1. Fast Food Essay

2. Introduction Your introduction must have the following components:
Hook
Introduce title(s) and author(s) of the article(s)
Thesis

3. Sample Introduction
America is now known as the fattest country in the world. Many Americans blame the fast food industry for over-advertising, selling unhealthy food, and selling oversized portions. However, others feel that America’s obesity is a matter of personal responsibility. In his article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home,” Daniel Weintraub explains that parents need to take responsibility for the eating habits of their kids. He is absolutely right. Parents are responsible for their children and are to blame when their children become overweight.

4. Introduction Analysis
Hook: America is now known as the fattest country in the world.
Title/Author: In his article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home,” Daniel Weintraub explains that parents need to take responsibility for the eating habits of their kids.
Thesis: Parents are responsible for their children and are to blame when their children become overweight.

5. Your Turn
Look at the introduction that you were asked to write last week. Does it contain the following:
Hook
Author and Title Introduction
Thesis

6. Body Paragraphs
Your body paragraphs prove your thesis. They provide the reasoning behind your argument.
Each body paragraph must be about one topic/reason.
DO NOT SUMMARIZE the article in your body paragraphs.

7. Body Paragraphs
In your body paragraphs, you are making “claims” about why things happened.
You must use quotations from the article(s) to support your claims.
On the next slides, we will look at one body paragraph that does not contain support, and then the same paragraph that contains support.

8. Sample Body Paragraph without Support
Parents have a lot of influence on their children from the day their child is born. Children learn how to talk from their parents, how to respect their elders, and they learn should about food and exercise from their parents too. There are many steps to take in showing a child what is healthy and unhealthy. A parent could make sure that a child receives a serving of fruits or vegetables at lunch and dinner, eliminate soda from the house, and even eliminate all junk food.

9. Sample Body Paragraph WITH Support
Parents have a lot of influence on their children from the day their child is born. Children learn how to talk from their parents, how to respect their elders, and they should learn “healthy eating and exercising habits” from their parents (Weintraub 30). There are many steps to take in showing a child what is healthy and unhealthy. A parent could make sure that a child receives a serving of fruits or vegetables at lunch and dinner, eliminate soda from the house, and even eliminate all junk food. Children are overweight because their parents don’t take these steps. Therefore, Weintraub is right, “It’s the fault of parents who let their kids eat unhealthy foods and sit in front of the television or computer for hours at a time.”

10. Body Paragraph Analysis
Both of the quotations are set up in a way that gives context to the article, and they are used to support the arguments.
Parents are responsible for teaching their children healthy eating habits.
Parents are responsible for making sure their children exercise.

11. Look at the worksheet provided
Example
Evidence
Explanation
Brownlee mentions that when we were young, we ate a happy meal and we were satisfied with the amount of food we ate.
“…a small bag of french fries, a plain burger and a 12-ounce Coke seemed like a full meal. Fast food wasn’t any healthier back then; we simply ate a lot less of it” (5).
Brownlee states that the amount of food people eat is much more than needed. Since people eat more, people gain more weight. However, it is the restaurants who decide on how much is sold. Therefore, it is the fault of the restaurants who make America obese.

12. Your Turn
On the worksheet provided, find evidence to support your claims in your essay.
Example column: state your claim/reason
Evidence column: find a quotation to support your claim/reason (be sure to include author and paragraph numbers).
Explanation column: explain how the quotation supports your claim/reason and therefore your thesis.

13. Use the worksheet for your Body Paragraphs
Example
Evidence
Explanation
Brownlee mentions that when we were young, we ate a happy meal and we were satisfied with the amount of food we ate.
“…a small bag of french fries, a plain burger and a 12-ounce Coke seemed like a full meal. Fast food wasn’t any healthier back then; we simply ate a lot less of it” (5).
Brownlee states that the amount of food people eat is much more than needed. Since people eat more, people gain more weight. However, it is the restaurants who decide on how much is sold. Therefore, it is the fault of the restaurants who make America obese.

14. Sample Body Paragraph
Fast food restaurants are serving too much food. Brownlee mentions that when we were young, we ate a happy meal and we were satisfied with the amount of food we ate. She says, “[A] small bag of french fries, a plain burger and a 12-ounce Coke seemed like a full meal. Fast food wasn’t any healthier back then; we simply ate a lot less of it” (5). Brownlee states that the amount of food people eat is much more than needed. Since people eat more, people gain more weight. However, it is the restaurants who decide on how much is sold. Therefore, it is the fault of the restaurants who make America obese.

15. Your Turn
Write a body paragraph of your own using the Example, Evidence, Explanation worksheet provided.
Be sure to properly set-up your quotation.

16. Conclusions
Your conclusion for a Research essay should do the following:
Sum up your points
Give a final thought/lesson learned
All conclusions must:
Restate the Title and Author
Restate the thesis and points
Conclusions do not:
Make new claims
Say: “In conclusion…”
Say: “This is why I think that…”
Say: “Now I’ve told you why…”

17. Sample Conclusion
It is a fact that America is getting fatter and fatter. However, life doesn’t have to be this way. As Daniel Weintraub points out in his article, “The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home,” parents are responsible. America will start losing some of its pounds once parents teach their children proper eating and exercise habits. Hopefully then America will have a generation of healthy eaters and therefore will lose weight.

18. Your Turn Write your own conclusion. Remember the following:
Restate the title and author
Restate your thesis and claims
Give a final comment/lesson learned
Avoid saying, “In conclusion…”
Avoid saying, “This is why I think that…”