This “Whole Essay Thing”

Level 1: Reading the Prompt and Sources

What is the prompt asking you? Which side are you on? YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE! Example: Write an essay in which you argue whether or not the drinking age should be lowered. Example 2: Write an essay in which you argue if the penny should be eliminated Read each source and label which side it is on your plan sheet Then, write evidence or claims they use below that Example: Source 1-”Drinking and Driving Kills Teens” Side: Against lowering drinking age Number of accidents, body changes You may want to group them together based on type (so divide page in half up and down etc. and sort by position)

Level 2-Planning your essay

Create an Outline! I-Intro Thesis: Your point Reason1 Reason 2

Sample Intro outline I-Intro: Thesis: TAKE A SIDE The drinking age should not be lowered because Reason 1-it can cause permanent brain damage, Reason 2-teenagers get in more accidents while drinking, Reason 3, and teens are not responsible enough to handle alcohol. TTQA to write the easiest thesis (turn the question around) Sample Intro outline

Writing your Intro Begin with quote, question, or statement of fact Should have any definitions if you nee them Goes from big idea to small idea Example: The topic of the drinking age has been a debate among politicians and scientists since the writing of the Constitution. Is it better left for adults? Or can teens handle the responsibility? What happens if something goes wrong? These questions require the consideration not only of what teens want, but also the consequences of these actions. It is because of these consequences, such as 1, 2, 3, that the drinking age SHOULD NOT be lowered. Writing your Intro

II-IV-Body Paragraphs II. Topic Sentence (think of it as a summary of your whole paragraph) beginning with transition words Evidence-quote you will use to prove your point Explanation-how what you said proves your side of the argument

Sample body paragraph-you should do this 3 times at least! Topic Sentence: First, the driving age should not be lowered because teenagers are not fully developed mentally or physically and alcohol can inhibit this. In source number one, made up title here, Dr. Livingston states that “the teenaged brain can be severally injured by alcohol. This could lead to permanent damage.” This study shows that alcohol has terrible affects for teens. It could lead them to have permanent brain damage, and is therefore too dangerous to consume. It would be better to wait until you are an adult, so that your brain isn’t ruined by some drinks at a party. Sample body paragraph-you should do this 3 times at least!

The TIED Method Body paragraphs are made of four parts T-Topic Sentence I-Introduce context E-Evidence/Examples D-Discussion-how your examples/evidence proves your point (thesis) The TIED Method

Like a Burger The Topic sentence at the beginning and a restatement of your topic sentence are the bun The Evidence-the toppings-they are important and they taste good but are no good with out the… Discussion-the beef-how the evidence you gave proves your point-tell us what we should see Like a Burger

Thesis: The region in which a Native American lived greatly affected their way of life. Body Paragraph 1: The types of shelters that Native Americans built were based on a region’s climate and resources.  The Inuits in the Artic region, for example, built igloos as their home.  Igloos are made of blocks of ice and are very insulated and warm inside.  The Inuit chose this as their home because, in the Arctic region, there is an abundance of snow.  There are also very harsh winters, so they needed a place that would keep them warm.  The Native Americans who lived in the Great Plains, however, built tipis as their homes, which are made from sticks and buffalo skin.  This is because buffalo were plentiful in that region.  They also chose tipis as their homes because tipis are easy to put up and take down, which fits with their nomadic lifestyle. 

When introducing evidence, try some of these sentence starters For example,... For instance,... When discussing, try some of these sentence starters: This proves... This illustrates... This highlights the fact that... This demonstrates... This means... This is important because... This shows Transitions

Level V: The Counter Point

A Counter point addresses the other side. What other people may say about your topic Think of it like an argument or fight…you each have an opinion and you are trying to prove each other wrong. Your job is to summarize their point, tell the reader why you disagree, and use facts to show why they are wrong.

Example: Thesis: The best Disney Princess is Belle because of her intelligence and poise. Counter Point: Despite the evidence, some believe that Ariel is the superior Disney princess due to her being a princess by birth as well as marrying a prince. However, Ariel didn’t care about being a princess. She was willing to give up her crown in order to be with a human. She did not care if he was a prince, she just lucked out. Ariel simply wanted to live where the people were…not the princes.

Outlining a Counter Point V-Counter Their side’s thesis: write out their thesis Reason 1 Reason 2 Why you disagree Facts to back up your points Outlining a Counter Point

Level VI- The Conclusion

The Conclusion VI-Conclusion Write the essay and turn it in Restate your thesis with reasons Summarize your points in new words End with a new thought, question, or quote Write the essay and turn it in The Conclusion