Introductions and Conclusions

1. Introductions and Conclusions

2. Introductions • A thought-provoking question to make the reader wonder • A little “sip” of the conclusion to get the reader’s attention and pique his or her interest • A funny story to set a humorous tone • A list of main points to introduce a topic in a serious, logical manner • Dramatic, eye-opening statement • An expert quotation • The student’s own angle/opinion

3. Questions to ask: • What technique is being used? • What do you think is going to happen in the story based on the introduction?

4. “Eleven” • What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five and four, and three, and two, and one.

5. Walk Two Moons • Gramps says that I am a country girl at heart, and that is true. I have lived most of my thirteen years in Bybanks, Kentucky, which is not much more than a caboodle of houses rooting in a green spot alongside the Ohio River.

6. The Indian in the Cupboard • It was not that Omri didn’t appreciate Patrick’s birthday present to him. Far from it. He was really very grateful – sort of. It was, without a doubt, very kind of Patrick to give Omri anything at all, let alone a secondhand plastic Indian that he himself had finished with.

7. Conclusions • A profound thought • A surprise • A quote • A tie-up • A question or open-ended statement • A challenge • A summary • A literary device • A laugh

8. Questions to ask: • If you were reading this conclusion to a story, what feelings would you have as it ended?

9. A profound thought • Matilda • Miss Honey was still hugging the tiny girl in her arms and neither of them said a word as they stood there watching the big black car tearing round the corner at the end of the road and disappearing forever into the distance.

10. a quote • Holes • Very softly, she half sang, half hummed a song that her grandmother used to sing . . . “If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply; reflecting the sun and all that’s gone by. Be strong my weary wolf, turn around boldly, fly high, my baby bird, my angel, my only.”

11. A challenge • Bud, Not Buddy • Be smarter than I was: Go talk to Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad and other relatives and friends. Discover and remember what they have to say about what they learned growing up. By keeping their stories alive you make them, and yourself immortal.

12. A Summary • James and the Giant Peach • And because so many of them were always begging him to tell and tell again the story of his adventures on the peach, he thought it would be nice if one day he sat down and wrote a book. So he did. And that is what you have just finished reading.

13. Assignment • Write two introductions and two conclusions using any of the techniques we practiced.