Writing Assignment I

§ Writing Assignments

Assignment 1

There’s old Chinese proverb: “Give me a fish, and I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, and I will eat for a lifetime.” Think of someone in your life who taught you something important that you have used (or benefited from) ever since. Write a thank-you letter to this person, telling him or her exactly how you have gained or what you have learned as a result. The person might be a parent, a relative, a family friend, a favorite teacher, an employer, a coach, or a favorite sports hero or movie star.
Organize your letter in the form of a one-three-one paragraph. In your introduction, you might mention how you know this person or why you were prompted to write the letter. In your thesis, state that this person has been especially important to you because you learned something important from him or her-and tell what that “something” is. In each of your supporting sentences, show one way in which this knowledge or skill has made a difference in your life.
Alternatively, write about three different people, each of whom has taught you something important.