1. Intro Paragraph Notes

2. Essay Writing
You’ll be writing your own essay soon about the articles that we’ve just read.
Today, we’re going to practice essay writing with a different topic. That topic is…
“Write an essay that explains what type of environment Napoleon creates for the animals in Animal Farm.”

3. Introduction Paragraphs have 3 parts:
Attention Getting Device (AGD)
Narrowing Information
Thesis Sentence

4. 1. Attention Getting Device (AGD)
Where have we heard this term before?
This is the first sentence and is designed to introduce your reader to the “Big Idea” you are writing about.
The “Big Idea”= does not mention the story, book, or specific character you’ll write about later.

5. 1. Attention Getting Device (cont.)
An AGD should ALWAYS should be broad
What does this mean?
Broad means general (not too specific)
So, your AGD is NOT about the specific book or character you are writing about
What should my AGD be about, then?
The topic or one of the subjects you’re writing about
It should be an interesting or bold statement about this topic
Which of the following is the best AGD for my topic?

6. Which is the best AGD? Napoleon is an ineffective leader.
The best situations can lead to the worst outcomes.
Being happy is a good thing, but sometimes people aren’t happy.

7. 2. Narrowing Information
What is that?
2-3 sentences
called narrowing information because it becomes more specific as it goes on.
Introduces the reader to the specific topic you’ll be writing about
where you’ll mention the title of the book, and give basic info of the situation you’re writing about.

8. 2. Narrowing Information (cont.)
How do I write narrowing information?
Start by connecting the idea you brought up in your AGD to the book.
In another sentence or two, discuss how this idea or topic appears in the book.

9. Which is best narrowing information?
Napoleon, in Animal Farm, doesn’t care about Boxer, Muriel, or any of the other characters. He steals their food and forces them to do work that they don’t want to do. He leads like a dictator.
In the novel Animal Farm, Napoleon starts off as a ruler who seems to respect those beneath him and want to make their lives better. However, as the book progresses, the animals’ pleasant lifestyle becomes misery.

10. 3. Thesis Statement
This last, single sentence is the main argument of your entire essay.
should answer the question asked in the prompt
should be carefully worded
Try to use strong verbs, precise nouns and appropriate adjectives. This will help your argument sound credible!
should be a logical continuation of your Narrowing Information
the most specific sentence in your introductory paragraph—it should mention the name of the piece, the author’s name, and/or specific character’s names.

11. 3. Thesis Sentence (cont.)
The thesis should be argumentative
This means it should be arguable (someone might disagree or answer differently)
Say something original and not super-obvious about the piece you’re writing.
Avoid pointing out facts that are undeniably true—otherwise, it’s not an argument!
Ex. of “Undeniably true”: Napoleon is in charge.
Ex. of “Argumentative”: Napoleon is an uneffective leader.

12. Which is the best thesis statement?
Napoleon does things that are unfair.
In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon creates a negative and unstable environment for the animals.
The greedy, selfish pigs eventually kill Boxer in George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

13. EX: Intro Paragraph
The best situations can lead to the worst outcomes. In the novel Animal Farm, Napoleon starts off as a ruler who seems to respect those beneath him and want to make their lives better. However, as the book progresses, the animals’ pleasant lifestyle becomes misery. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Napoleon creates a negative and unstable environment for the animals.

14. Independent Practice:
Using what you learned about introductory paragraphs, write out all of the parts of the introduction in full sentences in the outline on my website.
Remember, you’re only writing an introductory paragraph, so you won’t need to get too specific, but make sure to construct a working AGD, helpful narrowing information, and a specific, strongly-worded thesis statement.
Make sure to save your work!

15. Body Paragraph Notes

16. THESIS: Napoleon creates a negative, unstable environment for the animals of Animal Farm.
TOPIC SENTENCE: REASON 1
Napoleon establishes an unjust environment after he takes over as ruler of Animal Farm.
TOPIC SENTENCE: REASON 2
TOPIC SENTENCE: REASON 3

17. Your Body Paragraphs Include
Topic Sentence
Evidence
Links to your argument
Concluding Sentence

18. 1. Topic Sentence The first sentence of the paragraph
States the 1st reason why the book agrees with your thesis.
Every topic sentence should be a more specific reason that proves that your thesis statement is true.
EX: “Napoleon establishes an unjust environment after he takes over as ruler of Animal Farm.”

