•What is the PURPOSE of writing an introduction to your essay?

Thesis Statements and You

Our mantra: Opinion plus plan.

Opinion + plan

Opinion + plan

Thesis is the brain of the essay.

•Answer the prompt with your

Opinion•Tell your

Plan of how you will support

that opinion.

Prompt Deconstruction &Thesis Statement Writing

Expository Essays

Breaking down essay writing prompts

by Asking Questions…

• What are the in this writing prompt?

• How can I the important words and phrases so I don’t forget them while writing?

• Does the writing prompt tell me how many paragraphs I need to write?

• If it says “multi-paragraph,” what does that mean exactly?

• Can you think of any other questions?

What do I need IN ADDITION to a thesis statement in my Intro paragraph?

1. Hook Sentence—GRAB your reader’s attention, bring them into your topic with a ZING. Short and sweet hooks are great!

2. Big Picture—Give us an overview of your TOPIC—that’s what your essay will be about.

3. Thesis Statement = Your Topic + Your Opinion about your topic

–Your thesis statement SHOULD include a list of your main examples, which become your PLAN for the body paragraphs.

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• In a multi-paragraph letter to an interested adult, explain what got you interested in your favorite activity, hobby, or sport. What is your favorite thing about it? How could you share this interest with someone else in a way that might help them learn about or want to try your activity, hobby, or sport?

Let’s break down your most recent

Expository Practice Essay prompt…

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Link this purple question to your first body paragraph…

Link this green question to your first body paragraph…

Link this blue question to your first body paragraph…

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Favorite Activity topicIntro + Thesis Statement

One of my favorite activities is running. My husband has always been a runner, and after the births of my two amazing kids, I decided I wanted to run a half marathon race. So I started training. I love running because it allows me to sweat off the day’s troubles. I can get lost in the effort and forget about anything that might be bothering me. A lot of people think they can’t run, but I hope by sharing my enthusiasm for the healthy effects of running, maybe I will inspire others to give it a try.

OPINION

3

First body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

Second body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

Third body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

PLA

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Note: this example doesn’t include a quote, question, scenario or prep

overview strategy. This is the nuts and bolts!

Intro Paragraph OUTLINE Back to The Nuts and Bolts

1. Hook Sentence—GRAB your reader’s attention with a Quote or a Scenario or a thought-provoking question…

2. Big Picture—try a different strategy than you used for your hook…what about a prep info overview?

3. Thesis Statement = Your Topic + Your Opinion about your topic

– Remember to include a list of main points/examples; this is your PLAN/structure for the body paragraphs—meaning it sets up the ORDER in which you will talk about your examples as you go.

Introductory Paragraph Strategies

Definitions / Notes to Self

Using a famous or often heard by you quote that thematically ties into your topic.

Provide hypothetical or personal examples to illustrate your topic.

Ask thought-provoking, edgy, and OPEN-ended questions to capture the reader’s interest.

Define or explain the subject before discussing it in detail.

Using a famous or often heard by you quote that thematically ties into your topic.

Favorite Activity topic with a QUOTE

“You have to get involved. Take chances. Be brave.” These are words I often heard from my grandfather when I was a little kid. He believed we need to try new things. It’s because of him I had the courage to go out for track…

Provide hypothetical or personal examples to illustrate your topic.

Favorite Activity topic with a Scenario

Imagine this: It’s 1:58 in the afternoon… school is almost out and all you can think about is that tryout. You’ve been practicing hard all week, putting in long hours. You’ve been laying in bed, unable to sleep, visualizing how tryouts will go, trying to stay positive and think the best, when suddenly the bell rings. You’re up. Moment of truth… That’s how I felt the day I went out for track.

Ask thought-provoking, edgy, and OPEN-ended questions to capture the reader’s interest.

1. Ask yourself, isn’t there a better, more creative, more interesting way to start my writing?

2. If the above is actually “no” or you are just plain stumped about how to start (like during the HSPE), make sure that your question can’t be answered “yes” or “no.” If your reader can say “no,” then you’ve lost them.

• Q: Have you ever wondered…?

• A: No.

