1. Ms. Schroder Pre-ib/honors English i
How to write an intro
Ms. Schroder
Pre-ib/honors English i

2. Good morning!  Take out the following: 1. Take out 4 sheets of paper
2. Have your Greek mythology packet out.
3. Have out writing utensils (including highlighter)
4. Start copying down the writing process checklist on the board.

3. Why is this important?

4. This is important because…
1. This intro structure will clearly tell the audience the main idea of your essay and what your purpose for writing is.
2. This intro structure engages the audience from the beginning.
3. This ntro structure makes it easier for you to get started writing your essay!!

5. Remember, first you must break down your prompt and plan!
How to think about Breaking down the prompt
Ask yourself…
Is it Informative or Argumentative?
You may see other words, i.e., explanatory or argumentation
What is the big idea?
Informative = controlling idea; Argumentative = claim
What do you need to address about the big idea?
Informative = What about the controlling idea do you need to explain?
Argumentative = What are the two sides of the argument you can pick from to form a claim
planning
The right way to plan depends on you! Everyone organizes their thoughts differently, and the way you organize your essay may change depending on the task.
We will go over several planning techniques this year so you can find the one that works best for you.
NOT PLANNING (or just planning “in your head”) IS NOT AN OPTION.
You wouldn’t go on a road trip without looking at a map or the GPS first. This step is your writing GPS.

6. planning
The right way to plan depends on you! Everyone organizes their thoughts differently, and the way you organize your essay may change depending on the task.
We will go over several planning techniques this year so you can find the one that works best for you.
NOT PLANNING (or just planning “in your head”) IS NOT AN OPTION.
You wouldn’t go on a road trip without looking at a map or the GPS first. This step is your writing GPS.

7. Structure of an introduction paragraph
Broad
Broad Statement
Narrowing Statement
Connect to Text
Thesis
Specific

8. Structure of an introduction paragraph
1. Broad Statement
Introduce the big idea to be explained or argued
2. Narrowing Statement
Get more specific (Why is it important/define a key term/ make a judgement/show why it is controversial enough to be debated)
3. Connection to Text
Introduce all sources and complete the thought (get even more specific than what you said in sentence 2/state what the different view points are)
4. Thesis
Informative: State controlling idea and what you will be explaining about it (aligns to topic sentences in body)
Argumentative: State claim and 2 reasons (aligns to topic sentences in body)

9. Introductions: Do and don’t
Follow all 4 steps!
Introduce the topic of your essay in the broad statement
Provide more specific info in the narrowing statement
Remember to introduce ALL your sources in the 3rd sentence
Save the best for last (THESIS = LAST SENTENCE!)
Double check that your thesis reflects the correct type of writing
Add unnecessary sentences
Forget your purpose and task for writing
Use “cheap tricks” in your broad statement
Use textual evidence (save juicy quotes for the body of your essay)
Forget to introduce all the sources
State your thesis before sentence 4
Put your reader to sleep

10. Okay, so what does an intro following these steps look like?

11. We Do: evaluate a Student sample
Imagine wearing a huge shirt that doesn't even fit you and it's hanging like sheets on your body. I would also hate having to look embressed if I had to wear something that seems so small on me it would be considered to most people that i'm wearing under garmets. This is what in the back of the days people go through having clothes that make you look three sizes too small and maybe not have no cothes at all, but it is slowly changing because people are having tailors and all ready-made clothes. The relationship between ready made clothing style and the development of tailoring is that demands for more clothes and different style people want, effected how it is made because by more people wanting affotiable styelish clothes new factories were built.

12. We Do: evaluate a Student sample
Gun control is becoming a growing controversy in the United States. The government is debating on whether to enforce stricter gun control laws. According to source 1 “As Campus Fears Rise, So Do Efforts to Enact School Gun Laws” by Adam Nagourney and Julie Turkewitz, source 2 “Gun Control isn’t the Answer” by James Q. Wilson, and source 3 an excerpt from “The Truth About Columbine” by Andrew Gumbel, restricting laws on gun control pose many risks and benefits. Based on the sources, stricter gun control laws contain more risks because people lose the ability to protect themselves and those who are violent will find other ways to commit cruel acts.

13. Turn and talk: what was similar/different about these two intros
Turn and talk: what was similar/different about these two intros? Which was better? Which followed the steps?

14. We Do: evaluate a Student sample
Gun control is becoming a growing controversy in the United States. The government is debating on whether to enforce stricter gun control laws. According to source 1 “As Campus Fears Rise, So Do Efforts to Enact School Gun Laws” by Adam Nagourney and Julie Turkewitz, source 2 “Gun Control isn’t the Answer” by James Q. Wilson, and source 3 an excerpt from “The Truth About Columbine” by Andrew Gumbel, restricting laws on gun control pose many risks and benefits. Based on the sources, stricter gun control laws contain more risks because people lose the ability to protect themselves and those who are violent will find other ways to commit cruel acts.

15. They do: break down the prompt
Using your notes on how to break down prompts, break down the following prompt with your elbow partner:

16. You do: intro first draft
Using the prompt you broke down with your partner and the charts we completed earlier this unit for planning, write your first draft of your introduction. Remember, if you need help, come up to me at the help desk. You do not need to raise your hand, just come up to the desk. If someone is already at the desk, wait until the sit down and ask a partner for help in the meantime.
I must check off on everyone’s thesis statement before the end of class!!! This is your exit ticket. If everyone’s thesis is approved by this time, your class will earn the privilege of listening to music (with headphones) during our writing time next class.

17. Literacy group meeting will be on tuesday