Defending Claims in Point, Proof, Support Format

Defending Claims in Point, Proof, Support Format A Lesson in Paragraph Coherence and Unity A Review of Strong Evidence and Point, Proof, Support

First, a Couple of Terms… • Coherence • Logically integrated (put together), consistent, and understandable • Ideas are arranged in a way that makes sense to the reader • Use transitions to help connect ideas • Unity • The paragraph is 100% on topic • All information relates back to topic sentence

Recall the significance of each… • Point • What point are you trying to make about your topic sentence? • Proof • What textual evidence are you providing? • Support • Analyze the relationship between the point and proof to make your audience understand the conclusion you drew.

The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf • Let’s create a practice paragraph based on this famous short story • Claim: Nobody believes a liar, even when he is telling the truth.

Your Turn… • Let’s check out your claim…

Setting Up the Paragraph • Create a topic sentence • Find strong evidence to back up your topic sentence • Begin writing

Topic Sentence • Introduce the text + write claim statement (Note: only introduce the text if we are working with one paragraph. In an entire essay, you would introduce the text and your major claim in your introduction and thesis) “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth.

Your Turn… • Turn your claim into a topic sentence.

Best Proof? • What is the best evidence we can pull from the story? • "Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!" They went grumbling back down the hill. (3) • "Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!" (5) • But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come. (8)

Your Turn… • Highlight the best pieces of evidence to support your claim on your graphic organizer or in the text itself

Create the Paragraph • Topic Sentence + • Point • Don’t be repetitive! “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep.

Create the Paragraph • Topic Sentence + • Point • Don’t be repetitive! “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. Notice the transition phrase used to start the point.

Your Turn… • Add your first point to your topic sentence

Create the Paragraph • Point + • Proof • Integrated • Cited In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy had lied (3).

Your Turn… • Add your proof. Don’t forget to integrate the quote correctly (and cite)!

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. • Proof + • Support • Relate back to claim • Start w/strong word or phrase The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy had lied (3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity.

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. • Proof + • Support The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy had lied (3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Notice the analysis creating phrase used to start the support.

Some strong support phrases… Thus, Therefore, Despite…, Obviously, …’s attempt/ability to... (strong verb) Instead of… • Because…, • Regardless of…, • When…, • ... did/did not realize/understand/want/etc… • … actions/thoughts /etc. indicate…

Support being used as a transition to the next point… In contrast to… Similarly, Conversely, …’s actions allowed /caused/enabled… • After…, • …’s action allowed/ caused/ created/ etc…, • When…, • Meanwhile, • Because of …’s …,

Your Turn… • Use one of the suggestions from the previous slides to start your support sentence, and add it to your proof.

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. • Support + • Point #2 • Transition to your slightly new idea • Relate it back to claim Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again.

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. • Support + • Point #2 Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again. Look at how the transition phrase can be used to lead into the next point.

Your Turn… • This might be a little harder for you than it was for me. Figure out what your next point is going to be, then find a way to make it relate to the first. Consider those transition words from earlier as you write.

Create the Paragraph • Point #2 + • Proof #2 • Integrated • Cited Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8).

Your Turn… • Add in your next piece of proof—make it as flawless as the first!

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. • Proof #2 + • Support #2 • Relate back to claim • Start w/strong word or phrase

Some strong support phrases… Thus, Therefore, Despite…, Obviously, …’s attempt/ability to... (strong verb) Instead of… • Because…, • Regardless of…, • When…, • ... did/did not realize/understand/want/etc… • … actions/thoughts /etc. indicate…

Support being used as a transition to the next point… In contrast to… Similarly, Conversely, …’s actions allowed /caused/enabled… • After…, • …’s action allowed/ caused/ created/ etc…, • When…, • Meanwhile, • Because of …’s …,

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. • Proof #2 + • Support #2 Notice the analysis creating phrase used to start the support.

Your Turn… • Use those phrases again to help create your support…

Create the Paragraph Claim: Liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will remember that nobody believes a liar. • Support #2 + • Concluding sentence • Emphasize relationship to claim

Your Turn… • Create a concluding sentence for your paragraph.

Full Paragraph “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized th(3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will remember that nobody believes a liar.

See the Repetitions? “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized the boy had lied (3). Because the boy lied, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite the boy’s lie, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will remember that nobody believes a liar.

Your Turn… • Do you see anything in your paragraph that needs strengthening? Does a neighbor?

Is This Better? “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf” is one of Aesop’s fables, meant to teach the reader that liars will not be believed, even when they are telling the truth. In the story, there was a little boy who lied about a wolf attacking the village’s sheep. The villagers ran up the hill to save the sheep, but went “grumbling back down the hill” when they realized there was no wolf (3). Because the boy tricked them, the villagers were already starting to doubt his sincerity. Despite their doubts, the villagers fell for the trick another time, which caused them to not believe him again. Therefore, when the boy cried, “Wolf!” a third time, “the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come” (8). Instead of helping the boy, the villagers stayed home, and the sheep were scattered. The boy’s lying could have caused him to lose the sheep’s or his own life, so it is likely that in the future he will remember that nobody believes a liar.

Your Turn… • Make any necessary changes to your paragraph, then read back over it again to ensure you are really ready to go through it with a rubric and turn it in.

Defending Claims in Point, Proof, Support Format