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 over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. The Code of Chivalry is intended to guide the behavior of the knights in the text.

• Do all the knights of Camelot live up to the code? (topic sentence)
• Discuss 3 knights and how their behavior either upholds or violates the code.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, summarize the connection between character and conduct that these knights illustrate.

2. Magical armor and weaponry appear at many points in the story.

• How do these items drive the action forward? (topic sentence)
• Give 3 examples from the text when such items have a critical impact on the course of the story.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, briefly evaluate whether the penalty suffered by those who misuse magical artifacts is just.