Here is the prompt:

• Your friend has decided to give up their U.S. citizenship and defect to North Korea in order to do humanitarian work. They believe that, by doing so, they will be better accepted and able to help more effectively. Write a letter to this friend in which you either persuade them to go to North Korea, or to not go at all. Use any background knowledge, facts, and statistics to support your viewpoint.

• Dear John,North Korea is a dictatorship. It is not a place you want to go. You should not go to North Korea because it might be dangerous, it could be harmful, and it might be bad.

• Dear John,I know you want to go and help the Korean people. You want to give up your U.S. citizenship for it. I want you not to go because of danger, a dictator and no outside help.

• Dear John,There are many people in North Korea who are in need of humanitarian aide. I know you are going to defect to North Korea in order to help the people there. I think that this is a very dangerous decision. I don’t think that you should go because you would be in a country with a dictator who makes sure that people are punished if they do anything to make him unhappy and they go to a concentration camp, you would be separated from your family and the rest of the world because you wouldn’t be allowed to have a phone or internet, and it could be hard for you to teach and help the people if you don’t have help from America since we are the ones who send most aide and machines like the ones that they used to fix people’s eyes.

• Dear John,There are many people in the world who need help. There are many people who are starving or in need of medical care. I know that you like to help people and that you want to help people. You are even willing to give up your citizenship to help people. I don’t think you should go because you could have a hard time leaving, you would be separated from the world, and there is a dicator.

• Dear John,Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had no power at all? It would be a terrifying moment. People in North Korea feel this kind of terror every day. They are ruled by a dictator and have no power over their own lives. I understand that the need for humanitarian aide is extreme, and that you are planning on going there to help. I also know that you are going to give up your United States citizenship in order to do so. I believe this would be a terrible mistake. I don’t think you should give up your citizenship in America and go to North Korea because you would be cut off from the rest of the world, the humanitarian needs are greater than you could give as a citizen of their country, and it could be very dangerous for you.

Now, look at your first paragraph.

• Ask yourself:– What is missing?– What “buzz words” have I used or not used from the

prompt?– Does my claim make sense?– Is my claim all in one sentence?– Etc.

– **Re-write if necessary! Follow instructions on the next slide with your first paragraph.

• Color #1: Underline your 3-4 sentences that grab the attention of the reader and give background information essential for the reader to understand the topic.

• Color #2: Circle your opinion and draw a squiggly-line under your entire claim statement (that includes your opinion too).

• Color #3: Draw a box around your first reason/warrant in your claim statement.

• Color #4: Draw a box around your second reason/warrant in your claim statement.

• Color #5: Draw a box around your third reason/warrant in your claim statement.

• **If you can’t find one or more of these things…re-write your paragraph!

• Dear John, EXAMPLEHave you ever where you had no power at all? It would be a terrifying moment. People in North Korea feel this kind of terror every day. They are ruled by a dictator and have no power over their own lives. I understand that the need for humanitarian aide is extreme, and that you are planning on going there to help. I also know that you are going to give up your United States citizenship in order to do so. I believe this would be a terrible mistake. I don’t think you should give up your citizenship in America and go to North Korea because you would be cut off from the rest of the world, the humanitarian needs are greater than you could give as a citizen of their country, and it could be very dangerous for you.