Essay Writing

1. Essay Writing Freshmen Language Arts Miss McDonald

2. The Essay You will be able to write a complete essay. How do you think this will benefit you in the future?

3. Bell Ringer • Name three reasons why it is a good idea for you to know how to write a solid essay? • What are the main parts of an essay? • What is an “attention grabber”?

4. The Hook (a.k.a. attention grabber) You will be able to get your reader’s attention so they want to know what you have to say. Why do you think this is important?

5. “Nine-year-old Kyle Graddy looked out across a minor league baseball diamond for the first time in his lifeand pondered the possibility of his own death.” The Hook (a.k.a. attention grabber) (Patterson, 2009, para. 1)

6. Grabs your readers and gets them interested in what you’re about to tell them. The Hook (a.k.a. attention grabber)

7. Peanut-free ballgame highlights food allergy dangers By Thom PattersonCNN

8. The Hook Quoted from Novak, M. (2010). How to Write a Hook for an Essay. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/how_5127257_write-hook-essay.html 1. Write down the most interesting things about your essay. Is there something surprising in what you have written? Does a specific image come to mind? 2. Explain the most interesting aspect of your essay to someone else. If you're stuck, try completing these sentences: • When I was thinking about this, I couldn't believe that______. • It was amazing to me that ________. • Imagine what it's like to_______. • The image I can't get out of my head is ______.

9. The Hook Quoted from Novak, M. (2010). How to Write a Hook for an Essay. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/how_5127257_write-hook-essay.html 3. Determine the aspect of your essay that would be the most interesting and compelling to someone who has no idea what you are going to say. 4. Write this "most interesting" fact or image in a sentence or two. Refine it. Read it out loud. It should match the tone of the rest of your essay. 5. Insert your hook into the opening paragraph of the essay. Read over the entire paragraph (or have someone else read it).

10. The Hook Article about strip mining in a local wilderness area The Hook: Article about a new mall being built in a neighboring town The Hook: Article about the effects of medication on ADHD The Hook:

11. Practice Time Step 1: Get into your writing workshop groups. Step 2: Brainstorm some ideas for possible newspaper articles. Step 3: Work together to create 3 hooks for your potential articles.

12. Journal Time • What did you learn today? • What do you understand well? • What don’t you understand? • What will you do to gain better understanding?

13. Homework Come up with two possible informative newspaper article topics and write hooks for both of them. Homework is due at the beginning of the next class.

14. The Topic You will be able to narrow down a topic so it is manageable for an assignment. Why do you think this may be important?

15. Bell Ringer What is an “attention grabber”? What is another name for “attention grabber”? Why is an attention grabber important? What do you think makes a good topic for an essay and why?

16. The Topic You must narrow down your topic to a suitable scope for your purposes.

17. The Topic

18. The Topic

19. Practice Time Step 1: Workshop groups, take your assigned large-scale topics and determine three suitable small-scale topics suitable for your essays. Step 2: Jigsaw into secondary groups and discuss your choices. What led your group to those choice? Why do they matter to you? What makes them worthy of an article in the school paper?

20. Journal Time • What did you learn today? • What do you understand well? • What don’t you understand? • What will you do to gain better understanding?

21. Homework Determine the topic of your newspaper-worthy essay. Due at the beginning of the next class.

22. Research You will be able to find useful information to use in your essay. Do you think this is important? Why or why not?

23. Bell Ringer What is an “attention grabber”? List one possible topic for an informative essay. Where can you find information to use in your essay?

24. Major Sources • Eye witnesses • Books • Newspapers • Magazines • Journals • Films • Interviews • Internet • Library • People

25. Research Plagiarism is BAD! Plagiarism is when you pass off someone else’s original ideas or words as your own ideas or words. • What are the consequences of plagiarism? • In this class: • First offense – you redo your work • Second offense – you get a zero on your work • Third offense – you get turned in to administration • Later in life: • Loose your job. • Get sued. • Get expelled from college.

26. Research • Two most popular research paper formats: • MLA: Modern Language Association • APA: American Psychological Association • You do NOT need to worry about these right now.  • Just know they exist.

27. Research How should you cite your sources??? List the title, author, or website in parenthesis by the information. Example: Peanut allergies affect the Graddy’s children (Patterson).

28. Example Topic: The Death of George S. Patton Let’s find some sources!!!!

29. Journal Time • What did you learn today? • What do you understand well? • What don’t you understand? • What will you do to gain better understanding?

30. Group Work and Homework You must find at least four appropriate sources for your essay. Sources are due in three days. Meet at the library tomorrow For a work day!!!

31. Thesis Statements You will be able to write guiding thesis statements. Why is this important?

32. Bell Ringer List one possible topic for an informative essay. Where can you find information to use in your essay? What is a thesis statement? Where should a thesis statement be in your essay?

33. Thesis Statements • What is a thesis statement??? • Typically one sentence. • Focuses your writing. • Not as detailed as a the supporting material • Mentions major points in the writing.

34. Thesis Statements • How do I come up with a thesis statement? • Determine what you will include in your paper. • We will do this by using a web. • Determine a basic organizational approach.

35. Thesis Statements

36. Thesis Statements CAUSES: The Stamp Act, the Quartering Act, and the Townshend Acts all led to the American Revolution. FAMOUS DOCUMENT: Historically significant documents such as The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution were born out of the American Revolution.

37. Practice Time Step 1: Work in workshop groups to create webs from one of the topics below. Step 2: Write three thesis statements for each topic.

38. Journal Time • What did you learn today? • What do you understand well? • What don’t you understand? • What will you do to gain better understanding?

39. Homework For homework, you need to determine and write the thesis statement for your essay assignment. It is due tomorrow!

40. Outlines You will be able to write outlines to guide your essay. Why do you think this may be beneficial to you?

41. Bell Ringer Where can you find information to use in your essay? What is a thesis statement & where should it be? Name one reason an outline is important to have before you start writing your paper. What does an outline look like?

42. Outlines • Why use an outline? • Ensures logical sequence and order in your paper. • Keeps your writing on track. • Believe it or not, it will make your life easier.

43. Outlines • Introduction • Attention Grabber • Information • Thesis Statement • Body Paragraph 1 • Topic Sentences • Fact 1 • Fact 2 • Fact 3 • Body Paragraph 2 • Topic Sentences • Fact 1 • Fact 2 • Fact 3 • Conclusion Sample Outline

44. Outline Let’s practice together!

45. Practice Time Step 1: In your workshop groups, get out the practice thesis statements you worked on last class. Step 2: Work together to develop and construct a suitable outline.

46. Journal Time • What did you learn today? • What do you understand well? • What don’t you understand? • What will you do to gain better understanding?

47. Homework Create an outline for your own essay! This is due next class!

48. Introductions You will understand the importance and function of introductions. You will be able to write introductions. Do you think this ability will come in handy? Why or why not?

49. Bell Ringer What is a thesis statement & where should it be? Name two reasons an outline is important to have before you start writing your paper. What are the two major components of an introduction?

50. Introductions • What is the job of an introduction? • Get your reader’s attention and keep it (hook/attention grabber). • Gets your reader ready for what is coming (thesis statement). • Acts like a funnel with attention grabber at the wide end and the thesis at the small end.