The color green has a special meaning for me. First of all, it is closely related to my personal life. The color green reminds me of my home country,  I am from Michoacan Province in Mexico, and I grew up on my grandparent's huge ranch.  The color green often makes me think of the corn fields and beautiful gardens surrounding our spacious house. I miss the peaceful green countryside and the flowering courtyard of our home in Mexico, since now I live in a noisy and crowded apartment building near highway 101.
    In addition, the color green is associated with my school life. In fact, green is a symbol of my most important school involvement. I volunteered to be the secretary of the Rainforest Club because I am very concerned about the environment. In this club, we are conducting several fundraisers to go to Ecuador next summer. If we get $500 each in donations or earnings, then we can travel to Ecuador with our advisor to work on a special rainforest project.  We plan to do something specific to protect the endangered habitat for example planting new trees in deforested areas.
     Lastly, green reminds me of the special bond that my mther and me share. We are the only ones in our large family that have green eyes. My mother and me have always been close, and when I look in the mirror and see my green eyes, I often think of my mother.
    In conclusion, green represents my homeland, my respect and appreciation for other living things on this planet and the bond I have with my mother.

0    1    2    3    4    a) Does the title prepare the reader for the specific topic and content?
0    1    2    3    4    b) Does the essay follow the assignment directions? (2x)
0    1    2    3    4    c) Does the first sentence(s) clearly state the topic and main idea?
0    1    2    3    4    d) Do the following sentences give specific  reasons?  (2x)
0    1    2    3    4    e) Is enough commentary (details, explanation, examples) provided to help you understand each of the writer's reasons?  (2x)
0    1    2    3    4    f) Are all of the supporting sentences relevant?
0    1    2    3    4    g) Are transition words used to introduce and connect ideas?
0    1    2    3    4    h) Are the sentences written in a logical, easy-to-follow way?
0    1    2    3    4    i) Are conjunctions used to connect ideas?
0    1    2    3    4    j) Does the essay end with an appropriate concluding statement?
0    1    2    3    4    k) Does the essay contain at least 3 academic or vocabulary words?
0    1    2    3    4    l) Are the words spelled correctly?
0    1    2    3    4    m) Is the essay free of fragments and run-ons?
0    1    2    3    4    n) Are the other mechanics correct?  (2x)
0    1    2               o)  NDP

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