Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text to support your claims.

1. Lewis recounts several particular games that represented turning points in football strategy.

• Which games were most important in changing football strategy, and how did they impact the game’s evolution? (topic sentence)
• Describe two of the most important changes in football described in the book, then explain how those games changed the way football is played today.
• In your concluding sentences, explain whether you believe football is still evolving and changing.

2. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy invite Michael to move in with them early in his Briarcrest career.

• What does Lewis suggest motivated Sean and Leigh Anne to connect with Michael? (topic sentence)
• Describe the reasons Sean and Leigh Anne wanted to connect with Michael. Then explain how their motivation was influenced by their socioeconomic background and belief systems.