NINTH GRADE ESSAY TOPICS

YOU WILL CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

Choose something that you are interested in It is best to choose a topic that you already

know something about as it makes things a little easier when writing your essay

Talk to others (your parents, teachers, etc) about their opinions on your topic to get other points of view

THE TOPICS AND SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT EACH ONE:

ENERGY TOPICS

SHOULD THE U.S. LIMIT ITS USE OF OIL? OF NATURAL GAS? OF COAL?

YES NOThese are all limited We still have a lot of resources and pollute these resources. We arethe air. all dependent on fossil

fuels (which these are).

Fossil fuels are not a renewable resource. However, we are not in danger of running out of fossil fuels anytime soon. Most countries are dependent on fossil fuels to make gasoline, use for heating, manufacturing, etc.

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE HYDROELECTRIC POWER?

Yes NoHydroelectric power hasHydroelectricA small cost vs other power disruptsWays of making electricity. The environment.

This is power generated by falling water. The Hoover Dam is an example of electricity generated in this way.

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE NUCLEAR POWER?

Yes NoNuclear power can create Nuclear power can

Electricity with almost no create massive problems for

Emissions. Both humans and the

environment if there is a meltdown.

Nuclear power is energy derived by the heat that comes off of radioactive uranium as it decays.

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE WIND POWER?

Yes NoWindmills use the Some say wind to create clean windmills are an energy eyesore to nature and kill migrating birds bats that fly into the blades.

The windmills you see up Provo canyon are producing electricity. They do this by having the wind turn the blades of the windmill. As the blades spin, the drive shaft begins to turn, which causes the generator to create electricity. This electricity is then run through wires that lead directly into the buildings where the electricity is needed.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564044_a-windmill-work.html

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE BIOMASS POWER?

Yes NoBuring biomass is Buring biomassA good way to get puts even moreRid of our garbage. CO2 into our

atmosphere.

Biomass refers to the burning of garbage to produce power. The Burn Plant in Layton does this. It sells the power to nearby Hill Field.

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE SOLAR POWER?

Yes No

Solar power is free You can’t produce And non polluting. Power at night or on

a cloudy day.

Making power using the power from the sun. This clean, free power

SHOULD THE U.S. USE MORE GEOTHERMAL POWER?

Yes NoThermal power is It costs a lot ofClean and non money to install itPolluting and it can’t be of use

everywhere in the world

This refers to using power from hot pots/hot water deep underground (think of harnessing the power of Old Faithful).

EARTH SCIENCE TOPICS

SHOULD NASA PUT PEOPLE BACK ON THE MOON?

YES NO

It is crucial for the survival of humanity for human spaceflight to continue.

It is a waste of taxpayer money to continue to send man into outer space.

SHOULD NASA BE PLANNING TO PUT PEOPLE ON MARS?

YES NO

It is crucial for the survival of humanity for human spaceflight to continue.

It is a waste of taxpayer money to continue to send man into outer space.

Going to Mars, or any other planet for that matter, is a dream for many people. Mars is the closest and most Earth-like planet we know of. We currently have the technology to accomplish this mission, but should we?

DOES THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM SPACE EXPLORATION JUSTIFY ITS COST IN MONEY OR IN HUMAN LIVES?

Yes NoThere are many items Space exploration is

We have because of the a risky business costing

Space program. LED both money and human live

Lights, invisible braces

And scratch resistant

Lenses are some examples

IS GLOBAL WARMING A THREAT?

YES NOGlobal warming can This is just a phase that cause rising sea levels, the Earth is goingwild fires, changes in through, it has happenedclimates, etc. before and we survived.

Earth has gone through several cycles of ice ages and warming periods in the past.

IS THERE ENOUGH WATER FOR THE GROWING HUMAN POPULATION?

YES NOWater is a renewable There is less than 1% of all resource. We can use water on Earth that is sea water if we need useable. Pollution can to (desalination plants) make this water

unusable.

Humans, plants and animals all need fresh water to survive. You can survive for a month or more without food, but only about 3 days without water.

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES?

YES NOWe already have zoos If we loose too many to protect these species the ecosystemanimals. We spend a lot could collapse. Someof money on protection animals do not do wellof animals. in captivity.

Scientists estimate 150-200 species go extinct each day. This is far above the natural rate. This is greater than what the world has experienced since the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago.

GENETICS TOPICS

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH?

YES NOStem cell research can lead to cures for a number of diseases.

Stem cell research is morally unacceptable.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos (a fertilized egg). Most embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro—in an in vitro fertilization clinic—and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body.

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT REGULATE CLONING RESEARCH?

Cloning is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals. You see this occurring in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually.

SHOULD CLONING OF HUMAN BODY PARTS BE ALLOWED?

Therapeutic cloning is cloning that results in a copy of a specific human beings organs or skin. This can potentially treat diseases in any body organ or tissue by replacing damaged and dysfunctional cells. For example you can grow a new liver for a patient needing a liver transplant.

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW PLANTS TO BE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?

YES NOGenetic engineering will lead to scientific breakthroughs.

Genetic engineering should be banned due to safety concerns

Genetically engineering plants means the plant DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. In most cases the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments or improving the nutrient profile of the crop. 

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW ANIMALS TO BE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED?

Yes NoGenetic engineering Genetic engineering Will lead to scientific should be banned dueBreakthroughs. To safety concerns.

Genetic engineering is a targeted and powerful method of introducing desirable traits into animals using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology. DNA is the chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making living organisms.