Warm Up: Tuesday, Oct. 24th Get out your thesis statement sheet you worked on yesterday. It should be complete. Turn it in to the turn in tray. Begin reading over the prompt we are working on today. Start brainstorming main points you could use for this prompt.

Go pick up your writing portfolio from the black crates in the front! Warm Up: Tuesday, Oct. 24th Write one compound sentence and one complex sentence that relates to your fears or concerns about essay writing. Go pick up your writing portfolio from the black crates in the front!

Knitting your Essay Together! What was your topic sentence for your Alas, Babylon leadership paragraph? A strong leader has to be willing to put his life on the line for the people he commands. It’s one thing to demand respect and take charge of a group, but it’s quite another to risk your very life for those you serve. What was your topic sentence for your Odyssey leadership paragraph? An effective leader must be a powerful communicator who can motivate his or her followers to action. What two traits did you end up focusing on for these two paragraphs? Fill in the sentence: An effective leader is both a risk-taker (the trait from your Alas, Babylon example) and a powerful communicator (the trait from your Odyssey example).

Thesis Writing Thesis Options Clear and straightforward, but basic/simple An effective leader is both a risk-taker and a powerful communicator. Purposeful use of semicolon and transition word/phrase An effective leader is someone who is willing to risk his or her life for the betterment of the group; in addition, a leader who can motivate his or her follows to action proves more beneficial to the overall mission. Rewrite this “cookie-cutter” sentence to one that has a bit more depth and doesn’t seem so formulaic. It’s your turn! Rewrite your thesis so that it uses a purposeful semicolon and transition word. Remember, you must have a complete independent clause on either side of the semicolon. Don’t write a fragment!

Connection Conclusions Connect - Explain how your two examples are connected Connect your examples together to link your two body paragraphs Conclude - Why this is an important subject to you, society, or literature? Connect your lessons from your two body paragraphs together While Randy and Odysseus deal with very different obstacles, both men understand the value of… Randy and Odysseus might be from two completely different cultures, but both men know that leadership is only effective when…

Complete Essay An effective leader is someone who is willing to risk his or her life for the betterment of the group; in addition, a leader who can motivate his or her follows to action proves more beneficial to the overall mission. A strong leader has to be willing to put his life on the line for the people he commands. It’s one thing to demand respect and take charge of a group, but it’s quite another to risk your very life for those you serve. Randy Bragg, in the post-apocalyptic novel Alas, Babylon, personifies this quality. After a nuclear attack wipes out much of the United States, Randy assumes the command in his small town of Fort Repose, Florida. It’s not his domineering presence or decision-making that makes him effective, though he does have those traits as well. Randy risks his life for the safety of his citizens when he organizes and executes an ambush on a dangerous gang of looters and murderers, known as “the highwaymen.” Randy understands how quickly this plan could go south, but he is willing to take this risk, and possibly lay down his own life, to save the lives of others. A true leader doesn’t get wrapped up in power trips or ego. Leadership is about the willingness to pay the ultimate price to protect the people you love. An effective leader must be a powerful communicator who can motivate his or her followers to action. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus has to motivate his men who are overcome their trepidation when they hear the tumultuous waves of Charybdis and the cry of Scylla. The men drop their oars in fear, and the ship stops its forward motion. Odysseus leaps to action and reminds his crew to keep their heads up and man the oars because they must get by these monstrous adversaries. He reminds them that they have faced other dangerous monsters and survived. Odysseus realizes that if the men continue to quake in fear, Scylla will have a chance to kill more of the crew. By bolstering the spirits of his shipmates, Odysseus inspires them to keep rowing. His speech, though short, is able to give his men enough courage to row through the treacherous path. The most influential leaders are ones who can motivate their followers with their commanding rhetoric. Randy and Odysseus might be from two completely different cultures, but both men know that leadership is only effective when you put the needs of your followers first. It is this kind of sacrificial leadership that inspires everyone to give their trust and commitment to their leader.

Organizational Styles 1. Definition Definition: Describes characteristics or features of something Example: Explain what it means to be an American. As a writer you would have to explain what are the characteristics that make a person American.

Organizational Styles 2. Explanatory Definition: Explains a writer’s position on a topic Example: Explain whether second chances are important. As a writer you would need to choose a position to explain. Example: Explain why it’s necessary to give someone a second chance. As a writer you are given the position to explain.

Expository Essay Prompt Don’t get distracted by this section of the prompt. Do not include the quote in your essay. It’s just there to spark your ideas. If it helps, cross out the prompt all the way up the word “Write.” This is where your attention needs to go to ensure you are answering the right question.

Brainstorming and Prewriting It’s always best to create a plan of action BEFORE you start writing! When you organize your ideas, your writing is more cohesive.

Use what works for you!

Homework Essay Reflection (Question 1) What strategy of brainstorming, if any, did you use? Reflect on the usefulness of brainstorming on the provided handout.

Thesis Statements A thesis statement is crucial to writing a strong essay. Without a thesis your reader will not understand the purpose of your writing. Definition: a single sentence that expresses what you want your readers to understand; the controlling idea of your essay and road map for your paper Last sentence of your introduction

Helpful Intro and Thesis Hints: You need to brainstorm your reasons and possible examples BEFORE constructing a thesis. Your thesis should not contain your examples. Don’t use first person in your thesis! “I believe that failure…” Do not start your essay with a rhetorical question! “Have you ever failed before?” Do not start your essay with a cliché saying or the quote from the prompt!

