1. Have your notebooks open and a pen/pencil out ready to take notes
If you have a summer assignment please hand it to me now

2. Introductions
“The book I chose to read for this summer reading assignment is…”
“The main reason I decided to read __ this summer is mainly because a friend of mine already had a copy of the book as well as a quick Google search reveals the good reviews of the book from critics.”
“Over the summer the district was assigned to choose a book and write your thoughts on it.”
“I usually don’t like reading and every year dead doing my summer assignment.”
“I chose this novel in particular because while reading the synapse, I was able to appreciate the Plot.”

3. Hook Statements NOT to practice
Begin with a question: I know you have been taught to begin with an interesting question. Here’s the problem. Your question isn’t interesting. I know you think it is, but it isn’t. Beginning with a question is a lazy, unimaginative way to begin your piece. You are more creative. DO SOMETHING ELSE.
Quotation or Statistic: This method is also pretty lazy, unless your quotation or statistic is particularly engaging. I encourage you to use another technique, but if you feel you have a great quote or statistic, you might use this technique.

4. Hook statements
Identify a theme to focus on and try using one of the following:
Personal story: Readers respond to a personality, so share a short story about a moment in your life. You can accomplish quite a bit in a few short sentences if you give the reader an intimate, memorable “slice of life.”
Anecdote: Again, tell a brief story but take it from someone else’s life. You do not need to use your story. EXAMPLE: Before efficient extraction methods developed in the late 1880s, aluminum was VERY difficult to mine. As a result, pure aluminum was more valuable than gold. Napoleon gave banquets where the most honored guests were given aluminum utensils, while the others made do with gold.
Metaphor: Creating your own metaphor or analogy is a wonderful way to add style to your writing. Beginning with your own comparison shows you understand so well that you can illustrate nuances through your own figurative language. Mastering the metaphor should be a goal of any writer.

5. Hook Statements
Unexpected Claim: “There are more slaves in the world today than at any point in human history.” This statement seems to be false, but it is actually true. Beginning your essay with an unexpected claim can be very effective.
Vivid Description: Paint a word picture for your reader, focusing in on some object, place, or moment that connects to your general topic. If you can create memorable imagery, your readers will be more likely to engage with your essay.
Humor: If the situation calls for it, humor can be incredibly effective. Of course, humor is the most difficult tone to create in writing, but if you can pull it off…go for it. ???
Your Choice: This is not an exhaustive list. Try some other strategy not listed here. The most important thing is to be ORIGINAL and MEMORABLE.

6. Hook Statements
The second you begin to feel safe is the moment you lose sight of your next threat. It is human nature to believe “it” won’t happen to us. Petra Hammesfahr’s The Sinner shows us that we can never feel safe with anyone including ourselves.

7. Topic Sentences
Here are some examples of sentences that cannot be used as topic sentences. Can you figure out why they are inappropriate?
My hometown is famous because it is located by Wheaton River, which is very wide, and because it is built near an unusually steep hill called Wheaton Hill.
There are two reasons why some people like to buy cars with automatic transmission and two reasons why others like cars with manual transmission.
Clouds are white.

8. The problem with sentence #1 is that it contains too many details.
Topic sentences are general, and details should appear later in the paragraph.
A better topic sentence would be: My hometown is famous for several amazing geographical features.

9. Sentence #2 is not appropriate as a topic sentence because it mentions two topics, not just one.
Paragraphs are about one main thing and so their topic sentences should also be about only one main thing.

10. The problem with sentence #3 is that it is too general
The problem with sentence #3 is that it is too general. It is also very boring. Would you like to read a paragraph with this topic sentence? Most people would not.

11. Topic Sentences Re-Write #2 and #3
We can rewrite sentences #2 and #3 in the following ways to make it better:
There are two reasons why some people like to buy cars with automatic transmission.
There are two reasons why some people like cars with manual transmission.
The shapes of clouds are determined by various factors.