Graffiti’s Effect on the Community

We have examined whether graffiti is art or vandalism through classroom research and debate. Now, you must decide if graffiti has a positive or negative effect on your community. This is not the same questions as “Is graffiti Art or Vandalism?” You might think that graffiti is vandalism, but it still serves an important purpose. You could also think that graffiti is art, but that it has a negative effect on the community. Or you might think that graffiti is art AND has a positive effect or that it is vandalism AND has a negative effect. There are many possibilities. In your essay you must:

  • Choose a position: You can choose that graffiti has either a positive or a negative effect on the community
  • NO YOU CANNOT SAY BOTH!
  • PICK ONE SIDE AND DEFEND IT
  • Support your position with evidence from the articles provided
  • YOU MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST FIVE QUOTES
  • AT LEAST ONE FROM EACH ARTICLE
  • Explain the significance of this issue
  • Tell the reader why this is an important issue in the community

You will write a 5-paragraph essay. Requirements for each paragraph and sample sentence frames for each paragraph can be found below:

  • Introduction:
  • Hook- question, quote, interesting fact, personal connection
  • Background information about this topic- What is graffiti? Where does it occur? What are different reasons that it is created?
  • Thesis statement- Graffiti has a positive/negative effect on the community of South Los Angeles because…
  • Body Paragraph 1: Reason #1
  • One reason that graffiti has a positive/negative effect on the community of South Los Angeles is…
  • As it states in the text (title of the text), “quote from the article.”
  • This evidence proves that graffiti is positive/negative because…
  • Another example can be seen in the article (title of the article). The author states that…..
  • This quote shows that…
  • Body Paragraph 2: Reason #2
  • Another reason that graffiti has a positive/negative effect on the community of South Los Angeles is…
  • Evidence of this can be seen in the article (title of the article).
  • In this article it states that, “quote from the article.”
  • This proves that graffiti is positive/negative because…
  • Further evidence of this is that, “quote from the article.”
  • This evidence also shows that graffiti is positive/negative because…
  • Body Paragraph 3: Counterargument
  • Some people may think that graffiti is positive/negative because…
  • However, graffiti is still positive/negative because…
  • Evidence of this includes…
  • Another reason that some people might say that graffiti is positive/negative is because…
  • However, graffiti is still positive/negative because…
  • Conclusion:
  • In conclusion, graffiti is positive/negative because… (restate your thesis)
  • This can be proven because… (summarize your evidence)
  • This is an important issue for the community of South Los Angeles to consider because…

Graffiti’s Effect on the Community Rubric

Standard: Writing 8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

  1. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

4 / Paper has a clear thesis statement with at least two strong reasons to support it. Paper acknowledges the counterargument and offers clear evidence to refute the counterargument.
3 / Paper has a thesis statement with at least two reasons. Paper acknowledges the counterargument and offers reasons to refute the counterargument.
2 / Paper has a thesis statement but does not give reasons to support it. Paper acknowledges the counterargument but does not refute it.
1 / Paper does not have a thesis OR paper does not acknowledge the counterargument.

On this standard I deserve a grade of _____ because ______

______.

Evidence from my paper to support this grade includes ______

______.

  1. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

4 / Paper contains at least 5 quotes that strongly support the student’s argument. All 5 of the quotes are thoroughly explained and connected back to the student’s overall argument.
3 / Paper contains 3-4 quotes that strongly support the student’s argument. 3-4 quotes are thoroughly explained and connected back to the student’s overall argument.
2 / Paper contains 1-2 quotes that strongly support the student’s argument. Paper contains less than 1-2 quotes that are thoroughly explained and connected back to the student’s overall argument.
1 / Student’s paper contains no quotes that strongly support the student’s argument OR student’s paper contains no quotes that are thoroughly explained.

On this standard I deserve a grade of _____ because ______

______.

Evidence from my paper to support this grade includes ______

______.

Positive and Negative Effects of Graffiti

Fill out both the Positive Effects and the Negative Effects sides of the chart with at least five quotes from the articles assigned.

Positive Effects of Graffiti (5 quotes) / Negative Effects of Graffiti (5 quotes)
Quote #1:
Quote #2:
Quote #3:
Quote #4:
Quote #5: