Lesson video

In today's lesson, you will be able to use your research and understanding of this historical time period to plan and write the conclusion of an essay.

Here are some key words we're going to use.

Purpose, conclusion, summarise, general information, legacy.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

A conclusion is the closing paragraph of a non-fiction text.

To summarise is to sum up or conclude the main body of a text.

General information is the most basic and necessary information.

A legacy is something substantial left behind after a person's death, like a significant body of work.

Planning and writing the conclusion of an essay about early Islamic civilization is the focus of our lesson today.

We're going to begin by planning the conclusion and then we will write it.

Essays often follow the same structure and layout.

They begin with a question or a statement.

The introduction is the first paragraph that states the argument and introduces the reasons to be explored.

This is a section that we have already written.

The sections contain paragraphs of information related to the particular reasons that support the argument.

Our key sections have been the Abbasid dynasty in early Islamic civilization and the Islamic Golden Age.

We've already written both of these sections.

The conclusion is the last paragraph that summarises the information from the text and restates the argument.

We are going to be planning and writing this part today.

The purpose is the aim of the text and the purpose of the conclusion includes these.

We want to summarise the key information of the essay and we want to give the reader summarising general information.

In our conclusion, we want to keep our information general.

What is the purpose of a conclusion? Pause the video while you decide.

(no audio) Well done if you spotted that the purpose of a conclusion is to give the reader general information.

It is also to summarise the key information of the text.

The conclusion is the final paragraph of a non-fiction text that summarises the key information in the text.

The conclusion follows a clear structure.

We have an introductory sentence, general information, and a concluding sentence.

The introductory sentence introduces the paragraph and summarises the key information.

The general information gives the reader some necessary information about the topic and the concluding sentence ends the essay.

Match each section of a conclusion to its function.

Pause the video while you do that.

(no audio) Great work everyone.

An introductory sentence introduces the paragraph and summarises the key information.

The general information gives the reader some necessary information about the topic and a concluding sentence ends the essay.

The purpose of a plan is to prepare ourselves for writing.

If we give careful thought to the planning process, our writing outcomes are more successful.

We can build on our ideas from our plan during the writing process.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and they capture subject-specific vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer organise information easily for future use.

We use bullet points when note-taking and they look like this.

What is in a plan? Pause the video while you decide.

(no audio) Well done if you spotted that in a plan we have bullet points for notes and we have subject-specific vocabulary.

We do not write in full sentences with capital letters and full stops.

The only capital letters we would expect to see would be those for proper nouns.

We also do not include unnecessary information because remember, we can build on our ideas in our writing.

Let's review the structure of the conclusion before we come to planning.

So our introductory sentence introduces the paragraph and summarises the key information.

Our general information gives the reader some necessary information about the topic and our concluding sentence ends the essay.

We are going to use the same structure in our plan so that when we come to writing our plan helps us write in the appropriate structure and sequence.

Now it's time for your task.

Write bullet points for key words and phrases you will use in your introductory sentence.

Remember, in the conclusion, we want to keep our information general.

Use the question prompts to help you.

So what will be your sentence starter and what was discussed about early Islamic civilization earlier on in the essay? Pause the video while you complete your task.

(no audio) Great work everyone.

Here is my example of my introductory sentence.

Remember, it might look a little bit different to yours.

If you see anything on my plan that you would like to magpie, you can do that as well.

So I've got a few different suggestions for openers.

I might go with in conclusion, in summary, or to conclude, any of those would be appropriate.

Here now I've also recorded some key subject-specific vocabulary, so I could refer to this time period as the Golden Age or the Abbasid Caliphate.

It was a period of innovation or cultural exchange or rich academic development.

So in my first sentence, my introductory sentence, I have just summed up how important the Golden Age was.

Now write bullet points for key words and phrases you will use in your general information sentences.

Have you made sure to write interesting, general facts about this time period? Remember, we are keeping our information general.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

(no audio) Great work, everyone.

In my general information sentences, I've recorded that the Abbasids prioritised education, charity, and good governance based on the Qur'an's teachings and that the location and structure of the city of Baghdad encouraged and supported scholars.

I could also refer to them as academics.

Now it's time for you to write bullet points for key words and phrases to use in your concluding sentence.

We're still keeping everything general, but remember, you can use these prompts to help you.

What will your sentence opener be and have you discussed the legacy and the lasting impact of early Islamic civilization on the modern world? Pause the video now while you complete your task.

(no audio) Well done, everyone.

I've included a few different potential openers.

To conclude, in summary or to summarise, could all work in my final concluding sentence.

Then I have used a few key phrases.

So innovations in astronomy and invention have greatly influenced modern life because that's something I mentioned earlier on in my essay.

Take a moment now to read through your whole plan and make sure that if you want to add any further detail at this point, you do it now.

Great work, everyone.

Well done, everyone.

Now that we've planned our conclusion, we're going to move on to writing it.

Throughout this essay, we've learned to use a range of cohesive devices, fronted adverbials, subject-specific vocabulary, complex sentences, parenthesis in brackets.

Each of these cohesive devices, enhances the text's flow, keeps the reader engaged and helps achieve the text's purpose.

Match each cohesive device to its definition.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done, everyone.

A fronted adverbial is a sentence starter followed by a comma.

Subject-specific vocabulary is vocabulary used when writing about a particular subject.

Complex sentences are sentences formed of a main clause and a subordinate clause, and parenthesis is additional information that can be removed without compromising grammatical accuracy.

When we write like historians, we always try to do these things.

We use academic, subject-specific language.

We use formal language choices.

We write in the appropriate tone.

We use neutral language and we don't give away personal opinions.

We use fronted adverbials to establish coherence and we check and improve our writing when we think we have finished.

This is the success criteria that we are going to use to write today.

Let's read these through together.

I have followed the appropriate structure for my conclusion.

I have summarised the key information in my essay.

I have referred to the lasting legacy and impact of the Islamic Golden Age on the modern world.

I have used a range of cohesive devices to enhance text flow.

Now I have written a model conclusion.

We are going to read through it together and decide whether I have met my success criteria.

Let's begin by reading through this model conclusion.

In summary, the period of the Abbasid dynasty in early Islamic civilization is known as the Islamic Golden Age because it marked a time of great prosperity and achievement.

The Abbasids prioritised education, charity and good government, which led to remarkable advancements in various fields.

Additionally, Baghdad's strategic location and the translation movement made it a centre for learning and innovation.

Overall, the Abbasid era stands out as a period of cultural vibrancy and significant contributions to human civilization.

So now we've read through the whole concluding paragraph.

Let's think about the success criteria it has met.

I have followed the appropriate structure for my conclusion because I have got an introductory sentence, general information sentences, and a concluding paragraph.

So I can tick off this success criteria.

Have I summarised the key information of my essay? So have I referred to the key content that my two main sections were about? So the Abbasid dynasty and the Golden Era or the Golden Age.

I can do that because that's what I have referred to in my conclusion.

I have referred to the lasting legacy and the impact of the Islamic Golden Age on the modern world.

Well, I've referred to how it stands out as a period of cultural vibrancy and significant contributions to the human civilization.

So yes, I can.

And finally, a range of cohesive devices to enhance the text flow.

I have met this because I've got a range of different cohesive devices.

For example, in summary is an example of a fronted adverbial I have got which led to remarkable advancements in various fields as an example of a relative clause.

Additionally is another example of a formal fronted adverbial.

I also have a range of subject-specific vocabulary such as Abbasid dynasty, Islamic civilization, innovation, human civilization, cultural vibrancy.

So I feel confident that I have met my success criteria.

Now use your plan and your success criteria to write the conclusion of your essay about early Islamic civilization.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

(no audio) Great work, everyone.

Hopefully you're feeling really, really proud of this piece of writing.

Here's an example of another conclusion.

Of course, my example is not going to be the exact same as yours, but we're going to read through this example and if there are any parts you would like to magpie or adapt for your own writing, you can make those edits now.

Let's begin by reading this together.

In conclusion, the period of the Abbasid dynasty in early Islamic civilization is often referred to as the Islamic Golden Age due to its profound impact on history.

During this era, the Abbasids emphasised education, charity, and good governance, which paved the way for remarkable achievements in various fields.

Their patronage of scholars and institutions like the House of Wisdom fostered a thriving intellectual culture.

Moreover, Baghdad's strategic location and the translation movement facilitated the exchange of knowledge, making it a hub for innovation and cultural exchange.

Through their contributions, the Abbasids left a lasting legacy of progress and enlightenment, earning their place as a cornerstone of human civilization.

Now reread your conclusion and check that it meets all of your success criteria.

Well done, everyone.

Great work, everyone.

That now brings us to the end of our lesson and at the end of writing our essay.

Today we've been planning the conclusion of an essay about early Islamic civilization.

Information in the conclusion of a non-fiction text should be kept general and should summarise the main points of the essay.

When planning, we should write in note form using bullet points.

When writing, we can build on the ideas in our plan.

We should use our plan and success criteria to guide us when writing.

I'm really, really impressed with your effort in your learning throughout this whole unit, and I hope you're feeling really proud of your essay.

Well done, everyone.

(no audio).