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. Project Hail Mary explores advanced scientific concepts and technologies.

• What is a fundamental way in which the author explores The Role of Speculation in Discovery and the Danger of Assumptions in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Discuss 3 passages in support of your topic sentence in which Grace and other characters encounter both the necessity of speculation and the dangers of assumptions in scientific progress.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, summarize the importance of the relationship between speculation and assumptions and scientific progress.

2. Collaboration and cooperation play a key role in the fate of both Earth and Erid.

• To what extent do collaboration and cooperation contribute to the salvation of humans and Eridians? (topic sentence)
• Identify 3 passages that support your topic sentence in which collaboration occurs across cultural divides.