1. August 27, 2013 1. Write down today’s date.
2. Read and edit the paragraph to the right.
3. Only write the corrections!
Starter #1 -
Alaska what is nicknamed The Last Frontier" became a state on Janaury Did you now that in 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from Russia four a price of $7.2 million. At just 2 cents an acre, that was a bargain! Alaska is rich in forests wildlife and minerals such as gold. The king salmon is the state fish, and it's state gem is jade dog mushing, once a mane form of transportation in Alaska, is its official sport.

2. Be Aware… Syllabus signed Begin working on SAT Word Map
Notebook Check-Friday
Begin working on your current event response

3. Quick Review 1. How do you do a vocabulary map?
2. When are voc maps due?
3. What are the three paragraphs in your current event response?
4. What are the guidelines for choosing a topic for your current event response?
5. What two things must you be able to do on the oral voc quiz?
6. When is the current event response due?
7. What are the three rules regarding essays and projects?

4. The Introduction & Thesis Statement
Writing An Essay
The Introduction & Thesis Statement

5. How to Read a Prompt
How does the narrator, Elie Wiesel, change throughout his memoir? Analyze Elie Wiesel’s character and explain his spiritual, emotional, and psychological changes before and after the Holocaust using his memoir as textual evidence.
Strategies
Read the prompt.
Re-read the prompt.
Identify all parts of the question.
Highlight all key words.
Restate prompt in your own words.

6. Interest Your Readers!
An introduction draws your reader into the essay.
Hook Statements: sentences that capture your reader’s attention
A reader who is drawn in by the first sentence is more likely to read the second and the third.

7. Hook Strategies for Introductions
A writer may begin with
a description
a question
taking a stand
a contrasting situation
a combination of the above list
an anecdote or scenario
a quotation
a brief history/overview
an interesting fact
Presentation of introduction strategies (35 minutes)
Talk through the list. Strategies are clarified throughout this day.
Introduction Strategies are found in the Document Folder, ready to print.
Introduction Strategy Definitions
an anecdote or scenario – a short description of a situation or story illustrating the point
a quotation or dialogue – using exact words of a person or character relevant to the point
a brief history/overview – giving the background information needed to understand a situation
5 W’s of situation or issue – the who, what, where, when and why of a situation or issue
an interesting fact – giving a piece of information to stimulate reader interest
a description – giving specific details to help a reader visualize
a question – asking the reader a question to engage interest and stimulate schema for your writing
taking a stand – revealing the writer’s point of view or position
a contrasting situation – presenting opposing sides or opinions of the situation
a combination of the above list – Great writers frequently combine strategies to increase impact.

8. Responding to Literature
When writing about literature you must introduce the author and literary work.
For Example:
Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night reveals his experiences and memories during the Holocaust between

9. Response to Literature Essay
Write a short summary
Use your introductory paragraph to tell your readers what they need to know about the story and to introduce your response.

10. Provide Background!
Give the background information about your topic which may be a definition, an general explanation, or specific facts.

11. Provide the Thesis!

12. Introduction Checklist
Hook statements
Quick summary
Background information for topic
Introduction of author and literary work
Thesis statement

14. Definition MUST be an assertion about a topic.
A thesis statement is a complete sentence that contains a debatable idea about a topic.
A thesis:
MUST be an assertion about a topic.
MUST be your opinion about your chosen topic.
MUST be a complete sentence

15. Your Need a Focus Point Your thoughts
If I took your thoughts and poured them onto a sheet of paper, it would be a chaotic mess.
A thesis will guide your thoughts and work to focus your ideas.
Your thoughts
Are a mess!!!

16. What is a thesis statement?
tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.
The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel that others might dispute.

17. Which is the Best Thesis Statement?
Night is about a why and how Jews were killed.
Night is about the problem of evil.
Night is about how the author changes.
During the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel changes from a spiritual, sensitive little boy to a spiritually dead, unemotional man.

18. Don’t State the Obvious
In thesis statements you should avoid using statements like, “This essay will discuss…” or “I’m going to write about…”
Nope!
In this paper, I will explain the how Elie Wiesel changed.
Correct!
During the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel changes from a spiritual, sensitive little boy to a spiritually dead, unemotional man.

19. List Subtopics
During the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel changes from a spiritual, sensitive little boy to a spiritually dead, unemotional man.
Subtopic #1: Explain Wiesel changes spiritually.
Subtopic #: Explain how Wiesel loses his innocence.
Subtopic #3: Explain how Elie changes emotionally.

20. List Subtopics
Abortion is lawful murder,and damages women psychologically.
Subtopic #1: Explain how abortion is morally wrong.
Subtopic #: Explain how abortion is lawful murder.
Subtopic #3: Explain how abortion damages women psychologically.

21. A Complete Sentence
The hip hop of today.
Why should America recycle?
This is not a sentence.
Hip hop dancing is an expression of identity and keeps our youth healthy mentally as well as physically.
This is a question.
Recycling preserves our limited resources and helps to decrease pollution.

22. Be Careful!!!
A broad thesis is an idea that covers too much information. So
The writer will have difficulty with focus.
Too Broad…
The Civil War was a horrific event.

23. Narrow it Down! Narrow: means limited in extent
You limit your thesis to contain a few subtopics.
Ex. Of Narrowed Thesis
One cause of the Civil War was the growth of the Abolition Movement.

24. Thesis Statement Checklist
Complete sentence
Last sentence in introduction
Debatable
Can be supported with evidence from texts
Not too broad or too narrow

25. Topic Question: Should high school students have a curfew?
Example
Topic Question: Should high school students have a curfew?
Declaration/Opinion on the Topic: High school students should have an enforced curfew.
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion
1. Students are less likely to get into trouble if they are home.
2. Students need their rest for school.
3.Being behind the wheel of a vehicle during the early morning hours increases their chances of accidents.
One Reason to Oppose your Opinion
1. The police officers have more important things to worry about than whether or not a high school student is out after curfew.
Thesis Statement
Even though police officers have more important things to worry about, high school students should have an enforced curfew because students need their rest for school and are less likely to get into trouble or have accidents if the curfew is enforced.

26. Topic Question: Should students receive sex education in high school?
Complete Chart
Topic Question: Should students receive sex education in high school?
Declaration/Opinion on the Topic:
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion 1. 2.
3. 
Thesis Statement

27. Complete Chart
Topic Question: Should students be allowed to use cell phones throughout the school day?
Declaration/Opinion on the Topic:
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion 1. 2.
3. 
Thesis Statement

28. Topic Question: Should students be allowed to leave campus at lunch?
Complete Chart
Topic Question: Should students be allowed to leave campus at lunch?
Declaration/Opinion on the Topic:
Three Reasons to Support your Opinion 1. 2.
3. 
Thesis Statement