ENG 3C: The Last Lecture Daily Writing Assignment
Each day, we will read a short chapter from Randy Pausch’s book, The Last Lecture.
You will write a paragraph response to the chapter, following the structure below.
You will receive a mark for completion (you have made an attempt to respond to all of the chapters), but you will be evaluated on what you consider to be your best entry when I collect your responses.
As such, it is important for you to keep these responses altogether in a separate part of your binder.
Paragraph Checklist
Your daily response should include the following things:
1. Title of the chapter: ______
2. The Argument: In this chapter, Randy Pausch is saying…
3. Agree/Disagree: I agree/disagree with Randy Pausch.
4. Three main arguments to support your position: ______(use transition words)
5. Explanation of each of your three arguments (proof, examples, personal experiences, etc.).
6. Concluding Statement: ______
Example Response to Chapter 28 of The Last Lecture
Chapter 28 Dream Big
In this chapter Randy Pausch is saying that there is great benefit to having big dreams and that we should encourage people, including children, to dream big. I agree with his position. To begin with, the existence of big dreams inspires all of us. For example, Randy uses the moon landing to talk about how accomplishing that goal was a real boost for humanity in general – it was inspiring to see someone set a really difficult goal and then accomplish it. We feel like we could do something difficult successfully too. Furthermore, dreaming big allows us to step outside of the box. We can see things, not as they are, but as we might like them to be. Take a look at someone like Craig Kielburger, who, as a child, founded the organization Free the Children. In Craig Kielburger, I see a young person who didn’t let his age dictate the impact he was going to have on the world. Realistically, we would not expect him to have the kind of success he did, but he was not content to see things as they were, but how they could be. Ultimately, dreaming big keeps us thinking positively and maintaining a sense of hope. If we do not strive for big goals, we cannot hope to accomplish them and life becomes narrower, and more passive. Randy Pausch is, himself, a perfect example of someone who had big dreams and has no regrets for having them: he embraces life, working hard to meet tough goals, making change to the way things are, and maintaining hope in the darkest of times. As such, he ends up being a positive role model to many. When we see either a person or accomplishment that we can admire, it gives us inspiration to be the best we can be - just as it does when we dream big.