1. Make sure your HW is on your desk to be checked. 2. Clear your desk over everything except your, HW, Do Now and a pen/pencil. 3. When the bell rings immediately go to level 0 and independently complete your Do Now. Please Do Now

Agenda Please Do Now (10) Grammar Lesson: Adding/Changing Sentences (15) Going on a Road Trip (5) Thesis Statements (10) Practice (10) Vocab Practice (10) Exit Ticket (10)

Objectives Add a sentence to accomplish a fairly straightforward purpose such as illustrating a given statement. Compose thesis statements that are clear, arguable, relevant, and specific.

Grammar Lesson: Adding/Changing Sentences TOD Add a sentence to accomplish a fairly straightforward purpose such as illustrating a given statement. Key Points: Identify and circle the writer’s purpose/goal. Try each answer choice and test whether or not it help’s the writer reach his purpose/goal. If you get stuck, try to rank your answer choices from best to worst in order and choose the best one.

Going on a Road Trip… What do we need? Things for our tripConnect to our writing

Today’s Big Idea A strong thesis statement can drive an entire essay. A thesis is the main idea that you are trying to convey in your work. It states plainly what you are trying to persuade your reader to believe. Therefore, a thesis cannot be a simple statement of fact, because a statement of fact does not require persuasive argument. All facts require interpretation if one wants to derive meaning from them.

Rules to Remember Never use the first person in your thesis Never phrase your thesis in the passive voice Never attribute your thesis to someone else, or to general opinion

Thesis Statements Always Include… Subject: who/what you are writing about Opinion: the statement you are trying to argue Rationale: the basis for your argument

Thesis Statements are CARS Clear Easy to understand Arguable Make a point, is debatable Relevant Stays on topic and answers the prompt. Specific Focuses on exactly why the writer feels a certain way with specific reasons to back up their argument.

Clear Question: Who should be elected President of the United States in 2012? Clear: Barack Obama should be re-elected as President of the United of States because he has improved the access to healthcare for millions of Americans, has improved international relations for our country, and is willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans to fix the economy. Unclear: He should be in charge because he is for universal healthcare, is good with international relations, and works well with others.

Arguable Question: Who should be elected President of the United States in 2012? Arguable: The next President of the United States should be Mitt Romney because he has experience in both the financial and political worlds which would help to improve our economy. Unarguable: The next President of the United States should be a person because animals and plants wouldn’t be able to fix the economy.

Relevant Question: Who should be elected President of the United States in 2012? Relevant: Barack Obama should remain President of the United States because he has been helping struggling families through new social programs, is creating many important educational reforms, and has specific plans to remove our troops from abroad. Irrelevant: The next President of the United States should learn how to play the drums because it would teach him musicianship, it would allow him to play in a band, and it would be funny.

Specific Question: Who should be elected President of the United States in 2012? Specific: The next President of the United States should be Rick Perry because he plans to repeal unfair healthcare policies, create millions of new jobs like he has done in Texas, and improve the economy by cutting unnecessary federal spending. Unspecific: The next President of the United States should be Rick Perry because he is a good person and has results.

Try it out: On your own try to craft thesis statements that are CARS for each of the following prompts: 1. Should there be a dress code at MCP? 2. Should off-campus lunch be based on GPA or number of demerits? 3. If you could recommend next summer’s summer reading book for all the incoming freshman, what book would you choose? 4. Who should be the graduation speaker for 2013 next year? 5. Should illegal immigrants be granted US citizenship if they are model citizens and pay taxes?

Vocabulary Review 1. asperity 2. bane 3. buffoon 4. doleful 5. extrovert 6. garish 7. hierarchy 8. imbue 9. instigate 10. penchant 11. rambunctious 12. repertoire 13. rudiment 14. undermine 15. unremitting

Exit Ticket Put your name at the top of you exit ticket and answer the following questions in complete sentences: 1. What are the three steps to seeing if you should add or change a sentence? 2. What four qualities should a strong thesis statement have? 3. Define the following five vocab words: asperity doleful garish imbue rudiment