Thesis Statements What does a thesis look like? (Basic organization of a thesis) Position you are taking + transition word + topics/reasons of paper. Prompt: Explain the types of changes a student may undergo from middle school to high school. Many students undergo changes from middle school to high school such as becoming more responsible and feeling more stress. Many students undergo changes from middle school to high school because they become more responsible for their actions; furthermore, high school adds increased levels of stress to their lives. Prompt: Explain the importance of being involved in your community. Being involved in the community is important because it helps people stay connected and gives people pride in their community. Being involved in the community is important because it helps people stay connected with their neighbors; in addition, being involved gives people pride in their community.

Homework Essay Reflection (Questions 2 and 3) Do you have a thesis? If so, copy it down on the provided handout. Did your thesis follow the template we’ve discussed? Rewrite your thesis using the strategy below. If you don’t have one, create one now. Format with semicolon: Main idea of paper + transition word + first reason of paper; transition word, second reason of paper. Many students undergo changes from middle school to high school because they become more responsible for their actions; furthermore, high school adds increased levels of stress to their lives. First transition word/phrase: because, due to, such as (since, for = use these two sparingly) Transition word/phrases for after semicolon: furthermore, additionally, in addition, moreover, also

Expository Essay Structure (The Teal, Teal CCs) Thesis- Answer the prompt using words from the prompt and giving two reasons.   Topic- Explain your first reason given in the thesis. Evidence-Provide an example from literature, history, the community, or a personal experience that embodies your topic. Analysis-Explain what the connection is between your example and your topic sentence. Lesson- State what can be learned from this example to apply to real life. This is where we address the “so what” or “why is this important?”   Topic- Explain your second reason given in the thesis. Analysis-Explain what the connection is between your second example and your second topic sentence. Connect- explain how your two examples are connected (connect your Es) Conclusion-Why this is an important subject to you, society, or literature? (Connect your Ls)

Definition: facts or examples to prove that your ideas are true Evidence Options Definition: facts or examples to prove that your ideas are true Literary examples: Using well known examples from literature to prove a point. Ex: In Pat Frank’s Alas, Babylon, Randy takes initiative on burying Porky Logan because he’s trying to avert a medical crisis within the community. Historical examples (events or people): Using well known examples from history to prove your point. Ex: Rosa Parks demonstrates how one woman’s involvement in her community impacted not only a single city but an entire country. Current events examples (events or people): Using current news stories relating to people or events to prove your point. Ex: One vote in the upcoming election might seem like it won’t change the outcome; however, when a community comes together, several small votes can actually start a movement. Personal examples: Using your own life experiences to relate to your audience. Ex: Having to balance school work, a job, and band rehearsals was one element of my high school experience that caused extreme stress.

Helpful Hints: Do not use hypothetical examples. (“Imagine you are at school, and you fail a biology test.”) Turn this hypothetical one into a personal example (“Last week I failed my biology test…”) and it’s stronger evidence. TV shows and movie examples are a LAST resort. They are weak forms of example.

Homework Essay Reflection (Question 4) Did you provide examples? If so, what were they? Reflect on your examples using the provided handout. If you didn’t include examples to support your ideas, what did you use to prove your point?

Analysis Definition: explaining to the audience how your evidence connects to your thesis. Prompt: Explain the types of changes a student may undergo from middle school to high school. Personal example: Having to balance school work, a job, and band rehearsals was one element of my high school experience that caused extreme stress. Strong analysis (connects evidence to the big picture): Many students experience similar juggling acts as I did, trying to succeed both academically and extra-curricularly. These students lack the time management skills needed to balance all of their activities, leading to an amount of stress that was not experienced in middle school. Weak analysis (only applies to the writer): Trying to keep up with all my stuff was just crazy. It was really hard to stay focused on all the things I was supposed to do. I don’t remember feeling that way in middle school.

Body Paragraph Organization An example of an entire paragraph: One negative change that many students experience from middle school to high school is an increased amount of stress. Having to balance school work, a job, and band rehearsals was one element of my high school experience that caused an increased amount of stress for me. I found that the more I committed to my extra-curricular program and my job, the more I let my class assignments and homework fall to the wayside. I had many late nights trying to finish my homework for the next day, but there are only so many hours in a day to get work done. Many students experience similar juggling acts as I did, trying to succeed both academically and extra-curricularly. These students lack the time management skills needed to balance all of their activities, leading to an amount of stress that was not experienced in middle school. Once a student gets behind academically, it takes a conscious effort to get back on track. Even though the increased stress can be difficult at times, learning time management skills take practice, but those experiences are a valuable life lesson for students to learn early on in their high school career.

Strong Transitions Your reader needs to see how your ideas connect or where your ideas are about to change. Here is a toolbox of strong transition words to use in your writing: Therefore, Even though However, Consequently, Furthermore, In addition,

Homework Essay Reflection (Question 5) Which of the following writing strategies below is one you would like to try in your next essay? Structured thesis (semicolon, transitional word/phrase)