The Introductory Paragraph

1. The Introductory Paragraph Northwestern High School English Language Arts 9 Mrs. Avery

2. The Way an Essay Looks • There are five parts to a standard essay/ECR: • Introduction • Body Paragraph 1 • Body Paragraph 2 • Body Paragraph 3 • Conclusion

3. The Introductory Paragraph • Before you write, ask yourself these 2 questions… • Who will read your writing? • What do you know about your audience? Geographics, race, culture, beliefs, etc…

4. The Introductory Paragraph has 2 main parts… • The Grabber • The Thesis But it also has a small part… The filler sentences!

5. The Grabber! • There are many ways to write a topic sentence, but let’s focus on three! • Asking a question… and providing the answer! • Using an anecdote (short story) • A Quote • A fact

6. Using a Question • “Have you ever considered how many books we’d read if it weren’t for television?” • “Have you ever stayed up all night to study for an exam, only to sleep through your exam the next morning?” • “Why shouldn’t everyone have access to free dental care?”

7. Using an Anecdote • When I studied education before becoming a teacher in the early 90s, my professors were dead set against lecturing, worksheets and memorizing facts for the test, but those were still the methods they employed, and the ones I saw in use during my practicum. We as teachers know that education must be engaging and relevant to be effective, and that the learner must be actively involved in the construction of knowledge for anything to stick. I know of no study that shows standardized testing to increase student learning. What I know is that there is no multiple-choice question that can measure the kind of learning that really changes people.

8. Quote • Elbert Hubbard once said, “Truth is stronger than fiction.” • Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.’ The film director Woody Allen took the definition one step further: ‘Those who can’t teach, teach gym’.”

9. Facts • “Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in Canada!” • “Of about 3 million youth that are injured every year playing sports or participating in recreational activities, only 25% are treated in hospital emergency rooms.”

10. What is a thesis statement? • A thesis statement is a statement that tells the main idea of your paper to the reader • Your thesis tells the reader what point you are going to make about your topic. • Usually, the thesis statement is found at the end of the first paragraph in an essay

11. Why must thesis statements have 3 points?! • The thesis must have 3 main points because those 3 points become the 3body paragraphs of your essay

12. A good way to write a thesis is… Two parts of a thesis: • ANSWER • Thesis Phrase Bullying/Discrimination can cause1__________, 2_________, and 3____________; however, it be decreased by _________________.

13. What are filler sentences? • Filler sentences are sentences that connect your “grabber” to your thesis statement. • Usually, there are 2-3 filler sentences. • They move the reader from the instant “grabber” to the main point in the thesis

14. Why are they important? • Filler sentences are about the topic you’re writing about • Restating the question… • Quote • Facts/Statistics • They provide a transition from the excitement of the grabber to the seriousness of the thesis statement.

15. So an introductory paragraph looks like this: ________ Grabber! __________ Filler Sentences _______ Thesis Statement

16. The COMPLETE Intro • Grabber • Restate the question • Quote • Facts • Thesis (Answer + three reasons)

17. Question: What important changes does Northwestern High School need? Introduction:Can you imagine what it would be like to walk into school everyday, knowing that your peers are excited about learning, and that your school has the proper resources to support them? That’s what could happen if Northwestern made some important changes. Students today need an environment that supports their needs, and makes them feel like they are valued members of the student body. To ensure optimal learning, schools should try their best to accommodate the interests of the students. For many high school students, school is where they spend most of their day, and because of that, they want to enjoy the space they occupy for four years. Northwestern High School needs to improve the school atmosphere in order to create student morale, shorter class periods, and more diverse extracurricular activities.

18. You try! Find the Grabber, the Filler, and the Thesis Statement! A recent survey reported that employers consider communication skills more critical to success than technical skills. Employees can learn technical skills on the job and practice them every day. But they need to bring well-developed communication skills to the job. They need to be able to make themselves understood to colleagues, both in speech and in writing. They need to be able to work cooperatively as part of a team. Employers can’t take time to teach communication skills, but without them an employee will have a hard time.

19. Did it look like this?! A recent survey reported that employers consider communication skills more critical to success than technical skills. Employees can learn technical skills on the job and practice them every day. But they need to bring well-developed communication skills to the job. They need to be able to make themselves understood to colleagues, both in speech and in writing. They need to be able to work cooperatively as part of a team.Employers can’t take time to teach communication skills, but without them an employee will have a hard time. ????

20. Some of the parents at your school have started a campaign to limit the homework that teachers can assign to students. Teachers at your school have argued that the homework is necessary. Should teachers assign less homework?

21. Think about it and Write! • Recently, a group of students from another high school were caught writing a derogatory word on the bathroom stalls. The newspapers have begun writing stories about how this incident is a rare, heartbreaking occurrence of racism, but that it isn’t a common issue and should not be overly exaggerated. However, some of your classmates are having arguments in disagreement of this opinion. Does racism still exist today?

22. AIMS • A-Attract the Reader • Identify the topic • Map the Context • State the thesis