic MLA document mechanics, essay structural benchmarks (hook, thesis, PEEL paragraph layout, conclusion synthesis), and source attribution accuracy.
Why read a rough draft aloud during the editing process? Reading text aloud forces the brain to process information at a slower speed, making it significantly easier for students to naturally detect missing punctuation, run-on structures, or awkward phrasing.
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