Bellringer: Using Hughes’ poem and Shapiro article, what else does your reader need to know? Background information on Hughes? Background on Shapiro? Definition of the “American Dream?” Anything else?

Hook Practice using Hughes’ poem and Shapiro article. Write a hook for each of the three ideas below. Find a quote from each that would make a good hook for the prompt. Looking through the articles, find a word and definition that would help your reader understand the “American Dream.” Relate a personal experience or an anecdote that connects to the prompt.

Paragraph 5: Conclusion Paragraph 1: Intro Hook Transition and more information Thesis Mapping (3 “claims”) Paragraphs 2, 3, 4 Topic Sentence (matches the 3 claims in the mapping) Assertion (the “why” about the topic sentence) Evidence Explain the evidence and connect it to how you proved your topic sentence Paragraph 5: Conclusion Restate the thesis in a new way Summarize your assertions End strong

Thesis Practice: Using the prompt below, write a thesis and map. Evaluating the effectiveness of each text in achieving the intended purpose, how do these two authors portray the American Dream and is their explanation relevant in your world today.

Hughes Langston Hughes believes that the American dream is a fraud. (Topic Sent) He contends that the wealthy have used the minorities of the nation as pawns to gain wealth. (Assertion/”why”) In Let America be America Again, Hughes writes, “I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart…Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak.” (Evidence) He insinuates that the poor are taken advantage of and have no real hope of achieving success. (Explain) Hughes believes that the “American Dream” was a conspiracy plotted by the wealthy to establish a working class who wanted nothing more than the hope of wealth and success. In Hughes’ concluding stanza he says, “Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies.” Hughes uses the word “graft” to express the idea that the poor had no choice in the matter; they were fooled.