1. September 23, 2013 & September 24, 2013

2.  Your essay should begin with a hook  A hook is sometimes called an “attention getter”.  It makes the person reading your essay want to keep reading.  It is the first sentence of the first paragraph.  Some commonly used hooks are : Quotes, rhetorical questions, similes or metaphors, and definitions.

3.  A hook can be ANY attention grabbing sentence. For example, when writing about the civil rights movement a student began his essay:  “People were fighting everywhere; there was blood in the streets.”  After this, he talked about how Martin Luther King, Jr. practiced non-violence in a very violent time period.  His hook was not a question, quote, simile, or definition. It was just a good sentence.

4.  A thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about.  It is a ONE SENTENCE outline of the rest of the essay.  It is the last sentence of your first paragraph.  Remember the magic thesis formula: Subject + Attitude + 3 Reasons  The 3 reasons can then become the TOPICs for the next 3 paragraphs.

5.  If a paragraph is between 4-6 sentences, and the hook is the first sentence of the first paragraph, and the thesis is the last sentence of the first paragraph, what goes in the middle? Some background information on the subject Or if the essay is about something you read, a short summary of the book/article/story

6.  That first paragraph is called the introduction paragraph. It sets the tone for your essay, and tells the reader what to expect. Most importantly, it explains how the essay is going to respond to (or answer), the prompt question.

7.  Write a sample introduction paragraph in response to this essay prompt:  Should boys and girls be in separate classes? Remember, you need a hook and a thesis, plus some background information.  Don’t forget that the introduction must be in response to the prompt question.

8. In high school, did you ever sit by an annoying classmate of the opposite gender? Today, many high schools have co-ed classes where boys and girls all have lessons together. Some private schools still have classes of only one gender, but public schools do not. Boys and girls should not be in the same classes because they learn at different rates, they exhibit different levels of maturity, and they are a distraction due to hormones.

9.  3 body paragraphs, one based on each of the 3 reasons from your thesis.  Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence. The topic sentence explains what that paragraph will be about.  Then the rest of the paragraph explains and supports your topic sentence. Give examples that back up and support your opinion

10.  Look back at your sample introduction paragraph. Choose one of the 3 reasons from your thesis statement and use it as a topic for a sample body paragraph.  Write AT LEAST 5 sentences (topic sentence, and four sentences that support your opinion)

11. During the teen years, hormone levels are high and the opposite sex can be a distraction. Upon entering many classrooms, you can witness “flirting” between students who sit together. Boys often try to show off for girls, and this can lead to discipline problems and low grades. On the other end of the spectrum, girls must work harder to impress boys with their appearance. Girls can be seen applying mascara instead of taking notes on the Pythagorean theorem. When a class is all one sex, there is no one to impress, and students can focus more on the academics at hand.

12.  The final paragraph is called the Conclusion paragraph.  A conclusion needs a few things: You must restate your thesis in new words. Summarize your main points and topics. Leave the reader with something to think about.

13.  Take your thesis from your introduction paragraph and restate it. This means put the same idea into new words. Don’t just write it down exactly the same as it was in the introduction paragraph.

14.  Write a conclusion for your essay about whether boys and girls should be in class together.  Make sure you Restate your thesis Summarize your main points And leave the audience (reader) with something to think about.