• Q: Have you every been…?

• A: No.

• Q: Have you ever thought…?

• A: No.

• Q: Do you like…?

• A: Yeah. What’s it to you?

What is the furthest distance you have ever run? I had never run further than a mile…until I went out for my high school’s track team.

Define or explain the subject before discussing it in detail.

Favorite Activity topic with Prep Info or an Overview (Definition)

Track and Field are really two different things. Track involves all the running events, including relays and hurdles. Field involves everything else: shot put, javelin, high jump, etc. I don’t compete in the field events…

FAVORITE ACTIVITYSample intro paragraph

Imagine this: It’s 1:58 in the afternoon… school is almost out and all you can think about is that tryout. You’ve been practicing hard all week, putting in long hours. You’ve been laying in bed, unable to sleep, visualizing how tryouts will go, trying to stay positive and think the best, when suddenly the bell rings. You’re up. Moment of truth… That’s how I felt the day I went out for track. I summoned my courage, repeating the mantra, “You have to get involved. Take chances. Be brave.” These are words I often heard from my grandfather when I was a little kid. He believed we need to try new things. It’s because of him I had the courage to show up for tryouts. And now? I can’t imagine my life without my track team family. Being involved in track and field has increased my focus and school, it has made me a healthier person, and it has given me courage in other areas of my life. These are positive benefits that will continue to reward me beyond high school.

Imagine this: It’s 1:58 in the afternoon… school is almost out and all you can think about is that tryout. You’ve been practicing hard all week, putting in long hours. You’ve been laying in bed, unable to sleep, visualizing how tryouts will go, trying to stay positive and think the best, when suddenly the bell rings. You’re up. Moment of truth… That’s how I felt the day I went out for track. I summoned my courage, repeating the mantra, “You have to get involved. Take chances. Be brave.” These are words I often heard from my grandfather when I was a little kid. He believed we need to try new things. It’s because of him I had the courage to show up for tryouts. And now? I can’t imagine my life without my track team family. Being involved in track and field has increased my focus and school, it has made me a healthier person, and it has given me courage in other areas of my life. These are positive benefits that will continue to reward me beyond high school.

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Favorite Activity topic (same as slide 8)

Intro + Thesis StatementOne of my favorite activities is running.

My husband has always been a runner, and after the births of my two amazing kids, I decided I wanted to run a half marathon race. So I started training. I love running because it allows me to sweat off the day’s troubles. I can get lost in the effort and forget about anything that might be bothering me. A lot of people think they can’t run, but I hope by sharing my enthusiasm for the healthy effects of running, maybe I will inspire others to give it a try.

OPINION

3

First body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

Second body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

Third body paragraph topic sentence? (Just rephrase it!)

PLA

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Note: this example doesn’t include a quote, question, scenario or prep

overview strategy. This is the nuts and bolts!

Ineffective Introductions

Phrases to AVOID:

• I hope you enjoy…

• You are going to learn about…

• This essay/letter is about…

• I am going to tell you about…

• In these paragraphs…

• Look at your INTRO paragraph…

• Do you have a HOOK sentence? Any of the intro strategies? A thesis statement?

• Even if YES to the above—how can you IMPROVE your intro?

• Begin writing or revising an introductory paragraph on a SEPARATE sheet of paper. LABEL the intro strategies you are trying.

MISTAKES –HOW HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM MISTAKES/SETBACKS?

Alternate Expository Topic

Mistakes topic with a QUOTE

“Pick yourself up and dust yourself off.” That’s what my grandpa always used to tell me whenever I screwed up big time. He believed we should never give up, and when we mess up, we have to figure out how to make things right or how to learn from the mistake and move on. I didn’t get a chance to run the 200 meter race again in high school, but when I went to college…

Picture this: It’s 2:58 on a cold, breezy, rain-shattering afternoon. You hear the coach yell, “Runners take your mark! Get set! GO!” and off you rocket, stride stretched, heart pounding, gut BURNING as you round the corner of the track into the home stretch. But you do something so STUPID, you actually glance to either side of you to gauge where your competition is! It costs you the race. In those split seconds, your 200 meter rival leans forward and takes first place.

