Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their 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. Sun Tzu describes deception as one of the factors that determine a favorable outcome in a war.

• How does Sun Tzu describe the use of deception in warfare? (topic sentence)
• Explain two ways in which a leader can arrange an army’s forces so that they fool the enemy.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why Sun Tzu believes deception is necessary in warfare.

2. The Art of War describes several strategies for identifying and exploiting enemy weaknesses.

• Why is it important for a leader to create weakness in an enemy? (topic sentence)
• Describe three ways an army’s leadership can create weakness in an opponent’s military position.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why exploiting enemy weaknesses can provide the upper hand in battle.