We will be starting To Kill a Mockingbird next week. What do you know about this book? What have you heard from parents/siblings/friends? What concerns do you have in regard to content/interest/reading pace? 4 sentences

Today

» Collect Thesis Statements» Elizabeth LaBan Author talk Thursday, period 6» MLA overview practice» How to write an intro» Write yours/return thesis statements

» GOALS:˃ Understand MLA˃ Know the components of an introduction˃ Write ours˃ Check thesis statements

MLA

» All papers will be written in MLA format

» We will look at an example through the document camera

How to Write an Amazing Introduction Paragraph

» The purpose of an introduction paragraph is to INTRODUCE your topic to your audience and state what you will prove (your thesis).

» A standard introduction includes:˃ The Grabber or The Hook or The Lead˃ The Bridge or The Connector˃ The Roadmap or Preview˃ The Thesis Statement

We start off with a BROAD idea

And then we get SPECIFIC

The Grabber

The Bridge

The Three Sentence Roadmap

The Thesis

The Grabber

» Otherwise known as the hook or the lead» “grabs” the attention of the reader» It is a broad, general statement that can still be

applied today. » Can be in the form of a question

» Ex: Sometimes people are treated unfairly.

The Bridge

» Connects what you said in your grabber to your topic

» It’s the sentence where you begin to introduce your topic.

» Ex: The Jim Crow Laws were created to keep African Americans from attaining the same rights as whites.

The Roadmap

» These sentences will preview what is to come in your paper

» You will preview the topics of your paper:

EX: 1. After the freeing of the slaves, the South was still a racist area. 2. The Jim Crow laws kept the blacks from gaining too much power. 3. These laws created many differences in terms of education, labor, and

pay.

The Thesis Statement

» Your point» The reason you are writing your essay!

» EX: In the 1930s, The Jim Crow Laws were passed in order to keep African Americans and whites separated which showed how racist the South was during this time.

The Whole Thing!

General

Specific

Sometimes people are treated unfairly. The Jim Crow Laws were created to keep African Americans from attaining the same rights as whites. After the

freeing of the slaves, the South was still a racist area. The Jim Crow laws kept the blacks from

gaining too much power. These laws created many differences in terms of education, labor, and pay. In the 1930s, The Jim Crow Laws were passed in

order to keep African Americans and whites separated which showed how racist the South was

during this time.

Your Turn!

» Using your outline and thesis statement, create a working introduction paragraph for your essay.

» If you need help, please let me know.