19. Evidence, Links, Concluding Sentence
After your topic sentence, include:
Evidence QUOTES related to your topic sentence
Links Show how the quote supports the topic sentence; explain and provide details
Concluding Sentence  Restates topic sentence

20. FIRST, let’s talk about…
Quotes

21. What is a Quote?
A quote does NOT have to be something that a person says.
Instead, quoting from a source means that you have taken, word for word, what someone else has written/said.
EX: “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).

22. The 3 Parts of a Quote: The lead in The quote with citation
The link to the topic sentence (explanation)

23. #1: The Lead In Give background information Consider:
information the reader needs to understand the quote
Consider:
What is happening just before the quote?
What is the quote about?
Who is speaking/writing?
What might the lead-in look like for the following quote?
“the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).

24. What does a lead in look like?
Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
From this we can see:
The situation the quote describes
Who the speaker/writer is

25. Something to Remember…
A quote in a separate sentence from the lead in is called a naked quote.
Don’t let your quotes be naked!
Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. “The pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).
Instead, integrate your quotes into your paper.
What does integrate mean?

26. Signal Phrase Author’s Name + Verb + Quote OR Character Name
Use a signal phrase
Author’s Name + Verb Quote
OR Character Name
Argues
Writes
Says
Compares
Realizes
Suggests
Demonstrates
Shows

27. A good example of integration:
Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).

28. #2: Quote with Citation The quote goes in quotation marks
After the quote, the author and page number go in parentheses.
A period goes after the parentheses

29. Quote with Citation
Ex: Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66).

30. Linking Quotes to the Topic Sentence
NEXT, let’s talk about…
Linking Quotes to the Topic Sentence

31. #3: Linking the Quote
EXPLAIN the importance of what is seen in the quote
DESCRIBE how this quote relates to your topic sentence
Don’t simply state “This shows that Napoleon is unjust.”
Obvious
Provides no explanation for the reader
Give a step-by-step explanation of how the evidence reveals your argument

32. A good example of linking:
Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66). Not only does this break the rules, but it means the pigs are far more comfortable and happy than the other animals. Napoleon allows certain animals to have privileges that others do not have, which is unjust.

33. FINALLY, let’s talk about…
Concluding Statement

34. Concluding Statement Restate the topic sentence in a new way
Summarizes your argument
Don’t assume the reader knows how your support fits your argument.
You need to “connect the dots” for the reader

35. Whole Paragraph!
Napoleon establishes an unjust environment after he takes over as ruler of Animal Farm. Life on the farm has become quite difficult. Animals are exhausted, hungry, and cold. The pigs, however, seem to have unfair privileges. At one point, the animals realize, “the pigs not only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing room as a recreation room, but also slept in the beds” (Orwell 66). Not only does this break the rules, but it means the pigs are far more comfortable and happy than the other animals. Napoleon allows certain animals to have privileges that others do not have, which is unjust. Thus, after taking over as ruler, Napoleon creates an environment that is unjust.

36. **This is homework, if not finished in class.**
Independent Practice
Open your saved copy of our essay outline.
Fill in (in full sentences) the information for body paragraphs 1 and 2.
This is a continuation of the Animal Farm introductory paragraph from yesterday.
Make sure you save!
**This is homework, if not finished in class.**

37. Conclusion Paragraph Notes

38. Conclusion
Starts with restatement of thesis (reword and restructure the sentence)
Contains summary of any major ideas from your essay, links ideas together
Does NOT give any new facts
Tieback—references back to whatever you started with in AGD, provides a sense of ending
*Hint* Your conclusion is just a backward intro. It starts specific (with the thesis restatement) and ends general (with the tieback)

39. Example:
In Animal Farm by George Orwell, Napoleon creates a negative, uncertain environment on the farm. His greedy hoarding of the food, his lies to the animals, and the constant threat of violence from the dogs, make the farm a dark, dangerous place to live. The hopeful, bright future the animals, including Napoleon, once dreamed of is gone. Despite the revolution creating the best opportunity the animals could hope for, life has never been worse.

40. **This is homework, if not finished in class.**
Independent Practice
Open your saved copy of our essay outline.
Fill in (in full sentences) the information for the conclusion paragraph.
This is a continuation of the Animal Farm paragraphs from yesterday.
Make sure you save!
**This is homework, if not finished in class.**