Mistakes topic with a SCENARIO

What is the biggest mistake you have ever made in competition for something you loved? For me, it was taking precious seconds to look at my competitors during my last 200 meter race in my high school career. It cost me first place.

Mistakes topic with a QUESTION

Track and Field are really two different things. Track involves all the running events, including relays and hurdles. Field involves everything else: shot put, javelin, high jump, etc. I don’t compete in the field events…

Mistakes topic with Prep Info or an Overview (Definition)

MISTAKES –FULL INTRO PARAGRAPH EXAMPLE

Alternate Expository Topic

It’s 2:58 on a cold, breezy, rain-shattering afternoon. You hear the coach yell, “Runners take your mark! Get set! GO!” and off you rocket, stride stretched, heart pounding, gut BURNING as you round the corner of the track into the home stretch. But you do something so STUPID, you actually glance to either side of you to gauge where your competition is! It costs you the race. In those split seconds, your 200 meter rival leans forward and takes first place. I will never forget that day I blew my last 200 meter race in high school track. But I learned from it. I took my grandfather’s advice: “Pick yourself up and dust yourself off.” I went on to the University of Oregon where I excelled on the college track scene, and then I applied those same words to life after college.

FULL Intro Paragraph using Scenario & Quotes

It’s 2:58 on a cold, breezy, rain-shattering afternoon. You hear the coach yell, “Runners take your mark! Get set! GO!” and off you rocket, stride stretched, heart pounding, gut BURNING as you round the corner of the track into the home stretch. But you do something so STUPID, you actually glance to either side of you to gauge where your competition is! It costs you the race. In those split seconds, your 200 meter rival leans forward and takes first place. I will never forget that day I blew my last 200 meter race in high school track. But I learned from that mistake. I took my grandfather’s advice: “Pick yourself up and dust yourself off.” I went on to the University of Oregon where I excelled on the college track scene, and then I applied those same words to life after college.

FULL Intro Paragraph using Scenario & Quotes

THESIS: I went on to the University of Oregon where I excelled on the college track scene, and then I applied those same words to life after college.

• University of Oregon

– How did that 200 meter high school race mess up affect how I ran track in college?• Detail 1: Anecdote about

another race where I felt unsure but persevered? (throw in facts—dates, times, places!)

• Detail 2: Quote from college coach to highlight EXAMPLES of other races.

• Detail 3 (optional)

• Beyond College

– Reinforce how what I learned in high school impacted my success in college and beyond.• Detail 1: Example of a really bad

day in student teaching—how did I learn from it? Anecdote? Facts?

• Detail 2: Descriptive details of the pressure of the teaching job interview. Use Dialogue?

– Him: “How can we get you here?”

– Me: “Well my husband is also looking for a teaching position…”

We’ve all screwed up. Let’s face it, at some point in our lives, we’ve all done something, said something we later came to regret. But—if we let it—our mistake maybe helped us become a slightly better person. My personal experience with making a mistake has taught me talk to people about how I feel. I have learned to be a better communicator with new friends, at my job, and in my marriage.

We’ve all screwed up. Let’s face it, at some point in our lives, we’ve all done something, said something we later came to regret. But—if we let it—our mistake maybe helped us become a slightly better person. When I was a senior in high school, I made the terrible mistake of telling a friend I was frustrated with ALL her flaws. In my anger, I wrote her an ugly letter that I regret to this day because our friendship never fully recovered. Regret aside, though, that experience taught me talk to people about how I feel before letting things get so bad ever again. I learned to be a better communicator with new friends, at my job, and in my marriage.

We’ve all screwed up. Let’s face it, at some point in our lives, we’ve all done something, said something we later came to regret. But—if we let it—our mistake maybe helped us become a slightly better person. When I was a senior in high school, I made the terrible mistake of telling a friend I was frustrated with ALL her flaws. In my anger, I wrote her an ugly letter that I regret to this day because our friendship never fully recovered. Regret aside, though, that experience taught me talk to people about how I feel before letting things get so bad ever again. I learned to be a better communicator with new friends, at my job, and in my marriage.