*****Remember, the expectation is that you do not verbally or non-verbally

communicate with your neighbor.Vocabulary for September 17

1. superfluous: excess; exceeding what is required

2. impoverished: poor; in a state of poverty; depleted

Work on Lord of the Rings when you are finished.

Unit 2: Writing and Constructing Arguments

Lesson 2: Arguable Topic Sentences • SWBAT identify arguable topic sentences. • SWBAT write arguable topic sentences. On-Going Reading Objective:• SWBAT summarize a written text.

Grammar

Some clarifications: In every sentence, there is a main verb. The main verb of a sentence is either a linking verb or action verb.

In most cases, the main verb is the last verb in the sentence. However, there are sentence structures where this is not the case. Helping verbs do the following:1. They usually come before the main verb. 2. If there are helping verbs in a sentence, they tell you the tense of the verb.

Grammar

• Article: The, a, an• Adjectives: modify nouns• Adverbs: a lot of the times, these end in –ly.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

• Note: Not and never are ALWAYS adverbs.

Example 1

• Sasha’s = Possessive Proper noun• Friend = common noun• Is = linking verb; present• Extremely = adverb• Brilliant = adjective

• Identify the simple subject: Friend• Identify the simple predicate: is

Example 2

• The = article• Energetic = adjective• Toddler = noun• is = helping verb• Running = action verb; present progressive• Everywhere = adverb• • Identify the simple subject. Toddler• • Identify the simple predicate. Is running

Example 3

• The = article• dog = common noun• will = helping verb• be = linking verb; future• tired = adjective• soon = adverb• • Identify the simple subject. dog• • • Identify the simple predicate. Will be

Example 4

• The = article• Extremely = adverb• Sassy = adjective• Teenager = common noun• Is = linking verb; present tense• Argumentative = adjective• • Identify the simple subject. teenager• • • Identify the simple predicate. is

Example 5• The = article• Frivolous = adjective• Girl = common noun• Has = helping verb• Been = helping verb• Shopping = action verb; present perfet progressive• Excessively = adverb• • Identify the simple subject. girl• • • Identify the simple predicate. Has been shopping

Example 6

• Lana’s = proper possessive noun• Friend = common noun• Will = helping verb• Not = adverb• Be = linking verb• happy = adjective• Simple Subject = friend• Simple Predicate = will be

Example 7

• Lana’s = proper possessive noun• Friend = common noun• Will = helping verb• Have = helping verb• Been = helping verb• Eating = action verb; future continuous • Simple subject = friend• Simple predicate = will have been eating

Lord of the Rings

Characters: Frodo, Sam, Merry, and PippinChapter 2, Part 1 Summary (on your Chapter 2 handout):Frodo sees little of Gandalf for seventeen years. Frodo’s circle of friends consist of Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Rumors circulate throughout the Shire about an enemy whose power is growing in the land of Mordor. Sam Gamgee, Frodo’s gardener, is very interested. Gandalf finally shows up.

https://www.google.com/search?q=one+ring+to+rule+them+all&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI7Jn01MP6xwIVkHuSCh3fDwiJ#imgrc=W8sLQ2PyB8g1sM%3A

Lord of the Rings

Chapter 2 (this should be on the actual Lord of the Rings text):Pgs. 61Gandalf tells Frodo that the ring possesses and overpowers anyone who wears it. Pg. 64Bilbo is the first to willingly hand over the ring. Even though Bilbo was influenced by the ring, because of his simplicity and humility, he could resist it still.

https://www.google.com/search?q=one+ring+to+rule+them+all&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI7Jn01MP6xwIVkHuSCh3fDwiJ#tbm=isch&q=mordor+lord+of+the+rings&imgrc=tCFCrJL8C3VuBM%3A

Lord of the Rings

Chapter 2 (this should be on the actual Lord of the Rings text): :Somewhere on pg. 65-66:The Elven-smiths created the rings of power. Three were given to the Elves, seven to the dwarves, and nine to mortal men. These rings are not evil in themselves.Sauron, in secret, forged the master ring that rules the other rings. This is the ring that Frodo has.

Lord of the Rings

Chapter 2 (this should be on the actual Lord of the Rings text): :Somewhere on pg. 67:Sauron has risen again and is building up his army. He needs the One Ring to give him his full strength. Elves’ three rings = hidden from SauronDwarves’ seven rings = Sauron recovered three; dragons consumed the othersMen’s nine rings = Because of the men’s pride, the one ring overpowered them, and they became slaves to Sauron.

Lord of the Rings

Look at your Chapter 2 Lord of the Rings sheet.

