Bellwork September 25 th:

1. Bellwork September 25th: Respond to this quote: • “Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces.”Henry David Thoreau (Thaw/Thor-Norse Gods) • 1. Tell me what you think it means • 2. Tell me if you agree or disagree and why • 7-10 sentences

2. Essay Drafting Notes • Get out a sheet of lined paper. Title it “Essay Drafting Notes”. • We will discuss basic details you need to include in your outline for the persuasive essay. • For today, we will be focusing only on the introduction. I want you to make an amazing introduction to your paper before we go on.

3. Before we can begin • You need to identify the following for your paper: • Who is your audience? • What is your purpose in writing this essay?

4. Introduction • The introduction has a "hook or grabber" to catch the reader's attention. Some • We will look at seven possible attention grabbers for your paper.

5. 1. Opening with an unusual detail: • Example: (Manitoba, because of its cold climate, is not thought of as a great place to be a reptile. Actually, it has the largest seasonal congregation of gartersnakes in the world!)

6. 2. Opening with a strong statement: • (Cigarettes are the number one cause of lighter sales in the United States!)

7. 3. Opening with a Quotation: • (Elbert Hubbard once said , "Truth is stronger than fiction.")

8. 4. Opening with an Anecdote: • An anecdote can provide an amusing and attention-getting • opening if it is short and to the point.

9. 5. Opening with a Statistic or Fact: • Sometimes a statistic or fact will add emphasis or interest • to your topic. It may be wise to include the item's authoritative source.

10. 6. Opening with a Question. • (Have you ever considered how many books we'd read if it were not for television?) • Note: this is an overused starter to an essay. Although acceptable, I would suggest another option for creativity sake.

11. 7. Opening with an Exaggeration or Outrageous Statement. • (The whole world watched as the • comet flew overhead.)

12. Give Necessary background • The next step in your introduction is to give background that is needed. • Consider your audience here. Fill them in on any details you think they might not know about your topic.

13. Background Example • My Topic: Genetic Engineering of Food • My audience: Moms who make dinner regularly, but who might not know about the details foods. • Background I might give: • Stores all over the country sell two types of fruits and vegetables to parents without their knowledge. Fruits and vegetables at the local grocer not labeled ‘organic’ might be genetically generated foods. Genetic modifications of food has been done at the college level for decades. In fact, many of the foods we eat everyday, such as the grapefruit, originated from genetic modification. Many people in the grocery aisles have no idea what they are actually buying.

14. Thesis • Include an Thesis statement in your first paragraph AT THE END. • This is the one sentence foundation for your paper.

15. What a Good Thesis Does • 1. It tells the reader the specific topic of your essay. • 2. It imposes manageable limits on that topic. • 3. It suggests the organization of your paper. • Through the thesis, you should say to the reader: • "I've thought about this topic, I know what I believe about it, and I know how to organize it."

16. Thesis Examples • At least twenty-five percent of the federal budget should be spent on helping upgrade business to clean technologies, researching renewable energy sources, and planting more trees in order to control or eliminate pollution.

17. Thesis Example • Assisted suicide should never be allowable due to its blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life,the dangers for the doctor in performing this type of operation, and the moral line that it blurs between medicine and suicide.

18. Introductory Paragraph Summary • Hook • Background Information • Thesis

19. Introduction Example 70 percent of our corn farmland and 93 percent of soy farmland are planted with crops genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides and increase crop yields. Stores all over the country sell two types of foods to parents without their knowledge and have been doing so for over fifteen years. Fruits and vegetables at the local grocer not labeled ‘organic’ might be genetically generated foods. Genetic modifications of food has been done at the college level for decades. In fact, many of the foods we eat everyday, such as the grapefruit, originated from genetic modification. Many people in the grocery aisles have no idea what they are actually buying. Genetic modification of food across America must be stopped due to its affect on the health of many American families, correlation to the increase in cancer rates, and the consumer’s right to know what they are eating.

20. Homework • Draft your introduction by following the steps outlined today. • Bring a typed rough draft tomorrow with you to class.