Chapter 2, Part 2: In about four sentences, summarize pages 61-67. You don’t need every detail since you have it in your annotation; just list highlights.

Lord of the RingsLook at your Chapter 2 Lord of the Rings sheet.

Characters: Gandalf, Frodo, Sauron

Chapter 2, Part 2 (pg. 61-67):Gandalf tells Frodo that the One Ring possesses and destroys anyone who has it. Sauron, the Enemy, is seeking the ring, and if Sauron gets the ring, he will become undefeatable. The Ringwraiths, men who have fallen under Sauron’s shadow, are Sauron’s servants.

Lord of the RingsLook at your Chapter 2 Lord of the Rings sheet.

Characters: Gandalf, Frodo, Sauron

Chapter 2, Part 2 (pg. 61-67):Gandalf tells Frodo that the One Ring possesses and destroys anyone who has it. Sauron, the Enemy, is seeking the ring, and if Sauron gets the ring, he will become undefeatable. The Ringwraiths, men who have fallen under Sauron’s shadow, are Sauron’s servants.

Lord of the Rings Assignment

• Lord of the Rings Chapter 2 Part 3 Reading (pg. 68-84)

• Annotate as needed

• Write your summary on your Chapter 2 sheet. This is due Tuesday, September 22.

Arguable Topic Sentences

Essays can be frustrating.

Actually, “What I did this summer” is not an essay at all.

“What I did this summer is better than what you did this summer” however, is.

“The basic urge behind every piece of writing remains the same: to communicate, to share

knowledge and ideas and feelings, to say to the world,

‘This is the way things are.’”

-Lucile Vaughan Payne

But what is an essay exactly?

An essay is NOT…

1. A mere record of facts(that’s a lab report)2. A description of what you did this summer(that’s a journal entry)3. A plot summary of your summer reading book(that’s Sparknotes)4. A pure work of imagination and creativity(that’s a story or poem)5. A collection of clichés(that’s boring and predictable)

An Essay IS…

… the written expression of its author’s opinion.

1. It does not merely record facts or recount experiences…

2. Rather, it describes the author’s opinion of those facts and experiences

The heart of a thesis statement is an opinion.

The heart of an essay is a thesis statement.

You are trying to prove your thesis statement in an essay.

No opinion = no thesis = no essay!

Topic Sentences for Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should center upon and support your thesis.

Thus, your topic sentence needs to directly tie back to your thesis.

Your topic sentence also needs to be an opinion.

A Good Topic Sentence:1. Expresses an opinion or is arguable (people can disagree/argue with it)2. It is specific and focused.3. Avoids vague language (like “maybe,” “it seems”)4. Avoids the first person (“I believe,” “In my own opinion,” “I feel”) [there are exceptions to this rule]

Opinions are the Basis for Essays

“A student is no [mere] machine when he writes an essay; he is a human being—judging,

evaluating, interpreting, expressing not only what he knows but what he is. Thus every attempted essay is a kind of voyage toward self discovery.”

-Lucile Vaughn Payne

So what is an Opinion?

1. It is NOT a fact. (eg: the sky is blue, Matt is the main character of The House of the Scorpion is Matt, Matt learns about himself in The House of the Scorpion, Sister Maria Thuan is a ninja, etc.)

A fact is something easily provable or verifiable.

• 2. It is NOT a universal truth or cliché idea: (eg. Family is important, Love is blind, Love is good, Suffering is difficult, Forgiveness brings you peace, You learn from your mistakes, Shakespeare is a great writer, etc.)

A cliché is an overused phrase.

A universal truth is an overused idea that everybody already believes to be true.

Opinion:

A belief not based on absolute certainty or positive knowledge but on what seems true, valid, or probable to one’s own mind; what one thinks; judgment.

So, ask yourself these questions…

1. Is your opinion based on absolute certainty?2. On positive knowledge?3. Can you prove beyond all reasonable doubt

that it is true?4. Would most reasonable people in the world

agree with you?

-If you answer yes to any of these, then what you have is NOT an opinion at all.

-It is either a fact or an observation so obvious that it has the status of a fact (i.e. universal truth).

Always ask yourself these two questions about your opinion:

1. Can a valid argument be made against it?

2. Can I defend it logically against this argument?

If you answer YES to both these questions, congratulations. You have a true opinion that can be used as a strong essay topic.

Announcements: • Lord of the Rings Chapter 2 Part 3 Reading (pg.

68-84) and Summary (write your summary on your Chapter 2 sheet) is due Tuesday, September 22.

• Grammar Video #4 is due Tuesday, September 22.

• Audio version of Lord of the Rings posted on the website. You will have to fast forward to find the place it starts.